Manila Standard - 2019 June 18 - Tuesday

Rody weighs in on ‘accident’

China envoy invited to air side—DND

By Nat Mariano, Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday described the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat in the Recto Bank a “little maritime accident,” adding that the Philippines is not ready to challenge China’s military might.

In a speech during the 121st anniversary of the Philippine Navy, Duterte finally broke his silence eight days after the incident in which a Chinese boat hit and sank a Filipino fishing boat and abandoned 22 Filipino fishermen in the open waters. They were rescued three hours later by a Vietnamese vessel.

“Stay out of trouble. Just build on our own. Let us not meddle with it. Do not allow a little maritime accident, or intentional, [be the reason] to go to war,” Duterte told Navy soldiers at Sangley Point, Cavite.

The President said he was not prepared to issue a statement until a full investigation had been completed.

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 124 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WAITING FOR RESULTS. President Rodrigo Duterte tells men of the Philippine Navy during their 121st anniversary Monday to ‘stay out of trouble,’ stressing Manila is ‘not ready’ to challenge Beijing’s military might following the incident involving Filipino fishermen at the Reed Bank

Duque, other execs face retroactive inquiry into PhilHealth payouts Taguig solon

suiting up for Speaker role?

By Rey E. Requejo HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque may be included in the investigation into the payout of billions of pesos by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to dialysis treatment centers for bogus claims that used the names of dead members, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Monday.

Guevarra said that as a former chief executive of the state-owned health insurance company, Duque could be covered by the expanded fact-finding probe being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation.

“The NBI probe may cover a number of years and will include the actions of every officer or employee of PhilHealth who had knowledge, or ought to have knowledge, of any irregular payments by PhilHealth,” Guevarra said in a interview.

Duque served as CEO of PhilHealth from 2001 to 2005 before he was appointed Department of Health secretary in 2005 during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

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Lisbon fetes ‘saint of love’ IT IS Lisbon’s wedding of the year.

Crowds gather at the cathedral, hoping to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds as cameras lie in wait.

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By Maricel V. Cruz

ing El Niño dry spell.

“During an El Niño, it is hotter, and the air has a higher capacity to evaporate water,” he said.

Clouds are formed of water droplets due to evaporation, and when these

THE 18th Congress has yet to be convened but it seems Speaker aspirant and Taguig Rep.-elect Alan Peter Cayetano has already been acting as if he were the leader of the House of Representatives, observers have said.

On Tuesday, Cayetano will get to try the feel of being Speaker when he hosts an orientation seminar for the new members of the House at the posh Quest Hotel in Clark Field, Pampanga.

In other developments: • Twenty one neophyte congressmen on Monday started their training aimed at orienting them on their roles and responsibilities as lawmakers when the next Congress opens on July 22. The House of Representatives and the University of the Philippines National College on Public Administration and Governance organized the executive course for new members of the incoming 18th Congress. The new legislators will be trained on June 17 to 19, on June 24 to 26 and on July 1 to 3.

• A former Commission on Elections chairman and veteran election lawyer on Monday joined the call to cancel the nomination of former National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Cardema as a representative of the Duterte Youth Party-list group for being overaged. Former Comelec chief Sixto Brillantes, along with election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and

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REBELLIOUS REBUKE. An ambulance is surrounded by thousands of protesters dressed in black during a new rally Sunday against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong. Hundreds of thousands of protesters choked Hong Kong’s streets for a second straight day on June 16 in a defiant rebuke of a reviled extradition law, piling pressure on the city’s embattled pro-Beijing leader despite a weekend climbdown. AFP

PAGASA warns of ‘Ondoy’-type rain despite El Niño

By Rio N. Araja THE weather bureau on Monday warned the public to brace for a typhoon that could spawn heavy rains, similar to Typhoon “Ondoy,” which inundated Metro Manila and nearby provinces in

2009, killing more than 400 people.

At a news conference, the administrator of the Philippine, Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Vicente Malano said the probability of such a typhoon was high, despite the prevail-

Aegis Juris fratman gets 2 years in jail

By Rey E. Requejo

Most famous gun in the history of art PARIS—The revolver with which Vincent van Gogh is believed to have shot himself is to go under the hammer Wednesday at a Paris auction house.

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A MANILA City court on Monday convicted John Paul Solano, a member of the Aegis Juris Fraternity, of obstruction of justice when he gave false information to mislead the police to prevent them from arresting those responsible for the hazing death of Atio Castillo.

The Manila City Metropolitan Trial Court, Branch 14, sentenced Solano to two to four years in prison, but at the same time acquitted him of perjury.

It was Solano who brought an unconscious Castillo from the frat library to the Chinese General Hospital, where the 22-year-old law student was declared dead on arrival, on Sept. 17, 2017.

Solano initially told police that he found Castillo lying on the road and covered with a blanket.

During the investigation, Solano told the Department of Justice that Next page

25TH YEAR. Property giant Megaworld celebrates its 25th anniversary as a publicly listed company at the Philippine Stock Exchange with

a ceremonial bell ringing at the PSE Tower in Taguig City. The event also coincides with the company’s 30th year in the Philippine real estate industry. Present during the ceremonies are Megaworld executives (from left) Roland Tiongson, head of Megaworld Premier Offices; Graham Coates, head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls; lawyer Carla Uykim, head of legal and corporate compliance; Giovanni Ng, senior vice president and finance director; Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, chief operating officer; Kevin Tan, chief strategy officer; as well as PSE officials led by Jose Pardo, director; Ramon Monzon, director; Ma. Vivian Yuchengco, director; Wilson Sy, director; Roberto Cecilio Lim, director; Roel Refran, chief operating officer; and Alejandro Yu, director.

Revoke Kapa permits, DILG tells local gov’t units CITY and municipal mayors must revoke business permits granted to KapaCommunity Ministry International Inc. and its local chapters, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday.

This developed as Kapa’s spokesman

said politics was behind the crackdown on the religious group accused of running a massive investment scam, as they renewed their appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to let them operate.

The National Bureau of Investiga-

tion also vowed to pursue Kapa founder Pastor Joel Apolinario even without an arrest warrant, and use the powers of martial law currently in force in Mindanao to bring the former disc jockey in.

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News

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Two terror suspects yield grenades, blasting caps TWO alleged members of the Dawlah Islamiya terrorist group were arrested in an operation in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, over the weekend, an official said Monday.

Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde identified the suspects as Arnel Cabintoy alias Abu Musab, a native of Nagtupakan village in Lagangilang, Abra, and Feliciano Sulayao alias Abu Muslim, a native of Cagripa village in Calbayog City, Northern Samar.

Both suspects yielded blasting caps and grenades when arrested last Saturday, and both have undergone inquest proceedings for illegal possession of explosives.

Albayalde said there was no direct evidence yet that would link the suspects to any terrorist activity in Metro Manila.

“Although there is no direct evidence linking them to any terrorist activity in Metro Manila, an investigation is under way to uncover the circumstances surrounding their presence in the city to possibly identify the persons who provided them sanctuary,” Albayalde told reporters.

Both are Islam converts who joined the Dawlah Islamiya Philippines under Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan, who assumed the leadership of the terrorist group on the death of Isnilon Hapilon at the height of the siege of Marawi City. PNA

Aegis...

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Arvin Balag, another fraternity member, instructed him to say he found Castillo in Tondo—a story he said he stuck to out of pressure and fear. He repeated this claim in court.

In its 27-page decision, the court ruled that “it is clear that [Solano] gave false and fabricated information to mislead the police or prevent them from apprehending those responsible for the death of Castillo.”

The court also noted that Solano also failed to convince the court that he lied to the police without any intention to mislead them, because of fear of being implicated in the crime, and under Balag’s orders.

“Nothing would prevent him from refusing to follow the supposed instructions or get lost in the hospital or from speaking the truth to the police officers who arrived to investigate,” the court said.

The court said Solano’s fear of being implicated in Castillo’s death was “speculative.” “Thus, his defense that he acted under the impulse of uncontrollable fear for his life or limb has no leg to stand on.”

Nonetheless, the court absolved Solano of perjury upon finding inconsistencies in the accounts of the police officers who signed his judicial affidavit.

The Manila City court said it “entertains reasonable doubt” that Solano took an oath before Police Senior Inspector Rommel Anicete, the officer who supposedly administered it. That a statement is made under oath is one of the four elements of the crime of perjury.

“Consequently, that part of the first element of the offense that the accused made a statement under oath was not proven beyond reasonable doubt,” the court said.

Ten other Aegis Juris members face hazing charges before the Manila Regional Trial Court, which is still hearing their petition to be allowed to post bail. They have been detained at the city jail since May 2018.

Lisbon...

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Suddenly, the organ music grows louder and photographers get into position in front of the imposing entrance.

Then not one, but 11 couples walk out, fresh from tying the knot Wednesday in an all-expenses-paid ceremony, the beneficiaries of a decades-long annual tradition that fetes the Portuguese capital’s beloved patron Saint Anthony, matchmaker extraordinaire.

Financed by sponsors and TV rights, broadcast live on television, couples who would not otherwise have the means are gifted a deluxe wedding worth 400,000 euros ($450,000).

Couples like fishmongers Tania Silva and Orlando Antunes, who are getting a one-off taste of mega fame on the eve of Saint Anthony day on June 13, the high point of days-long streetdancing, sardine-grilling festivities in Lisbon.

“We’ve been together for nearly 15 years,” said Tania, 30.

“We always joked that we would one day get married for Saint Anthony. It’s a sumptuous ceremony which we could never afford.”

Interviews, selfies For Tania and her sister brides, the day begins early at city hall.

For hours, they sit in front of identical mirrors in a room normally used for town hall meetings, Lisbon’s trademark trams passing in the street outside. AFP

Air Force quizzed on P2-b supplies T

By Rio N. Araja

HE Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Philippine Air Force for getting over P2 billion from the government to buy ammunition and to replenish the supplies used against the Maute Group during its five-month operations against the terrorists in Marawi City in 2017.

The Budget department released P2.039 billion to the Air Force in 2017 and 2018 “to support the procurement of air munitions, special munitions and projected aircraft requirements and to replenish supplies,” the commission said.

The state auditors said the Air Force had

used only P1.49 billion from its budget as of Dec. 31, 2018, but the Air Force assured them it would use the P547-million balance in 2019.

The Air Force said the acquisition of air munitions and other military supplies used up P824 million, and that P303.9 million

Rody...

cautiously.

He also said it was premature to say the Chinese vessel violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) by abandoning the Filipino fishermen.

Piñol on Monday said he believed “an investigation by the proper authorities” must be conducted to determine whether the ramming of a Filipino boat by a Chinese vessel was “accidental or intentional.”

In an ANC television interview, Piñol said the sinking of the Filipino boat was “a simple maritime incident.”

“They [fishermen] have no complaint against the President [Rodrigo Duterte].

I don’t know why the President is being dragged into the issue, which is to be handled at our level,” he said.

“I don’t understand why the people are blowing this out of proportion,” he added.

He said he has talked to one of the owners of the fishing boat, Erlinda dela Torre, and the cook, Richard Blaza, who personally witnessed the incident at midnight between June 9 and June 10.

He said Blaza was the only person awake cooking rice for the fishermen’s food for their journey when the incident took place in Recto Bank.

“According to Mr. Blaza, he noticed a vessel approaching them, prompting him to run to the captain to wake him up and alarm him. The captain was about to do something when all of sudden their fishing boat [f/b Gen-Ver 1] was rammed,” he said.

“When the vessel hit the boat, it stopped, turned on all the lights and circled the location of the fishermen who were already on the waters because their boat was halfsubmerged,” he added.

“The witness said he could not say for certain whether the ramming was accidental or intentional. But what is certain is this a gross violation of the Maritime Law,” he said.

He said he did not cast a single doubt on the account of Blaza.

“No, what agenda would he have in telling lies,” he said.

But he dispelled reactions on the social media that the incident was orchestrated to stir tensions between the Philippines and China.

Dela Torre told Piñol that she lost P700,000 in goods and P500,000 in capital investment.

The Department of Agriculture secretary also denied media reports that the incident was “stage-managed,” and “the fishermen were Navy soldiers.”

He denied speculations that “the sinking of the boat was not real and the photos we posted were fake.”

The only involvement of the DA is “to make sure the fishermen are protected and supported,” he said.

On Monday, the mayor of the Occidental Mindoro town that is home to the fishing vessel said Chinese claims that their boat was besieged by Filipino boats in the Recto Bank was a lie.

In an interview with GMA News, Romulo Festin, mayor of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, said there were no fishermen there to besiege the Chinese boat.

Also on Monday, Senator Risa Hontiveros slammed Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for concluding that the incident was “unintentional.”

She said Cusi’s statements effectively side with China as he tried to play down the severity of the incident.

“Is there some kind of “fifth column” within the Cabinet that favors China’s attempts to silence the issue instead of trying to investigate the matter thoroughly and look after our fishermen?” she asked.

“I suggest that the Duterte government rein in its own people and stop them from making wild, outlandish remarks.”

“I also call on Secretary Cusi to apologize to our aggrieved fisherfolk and the entire nation lest he wants to be seen as a fifth column.”

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“A maritime incident is a maritime incident. It is best investigated. And I do not now issue a statement because there is no investigation and there is no result,” he said.

“The only thing we can do is to wait.

Give the other party the right to be heard.

That’s important. China, what’s the truth here?”

Duterte said a collision of two fishing vessels was not enough to create tension in the disputed waters.

“I said, I’m not a fool President. If we have to die then we will have to die in a correct way. And to die with dignity. Not just on the collision,” Duterte said.

He rejected suggestions that he deploy more ships to the area.

“Do not believe the stupid politicians.

They want to bring the Navy there. You do not send gray ships there. Collisions will only happen,” he said.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua will be summoned to Malacañang to explain China’s side of the incident.

This was after the Cabinet clusters specifically concerned with the country’s security and economy conducted a threehour meeting to determine the extent of liabilities in the incident.

The meeting, which focused on the protection of Filipinos and their exercise of their rights in the coungtry’s exclusive economic zone, ended with two missions for the resolution of the issue.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) will conduct a fact-finding mission to investigate the incident.

Aside from this, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol was designated chairman of the government response focused primarily on assisting the 22 affected fishermen.

Earlier, the Palace asserted that the Philippines was not a slave to China, despite the tepid response from the President.

“Of course, the response is we can never be slaves to anyone. [And] that includes every country in the world,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said, after the owner of the Filipino fishing boat rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel said he felt inferior to the Chinese after the incident eight days ago.

“It’s like we are slaves of China. It’s like we have no rights over our own territory,” said Felix dela Torre, owner of the sunken F/B Gem-Ver. Dela Torre, along with 21 other Filipino fishermen, were near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea when a Chinese vessel hit and sank their boat, then abandoned them in open water. The fishermen were rescued three hours later by a Vietnamese vessel.

Panelo said the Palace does not doubt the statement of the fishermen, but wanted to know all the facts “since there is a contrary claim.”

“When you have been told that they were abandoned just like that, of course, you will react that way. But the subject of our complaint said, ‘Hey, we did not do that.’ [So, we say] Really? Then show us,” Panelo said.

Panelo urged the public not to jump to conclusions, saying the President was still waiting for all the facts to come in.

“He (Duterte) is not silent, he’s waiting for the facts to set in before he makes any declaration,” Panelo said.

Earlier, Panelo had described the actions of the Chinese vessel as “outrageous, barbaric and uncivilized.” On Monday, he said the outrage would remain “until such time as we’re proven wrong.”

“There are two versions, so we have to determine the truth,” he said, saying that the Philippines, as one of the many claimants of the disputed waters, has to proceed

Most famous...

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Billed as “the most famous weapon in the history of art,” the seven mm Lefaucheux revolver is expected to fetch up to 60,000 euros ($67,000).

Van Gogh experts believe that he shot himself with the revolver near the village of Auvers-sur-Oise north of Paris, where he spent the last few months of his life in 1890.

Discovered by a farmer in 1965 in the same field where the troubled Dutch painter is thought to have fatally wounded himself, the gun has already been exhibited at

the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

While Art Auction, who are selling the gun, say there is no way of being absolutely certain that it is the fatal weapon, tests showed it had been in the ground for 75 years, which would fit.

The Dutch artist had borrowed the gun from the owner of the inn in the village where he was staying.

He died 36 hours later after staggering wounded back to the auberge in the dark.

It was not his first dramatic act of self-harm. Two years earlier in 1888, he cut off his ear before offering it to a woman in a brothel in Arles in the south of France. AFP

went to buy supplies.

The Air Force serving as the military’s “aerial warfare service branch” received P312,000 from the Philippine Army as incentives to two female Air Force personnel deployed during the Marawi siege.

“There are no significant findings noted in the audit of utilization of Marawi funds,” the commission said.

State auditors called the attention of the Air Force over the P3.23-million difference in the balance of the Philippine International Trading Corporation to the Air Force worth P537.376 million, and its delay in the delivery of air ammunition worth P193 million.

According to the commission, the discrepancy emanated from the expected delivery of athletic rubber shoes.

The Air Force said it was not able to receive P193 million worth of MK-82 general purpose bombs with accessories and rockets from the trading firm.

The acquisition went through a negotiated procurement via foreign military sales, and not through a bidding.

The Air Force told the commission it settled the discrepancy on March 1, and it promised to comply with the auditors’ recommendations.

The commission blamed the Air Force’s failure to come up with a cost-benefit analysis on the procurement of 960 MK-82 bombs at a more expensive price against the United States of America’s cheaper bombs, saying the government should have exercised due diligence to save at least P16.13 million.

Duque,...

Rex Maria Mendoza, independent director of the Monetary Board; Hildegardes Dineros of the information economy sector; Celestina Ma. Jude dela Serna of the Filipino overseas workers sector; Roberto Salvador of the formal economy sector; and Joan Cristine Reina Liban-Lareza of the health care provider sector.

The Justice secretary also revealed over the weekend that the NBI would look into other hospitals and clinics involved in the anomaly following the indictment of executives of WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Center led by arrested physician-businessman Bryan Sy. The NBI filed charges of estafa and falsification of documents against Sy and other officers of WellMed last week.

However, the complaint did not include any PhilHealth officials, some of whom even stood as complainants in the charges against Sy and 10 others.

The DOJ indicted Sy last Friday following inquest proceedings conducted by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Anna Noreen Devanadera, who found probable cause in the charges against the respondent.

The Manila regional trial court has granted bail to Sy, who was released by the NBI Sunday.

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Reappointed as DOH chief by President Rodrigo Duterte in October 2017, he also sits as the chairman of the board of PhilHealth.

The Justice secretary made the statement in response to a question from Senator Panfilo Lacson, who wanted to know why Duque has been spared from the controversy, when the rest of the board and the CEO have been made to resign.

Guevarra said the NBI probe would look into the possible liabilities of incumbent and former PhilHealth officials and personnel over the scam that allegedly cost the government P154 billion.

“The NBI is looking into the possibility that certain PhilHealth officials may be charged for violation of the Anti-Graft Law if they knowingly participated in this allegedly fraudulent scheme and benefitted from it,” Guevarra said.

After meeting with President Duterte last week, the PhilHealth officials tendered their courtesy resignations.

Apart from Ferrer, the six other PhilHealth board members who resigned were Jack Arroyo, elected local chief executive;

PAGASA...

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droplets become heavy, they fall as rain, PAGASA said.

“We are not looking into the number of tropical cyclones that would enter the country when there is El Niño. But we are considering the intensity of the rains the cyclone would bring,” Malano said. “You can expect an Ondoy-like cyclone.”

Science and Technology Undersecretary and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology chief Renato Solidum, along with Malano, launched a warning system that would raise public awareness of storm surges.

The heavy rains will not necessarily bring relief to six million customers of the Manila Water Co. Inc., which said water service interruptions would be experienced again because of the dwindling supply of water from the Angat Dam in Bulacan as well as the Ipo Dam. In an advisory, Manila Water said Angat Dam’s elevation dipped to 162.78 meters as of Sunday, or near the critical level of 160 meters.

“As a result, Manila Water may need to make further operational adjustments affecting water supply for our customers,” the company said in a statement.

Despite the onset of the rainy season, no sufficient amount of rainfall fell at the Angat Dam, National Water Resources Board executive director Sevillo David Jr. told a news conference in Quezon City.

He called on various local government officials to “control or limit” the use of water and “impose [conservation] measures.”

He said the NWRB would have to determine the water condition of the two dams and to come up with a decision whether to reduce water allocation for domestic supply and irrigation.

Because of the lack of rains, Manila Water said they would be forced to adopt contingency measures, such as the rotational water service interruptions.

“We have been expecting to slowly fix the situation once there is enough rainfall to fill our dams,” the water company said.

In March, the La Mesa Dam reservoir reached its critical level of 69 meters, leading Manila Water to fall short of the 150 million liters a day it needs to meet its customers’ requirements.

Revoke...

Taguig...

NBI agents raided the house of Apolinario in General Santos City on June 10 but failed to arrest him. Authorities also failed to apprehend the pastor when he showed up at Kapa’s big prayer rally on June 13.

The organization is based in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, also in Mindanao.

In a press statement, Año said this would keep the public from being “duped into investing their hard-earned money into an apparently fraudulent investment scheme.”

“Many have been deceived and many more of our countrymen will be duped by this investmen scam if the mayors won’t act on this. They should make sure Kapa’s operations will not continue,” the Department of the Interior and Local Government chief said.

Año stressed it was the duty of city and municipal mayors under Republic Act No. 7160 of the Local Government Code “to issue licenses and permits and suspend or revoke the same for any violation of the conditions upon which said licenses or permits had been issued pursuant to law or ordinance.”

A business permit was not a right but a privilege granted by the state, the DILG secretary said.

“In the case of Kapa, it is very clear that it has abused the privilege given by the government as it has ventured in an enterprise which promised profits that it can not fulfill,” Año said.

He also ordered all local chief executives “to refrain from issuing business permits in favor of Kapa Ministry, its allied subsidiaries, and organizations” and deny all existing applications for permits of the group.

Año reminded the public to be wary of “get-rich-quick” schemes, quoting Duterte: “As the President said, if it’s easy money, most likely it’s too good to be true.

Nothing beats money earned by diligence and hard work.”

Millenial’s PH Aunell Angcos, filed a petition to disqualify Cardema from the Duterte Youth party-list group for being overaged.

Cayetano tapped several members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet to deliver lectures on lawmaking and the budget process.

They include Secretaries Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Arthur Tugade of the Department of Transportation and Carlos Dominguez III of the Department of Finance.

The subjects on “Parliamentary Procedure” and the “traditions of Congress” will also be discussed with the newbies by professor Edmund Tayao and returning Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales II. The others hosts include Cayetano’s party-mates in the Nacionalista Party, House Deputy Speaker Raneo Abu, Reps. LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Sur and Ronnie Zamora of San Juan, Abraham Tolentino of Cavite and Dan Fernandez of Laguna of PDP-Laban, and Elpidio Barzaga of Cavite, Robbie Puno of Antipolo and Bong Bravo of the party-list Co-op-Natcco―all members of the National Unity Party.

After the “luncheon lecture,” Cayetano will host cocktails and socials as well as the dinner for his fellow legislators.

Cayetano reportedly got the ire of the influential daughter of the President, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, after he threatened to split the ruling super coalition PDP-Laban if Duterte failed to endorse his speakership.

Cayetano’s threat did not sit well with the pillars of PDP-Laban.

Cayetano, who served as a Foreign Affairs secretary of President Duterte, claimed he would be the chosen one to help the President push his legislative agenda for the second half of his six-year term. With Vito Barcelo

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TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Security of Tenure bill to be signed

by Rody, says DoLE’s Bello

Du30 signs EO retaining 5% of deboned poultry meat

By Vito Barcelo

By Nat Mariano

LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Monday expressed confidence that the security of tenure bill will be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte even as urged private sector to uphold the rights of the Filipino workers to help the government curb illegal forms of contractualization or ‘endo.’

Bello made the statement during a meeting with the officers and members of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines in Makati Shangri-La, Makati City, saying President Duterte will sign the Security of Tenure bill anytime this week.

The SOT bill is one of DOLE’s priority legislative measures that have been certified as urgent by the President. It aims to amend the Labor Code on the prohibition of labor-only contracting and other provisions that allow contracting arrangements.

“Some employers take advantage of the word ‘probationary employees’.

They hire workers who are supposed to undergo the six-month probationary status. However, the workers are terminated before the end of the said period.

That is what we call ‘endo.’ In fairness to ECOP, they promise that no member will ever again practice endo. We hope that the members of ECCP will do the same,” Bello said.

Bello cited examples where waiters working for a hotel and sales ladies in malls should be deemed regular employees and not be outsourced by the principal because the nature of their job is directly related to the business of the establishment.

“You cannot operate a hotel without waiters, and without salesgirls, you cannot sell merchandise in malls. Likewise, they should be regular employees. That is the essence of the SOT bill,” Bello explained.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order retaining the 5-percent tariff of mechanically deboned meat of poultry, documents from the Palace revealed on Monday.

EO No. 82, which was signed by the President on June 13, 2019, maintains the reduced rates of duty on certain agricultural products, including deboned meat of chicken, turkey, and turkey meat and its offals.

“The present economic condition warrants the continued application of the reduced rate of duties on certain agricultural products to mitigate the impact of high prices of goods,” the order read.

According to the order, the lower tariff rate on the given products shall be applicable until 30 June 2020 or until such time that a law amending the provisions of Republic Act No. 8178, or the Agricultural Tariffication Act, on rice tarriffication, is enacted, whichever comes first.

“The NEDA Board recommends the maintenance of the tariff rates under EO No. 23 for mechanically deboned meat of chicken and turkey, and turkey meat and its offals,” the order read.

Last February, in order to liberalize rice importation by replacing quantitative import restrictions with tariffs, Duterte has signed Republic Act No. 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law. Two months ago, the Palace announced that the RA 11203’s implementing rules and regulations were already formulated by the Department of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. lauded Duterte’s order to reduce the tariff on MDM, saying it “reflects the government’s determined efforts to spur the growth of the local manufacturing industry.”

“MDM chicken is a vital raw material in the manufacture of processed meat products and is not locally produced.

The President’s action sends a strong signal to local and foreign investors that the investment climate in the Philippines is fair, attractive and competitive,” said PAMPI in a statement.

Dansal replaces Aquino as NFA council member NATIONAL Food Authority Administrator Judy Carol Dansal was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as an NFA council member, replacing Jason Aquino.

Documents released by the Palace revealed on Monday that Dansal, who was the deputy administrator of the agency, will serve the unexpired term of Aquino.

Aquino was previously relieved back in September for “singlehandedly” aggravating the country’s inflation with the rice crisis under his watch.

“You are hereby appointed Member, NFA Council, NFA, to serve the unexpired term of office that began on 01 July, 2018 and will end on 30 June 2019, vice Jason Laureano Y. Aquino,” her appointment paper read.

Dansal, along with former NFA chief Angelito Banayo and four others, was earlier charged with graft cases in 2014 before the Office of the Ombudsman over a rice smuggling case. Nat Mariano

Sea-based agencies question new SSS law

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has been asked to declare as unconstitutional a provision in Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act that requires mandatory contribution of overseas Filipino workers to Social Security System.

In a petition, the group led by Joint Ship Manning Group Inc. sought immediate issuance of a temporary restraining order enjoining the implementation of a provision in RA 11199 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last February that makes mandatory SSS contribution of over 3 million OFWs. The petitioners also asked the SC to strike down the assailed provision in the law for ‘violating their constitutional rights.’

In particular, they assailed the validity of Section 9-B of the law, which provides compulsory social security coverage for OFWs and considers manning agencies dealing with seabased OFWs as employers.

The petitioners said that such provision is unfair to their manning agencies that are considered as employers of the OFWs when they are only recruiters of foreign employers.

UPSIDE DOWN. A white Hyundai Accent is turned upside down after crashing into a center island along Padre Burgos and Maria Orosa St. in Manila on Monday, injuring 2 people. The driver Greg Pinoon claimed that he fell asleep while driving. Norman Cruz

Duterte okays purchase of 20 X-ray scanners vs. entry of ASF

By Joel E. Zurbano

M

ORE than 20 X-ray scanning machines will be placed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other major airports in the country to prevent the entry of meat contaminated with African Swine Fever.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the utilization of the Quick Reaction Fund of the department for the emergency procurement of 20 units of X-Ray machines which will be placed in all international airports of the country to check agricultural products, especially meat, brought in by passengers.

“Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, head of the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) Committee, endorsed the DA proposal citing the need for the country to protect its borders from plant and animal diseases notably the African Swine Fever which is devastating the hog industry of many countries,” said Piñol in a statement.

Dominguez also approved the installation of the meat and agri X-ray machines in the Customs area in all airports so that all hand carried and checked in baggages of incoming passengers, especially those coming from ASF-affected countries, could be checked.

At the moment, authorities with meatsniffing canines are roaming NAIA terminals and other international airports to prevent the entry of fresh, frozen, cooked or uncooked animal meat and its processed meat products coming from the affected regions.

Customs NAIA under the leadership of District Collector Carmelita Talusan said her team will continuously support the DA to prevent the possible outbreak in the country which may put the swine industry at risk.

She said that to date, 4,496 kilos of meat and meat products were seized and turned over to Bureau of Animal Industry for disposal.

Airport officials reiterated that only importers with proper clearances and permits from government agencies tasked to regulate certain commodities such as the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Industry, and Food and Drug Administration, among others, can import meat products into the country.

Philippine quarantine laws prohibit the entry of meat, fisheries and horticulture products, including planting materials, if these are not covered by Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Permits issued by both the BAI and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

In the proposal submitted by the DA, a total of P130 million from the QRF will be utilized for the immediate purchase of the X-ray equipment and the implementation of additional safeguards against the entry of agricultural products through the airports.

The DA-BAI recently confiscated canned goods at the Clark International Airport which when tested by the Virulogy Division of the BAI contained genetic materials of the ASF virus.

Piñol believes that the country’s quarantine measures should be stricter to prevent the entry of animal diseases, like the devastating ASF. The DA will be implementing stringent quarantine measures comparable to those of advanced agricultural countries like Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the US. BAI Virulogy Section Dr. Rachel Azul said ASF viral gene has been detected in confiscated canned goods brought from overseas (Hong Kong) by a returning resident last March 25 at the Clark International Airport in Clarkfield, Pampanga.

SSS pension loan releases hit P1-billion mark under PLP PENSION loan releases of state-run Social Security System on Monday hit the P1-billion mark with nearly 42,000 availees since it implemented the Pension Loan Program (PLP) last September 2018.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said while the program has met its objective to provide immediate financial assistance to its pensioners for their short-term and emergency needs, she urged pensioners to be vigilant and avoid transacting with “fixers” for their SSS transactions, especially for the PLP. “We are pleased to note that our pensioners are now relying on SSS for their immediate financial needs instead of going to loan sharks. But sad to say, there are people who take advantage of our pensioners during their times of need.

This has to stop. And this will only stop if our pensioners will no longer entertain any deal with these individuals who exploit them,” she added.

SSS received an incident report last month from its Bacolod branch that 15 pensioners fell victims to unscrupulous fixers whose modus operandi was to advance portions of their approved SSS pension loan then ran away with the pensioners’ cash cards. The pensioners filed a case against the suspects with the National Bureau of Investigation last April 24.

“We urge our retiree-pensioners to be vigilant. Do not transact with non-SSS employees. Those who want to avail of the pension loan must personally apply in our branch offices nationwide,” Ignacio said.

Meanwhile, as of 27 May, PLP re-

leases reached P1.006 billion with 41,926 pensioner-borrowers for the nearly eight-month period of its implementation. SSS started offering PLP in September last year in celebration of its 61st founding anniversary and is set to provide emergency loan assistance for retiree-pensioners.

Data showed that its Bacolod branch has the most number of approved loan applications at 2,696 and the highest amount of disbursed pension loan at P56.76 million. This was followed by Diliman branch with 2,177 approved loan applications for P56.09 million amount of pension loan; Cebu branch with 1,547 availees for P38.42-million pension loan releases; and Victorias branch in Bacolod City with 1,733 availees for P36.48-million pension loan.

Arroyo visits Cebu on‘final, sentimental journey’as Speaker

By Maricel V. Cruz FORMER President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited Cebu on Monday on her final sentimental journey as Speaker.

She visited two of the Roro ports built during her time as President in southern Cebu namely Taloot port in Argao and Liloan port in Santander.

In a media briefing, the Marina reported that as a result of her initiatives as Speaker arising from the House’s oversight functions, a total of 19 new missionary Roro routes were established in different parts of the country this year.

Four of the 19 are already operational while 15 are just waiting for the arrival of the ships that will service the routes. It was also revealed that nine more new missionary routes will be opened based on the recommendation of the shipping Industry.

In reponse, Arroyo said she is happy that the Roro project has been revived by the present administration and that she is extremely delighted and honored to have helped in lowering the cost of goods, boosting tourism and facilitating travel around the country through the Roro System which she established when she was President in 2003.

Maguindanao’s missing ballot box found

ISIS MEMBERS. Alleged members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria were arrested during an operation conducted at Tandang Sora, Quezon City. They were identified as Arnel Cabintoy and Feliciano Sulayao. Photo shows Regional Director P/Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (left) and QCPD District Director Police Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel presenting the suspects to the media during a press conference held at Camp Crame.

Manny Palmero

A MISSING ballot box in Mindanao used in the recent 2019 midterm polls was reportedly found in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao, the Commission on Elections said.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said that despite the recovery of the reported missing ballot box, the conduct of May 2019 elections remains clean and fraud-free.

Jimenez made the statement after a Facebook page of losing mayoralty candidate Sam Zailon Esmael posted last June 14 showing a ballot box submerged in water.

However, Esmael, who ran for mayor in the town of Datu Salibo, Maguindanao but lost, claimed in his Facebook post that the existence of such submerged ballot box in a flooded area behind the municipal office, discovered by a passerby who claimed to have been fishing in the flood waters, is an

evidence of fraud.

“As mandated by law, custody of ballot boxes after election day is with the city or municipal treasurer of the locality. Ali A. Mamoribid, the municipal treasurer of Datu Salibo, asserts the ballot box found allegedly submerged and abandoned had been stolen from the municipal office by still unidentified persons,” Jimenez said.

“Contrary to allegations made by Esmael and in the absence of any proof of fraud, Datu Salibo Election Officer Mary Ann Marohombsar maintains that the conduct of the May 13 polls in her jurisdiction was fraud-free,” Jimenez said.

The Comelec assured the public that Mamoribid is presently in close coordination with Marohombsar and the Comelec in the province of Maguindanao in aid of investigation being conducted by the Philippine National Police. Vito Barcelo

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A cut above the rest NO MATTER how the Chinese Embassy and Beijing try to downplay the ramming of a Filipino fishing vessel by saying that it was an ordinary maritime incident, from the looks of it and upon the testimony of the 21 crew members, it was clearly a case of hit and run.

Let’s look at what happened. First, the Chinese vessel rammed the Filipino boat with all its lights on, while the crew members were asleep.

Second, after this, the Chinese vessel turned around and fled while the Filipino vessel was sinking.

Third, knowing that the crew were already in the water, frantic to save themselves, the Chinese did not even try to save their lives. This would have been the normal thing to do given any accident.

The excuse given by the Chinese Embassy that their vessel had to turn away because it was being attacked by other Filipino vessels is pure baloney. A lot of bull!

Gloria Arroyo’s diligence is legendary.

From the looks of it, the claim that some eight Filipino fishing vessels tried to retaliate just does not add up. Why was it a Vietnamese vessel that saved the Filipino crew? The argument simply insults our intelligence. The Chinese must think that we Filipinos are stupid.

Pursue reparations! Make them pay!

What is tragic about this incident is that the President’s spokesman said we still can’t cut ties with China, even if it is found that the Chinese vessel acted intentionally.

Worse, the President has been mum about the incident.

The hit and run becomes doubly tragic when we Filipinos are not outraged. Why don’t we march and protest? Why don’t we

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

shout “enough is enough” about the way China is trampling on our sovereignty?

Contrast this with what is happening in Hong Kong, where people showed their outrage over a bill that would enable Beijing to extradite Hong Kong offenders to show cause why they should not be punished for wrongdoing.

As a result, the bill has been suspended.

The protesters did not relent despite the brutality of the Hong Kong police.

Here in the Philippines, is seems that only media and some opposition senators are expressing outrage over the incident.

And why isn’t the President saying anything?

Have we been cowed into silence? *** Outgoing House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said that upon her retirement from politics, she will write her memoirs and be a consultant to Pampanga Governor Pineda in developing her home province.

Gloria’s political history is worth writing about, indeed. Her story started when she was a young girl, a presidential daughter.

The next time I met Gloria was when she became undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry and administrator of the Garments and Embroidery Board. My wife’s nephew, Willie Villara Villarama, sought me out to meet the GEB head to explain her side during the fight between the Textile Mills Association and the GEB over smuggling. The former was accusing the latter of smuggling.

When I saw Gloria and she explained the side of the GEB, I was convinced that all claims of smuggling were overboard.

The textile mills group just wanted the GEB abolished.

The next time I heard of Gloria was when she topped the Senate race. I was impressed with how hardworking she was.

She filed many bills that were enacted into law. That led to her being elected Vice President.

At that time, Gloria used to visit our house in Ecology Village to buy paintings for gifts to friends. We became close to her such that when my youngest son Nicky got married, she, together with Estrada, were principal sponsors.

When Erap was ousted and Gloria be-

Facts, and versions of them

T

HE President is waiting for all facts to come in before commenting on the incident involving Chinese and Filipino vessels in Reed Bank on June 9. This supposedly explains his long silence on the issue, amid different versions and a jumble of positions. boat was sinking and even turned off their lights before fleeing the scene.

Twenty-two men were left at sea and were rescued by a Vietnamese boat—a case of maritime hit and run.

President Duterte was scheduled to meet Insigne Monday, but the meeting did not push through.

Mr. Duterte has been roundly criticized for his conspicuous and uncharacteristic silence about where he stands on the incident. For one who is known to speak hastily on any topic, Mr. Duterte certainly picked a good time to start being particular about the facts—and circumspect about saying what he really thinks.

It was only on Monday, eight days after the sinking, that Mr. Duterte spoke on the issue, characterizing it as a maritime incident.

The Chinese embassy, through a Facebook post, claimed the Yuemaobinyu 42212 was “suddenly besieged by seven or eight Filipino fishing boats.” As a result, during evacuation, a part of the Chinese boat “bumped into the Filipino pilothouse, and the Filipino boat tilted and its stern foundered.”

The embassy also claimed that the Chinese captain tried to rescue the fishermen but became afraid of being besieged by the other Filipino boats. Thus, it sailed away from the scene.

For unknown reasons, this social media post was later taken down.

The spokesman of the Chinese foreign ministry also dismissed the incident as an ordinary maritime traffic incident.

Meanwhile, the captain of the fishing boat, Junel Insigne, said the Chinese were well aware that their

“I'm not in my boyhood days anymore,” he added, meaning he would not do or say anything premature or provocative to China.

Unfortunately, such care could be easily misinterpreted as being cowed by the Chinese, refusing to stand up for our people, or both.

The President wants to see first the results of an investigation before saying something definitive about the incident. That's well and good, so long as we can be assured that the investigation is conducted by an objective party, unhampered by any strings.

Mr. Duterte is correct to want to know all the facts first, but even here there needs to be caution: Whose version of the facts will prevail? What interests will determine which facts are highlighted and which ones played down?

However the probe progresses, it will not hurt to hear Mr. Duterte assuring Filipinos that he remains a steadfast defender of our people's rights, and that his affection for our giant neighbor to the north is secondary only to his love of our own country.

Turn to A5

Kapa and freedom of religion THE government’s crackdown on KapaCommunity Ministry International provides a teaching moment on freedom of religion.

How this plays out is important not only for its members but also for other religious denominations and organizations that require or encourage donations, tithes, or other forms of giving.

Kapa, operating mainly in Southern Mindanao, has been ordered closed by the government, through the Securities and Exchange Commission and with President Duterte himself describing its donation scheme as a big scam. The assets of Kapa have been frozen and its leaders have been put on immigration watch. The response of its members so far has been one of protest and support for Kapa, with no one as yet willing to file cases of estafa against its leaders.

Joel Apolinario, the founder of KAPA Ministry, who hails from Bislig, Surigao del Sur, comes from humble beginnings. Early on in his career, Pastor Apolinario took on various low-paying jobs, as a fisherman, a construction worker, disc jockey, and technician at an FM station in Bislig. In 2016, he began using the radio as a religious platform, spewing biblical verses to ask for donations from members with the promise that the money they invest will generate 30 percent return for life. Using social media, the scheme spread like wildfire and caused mass hysteria in some parts of Mindanao, with 30-percent returns promised for donations that are described as gifts for their faith—but which government considers as investment scams that are typical of pyramid schemes.

The twist in Kapa is the religious element as Apolinario self-ascribes as a pastor and Kapa as a religious group—a so-called church within a church because you do not have to leave your own religious group now to become a member. This actually raises the question of whether in fact Kapa is a religious organization and in fact is really more of a secular, self-help organization.

In any case, assuming it is a religious organization, can the State interfere and stop the activities of Kapa? Did the President, as Senator Antonio Trillanes claims, commit an impeachable offense by culpably violating the constitutional right of Kapa members to exercise its own religion?

For sure, freedom of religion is a most inalienable and sacred human right that occupies a preferred status in the hierarchy of rights. Thus Article III, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution provides: “No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or

preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.”

Chief Justice Reynato Puno, writing as an Associate Justice in the 2003 case of Estrada vs Escritor, explained why we have these two clauses—the non-establishment and free exercise principles—in our Constitution that in turn we imported from the United States Bill of Rights (First amendment): “Torrents of blood have been spilt in the world in vain attempts of the secular arm to extinguish religious discord, by proscribing all differences in religious opinions.

In sum, this history shows two salient features: First, with minor exceptions, the history of church-state relationships was characterized by persecution, oppression, hatred, bloodshed, and war, all in the name of the God of Love and of the Prince of Peace.

Second, likewise with minor exceptions, this history witnessed the unscrupulous use of religion by secular powers to promote secular purposes and policies, and the willing acceptance of that role by the vanguards of religion in exchange for the favors and mundane benefits conferred by ambitious princes and

The Kapa leadership is capitalizing on the mostly poor members’ gullibility, lack of financial literacy and misplaced religious fervor to rake in scandalously large sums of money. emperors in exchange for religion’s invalu invaluable service. This was the context in which the unique experiment of the principle of religious freedom and separation of church and state saw its birth in American constitutional democracy and in human history.”

However, like most rights, freedom of religion is not absolute. The state can intervene in the exercise of this right when the right of others are affected or when society itself is threatened. Thus the state cannot condone human sacrifice, slavery, mass suicide, disregard of rights of women or children or any other population even when these are justified by religious belief and even when done voluntarily.

Freedom of religion is described by Puno as “a most difficult area of constitutional law where man stands accountable to an authority higher than the state.” According to Puno, in that case where a woman employee of the judiciary was charged with immorality for Turn to A5

What can 44 years do?

1975. This was the year the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China formally established formal diplomatic relations.

Let’s look back at what the two countries agreed upon on June 9, 1975.

In the joint communiqué signed in Beijing by Chinese Premier Chou En-lai and President Ferdinand Marcos, the two leaders, “desiring to promote the traditional friendship between the Chinese and the Filipino peoples, have decided upon mutual recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level effective from the date of signature of this communiqué.”

Manila and Beijing agreed that “the economic, political and social system of a country should be chosen only by the people of that country, without outside interference” and that the different economic, political and social systems of the two countries “should not constitute an obstacle to peaceful co-

Let’s look back at what the the Philippines and China agreed upon on June 9, 1975. existence and the establishment and devel development of peaceful and friendly relations between the two countries and peoples in accordance with the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.”

Apart from these, the two governments agreed “to settle all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of the above-mentioned principles without resorting to the use or threat of force”, that “all foreign aggression and subversion and all attempts by any country to control any other country or to interfere in its internal affairs are to be condemned,”

and that they “are opposed to any attempt by any country or group of countries to establish hegemony or create spheres of influence in any part of the world.”

Moreover, the two sides agreed to cooperate with each other to achieve the foregoing objectives: 1) The Philippine Government to recognize the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, to fully understand and respect the position of the Chinese Government that there is but one China and that Taiwan is an inte integral part of Chinese territory, and to decide to remove all its official representations from Taiwan within one month from the date of signature of the communiqué; 2) China to recognize the Philippine Government and to respect the independence and sovereignty of the Philippines; 3) The two sides to recognize and to respect each other’s territorial integrity; 4) The two sides to adopt active measures for the development of trade and economic relations between them. They agreed to negotiate and conclude a trade agreement based on their respective needs and on the principles of equality and mutual benefit; Turn to A5

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Opinion Bearding the dragon A LOT of people are understandably upset over the recent ramming of a Filipino fishing vessel—one of those wood-and-outrigger contraptions we’re familiar with—by a Chinese fishing vessel—one of their much larger, steel-hulled boats that unfortunately we’ve also come to know just as well since they started swarming like unwelcome flies into our waters in recent weeks.

To top it off, the Chinese boat sailed off into the darkness after the incident without bothering to rescue our fishermen from the waters—a fundamental violation of maritime practice as well as basic decency. The Chinese have claimed that their vessel wanted to avoid being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats in the area. Perhaps they were afraid that our guys would start hurling potent anting-antings at them.

To their dubious credit, the Chinese embassy immediately took down from their Facebook page the official statement they’d released earlier, to near-universal ridicule.

That they even put it up in the first place says a lot about their inexperience with the practice of free public expression, as well as their unfamiliarity with how the locals think.

I’m told that the US embassy has three times as many analysts as the Chinese one does. This is a ratio that obviously should be reversed if the Chinese are serious about wooing us away from growing public hostility to their maritime bullying. *** The recent riots in Hong Kong have prompted some of our local critics to ask why Duterte can’t be more aggressive against the Chinese. As a result of those violent protests, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam had decided to suspend new legislation that would make it easier to extradite criminal offenders from Hong Kong to China.

Right on cue, Inquirer columnist Winnie Monsod challenged Duterte in her column: “If the Chinese themselves (outside of China) are looking at China with a jaundiced eye, shouldn’t we learn from them? If they think the only way is to push back and get public opinion on their side, why are we so craven?”

Ma’m Winnie’s rhetorical question begs what ought to be obvious: Public opinion already IS on our side. What we don’t have on our side on maritime issues is official Chinese government policy, and that is about as

Kapa...

From A4 living with a man not her husband under the Pledge of Faithfulness arrangement permitted by the Jehovah’s Witness, “To be held on balance are the state’s interest and the respondent’s religious freedom. In this highly sensitive area of law, the task of balancing between authority and liberty is most delicate because to the person invoking religious freedom, the consequences of the case are not only temporal.”

In determining whether the State should involve itself in religious matters, Puno identified several tests. One of these tests would be benevolent neutrality where the state bends backward to accommodate actions sanctioned by religion: “With religion looked upon with benevolence and not hostility, benevolent neutrality allows accommodation of religion under certain circumstances . . . Their purpose or effect therefore is to remove a burden on, or facilitate the exercise of, a person’s or institution’s religion.” This was the test applied in the Estrada case where the Court decided not to penalize the woman employee for immorality.

Another approach is the “compelling state interest” test, described as: “A test that would

What...

From A4

5) The two sides recognized the importance of cultural exchanges in developing mutual understanding and friendship between their two peoples; and 6) The two sides also agreed to exchange mutually accredited ambassadors as soon as practicable and to provide each other with all the necessary assistance for the establishment and performance of the functions of diplomatic missions in their respective capitals in accordance with international practice and on a reciprocal basis.

I asked current Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana via e-mail how he would assess the 44 years of our bilateral relations. Here’s what he told me: “The establishment of these relations was ahead of its time. In 1975, the Philippines

A cut...

From A4

came President in 2001, I expressed my sympathy about the ouster and that it was machinations of people around Gloria that were responsible for it. She sent her private legal counsel, Nonong Cruz, to fetch me to see her.

We had a meeting where she appealed to me to support her and not fault her for Erap’s ouster.

How can you refuse a P-resident who appeals to you? I said I would support her on one condition —if she does good, I will support her. But if I believe her actions and

unmovable as you can expect from an officially communist, one-party state.

In Hong Kong, a lot of the pressure to appease the rioters came from the business community, which, as anywhere else, abhors the unpredictable. And in the volatile USChina relationship, it’s the current trade war that now dominates the agenda. The Hong Kong extradition issue would interest the US only if it suited their trade war strategy to take an aggressive public stance.

Perhaps the Chinese were afraid that our guys would start hurling potent antinganting at them.

So far, in fact, they haven’t. And as point pointed out by Prof Wu Xinbo, head of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, “Beijing will not do much other than making a diplomatic protest [on the Hong Kong issue], as the US has not done anything about it yet.” *** Unfortunately, in our neck of the woods, we crossed that bridge a long while back, when PNoy decided to go very public with the UNCLOS ruling and use it as a saber to rattle the Chinese. Pushed against the wall and threatened with loss of face over a threat it deems existential—the active presence of US submarines within striking distance from the South China Sea waters—the Beijing government responded predictably, albeit ham-handedly.

The other day, US Ambassador Sung Kim weighed in with what, for a diplomat, is a fairly strong promise of US support under the Mutual Defense Treaty. Quoting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the ambassador said on TV that “because the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, under the treaty itself, any armed attack on Filipino vessels, Filipino aircraft will trigger our obligations under the MDT”.

Of course, the ramming of a fishing vessel is not an armed attack. And as many people know, triggering the US obligations under that treaty still requires a variety of preconditions, including approval by the US Congress. That is only natural, and to be expected, from any country.

This is why we would remind critics like

Ma’m Winnie that it’s still more important to prepare for any armed conflict with China instead of relying on some treaty no matter how well-intentioned. Among the steps that we should be, or already are, taking: Modernization of the AFP - In particular, the Navy and the Air Force—the two services who would bear the brunt of a maritime conflict—are busily, but quietly, buying more ships, planes, armaments, and support equipment.

Mandatory ROTC in Grades 11-12 – A priority bill from Duterte that the Senate still hasn’t acted upon, this lays the basis for a ci civilian militia with basic military skills and— just as important—the kind of civic spirit that will be needed.

Two-year military service after adolescence—Since many of us are so admiring of the defensive capabilities of countries like Israel and South Korea, we should go all the way in emulating their two-year conscription period for every young citizen, male and female.

In the event that an invader cannot be repelled outside our borders—or if long-range missile strikes destroy key military assets and troop concentrations—then the alternative of protracted, land-based militia warfare may be the only recourse left to us. If we’re serious about walking our talk, it’s a contingency we should be preparing for, even now, before our aggressive talkativeness runs too far ahead of us. *** In today’s reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (8: 1-9), the Evangelist begins to develop a “theology of giving” by citing the Christians of Macedonia as an exemplar of generosity: “In a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy…overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.”

It is through the collection plate that Christians demonstrate both their charity and the unity of the Church. But the larger context is provided in the Gospel (Mt 5: 4348) where Jesus admonishes His followers: “I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.”

This is an astounding command that seems to confound common sense and go against the very grain of our nature. Yet it is precisely this nature of ours that stands between us and the Father. Seen in this light, the Mass commentator’s usual reminder to “please give generously” during collection takes on a whole new meaning.

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

protect the interests of the state in preventing a substantive evil, whether immediate or delayed, is therefore necessary. However, not any interest of the state would suffice to prevail over the right to religious freedom as this is a fundamental right that enjoys a preferred position in the hierarchy of rights - “the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights”, in the words of Jefferson . . . only the gravest abuses, endangering paramount interests can limit this fundamental right.”

According to Puno, it is not enough to merely balance a colorable (ordinary) state interest with this fundamental right: “only a compelling interest of the state can prevail over the fundamental right to religious liberty.” The state carries “a heavy burden, a compelling one, for to do otherwise would allow the state to batter religion, especially the less powerful ones until they are destroyed.” Thus reasonableness shall be the guide in determining which shall prevail between the state’s interest and religious liberty. In this way, “The ‘compelling state interest; serves the purpose of revering religious liberty while at the same time affording protection to the paramount interests of the state.”

Let me apply those principles now to Kapa, which while maintaining a religious façade, is engaging in an investment scheme with all the hallmarks of a pyramiding scam; guaranteeing a huge profit in an impossibly

short period of time, promising little or no financial risk; among others. The Kapa leadership is capitalizing on the mostly poor members’ gullibility, lack of financial literacy and misplaced religious fervor to rake in scandalously large sums of money. As advised by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the investment scheme is simply unsustainable and if payouts for the 5 million or so members are made, KAPA can last only as early as 3 months before it collapses.

Clearly, there is a compelling state interest to close Kapa down and to go after its leaders.

It is urgent to do so before more people are harmed. That there are political dimensions here that might be worth exposing (the rivalry with Apollo Quiboloy and the latter’s influence on Duterte) is not an excuse for inaction.

One may ask fairly; what makes the donation by Kapa members different from tithes and donations required by or encourages in other religions? What is the difference between Apolinario’s promise of a return for the donations given to Quiboloy’s or Mike Velarde’s or Bo Sanchez’s assurances of prosperity in their own exhortations? Should government crack down on all prosperity gospel proponents? This will be the topic of my next column.

and China were nations of different ideological persuasions. Yet, they refused to see the world merely through the prism of Great Power rivalries. Building on the long fraternal bonds between our two peoples, our two governments chose to engage; and since then we have been cooperating towards the fulfillment of our two peoples’ aspirations: Peace and development.

“In a way, the establishment of diplomatic relations was merely a restoration of old ties. Political contacts between the two nations can be traced back to the era of the Ming Dynasty and the Sulu Sultanate and up to the collaboration between Don Mariano Ponce and Dr. Sun Yat Sen in the early days of our Republic. Economic and cultural contacts have an even longer history. Beginning with the voyage of ancient seafaring Filipinos aboard the balangay that reached Chinese shores many centuries ago, these ties are now sustained by the people-to-people

exchanges between the two nations.

“We see the spirit of these fraternal bonds in the personal camaraderie between President Duterte and President Xi. Under their leadership, our relations have achieved the level of Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation. We have managed to separate contentious issues from non-contentious issues; and to advance our bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect as equal sovereign states.

Today, China is a valued partner across various fields, including defense and security, trade and investment, infrastructure and connectivity, and science and technology, among many others.

“Yet the development of our bilateral relations depends not only upon leaders and diplomats, but also on the continued friendship among the two peoples, which are sustained by mutual understanding.”

statements are not for the greater good of the greatest number, then I wouldn’t.

She said—“That’s good enough for me!” For that, I admired her.

Since then, whenever controversies and issues hounded her presidency, I supported her. I knew how sincere she was. I did so even during the Hello Garci scandal, when the opposition accused her of rigging the 2004 polls. I was proven right—the courts ultimately dismissed charges against her for election sabotage.

Likewise, when Gloria was charged for favoring a Chinese broadband firm to install a nationwide network, I also stood by her. That whistleblower who made himself famous at that time was found to have committed graft and corruption in a government

agency!

Gloria’s critics made the issue more scandalous since the socio-economic planning secretary and the Comelec chairman were involved. The Arroyos were seen playing golf with the executives of the Chinese firm.

Later, all these were disproven, and the issue eventually died down.

The greatest challenge of Gloria was the resignation of the so-called Hyatt 10 from her administration. They attempted to install a new president who could be manipulated.

To this end, then-Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Budget Secretary Butch Abad went to Hong Kong to convince thenVice President Noli de Castro to take the

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Back to below-6-percent growth? pine economy’s 2019 growth prospects: “Trade tensions and a general softening of external demand will continue to (be a) drag on headline growth … (N)et exports and weaker investment aside from government spending weighed on the headline-growth figure as trade tensions THE recent announcement of an inter- and the delay in passing the 2019 (B)udnational credit rating agency’s assess- get weakened momentum.” “(We expect) ment of the Philippine economy’s 2019 a gradual recovery from the first-quarter prospects has provoked much discussion 2019 dip. Government consumption will about its ability to achieve 6-percent-and- pick up and monetary policy will once above GDP (gross domestic product) again become more accommodative to growth this year. The government has set support growth over the coming quara 6-percent-to-7-percent target for 2019 ters.”

GDP growth.

Will S&P, Moody’s and the instituOn May 22 Fitch Solutions Macro tional evaluators of this country’s nearResearch, a unit of the Fitch Group of economic prospects agree that the “excompanies, announced that it had decided ternal headwinds”—trade tensions and a to lower its 2019 growth forecast for the general softening of external demand— Philippines to 5.9 percent from 6.1 per- all be a drag on Philippine headline cent. It expects Philippine GDP growth growth during most of the remainder of to “rebound modestly” in 2020, to 6.3 2019? Will they believe, likewise, that net percent. exports and non-government spending In deciding to lower its growth ex- will be so weak as to weigh on the headpectation for the Philippine economy line-growth figure? Finally, will they subFitch Solutions scribe to Fitch Solutions’ view that may have been as 2019 progresses influenced by the government con economy’s comconFitch Solutions may sumption will pick paratively poor performance in have been influenced up and monetary the first quarter policy will stay of 2019, when by the economy’s on a course that it grew by 5.6 comparatively poor lately has been acpercent.

The commodative of economy’s first- performance in the growth? quarter 2019 first quarter.

It’s possible performance was that S&P, Moody’s its worst since and the other institutional evaluators the first quarter of the Philippine of 2015, when it posted 5.1 percent growth. It grew by 6.2 economy will concur with Fitch Solu Solupercent last year. tions’ judgment regarding its 2019 prosIs Fitch Solutions’ a solitary voice, or pects, but it’s also possible that they will will its less optimistic view of this coun- have a different—more optimistic or less try’s near-term economic prospects reso- pessimistic—perspective on this counnate with the other international credit- try’s likely economic experience this year. rating agencies—Standard & Poor’s and If their judgments will be more sanMoody’s Investor Services—and other guine than Fitch Solutions’ judgment, we institutional observers of the Philippine will see 2019 Philippine GDP projections economic scene? That depends on wheth- of 6 percent and above. If they will not er they agree with Fitch Solutions’ justifi- be, the Filipino people may well see their cation for a lower 2019 Philippine growth country’s economy grow anew by less prospects. than 6 percent.

This is how Fitch Solutions justiSuch a break from the trend of recent fied its less sanguine view of the Philip- years would truly be sad.

A House leader Filipinos deserve SO, this incurable election syndrome goes on long after the proclamation of the winners. It just doesn’t end with the lifting of the polls liquor ban and the gun ban.

Now that Senator Tito Sotto is certain to stay on as Senate President, the race for the Speakership of the House of Representatives looms as the inception of the 18th Congress nears.

Although there are five congressmen whose names were floated or who have made known their intention to run for House Speaker, some of those in the know say the race is actually down to two choices.

The ranks of congressmen-elect, as well as the heart of kingmaker Mayor Inday Sara, are torn between Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco.

My source inside Congress, however, said should Presidential son and Davao City 3rd District Congressman Paolo Duterte decide to join the race for speakership, all aspirants for the plum position in the lower house will definitely give way to him.

I am not a political pundit but an ordinary onlooker. I’m tickled by Velasco’s credentials.

However, what I gathered is that returning congressman Romualdez certainly has a greater advantage. The clear edge owes to his impressive education, work experience, track record and credibility.

Romualdez brings to the table his wellrounded education: Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University in New York, Bachelor of Laws in the University of the Philippines, Diliman, and post-graduate studies on administration and manageplace of Gloria. But De Castro refused to do their bidding.

I also supported her in this because I did not believe the Hyatt 10 were interested in truth and justice. They were hypocrites and opportunists who simply wanted to hold on to power through a president they could manipulate.

The most tragic thing for Gloria was her four years of hospital detention by direct orders of then-President Benigno Aquino III. Aquino ordered then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to prevent her from seeking overseas treatment for her debilitating ailment.

Among all the President, Gloria was the most hardworking and honest. Unfortunately, there were some around her who took

ment at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. USA Known as a workaholic as a businessman, and then as a lawmaker, Romualdez earned the admiration of his colleagues for his dedication and hands-on approach to his job duties and responsibilities. Inevitably, the three-term Leyte Representative, who headed the House Independent Bloc in the 16th Congress, is said to have gained the support of more than the “absolute majority” of 150 congressmen in his Speakership aspiration.

As a charismatic consensus-builder, he commands respect and cooperation of his fellow lawmakers, a most vital quality of the Speaker of the House of Representatives that I believe would enhance the role of Congress in the check and balance of power, not necessarily adversarial.

Just as he showed during the agonizing days of typhoon Yolanda's devastation of Eastern Visayas, particularly Tacloban City, he knows when to set aside politics when bayanihan and malasakit are most needed.

And as president of the Lakas-Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and as president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), Romualdez offers the complete and ideal package for leadership that will stand for the best interests of the Filipino people.

He vows to advance and maintain the momentum for President Duterte’s agenda of economic development and social justice at this time of change. He will also push the initiative for the shift to the federal system of government that will spur inclusive economic growth that shall equitably benefit the majority of the people.

I personally believe that this proud son of Eastern Visayas, Rep. Romualdez deserves to be the Speaker of the 18th Congress as much as a revitalized Filipino nation deserves an able leader with a passion for public service, a true sense of malasakit. advantage of her presidency.

One thing stood out during her presidency. As an economist, she instituted fiscal and economic reforms to a point that at the end of her term, the country achieved the highest-ever GDP growth of 7.9 percent, still unmatched.

When she ran for Congress, she had an overwhelming victory.

And when she became House Speaker, she knew the priorities of President Duterte.

Records showed that over 2,000 bills, many of them urgent, were passed. She curtailed many resolutions to conduct investigations.

She attended committee hearings.

Indeed she is a cut above the rest. www.emiljurado.weebly.com

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Misuari not penalized by graft court THE Sandiganbayan did not penalize Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Nur Misuari for his failure to appear before the Third Division Clerk of Court after coming back from his Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Morocco trip.

Misuari was allowed by the court to go to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and Morocco in March to attend the 48th session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of foreign ministers and the 14th Session of the Parliamentary Union of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC) member states.

“Accused-movant Nur Misuari is, however, sternly warned that any repetition of the noncompliance of any of the conditions imposed for this travel shall be dealt with more severely,” the six page resolution of the court said.

He was required to post a P920,000 travel bond as a requirement for the trip.

The court also ordered Misuari to present himself to the Division Clerk of Court, lawyer Dennis Pulma, within five days of his return.

Misuari, however, failed to present himself to Pulma when he returned.

In a manifestation dated March 19, Misuari said he failed to comply as he had to “conduct intensive and exhaustive consultations with his field commanders and advisers to prepare further talks with the President [Rodrigo Duterte] about the Mindanao situation.”

“Nevertheless, this Court finds the reasons forwarded by accused-movant Misuari in support of his non-compliance to be valid and accepted, bearing that this is the first time that accused-movant Misuari travelled outside the Philippines,” the Sandiganbayan resolution said.

“However, it must be emphasized that this leniency should not be interpreted as a relaxation of the conditions that may be imposed for foreign travels of accused-movant Misuari in the future.” Maricel V. Cruz Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 99, Quezon City, Metro Manila PETRONELIO A. EGAR, Petitioner, CIVIL CASE No. R-QZN-17-09309-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage -versusJANET FELISILDA EGAR, THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY AND THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, PHILIPPINES STATISTICS AUTHORITY Respondents. x----------------------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS (by Publication)

TO: JANET FELISILDA EGAR, Lower Lobogon, Duero, Bohol GREETINGS: WHEREAS, a petition for Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Marriage, which was solemnized on December 28, 2005 in Quezon City as stated in the Certificate of Marriage, has been commenced by petitioner Petronelio A. Egar against respondent Janet Felisilda Egar; WHEREAS, on December 8, 2017 this Court granted the issuance of Summons against respondent Janet Felisilda Egar in her last known address in Lower Lobogon, Duero, Bohol; WHEREAS, on March 5, 2018, petitioner, through counsel, Filed a Motion to Appoint the Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Loay Bohol as Special Sheriff, which was granted on March 19, 2018; WHEREAS, on May 23, 2018, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court of Loay, Bohol, filed a Sheriff’s Return of Summons stating that on April 24, 2018 he tried to serve the summons upon respondent Janet Felisilda Egar at Lower Lobogon, Duero, Bohol but failed and unavailing on the ground that said respondent is working in Bahrain under a two-year contract, which started last July, 2017 per information supplied by her mother Erlinda Felisilda who is residing in the same address; WHEREAS, on June 29, 2018, petitioner, through counsel, filed a Motion for Leave to Serve Summons by Publication, which was granted on March 19, 2018; WHEREAS, on July 24, 2018, the case was transferred to Hon. Judge Lily Ann M. Padaen pursuant to Administrative Order 92-2018; WHEREAS, on August 3, 2018, the Motion for Leave to Serve Summons by Publication was denied for not being compliant with the Rules; WHEREAS, on September 12, 2018 petitioner filed a Motion for Reconsideration, which was granted by this Court on February 15, 2019 directing the issuance of summons by publication in the given address of the respondent Janet Felisilda Egar at Lower Lobogon, Duero, Bohol. In addition, a copy of the summons shall be served on the respondent at his last known address by registered mail, at the expense of the petitioner.

WHEREAS, in the petition, the relief prayed for is hereby quoted as follows: “WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed that: 1.The marriage of Petronelio A. Egar and Janet Felisilda Egar of 28 December 2005 be declared void from the very beginning; and 2.The Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Registrar General, Philippine Statistics Office, Manila, be ordered to annotate the declaration of nullity of subject marriage in the Certificate of Marriage of herein private parties.

Relief and remedies just and equitable under the premises are also prayed for,” NOW THEREFORE, YOU, respondent JANET FELISILDA EGAR, ARE HEREBY SUMMONED AND REQUIRED within THIRTY (30) DAYS from the last issue of publication to ANSWER the petition and to copy furnish the petitioner with a copy of your Answer at Block 1, Unit 4, Romarosa Townhouse, Luzon Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City. You are reminded of IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to Answer within the time fixed, the Court shall order the Public Prosecutor to investigate whether collusion exists, in accordance with Section 8(3) of A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC [Rule on Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Marriages and Annulment of Voidable Marriages].

The Respondent in an action for Annulment of Marriage, Declaration of Nullity and Legal Separation must strictly observe the above-prescribed period to file Answer.

WHEREFORE, let this summons be published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks, in a newspaper of general circulation to be selected by raffle pursuant to P.D. 1079 at the expense of the petitioner. Likewise, let a copy of the summons be sent by registered mail to the respondent at his last known address, also at the expense of petitioner and to submit to this Court proof of compliance therewith.

WITNESS THE HON. LILY ANN M. PADAEN, Acting Presiding Judge of this Court, this 10th day of April, 2019.

Copy furnished:

(Sgd.) ATTY. ANNA PAULA A. BORGOÑOS Branch Clerk of Court

Office of the Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Ma. Christina Osoteo Public Prosecutor Department of Justice Building Quezon City Hall Complex, Diliman, Quezon City Atty. Amado B. Deloria Counsel for Petitioner Room 2004, Capitol Masonic Building II, #37 Matalino Street, Diliman, Quezon City Petronelio A. Egar Petitioner Block 1, Unit 4, Romarosa Townhouse Luzon Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City Janet Felisilda Egar, Lower Lobogon, Duero, Bohol (MStandard-June 11 & 18, 2019)

IN BRIEF ‘Amatz’ banned for double meaning

MORATORIUM SOUGHT. (from left) Eric Marquez, Joint Manning Group Reresentative, Capt.Oca Orbeta, Joint Manning Group Representative, Raquel Bacero, Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Susan Ople, former Labor undersecretary and head of Blas F. Ople Policy Center, Lito Soriano, former chairman of Philippine Association of Service Exporters Inc. and Luther Calderon, president of Kabalikat ng Migranteng Pilipino Inc. do a thumbs up gesture during the Joint Press Conference at Aloha hotel in Manila as OFW groups with representatives from the land based and sea based sectors called for a moratorium on all premium hikes to be collected from Filipino migrant workers and to seek a moratorium on SSS and PhilHealth premium hikes. Lino Santos

GMA pushes for enactment of Coast Guard Hospital bill

By Maricel V. Cruz

H

OUSE Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is hopeful the bill establishing a Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital will soon be enacted.

This emerged after Arroyo received a PCG memento from the Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Elson Hermogino during his courtesy visit at the House of Representatives last Thursday.

On behalf of the PCG, Hermogino thanked Arroyo and the House for spearheading the filing and approval of House Bill 8833, seeking to establish and construct a Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital that will cater to the medical needs of PCG personnel, employees, their dependents, and retired uniformed personnel.

Arroyo said the House passed HB 8833 last Jan. 29 and, subsequently, the Senate approved it on third and final reading without amendments last June 3.

The enrolled copy of HB 8833 will now be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his approval and signature.

Arroyo said the bill’s enactment will uplift the morale and welfare of the PCG personnel and enhance the PCG medical corps.

HB 8833 is principally authored by Rep. Federico Sandoval II of Malabon City.

The proposed hospital shall be known as the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital and shall be constructed and built in the Coast Guard Base, Taguig, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City.

The bill states the PCG General Hospital shall provide comprehensive and total health care services to all personnel and employees of the Philippine Coast Guard, their dependents and the retired uniformed personnel.

It also complements the existing package of services under the health care program so as to include preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative programs.

The hospital targets to monitor the condition of patients and to generate relevant information and data in aid of policy information.

Another goal of the PCG General Hos-

Manila

Republic of the Phil ippines Standard METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT OF METRO MANILA

TODAY

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 43, QUEZON CITY

PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Plantiff, -versusERIC A. ACEJO)

CRIM. CASE NO. 15-1050 I TO 04 For: Violation of BP 22

Accused, x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x NOTICE OF SALE ON EXECUTION OF REAL PROPERTY WHEREAS, by v irtue of a Writ of Execution issued by the Honorable DON ACE MARIANO V. ALAGAR, Presiding Judge of the Metropolitan Trial Court, Branch 43, Quezon City, in Criminal Case No. 15-10501 to 04 wherein ERIC A. ACELO is the accused and Dra. MARIA CRISTINA S. BUENSUCESO is the private complainant for the recovery of the civil aspect of the case amounting to EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY THREE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHT PESOS (P893,808.00) covering the amount of checks excluding costs of suit and other inc idental expenses. Attachment/Levy was made by Mr. WILFREDO S. MARINO assisting sheriff of this court on February 27, 2019 thru the Registry of Deeds of Marikina City, on the rights, interests and participations of said accused, Mr. ERIC A . ACEJO in the real propery more particularly described as follows: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 425641 “A parcel of land (lot 23 , Blk. 38 of the cons-subd. Plan (LRC) Pcs-5683, being a portion of the cons. Of Lots 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 & 9 all of (LRC) Psd61617; Lot 53-B , Psd-18247 & Psu-178927, LRC (GLRC) Rec . Nos. 7671 & N-21658, situated in the Municipality of Marikina, Prov. Of Rizal, Is. Of Luzon Bounded on the N., points 4 to 5 by Road Lot 13; on the E., points 5 to 1 by Lot 24, Blk. 38; on the S., points 1 to 2 by Blk. 45, all of the cons.subd. Plan; points 2 to 3 by Lot 49-C-3-A-3-C-3-4-, Psd-18247, Beginning at a point marked “1“ as plan, being S. 74 de. 11. W., 173.09 Ill. from BLLM I , Mp. Of Marikina, Rizal; thence N. 85 deg. 30’ W., 13.88 m to point 2; thence N. 76 deg. 48” W.. 132 to point 3; thence N. 7 deg. 50’ E., 22.82 m. to point 4; thcnce S. 85 deg. 30’ E., 15.20 m to point 5; thence S. 7 deg.

45, W., 23.04 m. to the point beginning; containing an area of THREE HUNDRED FIFTY (350) SQUARE METERS, more or less. All points referred to are indicated on the plan and are marked on the ground by PS cyl. Cons. Mons. 15X60 cm.; bearing true; date of the original survey, Dec. 1910-June 1911 and Oct. 26-27, 1959 and that of the cons-subd. Survey, September 10-30. Oct. 1- Nov. 3. 1966/././.

NOW THEREFORE, by virtue of the said Writ of Execution and in accordance with Rule 39, Sec. 19 of the Rules of Court, Deputy assisting Sheriff Wilfredo S. Marino with sell at public a uction to the highest bidder, for CASH, and in Philippine currency, on July 05, 2019 at 10:00 o ‘ clock in the morning, at the lobby of the Hall of Justice, Quezon City, the rights, interests and participation of the accused ERIC A . ACEJO on the abovedescribed real property in order to satisfy said Writ of Execution, as well as the costs, Sheriffs fees and expenses of sale.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on July 12, 2019 at the same time and place without the need for further notice, publication and/or reposting. Interested parties are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said property and the encumbrance if there be any.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, May 28, 2019.

WILFREDO S. MARINO Sheriff III (MS-JUNE 11 & 18, 2019)

pital is to conduct medical examination of all the trainees of the PCG to ensure their physical and mental capability.

It shall be administered by a Board of Directors composed of the Secretary of Health as ex-officio chairperson; the Secretary of Transportation as ex-officio vicechairperson; with the Commandant and Deputy Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard and Command Surgeon of the Philippine Coast Guard Medical Service as members.

The measure mandates the Board of Directors of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital to formulate and implement measures and programs to attain the objectives of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital and develop a program of patient care and hospital administration.

Similarly, it shall be the responsibility of the Philippine Coast Guard General Hospital Board of Directors to organize the structure of the said hospital in accordance with the staffing pattern approved by the Department of Budget and Management and provide training for all hospital personnel so that the highest professional level of patient care may be maintained in accordance with the requirements of the DOH, among others.

Ex-mayor, accountant lose in case reopening THE former mayor of a town in Bukidnon, sentenced to 40-years jail by the Sandiganbayan, lost his bid to have his penalty reduced owing to a technicality.

Former mayor Teddy Pajaro of Lantapan, Bukidnon, was convicted by the anti-graft court for misusing more than P300,000 worth of livelihood assistance funds during his incumbency.

The Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division denied Pajaro’s urgent motion to reopen case for the recomputation of penalties meted out to him.

Pajaro’s co-accused, former municipal accountant Crispina Aben, also sought a reduction in penalty but her plea was also denied.

Pajaro and Aben, the Sandiganbayan said, should have filed a petition at the Regional Trial Court in Panabo City which has the territorial jurisdiction over them.

“Taking into consideration that accused Pajaro and Aben are presently detained at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, Davao Penal Colony, Panabo City, Davao del Norte, their present motion, which should actually be a petition, must be filed not with this Court but with the RTC in Panabo City, Davao del Norte, with a certified true copy of the Court’s Decision attached thereto,” it said. Maricel V. Cruz

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has lauded the National Telecommunications Commission for issuing a directive for Kapisanan Ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas to prohibit the airing of the song “Amatz” in member-television and radio stations nationwide.

Director General Aaron Aquino thanked NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba for the KBP order to enforce compliance with the restrictions stated in Article 15, Section 4 of the Broadcast Code regarding the song.

“This means that ‘Amatz’ will no longer be seen and heard over the airwaves,” he said.

KBP has 121 members composed of owners and operators of TV and radio stations, including the radio and television stations themselves, all over the country.

Article 15 (Music), Section 4 of Broadcast Code of the Philippines 2007 (as amended 2011) states that, “Songs with lyrics or messages that are vulgar, indecent, promote substance abuse, gender discrimination, racism, Satanism, violence or sexual perversion or demeans a member of any sector of society shall not be played.”

PDEA batted for the banning of “Amatz” performed by rapper Shanti Dope for its double meaning.

“The song, as a whole, seemingly enjoins the public that recreational use of illegal drugs like marijuana and shabu is harmless,” PDEA said.

PDEA affirmed “Amatz” extolled the use of illegal drugs punishable under Article 154 paragraph 2 of the Revised Penal Code. Rio Araja

Karapatan members slay probed by cops POLICE authorities have started inquiring into the killing of two members of human rights group Karapatan in Sorsogon last weekend, the chief of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said on Monday.

“The case is being jointly investigated by the CIDG and local police. We have no updated details but we will provide [them to you] as soon as we get the report from our units on the ground,” CIDG Director Police Maj. Gen. Amador Corpuz told a news briefing.

According to PNP chief Police General Oscar Albayalde, Karapatan needs to prove and establish that victims Ryan Hubilla and Nelly Bagasala were really members of the human rights group.

“You know these people, they take advantage on almost everything...Even us, we need to confirm whether they are members of Karapatan or not,” he added.

Hubilla and Bagasala were gunned down by motorcycle-riding men at Seabreeze Homes Subdivision in Barangay Cabid-an.

‘Teachers pay hike’ among Go’s priorities THE increase in the pay of public school teachers will be among the top priorities of newly elected Senator Christopher Go. He discussed his plan on the teachers’ pay hike after the implementation of the fourth and final tranche of their compensation adjustment in 2019.

Aside from the public school teachers, Go is also looking into increasing the salary of all civilian personnel in the government in consonance with the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.

He believes this move will also attract and retain competent and committed civil servants.

“No one should be left behind. The approach should be holistic wherein all government workers should be included,” said Go. “Let us take care of ordinary workers,” he added.

The former aide of President Rodrigo Duterte also vowed to push for measures to address problems of informal settlers and provide them affordable houses.

Go stressed that housing intervention should be pursued so that Filipino families would individually have their own roof over their heads.

“This is one of the matters I want to study and pursue to address the 6.5-million housing shortage. There should be no squatter in our own country,” he said.

Go also supports the creation of Department of Disaster Resilience to scale up the country’s disaster resiliency and preparedness.

He cited the need for a specific department to focus on disaster risk reduction management. Macon Ramos-Araneta

TRAFFIC CONCERNS.

Edison Nebrija, (right), commander of the Metro Manila Development Authority’s Task Force Special Operations, discusses the agency’s vision regarding the issues on the government’s proposed provincial bus ban, the Metro Manila traffic problem, and the 5-minute Cubao-Makati trip. With him are Alex Yague (left), executive director, Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines; Sammy Malunes (second from left), spokesman, Kilusang Mayo Uno; and engineer Alberto Suansing (second from right), special assistant to Secretary Arthur Tugade during a media forum at the Aristocrat.

Lino Santos

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FESSAP gets nod of Asean Universities Sports Council

Foreign bets aim for top finish in PH Golf Tour

THE secretary general of the ASEAN University Sports Council visited the Philippines following the recognition of the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines as its sole member from the country.

The AUSC is composed of members from Southeast Asia nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, East Timor, Brunei and the Philippines Roestam Efendi Sijar, the AUSC sec- The AUSC, led by its secretary general Roestam Efendi Sijar, and FESSAP, headed by its president Angel Ngu and Chairman Alvin Tai Lian, retary general from Malaysia and his as- are shown during their meeting recently at the Manila Hotel. sistant. Zaran Noh, also from the same country, met FESSAP President Angel Ngu, Executive Vice President Robert Milton Calo and Board Chairman Mr. Tai Lian at the Manila Hotel.

Other luminaries, who attended the meeting were FISU Legal Committee Member Atty. Maria Luz Arzaga-Mendoza, State Colleges and Universities officials, led by Dr. Jesus Rodrigo Torres, president of Technological University of the Philippines and his assistant Allan Soria.

FESSAP executives such as Honorleft him on the wrong end of the hourEBBLE BEACH—A lifetime of work came to fruition for ary Vice Chair Danilo Madlansacay of glass putting surface.

Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach, where the 35-year-old Megaworld Corporation, Deputy SecreEven playing partner Justin Rose, his from Kansas—who turned to golf when he felt his basketball own hopes ended by a trio of back-nine tary General Col. Ariel Querubin of San dream just wouldn’t pan out—captured his first major title at the Miguel Corporation, Board Secretary bogeys, gave him a little fist bump after Cecille Sarmiento, Trustee Joseph Sy that one.

119th US Open. and FESSAP Region-4 Director LeonBy the time he got to 18, a raft of the ardo Andres were also in attendance.

“I’ve worked hard my “It’s getting there,” he popular player’s peers were at the green, The agenda of the meeting included whole life,” Woodland said. said of his game, and he where he punctuated the victory by rollvarious issues involving the AUSC. “I’ve been surrounded by certainly had everything he ing in a 30-foot birdie putt.

Tackled was the hosting of the ASEAN When it was all over, Woodland had amazing people and I always needed this week.

University Games in November 2020. just wanted to be successful.

With Brooks Koepka— four rounds in the 60s—including a Sijar presented to FESSAP President Ngu “I fell in love with golf, and winner of four of his last second-round 65 that matched the lowest and Chairman Tai Lian a proposal for the it’s transcended to today.” eight majors, runner-up at ever shot in a US Open at Pebble Beach.

Philippines to host the games.

His 13-under total was one better than Woodland, long known this year’s Masters and The mandatory competitions in the as a long-hitter, has worked chasing an historic third Tiger Woods’ 12-under winning total on AUG are athletics, swimming and tirelessly on other aspects straight US Open—breath- the same course in 2000. football.

“People probably growing up said the of his game. ing down his neck, WoodThe hosting proposal is now under US Open wouldn’t suit me, because I’m a But the wins have been Woodland land didn’t blink. study by Ngu, Prof. Calo, Dr. Torres and few—three on the US PGA Tour since he His gutsy three-wood second shot at the long hitter, I’m a bomber,” Woodland said.

Tai Lian and a decision was to host the “Coming to Pebble Beach, on top of that, first joined in 2009, none in 30 prior ma- par-five 14th on Sunday led to a birdie and AUG 2020 or AUG 2022. it’s a shorter golf course. And I went out and jors that didn’t even produce a top-10 fin- a two-shot lead.

If the FESSAP accepts the invitation ish until the PGA Championships of 2018 He preserved it with a perfect pitch proved, I think to everybody else, what I alto host the AUG, it is expected to add and ‘19. from the green at 17, where his tee shot ways believed, that I’m pretty good.” AFP two disciplines in the games – badminton and lawn tennis.

The top AUSC officials have invited their FESSAP counterparts to attend the AUSC Board Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 11, 2019.

This is the first time that FESSAP PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee presi- from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10, despite the ab- Cayetano was not among the incorporawill attend the Board to meet as a regudent Ricky Vargas meets his board today sence of a POC Board approval. tors but is still the Chairman of the Founlar member. According to Ngu, Andres in an executive session following a presWhat the POC Board approved was the dation. and Calo will represent the FESSAP sure call from the International Olympic Philippine Southeast Asian Games OrgaPreparations for the SEA Games have during the AUSC Board meeting in Committee, which ordered clarifications nizing Committee (or simply Phisgoc, not hit snags with POC officials saying delays Phnom Penh. on the issues raised by the majority of Phisgoc Foundation), with former Foreign are hampering the buildup.

Meanwhile, the FESSAP is all set to members of the local council.

Affairs Secretary and now Taguig ConBut a call received by Vargas from Jesend a lean but mean delegation to the The executive meeting was called by gressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano as rome Polvey, the IOC head of national 30th Summer Universiade in Napoli, eight of the 13 POC Board members at the its Chairman, and Vargas and Philippine Olympic committee relations from LausItaly from July 3 to 14 this year.

Philsports compound in Pasig City.

Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Wil- anne, Switzerland, may settle these issues.

Tai Lian is the Head of Delegation, Vargas is expected to be quizzed about liam “Buth” Ramirez as co-vice chairmen.

Polvey ordered Vargas to meet his exwhile Ngu has been designated as the his role in the Phisgoc Foundation, Inc., Vargas, however, incorporated the Phis- ecutive board, prompting the cancellation country’s flagbearer. the group that now claims to be on top of goc Foundation with Ramon Suzara, Don- of yesterday’s (June 17) meeting he had preparations for the 30th Southeast Asian ald Caringal, Tom Carrasco, Ed Picson, called at the 10th floor SM Aura Premier Games to be hosted by the Philippines Dexter Estacio and Monica Ann Mitra. in Taguig in earlier hopes of getting the

BACOLOD—A 37-player strong foreign contingent, including three Thais, hopes to squeeze its way through a slew of local aces and the hazard-laden, treelined course here in pursuit of a championship in the ICTSI Pastor Negros Occidental Classic, which gets under way tomorrow (Wednesday, June 19) at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.

Kammalas Namuangruk and Tawan Phongphun, two of the top foreign qualifiers in the recent Philippine Golf Tour QSchool, finally get the chance to slug it out with the PGT campaigners after missing the first two legs of the four-stage Visayan swing of the circuit with the former out to better his strong third place effort in PGT Asia leg in Luisita last April.

Aussie Fidel Concepcion also tries to ride the crest of his fifth place finish in last week’s Bacolod stop of the tour put up by ICTSI together with Spain’s Marcos Pastor, who is raring to atone for his final round struggle after sharing the Bacolod Challenge lead in the middle rounds.

Pastor is particularly thrilled over tackling the tight par-72 Marapara layout he described as good but which requires a lot of strategies to produce good scores in all four days especially if the winds come into play.

“The course is in great shape and well taken care of,” said Pastor. “But golf is golf until you finish the last hole. If you can get a good game, it’s easy to hit birdies. But to do it in four days, one has to stay focused, straight and play more strategic.”

That should also be the scheme of the rest of the foreign bidders in the P3 million tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., including seven invitees in Aussies Jack Sullivan, Tarik Can and David Gleeson, also a former PGT Asia leg titlist, Mateo Gomez and Sebastian Lopez of Colombia, Swede Sebastian Hansson and George Twyman of England.

Frustrated cager Woodland now a major golf champion P

POC officials meet today to thresh out key SEAG issues

Foton...

From A8

with a cold underground river inside that they had to dip themselves into.

On the second day, they went by jeepney to Kinabuhayan.

Adding to the adventure on the second day was the fact that almost all the players opted to ride on top of the two jeepneys rented, affording them a 360-degree view while dodging those low lying tree branches along the zig zag road.

What awaited them at Kinabuhayan was another cave experience, easier one this time. Then, they had a crossto-the-waterfalls challenge at the end of the trail.

Except for Eya Laure, everyone opted to do it with non-swimmers hanging on to a rope strung out across the deep natural pool into the waterfalls.

All along the outdoor events, the players found out they had to support their buddies and teams throughout, working as a team under the assigned team leaders. What they did not know was how they performed was going to be rated and processed by themselves, teaching them to accept constructive criticisms.

At the end of the sessions, the players , aside from having fun and enjoying themselves on the local home-cooked meals, realized the truth behind the Understand-Accept-Adjust Principle shared to them.

As team manager Santiago put it, their Banahaw team-building was the best one they had experienced.

The question now is the kind of effect the sessions had on the players.

The answer? Watch them play in the ongoing PSL conference.

support of Cayetano in convincing the POC membership to continue supporting the SEA Games preparations.

Archery association president Clint Aranas, speaking for the majority of the POC Board, however clarified that the general assembly of the council will continue to support the SEA Games despite the delays. He said the national sports associations have continuously trained their athletes for the Games.

Ramirez, also the Chief-of-Mission for the 30th SEAG, had met his crew last week to discuss possibilities of tapping other venues for the events.

Allianz, Sugod Malaya FC: Promoting football diversity FOOTBALL has yet to shed its image of being a rich kid’s sport in the country, but Allianz Philippines and Sugod Malaya are showing that “the most beautiful sport in the world” is best played in an equal playing field.

It doesn’t matter what your background or social standing is, as long as you are committed and dedicated to playing the game.

“Globally, Allianz is known to be a staunch supporter of football, and we want to promote that same passion here in the Philippines. When Sugod Malaya came to us for help, we immediately saw that they are an organization that represents our goals and ideals for the sport—that it’s not just a game to be played by a few, but by all,” said Gae Martinez, Chief Marketing Officer of Allianz Philippines.

Established six years ago, Sugod Malaya is a nonprofit football club that has

close to 300 active members today—from the well-to-do to the poorest of the poor.

“When we started, our dream was to establish a club that is really free, regardless of whatever the player’s background is,” said Mark Duane Angos, Secretary General and one of the founders of Sugod Malaya.

He acknowledged that football in the Philippines suffered the reputation of being a game that is only played in gated communities and Sugod Malaya seeks to change that.

“We were forming a team back then and realized that it lacked diversity. At that time, I was doing a community outreach program for San Beda and got in touch with folks in Tondo,” Angos said.

The club eventually got four kids from the area to play with their team in Bacolod which, along with Iloilo, are considered the “Meccas” of football.

“When they played in Bacolod, they really

The Sugod Malaya U16 squad is shown with Mark Angos, Secretary General, Sugod Malaya FC (standing, far left) and Josephine Bulilan, Sales Manager for North Metro Manila Region, Allianz PNB Life (standing, far right).

played well together,” Angos shared.

From the 11 kids they had back then, the club has grown significantly. More than half of its members come from impoverished backgrounds, with 30-40 percent coming from the poorest of the poor.

“At first, we were only relying on the generous donations of our club’s parents

until we wanted to expand and solidify the program. In the end, it became more than just a football club; it also became a tool for community development. It is now a club that provides an opportunity for kids from all backgrounds to play and, at the same time, have their talent seen and discovered by the global community,” Angos said.

1,500 jins vie in national poomsae tilt on June 23 AROUND 1,500 taekwondo performers are expected to see action in the 2019 PLDT Home Ultera/MVP Sports Foundation National Poomsae (forms) Championships on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Participants will represent their respective chapters from all regions nationwide.

Among the chapters are Central Gymnasium, Powerflex, Ateneo, San Sebastian College, UP, San Beda College, De La Salle Zobel, DLSU, Team Baguio, Pangasinan, Cebu, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines, among others.

National Capital Region, ARMM, CAR and CARAGA are among the regions which have signified their participation in the event, where Filipinos have shown special skills and marked improvements in international competitions like the recent ASEAN tournament which the Philippines hosted and dominated.

Poomsae consists of attack and defense techniques against imaginary opponents. It helps a participant boost his basic technique, breathing control, balance, coordination and concentration. Taekwondo is meaningless without poomsae.

These female aspirants display concentration in their team event during a previous tournament.

Sports

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

A8

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

Meijers still ahead going into last stage Jesse Coyle of Team Nero Bianchi celebrates his win in the 4th stage of the Le Tour de Filipinas from Legazpi City to Sorsogon. Ey Acasio

Tornadoes, Cargo Movers eye 2nd wins Games Today

(Filoil Flying V Centre) 2:00 p.m. – Generika-Ayala vs Marinerang Pilipina 4:15 p.m. – Sta. Lucia vs Foton 7:00 p.m. - F2 Logistics vs PLDT

FOTON parades its retooled roster, while F2 Logistics shoots for its second win when they battle separate foes in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

The new-look Tornadoes clash with Sta. Lucia at 4:15 p.m., while the Cargo Movers take on PLDT Home Fibr in the 7 p.m. nightcap of this women’s club tourney bankrolled

by SOGO, Eurotel, PCSO, Cocolife, UCPB Gen, Mueller, Senoh, Asics, Bizooku and One Sport.

Meanwhile, Generika-Ayala and Marinerang Pilipina seek to bounce back from their opening-day setback, when they collide in the 2 p.m. encounter in this midseason tourney that also has Team Rebel Sport as official outfitter and Mikasa as official ball.

Filipino-American Kalei Mau didn’t see action on opening day for the Cargo Movers as head coach Ramil de Jesus gave her a little more time to adjust and study his system.

Still, the Cargo Movers remained unstoppable, dominating the Lifesavers in straight sets, 25-12, 25-21, 25-17, last Saturday.

Mau remains a game-time decision, but De Jesus has a deep roster with Kianna Dy returning form injury to join the star-studded core of Aby Marano, Desiree Cheng, Majoy Baron, Ara Galang and Dawn Macandili.

“Having my players from La Salle and with Kianna returning is a big help,” said De Jesus, who won the Grand Prix silver despite a depleted roster. “At least now I can rotate a lot of players.”

It, however, won’t be a walk in a park for F2 Logistics as PLDT is tipped to bring its experience from a pocket tournament in Perth, where Gretchel Soltones, Aiko Urdas, Jasmine Nabor and Jerili Malabanan battled some of the best club teams in the city.

By Peter Atencio

L

EGAZPI CITY—Samuel Hill wanted to take another stage win. But he crashed while negotiating a downhill route in Casiguran, Sorsogon.

That’s when his Nero Bianchi teammate Jesse Coyle took charge for his team and went on to take Stage 4 honors following a dramatic chase from a Malaysian rider in the Le Tour de Filipinas cycling competitions here on Monday.

As Hill staggered to the finish line with his jersey uniform in tatters and with bandages on his left knee and upper arms, Coyle ended up with his first-ever stage win in a race after he and Muhammad Shukri, who rides for Team Sapura, came up with a 1-2 finish.

The 24-year-old Coyle went up the podium to get his medal from Air21 chief executive Bert Lina, along with Team Taiyuan Miogee’s Jeroen Meijers, who is set to claim the general individual classification honors with still a day to go.

“We had Hill in the break. And then came the attack in the last 20 kilometers and I had to go hard,” said Coyle when he reached the finish line after eluding Sapura rider Muhammad Shukri as he entered Legazpi City.

Coyle, who hails from Sydney,

reached the finish in front of a Jollibee outlet in Rizal St. in four hours, 28 minutes and 41 seconds at the end of the 176-kilometer run from Legazpi to Sorsogon City and back.

Shukri, who unrelentingly chased down Coyle following Hill’s mishap in the final 30 kilometers, submitted the same time with the Australian.

As a bruised and battered Hill arrived at the finish line in an ambulance, Coyle went on to celebrate his first stage title since turning professional three years ago.

Shukri’s teammate and Stage 2 winner Mario Vogt of Germany was 32 seconds behind Hill and Shukri, along with a 37-man main group.

Meijers remained as the overall classification leader for the fourth straight day and could claim the top individual overall honors.

He stayed with the main group from start to finish and logged a total time of 17 hours, three minutes and nine seconds.

A 45-second lead is still with Miejers, who is ahead of Terranganu’s Choon

Huat Go, while Oliver Foods’ Angus Lyons is third (1:38). 7-Eleven’s Daniel Habtenmichael is 2:13 behind in fourth.

“The last part of the race in did not give me problems. And this is good for my teammates. One day to go,” said Miejers.

Nero Bianchi started putting pressure on a lot of riders in the first 20 kilometers after the Go For Gold rider Jonel Carcueva ruled the 2.2-kilometer King of the Mountain portion at the Forest Lake Memorial Park, as the reached a smooth downhill path to Sorsogon.

Hill led the charge with Carcueva, national team member Junrey Carcueva and 7-Eleven’s Nathanael Mebrathom in tow.

The chase went on with Hill with the lead group after Mebrathom ruled in the first sprint stage in Buhatan, Sorsogon.

Then, Hill gave way to Filipino riders once again in the second sprint run in Casiguran, which Carcueva ruled.

Then, he wobbled, crashed and fell on his left side when Hill tried to catch up with the two Filipino riders.

Navarra went on to claim a 10th-place finish while 7-Eleven’s Marcelo Felipe, who remained in the main group with Miejers, stayed on course for the best Filipino rider title.

“Pag-iigihin ko pa dahil lang ang pagitan,” said Marcelo, who is in contention with Mark Galedo, who is 2:34 behind him.

Blu Boys remain unfazed in Prague THE Philippines continued to struggle in the ongoing XVI World Baseball and Softball Confederation Men’s Softball World Championship 2019 in Prague, Czech Republic.

But Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines president and softball patron Jean Henri Lhuillier is confident the lessons learned by the Blu Boys in this tournament will “provide the boys with the needed experience to become a world-class team three to five years from now.”

“We have to be patient with our Blu Boys, just like what we did with our Blu Girls. Look at the women’s team now. They are beating countries ranked in the Top 10 in the world. We have the same vision for our Blu Boys,” Lhuillier said after the Blu Boys bowed to world’s No. 5 Argentina, 15-0, Sunday night.

Lhuillier added that ASAPHIL will continue its grassroots programs for both boys and girls like the intercollegiate and inter secondary meets, the summer Grand Slam tournaments, and other essential activities to reach the objectives he has set for the NSA. Japan remains on top in Group A with a 3-0 card, followed by Argentina, New Zealand and Cuba with identical 2-1 cards.

Botswana, Czech Republic and Mexico have 1-2 records, also in Group A. Group B is led by Canana and Venezuela at 3-0. Australia and USA are tied at 2-1. Denmark and the Netherlands have the same 1-2 records and South Africa and Singapore share the cellar at 0-3.

The Philippines, needing to win its remaining four games to advance, will next face Asian champion Japan at Svoboda Ballpark.

Lhuillier

Abarrientos, Caidic steer teams to key UNTV wins Gilas Youth, FATHER’S Day celebration was doubly special for Allan Caidic and Johnny Abarrientos as the former PBA MVP winners stamped their class over the weekend in leading San Miguel Beer and Alaska Milk to big wins in the UNTV Cup PBA Legends Faceoff at the Pasig City Sports Center.

Caidic was at his usual fiery self, knocking down nine triples in leading the Beermen to a 135-107 win over the Ginebra San Miguel Kings, while Abarrientos dazzled his way to 25 points in the Milkmen’s 92-70 drubbing of the Purefoods Hotdogs.

In his best game so far, Caidic scattered 32 points on an impressive 10-of-14 shooting from the field, including 9-of-13 from the 3-point area, as the Beermen completed a three-game sweep of the elims in the event organized by UNTV president and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon in cooperation with the PBA Legends Foundation.

Abarrientos highlighted his solid all-around show with 16 assists, four rebounds and a steal. He had also three treys to the delight of the team’s supporters.

Also stepping up for San Miguel were Chris Calaguio and Nic Belasco, who combined for eight triples and chipped in 17 and 13 points while Kiko Adriano and Danny Siegle wound up with 18 and 14 points, respectively.

In all, seven players scored in double figures for the Beermen who negated the 41-point show of Vince Hizon.

Belasco set the tone for San Miguel’s runaway win by burying three triples in the first quarter before Caidic and Calaguio caught fire, opening the second quarter with three triples.

For sweeping the elims, the Beermen need only to beat the Hotdogs once to advance to the final—same thing for the secondseeded Milkmen against the Gin Kings.

The scores: First Game ALASKA 92—Abarrientos 25, Hawkins 15, Miller 14, Cariaso

Alas to grace PSA Forum

Johnny Abarrientos drives against Purefoods center Jerry Codiñera during their UNTV Cup PBA Legends Faceoff match which the Milkmen won, 92-70.

13, Ferriols 8, Laure 8, Lastimosa 5, Lim 2, Gomez 2.

PUREFOODS 70—Capacio 15, Patrimonio 12, Yap 10, Lago 9, Espinosa 7, Codinera 6, Balingit 5, Santamaria 3, Ravena 3.

Quarters: 24-19, 42-37, 70-48, 92-70 Second Game SAN MIGUEL 135—Caidic 32, Adriano 18, Calaguio 17, Seigle 14, Belasco 13, Ildefonso 12, Asaytono 10, Castillo 7, Alvarez 6, Gamboa 4, Racela 2.

GINEBRA107—Hizon 41, Aquino 19, Palad 16, Orquillas 11, Distrito 6, Helterbrand 4, Cheng 3, Marzan 2, Jose 0.

Quarters: 37-19, 73-43, 92-72, 135-107.

THE Gilas Pilipinas Youth team to the FIBA U19 World Cup and the mental anguish of recovering from a devastating injury will be tackled in today’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

National squad U19 standout Ariel John (AJ) Edu and team manager Andrew Teh are going to talk about the country’s campaign in the June 27 to July 8 meet in Heraklion, Greece during the forum presented by San Miguel Beer, Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

NLEX playmaker Kevin Alas, on the other hand, will discuss his ongoing recovery from a second ACL injury, the same one suffered

by Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson in Game 6 of the recent NBA Finals.

Members are enjoined to attend the 10 a.m. session.

Foton players undergo team-building in Banahaw

By Lito Cinco

Members of the Foton volleyball team are shown during their team-building session.

Kim Lanto

TEAM-BUILDING sessions for sports teams are very common now. What is not common is to do it in the mysterious and mystical Mt. Banahaw in Dolores, Quezon.

But that is exactly what the Foton women’s volleyball team underwent a week before the opening of the PSL All-Filipino Conference as the players, together with the coaching staff, stayed overnight in Barangay Sta. Lucia, with this writer, a sports teambuilding facilitator, who in the past has brought women’s teams from Lyceum and University of the East to Banahaw for similar sessions.

The session was a combined twoday indoor and outdoor adventure team bonding activities—an experiential type of team building.

And what an experience it turned out to be for the players and the coaching staff, led by head coach Aaron Velez, his two assistants Brian Esquibel and Jerome Guhit, together with team manager Diane Santiago and her assistant Christine Aquino and the 17 players, headed by the team’s cornerstone player Jaja Santiago and sister Dindin Manabat and veterans Maika Ortiz and Ivy Perez.

The rest of the players were Shaya Adorador, Carmina Aganon, Laizah Ann Bandiong, Jen Reyes, Gyzelle Sy, Ennajie Laure and her rookie sister Ejiya,

Arriane Layug, Cristine Joy Rosario, Marian Alisa Buitre and Justine Dorog, new recruits from the University of the Philippines, and Lumi Yongco.

The first outdoor event was the river trail trek from San Bernardo all the way to the twin falls of Sta. Lucia, where the team was divided into two groups composed of buddy pairs. Along the way, the players dipped under mini waterfalls and even picked up plastic trash on the route as part of the activity.

From Sta. Lucia, the group went up a 270-step stairways, before proceeding to the Kweba ni San Jacob, a physical and psychological challenge for most of the players as they entered a small tight cave Turn to A7

IN BRIEF

Warehouses needed —property consultant

NEW land owners, developers and investors are urged to adopt auxiliary business or services to keep up with the changing real estate landscape with particular focus on warehousing as an emerging growth area.

Citing figures from the Board of Investments, leading real estate advisory firm Santos KnightFrank noted that revenues of the transportation and storage industry jumped 626 percent to P129.6 billion in 2018 from P17.8 billion in 2017.

Santos director for investment and capital markets Kash Salvador said despite the rise in land prices, rents remained essentially stagnant and that setting rents beyond the threshold would affect the profitability of the occupier’s business.

“If you try to buy land today and apply the current lease rates, it will take you about 18 years to see profitability. Those who have bought their lands when prices were still down have a good chance of surviving. More warehouses are now needed outside Manila, including Visayas and Mindanao, to connect suppliers with customers,” he said in a briefing Monday.

Othel V. Campos

Business

Finance criticizes IMD competitiveness report

THE Finance Department on Monday criticized think tank IMD for ranking the Philippines 46th in its latest report on the world’s most competitive economies, saying the methodology it uses is erroneous.

In an economic bulletin, Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said the IMD’s World Competitiveness Report pretended to cover the world and report on competitiveness.

“It does neither. It covers only 63 countries; in contrast, WEF [World Economic Forum] Competitiveness Report covers 140 countries... ,” Beltran said.

“The greater sin of this series of reports, however, is that methodologically is backward looking, much like trying to figure out which way to go next by looking at the rear view mirror.

It uses previous year’s GDP growth, for example, in assigning a score for this year,” he said.

Beltran said even if a country’s growth prospect was negative 8 percent for 2019 but if it was actually 8 percent in 2018, IMD would assign this country in question a high score for the 2019 report.

Julito G. Rada

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

B1

By Darwin G. Amojelar

BLOOMBERRY DONATION. Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc., the corporate foundation of Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc., receives a symbol of gratitude from the Philippine Military Academy after donating a five-storey cadet barracks. BRHI is a casino licensee operating Solaire Resort and Casino at the Entertainment City. Shown (from left) are Lt. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista PA, PMA Superintendent; Donato Almeda, Bloomberry Cultural Foundationpresident; Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana; and Bloomberry Resorts Corp. chairman.Enrique Razon Jr.

BSP: Remittances rose by 4% to $2.44b in April

By Julito G. Rada

M

ONEY sent home

by Filipinos working overseas rose 4 percent in April to $2.44 billion from $2.347 billion a year ago, backed by remittances from both land-based and sea-based workers, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Monday.

“This growth was supported by remittances from land-based [$1.8 billion] and sea-based [$0.6 billion] workers, which rose by 2.2 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively,” Diokno said in a statement.

Te figure brought cash remittances in the first four months of 2019 to $9.7 billion, up 4.1 percent from $9.4 billion in the same period last year.

The United States posted the highest share of overall remittances for the January-to-April period at 35.9 percent, followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, UK, Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Qatar and Germany.

The combined remittances from these countries accounted for 78 percent of total cash remittances for the fourmonth period.

Also, personal remittances, which include non-cash items, rose 3.7 percent year on year to $2.7 billion from $2.6 billion a year ago. The figure brought personal remittances in the first four months to $10.8 billion, up 3.7 percent over $10.4 billion a year ago.

“The continued growth in personal remittances was driven by steady inflows from land-based OF workers with work contracts of one year or more, which aggregated to $8.2 billion from $8.1 bil-

lion in the same period last year,” Diokno said.

He said inflows from the compensation of sea-based workers and landbased workers with short-term contracts also contributed to the expansion and totaled $2.3 billion from $2.1 billion a year ago.

Cash remittances last year reached a record $28.9 billion, up 3.1 percent from $28.06 billion a year ago and slightly surpassed the 3-percent growth target for the entire year.

The Bangko Sentral said remittances in 2018 remained strong amid political uncertainties across the globe. This was evident in Asia, the Americas, and Europe which grew annually by 12.3 percent, 9.7 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively.

The bulk of cash remittances last year came from the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, Japan, the UK, Qatar, Canada, Germany and Hong Kong. Cash remittances from these countries accounted for almost 79 percent of the total.

Campi says PH auto sales up by just 1.2% in May

By Othel V. Campos AUTOMOTIVE sales rose 20 percent in May to 39,998 units from 25,799 units in April, driven by the strong sales of commercial vehicles and the rebound of passenger cars.

A joint report by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and the Truck Manufacturers Association, however, said the May sales grew just 1.2 percent from 30,620 units year-on-year.

CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez attributed the double-digit monthon-month growth to the long holidays in April, strong promotional campaigns and new model launches that auto companies announced in time for the summer season and the national elections.

“More than a slight positive uptick, May 2019 saw double-digit growth reminiscent of the auto industry’s impressive performance from two years ago. If this trend continues, we can say that the market has already adjusted or even recovered from certain factors that have been affecting car sales since 2018,” he said.

Passenger car sales rose 18.2 percent to 9,053 units in May from 7,661 units in April despite a year-on-year drop of 3.7 percent.

Sales of commercial vehicles reached 21,945 units, up 21 percent from April sales of 18,138 and 3.4 percent from the May 2018 sales of 21,219 units.

Among the the commercial vehicle line-up, sales of medium duty trucks and buses dropped 8.7 percent to 348 from 381 units in April, still a great improvement from a sales decline of 28.2 percent from 485 units in May.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Globe signs contract with two common tower firms

ERC allows PSALM to recover over P5b

THE Energy Regulatory Commission allowed state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. to recover P0.0543 per kilowatt-hour for 12 months, or P5.12 billion, from customers under the universal charge for stranded contract costs.

The ERC in a decision promulgated on June 10 said it approved PSALM’s application seeking the availment of stranded contract costs portion of the universal charge of National Power Corp. for 2014.

“The petition filed by PSALM for the recovery of Napocor’s stranded contract costs of the universal charge is approved with modification, subject to conditions,” the regulator said.

Stranded contract costs of Napocor under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 are the “excess of the contracted cost of electricity under eligible contracts over the actual selling price of the contracted energy output of such contracts in the market.”

The ERC said UC-SCC contract covered four eligible power plants, namely Benguet mini-hydros (Ampohaw and Bakun), Pagbilao 1 and 2, Sual 1 and 2 and Unified Leyte A and B. Alena Mae S. Flores

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

TOWER AWARDEE. Manila Water Co. Inc. fleet heavy equipment officer Benigno Acacio (third from left) is selected as one of this year’s Tower Awardees, or “The Outstanding Workers of the Republic,” in the 2019 Centennial Edition of the awards program. With him (from left) are Rene Gener, People Management Association of the Philippines executive director; Ma. Rosario Vergel De Dios, Petron Foundation vice president for HR; Ferdinand Dela Cruz, Manila Water president and chief executive; Bobby Joseph, Rotary Club Manila director; and Rudy Bediones, Rotary Club Manila District Governor.

PSALM borrows $1.1b from five banks to repay Napocor debt

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. borrowed a $1.1-billion syndicated loan from five banks last month to pay for the debts of National Power Corp., its top official said.

“After we secured all the required approvals and clearances, we proceeded with the execution of the syndicated loan on March 28, 2019. Thereafter, all the conditions precedent & deliverables for drawdown were completed last week so the drawdown happened on May 16, 2019,” said PSALM president Irene Joy Garcia.

Garcia said five banks participated in the borrowings, namely Mizuho Bank Lltd. ($300 million), MUFG Bank Ltd.

($300 million), Sumitomo Mitsui Bank Corp. ($300 million), Development Bank of the Philippines ($100 million) and Land Bank of the Philippines ($100 million).

Garcia earlier said due to overdue accounts of some power companies to PSALM, the agency was constrained to resort to borrowings that the national government guarantees “in order for PSALM to timely fulfill its mandate of liquidating the financial obligations of Napocor.”

“In fact, in 2018, PSALM borrowed about P23 Billion to cover its maturing obligations,” she said.

She said PSALM had to pay interest, guarantee fees and other finance charges of about P2.62 billion a year.

Garcia said thad the independent pow-

er producer administrators and electric cooperatives paid the government, PSALM would not incur the huge additional costs.

PSALM earlier said IPPAs and electric cooperatives dominated the list of the top corporate entities with long overdue accounts with the agency, amounting to a combined P59.23 billion as of December 2018.

Many of these accounts were transferred by Napocor to PSALM by virtue of Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, or Republic Act 9136, in 2001.

Several IPPAs have pending overdue accounts with PSALM amounting to P28.46 billion as of December 2018.

Some of the IPPAs are contesting the amounts in courts or in arbitral tribunals.

GLOBE Telecom Inc. on Monday said it signed a tripartite agreement with two common tower companies in a bid to speed up the rollout of cell sites nationwide.

Globe, a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., signed a memorandum of understanding with ISOC Infrastructure Inc. and Malaysia-based tower giant edotco Group Sdn. Bhd. to support the common tower initiative of the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

“ICT infrastructure is the foundation of a highly-connected digital economy. While we have made significant improvements on the quality of internet experience, there is still a large gap to fill so we can be at par with our neighbors in terms of infrastructure,” said Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu. Cu added ISOC and edotco, who were the first towercos to seek vendor accreditation with Globe, would build an initial 150 sites for the company. The estimated cost per cell site is $100,000.

“The building and deployment of cellular towers in the country are critical if we hope to change the internet experience of our customers,” he said.

The DICT signed agreements with 23 tower companies with ISOC and edotco leading the pack. Despite the agreements, the government has yet to release a common tower policy governing tower companies in the country.

Michael Cosiquien, chairman of ISOC Infrastructure, Inc., said his company and edtoco were committed to help provide the Filipino people the information highway they deserve with the common tower initiative.

Suresh Sidhu, chief executive of edotco Group,was equally encouraged by the DICT’s decision to open the market and accredit independent tower companies.

ICTSI wins port contract in Cameroon INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. said Monday it won a 25-year contract to develop, operate and maintain a port terminal in Africa.

The port terminal owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. said it was declared the preferred bidder for the concession to develop, operate and maintain the Multi-Purpose Terminal of the Port of Kribi by the Port Autonome de Kribi on June 14.

“Parties will now engage in exclusive concession contract negotiations ahead of final contract signature,” ICTSI said.

The Port of Kribi is located in Cameroon, Central Africa. It is a newlybuilt port with deep draft. The Multipurpose Terminal consists of 265 meters of berth and 10 hectares of yard.

Kribi port is surrounded by the Kribi Industrial Area, a 262- sq.km reserved land destined to accommodate new industrial and logistical developments supporting the Cameroon-Chad-CAR (Central African Republic) Corridor economic growth.

The concession contract has a duration of 25 years, or until 2045.

ICTSI earlier reported a net income of $72.4 million in the first quarter of the year, up 77 percent from $40.9 million in the same period last year.

The company’s gross revenues from operations amounted to $383.8 million in the first quarter of the year, an increase of 18 percent from $325.4 million last year.

ICTSI handled consolidated volume of 2,478,672 twenty-foot equivalent units, seven percent more than the 2,325,540 TEUs handled in the same period in 2018.

The increase in volume was primarily due to improvement in trade activities, new shipping lines and services and continuous volume ramp-up at certain terminals.

Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks retreat; PLDT, Globe fall

T

HE stock market fell Monday on further profit-taking as investors turned cautious while looking for catalysts that could push the benchmark index past 8,000 points.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index declined 81.21 points, or 1 percent, to 7,908.99 on a value turnover of P5 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 136 to 70, with 43 issues unchanged.

PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm, dropped 2.8 percent to P1,195, while rival Globe Telecom Inc. fell 2.6 percent to P2,162.

Conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei lost 3.5 percent to P61.70, while unit Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, declined 2.3 percent

to P170.

Hong Kong stocks, meanwhile, rallied Monday, leading many Asian markets higher after last week’s losses, with investors cheering a decision by the city to suspend plans to push through a controversial extradition law.

Investors are also moving cautiously ahead of two huge market-moving events: the Federal Reserve policy meeting this week with its plans for interest rates in focus, and the G20 summit next week where US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are due to hold trade talks.

Investors returned to buying in Hong Kong after three days of losses that saw the Hang Seng drop more than two percent after protests against the law— which would have allowed extradition to China—turned violent Wednesday.

Another, peaceful, demonstration

Sunday saw around two million people take to the streets, according to organizers.

The plan had also spooked business leaders who feared it would damage the city’s reputation as an international business hub.

Traders “will breathe a loud sigh of relief today, as on Wednesday when tear gas and rubber bullets were filling the air, the markets were getting extremely jittery that this ticking time bomb was about to explode,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at Vanguard Markets.

“Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed.”

The Hang Seng closed up 0.45 percent, while Shanghai gained 0.2 percent and Tokyo’s Nikkei ended up 0.03 percent.

Elsewhere, Jakarta, Seoul and Taipei all ended the day in the red.

Traders are now awaiting the con-

clusion of the Fed’s policy meeting on Wednesday, with hopes it will provide some forward guidance on rates, even if it is not expected to announce a cut just yet.

Most observers are tipping a reduction next month as the US economy shows signs of stuttering.

“A lot is riding on this week’s (meeting) as the anticipation of Fed easing has single-handedly buttressed global equity markets even as trade war escalation looms ominously,” Innes added.

But there was a warning that investors could sell up if the central bank comes up short in its post-meeting statement.

“A less than full dovish undertone from the Fed could stop a rally in equities and reverse some gains as there is heavy anticipation of a rate cut sooner rather than later,” said OANDA senior market analyst Alfonso Esparza.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, JUNE 17, 2019

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

58.7 82 2.25 140 1.26 26.85 18.76 11.44 4.52 7.71 0.52 1.41 790 0.5 72.3 0.96 13.28 55.5 185.1 57.7 27.8 171.5 1,800 60.25 1.12

58.7 82 2.25 140 1.26 26.9 18.76 11.54 4.83 7.71 0.52 1.41 790 0.52 72.3 0.96 13.3 55.75 190 57.75 28.4 172.4 1,800 60.25 1.12

58.65 80.4 2.25 137.5 1.26 26.85 18.76 11.4 4.52 7.71 0.52 1.36 790 0.49 71.6 0.95 13.2 53 185.1 57.7 27.8 168.1 1,800 59.8 1.12

58.65 81.25 2.25 137.9 1.26 26.85 18.76 11.54 4.79 7.71 0.52 1.36 790 0.5 71.6 0.96 13.2 54 185.1 57.75 28.35 168.6 1,800 59.85 1.12

1,010 1,825,550 15,000 1,895,260 1,000 172,100 400 171,200 294,000 10,300 42,000 47,000 10 109,000 991,220 279,000 56,300 1,384,380 1,600 350 256,800 478,180 10 2,030 48,000

59,237 148,324,155 33,750 261,680,748 1,260 4,623,130 7,504 1,970,350 1,390,590 79,413 21,840 64,150 7,900 54,770 71,438,991 267,540 743,606 74,806,040.50 296,643 20,197.50 7,238,330 80,709,403 18,000 121,990.50 53,760

58,650 -22,163,074.50 -201,372 637,045 -663,742 -21,432,342 0 31,551,078 -3,680,955 -7,429,489 -19,782.50 -

INDUSTRIAL ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VIVANT VULCAN INDL

35.1 14.42 0.77 1.38 0.275 2.73 14.86 116 24.5 2.02 5.35 5.75 10.2 16.1 10.3 7.55 1.57 24.5 76.85 51 2.42 14.02 10.12 1.68 286 3.49 9.41 23.7 13.1 19.3 381.8 0.186 1.33 4.36 6.06 9 2.58 12.2 40.35 4.9 1.45 1.85 1.17 13.7 107.9 6.52 1.32 174 2.75 1.34 17 1.3

35.5 14.44 0.79 1.38 0.29 2.78 14.92 117 25 2.02 5.35 5.75 10.3 16.1 10.5 7.55 1.57 24.5 77.1 51 2.43 14.02 10.12 1.68 286 3.49 9.65 24 13.74 19.3 383.8 0.187 1.34 4.63 6.06 9.1 2.65 12.2 40.5 4.9 1.5 1.92 1.19 13.84 107.9 6.59 1.38 174 2.79 1.37 17 1.36

34.85 14.02 0.72 1.38 0.275 2.67 14.82 116 24.05 2.02 5.35 5.46 10.12 15.96 10.06 7.51 1.57 24 76.5 48.1 2.34 13.74 9.92 1.67 280.8 3.4 9.4 23.45 13.1 19.12 380 0.185 1.3 4.36 5.91 9 2.48 11.98 38.65 4.9 1.45 1.8 1.15 13.7 105.1 6.5 1.3 168 2.65 1.27 17 1.28

34.9 14.04 0.72 1.38 0.28 2.68 14.9 117 24.05 2.02 5.35 5.47 10.2 15.96 10.16 7.54 1.57 24.3 76.5 50.25 2.34 13.76 10 1.67 282 3.49 9.57 23.7 13.6 19.22 380 0.185 1.31 4.38 5.91 9.1 2.48 12.2 38.75 4.9 1.5 1.88 1.16 13.76 106 6.5 1.32 170 2.78 1.28 17 1.33

1,171,300 677,000 3,944,000 49,000 2,360,000 13,268,000 485,000 200 208,400 87,000 25,900 72,400 3,536,100 82,600 884,400 2,501,900 10,000 1,352,100 55,660 144,900 9,585,000 484,700 679,100 79,000 551,770 3,000 2,600 1,160,800 3,194,700 443,200 256,880 440,000 3,684,000 77,000 2,088,200 300 42,133,000 38,700 938,000 25,000 80,000 225,000 475,000 523,900 287,450 226,200 2,409,000 694,850 60,000 14,080,000 100 5,084,000

40,897,975 9,697,054 2,940,470 67,620 664,250 36,089,720 7,217,524 23,360 5,065,410 175,740 138,565 408,509 36,112,522 1,320,248 9,038,422 18,858,878 15,700 32,715,360 4,261,343.50 7,241,552.50 22,736,670 6,713,356 6,780,230 132,000 155,743,154 10,380 24,583 27,486,005 42,541,980 8,519,226 98,048,982 81,560 4,835,150 337,030 12,455,502 2,710 106,959,680 469,470 37,572,455 122,500 117,630 420,430 552,360 7,201,204 30,392,286 1,471,303 3,229,300 118,012,734 165,660 18,564,280 1,700 6,733,500

-16,894,345 282,638 13,263,200 620,678 -36,360 -208,457 -11,488,286 670,620 -585,108 -3,104,101 6,736,465 -2,574,680 3,510,030 -624,840 -433,510 -851,459 -57,112,706 17,938,255 25,068,358 -3,866,718 -23,073,158 -3,297,020 -7,128,028 1,401,110 -15,027,835 879,526 6,425,554 50,028 -57,520 -41,545,570 -3,310,200 -1,700 228,640

HOLDING FIRMS 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 FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.75 55 15.5 0.75 6.75 13.3 1.3 1.34 904.5 3.55 6.8 10.14 14.18 4.14 0.255 875 6.22 63.65 5.91 0.51 4.2 15.3 0.61 4.63 0.039 1.2 181 2.38 940 0.88 1.38 266 0.23 0.31

0.75 55.25 15.54 0.78 6.78 13.3 1.32 1.34 904.5 3.73 6.9 10.2 14.18 4.14 0.255 879.5 6.22 63.65 5.91 0.51 4.36 15.4 0.61 4.64 0.039 1.35 182.5 2.38 958.5 0.88 1.38 266 0.231 0.315

0.69 54 15.36 0.75 6.7 12.8 1.28 1.3 896 3.47 6.61 10.08 13.9 4.1 0.255 850.5 6.21 61.4 5.91 0.49 4.2 15.22 0.59 4.58 0.039 1.15 179.8 2.38 932 0.85 1.34 264.4 0.23 0.3

0.72 54.05 15.4 0.75 6.78 12.9 1.3 1.32 899.5 3.72 6.62 10.16 14.06 4.1 0.255 850.5 6.21 61.7 5.91 0.5 4.28 15.4 0.59 4.58 0.039 1.26 179.8 2.38 945 0.85 1.34 264.4 0.231 0.3

62,972,000 972,350 2,494,600 168,000 11,000 65,000 2,548,000 530,000 393,460 14,433,000 368,000 1,678,800 149,100 65,000 170,000 35,880 5,000 1,590,660 2,000 246,000 377,000 4,583,000 142,000 10,668,000 1,100,000 13,606,000 409,310 5,000 201,970 869,000 20,000 930 300,000 4,910,000

45,142,060 52,814,471 38,477,426 126,570 74,254 839,888 3,294,180 693,340 353,966,525 51,850,850 2,454,228 17,036,050 2,091,766 268,120 43,350 30,743,950 31,083 98,817,555.50 11,820 120,610 1,624,020 70,003,772 85,370 49,176,910 42,900 17,423,180 73,892,153 11,900 191,436,045 743,300 26,840 247,156 69,260 1,499,150

618,940 -28,952,045.50 -21,063,646 24,790 233,250 -57,536,000 -6,091,140 -1,312,970 -10,586,716 -43,610 -14,651,200 -56,076,115 -488,710 -721,138 -6,938,070 -11,231,024 9,805,240 17,200 -21,260 148,350

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

16 0.79 2.06 0.8 50.55 2.34 4.79 6.15 0.59 0.88 0.93 0.225 0.475 9.96 25.95 0.485 1.71 1.32 3.89 5.98 0.33 0.455 1.88 0.41 2.1 26 2.16 3

16 0.8 2.07 0.82 50.95 2.39 4.82 6.35 0.61 0.9 0.93 0.23 0.495 10 26 0.49 1.75 1.35 3.89 6.03 0.335 0.465 1.88 0.41 2.11 26.05 2.16 3

15.64 0.78 2.06 0.8 50 2.33 4.73 6.12 0.58 0.88 0.85 0.225 0.465 9.95 25.6 0.48 1.69 1.31 3.89 5.92 0.32 0.455 1.82 0.41 2.05 25.5 2.12 2.99

15.86 0.8 2.07 0.82 50.5 2.33 4.81 6.16 0.58 0.9 0.91 0.23 0.465 9.96 25.85 0.48 1.69 1.32 3.89 5.97 0.32 0.465 1.83 0.41 2.08 25.5 2.15 2.99

137,200 1,154,000 31,000 1,979,000 6,289,810 837,000 322,000 26,400 26,011,000 72,000 355,000 40,000 11,260,000 441,100 460,100 440,000 53,200,000 3,367,000 1,000 9,031,700 21,440,000 170,000 3,831,000 30,000 698,000 1,596,400 131,000 74,000

2,177,848 908,920 63,920 1,608,830 317,516,721.50 1,957,340 1,542,880 164,498 15,312,170 64,110 308,190 9,050 5,342,950 4,391,086 11,885,460 212,150 91,017,660 4,457,070 3,890 53,826,950 6,941,700 78,050 7,073,440 12,300 1,449,330 40,939,915 281,890 221,770

216,854 89,900 -291,790 38,554,556.50 -133,280 -72,455 -177,730 -900 6,750 114,850 3,431,638 6,476,105 -153,950 -39,280,290 2,680 6,961,880 2,148,050 -1,600 -2,100 -19,610,415 -118,360 -

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

39.2 2.01 6.25 0.78 7.09

39.2 2.04 6.34 0.78 7.13

38.3 1.95 6.18 0.72 7.05

38.3 2 6.19 0.78 7.05

4,570,100 913,000 120,900 3,000 4,441,000

175,952,175 1,819,270 752,382 2,280 31,344,378

-93,224,015 -146,440 -13,326,854

SERVICES 2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PH RESORTS GRP PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

10.92 16.9 1.36 0.455 0.043 21.45 2.89 11.5 0.056 88 7.24 7.11 6.2 2.17 10.36 2,202 5.41 403.2 2.26 1.78 146.7 10.08 6 0.119 6.7 15 4.15 0.82 19.22 0.53 3.42 2.58 1.44 2.38 3.13 9.05 5.1 133 3.6 1,230 0.83 0.83 45.2 75.85 9.44 3.43 0.72 0.405 5.12 0.75 16.54

11 17.2 1.39 0.455 0.044 21.45 2.91 11.62 0.058 88 7.24 7.15 6.49 2.17 10.54 2,238 5.41 413.4 2.32 1.78 147.4 10.14 6 0.124 6.7 15.4 4.24 0.84 19.22 0.57 3.42 2.58 1.73 2.49 3.14 9.25 5.1 133 3.78 1,239 0.83 0.83 45.85 76.2 9.48 3.46 0.74 0.405 5.12 0.75 16.78

10.8 16.8 1.36 0.44 0.043 21.45 2.85 11.48 0.055 85 7.23 7.05 6.1 2.17 10.2 2,122 5.33 403 2.25 1.75 144.7 10.08 5.8 0.117 6.51 15 4.08 0.82 19.06 0.53 3.42 2.55 1.44 2.37 3.07 9 4.98 131 3.6 1,195 0.8 0.8 44.2 75.85 9.44 3.4 0.71 0.38 5.1 0.72 16.54

11 17.2 1.39 0.45 0.043 21.45 2.86 11.56 0.056 86.75 7.23 7.07 6.1 2.17 10.2 2,162 5.36 412 2.29 1.76 144.7 10.14 5.8 0.122 6.57 15.4 4.08 0.84 19.1 0.56 3.42 2.56 1.71 2.43 3.07 9.24 5 131 3.71 1,195 0.81 0.81 45.45 76.2 9.48 3.42 0.72 0.385 5.11 0.75 16.6

16,400 148,700 5,000 2,180,000 23,300,000 700 336,000 1,978,300 23,000,000 225,360 1,400 1,798,100 23,000 6,000 43,700 33,015 146,100 220 1,665,000 182,000 1,162,500 7,200 3,900 860,000 4,081,000 9,100 1,009,000 15,000 1,153,700 540,000 9,000 2,353,000 135,000 1,052,000 96,000 72,700 5,400 21,050 5,312,000 256,930 2,848,000 9,564,000 1,162,800 623,940 12,800 4,317,000 1,681,000 19,110,000 1,923,300 1,602,000 3,350,400

178,628 2,507,436 6,890 980,450 1,011,300 15,015 964,230 22,855,392 1,292,660 19,482,894.50 10,134 12,757,471 142,025 13,020 448,436 71,773,190 782,298 90,492 3,815,680 319,660 169,093,399 72,688 22,800 103,200 26,899,188 136,580 4,165,660 12,410 22,044,602 300,360 30,780 6,034,370 204,990 2,550,810 295,230 657,374 26,962 2,758,400 19,743,910 310,173,850 2,321,980 7,757,430 52,777,360 47,437,597 121,221 14,791,810 1,214,800 7,474,150 9,826,124 1,179,140 55,629,104

1,092 26,100 -12,966,344 18,070 6,479,535.50 630,213 5,944,890 41,200 -154,660.00 -40,019,944 -2,480 -87,670 41,000 14,817,726 161,770 -46,840 -55,560 9,000 98,610 -856,830 -123,164,375 326,340 -71,660 30,246,130 20,963,317 814,450 256,950 103,350 -8,307,571 -8,140 -15,961,356

MINING & OIL ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0019 1.23 2.68 12.3 2.82 0.285 7.64 1.44 0.231 0.111 0.0074 1.03 2.2 1.01 0.55 0.88 0.011 0.011 0.011 4.29 3.05 7.39 21.65 0.0065

0.0019 1.23 2.68 12.34 2.84 0.29 7.71 1.47 0.231 0.111 0.0074 1.03 2.2 1.01 0.55 0.88 0.011 0.011 0.011 4.54 3.08 7.4 22.45 0.0065

0.0018 1.19 2.68 12.3 2.81 0.285 7.62 1.41 0.222 0.108 0.0074 1.03 2.09 0.95 0.54 0.87 0.011 0.011 0.01 4.26 3.01 7.26 21.6 0.0064

0.0018 1.19 2.68 12.34 2.82 0.29 7.63 1.43 0.23 0.111 0.0074 1.03 2.1 1 0.55 0.87 0.011 0.011 0.01 4.26 3.08 7.3 22 0.0064

27,000,000 885,000 2,000 1,400 75,000 760,000 4,100 2,344,000 130,000 9,320,000 11,000,000 49,000 6,689,000 60,000 86,000 334,000 8,300,000 500,000 32,800,000 114,000 494,000 595,000 2,358,300 7,000,000

50,400 1,066,590 5,360 17,256 211,530 216,650 31,308 3,345,500 29,330 1,030,890 81,400 50,470 14,116,700 57,330 46,640 291,020 91,300 5,500 344,000 493,900 1,500,230 4,370,775 51,957,905 45,400

-294,020 -129,720 20,600 -8,165,030 41,800 -234,300 -332,404 -8,111,690.00 -

PREFERRED ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

17 482 487 97.15 106.5 460 487 5.3 917 921.5 96.5 1.01 990 912 99.05 103.2 963 75.55 77.55 73.85 73.95 74 74.4 72 73.7

17 482 487 97.15 107.9 460 487 5.4 917 921.5 96.5 1.01 990 1,010 99.05 103.2 965 75.55 77.55 73.85 73.95 74 74.5 73.6 73.7

16.5 474 486 97.15 106.5 449.8 485 5.3 900 902 95.5 1 986 912 99.05 103.2 929.5 75.55 77 73.85 73.95 74 74.4 72 73.7

17 474 486 97.15 107.9 449.8 485 5.4 900 902 95.5 1 986 1,010 99.05 103.2 965 75.55 77.55 73.85 73.95 74 74.5 72 73.7

70,200 2,120 700 750 2,530 90 2,000 4,000 490 390 1,000 65,000 170 180 1,500 400 1,880 2,000 10,620 120 6,000 3,400 5,300 16,470 1,020

1,193,000 1,017,580 340,270 72,862.50 270,467 40,992 970,860 21,250 441,690 356,150 95,644.50 65,080 167,660 180,720 148,575 41,280 1,760,125 151,100 818,091.50 8,862 443,700 251,600 394,670 1,196,203 75,174

-938,000 4,860 701,470 421,920 -

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.97

1.98

1.97

1.98

17,000

33,560

-

SME ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.09 1.04

5.09 1.1

4.97 1.03

4.98 1.1

642,000 15,683,000

3,209,592 16,885,580

712,628 17,140

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF 119.5

119.5

118.5

119.2

8,300

989,277

477,256

DDS USD DMPL A1

10.2

10.1

10.1

6,970

71,084

-

NAME

MS 10.2

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

11,745,978

INDUSTRIAL

122,257,756

HOLDING FIRMS

126,210,454

PROPERTY

154,139,606

SERVICES

119,979,066

MINING & OIL

112,919,335

GRAND TOTAL

663,586,504

VALUE 1,723.68 (DOWN) 19.11 938,359,487.32 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,591.94 (DOWN) 139.38 1,004,126,875.18 HOLDING FIRMS 7,494.36 (DOWN) 48.15 1,110,788,614.298 PROPERTY 4,294.55 (DOWN) 38.02 SERVICES 1,670.79 (DOWN) 24.08 811,302,279.89 MINING & OIL 7,133.57 (DOWN) 19.21 1,054,550,618.73 PSEI 7,908.99 (DOWN) 81.21 79,493,032.2506 All Shares Index 4,842.72 (DOWN) 42.19 5,019,706,390.58 Gainers: 70; Losers: 136; Unchanged: 43; Total: 249

Wilcon bullish, sees network reaching 100 stores by 2025

By Jenniffer B. Austria WILCON Depot Inc., a leading home improvement and construction material supplier, plans to build more stores to increase its network to 100 outlets by 2025.

Wilcon chairman emeritus William Belo said in an interview following the annual stockholders’ meeting Monday the company was setting a new fiveyear target after being on track to hit 65 stores by 2020, one year ahead of the goal.

The company did not disclose the planned capital spending for the new 35 stores. It said it was securing the sites for the additional stores.

Belo said the new stores could still be well within Metro Manila, citing the growth opportunities within the area.

The company is also looking to expand its presence in areas outside Metro Manila.

Wilcon spends roughly P200 million to construct one outlet with an average floor size of between 8,000 and 10,000 square meters and another P110 million for inventory.

Meanwhile, Wilcon chief operating officer Rosemarie Ong said the company was poised to hit its growth momentum in the second half of the year with revenues expected to grow by double digits this year.

“Wilcon is always bullish on the country’s economic landscape, we will continue with our expansion,” Ong said.

She said full-year sales growth were expected at “high-teens,” while net income would rise by “low-teens” as changes in the accounting rules altered the recognition of certain expenses and due to increased operating costs.

Wilcon said the US-China trade war would have a positive effect on the company, citing that Chinese manufacturers would be pressed to find markets and offer cheaper prices for their products.

Megaworld still cautious on Reit, eyes new rules MEGAWORLD Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, said it will wait for the revised implementing rules and regulations on the Real Estate Investment Trust before making a Reit offering.

Megaworld chief strategy officer Kevin Tan said in an interview at the sidelines of the company’s 25th listing anniversary at the Philippine Stock Exchange that it was not interested in conducting a Reit offering based on current rules that required “very high” minimum public ownership.

“We are definitely studying Reits. We are also carefully watching developments on Reit, because the current one we have right now, with the very high MPO requirement, is not something that interests us,” Tan said.

Tan, however, said Megaworld would be interested with the government’s move to amend the minimum public ownership required for Reit offering.

The present guidelines require a Reit company to have an initial minimum public ownership level of 40 percent, before raising it to 67 percent in three years.

The Securities and Exchange Commission last month said it was reviewing the rules to make them less stringent.

Tan said Megaworld had may options on REIT offerings, being one of the leading developers of office, hotels and malls in the country.

Ayala Land Inc. in April announced plans to raise about $500 million through a Reit offering involving prime office buildings in Makati.

The Reit Act passed in 2009 allows companies to list their real property assets with the Philippine Stock Exchange to serve as a new vehicle to raise funds for other investments and expansion initiatives.

Meanwhile, Tan said Megaworld would launch six additional townships over the next 18 months to boost its mixed-use development portfolio to 30 by 2020.

He said the new township developments would cover around 2,000 hectares. Five of these new expansive townships and lifestyle communities are in Luzon, while one is in Mindanao.

“Currently, we have a little over 4,000 hectares of both developed and developable land. By next year, we will increase our land ownership and landholding to more than 6,000 hectares as we continue to focus on our goal to expand to key growth areas in the provinces, help boost tourism, provide jobs and further spur economic opportunities outside of Metro Manila,” Tan said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

World

B3

TUESDAY, JUNE 18 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

HK activist leaves jail, pledges to join protests

IN BRIEF Doctors strike over violence

NEW DELHI―Tens of thousands of Indian doctors went on strike Monday calling for more protection against violence by patients and their families, as parliament met for the first time since the national elections.

The nationwide strike, which will last until Tuesday morning, is in solidarity with doctors in the eastern state of West Bengal after three were viciously attacked by the relatives of a man who died.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), representing 350,000 of India’s 900,000 doctors, called for tougher punishments for those assaulting medical staff.

Blaming the attacks in part on “high expectations” by patients, poor infrastructure and inadequate staffing, the IMA said hospitals should have more security cameras and that the entry of visitors to hospitals should be restricted.

The strike, which does not include emergency services, takes place as parliament convened for the first time since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was re-elected in a landslide last month.

Doctors in West Bengal’s capital Kolkata have been on strike since last Monday, when a family assaulted three doctors after a relative died during treatment at a state-run hospital.

The family, who blamed the death on negligence by the doctors, lashed out violently and left two of the medical staff critically injured.

The strike in West Bengal, which has also been wracked by weeks of political violence with almost 20 people killed, has crippled medical services for the state’s 90 million people.

On Monday doctors in the state were due to discuss the strike with Mamata Banerjee, the state premier and fierce Modi opponent.

India spends less than two percent of its GDP on health care, making it one of the lowest investors in the sector globally, with the World Health Organization placing it below both Iraq and Venezuela.

However, Modicare―a quietly successful part of Modi’s surprising reelection―is a huge public health initiative set to benefit the poorest. AFP

Dozen killed in bus crash

JAKARTA―Twelve people were killed and dozens more injured in an Indonesian traffic accident Monday after a bus passenger tried to wrest control of the steering wheel following an argument with the driver, police said.

The accident happened around 1:00 am Monday (1800 GMT Sunday) when the coach swerved into oncoming traffic on a toll road in West Java, smashing into two cars and causing a truck to roll.

Some 43 people were injured in the multi-vehicle accident and rushed to hospital, police said.

“In the middle of the journey, a passenger attempted to forcibly take control of the steering wheel... and the bus then lost control,” Atik Suswanti, the head of the Majalengka police traffic unit, told AFP. The 29-year-old passenger was severely injured, according to authorities. It was not immediately clear if the bus driver survived.

Traffic accidents are common in the Southeast Asian archipelago, where vehicles are often old and poorly maintained and road rules regularly flouted.

In September, at least 21 people died when a bus plunged into a ravine in West Java’s Sukabumi region. AFP

FREE AGAIN. Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong speaks to reporters after addressing supporters outside the Legislative Council following his release from prison, as he and others rally against a controversial extradition bill in Hong Kong on June 17, 2019. Wong called on the city’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam to resign after he walked free from prison on June 17. AFP

HK leader apologizes as protest chokes city

H

ONG KONG― About two million protesters choked Hong Kong’s streets in a powerful rebuke of a reviled extradition law, organizers said Sunday, piling pressure on the city’s embattled pro-Beijing leader who apologized for causing “conflict” but refused to step down.

The show of force saw vast crowds marching for hours in tropical heat, calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, who was forced to suspend the bill as public anger mounted.

Throngs of largely black-clad protesters snaked their way for miles through the streets to the city’s parliament -with the organizers’ estimate for the crowd size doubling an already recordbreaking demonstration the previous Sunday in the city of 7.3 million.

The estimate has not been independently verified but if confirmed it would be the largest demonstration in Hong Kong’s history.

Hong Kong’s biggest protest to date was a massive rally in support of Tiananmen protesters in May 1989, before Beijing’s deadly crackdown, which sources at the time put at roughly 1.5 million strong.

Police, who historically give far lower estimates for political protests, said 338,000 people turned out at the demonstration’s “peak” Sunday.

Thousands were camping out overnight to continue the protest, including outside the legislature, with the police seemingly ceding the streets to the jubilant masses.

Critics fear the Beijing-backed law will entangle people in China’s notoriously opaque and politicized courts and damage the city’s reputation as a safe business hub.

Lam’s office put out a statement late Sunday admitting that shortcomings in how her administration handled the law had “led to a lot of conflict and disputes”

and “disappointed and distressed many citizens”.

It came a day after she announced she would postpone the law indefinitely.

But it fell well short of protester demands that she resign, shelve the bill permanently and apologize for police using tear gas and rubber bullets earlier in the week.

The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organizing the rallies, said Hong Kongers would protest and strike on Monday “until their voices are heard”.

The international finance hub was rocked Wednesday by the worst political violence in decades as protesters were dispersed by baton-wielding riot police.

Many accused the police of using excessive force, and anger was further fanned by authorities calling the largely young protesters “rioters”.

Nearly 80 people were injured in the unrest―including 22 police officers― with both sides showing a willingness to escalate action and reaction to levels unseen in the usually stable business hub. AFP

PHILOSOPHY EXAM. A high school student takes the philosophy exam, the first test session of the 2019 baccalaureate (high school graduation exam), on June 17, 2019, at the Pasteur high school in Strasbourg, eastern France. AFP

Paris rediscovers appetite for its world-beating ‘bouillons’ PARIS―Every weekend a queue snakes down the street not far from the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

This is not some hoard of clueless foreigners that are easy prey for the tourist traps that dot Pigalle and Montmartre.

These are savvy and often stylish Parisians eager to sit down to one of the best value meals in the French capital.

Earlier this month the Bouillon Pigalle’s egg mayonnaise was voted the best in the world by a jury of French gastronomes, beating Michelin three-star restaurants and the version served up by President Emmanuel Macron’s kitchen at the Elysee Palace.

For just 1.80 euros ($2) you can feast on this simple but exquisite French culinary classic.

So it is easy to see why the crowds are flocking there and to a clutch of other older and grander “bouillon” restaurants, which serve classic French comfort food at modest prices.

These places, where you can eat well amid Art Nouveau splendor for as little as 20 euros for three courses, are having something of a revival.

“What is not to like about this?” declared Edouard, the mustachioed patriarch of the Bordier clan, with three generations of his family from the Paris suburbs seated around the table at Bouillon Julien.

“Just look at this,” he said, pointing at the enormous cream profiterole before him and then sweeping his hand out to take in the restaurant’s original Belle Epoque decor.

“And they say the French no longer know to live!” he laughed.

The South Korean fashionistas at the next table, where singer Edith Piaf once dined daily, told AFP that it was their “favorite Åand cheapest meal” since they arrived.

One, Kim Bo-young, liked its thick paper tablecloths so much she wondered

aloud about making a dress out of them.

Bouillons were invented to serve up cheap soups and stews at speed to busy Parisians in the 19th century.

“Bouillon” means broth in French, and it was from the restorative qualities of their principal dish that the word “restaurant” comes.

Bouillon Julien went back to its roots last year and lowered the prices for its clever hearty food after restoring the frescoes and mosaics in its beautiful 113-year-old interior.

Walking through mahogany dining hall with its glade-green walls is like “going back in time”, said Kim, 32, tucking into a rabbit terrine with nuts and ravigote sauce for 5.20 euros.

It is a similar story at Chartier—the daddy of all Parisian bouillons which has been going since 1896—where the whiteaproned waiters write down the orders on the paper tablecloth before totting up the bill with head-spinning speed. AFP

HONG KONG―Leading Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong walked free from prison on Monday and vowed to join the historic antigovernment protests rocking the finance hub, as activists debated how to keep pressure on the city’s embattled pro-Beijing leader.

Organizers said some two million people marched in tropical heat on Sunday calling for the resignation of chief executive Carrie Lam, protesting a now abandoned bill that would have allowed extraditions to the Chinese mainland.

The city has witnessed unprecedented scenes as public anger boils towards the city’s leaders and Beijing, with two record-breaking rallies a week apart punctuated by violent clashes between protesters and police armed with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Wong, the poster child of the huge pro-democracy “Umbrella Movement” protests in 2014, became the latest voice to call for Lam’s resignation as he was released from a sentence imposed over his leadership of those demonstrations.

“She is no longer qualified to be Hong Kong’s leader,” he told reporters. “I will also fight with all Hong Kongers to oppose the evil China extradition law.”

Wong was sent to prison in May and was eligible for early release for good behavior―there is no indication the move was linked to the current protests. AFP

World has fewer but newer nukes STOCKHOLM―The overall number of nuclear warheads in the world has declined in the past year but nations are modernizing their arsenals, a report published Monday said.

At the start of 2019, the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea had a total of some 13,865 nuclear weapons, according to estimates in a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

That represents a decrease of 600 nuclear weapons compared to the start of 2018.

But at the same time all nuclear weapon-possessing countries are modernizing these arms―and China, India and Pakistan are also increasing the size of their arsenals.

“The world is seeing fewer but newer weapons,” Shannon Kile, director of the SIPRI Nuclear Arms Control Program and one of the report’s authors, told AFP. The drop in recent years can mainly be attributed to the US and Russia, whose combined arsenals still make up more than 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons.

This is in part due to the countries fulfilling their obligations under the New START treaty―which puts a cap on the number of deployed warheads and was signed by the US and Russia in 2010―as well as getting rid of obsolete warheads from the Cold War era.

The START treaty is however due to expire in 2021, which Kile said was worrying since there are currently “no serious discussions underway about extending it”. AFP

Damaged tankers reach safe waters after Gulf attacks DUBAI―Two damaged tankers arrived safely Sunday at locations off the Emirati coast after they were rocked by explosions in Gulf waters, in an incident Saudi Arabia blamed on its regional arch-rival Iran.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was carrying highly flammable methanol through the Gulf of Oman on Thursday when it came under attack along with the Norwegian-operated Front Altair―the second assault in a month in the strategic shipping lane.

US President Donald Trump has said the operation had Iran “written all over it”―rejecting Tehran’s vehement denial―and Washington’s key Gulf ally Saudi Arabia has also lashed out against Tehran.

In his first public comments since

the attacks, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in remarks published Sunday that he would not hesitate to tackle any threats to the oilrich kingdom.

“We do not want a war in the region... But we won’t hesitate to deal with any threat to our people, our sovereignty, our territorial integrity and our vital interests,” he told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

He said Iran had responded to a visit to Tehran by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “by attacking two tankers, one of which was Japanese”.

Abe had been on an unprecedented visit to the Iranian capital in a bid to defuse tensions between Washington and the Islamic republic when the attacks took place. AFP

LGUs

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

B4

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Manila Mayor-elect Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso (seated right) chats with outgoing Mayor Joseph Estrada at the latter’s city hall office on Monday. Domagoso, who was once Estrada’s vice mayor, also requested the turnover of important city documents such as contracts, loan agreements, inventory and audit reports.

QC OKs public mortuaries Emergency med gab tips LGUs on cardiac arrest THE Philippine College of Emergency Medicine recently held an assembly to talk about the importance of a multi-level, multi-sectoral, multi-systems approach and follow the 10 steps recommended by the Global Resuscitation Alliance to improve outcomes from sudden cardiac arrests.

Emphasizing the burden of sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of providing immediate and quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the event was held last April 30 at the EDSA Shangri-La Manila.

Representatives from the PCEM led the meeting, including Dr. Martin Luna, PCEM President; Dr. Pauline Convocar of Corazon Locsin Memorial Medical Center in Bacolod City, PCEM Chair of Section on Advocacy; Dr. Faith Joan Gaerlan of the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City; and Dr. Bernadett Velasco of East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, PCEM Chair of Committee on EMS and Disaster Medicine, among others.

Joining the PCEM in spearheading the initiative is the Global Resuscitation Alliance, an international organization that pushes for wider implementation of policies and practices that will guide emergency medicine professionals, frontliners and even lay rescuers to ultimately benefit SCA patients.

Representatives from the City of Makati, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Department of Tourism were also present during the event to share SCArelated stories from their respective organizations and their commitments to the cause.

Guests from the International Federation of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Lee Wallis and the American Heart Association, and Dr. Jose Maria Ferrer also attended and gave inputs.

SCA is a condition where the heart suddenly stops functioning, preventing blood from flowing to vital organs of the body. If not treated immediately, SCA can be fatal and chances of survival can be as little as two percent.

By Rio N. Araja

B

ARELY two weeks before his exit, outgoing Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has approved a measure that would pave the way for the establishment of a public mortuary in each of the locality’s six districts.

Bautista said City Ordinance 2753 is designed to provide indigent residents with decent and dignified funeral for their departed loved ones.

The ordinance was the city’s response to the requests of the poor residents for funeral home services for their deceased family members, he added.

Often, poor families were forced to hold wakes outside their homes, the mayor said.

The planned public mortuaries shall have 10 viewing rooms each.

In another development, Bautista led the inauguration of a newly constructed seven-story building at the Quezon

City University, formerly the Quezon City Polytechnic University.

The building consists of 33 laboratories and a 500-seater auditorium on the seventh floor that shall cater to the 8,600 university students.

The city-owned university has another seven-story academic building under construction and two other buildings undergoing renovation.

QCU offers five four-year degree programs—Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship, BS Information Technology, BS Electrical Engineering, BS Industrial Engineering, and BS Accountancy.

Meanwhile, The City Council,

through City Resolution 7787-2018 introduced by Councilor Godofredo T. Liban II, authorized Bautista to grant P1 million in financial assistance to the Quezon City Former Barangay Kagawad Foundation.

QCFBKF extends aid and assistance to the community especially to its members who are former village councilors of the city.

“City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista acceded to assist the QCFBKF in every reasonable means by granting the request of financial assistance amounting to P1,000,000 to carry out its mandate, projects, and activities,” the resolution reads.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, the city government, through its chief executive and the city council, can provide assistance to people’s organizations and NGOs for economic, socially-oriented, environmental, or cultural projects to be implemented in their community.

OATHTAKING.

Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the oathtaking ceremony for all elected officials of Quezon Province at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City over the weekend. The officials were led by Quezon Governorelect Danilo E. Suarez, Vice Governor Samuel Nantes, 2nd District Rep.elect David Jayjay Suarez, and 3rd District Rep.-elect Aleta C. Suarez.

Benjie Antioquia

Court issues writ to eject Sumalo RDC ‘detainers’ DINALUPIHAN, Bataan—Dinalupihan-Hermosa Municipal Circuit Trial Court Presiding Judge Philip M.Cruz has issued a writ of execution order of its earlier decision ejecting 18 unlawful detainers in the Riverforest Development Corp. Property/Litton Estate in Barangay Sumalo, Hermosa.

The order was dated May 29 based on courtdocuments.

RDC Development and Community Manager Dani Beltran said they filed the case against the unlawful detainers

in 2013. In June 2018, the MCTC then ordered unlawful detainers to vacate the property.

Beltran added the detainers filed a motion against the order, but MCTC re-affirmed its order in November 2018.

The detainers headed by Sumalo Barangay Captain Rolando Martinez, Beltran said in a statement, “are clever enough to use the June 8 incident to derail the execution of ejectment order issued by the court last month.”

“The attack, in the end, is no longer

about the security guards whose lives they continuously threaten but more about on the integrity of the judicial process who have respected their rights to due process throughout before coming up with the decision for their ejectment with finality,” he added.

On June 8, about 20 residents started the assault on unarmed RDC guards leading to an encounter that killed one person and wounded two in Sumalo, the company said. The victims were members of assaulting team. Butch Gunio

Isko pays Erap courtesy call, meets Lim too INCOMING Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Monday paid a courtesy call on outgoing Mayor Joseph Estrada at the latter’s office at the Manila City Hall.

In a statement, Domagoso said he paid the courtesy call as he was willing to work with the outgoing mayor to fulfill his mandate to uplift the nation’s capital from further deterioration.

The Mayor-elect also personally handed Estrada a letter to formally request the turnover of important documents such as contracts, loan agreements, inventory and audit reports, among others.

“No matter what color or political affiliation, we have to arrest the city’s freefall. We must humble ourselves not only for us but also for all Manilans,” Domagoso said.

Before meeting with Estrada, Domagoso also took the time to meet with former Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim to ask for his insights in leading the city, particularly on the aspect of ensuring peace and order.

During the heated local elections, Domagoso ran on a platform-based campaign centered on cleaning up the nation’s capital.

As a former trash picker, Domagoso vowed to all Manileños that his administration will clean Manila’s streets, alleys and waterways.

Domagoso, together with reelected Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and the incoming City Councilors, are set to take their oath as Manila’s new leaders on June 30.

‘Last Mile’ schools, roads for learners eyed NEVER again should a child put his life at risk by crossing streams or taking long walks on poor roads, good or bad weather, just to get to school.

This is what a bill filed recently in the House of Representatives by Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda seeks to attain by building access roads for all learners and and to all “Last Mile Schools” around the country.

Salceda’s House Bill 9159 aims to provide access to education, particularly, in geographically isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas, where schoolchildren are known to walk long stretches of mountain paths and poorly maintained roads, cross stream rapids and flood prone areas, exposing themselves daily to dangers just to learn.

“Last Mile Schools” are schools located in far-flung areas or hours away from town centers and have less than four classrooms, aside from any of the following: with no electricity, with less than 100 learners and 50 percent or more being children from indigenous tribes, with makeshift and or non-standard rooms, and with no repairs and new projects in the last four years.

The proposal mandates the Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Budget and Management, to draw the comprehensive roadmap in providing the necessary infrastructure in these areas and close the gap in three years.

Under the proposal, DepEd and DPWH will converge to plan and construct the infrastructures within three years to benefit public school students in: 1) the geographically isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas; and 2) Last Mile Schools; and 3) schools with limited or no Access Roads to All Learners.

Currently, Salceda noted, there are 8,000 Last Mile Schools in different remote and isolated communities nationwide that need to be empowered and strengthened, their facilities upgraded, so teachers will have better and more opportunities to improve their teaching methods and provide students new means of learning.

Chevron extends La Union marine sanctuary project REAFFIRMING its commitment to support communities and the environment, Chevron Philippines Inc. marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, has extended its Marine Protected Area project in Barangay Poro in San Fernando City, La Union for another six months or until this June.

The Poro MPA project, which started in 2013 and is funded through a P7.2-million grant from CPI, has helped forge public-private partnerships. It has also set up self-reliant people’s organization and established sustainable livelihood for the community.

The Poro MPA project is co-managed with the Poro Sea Lovers Association, a people’s organization based in Barangay Poro. Select members of the PSLA are also part of the Poro MPA Management Council and Bantay Dagat, which oversee the management, patrolling, monitoring, law enforcement and integration of the Poro MPA into the city’s MPA network.

CPI project partner Institute for Social Order proposed the extension after the five--year contract ended in 2018 to strengthen

the operation of the Poro MPA and, in the case of the PSLA, in attaining financial sustainability.

CPI approved the extension proposal in pursuit of its goal of empowering communities to become active and productive members of society.

“It has always been Chevron’s mission to pursue projects that address community needs. We have seen how the MPA project significantly impacted the lives of the people in Barangay Poro.

We hope the extension will bring even more opportunities for them and improve their quality of life,” said CPI Country Chairman Louie Zhang.

The project encourages residents to be MPA guardians while providing them with livelihood opportunities such as an eatery, catering business, spicy dried anchovy production and rice trading. These livelihood projects augment families’ income and help wean the community from overdependence on fishing.

Chevron operates three Caltex service stations in and around San Fernando, La Union and a terminal in Poro Point.

DAD’S DAY TREAT. Navotas Mayor-elect Toby Tiangco supervises the spa treat-

ment of male city residents chosen from a list of nominees in celebration of Father’s Day on Sunday. Jun David

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

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ILIPINOS, in general, are a cheerful lot. In fact, the latest Social Weather Station poll showed that nearly half or four out of 10 Filipinos are “very happy” with their lives.

The survey, conducted May 28-31, asked 1,440 adults, aged 18 years old and above. Forty-four percent of those surveyed responded “very happy” to the question, “If you were to consider your life in general these days, how happy or unhappy would you say you are on the whole?” Meanwhile 37 percent said they were also “very satisfied.”

The United Nations reported in March that the Philippines ranked the 69th happiest country in the world (out of 156).

This is consistent with a Gallup survey, “which finds an increase in the percentage of Filipinos who consider their life positive enough to rate it as ‘thriving’ in recent years,” reported Forbes.

Interestingly, the country edged out China in the happiness rankings, considering the latter is the world’s largest economy, with a per capita gross domestic product about four times higher than the Philippines.

Filipinos are a ‘happy, resilient people’

Psychologist Therese Castillo said the Filipinos are generally a “happy people.” She explained, “If our people were as privileged as other countries, we may not have developed the coping skills distinct to Filipinos. Most Filipinos use humor as part of coping with problems and struggles.”

Scientific studies suggest happiness or positive emotions can help make life longer and healthier.

“Happiness is just the absence of sadness or problems but is also related to the quality of life, well-being, pleasure and satisfaction. There are major areas of our lives such as our work, relationships, health, and leisure (how we spend our free time) that impact our happiness,” added Castillo.

If happiness were based on the aforementioned factors, then construction

@MStandardLIFE TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

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Behind the cheery smile: Are Filipinos truly happy?

HAPPY PEOPLE. According to a psychologist, Filipinos are generally a happy people, thanks to the coping skills we’ve developed from the struggles we faced.

(Photo from Department of Tourism / Facebook) worker, Rodolfo Corpuz is much happier. He attests that his life now is much better than before.

“I can say that my life is more comfortable now. I feel the ease and convenience of my life today, with my work, and so do my colleagues,” said Corpuz.

From earning P334 a day weighing chemical ingredients used for various animal feeds, Corpuz now earns over P500 daily (plus overtime) as a trainer for his fellow construction workers and as an assessor—roles he bagged after a rigorous set of trainings. Because of the opportunity he has now, his family is living more comfortably, added Corpuz.

Corpuz’s construction job is physically

demanding, yet also in-demand these days as the current administration prioritizes flagship infrastructure projects under its Build Build Build (BBB) program.

Last year, BBB held its first job caravan, with more than 17,000 vacancies posted and over 5,200 were hired directly by employers. It was reported earlier that 28 of these flagship projects are eyed to be completed before President Rodrigo Duterte’s term ends in 2022.

cations when she first visited Boracay in 2009.

She returned to the country in 2011, and while sitting at the edge of a pool enjoying the warm sun and sipping a cool mango shake while her friends were in the water, that was when she thought to herself, “Why can’t I have this life? Nobody is stopping me except myself, so in 2012, I walked away from my career in search for a greater adventure in the Philippines. I have lived here ever since.”

Filipinos are generally While settling here, Meyer had to deal with difficulties that took a toll hopeful Californian Liana Meyer used to on her mental and physical health. Inwork for a non-profit organization do- stead of returning to the United States, ing fundraising and donor communi- Meyer stayed simply because she loves

An SWS survey revealed nearly half or 4 out of 10 Filipinos are ‘very happy’ with their lives. (Photo from unsplash.com)

working and living here. Aside from the solid support system of friends and colleagues (both Filipinos and expatriates), she also discovered that the Philippines has world-class medical professionals that are far more accessible and affordable than in the US. Through such difficult experience, “that I found my faith in God. I was an atheist all my life before I moved to the Philippines. Years after living here, I discovered my faith and it is that, above all, now helps me cope with difficulties,” she revealed.

Dr. Castillo said “our ability to cope with or react to circumstances greatly Turn to C2

A good quality of life is closely related to happiness, a psychologist said. (Photo from DoT/Facebook)

Group urges public to plant more trees during rainy season THE Philippine Wood Producers Association (PWPA) is urging all stakeholders in the country anew to plant more trees during monsoon season so they can take advantage of the frequent rains, which are good for the growth of the seedlings.

“The rainy season creates an excellent environment for the seedlings to take root,” said PWPA chairman Charlie Liu. “Seedlings which are planted during the rainy season can get the most benefit as they generally fare better when they are exposed to moderate temperature and a healthy amount of rainfall.”

The same can’t be said during the warmer months of the year, especially around March to early May, where peak temperatures can leave the soil dry and even kill the seedlings. “Planting during the rainy season allows optimum growth, thereby giving the seedlings a better chance of survival during the summer months,” he added.

He did warn that the moist environment provided by the rains is not enough, and utmost care is also needed for the seedlings to grow properly.

This involves, among others, proper irrigation, efficient use of fertilizers, and ensuring the seedlings are shielded against factors that may damage them or hinder their growth.

“A lot of water is good for seedling growth, but too much and they may

try’s overall forest cover, and assure the next generations of a future where trees abound.

“While it may take a few years for the seedlings to mature, we can never go wrong in planting as many trees as we can today so that our children and their children can experience the beauty of Mother Nature and the high quality of life that she promises,” said Liu. Addressing the Philippines’ rapidly decreasing forest cover is one of the primary goals of PWPA, an organization of wood suppliers and manufacturers that pushes for sustainable forest management to promote the well-being of the local forestry industry.

The organization continuously promotes wood, which when harnessed sustainably, can be an important driver of growth and development for many communities in the Philippines and its economy as a whole.

In line with its goal to increase the sustainable use of wood, PWPA is holding the Philippine Wood Expo 2019 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza on October 21-22. The event aims to expand the reach of businesses in the The Philippine Wood Producers Association urges all stakeholders in the country to take advantage of the monsoon season to plant more trees. wood sector by providing them with the opportunity to interface with other decay or washed away. They will also it will surely grow into a beautiful and groups, and the private sector to par- industry players. ticipate in more tree-planting activities need healthy soil, as well as protec- healthy tree,” advised Liu. Liu thus calls on government agen- during the said season, in order to slow tion against plant diseases and pests.

Go to www.pwpa.org.ph If proper care is given to the seedling, cies, academic institutions, civil down the rapid decrease in the counfor more information.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

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Gen Z versus tooth sensitivity ESEARCH has shown that as many as one in three people may suffer from tooth hypersensitivity or pangingilo, with prevalence peaking at 30 to 40 years of age.

But a recent study has also found that two out of five younger adults, between 18 and 25 years old, or the age range of older Generation Z, now experience the onset of tooth sensitivity.

Tooth sensitivity is a common, irreversible problem caused by dentine exposure brought about by attrition from tooth grinding or jaw clenching, erosion from dietary acids, or abrasion from brushing too vigorously.

It occurs when the dentine underneath the tooth enamel becomes exposed, revealing small holes called tubules.

When the fluid inside these tiny tubules encounters something cold, hot, sweet, or sour, it can trigger the nerves inside the tooth and cause a short, sharp pain.

“The youth of today enjoy a dynamic lifestyle. They are highly mobile and always multitasking. As such, oral health may not always be a top priority. In fact, more than 50 percent of them do not consult their dentist on problems such as tooth sensitivity and find ways to work around it instead,” said Michael Mallari, expert sales manager at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Philippines.

He continued, “However, for Filipino Gen Zers, who constantly con-

nect with friends and family through shared meals, experiencing pangingilo is a major distraction and a problem that needs to be addressed,” said Mallari, citing the young generation’s love of exploring new things.

“Instead of enjoying and being able to try out new food, they experience pain and discomfort that takes their attention away from the moments that matter.”

However, experts say it can be managed with proper dental hygiene.

In a recent event, dubbed “Face the Race,” oral healthcare brand Sensodyne, launched the new Sensodyne Rapid Relief toothpaste made for tooth sensitivity.

“We understand that bonding over meals is a culturally intrinsic activity and is highly valued among Filipino youths,” said Ritesh Pandey, general

From left: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare retailer manager Robelle Venzon, expert sales manager Michael Mallari, general manager Ritesh Pandey, oral health category lead Leanne Jacinto, sales director Dhanica Tiu, trade marketing head Katrina Mangubat, and trade marketing manager Katherine Sayon at the launch of the new Sensodyne Rapid Relief.

Tooth sensitivity or ‘pangingilo’ occurs when the dentine underneath the tooth enamel becomes exposed, revealing small holes called tubules, into which cold, hot, sour, or sweet food can enter and trigger the nerves inside the tooth, causing short, sharp pain.

manager of GlaxoSmithKline Philippines Consumer Healthcare.

Pandey added, “With Sensodyne Rapid Relief, those who suffer from pangingilo can experience immediate relief from the first time they brush so they can continue enjoying their food bonding experiences with minimal distraction from their teeth.”

When used as directed, the unique technology in Sensodyne Rapid Relief toothpaste offers fast relief and long lasting protection to beat sensitivity. It has an active ingredient called stannous fluoride which enables faster blockage of the tubules. It also has an optimized polymer system that creates a gel-like scaffold which holds the stannous fluoride in place, preventing it from being washed away in the mouth.

It’s now available at leading drugstores and supermarkets nationwide.

Beauty talk at Healthy Options NATURAL and organic products retailer Healthy Options is hosting a workshoptalk on mineral makeup, entitled “Make Beauty Natural,” on June 28-29.

The event, happening at Healthy Options Rockwell (June 28) and Healthy Options Shangri-La Mall (June 29), will feature Elizabeth Bartlett, a fully licensed aesthetician, trainer, and representative of Mineral Fusion.

Bartlett will dispel the myths surrounding the use of makeup, and share some tips as well as corrective application techniques. The talk is well-suited for consumers with allergies or skin sensitivity issues, as well as natural beauty lovers.

Since educating consumers is a key piece of the clean and natural beauty movement, the workshop-talk aims to educate cosmetics buyers that it is best to use products with skin-nourishing healthy ingredients.

Mineral Fusion is the leading natural brand of cosmetics from the USA. With no synthetic ingredients added into its formulas, along with no animal testing,

Certain food items can trigger tooth sensitivity, which, experts say, can be managed with proper dental hygiene.

iPhoto

the brand is committed to keeping it all-natural.

The makeup line claims to instantly improve complexion while nourishing skin, all while being appropriate for even the most sensitive skin types.

Healthy Options carries the innovative collection of antioxidant-enhanced, mineral-rich cosmetics label. It takes pride in partnering with a company committed to sustainability, and is attuned to evolving customer needs, such as the desire for healthy ingredients in the makeup they purchase.

Head to the nearest branch to reserve seat for the workshop-talk. A ticket can be bought at a special rate of P1,000 only (until June 20), or at the P1,500 regular rate (June 21 onwards). Each ticket includes a P1,000 shopping voucher for Mineral Fusion valid during the day of the event, special surprises and privileges, plus an exclusive one-on-one makeover after the event.

Healthy Options Gold Members are entitled to get 1+1 tickets.

Affordable CTScan treatment in Cavite PATIENT undergoing a CT-Scan procedure at High Integrated Diagnostics and Wellness Center, the first diagnostic and healthcare clinic in Cavite that is equipped with the most advanced medical imaging machines HIDC has MRI, CT-Scan, Ultrasound and X-ray systems, as well as a complete laboratory facility. It has branches in Tanza, Rosario, and Salinas.

Pfizer PH employees donate blood PFIZER Philippines’ CSR arm Pfizer Philippines Foundation, Inc., in partnership with the Philippine Blood Center, conducted an intercompany bloodletting activity to commemorate World Blood Donor Day on June 14.

“Blood donors are considered modern heroes because they help maintain the national supply of safe blood for patients in need,” says PPFI manager Geoffrey Garcia. “The simple act of donating blood can save many lives because blood is separated into its components which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.”

Behind...

From C1

affect our ability to be happy. We’ve experienced natural disasters and socio-economic struggles over many years and the Filipinos have come out strong and hopeful. Filipinos are generally hopeful despite poverty and lack of resources.”

Aesthetician and Mineral Fusion representative Elizabeth Bartlett will talk about mineral makeup in the upcoming ‘Make Beauty Natural’ workshop-talk at Healthy Options.

Filipinos are supportive

Filipinos are generally supportive

of each other, Castillo noted. “We’re sensitive to another person’s needs and feelings that other cultures may not have. We value the sense of community and support as Filipinos. At times of desperation and struggle, we hold on to these values that keep us strong and hopeful.”

Meyer said that it would help expatriates like her to have Filipino friends.

“It’s true that Filipinos are very hospitable. I’ve met so many parents, siblings, titas, and titos, and they treat me like family. I urge anyone though to only

seek out these friendships if you intend to return the favor … You don’t need to be showy or give expensive gifts. You just need to show up … and don’t forget to bring food!” she advised.

Meyer, who is now based in Cagayan De Oro with her fiancé, hopes that Filipinos continue to protect their heart. “Filipinos are a fun-loving and faith-filled people--qualities derived not from their circumstances, but their spirit. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to humble my heart and adopt this way of life.”

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TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

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No network hopping for Shaina Magdayao Very Wang...

K APAMILYA star Shaina Magdayao wants to correct the hot rumor that she is switching home networks from ABS-CBN to GMA.

From C4

Always working toward her goal, Hannah said “I am very serious about my singing. And I am willing to pursue this for as long as I can.”

Now comes “Heto Na Naman,” a first label-produced single designed to further her up the rung in Hannah’s climb to the top.

Though she’s released some songs before, Hannah considers “Heto Na Naman” as her debut.

“My new single was written

by Hannah Dela Rosa and now distributed by Viva Records.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to contribute with the songwriting, but I hope to do that as well soon.”

Still, Hannah has no shortage of skills. A performer who can play a variety of instruments which includes stringed

In a recent interview, the 29-year-old Shaina affirmed her being a solid Kapamilya and even promoted her latest web series, Past, Present, Perfect, which now streams on ABS-CBN’s iWant.

“I’m still in the Kapamilya grounds. Proof is my finished work for iWant. For now, that’s the situation,” she points out.

The rumor came out at a time when the actress was still overwhelmed with her recent attendance to the Cannes Film Festival in France.

“I was part of the Philippine delegation for the movie Ang Hupa helmed by Lav Diaz which made its premiere at Cannes.

As of now, I’m still digesting everything so to speak from that once-in-a-lifetime experience. I couldn’t believe I was there,” she says.

“It has never crossed my mind that one day, I would be attending this. Everybody knows how grand and classy Cannes is. Over the years, many of Hollywood’s bigwigs have graced the occasion with their luminous presence.

I was given the chance and I thank the Lord for giving me such blessing in my career,” she adds.

At this point, Shaina wants to take things one step at a time.

After Past, Present, Perfect, she thinks she’d be doing another series for iWant.

“Actually, according to ABSCBN, they have lined-up a project for me. I’m still unaware of the details though since I just arrived from Cannes. I just don’t know if it’s still going to push through,” she shares. *** It’s been a decade when Pops Fernandez last figured in a romantic relationship. After her break-up with Jomari Yllana in 2009, she remained single until now.

“And I’m not complaining!” she says. “I’m okay with my status even if some say no one’s making my heart happy. Maybe some people don’t understand it. But for women whose long been single, it’s quite easy. They would understand that after a while, they get used to be by themselves.”

The 52-year-old Pops explains that even if she has no love life as of now, it doesn’t mean she’s lonely.

“I may be single but definitely, I’m not lonely! For one, my children are with me. I have lots of friends, too. I can do whatever I want to do at my time. It’s better. There’s no pressure.”

Does she still wait for the right guy to come along?

“If he does, I don’t mind. But for sure, it’s not my priority. I’m a strong fairy-tale believer that if it will happen, I will just meet Mr. Right without me going out of my way to look for him,” states Pops.

Couch Potato...

From C4

Kapamilya actress Shaina Magdayao poses for photographs during the press launch of her web series, 'Past, Present, Perfect,' which streams on iWant.

Asianovela Channel airs ‘HANA NOCHI HARE’ GET love-struck once more this month as Asianovela Channel features its first Japanese drama hit Hana Nochi Hare.

Hana Nochi Hare, the Japanese version of Boys Over Flowers season 2, starts airing on June 24, Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. with replays at 12:00 nn, and 8:00

p.m..

Meanwhile, go back to the start of youthful love with Choi Ban-Do (Son Ho-Jun) and his wife Ma Jin-Joo (Jang Na Ra) give love a second chance in Go Back Couple, which started airing on June 17. (Monday to Friday 6:00 a.m. and

'Hana Nochi Hare' is the Japanese version of the hit 'Boys Over Flower' series

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, June 18, 2019

ACROSS 1 Whirlpool locale 4 Trolleys 9 Pats on 13 Pine for 15 Monastic head 16 Panache 17 Medicinal plant 18 Networking giant 19 Ms. Paretsky 20 Blanket wrap 22 Shucking corn 24 Actor — Howard 25 Hot soak 26 Proverb 30 TV awards 35 Just as I thought!

36 Playing marble 37 Send via the net 38 Moved with a davit 41 Afternoon show 43 Calculator key 44 Always, to Poe 45 Antique 46 Unfreeze 47 Signs 50 — Khan 53 Beg 54 Factory for casting metal 58 Common

phrases 62 Soprano — Gluck 63 Wagner opus 66 Seabird 67 Part of LAPD 68 Meat avoider 69 Norwegian port 70 Mediocre (hyph.)

71 Boundaries 72 Golfer’s gizmo DOWN 1 Wallop 2 Horseback sport 3 Soon, to a poet 4 Iron ore 5 Diamond stat 6 Sit-up targets 7 Brown color 8 Robust 9 Dorm room item 10 Tien Shan mountains 11 Tractor’s garage 12 Pantyhose woe 14 Sticky-footed lizard 21 “ — Alibi” 23 Paper unit 25 Pricey car 26 Sighed with delight 27 Get on the horn 28 West Indies

republic 29 Long-faced 31 2,001, to Livy 32 Landed estate 33 Give way 34 Travels on snow 39 Dry, as champagne 40 Tire feature 41 Actor — Gibson 42 Qatar residents 44 Pollution control org.

48 Heifer’s mouthful 49 Pedro’s friend

51 Orchard 52 Overpublicized 54 Transitory trends 55 Butter substitute 56 Safe callers 57 Defense org.

59 Discharge 60 Mme.’s daughter 61 Tart plum 64 Omelet need 65 “Norma —”

6:00 p.m., with replays on June 22 and 23 at 5:00 a.m.).

Other series that recently started airing on Asianovela Channel are: Oh! My Lady starring Choi Siwon and Chae Rim (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m.; with replays every 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.);W, with the love between Kang Chul (Lee Jong-Suk), a rich man from the make-believe world of the webtoon “W,” and Oh Yeon-Joo (Han Hyo-Joo) a doctor from the real world (Monday to Friday, 11:00 a.m.; with replays at 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.); and Woman With A Suitcase, a series about a wronglyaccused career woman who gets imprisoned (Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m.).

Other programs that will continue to entertain ABS-CBN TVplus viewers for the whole month of June are Koreanovela favorites Because This Is My First Life, I Am Not A Robot, Twenty Again, The Good Wife, Hwarang, and My Dearest Intruder.

For more details, visit Asianovela Channel on Facebook (fb.com/AsianovelaChannel).

In addition to the launch of the latest music video for Taipei travel, the Department of Information and Tourism gathered an army of Taipei’s popular businesses, showcasing Taipei’s authentic and classic dishes. These included Taipei’s bestselling breakfast shop Zhenfang’s Taiwanese-styled omelet and fresh milk tea combo, Taipei’s spicy hotpot chain Mantanghung’s Sichuan-styled beef dried noodle, Taipei’s must-buy souvenir BRAVO!BEAR mango shortcake by Taiwan’s leading pastry maker Kuo Yuan Ye, popular Jin Jin Dessert’s honey citronaiyu jelly and unique sugar and grass jelly and milk, one of Filipino’s favorite tea shops as well as Cha FOR TEA to go’s signature 913 pearl milk tea and honey green tea.

These offers are expected to bring Taiwanese flavors to the event-goers.

Catering to the characteristics of the Philippine visitors, online travel experience provider Klook comes up with an exclusive Taipei experience set, including Taipei’s double-decker

instruments like the guitar, ukelele, and the violin as well as the piano and drums.

She cites Sarah Geronimo as a role model and hopes to achieve the same things as her idol in the future.

“Besides being a successful singer (and musician) I also dream of being an actress someday,” she said.

Hannah has started on this path already too, having a role in the Felix Manalo movie, playing the part of young Pilar Manalo.

But ultimately, top among her dreams is to be able to share her music. To this, she mused “I want to be the type of artist that would inspire and be a good influence to the youth.”

Hannah Magdales’ “Heto Na Naman” is now on Spotify, Apple Music and all digital music platforms. The track made its debut on Spotify’s “New Music Friday” the day of its release and her music video likewise made it to music channel Myx’s playlist.

sightseeing bus and the trendiest hotels as those are highly inquired by Filipinos people in this launch event.

A new Taipei travel product promotion was also announced at the press conference for FIT travelers.

There is a joint promotion between Taiwan’s Eva Air and Klook. For group travelers, Eva Air has collaborated with certain travel agencies to launch a super package, that starts at US$127 per person, available for sale in the Philippines as of today.

Other giveaways in limited quantities include a co-branded handmade soap gift box between Dachuns Soap and Taipei City or a Taipei travel pass (an exclusive EasyCard or a 4-hour ticket on Taipei’s double-decker sightseeing bus.)

This promotion aims to offer Filipino visitors a super value experience from the moment they board the airplane until they finish the whole journey. *** It will be a sentimental screening of LGBTQ film Rainbow’s Sunset for Filipino subscribers of The Filipino Channel (TFC) in the US for the remaining of the month. It will be shown as part of the channel’s celebration of Pride Month for the world’s LGBTQ. As we all know, one of its lead stars, Eddie Garcia, continues to fight for his life after meeting an accident that resulted to a cervical

Eddie Garcia, Gloria Romero, and Tony Mabesa, lead cast members of 'Rainbow's Sunset'

fracture. Up until today since the accident last week he remains in coma.

The film won bit at the 52nd Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival in Texas, bagging a Special Jury Prize and the Gold Remi Award for Best Story Innovation for Eric Ramos and Best Actor shared by Garcia and fellow lead actor Tony Mabesa.

Rainbow’s Sunset is the story of Ramon (Eddie Garcia), an 84-yearold man who finally outs himself to his family when he sees the need to be with his cancer-stricken best friend and lover, Fredo (Tony Mabesa) in the final days of his life. Despite the opposition of their families, Ramon chooses to spend time with Fredo till his last days, holding on to their unconditional and undying love for each other The family drama, directed by Joel Lamangan, also stars and Gloria Romero as Sylvia, Tirso Cruz III, Aiko Melendez, Sunshine Dizon, and Max Collins.

Rainbow’s Sunset was also an official entry to the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival where it won several awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Gloria Romero, Best Screenplay, and many more.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

Entertainment

TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

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HE good thing about musicians who make hit original music, even if they’re no longer around, with their songs still playing on the radio and streaming on digital platforms, it feels as if they’re still on the scene and very much active.

A number of local ‘90s bands are joining up and coming musicians in the list of “most discovered artists” on Spotify amid not releasing any single record in the past 10 years. It just proves that music is timeless and transcends generations.

I had this similar experience when I got an invite from a friend to the launch of Orange & Lemons’ latest single. I was told that it was their first record after a nearly decade-long hiatus.

The fact that the group was out of the limelight for that long surprised me. First, I didn’t know they were no longer playing as a band until I heard that Mcoy Fundales just signed up with AltG Records as a solo artist a few weeks ago. Secondly, it felt like only yesterday that I was listening to the songs of the group that is known as one of Philippine music scene’s most remarkable bands. You see, time flies by so fast.

Now, Orange & Lemons returns to mainstream front with the release of its latest single titled “Pag-Ibig Sa TabingDagat.” The group’s label Liliystars Records marked June 7 as its date release by way of digital platform.

The band, which is currently composed of lead singer-guitarist Clem Castro, bass player JM Del Mundo, and drummer Ace Del Mundo, is poised to open a new chapter in their colorful journey as a Pinoy group with a unique and distinct sound strongly able to produce a number of certified hit songs.

The members of the group, sans Fundales, of course, reunited under the banner that made them famous, with a rallying cry to release an allFilipino album with “Pag-ibig Sa Tabing-Dagat,” in their own words, “setting a benchmark for wonderful Tagalog songs to come.”

The refreshingly serenading track, bolstered with arrangements by the band’s recently adopted live keyboardist Jared Nerona, boasts a set of lyrics paying homage to decent and sincere Tagalog poetry which their hometown province of Bulacan is associated with.

The revitalized Orange & Lemons performed in front of the entertainment press Thursday, June 6, at Thai Street Kapitolyo in Pasig. It’s their first major press conference in a long while, and music critics couldn’t wait to hear the latest from the group.

“Pag-ibig Sa Tabing Dagat,” penned

Orange & Lemons

returns with refreshingly sweet track Rapper Missy Elliott worked as a producer and writer for other artists before launching a solo career

Missy Elliott inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame

BACK ON THE SCENE. Orange & Lemons members (from left), drummer Ace Del Mundo, bassist JM Del Mundo, vocalist-guitarist Clem Castro, and session keyboardist Jared Nerona.

by de facto band leader Clem Castro, is described as a fusion of Kundiman, a genre of traditional Filipino love song with boss nova elements, and the indie guitar pop sound the band is known for.

The digital single’s cover art centerpiece is an oil painting by Mark Villanueva, an award-wining contemporary visual artist from Baliuag, Bulacan.

Orange & Lemons released critically acclaimed and commercially viable albums in the past, namely, “Love in the Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream,” “Strike Whilst the Iron is Hot,” and “Moonlane Gardens.” They’re scheduled to shoot a surprise-full music video later this month and do a multicity gig tour of Canada this September. *** Pop dreams come true for teen singer Teen singer Hannah Magdales is seeing the light.

The klieg lights of show business that is, as she takes the plunge into the world of pop music anew with the release of her new single entitled “Heto Na Naman.”

The 16-year-old singer-performer has been at it since at an early age. “I started singing when I was three years old,” shared Hannah.

“I realized early on that singing is something that I would pursue because I’m passionate about it.”

Teen singer Hannah Magdales with Zaijian Jaranilla who appears in the music video for her single 'Heto Na Naman.'

And she has been chasing her dreams ever since. “I always sing in our school events.” A year or so ago, she and her supportive mom even took the indie route and produced tracks and released it on their own. And in

between, Hannah also took to joining singing competitions. Recently she competed and represented the country in the WCOPA (World Championships Of Performing Arts) singing tilt held in California. Continued on C3

RAPPER Missy Elliott has become the first female rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Fighting back tears, Melissa Elliott—her real name—received the honor from Queen Latifah, a rap pioneer from the previous generation.

Earlier, the academy broadcast a video in which former first lady Michelle Obama said she is a fan of Elliott, who is 47.

Singer Izzo and rapper Da Brat paid tribute to Elliott by performing some of her songs.

Before Elliott, two other rappers had made it into the hall of fame: Jermaine Dupri last year and Jay-Z in 2017.

Elliott first tasted success as a producer and writer for other artists before launching a solo career. Working with producer Timbaland, who shaped some of Elliott’s hip hop and R&B music in the 1990s, she performed with Aaliyah and Destiny’s Child.

Also with Timbaland, Elliott released her first album, entitled Supa Dupa Fly in 1997.

Her song “The Rain” made her a rap star.

She had a series of hit albums and songs in the 1990s, such as “Work It,” “Hot Boyz” and “Get Ur Freak On,” often recorded with other big-name artists.

At Thursday’s ceremony, the Songwriters Hall of Fame also honored five other creators, including singer Yusuf, formerly known as Cat Stevens, who penned such classics as “Wild World.”

Justin Timberlake received a special prize, the Contemporary Icon Award, which celebrates giants of contemporary music. AFP

YouTube star Mikey Bustos invites Filipinos to revisit Taipei TAIPEI has become the Filipinos’ favorite certainly having people dancing. destination since last year, with its “noBustos said, for making this new visa requirement.” Its Tourism Bureau video, he visited many different locations under the Ministry of Transportation that he didn’t see last year and sampled and Communications said the number different foods.

IVY ROSSINI of visitors from the Philippines in 2018 “The most interesting part is in the grew 44 percent from 2017, the highest Beitou Hot Spring, because there is a growth among other Southeast Asian comfortable spring pool in the room. countries. And to keep the momentum of the success of the We also tasted tea served in a whisky glass in a hipster tea Filipino market, Taipei City’s Department of Information and bar. It was a relaxing experience full of surprises. Also, we Tourism continues to invite visitors to come back again. had a great time filming on Yangmingshan. The flower sea of Last Friday, June 14, the city led a delegation of businessmen hydrangea and Xiaoyukeng, a scenic part on the mountain, to hold a product launch event in Manila, with last year’s are absolutely stunning,” said Bustos. Continued on C4 spokesperson for Taipei travel, Filipino YouTube star Mikey Bustos, was there to promote the city again.

In the event, he sang “Undiscovered Taipei” in a twist of traditional Taiwanese “seven-word tune” opera with rap. The fun and creative performance was expected to spark a new trend of the catchy song.

Yi-ting Liu, commissioner of Taipei City’s Department of Information and Tourism said the decision to invite Mikey Bustos again was because last year he wrote the lyrics for the song titled “My New Crushie,” which broke a record of a million views in major social networking websites. Many netizens expressed their interests to see a new video and their wish has been fulfilled this time.

Filipino tourists are encouraged to visit Taipei again and try something they have never experienced before.

“Here’s the deal!” Liu said at the launch event, “Feel free to share and forward the video as we’ll offer a free air ticket from the Philippines to Taiwan when the music video collects over 300,000 views.”

Besides the great news of the ticket giveaway, Filipino YouTube sensation Mikey Bustos, who dabbles as singer, actor, and YouTuber, also performed his latest song “I Showed Singer and YouTuber Mikey Bustos is tapped once again to My Parents Taipei” at the event. The song is catchy and is promote Taipei tourism

COUCH POTATO

Present during the awarding ceremony were GMA Network Chief Marketing Officer Lizelle G. Maralag (3rd from right) with Alaska-Puso campaign team and key partners (from left) WaveMaker Senior Media Manager Nico Chavez; GMA Network’s Senior Account Manager for Product Development Kara Acevedo; Sales Director Apple Rosales; Vice President for Sales Leah Nuyda; Royal Friesland Campina–Alaska Milk Corporation’s Alaska Brand Manager Maxine Lozada; and IMC Manager Karen Ventosa.

GMA wins two Silvers at Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards GMA Network, through its Sales and Marketing Group (SMG), was recognized at the 2019 Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards for its advocacy campaign “AlaskaPuso”.

The GMA campaign in partnership with Alaska Milk Corporation which aimed to fight stunted growth among Filipino children bagged two Silver Awards under the Health & Wellness and Advocacy categories.

Alaska-Puso featured a two-minute unbranded advocacy short film about a day in the life of Angelo, a child with stunted growth, as told from his own perspective. The campaign also included an advocacy plug, presented by

news anchors Mel Tiangco and Vicky Morales of 24 Oras along with AlaskaPuso moms, which called for unity among mothers to fight stunted growth.

Alaska also partnered with GMA Kapuso Foundation’s ‘Givea-Gift: Feed a Child’ program to provide concrete help to undernourished and underprivileged children to fight the said problem.

The Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards is an annual event organized by the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) School of Communication that recognizes “creative and effective brands with purpose” from all over the region including Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand.