Manila Standard - 2020 March 10 - Tuesday

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DUTERTE SUSPENDS CLASSES IN METRO MANILA UNTIL MARCH 14 By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the suspension of classes at all levels, both public and private, in Metro Manila until March 14, 2020 as the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to rise. The Department of Health, however, said it is not recommending a lockdown yet as there is still no sustained community transmission. "If we reach Code Red, Sub-Level 2,

that will trigger a lockdown," Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergerie said. Classes in the following areas have also been suspended following the declaration of a state of public health emergency: Cainta, Rizal—all levels until March 10; Montalban, Rizal—all levels until March 10; San Mateo, Rizal—all levels until March 10 Two schools—Assumption College and St. Theresa’s College—have also Next page

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 29 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH virus cases balloon to 20 CHECKING CORONA. A government worker disinfects an unnamed high school in Metro Manila, amid concerns about the frightening spread of the COViD-19 on Monday while a sanitation officer (inset) from the Pasay City Health Office disinfects classrooms at the City University of Pasay as the city declared suspension of classes for March 9 and 10 due to the rising threat of the disease. Norman Cruz with AFP

TOTAL CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES IN PH: 20 PH-1 FEMALE, 38, CHINESE SAN LAZARO HOSPITAL, RECOVERED PH-2 MALE, 44, CHINESE SAN LAZARO HOSPITAL, DEAD

PH-10 MALE, 57, FILIPINO ST. LUKE’S QC PH-9 MALE, 86, AMERICAN THE MEDICAL CITY, ICU PH-11 MALE, 72, FILIPINO THE MEDICAL CITY

PH-7 MALE, 38,TAIWANESE MAKATI MEDICAL CENTER, STABLE

PH-18 MALE, 41, FILIPINO TRICITY MEDICAL CENTER

PH-12 MALE, 56, FILIPINO MAKATI MEDICAL CENTER

PH-19 FEMALE, 46, FILIPINO TRICITY MEDICAL CENTER

PH-13 MALE, 34, FILIPINO MAKATI MEDICAL CENTER PH-14 MALE, 46, FILIPINO MAKATI MEDICAL CENTER PH-15 MALE, 24, FILIPINO MAKATI MEDICAL CENTER PH-16 MALE, 70, FILIPINO UNIHEALTH HOSPITAL PH-17 FEMALE, 69, FILIPINO UNIHEALTH HOSPITAL

PH-8 MALE, 32, FILIPINO ST. LUKE’S TAGUIG STABLE

15 CASES

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

5 CASES

• 3 CHINESE • 1 TAIWANESE • 1 AMERICAN • 15 FILIPINOS

PH-3 FEMALE, 60, CHINESE HOSPITAL IN BOHOL, RECOVERED

PH-4 MALE, 48, FILIPINO RITM, STABLE

PH-6 FEMALE, 59, FILIPINO RITM PH-20 MALE, 48, FILIPINO RITM

OIL prices plunged by almost a third Monday, the biggest drop since the 1991 Gulf War, as top exporter Saudi Arabia launched a price war after Russia blocked a bid to cut output. In ferocious trading, both main crude contracts nosedived following Riyadh’s shock move to slash prices after the alliance between oil-exporting group OPEC

patients are all Filipinos, with the youngest being 24 years old, and the oldest 72. Of the 10 new cases, four patients had a history of travel abroad to the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Taiwan and Japan DOH Medical Specialist IV Dr. Alethea de Guzman said five of the first 10 cases had a history of travel abroad while Next page

EQUITY markets collapsed Monday as the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus (COVID-19) fans fears for the global economy, while a crash in oil prices added to the panic with energy firms taking a hammering and wiping hundreds of billions off valuations. As the deadly disease claims more lives around the world, dealers are shedding

riskier assets for safe havens, sending gold and the yen surging and pushing US Treasury yields to record lows. While governments and central banks have unleashed or prepared stimulus measures, the spread of COVID-19 is putting a huge strain on economies and stoking concerns of a worldwide recession. Next page

Next page

By Rey E. Requejo

the Philippines had its Full Moon in March, called Worm Moon, because the ground begins to thaw and earthworms reappear, soon followed by the return of robins. It is also called the Lenten Moon because it happens right around the Christian season of Lent.

President Rodrigo Duterte also disclosed Monday evening four new cases in West Crame in San Juan City, Santa Maria, Bulacan, and Project 6, Quezon City. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the test results of cases 11 to 20 were released Monday after samples were collected from March 6 to 8. The 11th to 20th

and its partners fell apart. At a meeting last week, Saudi Arabia led a push by OPEC ministers to reduce output to counter the impact of the coronavirus outbreak―but it hinged on agreement from the group’s allies, foremost among them Moscow. However Russia, the world’s second

Twitter restricts Locsin's account WORM MOON. At 1: 47 a.m. today,

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HE number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has reached a total of 24, after the Department of Health reported 10 more cases on Monday, on top of the four cases announced Sunday night.

Stock markets dive, safe havens eyed

PH-5 MALE, 62, FILIPINO RITM

Coping with Covid: Oil falls amid Saudi-Russia price war 'No-touch' at PSG THE Presidential Security Group will be implementing a “no-touch” policy on President Rodrigo Duterte and the first family to prevent them from contracting the coronavirus disease or COVID-19. PSG commander Jesus Durante said the no-touch policy will be among the precautionary measures in place to minimize Duterte’s exposure to the disease. Airport fees on hold Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Manila International Airport Authority to defer the payment of take-off, landing, and parking fees of local airlines to cushion the impact of COVID-19 in the airline industry. Arrivals decline Manila airport general manager Eddie Monreal said the volume of passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport went down by 30 percent in February because of COVID-19. There was a total of 476,000 passengers decline in arrivals and departures, and mostly international.” Next page

UPDATE: Du30 confirms 4 new cases in San Juan City, Quezon City and Bulacan

THE social media platform Twitter has locked Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s account for posting offensive and threatening tweets accusing the group Bayan of being “communists that deserve to be shot.” Once it is locked, some features of the Twitter account are deactivated until the user has finally deleted the offending tweets. If an account is found to have violated Next page

UPHOLDING VFA. Senate President Vicente Sotto III and fellow senators Franklin Drilon, Richard Gordon and Panfilo Lacson file a petition before the Supreme Court in Manila for a declaratory relief of Mandamus on Monday, the petition related to the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement. Norman Cruz

Six senators ask SC to rule on VFA By Rey E. Requejo SIX senators asked the Supreme Court on Monday to uphold the Senate’s role in terminating or withdrawing from treaties with the United States and other countries. Senate President Vicente Sotto III and five of his colleagues made the plea in a petition for declaratory relief and manda-

mus before the 15-member bench. They are seeking to declare that a treaty previously concurred in by the Senate should require the concurrence of at least two-thirds of its members if the Executive department decides to withdraw from it or end it. Sotto and Ralph Recto, Juan Miguel Next page

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News

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Visitors vanish from most-visited sites

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S DAWN breaks the unmistakable tapered towers of Angkor Wat emerge from the gloom— but for once there are no tourists jostling on its steps to capture Cambodia's most famous sunrise.

Asia's most Instagrammable sites— temples, promenades, shopping streets, museums and mausoleums—are empty, victims of a virus keeping visitors at home. The usual crowds have evaporated from Sensoji temple in Tokyo to Shanghai's Bund; abandoning the viewpoint at The Peak in Hong Kong and alleviating the pedestrian crush along Sydney Harbour. Many of the now vanished visitors are from China—a country whose travelers have completely reshaped the tourist economies of Asia over the last few years, yet where only around 10 percent of the population hold passports. At the Angkor Wat complex, a 12th

century marvel of Khmer architecture whose unique crenellations and reliefs lure millions each year, high season has brought the lowest number of tourists on record. Chinese-speaking Cambodian guide Hor Sophea has not taken any tours since late January. Several weeks on, money is getting tight. "I've never seen so few tourists," said the 36-year, gesturing at the large moat inside the Angkor Wat complex, whose gangways normally bustle with selfietaking hordes but are now empty. "I am very worried... I don't know how much longer we can carry on like this." The Angkor complex in Siem Reap province attracts the bulk of the king-

Duterte... From A1

PH virus... From A1

suspended classes at all levels until March 10 and March 14, respectively. Cainta Mayor Kit Nieto on Monday said he might extend the suspension of classes in his town if authorities fail to stock up on materials to keep students safe from COVID-19. These include N-95 and surgical masks, rubbing alcohol and disinfectant, which will be distributed to students when they return to school. Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, meanwhile, said his decision to cancel classes on Monday was not due to any COVID-19 case in the city. “This decision is not because there is a COVID-19 case in Navotas. There is no COVID-19 case in Navotas,” Tiangco told radio dzMM in Filipino. Meanwhile, the Department of Education has suspended all national and regional activities which require travel and congregation of schools, division, and regions amid the continuing COVID-19 threat. The DepEd said only the ongoing National Schools Press Conference and the National Festival of Talents will proceed. The regional athletic meets are also suspended until further notice. The department required organizers of national and regional activities to report the suspended activities to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service. “All division and district activities that involve the gathering or congregation of various schools in cities and municipalities where there have been Department of Health (DOH)-confirmed local cases of COVID-19—Taguig City and San Juan City, National Capital Region— are suspended,” the DepEd said. Activities that involve gathering of learners within the school may proceed provided that all personnel and learners exhibiting respiratory infections must not attend and applicable health guidelines are strictly observed. “Personnel and learners exhibiting respiratory infections shall be referred to appropriate health personnel for proper evaluation or referral to a hospital if needed,” the DepEd added. The Commission on Elections has suspended voter registration in light of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. The voter registration period started on Jan. 20 and was originally scheduled to run until Sept. 30, 2021.

the remaining five have had no significant travel. De Guzman also told the Senate economic affairs committee there are still 700 patients under investigation (PUIs) and 48 are currently admitted in different hospitals. A total of 646 have been discharged. At present, she said 445 repatriates have remained at the Athletes’ Village in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac. There were also 34 PUIs, more than half of whom tested negative. The rest were still awaiting lab results. She also said the repatriates from the two cruise ships and from Macau have no PUIs. They were sent home for quarantine. Dr. Gemma Arellano of the DOH Emergency Operations for COVID-19 had earlier expressed hope that an “epidemic surge” would not happen, as this would overwhelm the country’s health system. “The fact that there is local transmission is a trigger for us that we need to step up our efforts. However, when there is an evidence of community transmission or epidemic surge, that means whatever additional efforts we are doing now need to be further scaled,” she said. Globally, she said, 106,026 persons have been sickened with the new coronavirus. China has accounted for the most number of patients with 80,814 and 3,099 deaths. Outside of China, there are 25,212 confirmed cases in 101 countries with 493 deaths and 55 local transmission. Data from the World Health Organization showed that 96.5 percent of all cases are from China. It also said 94.8 percent are from Hubei province, where Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus is located. The four latest coronavirus patients in the country are getting medical attention in different private hospitals in Metro Manila. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the 38-year-old Taiwanese (7th case) with no recent travel history has been admitted to the Makati Medical Center and the 32-year-old Filipino (8th case) who traveled to Japan has been confined in St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City. He also said the 86-year-old American (9th case) who traveled to the United States and South Korea is now in The Medical City in Ortigas while the 57-year-old Filipino (10th case) who has no recent travel history to COVID-19-hit countries is currently in St. Luke’s Medical Center in Qu-

Oil... From A1

Consumer group Laban Konsyumer president Victorio Dimagiba said if world oil prices eould continue to plunge this week, “the rollback on fuel prices shall continue.” Dimagiba, however, urged the Energy department to ensure price transparency, whether the rollback is “realistic.” “In this (sic) extraordinary times, the DOE should inform consumers whether any rollback is realistic,” he said. The oil firms cut pump prices by P1.20 per liter for gasoline, P1.05 per liter for kerosene and P.075 per liter for diesel this week to reflect the movement of prices in the world market. Last week, the oil firms also cut pump prices as much as P1.65 per liter as global economies reel from the impact of the coronavirus which has sev-

largest oil producer, refused to tighten supply―and Riyadh then drove through the biggest cuts to prices in 20 years on Sunday, unleashing pandemonium on crude markets. Price rollback Meanwhile, consumers may expect another round of price rollback next week after the alliance between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries led by Saudi Arabia broke apart. “Yes, we can expect this [rollback] next week,” Kenneth Pundanera, Unioil Philippines president said, but estimates of the price cut will have to wait until Thursday as more data come in.

Six senators... From A1 Zubiri, Franklin Drilon, Richard Gordon and Panfilo Lacson also asked the magistrates to issue an order “directing respondents to forthwith refer the Notice of Withdrawal to the Senate of the Philippines for its concurrence, pursuant to Section 21, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution.” They filed their petition almost a month after Manila notified the US it is terminating the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement, which governs the conditions under which American soldiers may be present in the Philippines.

dom's foreign tourists—which hit a record 6.6 million in 2019, nearly half of whom were from China. But the outbreak of the coronavirus has withered Chinese tourist arrivals by 90 percent. Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced tax breaks for hotels and guesthouses in Siem Reap for four months to offset the losses. But the discovery on Saturday of the first Cambodian with the infection— in Siem Reap—is likely to cement the stay-at-home mentality among many travellers. The economic impact is also cascading across Asia. In Bali, piers once bristling with arrivals from China are now decorated with moored boats, while in Tokyo the slump in mainland visitors—as well as South Koreans—is hammering restaurants in tourist areas. At the Tsukiji fish market some restaurants say their take is nearly 70 percent down.

"People stopped coming from China during the Lunar New Year... the streets and shops around here are near-empty," Hiroshi Oya, 61, a cook at a Japanese seafood restaurant told AFP. "Then South Koreans stopped coming, too. The tuna shop next to us decided to close temporarily to avoid running costs," he added. But for those who are inured to the panic gripping the globe and choose to navigate travel restrictions and the morass of quarantine, a rare privilege of empty sites is their reward. At the Angkor complex, even Ta Prohm—the 'Tomb Raider Temple' famed for its embrace by giant tree roots and a Hollywood film franchise—has only a smattering of visitors each day. "We're very very lucky. Covid-19 has probably done us a favor," Australian tourist Andres Medenis, who came for sunrise at Angkor Wat, told AFP. "But the economy is going to be really affected by that... so I feel sorry for the local people." AFP

ezon City. Duque said the decision to disclose the names of the hospitals where COVID-19 patients are being treated was aimed at combatting fake news. He also assured the public that it was safe to go to these hospitals as all of them have the ability to manage the COVID-19 cases. “All of them are accredited and have high standards of care,” he said. Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro earlier confirmed that the American male is a resident of his city. The World Health Organization on Monday said the world has passed a “somber moment” as the spread of COVID-19 reached a new high. “Not only have we passed the 100,000 cases confirmed globally, we also acknowledge now that more than 100 countries have confirmed COVID(19) cases,” said Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines As of Monday morning, the WHO global dashboard counted more than 106,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 103 countries. Duque said 53 of these countries’ transmissions are unrelated to China, the epicenter of disease. “While the efforts in China have been successful in controlling the spread, we have been seeing localized outbreaks affecting many countries,” Abeyasinghe said. Despite this, he said the WHO “reiterates we can still control the spread of the disease and prevent it from becoming a global pandemic.” He also pointed out that at least 81 percent of the cases are mild. He said those who developed critical and severe effects of the disease are elderly and have existing medical conditions. Abeyasinghe reminded the public that COVID-19 is “largely transmitted through droplets” and there is no evidence it is airborne. “This is why WHO continues to advocate the practicing of hand hygiene, cough etiquette and social distancing.” He said those who are most at risk, especially the elderly, should avoid going to crowded places. Meanwhile, he advised those with respiratory symptoms in general not to go to work, school and to crowded places. Abeyasinghe said that while it is most likely not COVID-19, people can help prevent the spread of other respiratory illnesses, as well. The DOH in the Ilocos region said it would continue monitoring 170 people who came into contact with a FilipinoAustralian woman infected with COVID-19, even after they tested negative, just to be sure.

The Filipino-Australian woman went to Pangasinan on Feb. 22 to attend a class reunion in Dagupan City. She returned to Manila on Feb. 23 and tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Australia on March 3. The provincial government is looking for the others who attended the reunion. On Monday, President Rodrigo Duterte issued a proclamation formally declaring a state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines. The proclamation enables government agencies and local government units to immediately act to prevent loss of life and use appropriate resources to carry out urgent and critical measures to contain or prevent the spread of COVID-19. The proclamation would also facilitate the implementation of mandatory reporting, intensify government response and measures, and enforce quarantine and disease control prevention measures. Two senators, meanwhile, chided the DOH for the lack of test kits. In the Senate committee on economic affairs public hearing on the impact risk assessment of COVID-19, Senator Nancy Binay quizzed health officials about the number of testing kits available. “As we speak today, our stock on hand is good for 2,000 tests,” replied Dr. Rossana Ditangco of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). Binay then asked if the DOH plans to procure additional testing kits. Ditangco said RITM is requesting for P43 million to buy more kits and other “various needs.” Binay pressed the DOH officials, saying without the test kits, there was no way to tell how serious the problem was. “I don’t want to panic, but you’re making me panic,” she said, citing what seemed to be a lack of preparation for local transmission of COVID-19. “We only have 2,000 testing kits [for a] 100 million population. Isn’t that scary?” she said in a mix of Filipino and English. Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, meanwhile, hit Duque for not immediately declaring an epidemic of national concern when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the country. “He could have declared this on his own because this is within the powers of the Department of Health secretary under Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Concern Act but he dilly-dallied and even wrongly passed the buck to Malacañang,” Zarate said. With Joel E. Zurbano and Willie Casas

erly affected air travel, shipping and other businesses worldwide. Global deflation Saudi equities tanked more than nine percent in response with oil titan Aramco losing 10 percent. The collapse in prices could have far-reaching consequences, observers warned, from battering revenues in energy-dependent countries, to triggering the cancellation of oil exploration projects and even sparking global deflation. “A 30-percent plunge in crude oil prices is unprecedented and is sending a huge shockwave across financial markets,” said Margaret Yang, an analyst from CMC Markets. Alena Mae S. Flores with AFP

The termination will take effect 180 days after the US receives the notice. Before the deal was terminated, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to end the VFA if the US failed to restore the US visa of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, his former Chief of Police who administered his bloody war on drugs. The senators named Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. respondents in their petition. They also asked the Supreme Court to clarify the Senate’s role in the cancellation of treaties after Malacanañg canceled the Philippines’ Visiting Forces Agreement with the US.

Twitter... From A1 Twitter rules, the user can still browse the feed site but will have limited access to it. This means Locsin can still send direct messages to his followers, but he will not be able to tweet or re-tweet or like other tweets. “Repeat violations of the Twitter Rules may lead to permanent suspension,” Twitter said on its Help Center. Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes Jr. posted a screen shot of a notification from Twitter Support after reporting Locsin’s tweet against his group. “Teddyboy Locsin, DFA secretary, has his Twitter account locked for this offensive and threatening tweet accusing Bayan as communists that deserve to be shot,” Reyes said in a tweet. Twitter’s action came after Reyes filed a complaint against Locsin’s tweets. Locsin was apparently reacting to an article where Bayan questioned why the Balikatan exercises would push through in May when the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States had already been terminated. “These are fucking communists! You don’t listen to them. You shoot them,” Reyes said quoting Locsin as saying in his Twitter account on March 5.

Stock...

From A1

Trading floors were a sea of red, with Tokyo plunging more than 5 percent, while Hong Kong dived 4.2 percent. Sydney shed 7.3 percent. Bangkok crashed more than 8 percent, Singapore and Jakarta were more than 5 percent down. Manila and Mumbai lost more than 6 percent, while Shanghai, Taipei and Wellington were around 3 percent down. London and Frankfurt plunged more than 8 percent at the open, while Paris retreated 4.2 percent. The losses followed sharp falls in Europe and Wall Street on Friday. Driving the declines was a ferocious sell-off in the oil markets, sparked by top exporter Saudi Arabia slashing prices—in some cases to unprecedented levels—after a bust-up with Russia over production. Both main oil contracts—which had already been under pressure over falling demand caused by the virus— dived around 30 percent, marking the worst drop since the 1991 Gulf War and the second biggest fall on record, according to Bloomberg News. Saudi equities tanked more than 9 percent with oil titan Aramco losing 10 percent. Dubai and Kuwait sank a similar amount, while Abu Dhabi equities were almost 8 percent down. Saudi Arabia launched an all-out oil war Sunday with the biggest cut in its prices in the past 20 years, Bloomberg News reported, after OPEC and its allies failed to clinch a deal to reduce output. A meeting of main producers was expected to agree to deeper cuts to counter the impact of the coronavirus—but Moscow refused to tighten supply. In response, Riyadh slashed its price for April delivery by $4-$6 a barrel to Asia and $7 to the United States. Russia’s decision not to comply had already battered prices and there are warnings they could continue to drive lower towards $20 if the two sides do not reach an agreement. Jenniffer B. Austria with AFP

Coping... From A1

Cebu Pac pay cut Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ largest carrier, said Monday its senior management took pay cuts to avoid layoffs, as the coronavirus outbreak has sapped demand for air travel worldwide, according to Charo Logarta-Lagamon, Cebu Pac spokeswoman. Panagbenga canceled The popular Panagbenga flower festival in Baguio City has been canceled this year amid the coronavirus fears, Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced Monday. All operations of the night market will also be suspended effective Tuesday, March 10, for the next 14 days, the mayor said. Qatar travel ban The Qatar government on Monday imposed a temporary entry ban on travelers from 14 countries, including the Philippines, as COVID-19 continued to spread worldwide. The Philippine Embassy in Doha advised Filipinos to take note of the ban which takes effect beginning March 9. All Doha-bound passengers who traveled to the following countries in the last 14 days are covered: the Philippines, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand. The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday confirmed that the Cook Islands have temporarily banned travelers from the Philippines as a result of COVID-19. POGOs’ health report The Parañaque City government has ordered Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and integrated resort operators to submit reports at the city health office amid reports of the increasing number of people infected with the COVID-19 in the country. This developed shortly after MayorEdwin Olivarez convened the city’s Task Force COVID-19 to address public concerns on the Code Red alert status issued by the Health department as a response to the outbreak. No live studio audience Daily noontime show Eat Bulaga has “temporarily suspended” the admission of a live studio audience due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The management of the GMA Network show joined the list of other daily shows around the globe to run without a live audience. In a statement posted on its official Instagram account, Eat Bulaga stated that it wanted to help prevent the spread of the virus and to ensure the health and safety of its talent, staff, crew, and member of its audience. On a positive note, the show promised to continue delivering smiles to the homes of its avid viewers. Wanderland, dubbed as one of the biggest music festivals in the country, was also canceled for safety reasons. Art in the Park, an art event that draws a large number of crowd, was also called off as the organizer’s measure to help contain the spread of COVID-19. With Joel E. Zurbano, Rey E. Requejo and Nickie Wang

News Graft court orders arrest of ex-PCGG chair Sabio By Rio N. Araja THE Sandiganbayan has upheld the graft conviction of ex-Presidential Commission on Good Government chairperson Camilo Sabio and ordered his arrest. In a Jan. 27 resolution, the anti-graft court ruled an arrest warrant must be issued against Sabio after the Sandiganbayan junked his motion for reconsideration over his graft conviction for influence peddling at the Court of Appeals. “Jurisprudence states that the right against double jeopardy precludes only subsequent criminal proceedings, to avoid punishment for the same offense to which a person has already been convicted or acquitted,” the decision read. Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz, with the concurrence of Division Chairperson Alex Quiroz and Associate Justice Bayani Jacinto, penned the resolution. On Nov. 29 last year, Sabio was convicted for mediating between Jesus Santos of the Government Service Insurance System and his brother, then CA Associate Justice Antonio who was about to handle a case between GSIS and the Manila Electric Co. “The evidence on record confirms that accused Sabio indeed allowed himself to be persuaded and induced by Atty. Santos to call Justice Sabio for the purpose of persuading the later to favor the cause of the GSIS against Meralco,” the Sandiganbayan’s 2019 decision read.

Condition of generals in crash ‘improving’ THE condition of the two police generals who were among the passengers of the helicopter that crashed in Laguna have improved, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said on Monday. Gamboa said Major Generals Jovic Ramos and Mariel Magaway, Director for Comptrollership and Director for Intelligence, respectively, remain at the intensive care unit of the Asian Hospital in Muntinlupa City. “(They) remain in critical condition from serious injuries sustained in that incident. We received the latest reports though that their conditions are improving. I invite everyone to join us in fervent prayer for the continuous healing of my classmates Gen. Ramos and Gen. Magaway who remain under intensive care,” Gamboa told reporters in a press conference in Camp Crame. Gamboa, who was also hospitalized due to the crash but got discharged last Friday, suffered a minor injury on his right shoulder. He said the two pilots, Lt. Col. Roel Zalatar and Lt. Col. Rico Macawili, and crew member Senior M/Sgt. Luis Estona are still undergoing further tests and medical procedures. “Estona, underwent surgery last Friday at the St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) Global City where he is confined. The condition of the pilots and crew are, nonetheless, non-life threatening,” he said. Gamboa’s aide-de-camp Capt. Keventh Gayramara and the PNP Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac have also been discharged from confinement at the SLMCGlobal City, Taguig.

Arroyo demurrer junked by court THE Sandiganbayan has affirmed its November 2019 decision junking the bid of former First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo and his co-accused to file demurrer to evidence in connection with the supposed questionable procurement of second-hand choppers by the Philippine National Police in 2009. In a 10-page resolution, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division ruled the trial of Arroyo, husband of former President Gloria Arroyo, and 11 others must go on since the court has already found sufficient evidence against them. “The appreciation of evidence has to be done on a wholistic perspective in consideration of the facts and evidence presented. At this stage, the Court is still blind to the claims or defenses advanced by the accused as they rather appear evidentiary in nature which the Court is yet to hear,” the decision read. The anti-graft court said the Raven 1 helicopters, according to prosecutors, were passed on as brand new. It took into account that the accused, including ex-PNP chief Jesus Versoza, did not deny having performed their functions “which, following prosecution’s evidence, appears instrumental in the commission of the crime.” Rio N. Araja

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Du30: Reduce corporate income taxes

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, in a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, has certified as urgent a bill seeking to reduce corporate income taxes and rationalize fiscal incentives system. The President said in his letter the bill’s quick passage was important “to promote foreign direct investment inflows and the expansion of business ventures conducive to economic growth and job generation.” Senator Pia Cayetano, Senate ways and means chairperson, in her sponsorship speech described Senate Bill 1357, or the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA) as fair and the best deal for all.

But Senator Imee Marcos on Monday said she was not in favor of implementing some provisions of the proposed CITIRA, considering the economic threats of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to the country. CITIRA, the second package of the Duterte administration’s comprehensive tax reform program, seeks to reduce the corporate income tax rates from the current 30 percent to 20 percent in 2029, on a

staggered basis. The bill is also expected to rationalize fiscal incentives given to firms to make these “performance-based, time-bound, targeted, and transparent.” At the same time, the bill intends to prioritize incentives to business activities that generate domestic employment; promote research, development and innovation; promote agribusiness; and invest in areas that are less developed or are recovering from disasters and conflicts, among others. It will also offer additional tax deductions to reward corporations’ good behavior, such as local job creation, exports, and investment in high technology, according to committee sources.

The committee is also proposing to implement sunset provisions for firms currently enjoying fiscal incentives to help them transition to the new tax regime under CITIRA. The bill would also rationalize fiscal incentives which includes the removal of the five percent tax on gross income earned firms operating in economic zones pay in lieu of all national and local taxes after their income tax holiday period ends. The measure forms part of the Duterte administration’s comprehensive tax reform program, which includes proposals to simplify the tax structure for financial instruments, provide a uniform framework for real property valuation and increase state share in mining revenue. Vito Barcelo

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Opinion

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Wrong priorities PRESIDENT Duterte has finally declared a state of public health emergency amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. The President heeded the recommendation of the Department of Health, which also issued a Code Red alert after discovering that a Filipino couple who had never traveled abroad contracted the virus. This could mean that the dreaded virus was locally transmitted.

We urgently need an information campaign. What does this all mean for the nation? It simply means that the dreaded virus need not be transmitted by going to affected countries. We can be affected even when we just stay here in the country. It also confirms what I have been fearing—that COVID-19 could affect us at the community level. My gulay, with the coronavirus now locally transmitted, there are two things that the government should also do. First, as I have been suggesting, is to launch a massive education and information campaign. People should be told the dos and don'ts! This is critical considering the fact that if the virus hits the squatter communities, it will be a disaster. Imagine what the virus can do to the poor who are uninformed and uneducated about the virus? And do they even have enough water for sanitation practices? A public health emergency refers to

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

an occurrence of an imminent threat of illness or health condition that poses a high probability of a large number of deaths, a large number of serious injuries or long-term disabilities, widespread exposure to an infectious or toxic agent, intentional exposure to an infectious person or to its agent. Simply put, my gulay, it means that exposure to the disease or virus could mean death. We can no longer procrastinate, much less can government afford to not do anything. The next thing government should do is to mobilize all local governments to adopt measures to help those in need and to prevent the spread of the virus. It may be too early to think about it, but with the spread of the virus, we might need to ban activities involving crowds gathered in one place, or even close schools! We should also change our habits like beso beso or kissing the hand of elders. The Catholic church is doing the right thing by telling the faithful to avoid contact during Mass. But I repeat, the immediate need is for an education and information campaign. *** When President Duterte and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat adopted the visa-upon-arrival policy for the Chinese, I became wary of so many of them coming into the country. Anything could happen, I thought. I also worried when the President became soft, too soft on the Chinese by allowing the setting up of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators. I am all too aware of the effects of gambling. It is strange to me that POGOs are allowed here when they have been outlawed in China. True enough, with over 60 POGOs legally operating and another 50

S

On the side of caution

OME local government units have begun to take matters into their own hands by suspending classes to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), after health officials confirmed several cases of local transmission. The case for keeping kids out of school has been championed by the likes of Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, whose city has suspended classes in all schools and all levels as a precaution against the spread of the virus. The mayor has also asked the Department of Education to pass all students in Navotas, so they would no longer have to attend classes until the end of the school year, which is about two or three weeks away. “The lives of the children are more important than two to three weeks of schooling,” Tiangco said in Filipino, adding that schools could simply use the students’ average grades for the previous quarters to arrive at their final grade. “What we want is to be safe,” he said. “Don’t we want to choose the option that is safer?” Tiangco said suspending classes now could be a wrong decision, but

he would rather err on the side of caution. “The question here is, are we willing to take the risk or do we want to take precautionary measures? It can be a wrong decision, but I just want to be on the safe side. The safety of the children is more important to me,” he said. Other local governments have also suspended classes over COVID-19, including those in Pasay City, San Juan, Cainta and Taytay. The City of Manila has suspended classes between March 9 and March 15. Other LGUs are expected to follow suit. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that while canceling classes was within the right of the local government, it was not recommended. "That's their own decision but as of today, we are on sub-level 1 of code red and that is not being recommend-

ed," Duque said on Saturday. "The class suspension is their strategy, their decision. They will be the ones accountable for their decisions," said Duque. The Health chief pointed out that the cancellation of classes and work will be recommended under code red, sub-level 2, which will be prompted by the presence of "community transmission" where the source of COVID-19 cases can no longer be traced. But how big do we need to leap to get from sub-level 1 to sub-level 2? How long will it take? Elsewhere in the world, most of the countries that have suspended schooling on a large scale are those with widespread cases of the disease, such as China, Japan, Italy, and Iran. Here at home, and with the number of new cases rising by the day, we cannot take any chances with the well-being of the people. There is so much we still do not know about the virus, and even about our government's ability to contain it. With stakes this high, there is only one recourse for now: To do whatever it is in our power to be safe.

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Ninety years a woman LAST March 1, my mother Lourdes Maestrado La Viña, Inday to all her friends, celebrated her 90th birthday. There are lessons to be learned from a life of a woman who has lived this long. Although born in Manila when her father was a Congressman in 1930, Mom grew up in pre-World War 2 Mindanao with roots in Camiguin Island and Cagayan de Oro. Her father Silvino Maestrado was from Camiguin—a lawyer, politician, and farmer. From my grandfather, a passionate nationalist, my mother learned how to think independently and critically, to debate and argue, and to stand for one’s principles regardless of the costs. Her mother Josefa Chaves Maestrado belongs to prominent clans in Cagayan de Oro.. From her, my mother learned how important it was to be loyal to family and to God. To this day, as Lola Pita did, my mother goes to mass at the Xavier University Church or Saint Augustine Cathedral daily. Between the two of them, mother and daughter, they have been going to these churches more than 150 years. My mother had one sister, Carmen Maestrado Velez. Through the years, Mom and Tita Nene fought many times—sometimes petty quarrels, at times serious ones that would last for years. It was a very big grace that in the last years of Tita Nene’s life (she died nearly 20 years ago), they reconciled and never fought again. I cannot of course tell the story of my mother without writing about my father. Gabriel La Viña, Jr was a lawyer, a graduate of Letran College and San Beda College of Law.

My father was brilliant and wellread, and while they both loved art, literature, and traveling, Dad was very different from Mom. He was an introvert while Mom was an extrovert. He was reflexively conservative while Mom dared to cross boundaries. But whatever my mother did, as bold as it was, Dad supported him. From their relationship, I learned how important it is to accept and support each other, to allow one’s partner to push boundaries, and to be always there—yes, for better or for worse.

From her I learned that I must love and support my children even when I do not agree with them. My mother is a good mother. It is not easy to raise six children, all of whom inherited her intensity. From birth, all six of us were independent-minded and opinionated. Meals were always loud and road trips frequently erupted into fights—when we were younger for trivial reasons like who could sit in front or by the window but as we grow older for more serious reasons like our political differences and disagreement on values and priorities. From my mother, I have learned that I must love and support my children even when I do not agree with them. My mother’s loyalty to us also extends to her in-laws and to her grandchildren. They even extend to our friends—in my case, for example, Mom is Gilbert Teodoro’s and Fr. Jett Villarin’s greatest defender in Cagayan de Oro. My mother was active in the resistance against the Marcos dictatorship—joining the ticket of Nene Turn to A5

Can ambition alone ensure good performance? REMEMBER those tense moments at the House of Representatives just before President Rodrigo Duterte was to deliver his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2018, and it was not clear from the obvious delay who would sit beside him as the Speaker? Pantaleon Alvarez eventually did — for the last time, it turned out—as former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo replaced him the very next day, with no small help from Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in what appears to be a classic case of a bloodless coup d'etat involving not soldiers bearing deadly firearms but lawmakers eager

to side with whoever would allow them to hold on to power and influence at the least cost. Today, the House of Representatives would have been thrown into a similar uproar had a similar putsch succeeded, if the camp of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is to be believed.

Velasco’s track record in public office pales in comparison to Cayetano’s. Last week, Cayetano accused Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco of violating their term-sharing agreement, where Cayetano gets to serve as Speaker for the first 15 months of the 18th Con-

gress, while Velasco would sit for the remaining 21 months until 2022. The term-sharing agreement was brokered by no less than President Duterte as the two lawmakers had engaged in a close contest for the speakership last year. What surprised observers was the sudden emergence of Velasco as Speaker material, considering that his credentials left much to be desired. This is what we learned from our source: Velasco practiced law in the Supreme Court where his father Presbitero Velasco Jr. was an Associate Justice until his mandatory retirement a few years back. Presbitero Velasco Jr. is now the governor of Marinduque province. Lord Allan Velasco once served as provincial administrator of Marinduque, and for a time also assumed the position Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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Use POGO earnings vs. COVID-19

Fighting fear

AS THE COVID-19 virus epidemic continues to run its course, a major casualty—though not yet a fatality—has been the economic growth prospects of our country. The latest consensus pegs us to a lower growth rate this year of 6 percent or slightly less, which is materially below the rosy pre-virus forecasts of as high as 6.5 or even 7 percent. One outlier is a lot more pessimistic, though. Nomura, the Japanese financial giant, has put out a worst case for the Philippines of growth as low as 4.7 percent this year. This is based on a number of key assumptions: • That the disease still isn’t contained by April; • That China suffers a second round of infection nearly as bad as the first round (from which it already seems to be recovering) • That the global fear factor runs “extremely high” As with any outlier scenario, the assumptions seem to be unlikely. An earlier model devised by JP Morgan projects that, even in the worst case, the global epidemic will reach its peak by no later than middle of March. In China itself which has suffered thousands of deaths, a lot more people are now recovering and going home, and the rate of new infection is dropping— thanks of course to the draconian restrictions that can be imposed by a one-party state. Here, as of writing, we’ve had exactly two cases of local transmission, both of them still alive. What’s noteworthy is the importance assigned by Nomura to the “fear factor.” Abroad, it’s just beginning to take hold on one country after another, in a contagion almost as bad as the disease itself. Here at home, we’re responding with our usual equanimity— though that, like anything else in this unpredictable situation, could well change, too. *** Over the weekend, the President

heeded the advice of his Health Department and declared a nationwide state of public emergency due to the COVID-19 virus. The country’s health alert status was downgraded to Code Red, sub-level 1. It sounds ominous, and as of writing we were still awaiting what exactly that alert status will mean for our daily lives. But the epidemiology of this virus is a lot less threatening than SARS, or MERS, or even garden-variety influenza which regularly kills a lot more people. First you run a chance of being exposed (which ought to go down a lot once the DOH restrictions are imposed). If exposed, then you run a 20 percent chance of being infected. If infected, then your chance of dying is just 2 percent.

How easily the world can be made to fall apart under the weight of online half-truths. None of this is meant to gainsay in the advice of experts, especially international agencies like WHO. The everyday precautions we should take are few and easy to remember: Wash hands regularly, avoid touching your face, minimize physical contact with others. In the Catholic church where I serve, lay ministers who’ve already been instructed to give communion by hand were just recently also instructed to start wearing face masks. Common sense is fine, but we’re talking now about something else. What we object to are the heights of panic and paranoia being stoked by social media. One online commentator we respect even called for potentially indefinite closure of all work, all schools, all churches. What this will do to our already pressured economy, or to our abysmal school test scores, can only be imagined. It only reinforces my suspicion that the guy behind this flood of unfiltered information that daily assaults us from a fallen world— and I refer to the guy downstairs,

not upstairs—is rubbing his diabolical hands with glee at how easily the world can be made to fall apart under the weight of online halftruths and manufactured fear. Of all people, Christians—especially Catholic Christians—ought to know better. *** It's disheartening how the modern adherents of a religion whose earliest converts were regularly fed to the lions have become so weak-kneed on this issue. They should have listened last Saturday to the homily of our Scalabrinian guest priest, Father Paolo from Brazil, which I will shamelessly plagiarize here. The first admonition to us in our current plight comes from the Gospel account of Jesus’ Transfiguration. When His accompanying disciples are prostrated in fear after hearing the booming voice gen of God from the cloud, Jesus gently comforts them, “Rise, and do not be afraid” (Mt 17: 1-9). This is also a general injunction to the faithful not to be fearful, especially of a world that, like us, was only created. The second injunction, in Paul’s con second letter to Timothy, his convert and companion, was intended to lift the morale of their Christian communities, as Paul approached what he knew was the end of his life. “Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God” (2 Tm 1: 8-10). It reminds us that the strength with which we can overcome our fear comes only from God, the Creator of the created world. The third passage, from the Old Testament first reading, assures us of the rewards that await those who bear their hardship and resist fear. “I will bless you,” says the Lord. “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” (Gn 12: 1-4). As more excitable parishioners in other countries go so far as to actually close down their churches because of their fear of the virus, it would do us well to reflect instead upon the rewards God has reserved for those who keep faith with Him and trust in His goodness. Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

PRESIDENT Duterte has said he’s not keen on shutting down the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) despite the outcry of several senators and other politicians to do so.

We cannot afford to be complacent, but at the same time we should not panic. spokes According to Malacañang spokesman Salvador Panelo, the President made his decision after finding out that the POGO revenues may be tapped for the government response action on the looming pandemic threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19). This followed the initial report of Chairman Andrea Domingo of the regulatory agency Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). According to Domingo, POGOs generated at least P8 billion in franchise taxes in 2019. We must support Manong Digong on this one, pending the submission of a complete report on the issue of POGOs and their operations reported links to alleged money laundering activities and crimes involving Chinese nationals. There’s a need to validate the allegations and derogatory reports on the involvement of POGOs in crimes, particularly those involving Chinese POGO workers. We expect a thorough investigation by the Philippine National Police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Anti-Money Laundering Council. We are confident that the PNP and other law enforcement authorities are

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Ninety... From A4

Pimentel in 1980, winning as the first woman councilor of Cagayan de Oro. She joined cause-oriented organizations and did not hesitate to put her name and our family’s resources to the service of the struggle. From the first few weeks of martial law, Mom was also brave enough to regularly go to the detention center in Camp Alagar, the Philippine Constabulary Headquarters in Cagayan de Oro, to visit a political detainee who was a son of a friend. My mother was conscious that she was breaking new ground as a woman. That was why it did not surprise me when she told me a few years ago that she had always voted for Gabriela as her party-list choice.

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of the president of the Marinduque chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines before winning the congressional contest in the province in 2010. Velasco ran for a second term in 2013 but lost to Regina Ongsiako-Reyes, who hails from a prominent political family in the province. He protested Reyes’ victory, claiming that she was an American citizen. The Comelec and the Supreme Court both upheld his protest and he was proclaimed as representative of Marinduque’s legislative district in February 2016.

Today, my mother is one of the oldest appointees of President Duterte being currently a board member of the National Museum. She is for sure qualified for this position having served for many years as the Chair of the Historical Commission of Cagayan de Oro. Suffice it to say that my mother and I do not agree on the Duterte government. But that does not bother me. After all, she raised me to be principled in my politics. Through the years, I have seen my mother forge bonds with strong and wonderful women. They have been the anchor of Mom’s life—relatives, childhood friends, classmates from Saint Augustine Schools (predecessor of Xavier University and Lourdes College), Immaculate Concepcion College in Ozamiz, Saint Scholastica, and Saint Theresa’s, poetry reading group mates, Ikebana and Zonta friends, business colleagues, bible

During his first term in the 17th Congress, Velasco chaired the House Committee on Energy. He sits in the same capacity today in the 18th Congress. He was also chairman of the Oversight Committee of the Solid Waste Management Act and co-chairman of the Joint Congressional Power Commission. We would be glad to be informed about his accomplishments in these areas. Velasco was originally a member of the National Unity Party (NUP), but decided to transfer to PDP-Laban when Duterte assumed office as president and party chairman in 2016. On the other hand, Cayetano boasts of an impressive track record in government. He served three terms in the

study companions, friends in politics, etc. You have to live for 90 years to have so many people love you. My Mom’s biggest sorrows was to lose her son Cacoy, my youngest brother, so young at 32 years old in 1995—followed a year after by my father who died too soon at 70 years. She would not have been able to get through that grief without her friends. In the stories of a life lived for 90 years, the love of the Almighty has never wandered far from Inday La Vina. I thank the Almighty for His protective embrace, for the call and many opportunities to live a meaningful and consequential life, and for many close and beautiful friendships gifted to Mom that made the suffering that comes with being human more bearable. Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

House before being elected as a senator. In the Senate, he crossed swords with powerful politicians whom he accused of corruption. He was the running mate of Duterte in the 2016 general elections and was later appointed by the President as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs. An objective look at the records in governments service of the two lawmakers would show therefore that Velasco's track record in public office pales in comparison to Cayetano's. But wait, there's more to this than meets the eye. The young Velasco, we assume, is being tutored by his father in navigating the labyrinthine alleys of Philippine politics, if not in the nuances of

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illegally operating, I wonder: Why is our President so friendly to the Chinese? I live with my daughter in Merville Subdivision and I am alarmed at so many Chinese occupying houses nearby. They are jacking up rental process. Indeed the villages in my area are about 30 percent occupied by the Chinese. But that is nothing to what the POGOs have made of the Philippines—a playground among criminal individuals and syndicates. There have been killings and prostitution. I won't be surprised if they are involved in the entry of shabu. Now comes the greater problem of money laundering. Another thing that worries me is the claim by Senator Panfilo Lacson that there are now some 3,000 members of the People's Liberation Army now working for POGOs. I ask the President—is it all worth it? *** COVID-19 has greatly affected

the law and jurisprudence. That's all well and good, as most fathers do want to pass on their knowledge and skills to their progeny. But what if the lessons imparted to the younger generation are less than ideal, or even contrary to established social mores and the constitutional injunction against conflict of interest on the part of public officials? Investigative journalist Marites Dañguilan-Vitug wrote about the elder Velasco’s involvement in his son’s congressional bid in an online article and later in her book, "Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court." Readers may want to read all about it—and other details in the former Associate Justice's comportment while

on top of the situation as far as ensuring that Chinese POGO workers abide by Philippine laws. We must share at this point the President’s sense of urgency in declaring a public health emergency in the wake of increased cases of confirmed COVID-19 infection, rising from three to 10 over the weekend. The Department of Health, particularly the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine, needs funds to cover the costs of quarantine and laboratory testing of persons under investigation infec (PUIs) for possible COVID-19 infection. We need to set up more RITM and quarantine facilities. It is the mandate of PAGCOR and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to contribute to the funding of socio-civic, as well as nasupport tional-building, programs, so supporting the government’s response action to the COVID-19 threat falls well within the province of PAGCOR’s programs. As I’ve said, we cannot afford to be complacent. Yet, we also must avoid panicking in view of this global health crisis which the World Health Organization categorized as a risk of the highest level, short of saying it is in fact a pandemic now. Since 31 December 2019 and as of 8 March 2020, up to 105, 828 cases of COVID-19 (in accordance with the applied case definitions in the affected countries) have been reported, including 3,584 deaths. The deaths have been reported from China (3,099), Italy (233), Iran (145), South Korea (50), United States Of America (17), France (10), an international conveyance in Japan (6), Japan (6), Spain (5), Australia (3), Iraq (2), United Kingdom (2), Argentina (1), Netherlands (1), San Marino (1), Switzerland (1), Taiwan (1) and Thailand (1). *** We welcome your reaction and opinion. Send them to etulfo2011@yahoo. com or pay us a visit at the ERWIN TULFO CENTER For Media and Public Assistance, Room 303 Castro Bldg., #58 Timog Ave., Quezon City.

tourism. The travel, hospitality and restaurant industries have all seen sharp declines. I also think that the move to promote domestic tourism is ill-advised and in fact dangerous. There should instead be a move to discourage Filipinos from traveling. This is the idea of a public health emergency. This is why my wife and I don't even go out to attend social functions. *** I received this letter from former President and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo: “I have just finished reading 'The Road Never Ends.' Thank you for giving Filipino readers the inside story on many contemporary events that shaped the nation. I wish to thank you especially for setting the record straight about 'Hyatt 10' and the 'Hello Garci' events. Thank God there are writers like you who know that there is no substitute for truth. Otherwise, our nation's history would be messed up by PR-manufactured lies. That would be a disaster, my gulay!” This letter from a former President and Speaker of the House is enough satisfaction for a journalist like me.

sitting in that lofty judicial perch—and by doing so, may be able to determine how the younger Velasco would perform once the term-sharing deal goes as planned. The question now is whether Lord Allan Velasco, given his limited experience in government, would be able to lead the 300-strong House of Representatives with utmost competence and integrity and resist pressure from within and from to uphold the national interest and the public welfare. We'll have to wait and see. Who was it who said that “if you want to test a man's character, give him power”? ernhil@yahoo.com

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TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

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Cayetano meets PDP members amid House coup rumors

DRUG ORPHANS. In

this photo taken on Feb. 1, children— including those who have lost a parent in alleged extrajudicial killings—attend a choir session as part of the Project Support Orphans and Widows rehabilitation program in Payatas, Quezon City in suburban Manila. AFP

By Rio N. Araja

Drug war ‘orphans’ turn to music T HE dozen children stared shyly at the audience but grew bolder when they began to sing, pouring their grief into music for the fathers they lost to the Philippines’ drug war.

They perform as a choir that is both an act of protest against the internationally condemned campaign, and a key element in their community's effort to keep these children from being gunned down too. Poor families like theirs have been especially hard hit by President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly crackdown, which has pushed kids out of school to replace slain breadwinners. "It's a vicious cycle. So to get out of the cycle means making these children live different lives," Danilo Pilario, a priest behind the program, said.

The core of roughly 25 boys and girls in the group, all of whom have lost a brother or father to the crackdown, are from a town of 130,000 on Manila's outskirts called Payatas. It is a poor place that sprouted up decades ago around a sprawling trash dump where scavenging is the local industry. Like towns across the Philippines, Payatas saw a spike in slayings by police and unknown gunmen when President Duterte launched his crackdown in mid-2016. Choir member Joan, 12, was home on Dec. 6, 2016 when police burst into the

house and shot her father dead over his alleged involvement in drugs, leaving bullet holes in the family couch. "Before he was killed, he came home to celebrate my birthday," Joan, fighting back tears during a visit to his tomb, told AFP. When the drug war started, Pilario and others locally rushed in to help families cover the costs of the spate of funerals—there were some 100 killings in under a year. But the effort broadened to giving widows with little education or work experience a hand in making a living, and counseling for the children, some of whom witnessed the slayings. "Through art is the best way for children to express what is inside. They are not yet as articulate as adults," said Pilario. The goal is to keep the children in school and on the path toward a career,

and away from the local traps of trash picking and small-time drug dealing that ensnared their fathers. A long-term program is now in place that includes music, art and dance classes for the boys and girls, as well as the Oyayi Sa Unos (Lullaby in the Storm) choir. The children have already performed at art show openings, prestigious Philippine universities and even for Manila households at Christmas. One of their most powerful appearances came last year at a protest near Duterte's annual address to the nation, where they sang their signature piece, Awit ng Naulila (Song of the Orphan). As he touted his infamous policy, which anti-drug agents say has killed over 5,500 alleged dealers and users, they sang of the damage it had done to them. AFP

US Embassy lauds BI efforts to bar entry of sex offenders

DOJ sets probe on Masbate town exec’s killing By Rey E. Requejo

By Vito Barcelo THE United States embassy and the Foreign Law Enforcement Community Philippines has commended the efforts of the Bureau of Immigration for barring the entry of registered sex offenders and for apprehending fugitives in the country. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said that the United States Embassy in Manila lauded the BI’s support in transnational crime investigations and the Operation Angel Watch Program. “The Operation Angel Watch Program is a joint project of the US Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] and the BI. Our shared efforts helped bar the entry of a large number of RSOs,” Morente said. The BI management received the awards in the recent First Quarter Consultative Meeting at Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, Manila. In 2019, the BI prevented 160 foreign sex offenders from entering the country. Three more commendations from the Embassies of Japan, China, and Russia were given to the BI. According to Morente, the BI received the commendations for their significant efforts in locating, apprehending, and deporting foreign nationals who fled to the Philippines to avoid incarceration in their countries. “Thirty-six foreign nationals wanted for telecommunications fraud in Japan were caught. More than 2,200 illegal aliens have been arrested last year. We have also apprehended a Russian fugitive wanted for large-scale fraud,” said Morente in recounting their accomplishments. Morente then lauded the agents of the Bureau for their hard work, and assured the Foreign Law Enforcement Community of their continued support. “We recognize the relentless efforts of the men and women of BI. It is with their persistence and integrity in their jobs that make the work done,” Morente said “We can ascertain that we will maintain our coordination with our counterparts to make the Philippines a better and safer place.”

HOUSE Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday met with the at least 35 members of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) amid an alleged plot to oust him from his post. The meeting did not include Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, whom Cayetano accused of an ouster plot. Velasco is set to succeed Cayetano in October under a term-sharing deal. Cayetano shall serve as Speaker for the first 15 months before Velasco takes over in the last 21 months of the 18th Congress which ends in June 2022. Some members of the House of Representatives, however, were pushing Cayetano to stay until 2022. The 54-member Party-list Coalition in Congress backed Cayetano. Velasco, for his part, denied any plan to remove the Speaker from his post ahead of time. “Up to this day, I continue to honor the term-sharing agreement brokered by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte when the 18th Congress convened in July 2019. From the beginning, I never had any intention of reneging on this agreement. I am a man of honor,” Velasco earlier said. Still, the Speaker challenged Velasco to guarantee that he would not replace the existing committee chairpersons should he take over. The majority bloc voted to remove House committee on appropriations chairman Isidro Ungab with ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap. Oriental Mindoro Paulino Salvador Leachon was also stripped of his chairmanship at committee on electoral tribunal and was replaced by Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo.

COVID-19 and Aviation. (From left) Civil Aeronautics Board chief Carmelo Arcilla, MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal, DOTR Usec for Legal Affairs Rainer Yebra and CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco attend a press conference to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 disease on the aviation industry at Manila International Airport Authority office on March 9. JR Josue

Army seizes more explosives in Maguindanao after early clashes CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao— The Army’s 6th Infantry Division has recovered more explosives in areas where the military and the Daesh-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters clashed the past week, an Army official said Monday. Maj. Gen. Diosdado Carreon, the 6ID commander, said four improvised explosive devices, bomb-making components, and mobile phones were seized during continuing combat clearing operations on Sunday in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

Soldiers under the 601st Infantry Brigade (601st IBde) also recovered at the clash site war materiel such as fatigue uniforms, empty shells for M16 rifles, face masks, medicine, and mobile phones. Four soldiers were killed and 11 others were wounded in the surgical air and ground assaults in the borders of Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak, both in Maguindanao that started March 1 and is still ongoing although sporadic. The Army here said 14 BIFF were killed and a dozen other radicals were

injured in the intermittent clashes. “We continue to hunt them, there’s no letup," said Col. Jose Narciso, commander of the 601st IBrigade. He said no civilians were affected since the area of conflict was far from communities. A total of 16 IEDs have been recovered since the operations were conducted in the mountains of Shariff Aguak and Ampatuan and in the marshland near the towns of Mamasapano and Shariff Saydona Mustapha, also in Maguindanao.

THE Department of Justice has started its preliminary investigation of the murder complaint filed against Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam, her son, and five others, in connection with the killing of Batuan, Masbate Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III. Besides Cam, also accused of involvement in the murder and frustrated murder case include her son Marco Martin, Nelson Cambaya, Junel Gomez, Bradford Solis, Juanito de Luna, and Rigor dela Cruz. The DOJ prosecutors gave the Cams until March 16 to submit their counter affidavit. The elder Cam earlier denied involvement in the shooting incident that resulted in Yuson's death last Oct. 9, 2019. Yuson was having breakfast when he was gunned down in Sampaloc, Manila. Two men, Wilfredo Pineda and Alberto Alferto, were injured. Yuson's wife, Lalaine, claimed that her husband had previously told her only Sandra would do harm to him. His son, Charmax, had won the mayoralty race over Sandra's son Marco. “I have nothing to do with the ambush,” Cam said last October. “It is so unfair that our family is being dragged into this, we’ve moved on from that election,” she said. Gomez, Solis, De Luna, and Dela Cruz were arrested the day after the ambush.

SMDC bags gold, silver medals in Anvil Awards SM Development Corp. takes community building to heart. It pushes the boundaries of sustainable living by putting a premium on its residents’ well-being and nurturing its communities so residents can become responsible corporate citizens. Award-giving bodies have taken notice. SMDC’s community engagement programs won three Anvil awards during the 55th Anvil Awards Gabi ng Parangal held on Feb.29 at the Manila Hotel. SMDC bagged a Gold and a Silver Anvil for its Protect Our Community program, which teaches residents and tenants basic tools and knowledge to ensure that they are prepared and ready for emergencies, both natural and man-made. This yearlong forum series is part of The

Good Guys campaign, which is being done across SMDC developments in partnership with the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Red Cross. A group of people standing in a room Description automatically generated Its health and wellness program for the elderly residents bagged a Silver Anvil for its month-long Grandparents’ Day celebration. SMDC took a holistic approach to enhance the well-being of its elder residents with activities that stimulated their minds, bodies and spirits. “We continue to take a step further to becoming the good guys the nation needs by committing ourselves to sustainable practices, embracing a practical

lifestyle, and building a community that protects and cares for each other and our neighboring communities,” said SMDC president Jose Mari Banzon. Earlier, SMDC’s Happynings: Building a Sphere of Happy, Thriving and Healthy Communities program received a merit award for customer service from the Philippine Quill Awards. Fueled by the vision of SMDC chairman Henry Sy Jr., the company continues to prove that it is definitely “The Home of the Good Guys” by providing residents avenues where they can connect with other people; nurture their body, mind and soul; and feel safe and secure through various activities happening in all its developments.

Sports Doncic says shot to face must be called a foul LOS ANGELES—Dallas Mavericks leading scorer Luka Doncic, who has been the target of some over-the-top physical defence from opposing teams this season, says NBA officials are not calling the fouls. Several times this season Slovenia’s Doncic has been left bloodied from stray limbs to the head and Sunday’s 112-109 loss to Indiana was another example. “They hit me in the face, and that should be a foul,” the 21-year-old Doncic said after the loss to the Pacers. “They should look at it. I think the rule is when you get hit in the face, they’ve got to look if it’s flagrant or no, right? “Like I said, I was hit in the face three times.” Doncic’s comments echo those of Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who spoke out about the physical abuse earlier this season in an attempt to get the officials to protect their franchise player. “They are beating the shit out of him,” Carlisle complained. Doncic, the league’s sixth leading scorer, finished with 36 points on Sunday. In the fourth quarter he was bleeding the mouth from an elbow he took from Indiana’s Victor Oladipo. No foul was called on the Pacers. “He can’t hit me in the mouth!” Doncic shouted at the official. “They didn’t care,” Doncic said after the game. “It was clear. Everybody saw.” Doncic had to have X-rays at halftime after being kneed in the jaw by Pacers guard Edmond Summer following a pump fake. Summer was given a foul on the play. As Doncic walked through the tunnel towards the locker room after the game he was overhead saying the Mavs are “playing five against eight (adding the three refs) every game now.” Doncic has also been on the losing end of several run-ins this season with Los Angeles Laker Dwight Howard. In December, Doncic suffered a head injury after getting tangled up with Howard and hitting his head on the floor. AFP

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TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Indian Wells tennis tilt called off L

OS ANGELES—The ATP and WTA tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, has been cancelled over fears surrounding the new coronavirus outbreak, making it the first major sports event in the US to be scrubbed due to health concerns.

The tournament, one of the biggest outside the four tennis Grand Slams, was cancelled just days before it was due to begin. Officials said in a news release on Sunday that they opted to cancel because California health officials had declared a public health emergency for the Coachella Valley—in the desert east of Los Angeles—after a confirmed case of COVID-19. “We are very disappointed that the tournament will not take place, but the health and safety of the local community, fans, players, volunteers, sponsors, employees, vendors, and everyone involved with the event is of paramount

importance,” said tournament director Tommy Haas. Days earlier, organizers had said they planned to go ahead with extra health measures in place such as hand-sanitizing stations, beefed-up cleaning protocols and gloves for ball kids, volunteers and food workers. The ATP and WTA had also issued virus-related guidelines, telling players not to accept items from fans to be autographed. Before the cancellation, the tournament had offered to give refunds to anyone who had bought tickets, but did not want to attend. The tournament draws more than

400,000 fans each year to Indian Wells, 27 kilometres (17 miles) southeast of Palm Springs. ‘Too great a risk’ Many of the players had already arrived in Indian Wells with qualifying matches scheduled to start on Monday and the main women’s draw beginning on Wednesday. “I’m shook,” Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov wrote on his Twitter page. The number of coronavirus cases in the US has exceeded 500 spread across more than 30 states. California officials are also battling to contain an outbreak on a cruise ship off the coast where 21 people have tested positive for the virus among the 3,500 people on board. “There is too great a risk, at this time, to the public health of the Riverside County area in holding a large gathering of this size,” said doctor David Agus, professor

PH Golf Tour Asia Q School under way

STANDARD INSURANCE, SAILORS FETED. The Standard Insurance Centennial Sailing Team, skippered by veteran sailor Judes Echauz (4th from right), was honored for winning three gold medals in last year’s Southeast Asian Games during the PSA Awards at the Manila Hotel Friday. Standard Insurance also received a special citation from the country’s oldest media organization for leaving an indelible mark in Philippine sports in cycling, duathlon, triathlon and sailing. Members of the sailing team are (from left) are Rubin Cruz Jr., Edgar Villapana, Lester Troy Tayong, Emerson Villena, Joel Majarito, head coach Ridgely Balladares, Richley Magsanay and Whock Dimapilis.

Perpetual Molino Altas cage team scores ‘grand-slam’ BACOOR CITY—Perpetual Molino Basketball team chalked up a grand-slam record of sorts this season after clinching three crowns in the first quarter of 2020. The Molino Altas of Coach Siegfred ‘Phelot’ Levita added the 2020 Inter School Basketball League championship crown under-20 division in the school’s list of titles it captured this year after beating Lyceum of Alabang Sharks, 86-80, in the Finals last March 8, 2020 at St. Francis of Assisi Colleges, Bayanan. John Kim Pito of UPHMolino was adjudged as the season’s Most Valuable PlayThe Perpetual University Molino Altas men’s basketball team of Coach Siegfred ‘Phelot’ Levita (3rd from left, standing) defeated Lyceum of Alabang in the finals, 86-80, to capture the 2020 Inter School er, while Matthew Matute, Gavin Umali, Brian Kyle SoBasketball League championship crown under-20 division on Sunday at the St. Francis of Assisi brepeña of Perpetual, FredColleges in Bayanan, Bacoor City. The Molino Altas also won titles in the CAVSCAA and SLCUAA for a erick Velasco and Ismail Nogrand-slam record in 2020. Dennis Abrina

man of Lyceum were named to the Mythical Five Team. The Perpetual Molino senior cagers also won the Cavite School and Colleges Athletic Association and the South Luzon Colleges and Universities Athletics Association this 2020 to complete a “grand-slam.” “This is a great season for this bunch of players. Salamat po sa lahat ng suporta, specially to the Tamayo Family, Kay Sir Tony, to the Molino campus officials at sa naniwala sa kakayanan ng mga bata. Thank you po Mahal na Sto. Niño and sa Ina ng Laging Saklolo sa patuloy na pag-gabay sa amin,” said Coach Levita after the awarding ceremony. Dennis Abrina

Supremo Obstacle Challenge gets going on May 31 at Glorietta By Peter Atencio CASH prizes will be at stake when the Medicard Supremo Obstacle Challenge finals gets going on May 31 at the Glorietta Activity Center. With help from national coach Raven Quan, beginners and advanced level races will be held in a 100-meter course that he has designed. Prizes of P25,000, P15,000 and and P10,000 will

Fukushima... From A8

are very, very low, but you cannot deny the risk... you shouldn’t just say there’s no problem, especially with that high contamination,” Suzuki said. - Government defends measures After the hotspots were detected, Tokyo Electric (TEPCO), the plant’s operator, removed the contaminated topsoil, and government officials say the area is safe. “Every time we consider the possibility of lifting an evacuation order, first of all decontamination takes place and thereafter stringent monitoring is conducted,” Fukushima governor Masao Uchibori told journalists in February. “In deciding the route for the torch relay, we conducted another round of

of medicine and biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California. “It is not in the public interest of fans, players and neighboring areas for this tournament to proceed. We all have to join together to protect the community from the coronavirus outbreak.” Indian Wells lasts two weeks and draws some of the largest crowds for a tennis event in North America. The number of competitors and lucrative prize money being offered for the men and women has helped earn it the nickname of “The Fifth Slam.” There is also a men and women’s tournament scheduled for Miami later this month but there was no word on any changes to that event. Following Miami, the tours head to Europe for the beginning of the clay court season. The run up to the French Open includes the ATP and WTA event in Rome, Italy, the hardest-hit European country with 366 deaths from the virus. AFP

be at stake for the podium finishers. “For the beginners and fitness enthusiasts out there, we invite you to join this one-of-a-kind event, and take on the challenge to be a supremo,” said Dr. Nicky Montoya, Medicard president. To prepare for the Supremo Challenge, there will be training classes from March 16 to May 31. The Challenge combines several workout routines to test the agility, f lexibility, balance, car-

monitoring in order to ensure the complete safety of the runners and spectators,” he added. And experts on radiation and the Fukushima accident say the risks posed by the hotspots are often misunderstood. “I would not say that radiation is harmless, but it depends on the exposure dose,” said Koichi Tanigawa, director of the Futaba Medical Centre Hospital in Fukushima. While the hotspot readings are high, they pose no risk of “any radiation injuries or health effects,” said Tanigawa, an expert on radiation emergencies who has worked in the region since the 2011 accident. Tanigawa lives five miles from the nuclear plant and said his personal exposure has remained “lower than the annual exposure doses of the public in other countries”.

diology, dexterity and endurance of each participant. The conditioning programs will be at the Eton Centris in Quezon City from March 16 to 27, and at the Festival Mall Alabang from April 20 to May 1. It will be at the Ayala Triangle from May 4 to 15. Medicard is the first health and maintenance organization founded and managed by doctors.

“From a medical point of view, I do not think that there would be any adverse health effects to runners or spectators in Fukushima,” he added. - ‘Risk is vanishingly small’ Malcolm Sperrin, a professor of radiation medicine at Oxford University Hospitals, also argues the risk posed by the hotspots is minimal. “There is no doubt that everyone wishes that the radiation had not been released,” he told AFP. “But if you clean up properly and restrict access to the affected areas, then the actual risk is vanishingly small.” Data on cancer in the affected area is not conclusive, said Tanigawa, but overall incidence and organ-specific rates are mostly lower than national levels. Thyroid cancer levels are higher, but this may be the result of dedicated screening programmes which detected

small cancers that might otherwise have gone unnoticed, he added. Radiation readings should be understood in context, said Geraldine Thomas, director of the Chernobyl Tissue Bank and chair of molecular pathology at Imperial College London. “Are these readings a surprise? No they are not. Is this a significant health concern? Absolutely not,” she told AFP. She said neither radiation nor inhalation of dirt from hotspots should be a concern for people. “The doses that they would realistically be exposed to are minuscule compared with a return flight to Japan,” said Thomas, an expert on radiation and thyroid cancer who has studied the Fukushima accident. “You would be mad to turn down the chance of representing your country at the Olympics,” she said. AFP

EIGHTY-ONE bidders, including 24 foreign bets, kick of their drive for berths in the combined 2020 Philippine Golf Tour and PGT Asia Qualifying School today (Tuesday) at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Batangas. Deviating from its past setup of holding separate elims for the PGT and PGT Asia, the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. has decided to stage one Q-School for both circuits although this year’s staging suffered in terms of participation amid the COVID-19 concerns. Still, nine players from Korea and the US, Venezuela, Spain, Japan, Australia, Britain and South Africa, including five amateurs, are in the fold, ready and eager to join the region’s emerging circuit, PGT Asia, which unveils its fourth season on April 28-May 1 for the ICTSI Luisita Championship at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac. They include those who landed outside of the Top 40 in last year’s PGT Asia Order of Merit ranking, led by Korean Hwang Myung Chal, Rafael Parra of Venezuela, Emilio Parodi of Spain and former national amateur champion Gen Nagai of Japan. The top 12 qualifiers after 72 holes will be included in Category 7 with the rest settling for Category 9 berths.

DepEd cancels Palaro 2020 FOR the second time around, organizers have backed down on their plans to have the 2020 Palarong Pambansa be held on May 1 to 9 in Marikina. The second postponement was due to new threats posed by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The Marikina Public Information Office made the announcement on Monday morning. “Putting the safety of the athletes and their families first, Mayor (Marcelino) Teodoro suspends the Palarong Pambansa 2020 in May because of the threat posed by COVID-19,” said the Marikina PIO in its statement. Officials of the Department of Education were earlier reluctant to cancel the staging of the 2020 Palarong Pambansa in Marikina. Last month, the DepEd backed down on its decision to postpone it, including it in its list of events that it will put on hold. Back then DepEd officials clarified that national and regional competitions for students in February are the only ones that they will cancel amidst the risk posed by the novel coronavirus. The last time the Palaro was called off was in 2001. It was slated in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, but was scrapped due to lack of funds and the peace and order situation in the area. Peter Atencio REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for confirmation the nomination of MR. MACAIROG SABINIANO ALBERTO as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the State of Israel, with the salary and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I, in the Department of Foreign Affairs. The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions in thirty two (32) copies on the above nomination to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila. For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 8831-1824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 88342706 and 8551-1989. 09 March 2020. HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-MAR. 10, 2020)

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

Fukushima radiation hotspots risky for Olympics TOKYO—Warnings of radiation hotspots in parts of Fukushima that will host the Olympic torch relay and several sporting events have made headlines, but what is the risk for athletes and spectators? Since the 2011 tsunami that triggered the Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan has carried out extensive decontamination in affected areas and lifted evacuation orders. It hopes the Games will showcase recovery in areas devastated by the tsunami that left over 18,500 people dead and missing, and unleashed the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. But activists, including local NGOs and Greenpeace, have been vocally critical of government efforts and made a splash with the discovery last year of multiple radioactive hotspots near the start of the Olympic torch relay route. Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Kazue Suzuki argues the Japanese government is “deceiving people” by underplaying what the NGO calls ongoing health risks. “You don’t have to be scared all the time, but you have to be aware of the risk,” Suzuki told AFP. At issue are patches of ground where Greenpeace said they detected radiation levels of 1.7 microsieverts per hour at one metre (one yard) above the surface. That compares with the nationally allowed safety standard of 0.23 microsieverts per hour and a normal reading in Tokyo of around 0.04 microsieverts per hour. The hotspots showed a reading of 71 microsieverts per hour at the surface level, Greenpeace said. “That’s the tip of the iceberg, we think. There must be other hotspots,” said Suzuki. “We request broader monitoring.” Greenpeace argues the hotspots pose a threat less from radiation, but more if contaminated soil is inhaled in the form of dust. “Chances (of adverse health effects) Turn to A7

Koji Suzuki, a surfer and a surf shop owner, riding a wave in Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture. Suzuki’s local beach, Minamisoma, is around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and he still has vivid memories of March 11, 2011, when a towering tsunami triggered by a magnitude-9.0 quake surged inland, ravaging the facility.

NCAA calls off all activities By Peter Atencio

T

HE management committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association is heeding the advice of the Department of Health and has called off all its activities for the second time. Season 95 Management Committee chairman Peter Cayco said this after officials held an emergency meeting at the Aloha Hotel yesterday upon learning that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country have doubled. (As of latest count, there are now 20 COVID-19 cases in the country - Ed) “Due to the declaration of the Department of Health of Red Alert Sub-Level 1 and the guidance issued by the Department of Education that concerns gatherings or out-of-school activities, all NCAA activities are hereby suspended until further notice,” said Cayco in a statement. So far, the Department of Education has issued guidelines “to ensure heightened precautions” in light of recent developments. Under Code Red sublevel 1, responses being implemented include intensified contact tracing and home quarantine of close contacts of confirmed cases, im-

proved hospital preparedness, enhanced Severe Acute Respiratory Illness surveillance, and activation of other laboratories outside of Research Institute of Tropical Medicine to increase capacity to diagnose. Cayco said the the Policy Board is set to meet soon to discuss the possibility of cancelling all games. “The action of the NCAA is for the safety and welfare of the students, the athletes, the fans and the officials,” added Cayco. Present at the meeting are MANCOM members Fr. Vic Calvo of Letran, Paul Supan of JRU, Dax Castellano of St. Benilde, Frank Gusi of Perpetual Help, Melchor Divina of Mapua, Hercules Callanta of Lyceum and Estefanio Boquiron Jr. of Emilio Aguinaldo College. According to the Health Department early Monday, four more people have reportedly been infected with the virus, bringing the total number of confirmed

cases to 10. Later in the day, the list ballooned 20. President Rodrigo Duterte has already declared a state of public health emergency. NCAA officials have been notified that classes in all levels in both public and private schools in the City of San Juan have been suspended to give time to all school officials to sanitize and disinfect their campuses and put precautionary measures in place to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19. The NCAA was supposed to resume all of its sporting events on March 16 after implementing a suspension of activities recently amid the coronavirus outbreak. Cayco said indoor volleyball, football, lawn tennis, and soft tennis were all expected to pick up where they left off on the said date. There are still two remaining play dates in the elimination round of the men’s and women’s volleyball tournaments. The league was planning to have its track and field event to commence on March 16, with the Under-15 basketball and beach volleyball set to raise its curtains on April 25 and 29, respectively. The season-ending cheerleading competition will be held as scheduled on March 30.

Lifesavers, Lady Skippers clash, eye 1st Superliga win GENERIKA-AYALA and Marinerang Pilipina shoot for their first win when they clash in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. Action starts at 7 p.m. with the Lifesavers and Lady Skippers looking to end their misfortunes in this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Cocolife, Cocogen, Sogo, Eurotel, Sweet and Fit Stevia, Team Rebel Sports and Genius Sports. Prior to that, Chery Tiggo tries to bounce back when it faces PLDT Home Fibr in the 5 p.m. opening salvo of this battle that also has Bizooku, Gerflor, Senoh, Asics, Mikasa and Mueller Sports as technical partners. The early stretch of this import-flavored conference offers a lot of surprises. Sta. Lucia, a team powered by new recruits Mika Reyes and Royse Tubino, climbed on top of the standings with two straight wins to join two-time champion Petron and heavy contender F2 Logistics in a three-way tie at the ceiling. Meanwhile, Cherry Tiggo and Cignal are behind with 1-1, leaving PLDT, Generika-Ayala and Marinerang Pilipina at the basement with an identical 0-2 slate.

Games Today: (Filoil Flying V Centre)

5 p.m. – Chery Tiggo vs PLDT 7 p.m. – Marinerang Pilipina vs Generika-Ayala

But all eyes will be on Lady Skippers’ Croatian import Hana Cutura, who is expected to catch fire after erupting for 29 points in their 19-25, 25-21, 28-30, 20-25 loss to the Lady Realtors over the weekend. Marinerang Pilipina head coach Vilet Ponce-de Leon said she is pinning her hopes on the 31-year-old Cutura against he Lifesavers powered by Cuban import Elizabeth Vicet Campos with setter Rhea Dimaculangan, Mina Aganon and Eli Soyud as backers. “We fall short in our previous game, but rest assured that we will be back against Generika-Ayala,” said Poncede Leon, the architect of Chery Tiggo’s maiden title in the PSL. “Hana is doing it all. She wants to win. We will do everything we can to help her.” Veteran Ivy Remulla, Coleen Bravo, Judith Abil, Seth Rodriguez and Rhea Ramirez are expected to step up to help the Lady Skippers barge into the win column.

MARCIAL HEADED TO TOKYO. Eumir Felix Marcial cemented his reputation as one of the most powerful boxers in the business as he stopped Mongolian Byamba Erdene Otgonbaatar in 3 rounds of their quarterfinal round match Sunday evening in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Prince Hamzeh International Hall in Amman Jordan to clinch a slot to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. ABAP Photo

Adamson forces deciding Game 3

ADAMSON University escaped University of Santo Tomas, 79-74, to force a winner-take-all Game Three in the UAAP Season 82 High School Girls’ Basketball Tournament, Monday at Filoil Flying V Centre. Up by as much as 13 points in the third canto and 74-64 with 4:03 left in the game, the Lady Baby Falcons could not contain the Junior Growling Tigresses. Behind Nicole Dagangan and Bridgette Santos, UST went on a 10-3 surge to cut the lead to just three with exactly a minute remaining in the contest. That was the closest UST could get from clinching the crown in the contest as Bridgette and Claudine Santos had sorry misses while free throws by Joan Camagong with 11 seconds left gave Adamson another shot at glory. “Lesson we learned sa first game control our emotions. Kasi from that kind of attitude na ginawa namin sa ang pangit ng kinalabasan,” Adamson head coach Ewon Arayi recalled about their 68-73 Game One loss last Friday -- their first loss this season after a six-game sweep of the elimination round. “Players are complaining. Coaches are complaining. So walang composure. This time sabi ko sa mga bata please control your emotions,” the women’s basketball legend continued. The winner-take-all bout is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 13 at the same venue. Camagong, a member of the Mythical Team, led Adamson with 29 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 37 minutes of action. Fellow Mythical Team member Kat Agojo and Abegail Amdad both had identical lines of 12 points and nine rebounds as reigning MVP Cris Padilla was limited to just 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting. Nicole Dagangan had 23 points, seven assists, and six rebounds for UST whiel twin sister Erika added 17 points and 10 boards.

Austria, Cone in head-to-head battle for PBA Coach of Year LEO Austria and Tim Cone are locked in a headto-head battle for the 2019 Virgilio ‘Baby’ Dalupan Coach of the Year award to be bestowed by the PBA Press Corps in its Annual Awards Night set March 16 at the Novotel Manila in Araneta City. Cone and Austria accounted for the three championships at stake in Season 44 last year to contend for the highest honor handed out by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat and named after the late great ‘Maestro’ of Philippine basketball.

Austria steered San Miguel to a record fifth straight Philippine Cup championship, and then added the Commissioner’s Cup crown later to have the Beermen in line of completing a season sweep. But Cone and the Kings foiled San Miguel’s grand slam bid by ruling the Governors’ Cup, staking their dominance of the season-ending meet by winning it for the third time in the last four years. In between their championship campaign, Cone also coached Gilas Pilipinas to the basketball gold

of the 30th Southeast Asian Games behind a team composed of the core of Barangay Ginebra. Ironically, both Cone and Austria had been named Coach of the Year three times. Cone won the award in 1994, 1996, and 2014, while Austria clinched the honor thrice in a row from 2015-2017 to become the first coach to keep the perpetual Dalupan trophy following the special feat. The Danny Floro Executive of the Year and other regular awards will also be conferred during the

26th year celebration of the awards night presented by Cignal TV. For the second straight year, the PBAPC is giving out a President’s Award, along with the Defensive Player of the Year, Mr. Quality Minutes, All-Rookie Team, and Order of Merit, which is given to the one who earned the most number of Player of the Week honor last season. Completing the honor roll list are the Scoring Champion, All-Interview Team, Game of the Season, and the PBA D-League Finals MVP.

PNB’s ‘19 net profit rose to P9.8b B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

B1

Gov’t cuts 2020 growth forecast on COVID-19 scare T By Julito G. Rada

HE spread of coronavirus disease 2019 in Metro Manila compelled the National Economic and Development Authority to reduce the 2020 gross domestic product forecast by 1 percentage point from a range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent to a band of 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent. NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said a slower economic growth this year was likely as COVID-19 which originated in Wuhan, China and claimed the lives of more than 3,000 individuals globally would affect the pillars of strength of the domestic economy. “We are looking at 5.5 to 6.5 percent for the year,” she said in a Senate hearing Monday. ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said with the brunt of the COVID-19 virus yet to hit Philippine shores, economic managers should trim growth expectations given the projected hit on the recently burgeoning tourism industry. “Tourism Secretary Romulo-Puyat had ambitious plans for the sector but COVID-19 will likely change the global scenario as global travel grinds to a half with travel bans in place and general anxiety and fear over catching the virus persuades would be travelers to stay at home,” Mapa said. The Department of Tourism said earlier that up to 50,000 jobs were at risk in the sector that employs roughly 5.4 million of the labor force. Mapa said the Philippines welcomed 8.26 million foreign visitors in 2019 with tourist receipts hitting $9.31 billion, translating into $128 spent by each tourist based on the average number of days spent in the country. He said visitors from South Korea, China and Japan were the top sources of foreign visitors and the Philippines would not likely

receive many visitors from these jurisdictions in the near term, or until COVID-19 was successfully contained. “But despite the projected loss of roughly $9.3 billion worth of foreign currency inflows, why isn’t the peso reacting? The answer could be that the projected loss of tourist receipts will be offset by the expected foreign exchange outflow from Filipino jetsetters,” Mapa said. GDP grew 5.9 percent in 2019, missing the official target range of 6 percent to 7 percent as it was pulled down by the delay in the approval of the P3.7-trillion national budget. The government’s economic team is scheduled to meet Tuesday to assess the latest situation and developments that might impact economic growth. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno did not rule out the possibility of having bigger cuts in interest rates this year as COVID-19 threatens economic expansion. Diokno said further rate cuts could happen aside from his earlier commitment of 50-basis-point reduction for 2020. Analysts and economists said the spread of the disease could prompt central banks around the world to cut interest rates to boost economic growth. Fitch Solutions Macro Research, a unit of Fitch Group, earlier reduced its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 6 percent from an earlier estimate of 6.3 percent, taking into account the impact of COVID-19.

ICTSI to appeal court’s ruling on Portland dispute settlement By Darwin G. Amojelar

PLATINUM AWARD. Led by Gabay Guro chairperson Chaye Cabal-Revilla (center), PLDT-Smart executives receive the most prestigious Platinum and Gold Anvil Awards for PLDT-Smart Gabay Guro 12th anniversary grand gathering at the 55th Anvil Awards at Manila Hotel. The Platinum Anvil Award is the highest distinction the Public Relations Society of the Philippines gives to an organization, with PLDT being one of the only two recipients of the highly-coveted award.

Regulators lift several airport charges AVIATION regulators said Monday they are deferring certain airport charges on local airlines after the industry’s operations were heavily hit by the coronavirus disease 2019. Manila International Airport Authority general manager Ed Monreal said the government decided to defer the collection of landing, take-off and parking fees because of COVID-19. Monreal said MIAA collected about P58 million a month from the collection of landing, take-off and parking fees from local carriers. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which manages secondary airports in the provinces, collected some P13 million a month from local airlines. Monreal said the deferment of airport fees aimed to help local airlines cushion the impact of COVID-19. “This is a welcome development as it provides a temporary financial reprieve for the company. We thank the government for this gesture of support,” said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. Civil Aeronautics Board executive director Carmelo Arcilla said the airlines were being hit heavily by the COVID-19 in terms of low passenger traffic all over the world. Monreal said passenger traffic at NAIA declined by 30 percent, while flight frequency fell 25 percent in February. The country’s domestic passenger traffic reached 29.53 million in 2019 from 27.28 million in 2018. International passenger traffic also increased to 30.52 million last year from 26.85 million a year earlier. Darwin G Amojelar

IN BRIEF

Fitch keeps negative outlook on PH telecom FITCH Ratings on Monday kept its negative outlook on the Philippine telecom industry as it expects the industry’s debt to rise on higher capital expenditures this year. “Fitch has a negative outlook on the Philippines telecoms sector, reflecting our expectations that average FFO [funds from operations] adjusted net leverage will rise towards 3.0x in 2020,” the credit rating firm said. Fitch said PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc’s capex push ahead of the launch of third mobile network operator, Dito Telecommunity “will delay deleveraging,” despite a stronger fourth quarter on accelerating data monetization and more stable competition. Globe is budgeting P63 billion this year while PLDT is more aggressive on capex, at P83 billion. PLDT’s capex ramp-up is driven mainly by P18.5 billion of sales-driven capex for broadband installations, though we believe the amount could vary depending on the pace of actual connects and upgrades for fibre-broadband services. The company is also accelerating subscriber migration to its 4G network, after investing heav-

PORT operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. said Monday it will appeal the recent court decision reducing from $93.6 million to $19 million the damages the International Longshore & Warehouse Union should pay the terminal operator of Port of Portland for illegal job actions in 2012 to 2017. “We are pleased the court affirmed the jury’s findings that the ILWU engaged in illegal actions for five years and that these actions directly caused ICTSI Oregon Inc.’s damages,” ICTSI Oregon Inc.’s president and chief executive Elvis Ganda said. “However, we are disappointed in the court’s opinion that ICTSI Oregon Inc. only suffered $19 million in damages rather than the $93.6 million the jury awarded after hearing all the evidence during the two-week trial,” he said. ICTSI said it was “considering all options in our continuing efforts to hold the ILWU accountable and obtain justice.” ily to improve 4G coverage and capacit Darwin G. Amojelar

PH credit growth expected to slow DEBT watcher S&P Global Ratings said Monday Philippine banks are likely to post another year of single-digit loan growth and an increase in non-performing loans as the coronavirus disease 2019 threatens the economy and financial markets. S&P credit analyst Nikita Anand, however, said domestic banks would be resilient to these external pressures supported by strong fundamentals. “We expect trade and private investments to slow in Philippines due to the global coronavirus outbreak, and this will drag on banks’ lending business,” Anand said. S&P earlier revised downward its 2020 GDP forecast for the Philippines to 5.8 percent from 6.2 percent amid the widening global spread of coronavirus. Anand expects credit growth of 8 percent to 10 percent in 2020, down from previous forecast of 10 percent to12 percent. This means the country’s banks could see a second year of single-digit growth after a long run of double-digit expansions in previous years. Credit growth slowed to 8.8 percent in 2019 from 15 percent in 2018 as corporate loan de-

The port posted a net income of $100.4 million in 2019, down 52 percent from $207.5 million in 2018. Excluding the non-recurring gains and charges, recurring net income increased 23 percent last year to $259.1 million from $210.5 million in 2018. ICTSI’s gross revenues from port operations in 2019 increased 7 percent to $1.5 billion from $1.4 billion in 2018. The company handled consolidated volume of 10,178,018 twenty-foot equivalent units in 2019, or 5 percent more than the 9,736,621 TEUs it handled in 2018. The group’s capital expenditure budget for 2020 is about $270 million, up from $240.8 million in 2019. The estimated capex will be utilized for the ongoing expansion projects at Manila International Container Terminal in Manila, Philippines and Contecon Manzanillo S.A in Mexico, yard expansion at IDRC in Democratic Republic of Congo, equipment acquisitions and upgrades and for maintenance requirements. mand softened with the delay in the approval of the 2019 national budget and the lingering trade tensions between the US and China. Julito G. Rada

Smart rolls out Wi-Fi call service SMART Communications Inc. said Monday it started rolling out commercially its voice-overwifi (VoWifi) or Wi-Fi calling for its Smart Signature and Infinity customers. Smart teamed up with device manufacturers in making more VoWiFi-capable handsets available, such as the Samsung S20 series, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Huawei Mate 10, Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro and P30 series and the TCL PLEX T780H. This technology is also available in mid-range Samsung handsets, such as the Samsung Galaxy A series, as well as in Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Fold. VoWiFi or Wi-Fi Calling allows customers to make and receive calls and text messages over any Wi-Fi connection using their smartphone’s native dialer, without having to install another app. Calls made with VoWiFi will be charged against the customer’s active subscription. For customers without an active subscription, local and international voice and text rates will apply. Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PNB’s ‘19 net profit rose to P9.8b By Julito G. Rada

P

HILIPPINE National Bank, the fifth-largest lender in terms of assets, said Monday net income in 2019 increased slightly to P9.8 billion from P9.6 billion a year ago, driven mainly by the growth in net interest income, fees and commissions as well as trading gains.

“I am pleased with the improvements in our core income for 2019. Excluding the impact of non-recurring gains from the sale of foreclosed assets, the bank’s core net income grew by 57 percent year on year,” bank president and chief executive Wick Veloso said in a statement Monday. Total consolidated resources of the bank, owned by tobacco and

airline tycoon Lucio Tan, increased P158.6 billion or 16 percent from a year ago to P1.14 trillion. Veloso said the financial results last year reflected the strength of PNB’s franchise in its wholesale and retail businesses. “We expect to sustain the improvement in the quality of earnings of the bank as we enhance the Safe and Aggressive Growth

strategy with added focus on profitability moving forward,” he said. Net interest income expanded 20 percent to P32.4 billion on the back of improved earnings from loans to corporate, commercial and small and medium enterprises and other interest-earning assets. Loan receivables registered double-digit growth to P657.9 billion as of end 2019, higher 12 percent from 2018. Deposit liabilities reached P826.0 billion, up 13 from the 2018 year-end. Net service fees and commission income rose 20 percent from enhanced cross-selling efforts resulting in improvements in underwriting fees from capital market transactions as well as loan,

deposit and credit card-related fees. Net trading and foreign exchange gains jumped 97 percent due mainly to favorable opportunities in the market. Meanwhile, net gains from sale of acquired assets declined to P690 million from last year’s P5.9 billion. Despite the reduction, total operating income registered a 6-percent improvement on account of solid growth in core revenues. Excluding net gains from sales of foreclosed asset sales, total operating income increased 22 percent year-on-year. Operating expenses, excluding provisions for impairment and credit losses, rose 9 percent over the same period last year.

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review Monday, March 9, 2020

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

FINANCIALS 49.9 18,890 67 2,586,610 131 2,696,640 23.4 223,500 18 200 9.3 1,406,500 3.38 36,000 0.53 10,000 1 136,000 829.5 30 0.265 1,650,000 47.5 6,214,870 0.68 273,000 11.2 63,100 18 22,000 26.9 162,000 148 6,840 49.5 3,920 19 62,000 132.8 914,000 1,780 5 57.25 36,560 1.18 902,000

844,936.50 177,543,506.50 358,373,263 5,291,980 3,600 13,929,252 119,690 5,300 136,420 24,885 562,550 301,904,536 189,620 712,246 409,210 4,343,185 1,059,637 184,868.50 1,169,972 122,716,727 8,900 2,094,072 998,660

42,240 -99,536,264 -54,990,548 -2,145,235 -10,228,651 20,100 190,400 -148,293,046 13,000 2,492,325 42,500 4,600 -71,298,149 -

25.5 1.8 6.5 0.6 1.02 1.92 0.19 1.02 13.98 160 5.5 14.22 28.5 56 56 1.77 3.5 6.05 9 7 8.04 2.7 14.3 59.8 1.28 32.1 1.01 12.5 4.28 1 161.5 4.6 2.86 10.5 6.75 11 258 1.66 3.74 3.13 8.8 10 24.5 4.5 4.91 1.28 1.5 0.81 7.38 63.05 8.25 0.115 0.8 121.8 2.4 1.04 0.78

INDUSTRIAL 26.1 1,233,000 1.85 17,078,000 6.89 1,283,800 0.6 1,504,000 1.13 116,000 1.94 5,040,000 0.2 870,000 1.05 14,848,000 14 4,689,100 180 50 6 1,968,500 14.22 900 28.5 500 56 800 56 1,330 1.77 209,000 3.6 43,000 6.2 2,756,600 9.08 329,500 7 103,000 8.09 6,036,800 2.75 16,896,000 14.8 5,731,300 60.4 483,050 1.3 50,058,000 35.7 16,400 1.02 5,955,000 13.24 1,212,300 4.29 514,000 1.15 367,000 163 1,144,100 4.98 11,000 3.34 25,000 10.8 7,664,500 7 263,800 11.8 1,450,000 258 225,070 1.66 923,000 3.8 19,000 3.13 4,653,000 8.98 64,500 10.18 49,100 24.5 402,200 4.5 387,000 5 8,800 1.28 451,000 1.5 77,000 0.81 1,585,000 7.43 195,600 68.5 266,890 8.4 238,700 0.115 1,040,000 0.8 88,000 121.8 819,520 2.42 191,000 1.05 5,734,000 0.79 2,309,000

32,268,855 33,910,290 8,890,276 905,750 119,150 10,364,760 173,680 15,763,800 65,651,410 8,250 11,688,445 12,992 14,285 46,203 76,246 396,130 153,300 16,972,442 3,217,218 731,196 48,653,816 57,460,430 85,428,998 29,142,952.50 73,866,380 541,480 6,392,090 16,087,344 2,236,570 396,030 186,996,783 50,980 75,550 84,775,756 1,910,921 16,819,418 58,392,422 1,582,920 71,230 15,070,850 585,122 499,326 10,162,500 1,762,020 43,436 589,360 115,500 1,385,020 1,454,641 18,071,674.50 2,016,460 120,400 72,070 103,014,234 462,720 6,119,300 1,922,200

-11,711,965 -1,564,120 -5,580,982 12,000 -823,530 -1,445,410 22,669,380 18,710 -66,780 -1,164,251 1,577,670 -3,933 9,255,658 -311,260 3,554,554 -7,470,237.50 -1,047,760 191,450 3,246,690 5,903,776 -194,380 -70,430 -22,324,880 -15,253,826 65,746 -5,455,108 -38,152,172 -611,960 -1,191,740 -3,264,250 -1,131,400.00 25,700 -572,040 -3,141,049.50 415,500 -13,418,083 333,600 -2,120 40,000

0.58 41.35 9.73 0.6 6.1 8 0.8 0.8 590 1.92 5.9 5.05 3.25 3.8 0.216 612 4.31 63 6.38 5.23 5.51 0.46 3.68 7 0.55 3.39 3.76 1.01 2.58 119.4 2 895 0.72 0.88 160 140 0.205 0.131

HOLDING FIRMS 0.59 12,551,000 41.85 1,017,500 9.9 21,813,400 0.6 542,000 6.1 31,300 8.99 36,200 0.84 2,365,000 0.82 361,000 604 813,490 1.94 1,066,000 6.06 2,450,900 5.15 12,974,000 3.25 5,000 3.8 8,000 0.216 200,000 612 246,000 4.31 12,000 63.2 2,133,330 6.38 350,000 5.23 700 5.51 160,400 0.465 130,000 3.69 1,515,000 7.06 1,266,500 0.6 82,000 3.48 96,032,000 3.76 17,000 1.01 14,000 2.58 37,000 125 160,300 2 65,000 902.5 394,060 0.73 2,365,000 0.92 663,000 160 50 154 2,060 0.225 170,000 0.132 3,680,000

7,781,420 43,050,875 215,059,465 355,500 190,930 324,111 1,948,830 295,160 491,354,310 2,090,520 14,765,248 67,037,665 16,250 30,440 43,200 163,653,605 51,990 137,692,781.50 2,233,000 3,661 883,804 60,100 5,589,840 9,085,853 45,150 333,512,560 67,350 14,440 95,790 19,532,474 130,000 355,365,610 1,810,080 598,410 8,000 302,473 35,050 521,870

273,250 -26,574,025.00 63,010,838 77,600 185,440 -164,000 -126,203,455 30,500 3,107,890 -26,635,669 -16,863,415 -21,820 -53,473,042.50 2,233,000 -4,700 -132,830 -1,786,773 19,755,730 24,000 -8,333,456 15,123,485 -13,220 -568,000 177,720 72,000

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG FIRST ABACUS IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

49.75 72 136.5 24.55 18 10.6 3.69 0.53 1.02 829.5 0.355 51.5 0.71 11.22 19 28 170 50.05 19.74 144.9 1,780 57.45 1.15

49.9 72 137.7 24.55 18 10.6 3.69 0.53 1.02 829.5 0.38 51.5 0.71 11.3 19 28 170 50.05 19.9 144.9 1,780 57.45 1.18

43.15 67 131 22.7 18 9.3 3.05 0.53 1 829.5 0.21 47.5 0.68 11.2 18 26.4 148 46 18.52 127 1,780 57.25 1.1

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

26.8 1.99 6.85 0.61 1.03 2.27 0.201 1.18 14.3 160 6.13 14.4 28.85 58.85 59.4 1.9 4 6.45 10.18 7.68 8.09 3.9 14.78 61.05 1.59 32.35 1.13 13.34 4.48 1.11 170 4.6 3.1 11.6 7.99 11.6 268 1.77 3.74 3.3 9.32 10.24 26.05 4.62 5 1.4 1.5 0.95 7.54 68.85 8.85 0.116 0.82 130.3 2.4 1.15 0.88

27 2.06 7.1 0.61 1.13 2.27 0.207 1.18 14.3 180 6.24 15.44 28.85 58.85 59.4 1.9 4 6.46 10.2 7.68 8.1 3.94 15.32 61.05 1.6 35.75 1.13 13.36 4.48 1.2 170.1 4.98 3.34 11.6 8.04 11.8 268 1.79 3.8 3.3 9.32 10.24 26.05 4.62 5 1.4 1.5 0.95 7.56 68.85 8.87 0.116 0.85 130.6 2.55 1.15 0.89

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP AYALA LAND LOG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FJ PRINCE A FJ PRINCE B FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A KEPPEL HLDG B LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.67 43 9.86 0.69 6.1 9.65 0.88 0.88 630 2.09 6.21 5.33 3.25 3.81 0.216 700 4.31 66.1 6.38 5.23 5.51 0.46 3.69 7.8 0.55 3.48 4.05 1.04 2.62 125.5 2 910 0.83 0.97 160 148.1 0.205 0.156

0.67 44.1 9.93 0.69 6.1 9.69 0.88 0.88 635 2.09 6.21 5.33 3.25 3.81 0.216 700 4.58 68 6.38 5.23 5.51 0.47 3.69 7.8 0.6 3.54 4.05 1.04 2.62 125.5 2 910.5 0.83 0.97 160 154 0.225 0.156

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

14.1 0.8 9.49 1.32 0.7 38 1.6 4.5 6.39 0.485 0.71 0.161 0.315 8.2 17.14 0.36 1.2 0.97 3.3 0.18 0.4 0.9 0.33 2.05 23

14.2 0.8 9.49 1.32 0.7 38.85 1.6 4.5 6.39 0.485 0.75 0.161 0.315 8.2 17.2 0.36 1.2 0.97 3.35 0.184 0.4 0.9 0.33 2.06 23.15

14.1 0.7 8.99 1.25 0.6 37.3 1.53 4.16 6.39 0.45 0.71 0.153 0.3 7.22 15.5 0.345 1.1 0.93 3.19 0.155 0.36 0.71 0.27 2.04 20

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

1.91 3 38.5 2.33 1.58 6.41 4.88

1.91 3 38.5 2.35 1.58 6.5 4.9

1.88 2.98 36.1 2.2 1.4 6.2 4.01

1.88 2.98 36.1 2.33 1.4 6.25 4.9

602,000 50,000 10,635,500 303,000 8,455,000 16,843,400 49,000

1,145,120 149,660 391,454,170 687,700 12,123,120 105,260,421 230,320

-83,755,565 -1,136,000 -2,721,164 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PH RESORTS GRP PHIL RACING PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

8 21 1.33 9.6 0.4 0.046 2.45 7.34 0.034 71.3 3.51 3.4 6.97 805 1,818 5.25 404 9.9 1 97 7.16 5.4 0.092 1.52 1.73 12.5 1.78 0.84 7.89 0.47 1.57 2.77 2.77 1.9 1.94 6.5 2.66 4 7.98 148 2.29 1,030 0.445 0.265 33.4 60.15 8.25 1.67 0.51 0.201 0.54 17.92

8 21.1 1.39 9.8 0.405 0.046 2.45 7.46 0.034 71.3 3.51 3.98 6.97 805 1,821 5.25 429 13.5 1 98 8.1 5.4 0.092 1.53 1.9 12.8 1.78 0.92 7.89 0.47 1.57 2.82 2.77 1.9 1.94 6.8 2.89 4.55 7.98 158 2.29 1,030 0.445 0.265 34.05 60.15 8.25 1.67 0.51 0.201 0.54 17.92

6.9 19.1 1.3 9.02 0.37 0.043 2.21 6.87 0.03 66.3 2.98 3.4 6 800 1,750 5.12 390 9.9 0.85 87.3 7.16 5.05 0.087 1.38 1.73 12.48 1.53 0.84 7 0.41 1.45 2.1 2.21 1.53 1.86 6.3 2.65 4 7.98 148 1.9 1,011 0.37 0.235 32.2 56.7 7.05 1.49 0.44 0.18 0.51 16

SERVICES 6.9 19.4 1.39 9.8 0.375 0.044 2.3 7.11 0.031 66.4 3 3.98 6.5 800 1,750 5.13 403 12.64 0.86 89 8.1 5.05 0.087 1.41 1.9 12.8 1.53 0.92 7 0.41 1.52 2.1 2.26 1.6 1.93 6.48 2.89 4.55 7.98 150 1.98 1,021 0.38 0.235 34.05 57 7.05 1.51 0.45 0.18 0.52 17.3

80,900 749,600 102,000 1,247,100 4,680,000 11,300,000 214,000 5,348,500 5,900,000 281,570 2,083,000 39,000 19,900 240 27,545 961,800 84,440 4,300 1,285,000 2,333,070 700 18,000 2,190,000 35,073,000 5,000 10,200 326,000 79,000 1,311,500 3,200,000 4,394,000 10,650,000 172,000 4,618,000 17,000 12,000 16,000 6,000 9,300 17,190 1,788,000 149,345 8,920,000 5,520,000 1,954,600 584,510 14,900 3,904,000 1,722,000 2,790,000 2,533,000 2,883,800

577,418 14,702,027 133,120 11,844,400 1,765,550 507,400 493,570 37,998,614 189,700 19,259,729 6,352,760 148,840 127,309 192,215 48,915,975 4,999,929 34,598,352 49,884 1,173,170 210,236,202.50 5,106 92,020 194,200 50,675,490 8,820 127,970 520,360 67,880 9,650,607 1,347,150 6,551,190 25,323,420 406,470 7,685,500 32,200 77,222 42,680 26,740 74,214 2,586,623 3,716,940 152,396,770 3,625,950 1,376,410 63,951,200 33,928,087.50 114,825 5,909,020 801,860 516,650 1,310,360 48,959,358

-4,350 -24,672 -11,250 -2,450 1,620,596 -5,408,648.50 246,000 107,460 104,065 -11,720,535 -212,000 940 -49,030,377.50 46,980 -388,710 -185,955 4,300,320 406,960 21,650 473,438 -10,480 -90,833,220 472,350 12,800 -3,606,885 2,775,553 515,910 -107,400 160,200 111,690 4,276,642

ABRA MINING ACE ENEXOR APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING

0.0012 7.1 1.03 2.29 10.68 1.17 1.1 2.68 0.275 6.4 0.81 0.199 0.088 0.088 0.0072 0.58 2.07 0.95 0.425 0.61 0.0091 0.01 0.008 2.85 5.9 19.1

0.0013 7.5 1.05 2.3 10.68 1.17 1.1 2.68 0.28 6.4 0.81 0.199 0.089 0.088 0.0072 0.58 2.07 0.95 0.425 0.61 0.0091 0.01 0.008 2.85 5.9 19.2

0.0011 6.24 0.89 2.1 10.56 1.17 1.1 2.4 0.26 5.99 0.65 0.194 0.085 0.087 0.0072 0.56 1.93 0.84 0.4 0.52 0.009 0.009 0.008 2.6 5 18.8

MINING & OIL 0.0011 363,000,000 6.76 1,009,300 0.93 3,839,000 2.1 90,000 10.56 12,200 1.17 50,000 1.1 4,000 2.6 4,036,000 0.28 920,000 6.05 93,400 0.65 23,142,000 0.194 290,000 0.085 4,130,000 0.087 2,830,000 0.0072 3,000,000 0.56 169,000 1.94 11,012,000 0.84 1,800,000 0.42 1,130,000 0.58 414,000 0.009 8,000,000 0.009 8,000,000 0.008 3,000,000 2.6 2,032,000 5.05 1,416,300 19 1,846,700

433,600 6,851,466 3,673,260 196,750 129,260 58,500 4,400 10,571,020 245,700 561,967 16,419,890 56,510 362,130 248,880 21,600 96,330 21,512,830 1,560,090 453,500 236,440 72,100 76,000 24,000 5,583,140 7,441,459 35,081,486

-1,200 -86,711 19,530 4,400 1,848,050 -11,786,790 78,320 -2,274,500 5,410 -372,795.00 -4,351,824

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

17.5 500 500 103 101 105 502 5.02 1,000 100 100 1,010 1,042 1,070 1,031 77.8 75.8 76 77.25 75.3 76.3 76.2

17.5 500 500 103 103 108.2 502 5.02 1,000 100 100.1 1,010 1,048 1,070 1,044 78 75.8 76.4 77.4 75.4 76.3 76.2

16.12 500 495 102 101 105 502 4.95 1,000 100 99.95 1,010 1,041 1,060 1,030 77.8 75.8 76 77.2 75.1 76.3 76

PREFERRED 16.12 781,300 500 1,910 495 2,020 102 3,900 101 62,060 108.2 14,340 502 210 4.95 559,100 1,000 3,020 100 29,000 100 22,980 1,010 1,385 1,041 10,550 1,060 2,955 1,030 6,040 77.85 5,580 75.8 2,520 76.4 13,400 77.4 39,700 75.1 14,700 76.3 14,500 76 4,630

13,105,592 955,000 1,006,540 400,700 6,269,030 1,505,733 105,420 2,778,177 3,020,000 2,900,000 2,298,350 1,398,850 10,988,000 3,137,100 6,222,510 434,607.50 191,016 1,023,360 3,068,920.50 1,105,870 1,106,350 352,106

0 4,970 -3,030,000 -2,577,476.00 -103,100 -

LR WARRANT

1.02

1.02

0.95

WARRANTS 0.95 6,000

5,770

-

1,528,700 1,088,552 4,590 2,890,550

-128,790

19,457,895

-8,050,543.50

58,110.40

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 14.1 0.7 9 1.3 0.6 37.75 1.58 4.34 6.39 0.475 0.75 0.153 0.3 7.8 16.5 0.36 1.12 0.93 3.2 0.155 0.365 0.75 0.27 2.05 20

1,841,000 19,813,000 10,500 260,000 4,859,000 13,538,400 3,358,000 385,000 100 3,700,000 21,000 4,620,000 1,730,000 359,700 1,027,800 1,750,000 16,396,000 802,000 46,431,000 14,970,000 25,960,000 5,749,000 1,600,000 2,666,000 1,552,900

26,007,898 14,825,210 94,730 334,950 3,029,450 513,670,370 5,244,730 1,660,800 639 1,711,800 14,950 734,110 526,800 2,815,498 16,566,080 617,700 18,406,260 754,920 149,454,240 2,499,460 9,865,150 4,787,060 452,050 5,461,690 32,494,875

-176,298 16,150 25,400 5,760 42,684,205 1,658,830 8,700 15,250 543,672.00 2,469,670 -11,227,360 30,987,950 160,000 73,200 18,900 9,000 -13,174,380

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

2.4 8.3 2.3 0.7

2.4 8.3 2.3 0.7

2.08 6.8 2.29 0.59

FIRST METRO ETF

102

102

90

USD DMPL A2

10.04

10.04

10

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

17,699,192

INDUSTRIAL

169,714,102

HOLDING FIRMS

165,844,256

PROPERTY

210,481,188

SERVICES

133,433,356

MINING & OIL

446,298,727

GRAND TOTAL

1,149,102,807

2.1 6.8 2.29 0.62

SME

691,000 146,800 2,000 4,586,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 95.6 204,370 10

DDS

5,800

VALUE 1,459.63 (down) 136.60 1,030,033,945.56 FINANCIAL 7,598.19 (down) 515.88 INDUSTRIAL 1,064,271,026.306 6,202.38 (down) 409.88 HOLDING FIRMS 1,888,041,189.32 PROPERTY 3,466.95 (down) 217.92 1,241.39 (down) 89.15 SERVICES 1,332,763,036.47 5,900.75 (down) 380.96 MINING & OIL 859,003,384.919 6,312.61 (down) 457.77 PSEI 111,982,100.70 All Shares Index 3,815.22 (down) 224.33 6,311,068,951.77 Gainers: 30; Losers: 204; Unchanged: 23; Total: 257

Gokongwei holding firm approves P2-b buyback plan By Jenniffer B. Austria ROBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc., the retail holding company of the Gokongwei Group, said its board approved a P2-billion share buyback program amid the current market slump on fears over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “The objectives of the share buyback program are to enhance shareholder value and to manifest confidence in the Company’s value and prospects through the repurchase of the common shares of the Company and through the return of a portion of the company’s capital to its shareholders,” said Robinsons Retail in a disclosure to the stock exchange. The company said the share buyback program would not involve any active and widespread solicitation from stockholders. It will be implemented in the open market through the trading facilities of the Philippine Stock Exchange. The share buyback program will not affect any of the company’s prospective and current projects and investments. From a 52-week high of P87 per share, stock price of Robinsons Retail on Monday plunged to a 52-week low of P56.70 on massive sell-off across all markets due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The board of Robinsons Retail also approved the adoption of a new dividend policy effective 2020. The company will implement an annual cash dividend payout ratio of 40 percent of the net income attributable to parent for the preceding fiscal year. Robinsons Retail earlier reported a net income of P3.8 billion in 2019, down 25 percent from P5.1 billion a year ago, largely due to the effect of the new accounting standard. Consolidated net sales increased 22.8 percent in 2019 to P162.9 billion, driven by the same store sales growth of 3.4 percent, additional sales from the new stores opened in the last 12 months and the full year consolidation of Rustan Supercenters. Excluding the franchised stores of The Generics Pharmacy, Robinsons Retail ended the year with 1,938 stores comprising of 265 supermarkets, 49 department stores, 222 do-it-yourself stores, 507 convenience stores, 519 drugstores and 376 specialty stores.

Cebu Landmasters taps banks, SSS on P8b worth of notes CEBU Landmasters Inc. signed an P8-billion corporate notes facility agreement with several banks and the Social Security System to finance strategic land acquisitions. The notes, which will have a tenors of 5 years, 7 years and 10 years, were oversubscribed, prompting Cebu Landmasters to exercise a full overallotment option. Cebu Landmasters plans to use proceeds from the offering to fund land acquisitions in the new expansion areas of Puerto Princesa, Leyte, Butuan and General Santos, as well as cities where it already operates, namely Cebu, Bohol, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Davao. “Part of the proceeds will also fund the development of a 22-hectare central business district hub in Matina, Davao,” according to a March 9 disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange. Banks that participated in the notes offering were Bank of the Philippine Islands, China Banking Corp., Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. and SSS. BPI Capital Corp. and China Banking acted as co-arrangers of the offering. The property firm earlier announced plans to use its current landbank of 1,245,485 square meters to roll out more projects this year in new locations such as Iloilo, Bohol and Ormoc. It is exploring new areas and tapping new markets, such as Tacloban, General Santos, Roxas City, Boracay and even Palawan. Cebu Landmasters is building up to 200,000 sq. m. of gross leasable area and expand its hospitality portfolio to over 1,600 rooms in the next two to three years. “CLI will continue to grow and fortify its presence in VisMin, deliver a diversified range of products aimed towards filling the needs in other major growth centers of the region, and keep our excellent financial performance,” the company said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Manila

Standard TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

World

B3

TODAY CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Lithuania seeks to heal Soviet trauma VILNIUS―Seeking justice for the victims of the Soviet regime to heal historical trauma has become a top priority for Lithuania as it marks 30 years since it became the first republic to break away from the USSR. Auksute Ramanauskaite Skokauskiene spent her childhood in living under an assumed identity to avoid Soviet authorities tracing her father who led Lithuania’s armed resistance against Soviet rule in the Baltic state after World War II. Captured in 1956 and executed the following year, Adolfas Ramanauskas was only given a full state funeral some six decades later in 2018, after archaeologists identified his body in a mass grave. “I always felt very disturbed that the Soviets slandered my dad and other freedom fighters,” Ramanauskaite Skokauskiene, a former MP and retired engineer, told AFP. “For me, it was very important that now I have a grave where I can come.” Lithuania’s departure from the USSR on March 11, 1990 triggered a year of turmoil that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, a move that heralded the end of the Cold War. While Lithuanians have since enjoyed impressive economic growth -- notably

RUNWAY SHOW.

Lindsay Webster attends the 2020 Christian Cowan x Powerpuff Girls Runway Show on March 08, 2020, in Hollywood, California. AFP

after joining EU and NATO in 2004 -- at different times in their lives. So it is the Baltic nation of 2.8 million people with countries and so it is with culture,” also struggles with some of Europe’s he told delegates at the conference. AFP highest rates of suicide, alcoholism and emigration. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Some critics blame persistent REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION poverty and high levels of income BRANCH 229, QUEZON CITY inequality for these social ills, but others insist they are also symptoms VIRGINIA HERNANDEZ DAYOAN herself and on behalf of her minor son of intergenerational trauma rooted For ELIJAH JUSTICE HERNANDEZ DAYOAN, Petitioners, in the undigested past. “Can it be that our society is ill, -versusCase No. R-QZN-19-14020-CV and the name of the disease is not MICHELLE OCAMPO DAYOAN, coronavirus? One of the reasons for Respondent. Lithuanians to be depressed could x---------------------------------------x SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION be our difficult and complicated A verified petition for Support was filed on September 17, 2019 history,” Laimonas Talat Kelpsa, a by Petitioners through counsel and prayed to this Honorable senior foreign ministry official, told Court that: 1. Pendente Lite, Respondent Michelle be ordered to pay the psychotherapists and diplomats at Petitioners Virginia and Elijah the sum of Fifty Thousand Pesos a recent conference in Vilnius fo- (P50,000.00) a month to be given every end of the month; and 2. And after due hearing on the principal cause of this suit, the cused on collective trauma. Respondent be ordered to pay the petitioners by way of regular Experts suggest that historical support and maintenance FIFTY PERCENT (50%) of his monthly income and/or bonuses, to be given every end of the injustice and the failure to meet the salary, month, which may be increased depending on his needs, and to needs of the victims have a huge im- be paid upon demand of the same. Other reliefs and remedies, just and equitable under the pact on societies haunted by history. premises are likewise prayed for. According to Simon Wessely, a Upon petitioner’s motion, service of summons upon respondent professor of psychological medi- was allowed by the Court to be served by publication. NOW THEREFORE, respondent MICHELL OCAMPO DAYOAN cine at King’s College London, ac- whose last known address is at 6824 Moselle Drive, San Jose, knowledging the past is important California 95119, is hereby summon and required to file with Branch 229 of the Regional Trial Court, National Capital Judicial both individually and collectively. Region, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City, his Answer to the “A single person can be a per- Petition for Support within sixty (60) days from the date of the last petrator, a victim and a bystander issue of publication.

Saudi cordons off Shiite region R IYADH―Saudi Arabia on Sunday cordoned off an oil-rich Shiite stronghold, suspended air and sea travel to nine countries and closed schools and universities, in a series of measures to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The lockdown on Qatif, an eastern area that is home to around 500,000 people, is the first action of its kind across the Gulf region, which has confirmed more than 230 coronavirus cases―most of them people returning from religious pilgrimages to Shiite-majority Iran. Given the kingdom’s 11 recorded cases of the new

coronavirus are from Qatif, “it has been decided to temporarily suspend entry and exit” from the area, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Except for essential services such as pharmacies and gas stations, work will stop in all government and private institutions in Qatif, the statement added. Although the ministry said the lockdown was temporary, it risks fueling resentment in the flash point region whose residents have long accused the Sunnidominated government of discrimination, a charge Riyadh denies. The government also decided to temporarily suspend “the travel of citizens and residents to the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, South Korea, Egypt, Italy and Iraq, as well as suspend the entry of those coming from those countries,” SPA reported. “The kingdom also decided to stop air and sea

travel between the kingdom and the mentioned countries,” it added. The decision is expected to leave expat workers from those countries as well as Saudi travelers stranded. Saudi Arabia also announced it was closing all public and private universities and schools across the country from Monday until further notice, SPA reported. Saudi Arabia has blamed arch-rival Iran for its spike in coronavirus cases, while condemning Tehran for allowing its citizens entry without stamping their passports. The Saudi government has reminded its nationals of a standing ban on travel to Iran, as the two countries are locked in a battle for regional supremacy. Iran is home to key shrines and pilgrimage sites for Shiites, who make up between 10 and 15 percent of Saudi Arabia’s population of 32 million. AFP

IN BRIEF

South Korea sees lowest new infections

SEOUL―South Korea, which has one of the world’s largest coronavirus totals outside China, on Monday reported its smallest daily rise in cases for two weeks. A total of 248 cases were confirmed on Sunday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. The increase took its total to 7,382. Each morning, the South announces how many cases were diagnosed the previous day, and gives an update every afternoon with the current day’s figures so far. Sunday’s figure fell for the fourth day in a row and was the lowest since late February. The South was the first country to report significant coronavirus numbers outside China, where the disease first emerged. But in recent days the focus of global concern has been moving towards Italy and Iran, a quarter of Italy’s population in lockdown Sunday as Rome announced infections soaring past 7,000 and deaths spiking to 366. The South has had 51 deaths, according to KCDC. Specialists say a key factor behind the South’s much lower fatality rate from the virus relates to the pattern of people being infected. Most of the South’s cases are connected to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive religious group often condemned as a cult, many of whose members are women in their 20s and 30s. But global figures show the virus is most deadly among older population groups, and in men in particular. AFP

Petitioner is directed to submit proof of compliance therewith. WITNESS, my hand under the seal of the Court, this 16th day of January 2020, Quezon City, Metro Manila. SO ORDERED. January 16, 2020, Quezon City, Metro Manila. (Sgd.) CLETO R. VILLACORTA, III Presiding Judge Cc: Atty. Justin Christopher C. Mendoza – No. 17 Binga Street, NAPOCOR Village, Brgy.Pasong Tamo, QC Virginia Hernandez Dayoan- 9 Montgomery St., Serra Monte Villas, Filinvest II, Batasan Hills, QC Office of the Solicitor General – Makati City SACP Mariesther B. Vedaña – Office of the City Prosecutor, QC (MStandard-Mar. 3, 10 & 17, 2020)

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Quezon City, Metro Manila BRANCH LXXVIII (78) IN RE: PETITION FOR ADOPTION OF THE MINOR SAMANTHA KENDALL ATIENZA, WITH APPLICATION FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO “SAMANTHA KENDALL ARGANA”, SP. PROC. CASE NO. R-QZN-19-18629-SP For: Adoption and Change of Name MARIA CECILIA PALOMARES ARGANA Petitioner. x------------------------------------------------x

ORDER

Embassies close in North Korea

SEOUL―Several embassies in North Korea closed Monday as many diplomats were flown out following weeks of tight quarantine restrictions imposed by Pyongyang over the spread of the novel coronavirus. North Korea has not confirmed a single infection but has imposed strict rules, including closing its borders and putting thousands of its own people into isolation. It has also subjected hundreds of foreigners-including diplomats-to a virtual lockdown in their own premises. Russian ambassador Alexander Matsegora described the conditions as “morally crushing”. Those restrictions were finally eased last week after more than a month, when more than 200 foreigners were allowed to leave their compounds. Swedish ambassador Joachim Bergstrom tweeted a selfie from the city center with the caption: “I have never been happier standing on Kim Il Sung Square.” Monday’s evacuation comes after reports that a special flight was being arranged to fly diplomats and other foreigners from Pyongyang to the Russian city of Vladivostok. “Sad to say farewell this morning to colleagues from German Embassy and French Office #NorthKorea which are closing temporarily,” tweeted Colin Crooks, the British ambassador to Pyongyang, adding that his embassy would remain open. AFP

Let this summons be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation selected by raffle pursuant to PD 1079 at the expense of petitioner. Likewise, let copy of the summons as well as copy of the petition be deposited in the post office, postage pre-paid, and to be sent by registered mail to the respondent at her last known address, also at the expense of petitioner.

A verified petition for Adoption and Change of Name was filed by the petitioner, Maria Cecilia Palomares Argana, through counsel, praying that after notice, publication and hearing, judgment be rendered and that the minor adoptee, SAMANTHA KENDALL ATIENZA, be declared for all legal intents and purposes, the adoptive child of herein petitioner; that the name of the minor adoptee SAMANTHA KENDALL ATIENZA be changed to SAMANTHA KENDALL ARGANA. Petitioner is fifty-three (53) years old, Filipino, single, and residing at Unit 9C10 Victoria Towers, Barangay Paligsahan, Timog Avenue corner Panay Avenue, Quezon City. That for purposes of this petition, she may be served with pleadings and other court processes through her counsel. Petitioner is also in possession of full civil capacity and legal rights, and of good moral character. She has not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude and is emotionally and psychologically capable of caring for children. She was married to George F. Almazan on January 3, 1986 in Cainta, Rizal and on April 1, 1989 at Santisimo Rosarion Parish (U.S.T.) in Manila. From their union bore two (2) children, Alex Joseph Argana (20 years old) and Martin Rafael Argana (18 years old) who have both expressed their consent to the adoption. Petitioner’s previous marriage with Geeorge F. Almazan was declared null and void on the ground of the latter’s psychological incapacity.

CHECKPOINT. Incoming passengers line up to have their temperatures taken and health assessed at a checkpoint for people flying in from a list of countries that include China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Iran and Italy, as a precautionary measure against the spread of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus, at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok early on March 9, 2020. AFP

European Union mulls over taking in child refugees BRUSSELS―Migration crisis talks were set to be held between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and senior EU officials in Brussels on Monday, as Germany said the bloc was considering taking in 1,500 child refugees. Tens of thousands of asylumseekers have been trying to break through the land border from Turkey for a week after Ankara announced it would no longer prevent people from trying to cross into the European Union. Turkey, which hosts around four million mostly Syrian refugees, has repeatedly railed against what it describes as unfair burden-sharing. Erdogan called on Greece to “open the gates” to the migrants after Greek police used tear gas and water cannon in skirmishes with crowds at the border. “I hope I will return from Belgium with different outcomes,” he said at a speech in Istanbul on Sunday as he announced the meeting. “Hey Greece! I appeal to you... open the gates as well and be free of this burden,” he said, adding: “Let

them go to other European countries.” Early on Monday, Germany said the EU was considering taking in up to 1,500 migrant children who are currently housed in Greek camps. “A humanitarian solution is being negotiated at the European level for a ‘coalition of the willing’ to take in these children,” the government said in a statement. Berlin was ready to take in an “appropriate” share, it added, saying the country wanted to support Greece in the “difficult” situation it is facing. Concern over the plight of the minors have grown as they either require urgent medical treatment or are unaccompanied by adults. On Friday, Erdogan ordered the Turkish coastguard to prevent risky Aegean sea crossings after more than 1,700 migrants landed on Lesbos and four other Aegean islands from Turkey over the past week. The coastguard however said Turkey’s policy of allowing migrants and refugees to leave by land was untouched, and the instruction only affected sea crossings.

The Turkish president will meet European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at 6pm (1700 GMT) on Monday. They will “discuss EU-Turkey matters, including migration, security, stability in the region and the crisis in Syria,” Michel’s spokesman said on Twitter. In 2016, Turkey and the EU agreed a deal whereby Brussels would provide billions of euros in aid in exchange for Turkish authorities curbing the flow of migrants. But Ankara has repeatedly accused the bloc of not fulfilling promises that were made while Europe suffered its worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. Over a million people fled to the continent in 2015. Erdogan’s top press aide has said one of the unmet conditions was that the EU would take in refugees from Turkey. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Michel met Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday as Turkey demanded greater support over the conflict and migrants. AFP

Petitioner in this case desires to adopt the minor SAMANTHA KENDALL ATIENZA who was born on June 12, 2013 and was already declared legally available for adoption by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) by virtue of the Certification Declaring a Child legally Available for Adoption with Petition Number FO NCR-2016-1074 issued on December 12, 2018. Petition is in a good position to support and care for the minor Samantha and her two 92) legitimate children, in keeping with the means of the family as she has regular income that is more than sufficient to support her needs and those of the minor child. Likewise, petitioner who has been fostering and providing moral, emotional and financial support to the minor adoptee since January 2014, has been treating and caring for the minor adoptee as her own daughter. Since she has come to love the child as her own, and in order for the minor to enjoy the rights and privileges of a legitimate child, petitioner has decided to formally adopt Samantha. Petitioner is also physically, emotionally and mentally able to care for the minor adoptee, as evidenced by a copy of her Medical Certificate attached hereof. Finally, considering also that as a consequence of the adoption, a change of name in the adoptee’s Certificate of Live Birth is necessary, petitioner moves that the child’s name be changed from “Samantha Kendall Atienza” to “SAMANTHA KENDALL ARGANA”. IN VIEW THEREOF, and finding the Petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is given due course. Accordingly, let the instant Petition be set for hearing on July 8, 2020 (Wednesday) at exactly 8:30 o’clock in the morning at Rooms B13-B14, Basement, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City. Notice is hereby given that anyone who has any objection to the Petition should file his/her opposition hereto within (15) days from the last date of the publication of this Order or appear in Court on the above-scheduled date of hearing and show cause, if any, why the Petition should not be granted. Let this Order be published, at the expense of petitioner, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of National circulation in the Philippines, to be chosen by raffle under the supervision of the Executive Judge, RTC, this city pursuant to P.D. 1079. The Court Social Worker is hereby directed to conduct a case study on the petitioner and the minor subject of the adoption and to submit her report on or before the scheduled hearing. Petitioner is hereby directed to coordinate with the Court Social Worker to facilitate the preparation of the case study report. Petitioner is further required to furnish a copy of the Petition together with its annexes, the Office of the Solicitor General, Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Local Civil Registrar of the City of Manila, the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR), and to submit compliance therewith before the Scheduled hearing. SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, December 27, 2019. (Sgd.) FERNANDO T. SAGUN, JR. Presiding Judge Copy Furnished: Maria Cecilia Palomares Argana Atty. Resida Rose T. Rosario Atty. Ma. Eloise R. Castillo Pres. Conrado C. Rosario Office of the Solicitor General Office of the Solicitor General Office of the Civil Registry – Manila Office of the Civil Registry – Q.C. D.S.W.D. NCR Philippine Statistics Authority (NSO) (MStandard - Feb. 25, Mar. 3 & 10, 2020) Social Worker Ms. Coriage

LGUs

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

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

MORE assures Iloilo of stable power supply By Alena Mae S. Flores MORE Electric and Power Corp. has assured residents, businesses and the city government of Iloilo of a stable and reliable supply of electricity after finally securing its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Energy Regulatory Commission. This developed even as rival Panay Electric Co. filed for a urgent motion for reconsideration of the ERC order of the revocation of its CPCN. MORE president Roel Castro made the assurance to Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo Treñas, as he renewed the Razon-backed firm’s commitment to deliver stable, reliable, and affordable power to Ilonggos. In a statement, Castro made the same assurance to business leaders in a separate meeting after the Iloilo City Regional Trial Court issued a writ of possession to MORE to take over certain distribution assets of PECO in the city. Castro said MORE is confident of ensuring stable and reliable power supply for Iloilo City after securing power supply agreements with three electricity generation companies— Panay Energy Development Corp., Panay Power Corp., Kepco-Salco Power Corp., and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading of electricity. Rey Jaleco, MORE project development head, said that since February 29 when the Iloilo City Sheriff’s Office started implementing the writ of possession, the said suppliers have delivered close to 18 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to residents and businesses in the city. MORE also replaced eight aged distribution transformers of PECO in three districts, including three in the city proper, two in the Arevalo district and three in Lapaz district. MORE secured a 25-year franchise after PECO’s franchise expired on Jan. 19, 2019. PECO was later granted a provisional CPCN by the ERC to ensure the uninterrupted supply of electricity pending fulfillment of certain conditions by MORE. Meanwhile, the ERC said it received the motion filed by PECO seeking to revoke its decision granting a provisional CPCN to MORE.

AUCTION FOR A CAUSE. Chief Specialist Richie Lerma shows some of the paintings of widely acclaimed Filipino artist Justin Nuyda for sale at the recent Salcedo Auctions ‘Important Philippine Art’ in Makati City. Nuyda, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, made this artwork to raise funds for the Kythe Foundation, a non-profit working to improve quality of life of children suffering from cancer and chronic illnesses. Nuyda is one of the first batch of recipients of the Thirteen Artists Award by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1972, and is a founder of the Saturday Group of artists. Norman Cruz

NV co-ops getting rich By Abe Almirol

S

OLANO, Nueva Vizcaya—Quirino Governor Dakila Cua praised the success of cooperatives of his neighboring province of Nueva Vizcaya in addressing the 2020 Agrarian Reform Summit convened by the Department of Agrarian Reform on Thursday (March 5) here. “I envy the rising billionaire cooperatives of Nueva Vizcaya,” Cua told the audience before he delivered his keynote message. He represented Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, who was not able to make it as the main guest of the event. Vice Governor Jose Tomas Sr. also graced the summit to represent Nueva Vizcaya Governor Carlos Padilla, who was out of town at the time. Tomas is the founder of Tam-an Multi-Purpose Cooperative, which started as a very small group in Banaue, Ifugao back in the 1990s. Tam-an MPC established its headquarters in Bayombong, where it grew as one of Cagayan Valley’s billionaire cooperatives with branches in Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Ifugao.

Cua hinted that cooperatives are key to the financial management of government funds for farmers. “My father, Congressman Junie Cua, is currently studying the old Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act of 2009, which mandates banks to allocate 20 percent of their loan portfolio to farmers,” the younger Cua said. The governor claimed that reviving the old law would consolidate P7 billion to P8 billion pesos loan funds available to farmers. In his message, DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones recalled that one year had already passed since the Rice Tariffication Law took effect. Responding to the manifestation of a farmer who complained he suffered heavy losses due to rice importation,

Castriciones said: “While some benefitted from the stabilized price of rice in the cities, it was the farmers that felt the hardship and we should honor their sacrifice by giving them the support they need.” Castriciones enumerated government initiatives to alleviate these losses, such as the unconditional cash transfers from DSWD, farm equipment and inputs from the Department of Agriculture and DAR, and low interest loans from Land Bank. He also praised agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations, with 1,500 of them present in the summit held at the Convention Center of the Malabing Valley Multipurpose Cooperative in Barangay Bagahabag here. Malabing MPC is also a multimillion-peso cooperative venture, which is based in the citrus production sector. DAR also turned over 86 Certificate of Land Ownership Award titles, five big farm tractors, a dozen of small farm implements, and other agricultural inputs during the event.

Quarry revenue for Pampanga climbs to P404m in 8 months By Jess Malabanan

ROTARY AWARD. Environment Secretary Roy Cinatu (center) receives the prestigious Rotary Club of Manila Tourism Awards for ‘Saving Manila Bay, The Biggest Challenge for Environment Protection’ from RCM president Jackie Rodriquez and president-elect Robert Lim Joseph (right), chairman of the Tourism Awards. The 16th Annual Recognition is given to leaders in the tourism and environment sectors.

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga— Quarry revenue in Pampanga has spiked to P404.14 million, a record high in just eight months of the administration of Gov. Dennis Pineda, officials said in a statement. “We are averaging P50 million a month,” Pineda pointed out, as he thanked quarry operators and haulers “for cooperating with us in the reforms we have introduced.” The quarrying industry revenue is broken down into quarry collection, P363.3 million; weighing scale fee, P31.9 million; sand and gravel permit P533,427; accreditation of motor vehicles, P5.3 million; fines and penalties, P2.9 million, and accreditation of heavy equipment P43,000. Joel Mapiles, Provincial Information Officer, said P34.6 million of the total

revenue is intended for distribution to 16 towns while P46.1 million is for 77 villages where sand quarrying industry thrives. He said the tax collection is from July 1, 2019 to present. Under Governor Pineda, sand tax comprises around 10 percent of local income. “It was Governor Pineda’s efficient collection system that obviously increase the province’s revenue,” said Mapiles over the phone. Porac town has the lion’s share of revenue with P21.9 million for the barangays and P16.5 million for the local government unit coffers, said Mapiles. Bacolor municipality has the second biggest share at P9.5 million for barangays and P7.1 million for the LGU. “Our shares from the capitol’s collections has really grown. We receive regular checks for it,” said Bacolod Mayor Diman Datu.

Globe, BPI arm in DTP program GLOBE Telecom, BPI Foundation Inc., and YGOAL Inc. have joined hands to promote financial education, and digital literacy and responsibility in public schools nationwide. The partnership is being carried out through the inclusion of Globe’s Digital Thumbprint Program in the learning packages for teachers and students under the BPI Senior High School Acceleration Program for Employment and Entrepreneurship and BPI Manny and Me programs, with YGOAL as program implementor. “As the leading telecommunications company in the country with a strong foothold on corporate social responsibility and education programs, we believe that Globe Telecom is the ideal partner in expanding the digital responsibility content of the BPI SHAPE and BPI Manny and Me programs to further empower and educate our teachers and students,” said

JR Demecais, YGOAL President and CEO. YGOAL is a social enterprise providing consultancy service focused on co-creating solutions for organizational development, designing and implementing training programs for individuals and teams, and measuring attainment of impact. Miguel Bermundo, Globe Citizenship and Advocacy Marketing Director said: “We are always open to partnerships with any group who would like to bring DTP to their schools and communities.” “With the Philippines having a 67 percent internet penetration rate and with 91 percent of the population above 13 years old having a social media account, it has become necessary to ensure that everyone, especially the youth, are properly informed about cyber safety and responsible use of technology,” he added.

Marisse Catangay (standing), YGOAL program manager, holds training for teachers under Globe’s Digital Thumbprint program, BPI SHAPE and BPI Manny and Me programs.

‘Tricycle ban on highways pro-rich, anti-poor’ ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has branded as “pro-rich and antipoor, which fails every test of socio -economic justice,” the rccent Memo Circular of the Department of the Interior and Local Government banning tricycles from national highways. In House Resolution No. 748, Salceda submitted to the House Transportation Committee, Salceda has called on the DILG to withdraw its Memo Circular 2020-036, which imposes the ban, as “it is extremely unjust and fails every test of reason, data-driven logic, socio-economic justice, and local autonomy.” “And like all regulations that do not take into account actual human experience, it will fail massively,” said the lawmaker, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee. He urged the House Committee on Transportation to conduct public hearings on the issue to come up with better alternatives, since tricycles are “the only source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of Filipino families.” “These 4.5 million tricycles pay road users tax at almost P1.2 billion every year and pay excise tax and VAT on fuel amounting to around P52 billion per year, which partly funds the enormous budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways at P650 billion,” he said in his resolution. Citing reports from both the World Health Organization and the Land Transportation Office, Salceda said 2017 records show that tricycles and motorcycles are safer than other vehicles. Of some 7,023,529 registered tricycles and motorcycles in the country, there were 5,970 deaths recorded with a mortality percentage of 0.085%, while for other vehicles, there were 3,994,326 registered, with recorded 11,264 deaths, or 0.282%, he noted. “The motorcycle issue is simply sensationalized; we are biased against motorcycles because they are splurged on the road when they figure in accidents, but look at the data. You are 300% more in danger when you ride or use vehicles other than tricycles or motorcycles,” Salceda pointed out. “If cars are more unsafe, our policies should not be pro-cars only. In truth, what causes our traffic chaos? What vehicles are used by the wealthy which kill more people on the roads than motorcycles and tricycles? Cars, cars, cars,” he stressed in mixed English and Tagalog. Salceda’s resolution also says that data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) in 2015 show that 56 percent of cars are owned by the wealthiest 10 percent of the population. “Since a tricycle ban is procar, it would be a policy that is both pro-rich and anti-poor, thus failing every test of socioeconomic justice,” he said. Vulnerable segments of the population like persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and senior citizens are essentially served by the end-to-end service of tricycles, emphasizing the need for the safety of tricycles from cars, and not the safety of cars from tricycles, the solon said.

POLPHIL to hold Luzon-wide conference THE League of Political Officers Inc., a registered association of all political officers, tacticians and operators, is set to hold a Luzon-wide conference on March 13-14 at Selah Garden Hotel along Park Avenue, Pasay City. Bannering the theme, “POLPHIL, Para sa Hamon ng Makabagong Politika,” the League has invited resource persons from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Education to talk about the current political and educational concerns of the country. Also invited is Commission on Elections spokesperson Director James Jimenez. A total of 50 political officers from the Cordillera Autonomous Region, Region V, and from the 16 cities of Metro Manila are expected. Well-known political personalities and their political officers are invited to grace the occasion during the fellowship night on March 13, 6 p.m. at the same hotel.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

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It’s not drama, it’s dysmenorrhea

By Steph Llarena

B

EING a woman is a wonderful thing, all the difficulties in life included—yes, even those, because they make us stronger, more resilient.

But one of the pains, literally, that many women have to go through is the pain and discomfort that comes during their monthly period. And perhaps, the much more painful thing about it is that many who don’t understand it dismiss someone who experiences it as being “dramatic.” No. The pain from dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps, a professor of reproductive health at the University College of London said, could be as bad as having a severe “heart attack.” In fact, many who experience it, or up to 20 percent according to an article published on American Family Physician, said it interfered with their work or other daily activities. “The pain intensity tends to increase when estrogen levels are low and progesterone levels are high. When it gets too bad, it can be disabling. Every woman experiences it differently. Some suffer from extreme pain, while others go through it easily,” explains Faith Suluen, MD. About 60 to 70 percent of young women experience dysmenorrhea, according to a study by Najafi, et al. During the menstrual period, the uterus squeezes so that blood in the uterine wall detaches and eventually flows out of the vagina. If it contracts too strongly, it can press against nearby blood vessels. This briefly cuts off the oxygen supply in the uterus which causes pain. Menstrual cramps or primary dysmenorrhea, the secondary one being caused by disorder in the woman’s reproductive system, is recurrent and are not due to other diseases, according to Cleveland Clinic. Pain usually occurs on the first to second day of the period, and is felt in the lower abdomen, back, or thighs. Pain can range from mild to severe, and can last from

‘‘

Using hot pack and taking hot bath or shower can help alleviate the pain due to menstrual cramps.

Avoiding caffeine may also help in managing menstrual cramps as this substance can make dysmenorrhea among a few people worse as it can mildly constrict blood flow which can lead to pain. In some, caffeine may worsen premenstrual symptoms of anxiety, irritability, or insomnia. Drink lots of water and load up on water-rich fruit and vegetables such as watermelon, orange, cucumber, tomatoes, and lettuce. Using anion sanitary pads, according to a brand that manufactures it, may help in alleviating pain. Anion, a negatively charged ion, once it reaches the bloodstream, produces biochemical reactions that cause a multitude of healing benefits. Anions stabilize blood pressure and reduce blood and sugar levels. In addition, Jeunesse Anion Sanitary Napkins said anion can help reduce stress levels, strengthen immune system, reinforce better sleep, and increase mental energy. When incorporated in sanitary pads, it can eliminate unwanted odors, balance hormones, and lessen pain. The University of the Philippines Inorganic Nanomaterials Institute of Chemistry reports that each anion strip in Jeunesse Anion Sanitary Napkins, once it touches moisture, releases 6,180 anions—more than enough to be able to reach a person’s bloodstream and eliminate 99.9 percent of bacteria and fungi that cause unwanted odor. Once the anion was released in the strip, it will bind positively charged ions such as potassium, calcium, and sodium, which restricts their movement through the ion channel. The interaction between two opposite charged ions is very strong that it will not allow the movement of these positively charged ions. And if ions can’t move, it stops sending pain signals to the body that cause dysmenorrhea.

12 to 72 hours. In worse cases, it may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea. Reproductive health experts recommend taking pain medications to relieve pain. But for natural manage-

Jeunesse Anion is available in five different variants: ultra-day pad, day pad non-wing, ultra-night pad, allnight, and panty liner. It is distributed by Wellgold International Inc., and is available in drugstores, supermarkets, and department stores nationwide.

THE PAIN IS REAL.

Majority or about 60 to 70 percent of young women experience menstrual cramps or dysmenorrhea—and for some of those women, the pain and discomfort can interfere with their work and daily activities.

When it gets too bad, it can be disabling.

MOTHERS Agnes Lapena, Suzanna Yuzon, and Michelle Aventajado know firsthand the challenges that living with a family member who has Down syndrome entails. “Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all, or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with increased risks of health conditions, physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual disability, and characteristic facial and physical features,” explains Yuson. Lapena adds, “There are also challenges associated with development, wherein individuals will experience certain delays in that regard, as well as behavioral issues. These equally require great care and attention.” In a bid to use their personal experiences to help other families, all three mothers have made it a personal advocacy to help raise awareness of Down syndrome and other disabilities, and promote inclusion for those who have it in the country. “I think children and adults with Down syndrome face the challenge of not being included. Many times, they are left out due to laws not being implemented properly, or, worse yet, cultural stigma that inhibits them from even being counted,” laments Aventajado. Agnes Lapena is a member of the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Inc. (DSAPI), a non-profit organization that aims to offer support to families that have members with Down syndrome. Some of the many programs of DSAPI include: Happy Walk, an annual walking event for Down syndrome that gathers thousands of families and advocates from different parts of the country; the annual golf tournament Tee-Up for Down, a fundraising campaign that supports various Down syndrome initiatives; and the Early Intervention seminar, which offers counseling and clinical consultation for parents of children with Down syndrome. In addition, DSAPI has a partnership with Shakey’s Philippines wherein people with Down syndrome are given opportunities to work. Suzanna Yuzon, on the other hand, is the founder of the Miss Possibilities Foundation Inc., a non-profit organization that advocates for the differently-abled, including those with Down syndrome, by offering free therapy sessions, medical missions, and activities that are intended to enrich their lives—particularly a pageant where girls with special needs can show the world their beauty and individuality. Among Miss Possibilities Foundation’s numerous contributions to the betterment of lives of people with special needs is the creation of the first Bill for Down syndrome that has had its first reading in

ment and treatment, there are a couple of options available. Using a hot pack helps relax uterine muscles and boosts blood circulation. Place the heating pad or hot water bottle or hand towels on lower back or abdo-

men to relieve the pain. Taking a hot bath can also help as the heat boosts blood circulation in the pelvic area and eases cramps. It’s best followed by a good night’s sleep, as rest is also beneficial during this period.

A mother’s love for a child with Down syndrome

Participants in last year’s Happy Walk organized by the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, in partnership with SM Cares.

Congress, and the group is currently lobbying and hoping for more support from members of Congress. Meanwhile, Michelle Aventajado is the executive director of Best Buddies Philippines, the local arm of international non-profit Best Buddies, which is “dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).”

Down syndrome advocates (from left) Michelle Aventajado with family, Suzanna Yuzon with family, and Agnes Lapena with family.

The organization has, among numerous initiatives, a Friendship Program that matches persons with IDD with non-IDD individuals according to their age, interests, and gender, with the aim of fostering friendships; a Leadership Program that involves identifying leaders within the community, giving them speech coaching lessons and teaching them how to self-advocate; and, a Jobs Program that actively looks for companies who are ready to partner to help fa-

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Life

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TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

First step to fighting COVID-19:

‘Be equipped with right information’

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CCORDING to an emergency medicine physician, one of the most important thing people can equip themselves with during a pandemic such as the current COVID-19 outbreak is having the right information about the situation.

“It’s good to be prepared. With what? Initially, I would tell you to be prepared with the right information. We have to be very discriminating with information and we have to practice vigilance,” Dr. Elis Maghirang said during the recent TACS (Tactical, Survival, and Arms) Expo in Taguig City. The expo, organized by ARMSCOR Global Defense, tackled timely topics and relevant information about the global issue of pandemic and COVID-19. Highlights of the discussion included ways to prepare for a pandemic and ways to cope and combat the spread of COVID-19. Topics discussed included “Pandemic Preparedness” by Dr. Duds Raymond Santos, “Pandemic, Epidemic, Outbreak ATBP.” by Dr. Maghirang, “Pandemic

without Panic: A Pandemic Preparedness Session” by Dr. Daryl Santiago, and “Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of Surviving a Pandemic’” by Dr. Mikey Vergara. Dr. Maghirang warned that fake news and wrong information can only aggravate the situation and create widespread panic. He cited credible sources of information such as the World Health Organization, the Department of Health, Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Philippine College of Physicians, International Society of Infectious Disease, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. “We’ve got to have a reasonable response, instead of hysteria and panic, so we can allocate resources properly especially to those who are in need such as ‘vulnerable communities’ like the

elders, the children, and those who are sick,” he added. Echoing Dr. Maghirang’s statement, Dr. Santiago, medical consultant at the Makati Medical Center, shared that pandemic preparedness initiatives include public-private sector and education campaign caravans for people to be properly informed about COVID-19. Important measures to implement are authorities’ continued testing, research, and data gathering; border controls such as temperature screening at the airport and all points of entry, placing high risk-travelers under quarantine, deploying healthcare teams at the aerobridge, disallowing visitors from COVID-19 epicenters, deferring all non-essential travels, and collecting contact details for possible tracing in the future; and implementing cleaning protocols and proper disinfection of premises. Emphasis was also given on community and individual responsibility with the public encouraged to practice good personal hygiene like proper handwash-

Medical consultant Dr. Daryl Santiago recommends placing high-risk travelers under quarantine. AFP Photo

Dr. Elis Maghirang emphasizes the importance of equipping oneself with the right information from credible institutions during a pandemic.

The public is encouraged to practice personal hygiene like proper handwashing and keeping self and surroundings sanitized. AFP Photo

ing and sanitation, to wear surgical mask when one is sick, and to keep one’s immune system healthy and strong. Dr. Vergara summarized in his segment “Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of Surviving a Pandemic’” through the acronym COVID, what the general public can do to prepare for a potential pandemic. C stands for Vitamin C to strengthen one’s immune system; O for observation and objective findings as people stay tuned to the latest research, data, and development about the virus; V for vaccines/anti-viral medicines as authorities develop these to fight the virus; I for infection control and isolation by being responsible when one is sick and staying at home to recover; and D stands for diagnostics since it is important to consult a

iPhoto

Training facility for optometry students opened OPHTHALMIC optics company Essilor has recently opened the Essilor Sight Center at the Centro Escolar University in Manila. The center is a training facility equipped with the latest eye care equipment for the use of the university’s Optometry students. Located on the second floor of CEU’s School of Optometry, the Essilor Sight Center has four refraction rooms, a lecture area, and a dispensing area. These are designed to give students hands-on experience in doing eye exams and dispensing eye glasses to patients, with equipment that include Essilor advanced measuring devices for presbyopia among many others.

“We are very grateful to Essilor for partnering with CEU. Thousands of students will be trained at one of the most advanced facilities to be established in a university,” said CEU School of Optometry dean Dr. Elena Borromeo. Top executives of Essilor flew in to grace the inauguration. Essilor AMERA and Digital president Bernhard Neusser and Essilor Asean and Korea president Kathy Park joined the inauguration rites together with Essilor Philippines general manager Dr. Emelita Roleda. According to Neusser, the collaboration is in line with Essilor’s global thrust to support the training of future eye doctors. “With poor eyesight being

the major handicap worldwide, our mission is to improve lives by improving sight. To provide good vision, we need optometrists and this partnership with CEU will make that possible.” At present, the growing cases of vision-related problems demand for capable eye care professionals. “CEU and Essilor share the same vision of developing the best optometrists with hands-on training and the best quality of equipment,” said Park. For her part, Dr. Borromeo emphasized the importance of the partnership between the company and the university. “This opportunity will enable us to improve our services by allowing our students to utilize the instruments they will use in the future.”

Salad restaurant turns over donation to WWF Philippines SALADSTOP! Philippines has recently turned over part of the proceeds from the sale of its Mo’ Green and limited edition T-shirt to the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines. T h e donation turnover was led by SSI Group, Inc. president Anton Huang (left) and WWF Philippines executive director Joel Palma. The proceeds will help fund WWF’s environmental efforts, which aim to improve Filipino lives by providing sustainable solutions in the areas of climate change, livelihood programs, and habitat conservation. As part of its 5th anniversary celebration in the country, SaladStop! launched the meat-free Mo’ Green salad/wrap and limited edition T-shirt which were available in all stores from Nov. 11, 2019 until Jan. 11 this year.

A mother’s love... From C1

From left: CEU School of Optometry dean Dr. Elena Borromeo, CEU president and chief academic officer Dr. Ma. Cristina Padolina, Essilor AMERA and Digital president Bernhard Neusser, Asean and Korea president Kathy Park, and Philippines general manager Dr. Emelita Roleda.

medical professional when one starts to feel the symptoms. “ARMSCOR, through the TACS Expo, will continue to help build a disaster-resilient Philippines and this will also include preparing for situations that threaten our security and health as a nation such as COVID-19. We hope to educate the public and help them combat the dangers of the virus,” said Gina Marie Angangco, deputy chief executive officer and senior executive vice president of ARMSCOR Global Defense. The TACS Expo will also be held in key cities and areas this year with upcoming events scheduled on June 11-14 at the SM Megatrade Hall; August 6-9 at SMX Lanang Davao; and November 12-15 at SMX Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

cilitate an inclusive work environment for persons with Down syndrome, by offering integrated employment for individuals with IDD. “It is imperative. It is their right,” asserts Aventajado. “Children with Down Syndrome have the right to be included in schools, in social situations, and fully integrated into society where they can contribute and earn a proper wage through gainful employment.” She continues, “Kids and adults with Down syndrome are completely capable of achieving the same milestones as a typical child or adult, it just might take them a little longer.” Being active members of their respective organizations, all mothers

know how crucial inclusion is in enabling a society where persons with Down syndrome and other disabilities can feel secure and cared for. They believe that it is the collective responsibility of individuals, communities, and corporations to work together and create an environment that is free from discrimination and prejudice. SM Supermalls, through SM Cares, its corporate social responsibility group, has been actively supporting non-profit organizations like DSAPI, Miss Possibilities Foundation, and Best Buddies Philippines, among others. “Everyone is welcome in SM, and we have always made a conscious effort in ensuring that accessibility and inclusion are in the heart of everything we do,” says Engr. Bien Mateo, senior vice president of operations and program director of SM Cares Program on PWDs.

Entertainment

Alden Richards

Ai-Ai delas Alas

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Barbara Miguel

GMA Network shows,

personalities celebrate 2020 awards haul

L

EADING broadcast company GMA Network is off to a great start in 2020 with its various programs and artists earning multiple feats from various award-giving bodies.

At the recently concluded Ani ng Dangal Awards conferred annually by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts last Feb. 26, Asia’s Multimedia Star Alden Richards led the list of awardees together with some of the most prized artists in the industry including fellow Kapuso star Ai-Ai delas Alas and GMA Artist Center talent Barbara Miguel. They personally received their Ani ng Dangal plaques during the awarding ceremony held at the Malacañang Palace. Various Kapuso programs and artists were also recognized at the 4th Guild of Educators, Mentors and Students (GEMS) Awards held last Feb. 13. Longest-running morning show Unang Hirit took home the Best News Program for its ”Unang Balita” seg-

ment. One of its pioneer hosts, Suzi Entrata-Abrera, was named as Best Female News Program Anchor. Winning the Best Male News Program Anchor was another UH host—seasoned broadcast journalist Ivan Mayrina— who was recognized for the weekend primetime newscast 24 Oras Weekend. GMA News TV’s iJuander was included in the Top 4 Best TV Programs for Documentary/Educational/ Informative format. GEMS also conferred a posthumous award to the late Cesar Apolinario as one of the Top 4 Best TV Program Hosts. GMA Network’s Eleksyon 2019 Special Coverage was honored as the Best TV Special for its accurate and dedicated reporting of the 2019 Midterm Elections. Alden Richards, on the other

hand, won the Best Actor award for his exceptional portrayal of Sep in the GMA primetime series The Gift. Receiving the Best Actress Award was one of Centerstage judges Aicelle Santos for her acting prowess in Himala: Isang Musikal. Meanwhile, GMA Network flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB was hailed as Best Radio Station. Winning the “Natatanging Pelikulang Pampamilya” special award was GMA Pictures and MIC Test Entertainment’s debut film Family History, which was bannered by Kapuso comedy genius Michael V. Furthermore, during the 4th Film Ambassador’s Night by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) last Feb. 9, GMA News and Public Affairs programs dominated the list of awardees in the TV Documentaries category after bringing honor to the country for winning in some of the most prestigious «A-List» international

Ara Mina can’t choose between GMA and ABS-CBN TELEVISION actress Ara Mina is fortunate enough to have a good working relationship with the country’s top TV networks. For this, she is thankful. Ara Mina started out as a Kapuso as mainstay in That’s Entertainment, then in Bubble Gang where became part of the cast for ten years. With the Kapamilya, she became part of ‘Sang Linggo nAPO Sila, then Sabado Live. Her first album was produced by ABS-CBN’s Star Records. “So, I can’t choose between the two. I can cross over when it comes to work and I’m happy with that. I love them both because they’ve been part of my career. They’ve been instrumental why I was able to reach my current state,” she says. At present, she appears in ABS-CBN’s Ang Probinsyano. Many wonder how it is working with Coco Martin. “Actually, it’s just only once that we were together for a taping. Our locations are always different, but we already collaborated before in Ligaw na Bulaklak. We played siblings in said show. Comparing my experience with him then, nothing really changed. In fact, we reminisced our good old times together.”

Ara Mina

* * * * * Matteo Guidicelli recently shed light on his much-talked-about “secret wedding” to Sarah Geronimo. The Christian wedding took place at the Victory Church in The Fort, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on the night of Feb. 20. A few days after the controversial event, the popular Kapamilya actor took to social media to confirm their nuptial and clarify a few things. He officially referred to Sarah as “Mrs. Guidicelli.” He stated: “02 20 2020, a day full of pure love, honesty and genuine emotions. Yes, we got married. Mr. and Mrs. Guidicelli.” Before tying the knot, Matteo and Sarah had been in a seven-year relationship. Considering their royal status in local show business, it’s inevitable that the public expected a grand wedding celebration but surprisingly, the couple opted for a simple one. “First and foremost, we would like to express the overwhelming joy, love and excitement we have in beginning our life together. We decided to keep everything as intimate as possible because of private matters. Each and every one of you had been part of our love journey and we want to say, Thank you. Friends, family and everyone on ‘social media’ have been a source of inspiration, strength, and most importantly, of love,” Matteo averred.

Mr. and Mrs. Guidicelli

The actor also gave his side on the accusation that he allegedly punched Sarah’s bodyguard when a commotion occurred after Mommy Divine Geronimo showed up at the wedding reception which took place in a private room of the Ministry of Crab located at the Fort, BGC. According to reports, Matteo allegedly blamed the bodyguard for informing Sarah’s mom about the secret wedding. It’s public knowledge that Mommy Divine doesn’t really approve

of the relationship between the two. “That evening was almost perfect until some unexpected events took place, but don’t worry I never ‘punched’ anyone. I will forever stand up and protect my wife just as how my father would protect my whole family.” Meanwhile, Matteo is grateful to his family for accepting Sarah into their fold. “I would like to say thank you to my family for loving Sarah like a daughter. Our family is growing and we are blessed. Papa and Mama, thank you for deeply loving and welcoming Sarah into our family.” Despite the controversy, Matteo is hopeful that the time will come when everything will be okay. Mommy Divine’s disapproval of their relationship was being pinpointed as one major reason why allegedly, Sarah chose not to tell her mother about their marriage which caused her anger. “In time, with God’s grace and Love, everything will heal and fall into place. We are happy, we are blessed, and we are husband and wife! Let’s always celebrate life and love! Nothing will ever defeat pure honest love. God bless everyone for your love and support. Again, from the deepest part of our hearts thank you! Sincerely, Mr and Mrs. Guidicelli!” he ended.

film festivals. Documentary program The Atom Araullo Specials was honored for two of its documentaries, namely “Babies4Sale.PH” and “No Leftovers”. Both episodes earned the Gold Camera Award from the 2019 US International Film and Video Festival. Meanwhile, I-Witness’ ‘Islang Walang Lupa,’ Front Row’s ‘Pasan,’ and Investigative Documentaries’ Piitan each received a Silver Screen Award at the same festival. For their contribution to the media industry, several Kapuso programs and personalities were also recognized by the National College of Science & Technology during its 3rd Dangal ng Bayan Awards. Receiving the Media Excellence Award were news magazine show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (Psychology), flagship newscast 24 Oras (Communication), travel program Biyahe ni Drew (Tourism), and lifestyle show Pop Talk (Hospital-

‘The Atom Araullo Specials’ was honored for two of its documentaries, namely ‘Babies4Sale.PH’ and ‘No Leftovers’ at FDCP’s 4th Film Ambassador’s Night

ity and Management). Drama anthology show Stories for the Soul was given the Maka-Diyos Media Excellence Award. Finally, veteran broadcast journalist Susan Enriquez was honored as the Media Excellence Awardee for Radio and Television.

Will online... From C4 Mimiyuuuh, or Jeremy Sancebuche in real life, became an online hot property with numerous viral vlogs published on YouTube. With more than two million followers on the platform, the 22-year-old fashion designer who graduated from the De La Salle – College of St. Benilde dominates the popular streaming site as if its his own kingdom. With the vlogger’s natural flair and comedic timing, he’s become the face of numerous digital campaigns, app launches, and big local brands. With his newfound fame, people are asking if our favorite vlogger will enter showbiz soon. “I’m okay with what I’m doing right now. Although I’m not closing my doors, showbiz is not part of my plans,” the vlogger said in an interview. Mimiyuuuh enjoys all perks of being a top vlogger. Recently, he was tapped to be the face of Cebu Pacific’s newest campaign, Super Seat Fest, which is inline with the airline’s 24th anniversary. “Traveling is one of the perks of my job. I enjoy it a lot. That’s why I’m thankful to be part of Cebu Pacific family,” Mimiyuuuh shared. “Mimiyuuh is fun, authentic, relatable, and is able to represent what Cebu Pacific is. Mimiyuuuh as an endorser can reach different demographics. We’re working with Mimiyuuuh for a year and

Bad Bunny... From C4 “Thank you for having me here and making a dream come true, I love you Mexico, see you soon,” said Puerto Rican Bad Bunny as he accepted the top prize of Spotify Artist of the Year. In the user-generated awards, that prize went to the artist most listened to, most shared and most downloaded by Mexican users of the streaming service in 2019. Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Martinez, also won in the categories of most listened to artist and artist most added to a playlist. The awards ceremony had its most emotional moment when Venegas debuted her new song “Women,” after being presented by French-Chilean singer Ana Tijoux, who called for women to stand together against violence.

Mimiyuuuh with Cebu Pacific executive

we will create more online content to excite and encourage more travelers,” an executive from Cebu Pacific said. Cebu Pacific offered flights for as low as P1 (at least the base fare) from March 3 to 5. For March 3, the seats that were on sale were for domestic destinations. Seats that were on sale for international destinations became available. On March 5, were for remaining seats on sale. The travel period will be from Sept. 1 to Feb. 28, 2021. For the rest of the month, Cebu Pacific is offering various deals and discounts on everything you will need for your trip including CEB Getaways hotel deals, which will be up to 75 percent off, inflight hot meals at 40 percent off, and CEB WiFi kits that is available up to 42 percent off. For more details follow Cebu Pacific on social media or visit www.cebupacificair.com. Nickie Wang “So that never again any of us is murdered, raped, so there is not one less of us! We don’t want cheers!,” said Tijoux, name-checking a number of environmental activists and other women who had been murdered in recent years. Tijoux then handed off to Venegas, who appeared on stage accompanied by a dozen other Latin American singers. A line from her new song states that “women are standing up, and men don’t know what to do.” The 100,000-capacity National Auditorium went wild for Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, who had been tipped to win in several categories but who went home with just one -- “most shared artist.” Colombia’s Karol G went home with the “most listened to female artist” award, and captivated the audience with her performance. AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

Bad Bunny dominates

first Spotify music awards in Mexico THE first ever Spotify music awards, held in Mexico City, saw reggaeton star Bad Bunny walk away with the most accolades in a show marked by a powerful performance by US-Mexican singer Julieta Venegas and dedicated to the struggle of women across Latin America.

ON YOUTUBE, Mimiyuuuh, is a rockstar. Ask any celebr ities —who have big following on the video streaming platform—who they want to collaborate with and you’ll get only one answer. It’s your girl, Mimiyuuuh. Continued on C3

Will online superstar Mimiyuuuh enter showbiz?

Continued on C3 Cebu Pacific ambassador and online star Mimiyuuuh

Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny, seen here performing in Las Vegas last year, dominated the first ever Spotify Music awards in Mexico.

W

HEN we talk about dragons as mythical creatures, we instantly think of China where these huge, bat-winged, firebreathing, scaly lizard-like reptiles dominate ancient literature.

But in the Philippines, we hardly see these gigantic reptiles making an appearance in our books. Thus, when we visited Magikland in Silay, a city part of the Metropolitan Balocod in Negros, some of our friends were surprised that there’s a dragon in the amusement park, which according to former congressman Albee Benitez, was inspired by mythological creatures of the province. “It’s the Kanlaon dragon,” Benitez said referring to the main mascot of the park, Bakunawa, the mad dragon who is now friendlier and happier. “Magikland is based on local folklore and legend. All the things that you see here were inspired by the folktale of Negros,” Benitez added. Just a 15-minute drive from Bacolod Airport, Magikland is the first theme park concept of its kind in the entire Visayan region. Developed by Aton Land, the amusement park sits at the center of the 24-hectare property development in Sitio Cabug, Barangay Guinhalaran in Silay City. The property development includes the 13.5 hectare Aton Land Tourism Zone, where Magikland is located as well as a commercial and lifestyle center and residential estates. The theme park had a soft opening in October last year. “We have plans to expand the park, build more attractions including a huge swimming pool, a hotel, and a convention center. The park is actually part of a big development we have on this side of the city,” the former congressman excitedly shared while we were touring the entertainment complex. Currently, the five-hectare complex of Magikland has 12 rides -- with The Fer-

A theme park that inspired

what could be the most

expensive local film THE MAN BEHIND THE MAGIK.

Albee Benitez has produced a fantasy movie inspired by the theme park, which aims to promote the province of Negros as a tourism hub.

ris wheel and The Sky Tower as two of its main attractions -- including small and big rides, play facilities, and edutainment center where visitors can play games, see galleries, and cultural exhibitions. The Ferris Wheel is Magikland’s highest point, towering at 25 meters. It has 18 open gondolas, which can accommodate six persons each. The trip lasts for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, The Sky Tower provides a thrilling drop and bouncing experience during descent. It can accommodate 12 riders seated around the circular column. On a brochure handed to us when we visited the park in February, it says that

Movie producer and former congressman Albee Benitez (4th from right) welcomes his guests at Magikland for a quick tour.

Magikland’s rides are sourced from lead suppliers around the globe — from Europe, Italy, and Asia. Magikland, which is a member of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), is designed and built according to the highest possible safety standards, and is governed by international rules and regulations in the amusement industry. All attractions are solar-powered, too. Bakunawa, Magikland’s main mascot, and park performers delight visitors with their show at the main performance venue of the complex.

neur, is no stranger to show business. He has co-produced a few films with Viva and Reality Entertainment. This time, he’s making a big gamble with a film inspired by Magikland, Theme Park. Magikland, The Movie, is a family-oriented movie “full of fantasy and action.” “I wanted a better control of producing films. A movie is a platform where you can be creative. We do a lot of innovation and finding new ways of doing things,” Benites said. Magikland, The Movie Magikland, The Movie is produced by The former congressman of Negros’ Benitez with Peque Gallaga and Lore 3rd district, apart from being an entrepre- Reyes on board. The film, which is

FOUR ELEMENTS. Negros’ legendary folklore depicted in the theme park are Boy Bakunawa, Mara Marapara, Pat Patag, and Kit Kanlaon. They are the same characters in the big-budget movie, ‘Magikland.’

possibly the most expensive local film ever made with a production budget of more than P100 million and took two years to complete, is directed by Christian Acuña. “It’s a film heavy on graphics. The scenes with human actors were shot in various locations in Tanay and Antipolo in Rizal Province,” Betinez told Manila Standard. The film, which they plan to submit as an entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival in December, is CGI heavy with 70 percent of the film created by computer-generated graphics and images. “Our vision was to do a movie so we get to promote the theme park. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. The theme park was thought of first because we wanted to promote the province. We don’t have nice beaches like Aklan or Cebu, so we are trying to position the province differently,” Benitez carried on. Magikland casts young actors Miggs Cuaderno as Boy Bakunawa, Elijah Alejo as Mara Marapara, Princess Aliyah Rabara as Kit Kanlaon, and Joshua Eugenio as Pat Patag. The same characters are found in the theme park. “We hope to take moviemaking in the Philippines a notch higher. I’m very excited about this project because it highlights the skills of Filipino artists,” Benitez ended.