Manila Standard - 2018 October 30 - Tuesday

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LION AIR PLANE CRASHES INTO SEA, 189 FEARED DEAD

GUT-WRENCHING RESCUE. Members of a rescue team (left above) line up body bags at the port in Tanjung Pirok, North Jakarta, Monday after bodies are recovered from the sea where Lion Air Flight JT 610 (file photo of similar plane inset) crashed off the north coast earlier in the day carrying 189 passengers and crew, with rescuers (right above) continuing operations well into sundown. AFP JAKARTA—A brand new Indonesian Lion Air plane carrying 189 passengers and crew crashed into the sea Monday, officials said, moments after it had asked to be allowed to return to Jakarta.

The Boeing-737 MAX, which went into service just months ago, vanished from radar 13 minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital, plunging into the Java Sea. Video footage apparently filmed at the scene of the crash showed a slick of

fuel on the surface of the water.

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted pictures of debris, including what appeared to be an emergency slide and various parts of a smashed mobile phone.

Authorities were still searching for the remains of the plane, which lost contact with air traffic control around 6.30 a.m. (2330 GMT), en route to Pangkal Pinang city, a jumping off point for beach-and-sun seeking tourists on nearby Belitung island.

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 257 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

Military takes over Customs Duterte seeks end to bureau’s ‘dirty games’

War on drugs: P54-m shabu seized; 3 nabbed

By Nat Mariano, Rey E. Requejo, Macon RamosAraneta and Maricel V. Cruz

POLICE seized an estimated P54.4 million worth of shabu and arrested three suspects in a buy-bust operation in Caloocan City on Monday.

National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said police from the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit arrested the suspects Nasrudin Mantikayan alias “Buts” and two others, Ibrahim Hassan and Ampal Pala, while in the act of selling two kilos of shabu worth P5 million to an undercover police agent who acted as buyer at 10:30 am at the parking lot of Victory Mall, 12th Avenue, Grace Park.

Police also seized eight big zip lock bags containing around 1 kilo of shabu each, several deposit slips indicating remittance of the proceeds from the sale of shabu and a white Mitsubishi four-door Sedan with conduction sticker BO K659, used in the delivery of the drugs.

He said the buy-bust operation was an offshoot of a series of anti-drug operations that resulted in the seizure of 10 kilos of shabu.

The suspects are residents of Zamboanga del Sur, Maguindanao and Cotabato, and are operating in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) Next page and Metro Manila.

WEATHER Storm warning up over Luzon

By Rio N. Araja and Joel E. Zurbano TYPHOON “Rosita” maintained its threat over southern Isabela and northern Aurora while moving closer Monday afternoon.

As of 5 pm Monday, tropical cyclone warning signal no. 3 remained in effect over Isabela, Quirino, Northern Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya and Next page Ifugao.

Cebu scavenger ‘s daring attempt SOME people would travel long distances to be with their loved ones.

But a man from Cebu took it to the next level, when he swam from Cebu all the way to Bohol to visit his departed parents in time for the All Next page Saint’s Day (Nov.1).

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has placed the Bureau of Customs under military control, a move the Palace said was both temporary and constitutional.

BUY BUST. Drug enforcement authorities arrest three suspects they identified as Narudin Mantikayan, Ibrahim Hassan and Ampal Pala during a buy-bust operation where they seized from the three 8 kilos of shabu with street value of P54.4 million at a parking lot of Victory Mall in Caloocan City Monday. PNP chief Oscar Albayalde and NCRPO chief Guillermo Eleazar question the suspects. Manny Palmero

Speaking at the birthday celebration of former Foreign Affairs chief Peter Alan Cayetano on Sunday, Duterte said the Armed Forces of the Philippines would “take the wheel” at the bureau to address corruption in the wake of a drug smuggling scandal that saw the replacement of Customs chief Isidro Lapeña, himself a military man.

“They will be replaced, all of them, by military men. It will be a takeover of the Armed Forces in the matter of operating, in the meantime, while we are sorting out how to effectively meet the challenges of corruption in this country,” he said.

“All Customs police are also on floating status, everybody. The Customs Intelligence Unit, they are to report to Next page

China’s top envoy presses for ‘code of conduct’ in SCS CHINA wants to speed up the negotiations for a code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea and have it finalized within the Philippines’ three-year term as dialogue coordinator between Beijing and the Southeast Asian nations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.

But Wang was non-committal when asked if China would agree to a legallybinding code of conduct.

“Whether or not it is legally binding, any document we have signed we will strictly abide by it and firmly implement it,” Wang told a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., in Davao City.

Wang said China is the Philippines’ “sincere and trustworthy friend” and Next page “will never be a rival.”

Drivers take drug tests ahead of ‘Undas’ THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday initiated a simultaneous mandatory drug test on bus drivers in Metro Manila.

In other developments: • Immigration officers assigned in all airports have been placed on heightened alert before the Halloween break following reports that human trafficking syndi-

cates here plan to take advantage of the holidays to smuggle victims in and out of the country.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina has ordered all of the Bureau’s airport terminal heads and supervisors to immediately implement strict immigration assessment as part of “Oplan Undas,” which will last until Nov. 4.

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FLOWERS FOR DEPARTED. At a flower stall in Sampaloc, Manila near the Dangwa bus city terminal, a vendor arranges flowers being hawked in the runup to All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day later this week. Norman Cruz

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News

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Food agency steps up palay buying in S. Luzon T

HE National Food Authority in Southern Luzon said it has already paid farmers a total of P111,628,890 for the purchase of 107,854 bags of unmilled rice or palay in the region as of Oct. 28, 2018.

The farmers were encouraged to sell their produce to the NFA when the food agency started buying unmilled rice with an additional P3.00/kg buffer stocking incentive on top of the P17.00/ kg buying support price and other incentives.

But former Deputy House Speaker Lorenzo Tañada warned the NFA that farmers would suffer losses and aggravate their poor condition following the increase in the prices of basic commodities.

“We know that rice importation has been the solution posed by the govern-

ment’s economic managers to depress the prices of rice in the market, but this will result in very low farm gate prices of palay at this time that our palay farmers are now harvesting their produce,” Tañada said. “Have mercy on our local farmers because they need their income badly to recover from the high cost of fuel that they use for their water pumps and tractors during the planting season.”

Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos praised the Duterte administration for speeding up its rice importation to ensure abundant supply and cheaper

prices of the commodity.

“The inflow of the fourth quarter palay harvest will further increase supply to put a brake on the price spiral of rice until the first quarter of 2019,” she said.

Region 4 is one of the top rice-producing areas in the country. Occidental Mindoro registered the highest number of palay procured with 98,852 bags followed

by Batangas with 5,794 bags, Oriental Mindoro with 2,531 bags, Laguna with 356 bags, Infanta with 286 bags and Palawan with 35 bags.

Farmers have started delivering more palay to the 40 buying stations across the region after the NFA implemented the additional P3.00/kg BSI since Oct. 12.

Of the P111.6 million paid by NFA-Region IV to the farmers, P91,675,900 went to actual cost of palay, P16,178,100 was for BSI and P3,774,890 for the other incentives.

Intel funds up by 101%; OP, DND main user, says CoA

By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the President, Department of National Defense and House of Representatives ate up P8.98 billion or close to three-fourths of the confidential and intelligence funds of the national government in 2017.

Based on the 2017 annual financial report on the national government, the Commission on Audit said the expenditures from last year increased by P4.52 billion, or 101.78 percent, compared with the P4.44 billion incurred in 2016.

“Confidential, intelligence and extraordinary expenses totaling P8.98 billion represented 2.97 percent of the total [maintenance and other operating expenses],” COA said.

“This group of accounts posted an increase of P4.52 billion or 101.78 percent from the previous year’s P4.44 billion.”

The Office of the President spent P2.515 billion; the Defense department P2.222 billion and Congress P1.797 billion, with a total of P6.5 billion or 72.87 percent of the CIEF. The rest of the CIEF at 27.13 percent went to the Department of the Interior and Local Government at P883.46 million, other executive offices at P434.716 million, Department of Justice at P346.372 million, the judiciary at P236.898 million, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao at P104.502 million, the Department of Finance at P77.243 million, the Department of Education at P47.643 million, and the other agencies at P301.632 million.

China's...

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Since Duterte reset the Philippines’ ties with China, the two-way trade between Manila and Beijing in 2017 alone topped $50 billion while Philippine exports grew 10.5 percent.

And over two years, China bought two million pounds of bananas, pineapples and mangoes, helping 40,000 farmers earn $1.5 billion, Wang said.

On Aug. 3, China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which the Philippines and three other South China Sea claimants are members, announced an agreement on a single draft South China Sea Code of Conduct negotiating text.

The draft, which will serve as the basis for negotiations of the code, is expected to propel China and the Asean toward ab agreement on a set of formal guidelines in the resource-rich waters as the efforts to finalize the accord has dragged on for 16 years.

Drivers...

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• The Philippine National Police has put in place security and deployment plans in the ports, terminals and major thoroughfares across the country in anticipation of the exodus of people to the provinces to celebrate All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. • Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt-Romualdez on Monday called for a “trash-free” All Saints’/Souls’ Day this year as Filipinos prepare to spend the coming weekend in cemeteries and memorial parks to pay their respects and honor their departed loved ones. Rio N. Araja, Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz and PNA

MEET AND GREET. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte greets People’s Republic of China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the thanksgiving dinner and 48th birthday celebration of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City on Oct. 28, 2018. Presidential Photo

War...

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Eleazar said they were the subject of four-month intensive and continuous surveillance operations.

“They belong to a Muslim group whom we are watching. However, we will locate the source of this and then trace it to other groups which they used to operate. They were from Cotabato and they have bosses from Cotabato who will be the subject of our follow-up operation,” Eleazar told reporters.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde commended the NCRPO for the successful operation.

The suspects will be charged with violation of selling dangerous drugs.

Meanwhile, Albayalde said the five active police officials tagged as involved in illegal drug activities are now under the custody of the Philippine National Police.

In a press briefing on Monday, Albayalde said Senior Supt. Leonardo Suan, Supt. Lorenzo Bacia, Insp.

Lito Pirote, Insp. Conrado Caragdag and SPO4 Alejandro Gerardo Liwanag were summoned to Camp Crame to face an investigation into the allegations against them.

The names of the five police officials, along with dismissed Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto, appeared in a drug matrix made public by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The administrative cases that may be slapped against the five active policemen have a maximum penalty of dismissal from the service and forfeiture of retirement benefits.

Albayalde admitted that they have not received any report about the six policemen in the drug matrix when they were still in the anti-illegal drugs unit of the PNP. He said they only learned of their alleged involvement during the congressional investigation into the smuggling of shabu.

“We had no information on them before. But the President has his sources,” Albayalde said. PNA

Storm...

Lion Air...

Signal no. 2 was hoisted in Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Northern Quezon, including Polillo Island, southern Aurora, Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan.

Metro Manila was placed under signal no. 1, along with southern Quezon, Batanes and Babuyan group of Islands, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Bataan, Cavite and Camarines Norte.

At 4 pm Monday, the eye of the typhoon was located at 310 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora.

“Rosita” was moving west at 15 kms per hour with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 185 km/h.

It is forecast to make landfall in southern Isabela-northern Aurora area today [Tuesday] between 5 am and 7 a.m., and to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow [Wednesday] evening.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Isabela, Cagayan, Aurora, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and La Union must brace for storm surges of up to three meters over the coastal areas.

Residents in areas of signal nos. 3 and 2, especially those living near river channels, in low-lying areas and mountainous areas must take appropriate actions against floods and landslides due to moderate to heavy rains “directly” associated with Rosita. With PNA

“The plane crashed into water about 30 to 40 meters deep,” Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Yusuf Latif said.

Images filmed at Pangkal Pinang’s main airport showed families of passengers crying, talking frantically on their mobiles phone and hugging each other.

Some were heard saying “Ya Allah” or “Oh God.” Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said there were 178 adult passengers, one child, two infants, two pilots and six cabin crew on board flight JT 610.

The transport ministry had initially said there was a total of 188 people on board.

The finance ministry said around 20 of its employees were on the plane.

It was not immediately clear if any foreigners were on the downed plane, which Lion said was a new, airworthy plane that had only gone into service in August.

The pilot and co-pilot had more than 11,000 hours of flying time between them, it added.

“Lion Air is very concerned about this incident and will work with relevant agencies and all parties,” said spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro.

The Flightradar website tracked the plane and showed it looping south on take-off and then heading north before the flight path ended abruptly over the Java Sea, not far from the coast. AFP

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Military...

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Malacañang, all of them. I am ordering everybody to report to my office,” Duterte said.

“They will hold office there at the Malacañang gymnasium. All [of them],” he added.

The President said he could not simply dismiss all the Customs employees because they had to follow. “With this kind of games that they are playing, dirty games, I am forced now to ask the Armed Forces to take over,” he said.

Duterte acknowledged that innocent government employees would be affected by his directive, but said he had no time to separate the corrupt from the honest.

“Not all of you are thieves or robbers, but you must be an idiot not to understand,” he said.

“You say that you are honest, that you are not part of the cabal there. If that is your line, I cannot move, and you stay there, then I have to speculate if you are really a gangster working for the Bureau of Customs [or] a government employee,” the President said.

The President said his directive to put the BOC under the control of the military is part of his declaration of the state of lawlessness in the country last year.

“Part of the lawless elements is there inside the Bureau of Customs,” he said.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo defended the President’s move.

“The Constitution provides that the President is the head of government, the head of state and the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Now, the Constitution also provides that he has control over all executive offices, and BOC is one of them,” he said in a Palace press briefing Monday.

As the country’s Chief Executive, Duterte can exercise control over l the executive offices’ operations and the military’s functions and movements in any manner that he deems fit, Panelo said.

He said Duterte chose military personnel because he has complete trust and confidence in them as men of integrity.

The military will be given a week “to learn the ropes” of the administrative work in the BOC, Panelo said.

Panelo said Duterte would allow the incoming BOC chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero to enlist AFP personnel to help him run the bureau.

“Certainly, he [Guerrero] would be choosing people with expertise. The members of the AFP are not limited to military work, there are a lot of them, who have taken graduate [courses], scholarship with respect to some technical know-how. And certainly, they will also be undergoing training to be competent in the field that they would be assigned to,” he said.

Panelo also assured the public that Customs services would continue with no lull or stoppage.

Asked how long the President’s order would take effect, Panelo said it will remain until “it is necessary” and as long as the President is satisfied with the BOC’s performance.

Duterte, disgusted with corruption in the bureau, transferred former Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, insisting that it was crooked Customs officials under him that pulled the wool over his eyes in the smuggling in of P11 billion worth of shabu.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the military takeover of Customs was temporary and would not violate the rule of civilian supremacy.

“Putting the Bureau of Customs under the watchful eye of the AFP is a temporary measure to ensure that massive entry of illegal drugs, which threatens public safety, is immediately stopped,” Guevarra said.

“The President, as Chief Executive, has the power of supervision and control over the entire Executive Department, and is duty-bound to ensure that all laws be faithfully executed. However, civilian rule shall at all times be supreme,” he said, adding that the BOC chief is a civilian.

“The Bureau is headed by retired general, Rey Guerrero, who is now a civilian,” he said.

Lapeña was removed as Customs chief last week after he was accused of doing nothing, despite being told that four magnetic lifters found in a Cavite warehouse in August had contained billions of pesos worth of shabu that had slipped past Customs.

Lapeña’s predecessor, former Marine captain Nicanor Faeldon, resigned after P6.5 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu slipped past the BOC in May last year.

Deputy Collector Lourdes Mangaoang, who had told Lapeña of the shabu shipment, said a military takeover was not a “perfect solution” but could be a good tem-

Cebu...

From A1

But Ceferino Angco, a 47-year-old garbage scavenger, nearly died for his misguided efforts were it not for the timely rescue made by authorities in Talisay in Cebu.

A Bantay Dagat (Sea Guards) who rescued Angco said the daring Cebuano was spotted holding on to a piece of floating styrofoam, as reported by ABS-CBN News. Angco appeared weak and shivering from the cold when the rescuers

porary measure.

On the public affairs program Headstart on the ANC news channel, Mangaoang said during the Aquino administration, then Commissioner John Philip Sevilla tapped retired military general to serve as deputy commissioners for intelligence and district collectors, but the agency never hit its revenue targets for 27 months.

Mangaoang also cited a World Bank report that suggested that the volume of smuggled goods was at its highest during the Aquino administration, at about $19 billion—about five times higher than the $3.9 billion during the nine years of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

There was also port congestion “for the first time” under the watch of former President Benigno Aquino III, said Mangaoang.

“The military men that were made district collectors were incompetent at Customs. They were good at military matters, but when it come to Customs procedures, it took them too long to release goods,” she said in Filipino.

Senators said they had misgivings about the move.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said the government should learn from history, establish a focused counter-intelligence system to curb corruption, and prioritize leadership by example.

He said these can help curb corruption without having to tap officers of the AFP. Lacson cited the failed experiment of using idealistic AFP officers to run the BOC in the 1960s.

“In the early ‘60s, some young, idealistic AFP officers were put in charge of the BOC operations. They learned fast, they couldn’t be bribed or intimidated. The smugglers used equally young, beautiful women to influence them. The rest is history we don’t want to remember,” Lacson said in a post on his Twitter account.

Lacson said there was a need for a sophisticated counter-intelligence mechanism in the BOC. More importantly, he said those in charge should apply the principle of leadership by example, “not in words, but in practice.”

Senator Francis Pangilinan said placing a revenue-generating agency under the Armed Forces of the Philippines is of doubtful legality.

“What does AFP know about collecting taxes and tariffs? The bureaucracy is becoming militarized. What’s next? BIR? Immigration?” he said.

He noted that not all military officials are effective managers, citing as inept Faeldon, Lapeña and Jason Aquino of the National Food Authority.

Regardless of who manages the Bureau of Customs, Pangilinan said that if Malacañang itself tolerates and does not punish Faeldon and Lapeña and doesn’t show any teeth against drug lords, nothing will come of the AFP takeover.

He said the solution was not to transfer control to the military, but to show that incompetent and corrupt officials and the syndicates they serve will be punished.

“Placing the AFP in charge of the BoC may appear decisive and daring but what we need are no nonsense solutions, not theatrics,” he added.

Senator Leila de Lima said the President’s decision for the AFP to take over the Bureau of Customs sets a dangerous precedent.

She said it normalizes the unconstitutional act of granting the military civilian functions and power over civilian offices.

Senate President Victente Sotto III described the President’s move as “radical but necessary.”

“I believe drastic measures are needed to finally crack the whip in the bureau. What the BOC needs is an overhaul from top to bottom,” he said.

A pro-administration lawmaker on Monday said President Duterte’s order showed how frustrated the President was over the unabated corruption in the bureau.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon, a former Customs commissioner, also said the President’s order was a show of his continued commitment to institute reforms at the bureau.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, agreed. “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” he said.

“If bringing in the Armed Forces would help instill discipline and order in the Bureau of Customs, so be it. President Duterte, with the best intentions in mind, needs all the support of people who want to rid the agency of corruption and shenanigans,” Barbers said.

But opposition and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said what the President proved was his ‘dictatorial’ leadership.

“It is an extreme response putting a purely civilian bureaucracy under military control. It’s as if President Duterte has imposed nationwide martial law. The drug problem has now become a weapon of convenience to sound off the use of martial law powers,” Villarin said.

found him.

He later explained that he wanted to go home to Carmen, Bohol to visit the tomb of his late parents this All Saints’ Day. The problem was, he didn’t have any money to pay for any mode of transportation. He then decided to swim from Cebu to Bohol.

Nine hours after he started, Angco was spotted by members of Bantay Dagat– weak and shivering from the cold waters.

Angco first arrived in Cebu with a cousin in 2011 to look for a job but couldn’t find a job. He ended up as a scavenger.

News PNP will not tolerate abusive cops —top cop

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippine National Police on Monday reiterated that it will not tolerate unscrupulous acts of police officers.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde made the remark following the arrest of PO1 Eduardo Valencia, a rookie cop assigned at the Manila Police District, for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl.

“We already said that since the start of the administration, we will show no mercy on these cops who are involved in illegal activities. We will not tolerate those misdeeds. Let him prove himself that he is not guilty for the crime of rape of a relative of the suspects who were arrested,” Albayalde told reporters on Monday’s press briefing, adding that Valencia will be given due process.

Valencia was arrested after the girl’s relatives sought help from authorities.

On Sunday, National Capital Region Police Office director Chief Supt.

Guillermo Eleazar went straight to the MPD Sampaloc Police Station and admonished Valencia after he was presented to him.

Valencia allegedly raped the girl in exchange for the freedom of her parents who were arrested for illegal drug charges.

Pending the outcome of the initial investigation, he is facing administrative charges as well as rape and grave misconduct.

As this developed, Senator Nancy Binay is convinced that the age of consent in the country should be raised to 16 years old from the present 12, after receiving reports of the alleged rape committed by Valencia.

In July, Binay filed Senate Bill No. 1895 which aims to make 16 years old the minimum age to determine statutory rape for children in the country, up from under 12 years specified in the Revised Penal Code.

According to Binay, the measure is still in the committee level adding that she will ask the legislative commitment of fellow senators to fasttrack its passage.

She said the Philippines is one of those countries which has the lowest age of consent, which is presently set at 12 years old.

At present, she said our anti-rape law says it will only be considered statutory rape if the child is below 12 years old or is mentally challenged.

“As parents, it is our commitment to protect our children from sexual predators,” Binay said.

Du30 orders abolition of ‘obsolete’ PHILSUCOR

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday has ordered the abolition of the Philippine Sugar Corp., saying its functions are already obsolete.

In his Memorandum Order No. 30, Duterte abolished the governmentowned and controlled corporation on the basis that “it no longer effectively performs its objectives and functions.”

The PHILSUCOR, created under the Presidential Decree No. 1890, is tasked to provide financing in the acquisition, rehabilitation, and expansion of sugar mills, refineries, and other related facilities used in the manufacture, packing, storage, distribution, and shipment of sugar and its by-products and derivatives.

It also noted that Republic Act No. 10659 authorizes the Sugar Regulatory Administration to give financial assistance through socialized credit to sugarcane stakeholders.

However, considering that much of the financing needs of sugar mills are already being provided by private banking and financing institutions in addition to the lending facilities offered by the Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines, the President deemed the government corporation is no longer needed.

“The assets of PHILSUCOR shall be liquidated to settle its outstanding liabilities... Affected officials and personnel may avail themselves of separation and retirement benefits,” the memorandum said.

Duterte said its abolishment will take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FIRST AND LAST.

Outgoing Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña (middle) attends his last flag raising ceremony which ironically coincided with the 1st Commencement Exercises Class 01-2018 ‘Baghawi’ Customs Training Institute at the Bureau of Customs on Monday.

Norman Cruz

209 business firms in ‘Bora’ fined P43m for violations

By Rio N. Araja

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T LEAST 209 business establishments in Aklan’s Boracay Island have been fined for a total of P43 million due to various violations of environmental laws.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Pollution Adjudication Board has ordered the owners and operators of the concerned establishments to comply with their obligation to settle their corresponding fines.

He vowed to stay vigilant in the close monitoring of pollution violations and the swift adjudication of cases.

Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Rodolfo Garcia, PAB presiding officer and a retired military general, said the agency has already sent notices of violations to the erring establishments.

“We, at the DENR, believe that anyone who pollutes or destroys the environment must pay the cost for that destruction,” he said.

He warned those who would fail

CIMATU

to pay penalties would not be issued permits to operate.

“The DENR, together with other concerned government agencies, is firm in its resolve to clean not only the waters and air of Boracay and to manage its solid waste. It also wants to clear Boracay of irresponsible and greedy business people who have placed care for the environment their least priority,” he said.

Despite the reopening of Boracay Island last Oct. 26, rehabilitation efforts are not yet over, he added.

“We will continue to monitor all establishments and impose the necessary penalties should they be found breaking laws,” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte had tagged the Boracay Island a “cesspool” and ordered its closure on April 26 to give way to its six-month rehabilitation.

The DENR said 110 establishments have been found to violate Section 1, Rule 19 of Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999 requiring a permit to operate all sources of air pollution from the agency’s Environmental Management Bureau.

A P1.5-million fine is imposed on each violator.

Palace ordered to comment on petition vs BOL

By Rey E. Requejo and Nat Mariano THE Supreme Court has directed the government to comment on the petition filed by the Sulu provincial government seeking to declare the Bangsamoro Organic Law as unconstitutional.

In a resolution, the SC ordered the executive and legislative departments to answer the petition filed by Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan II within the period of 10 from receipt of notice.

The order is directed to the respondents in the case—Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Interior and Local Government Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza and the Bangsamoro Transition Commission and

the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

In his petition filed by Oct. 11, Tan through former elections chairman Sixto Brillantes, asked the SC to declare the BOL of Republic Act 11054 as unconstitutional and also to issue an order enjoining the implementation of the law.

The petitioner argued that the law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last July violates Section 18 and 19 of Article X of the 1987 Constitution, which authorized the enactment of only one Organic Act to establish the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“Since ARMM is created by Constitutional fiat, Congress, by itself, has absolutely no authority to abolish ARMM. Only through an amendment of the Constitution may ARMM be abolished.

This is so, because only the Constitution may create or abolish an autonomous

region... Accordingly, when Congress, by enacting RA 11054, effectively abolished ARMM, and established BAR (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region) in its stead, Congress committed an unconstitutional act, an unwarranted infringement of Article X of the Constitution,” the petition stated.

Tan argued that the law violates the doctrine of separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.

“The same provision of Bangsamoro Organic Law, also violates Section 18, Article X of the Constitution requiring that the Organic Act of an Autonomous Region shall, among others, define the basic structure of government for the region consisting of the executive department and legislative assembly, both of which shall be elective and representative of the constituent political units,” he said.

Comelec set to disqualify 95 senatorial candidates

By Vito Barcelo THE Commission on Elections on Monday said it may disqualify 95 senatorial candidates who are considered nuisance candidates for lack of “financial capability” to support their candidacy.

However, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said they will give a chance to potential nuisance candidates to justify their capabilities to bid for the 2019 polls but said most of them would likely be disqualified.

Jimenez added that a disqualification case was filed against Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimental whose term is being questioned by a petitioner.

The poll body said it will study the petition but if they could not resolve it before December, they will elevate the case to the Supreme Court.

The Comelec earlier said it will purge the list of so-called nuisance candidates or those who intend to put the election process in mockery.

In a statement, Jimenez said that under the law, the poll body can cancel the candidacy certificate of those running to “cause confusion among voters” because their names are similar those of legitimate candidates.

Candidates who are considered nuisance are those who have no real intention to run for a particular office and whose aim is to prevent a faithful determination of the true will of the electorate.

The poll body said it acknowledges that the right to vote and be voted for shall not be dependent upon the wealth of the individual concerned, citing that “network” of supporters is also a factor.

The poll body is continuously screening all COCs of election aspirants for senator and party-list.

The Comelec expects to finish the job until formal announcement on Dec. 15.

“We are focusing right now on the cleaning up of the list of candidates preparatory to the releasing on Dec. 15,” Jimenez said.

The election period officially begins on Jan. 12 and will end on July 12.

Garin a no-show in DOJ ‘vaccine’ probe

By Rey E. Requejo

FORMER Health Secretary Janette Garin did not show up during the preliminary investigation of the Department of Justice on Monday on the second batch of criminal complaints over the deaths of schoolchildren inoculated with the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine.

The DOJ’s panel of prosecutors led

by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Susan Dacanay earlier summoned Garin to submit her answer to charges filed by parents and guardians of eight more victims, but she did not attend the hearing.

In a text message, the former Department of Health chief claimed that she was not notified of the hearing schedule. However, 23 of the 37 respondents were able to appear in the hearing and submitted their counteraffidavits.

This prompted the DOJ panel to give Garin and 13 other respondents more time to file their answer on charges of reckless

imprudence resulting in homicide under the Revised Penal Code and violations of Anti-Torture Act and Consumer Act and appear in the next hearing set for Nov. 5.

The complainants accused Garin and others of negligence through “arbitrarily, maliciously, and deliberately failure to inform the Dengvaxia recipients and their parents/families of the dangers and risks related to Dengvaxia and to obtain their informed consent.”

They said that the DOH under Garin failed to conduct proper screening of Dengvaxia recipients and to implement active and aggressive monitoring and surveillance over the recipients considering the risks posed by the vaccine to seronegative recipients or those who had no history of dengue.

They said the respondents “displayed grave recklessness, utter bad faith, lack of foresight, lack of skill, want of care, gross neglect and deliberate, arbitrary and even malicious disregard of the safety and lives of thousands of Filipino children.”

PREPARING FOR ‘ROSITA.’ Workers from the outdoor media ad companies start removing the giant tarpaulins to prevent accidents from occurring along East Avenue in Quezon City as Typhoon ‘Rosita’ nears. Manny Palmero

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A dying city TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

for rehabilitation and planning. The pine trees have gone—you can only see and smell them now in Camp John Hay. Even the developers of the camp must rehabilitate that small area called Mile High.

The problem of Baguio is as bad as Boracay’s used to be.

I WAS in Baguio last week—this explains why I was not able to write my column. I went there for two reasons: To rest and to *** recharge my batteries.

While in Baguio, I visited Alphaland’s I went around the city to see the usual Baguio Mountain Lodges—a high-end, attractions—Burnham Park, Wright Park, 82-hectare development by my former stuMines View Park, The Mansion. I con- dent Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin. cluded that the city was in bad shape and When I was there two years ago, and at needed rehabilitation. that time the only lodge I saw on top of the Burnham Park has ceased to be an at- hill was Bobby’s three-room cabin, which he traction. Its man-made lake is heavily silted. built when he was managing partner of SGV. There are still people who ride the boats, but He was the youngest to ever hold that office. not too many. The surroundings are a comThis time around, I was amazed at the plete mess. Gone are the bike riders and the development of the place. Some 300 lodges motorized small cars. Instead, plain prom- are to be built in the next three years. enaders walk around, for lack of amenities.

Ambuklao Road with all its potholes has The park gets worse during long holi- been repaired and cemented. days. Booking in pension houses and hoAccording to Sienna Moncado, sales mantels becomes impossible, and vacationers ager, 28 lodges have already been sold and 21 make do by sleeping in their vehicles. And have been built. Nine are already occupied. because the toilet facilities are inadequate, Sienna took me and my son Eric to the you can imagine what happens. three-story clubhouse which has 12 fully Wright Park is furnished rooms.

The amenities are also in need of atgreat. tention. The place Because of high could get so muddy Baguio City —how can tourists demand from those enjoy riding horses? who cannot afford needs some serious Minew View Park the P40 millionrehabilitation. has become uninvitP50 million mouning. There are too tain lodges, Alphaland will also build many shops. It has quadruplex lodges lost its appeal due to neglect and possibly corruption. Even The as half the price.

Mansion is no longer inviting!

No wonder guests refer to the place as Another place that needs rehabilitation is the Forbes Park of Baguio City. There is the marketplace. even a helipad!

All these, plus the fact that squatters have taken over the hillside of the city, and *** that traffic gridlocks could sometimes be President Duterte may have committed like what we experience here in Metro Ma- the biggest mistake he could ever commit nila, have convinced me that the summer in his term by placing the Bureau of Cuscapital is no more. Even going to Trinidad toms under the military, in the hope that Valley to get strawberries from the farm is it would be able to stop smuggling and no longer fun! corruption.

From a 350,000 population that balloons I remember that the late President Ramon during the day, Baguio City has become Magsaysay also placed Customs under the intolerable!

Philippine Military Academy, with no less These happened because of neglect and than 400 cadets assigned to Customs. indifference of local officials. Apparently, The President should be told that it’s the there is no city planning whatsoever there; system at Customs that corrupts good peobusiness establishments just build and build ple. What he needs to do is privatize Cusas they please. There should be a law here toms. This is the only way he could rid it of that requires businesses to provide parking graft and corruption. spaces before they can build.

Baguio is truly a dying city. It cries out www.emiljurado.weebly.com

P

A desperate measure

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is placing the Bureau of Customs under the supervision of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The President hopes that the military’s presence will help address corruption and drug smuggling at the graft-ridden bureau.

In a speech on Monday, Mr. Duterte also said that Customs officials will be placed on floating status.

Newly installed Customs Chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero will choose the AFP personnel to help him run the bureau.

Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo is confident Guerrero will choose “people with expertise” for the daunting task.

Meanwhile, the intelligence body of the agency will directly report to the Office of the President.

President Duterte’s decision to place the military in charge of the controversial agency was spurred by allegations that some P11 billion worth of shabu found its way to the streets. Manila port officials supposedly looked the other

way so they could be cleared.

Curiously, however, he merely assigned then-Commissioner Isidro Lapeña as director general of the Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA)—a position with Cabinet rank.

Now that the military is descending on Customs, some quarters are concerned this may be the start of the militarization of civilian-led agencies of government—despite the Palace’s insistence that such a move is temporary, and only until the President becomes satisfied with the way the bureau is run.

We agree that the Bureau of Customs is in a class of its own. Prior attempts to change the immutable culture of corruption over the decades have

all failed. Any individual put in charge of the BoC either quits in frustration at his inability or is accused of profiting from corrupt practices that are encouraged and enabled by the system.

This is also exactly why even a desperate solution like this one still merits a fair amount of doubt. What is our guarantee that the AFP personnel who will be handpicked to lead Customs will end up changed by the system instead of changing it? Who is to say when the bureau’s performance has become acceptable to President Duterte, enough for him to lift the order? How can we be sure that this is not going to be the same dog with a different collar?

For now anything other than the status quo is an improvement. The public will watch whether this approach even makes a dent, or this is just another desperate measure that will doom us to despair.

Seven new saints will grant us spiritual favors. This practice is rooted in the belief in the Communion of Saints where the Church Triumphant, or should already in heaven, the Church militant, or those still living, and the Church Suffering, or souls in purgatory, are spiritually connected and mutually interceding ON NOV. 1, the Roman Catholic Church and praying for the other in order to attain and other Christian denominations com- the ultimate spiritual goal, which is, life memorate the All Saints Day, a day of re- eternal.

During the Pontificate of Pope Francis, membrance for souls who have attained the beatific vision. In Catholic theology, these new Saints have been canonized by the are the souls who are now in the presence of Catholic Church. These are the individuals God the Almighty after having died in the who because of their heroic virtues, perstate of grace, without any stain of sin. Je- sonify the living Christ. They are now offisus during his earthly ministry often talked cially recognized as Saints by the Catholic about life going on into eternity. He was not Church to join the thousands of Saints who saying this metaphorically, but he literally are similarly conferred the title throughmeant they would live on in the presence of out the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church.

God for all eternity.

Last Oct. 14, 2018, Pope Francis canAs Christians we are all called to become saints, that is to live in virtue and shun away onized in Saint Peter’s Square seven new saints. These inall forms of evil and clude a worker misdeeds which are priest, a founder of a not pleasing in the congregation, a lay eyes of God in order person known for Because of their to gain our eternal his piety, two nuns, inheritance which heroic virtues, they a Pope, and a marJesus has stored for personify the living tyred Archbishop. us. Being called to St. Vincent Robe saints does not Christ. mano was born in mean however that 1751 and ordained we perform extraora priest in 1775. He dinary deeds such spent his whole life as healing the sick, foretelling the future, reading souls and as a priest in Torre del Greco, Italy. He led other miracles. These gifts are bestowed an exemplar life, caring for orphans. The

by God to a chosen few in order to accom- people of Torre del Greco nicknamed him plish his purpose. For us ordinary mortals, “The Worker Priest” because of his tireless to become saints, it is enough that we do work with the poor and for his commitment ordinary deeds with extraordinary zeal in to the social needs of all people in the Neapolitan region. accordance with the will of God. St. Francesco Spinelli was a 19th century Yet all throughout the annals of the history of Christianity, there have been Saints Italian Roman Catholic Priest who distinraised on the altar of the Church to be ven- guished himself by founding the Institute erated. Because they displayed heroic vir- of the Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament. tues during their lifetime, the Universal The sisters dedicated themselves to EuChurch has canonized these individuals charistic adoration day and night, which to become Saints for their unfailing holi- inspired their service to the poor and sufness or because they offered themselves as fering. St. Spinelli spent most of his life martyrs for the faith. They not only serve educating the poor, serving as spiritual dias inspiration to those who are still living rector, and counselor for several women’s but these saints intercede for us so that God religious communities.

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Must try harder: France vows to end school neglect of Arabic

By Clare BYRNE IN THE ethnically mixed Paris suburb of Kremlin-Bicetre, a group of children sit quietly at their desks while outside their classmates frolic in the autumn sunshine.

“Ayna yaskunu Adel? (where does Adel live)” teacher Hanan asks the children, pointing to a textbook drawing of a boy and girl in a village with a school and a

mosque.

Hands shoot up, and a little girl replies that he lives behind the “madrassa,” or school.

Welcome to Lissane, one of a growing number of private language schools where the children and grandchildren of North African immigrants go to learn classical Arabic on Wednesday afternoons, when schools are closed, and on the weekend.

While Hanan’s students, aged 7 to 10, study interrogative pronouns in one of seven classrooms housed in a former office building, a group of four-year-olds next door is singing a nursery rhyme about the parts of the body.

So far, so normal, with the notable difference that female teachers wear the Muslim headscarf, a garment banned along with other religious symbols in state schools.

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Opinion Budapest’s underwater wonderland draws divers from far and wide

By Peter Murphy/ Balazs Wizner

“It’s the only underwater cave in Budapest open to divers.

Speleology is a niche market.

It doesn’t have mass appeal.

And our urban location makes us special. It’s very, very rare,” says Attila Hosszu, who has run the center since it opened.

The advantage of being underneath a city is that “you don’t have to haul your equipment up a mountain or down a deep valley to get here,” Hosszu adds.

The entrance to the center is a discreet metal door near one of Budapest’s main boulevards and just a block away from the Danube river that separates the city’s two halves, Buda and Pest.

According to the diving center’s website, the cave was formed many millennia ago, when the geological fault line on which Budapest is situated cracked. The ascending thermal water ate into the rock to create caves close to the surface.

“You can see amazing stalactites and stalagmites in Mexico.

But you have to travel for days to get there. Here, you just walk in and dive, it’s very exciting,” says 38-year-old Russian Irina Litvinenko after getting off the tram on her way to the center.

Outside on the streets, the autumn wind is blustery. But inside the center, the air is still warm and humid, making the divers sweat as they get their equipment ready.

Explorations from the 1950s began to reveal the full extent of submerged canyons, halls and passageways.

But until the diving center opened three years ago, only scientists were permitted entry to explore or collect samples for laboratory examinations.

NOT every diver’s dream is to watch shimmering shoals of fish swim through coral reefs in dazzlingly blue seas.

For Laura Tuominen, the ultimate diving experience is not to be found in the Red Sea or the Caribbean, but in a labyrinth of spectacular underwater caves beneath the pavements of Budapest.

The Hungarian capital is already famous worldwide for its steaming hot spas and thermal baths.

But the underwater Janos Molnar cave system, named after the Hungarian pharmacist who discovered it in the 19th century, has become a hot tip for diving aficionados.

Around seven kilometers (4.4 miles) in length and previously open only to scientific expeditions, the cave became accessible to the public—that is, qualified divers—when a diving center was opened here in 2015.

“We are under Budapest! It’s amazing!” shouts Tuominen, a 39-year-old Finnish anaesthesiologist and passionate amateur diver, as she jumps into the warm waters from a platform mounted in the narrow space at the bottom of the entrance tunnel.

She is one of a group of hobby divers and speleologists, wearing dry suits and carrying double cylinders of compressed gas on their backs, who then descend into the gloomy waters, the light from their torches gradually fading out of view.

The group is accompanied by a diving center staff member who directs them with the help ‘Silence is precious’ of “guideline” cords through Zoltan Bauer, who has been the maze of narrow passageguiding groups through the cave ways and cavernous cathedralsince 2015, says visitors come like chambers. mostly for the stunning underwater landscapes.

‘Very rare’ urban setting

“There are only a few creatures in the cave,” the 29-year-old says, referring mainly to tiny crustaceans. “But what I really like is the shape of it, how it looks, its beautiful formations.”

Litvinenko, a Cyprus-based finance worker, is similarly entranced.

“Usually, cave diving is about going in and out of a tunnel.

But this is like a Swiss cheese, you go down one hole and come back through another,” she enthuses.

“For me, it’s super-relaxing.

In this technological world, silence is precious.”

The water’s balmy temperature of 20-27 degrees Celsius (68-80 degrees Fahrenheit) year round is another draw, says Marton Illes, a 37-year-old IT developer from Budapest, who lives nearby.

“This is my 15th dive here, but I’m just scratching the surface.

There’s so much to see down there, so many passages,” says the part-time diving instructor.

To preserve the cave’s unique ecosystem, the daily number of divers is limited to 30.

It costs 60 to 140 euros ($68 to $159) depending on the depth of the dive—maximum 90 metres (300 feet).

The depth also determines the time limit, currently 150 minutes, but no-limit dives may be coming soon.

Geologists, chemists, biologists, and maintenance engineers repairing safety ropes rub shoulders with tourists in the tunnel before a dive.

Marine biology and ecology expert David Brankovits —a regular visitor—says the “creatures found here cannot be found anywhere else, scientists can study their evolution, and their food and energy sources”.

And as long as tourist divers respect the cave—a protected site since 1982—there are no concerns about them coming here, Brankovits says. AFP

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From A4

But it is not so much the headscarves as the “Islamic sciences,” or religion lessons, conducted at Lissane and many other private Arabic language schools, that have drawn scrutiny in a country that has an uneasy relationship with its Muslim minority, the largest in Europe at an estimated five million.

Lissane’s co-founder Abdelghani Sebata, a 37-year-old Algerian law graduate, says that the religious component of the course—which includes learning verses of the Koran—is “very light”.

“We leave the religious side to the families,” he told AFP. But at the many mosques that also teach children to read and write the Arabic used in official communications, literature and media across the Arab world, as well as in the Koran, Islam is the main focus.

‘Submission’ fears A report on radicalization last month by the Institut Montaigne, a respected liberal French think-tank, warned that Arabic classes had become “the best way for Islamists to attract young people into their mosques and (private) schools”.

In response, Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer—one of centrist President Emmanuel Macron’s most combative ministers—announced plans to take back control.

Arguing that classical Arabic should be treated like all other “great languages” such as Russian and Chinese, he vowed to develop its teaching in state schools in order to combat “the drift towards self-ghettoisation” in private institutions.

His proposal drew a furious reaction from rightwingers who view the use of Arabic by North African

immigrants with hostility, seeing it as evidence of a failure to integrate.

Luc Ferry, was was education minister under former centre-right president Jacques Chirac, questioned whether the government was bent on “fighting Islamism or bringing it into public education”—suggesting that by giving Arabic more prominence it was doing the latter.

“We’re in a logic of submission,” fumed Louis Aliot, a lawmaker from the far-right National Rally (formerly National Front) party, echoing the title of a novel by controversial author Michel Houellebecq, “Submission”, which imagines a France ruled by Islamists.

Few options Hakim El Karoui, author of the Institut Montaigne report which revived a long-running debate about France’s insistence that immigrants ditch their ethnic identities on arrival and embrace Frenchness, said he was “not at all” surprised by the reaction on the right.

“Everything to do with Arabs drives them a bit mad,” El Karoui, a Tunisian-born geography scholar and former government advisor, told AFP. He points to the increasing scarcity of schools offering Arabic— France’s second-most spoken language, and one used by over 430 million people worldwide—as evidence of their reluctance to teach a subject associated with “problematic” immigrants.

Only 567 primary schoolchildren studied Arabic last year, a third of the number who took Chinese as their mandatory second language.

Most chose English.

In secondary school, just 11,200 pupils studied Arabic, which is offered

in a handful of schools in each city, mostly elite city-centre colleges.

‘Singers, hip-hoppers, scientists’ With demand far outstripping supply, parents have turned to mosques, religious associations and private schools like Lissane, which together attract some 80,000 students, according to a government estimate cited by the Institut Montaigne.

Ines Kridaine, a 35-year-old Tunisian living in France for the past 13 years, enrolled her daughter Ikram in classes at Lissane at the age of four.

Five years later, Ikram can understand her Tunisian relatives, follow Arabic news channels and read the Koran. But Ines, who wears a headscarf and a loose abaya robe, still wishes Arabic was taught during class time.

“It should be treated like any other language,” she said.

Writing in Le Monde newspaper last month, the head of the prestigious Arab World Institute in Paris, former Socialist minister Jack Lang, defended Arabic as the language of “Arab Christians, Jews, Muslims and atheists, bloggers, social media, young people, writers, poets, artists, singers, hip-hoppers, scientists, researchers, journalists, companies and innovators”.

It’s a view shared by Jerome Gercet, principal of an international secondary school in the southeastern city of Grenoble that has to turn away applicants for its Arabic section each year.

After graduation, most of his students go on to study political science, medicine, business, engineering, arts or administration.

That’s proof, he said, that Arabic is “a subject of excellence.” AFP

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

A5

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Metro Manila not ready for The Big One actually, it has been preoccupied with the matter for many years—is the Big One, the earthquake that Phivolcs said RUDY is likely to occur sooner or later in the ROMERO VFS (Valley Fault System). VFS is composed of two fault lines running across Metro Manila. The more famous ARGUABLY the most difficult jobs in of the two is the Marikina fault line, the Philippine civil service are the jobs which runs through an area dominated held by the staff of Phivolcs (Philippine by the Marikina River. Phivolcs has Institute for Volcanology and Seismol- pointed out that the VFS has been inogy). True, the members of the Armed active for 600 years also and is likely Forces of the Philippines and the Phil- to experience movement in the foreippine National Police are called upon seeable future. The agency cannot say to lay down their lives if demanded by exactly when, but it says that the Big duty, but the Phivolcs folk are the only One is likely to take place sooner rather civil servants who operate on the basis than later.

Obviously, the operative word is of guesswork, albeit guesswork of a preparation. Of late, Phivolcs has been highly educated kind.

The Phivolcs folk are called upon to repeating its warnings about the need predict when and where earthquakes to prepare Metro Manila’s structures and volcanic eruptions are likely to —buildings, houses and public instaloccur and how strong—as measured lations—for the Big One. In a recent by the Richter scale—they are likely speech Dr. Solidum reminded constructors and real to be. Given the nature of earthestate developers quakes and volabout the key role that they play in canic eruptions the preparation and their ability to Phivolcs folk are the process. Retrofitcause enormous ting of structures loss of lives and only civil servants who and installations damage to prop- operate on the basis should be undererty, the responsi- of guesswork, albeit taken expedibility of Phivolcs tiously where it head Dr. Ricardo guesswork of a highly is necessary, he Solidum Jr. and educated kind. stressed. Needless his people is nothto say, the building ing short of aweinspection units of some. For them it’s a praised-if-we’re-right-damned-if- the local governments have a major responsibility to fulfill in the process of we-miss existence.

That’s the way things are. Phivolcs preparing for the Big One. The estimates made by Phivolcs of does not deal in certainties; it deals in probabilities. On the basis of their stud- loss of lives and damage to property reies of a country’s geological structure sulting from the Big One’s occurrence and physical history, it hazards guesses are frightening. But the authorities of —educated guesses—about the prob- Metro Manila don’t have to be told that ability of occurrence of a seismological the losses will be much reduced if a or volcanic event. Sometimes it makes good job of preparation is done.

To its credit, the Disaster Risk Rethe right call and much loss is averted; at other times it misses the geologic duction and Management Administrasignals and the nation is unprepared for tion has been taking measures toward mitigation of the impact of the Big One. the ensuing disaster.

Given the limitations and inherent For one, it has been conducting drills in risks of its job, Phivolcs may be adjudged heavily populated structures—particuto have performed creditably. In the Na- larly schools and individual establishtional Capital Region-Central Luzon area ments—intended to minimize injuries four major geological events have oc- and losses of lives.

But what it has been doing is not curred during the last 50 years, namely, the earthquakes that brought down the nearly enough. Evacuation centers Ruby Towers (1968), the earthquake of should be widely publicized so that 1970, Mt. Pinatubo’s 1990 eruption and people will know where to run when the earthquake that it triggered in 1991. disaster comes. I think that the majorThe 1968 temblor appeared to have sur- ity of Metro Manilans still don’t know prised Phivolcs, but it correctly predicted where the nearest evacuation center is.

Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption. It had been say- And vital supplies—canned food, meding that there had been no volcanic erup- icines and batteries, etc.—must already tion in the Zambales mountain range for be prepositioned in well-publicized and 600 years and that one was therefore fairly easily accessible places. Above likely to happen in the near future. An all, the older structures and public ineruption did happen, with far-reaching stallations must be retrofitted as soon consequences, chief of which was the as possible, for it is in these places that US military’s decision to leave Clark the highest casualties will be recorded.

In conclusion, is Metro Manila ready Air Base.

Phivolcs’ current preoccupation— for the Big One? I don’t think so.

BUSINESS CLASS

Seven...

From A4

St. Nunzio Sulprizio was a pious Roman Catholic from Italy. All throughout his brief life he suffered from poor health. On his path to sainthood he was known for his gentleness, holiness and patience.

St Nazaria Ignacia March Mesa was born in Madrid Spain in 1889. Despite hostility from her family members, she entered the religious life and became a nun of the Franciscan Third Order. For economic reasons, his family moved to Mexico and there she joined with the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Elderly in 1908. St. Nazaria Ignacia died in Buenos Aires, Argentina on July 6, 1943, leaving great reputation for holiness.

St. Maria Katharina Kasper was born in Dembach, Germany in 1820 as Catherine Kasper. Despite poor health, she began to help the poor, the abandoned, and the sick at a young age. As a nun she founded the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. Today the Congregation has spread to Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Mexico and India with 690 sisters in 104 houses.

Of the seven new saints, Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Oscar Romero have had the strongest influence on me. In the last 35 years, as I matured in the faith, I always ask for their intervention when faced with crisis and doubts about my mission.

St. Pope Paul VI, known as Giovanni Battista Montini. At the age of 65, he was elected Pope Paul VI in 1963. Pope Paul the VI is best known for his encyclical Humanae Vitae which served as the Church’s official rebuke to the sexual revolution of the time. It re-affirmed the orthodox teaching of the Church regarding responsible parenthood, and the rejection of artificial contraception. For me though, it is Populorum Progressio, the encyclical of Pope Paul VI on the development of peoples, which has had a greater influence. In that encyclical, Pope Paul positioned the Catholic Church completely on the side of “those peoples

who are trying to escape the ravages of hunger, poverty, endemic disease and ignorance; of those who are seeking a larger share in the benefits of civilization and a more active improvement of their human qualities; of those who are consciously striving for fuller growth.”

St. Oscar Romero took Pope Paul VI’s commitment seriously. He was an auxiliary bishop of San Salvador before being elevated to Archbishop in 1977. An outspoken critic of the military death squads which terrorized the poor of El Salvador.

He fearlessly spoke out against the government’s actions in El Salvador. During Romero’s beatification, Pope Francis stated, “His ministry was distinguished by his particular attention to the most poor and marginalized.” Hailed as a hero by supporters of liberation theology inspired by his work, Romero, according to his biographer, “was not interested in liberation theology” but faithfully adhered to Catholic teachings on liberation and a preferential option for the poor, desiring a social revolution based on interior reform. In March 1980, Romero succumbed to an assassin’s bullet while celebrating Mass. These were the last words of Archbishop Romero, delivered as a homily in that last mass: “The holy Mass, now, this Eucharist, is just such an act of faith. To Christian faith at this moment the voice of diatribe appears changed for the body of the Lord, who offered himself for the redemption of the world, and in this chalice the wine is transformed into the blood that was the price of salvation. May this body immolated and this blood sacrificed for humans nourish us also, so that we may give our body and our blood to suffering and to pain—like Christ, not for self, but to bring about justice and peace for our people.”

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH’s Diwata is launched in Japan

THUNDERBOLT TEST. Provincial bus drivers undergo Monday a curveball, surprise drug testing at different bus terminals in Quezon City—in what is called OPLAN UNDASPOT— by drug and transport authorities to ensure safety and security of passengers during their trip to and from the provinces during All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Manny Palmero

Opposition solon slams ‘inferior tollgate’ AN OPPOSITION lawmaker on Monday warned that the country’s primary tollways—the South Luzon Expressway and the North Luzon Expressway—were bound to become oversized parking lots just like EDSA during the holidays because of their inferior tollgate systems.

And with the expected influx of motorists going in and out of Metro Manila before and after All Saints’ Day, senior deputy minority leader and Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said that people were again expected to bear the brunt of being trapped in monstrous traffic jams due to the slow transition of vehicles passing through the tollgates.

Atienza noted that despite the tollgate upgrades that now allow motorists to use the so-called beep cards and RFID (radiofrequency identification) stickers, the flow of vehicles is being snagged by the slow lifting response of their barriers.

“I’ve been to countries like Singapore where there are no barriers at entry and exit points in their expressways which definitely allow faster and smoother flow of traffic. The RFID system should ensure the smooth flow of traffic along our expressways,” Atienza said.

“These expressways are run by big private corporations and we are paying premium rates with the expectation that we will have a more comfortable and hassle-free travel. But as it is now, it looks like our expressways are becoming our new EDSA because we have inferior tollgate systems,” he added.

Atienza pointed out that motorists are encountering many problems with the current system, among them instances where the barriers do not automatically open because of the failure of the scanners to detect the vehicles’ RFID. Maricel V. Cruz

Former congressman faces graft raps at Sandiganbayan

By Maricel V. Cruz

F

ORMER Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico is facing graft charges at the Sandiganbayan owing to his alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund, or pork barrel, in 2007.

Suplico violated one count of graft for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, said the Ombudsman’s Assistant Special Prosecutor III Jorge Espinal in his complaint filed against the former lawmaker.

Also charged were Antonio Ortiz, former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center director general, and Alfredo Ronquillo, AARON Foundation

Philippines Inc. president.

A P30,000 bond has been recommended for each of the accused in the case.

Ombudsman prosecutors said before the 2007 elections, Suplico received P14,700,000 as part of his pork barrel fund on May 4, 2007.

The funds were allegedly transferred to the TLRC for livelihood and development projects in Iloilo City’s District 5.

The Commission on Audit’s special

audit office said Suplico’s PDAF remained unliquidated, and that the project implementation and the AARON-selection process were not compliant with the provisions of CoA Circular No. 2007-01 and Government Procurement Policy Board Resolution No. 12-2007.

The foundation did not have a business permit since 2004, the Ombudsman said, adding even its business address was located in a vacant lot, it said.

“Suplico’s utter lack of effort to ensure the implementation of the projects and the liquidation of the public funds, thereby causing undue injury to the government in the amount of P14,700,000,” said the charge sheet signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on Oct.11.

BEATING ‘ROSITA.’ Early

passengers flock to different bus terminals in Pasay City to avoid being unduly caught by incoming Typhoon Rosita during their visit to their departed loved ones on Thursday and Friday during the religious holiday while security guards conduct tight security for the safety of the passengers. Lino Santos

House supports proposed ‘Consolidated Data Act’ THE House of Representatives has supported a bill establishing a consolidated poverty data collection system which shall generate updated and disaggregated data necessary in targeting beneficiaries and ensure they shall have access to social protection and welfare programs that address their minimum basic needs.

House Bill 8217, which has been approved on second reading, provides that the CPDC system shall also help the government in conducting more comprehensive poverty analysis and needs prioritization as well as designing appropriate policies, intervention and monitoring impact over time.

Principally authored by Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III of Bataan, the bill declares that the use of the CPDC system is in pursuant to the policy of the State to free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, deliver a rising standard of living, promote full employment, and make available an improved life for all.

As defined in the bill, the CPDC system refers to the “generation of data at the local level which serves as basis in targeting poor households in the planning, budgeting and implementation of government programs geared towards poverty alleviation.” This system merges the methodologies used in data collection activities of all national agencies, geotagging, and the Community Based Monitoring.

The CPDC system entails a census of households undertaken by the local government units with the participation of the community using accelerated poverty profiling system in the data-collection, processing, mapping and analysis of data.

Meanwhile, the bill refers to geotagging as the “process of generating metadata about government projects through various media and of uploading to a web-based application.” This enables the mapping of all areas in the country and allows the government, the citizenry, and other stakeholders to check the progress of projects in real time. Maricel V. Cruz

DOLE, TESDA partner with Japanese school

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority have partnered with a Japanese language school to enable hundreds of Filipino students to learn Japanese and work in Japan to ease language barrier with their Japanese employer.

TESDA executive director Sonia Lipio said that the Chiba Mode Business Nihonggo School and Richwell Training Center Services Inc. a TESDA accredited training center is now accepting Filipino students who want to learn Japanese and work in Japan.

RTCSI president Ann Quiza said Filipino students who become Japanese proficient could stay at CMB Japan and work part-time there, saying

investing in and building a future career in Japan was what the program was all about.

She said the Japanese-language course in the Philippines would partner with a local college amid growing interest in learning the language among Filipinos.

DOLE-National Capital Region Director Regienald Espaldon said the new language school aimed to cater to an increasing number of Filipinos taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, a widely used exam to evaluate and certify the language proficiency of nonnative speakers.

In 2017, a record 14,062 Filipinos took the exam, up 21 percent from the previous year, while the number of all examinees topped one million for the first time, according to the Japan Foundation, the test administrator.

THE Philippines launched Monday Diwata-2, its second microsatellite, to assist in environmental analysis and determine the extent of damage caused by natural calamities.

Officials said the microsatellite was was launched from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan via the H-IIA F40 rocket between 12:08 pm to 12:30 pm (Philippine time).

“It’s been two years, six months and three days since the Philippines had its first earth-observing satellite released in space. Like its predecessor, Diwata-2 will capture images of the Philippines for environmental monitoring and postdisaster assessment,” said project leader Dr. Gay Jane Perez.

He added: “Diwata-2 features an amateur radio for emergency communication.”

The satellite will orbit at a higher altitude of 620 kilometers to lengthen its lifespan and achieve a sun-synchronous orbit, which will enable fixed revisit intervals that would make repeated environmental monitoring of specific areas.

In April 2016, the Philippines’ first microsatellite, Diwata-1, was released in orbit by British astronaut Tim Peake.

Diwata-1 was also intended to observe Earth and monitor climate changes.

It was praised by researchers for providing “world-best” images.

According to officials, Diwata-2 carries a wide field camera, middle field camera, high precision telescope and “spaceborne” multispectral imager with tunable liquid crystal filter.

A distinguishing feature of Diwata-2 is the deployable solar panels for higher power output and enhanced resolution cameras.

Solid waste law enforced

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority has asked community leaders to strictly enforce the country’s solid waste management law and step up campaigns in reducing and minimizing garbage that caused flooding in the metropolis.

In a forum last weekend, MMDA officials called on barangay chairmen in Metro Manila to implement provisions of the Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) in their respective areas.

“A barangay chairman is considered ‘lodi,’ slang for idol, if he complies and is able to ensure the participation of his constituents in treating their garbage properly. People also see his leadership in maintaining the cleanliness of his barangay,” said Elsie Encarnacion, head of the MMDA Solid Waste Management Office.

The forum is being conducted per local government unit, depending on the number of barangay chairman per LGU. “We started last week of September and so far we had finished conducting forums on seven out of 17 local government units: San Juan, Malabon, Pateros, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Navotas and Mandaluyong,” said Encarnacion.

According to Encarnacion, barangay chairmen have crucial role in promoting proper solid waste management practices, like door-to-door garbage collection and waste segregation at source, as they serve as head of the barangay solid waste management committee.

“One way to reduce garbage is to intensify segregation in households.

Barangay chairmen should see to it that not all trash are disposed at the sanitary landfills. They should also meet diversion strategies to help lessen collected waste in their areas,” said Encarnacion.

Being the forefronts of the government, barangays are required under RA 9003 to develop an ecological solid waste management program that promotes waste segregation, maintain the cleanliness of surroundings, and ensure the establishment of materials recovery facility or materials recovery system in their neighborhoods.

“An MRF is a place where trash from households can be brought for further sorting and immediate treatment of recyclable and biodegradable materials,” said Encarnacion.

Paco Rotary Club of Manila launches e-trike info drive THE 25-year-old Rotary Club of Paco, Manila, headed by its president Julius Galang, recently launched a two-pronged program aimed primarily to benefit the premier city’s tricycle operator and driver groups and, subsequently, other public transport organizations.

According to Galang, the twin projects—the e-trike livelihood information campaign and the road safety seminar—will redound to the enhancement of supplementary earnings for tricycle and

public utility drivers and owners who are expected to gain enough knowledge of road safety measures.

The main beneficiaries of these dual undertakings are the almost 500-strong members of the Federation of Manila Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association, Galang said in a press statement.

Throughout the years, the RC-Paco has been helping, in its modest way, in alleviating the poor conditions of barangays in Manila and nearby provinces.

Its medical missions, educational and calamity assistance projects, and tree-planting and feeding programs, among others, are the avenues that the Paco Rotarians are using to realize its so-called “sense of community service” drives.

In the near future, Galang plans to initiate moves that will address the needs of the elderlies/senior citizens, single parents, out-ofschool youths, battered women, and hazing and bullying in schools.

Sports

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

It’s Greenies-Red Robins in finals

By Peter Atencio

N

INETEEN-YEAR-OLD Inand Fornilos was almost unstoppable in the shaded lanes as he and four other teammates took turns in leading the defending champion La Salle Greenhills back into the finals of the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association junior basketball tournament.

The 6’2” Fornilos came up with a double-double performance of 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Greenies after their 9771 swamping of the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers yesterday at The Arena in San Juan.

The Greenies, who were also led by Joel Cagulangan with 19 points, reached the best-of-three finals for a second straight season with the Malayan Red Robins.

The Red Robins, who drew a career-high performance of 27 points and 10 rebounds from Paolo Hernandez, turned back the San Beda Red Cubs, 75-67, for their third straight championship appearance.

“We had to beat their intensity. They

got the momentum when they won the last game. We just drew strength and experience from that last game,” said Greenies’ coach Marvin Bienvenida after they bounced back from a 78-81 setback in their first semis encounter.

Fornilos, who only had five points in that previous game with JRU, rose to the occasion in the second and third periods with 8 and 10 points, respectively, when the Greenies began pulling away by a big margin.

His teammates RC Calimag had 12 points, while Lennox Valenzuela and Joshua David chipped in 11 each for the Greenies in denying the Light Bombers their first-ever finals

stint in recent memory.

David and Cagulangan led a 11-0 run that put the Greenies in front, 15-11, in the first period.

In the second period, Mark Daniel Sangco and Valenzuela presided over a 17-6 blast that gave the Greenies a 44-27 edge.

The Greenies widened their lead to 5638 with David’s trey, which touched off a 19-7 surge in the third period.

JRU, which last made it to the semis in Season 90, got 22 points from Marwin Dionisio, while John Amores added 17.

The Red Robins, who are set to face the Greenies on Nov. 6, also got 27 points and 13 rebounds from Jonnel Policarpio.

“It’s all about heart. Siguro, mas gusto namin. At ipinakita naman agad ng mga bata sa first quarter. Dumepensa kami agad,” said Red Robins’ coach Randy Alcantara.

The Red Cubs, led by Art Oliva with 16 points, were able to rally from 10 points down to within four off Oliva’s drive in the last 3:01, 61-65.

But the Red Cubs committed five errors,

while Dan Arches hit a triple and a driving shot that gave a the Red Robins a 72-63 advantage, in the final 42.6 seconds.

First game: CSB-LSGH 97—Fornilos 22, Cagulangan 19, Calimag 12, David 11, Valenzuela 11, Sangco 8, Lao 5, Lepalam 4, Mosqueda 3, Morales 2, Arciaga 0, Natividad 0, Palencia 0, Cortez 0, Lopez 0.

JRU 71—Dionisio 22, Amores 17, Vasquez 16, Baluyut 7, Delos Santos 4, Portales 3, Bucoy 2, Icban 0, Macatangay 0, Fortuna 0, Ganut 0, Sy 0.

Quarterscores: 27-21, 51-38, 75-53, 97-71.

Second game: Mapua 75—Hernandez 27, Policarpio 25, Arches 14, Sarias 5,Mariano 4, Diaz 0, Escamis 0, Smith 0, Dennison 0, Quimado 0.

San Beda 67—Oliva 16, Lazaro 10, Pelipel 9, Sanchez 8, Llarena 7,Coyoca 6, Estacio 3, Ynot 2, Alcantara 2, Andrada 2.

Quarterscores: 14-15, 37-32, 54-47, 75-67.

Blue Dragons unbeaten in 8 Fr. Martin Cup games THE defending champion Diliman College Blue Dragons demolished the San Beda Red Lions, 91-71, to stay unbeaten after eight games last Sunday in the senior division semifinals of 16th Fr. Martin Cup Division 2 basketball tournament.

Kevine Gandjeto fired a gamehigh 16 points for the Blue Dragons in posting their eighth straight win at the St. Placid gymnasium of the San Beda University-Manila campus in Mendiola.

The Blue Dragons earned a chance to go for a second straight crown in this senior division. This time, they will face the Letran Knights.

Commissioner Robert de la Rosa has set a 12 noon showdown between the Blue Dragons and the Knights.

The Knights arranged a finals showdown with the Blue Dragons after they prevailed over the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa Marshalls, 94-80.

In the junior division semis, Ymard Urbano made 18 points for the La Consolacion College-Manila Baby Blue Royals in their 105-78 toppling of Paco Citizens Academy Foundation.

The Baby Blue Royals advanced to the finals against First City Providential College of Bulacan, which won over St. JosephBulacan, 101-93.

They will clash in a winner-take-all champion match today at 10:30 a.m.

Theo Pabico hit 24 points, while John Matthew Bravo tallied 22 points for FCPC. Kevin Coquia shot 23 points for the Blue Dragons when they eased out Pasig Catholic College, 96-80, in the quarterfinals.

The Red Lions earned a semis berth after they got past the LCCM Blue Royals, 75-71, while PCC won over University of Perpetual HelpMolino, 88-84, and the PLMUN Marshalls won by default over the Arellano University Chiefs.

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors raises his hands after scoring a triple against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. AFP

REP. Mikee Romero (1 Pacman Partylist) lost a big brother following the tragic death of Thai duty-free billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

“I lost a great brother, sobrang close ko du’n,” said Romero in a text message following the confirmed report that Vichai died after his helicopter crashed outside Leicester’s stadium on Saturday.

While the enigmatic Thai billionaire was into football and Romero is into basketball, both share one passion—the love for polo.

Romero recalled that he played several times with Vitchai (who owns VR Polo Club) and sons—Aiyawatt and Apichet— in Bangkok (King Power), and was touched by how they treated him.

“I felt like I was also a royalty during the times I played there,” said Romero.

“Polo and football players all over the

world are mourning the death of one the sport’s pillars.”

Vichai became a global celebrity following the fairytale success of Leicester City in the Premier League in 2016.

Despite a 5 million to 1 odds, Leicester City persevered to win the world’s richest football league by tallying 81 points – beating traditional powers like Arsenal (71), Manchester United (66), Manchester City (66) and Chelsea (50).

“We in the polo community were ecstatic following his success of Vichai in the Premier League. That’s was huge,” he said.

Romero remains confident that the death of Vichai won’t derail the growth of polo in the South East Asian region, saying his sons are going to carry the torch.

Thousands of Leicester City fans are now mourning the death of Vichai outside the stadium’s gate.

LOS ANGELES—Stephen Curry set an NBA record after draining seven three pointers en route to a 35-point performance as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Brooklyn Nets 120114 on Sunday.

Curry scored 16 points in the first quarter and drained his final three pointer of the contest with 67 seconds remaining to make it 115-108. Curry has made at least five threes in all seven games this season to surpass George McCloud’s NBA record of six straight in 1995.

Kevin Durant tallied 34 points for the Warriors, who appeared to be cruising to victory before the Nets stormed back with some superb three-point shooting of their own in front of a crowd of 17,700 at Barclays Center arena.

“They got hot in the fourth to try to make it interesting, but we made enough plays down the stretch to obviously get the win,” said Curry.

The Warriors have won four straight since their only loss and their previous three wins were by 20 points or more.

They failed to equal the franchise record of four straight 20 point wins set by the San Francisco Warriors in the 1966-67 season.

Draymond Green had a season-high 13 assists while Klay Thompson struggled from beyond the arc, going one for five. He finished with 18 points on Sunday and is five of 36 overall from threepoint range this season.

D’Angelo Russell scored 25 points and Caris LeVert had 23 for the Nets, who made 20 three-pointers in 42 attempts and cut a 19-point deficit down to two.

“The way the first half went we easily could have kind of folded and that’s not what kind of guys we have in that locker room,” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said.

“They’re a resilient bunch and I thought they competed their tails off and it was good for the fans to see that we didn’t just succumb to their talent or their aura so to speak.”

Elsewhere, Rudy Gobert delivered another double double, finishing with 23 points and 16 rebounds as the Utah Jazz defeated the Dallas Mavericks 113-104.

De Andre Jordan flirted with a triple double by tallying 12 points, 19 rebounds and a career-high nine assists for the Jazz, who took a five-point lead into the fourth quarter and then won going away. AFP

Thai duty-free billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha with (right) Rep. Mikee Romero after a polo game in Thailand.

Big Boss Idol takes 3x3 Golden League title

College (0-2), 58-31, for a 1-1 slate.

DLS-Z’s 18-Under squad also crushed Miriam College (0-2), 58-34, to lead Group B undefeated with three wins.

Chiang Kai Shek College also remained clean on top of Group A in this tournament sponsored by Milo when it smothered University of Perpetual Help (0-2), 52-28.

The WBL is being organized by the BEST Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Center).

PH wushu team graces PSA Forum THE Philippine wushu team that won a gold, silver and bronze medals in the Sanda World Cup in Hangzhou, China will be the special guest in today’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Tapa King Restaurant in Farmers Plaza, Cubao.

Gold medal winner Arnel Mandal will be gracing the public sports program along with fellow medalists Francisco

Warriors win longball shootout against Nets

Philippine polo community mourns death of Thai pillar

La Salle-Zobel squads lead Women’s Basketball League; CKSC stays clean DELA Salle-Zobel logged back-to-back victories over the weekend to move a win away from sweeping the 13-Under category of the 31st Women’s Basketball League at the Xavier School gym.

The still undefeated DLS-Z swamped St. Stephen’s High School (0-1), 84-9, on Saturday then came back on Sunday with a 52-28 rout of Miriam College for its third straight win in its five-team class.

It was a sorry loss for Miriam College as it earlier drubbed St. Pedro Poveda

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sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Solis and Divine Wally just a day after arriving from the ninth edition of the quadrennial meet.

They will be accompanied by Wushu Federation of the Philippine secretarygeneral Julian Camacho in the session presented by San Miguel Beer, Tapa King, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Members of Big Boss Idol pose with commissioner Allan Caidic after winning the 3x3 Golden League Manila 2018. The team takes home $3,000 and the right to represent the Philippines in the SINA International Elite League.

BIG Boss Idol defeated Dasma Ballers 2, 21-16, to capture the 3x3 Golden League Manila 2018 crown on Sunday at the Ayala Circuit Mall in Makati City.

The team of Cedrick Ablaza, Rhoy Cayanan, Jhapz Bautista, and Bhabap Sta. Maria took home $3,000 for winning the championship, while also earning the right to represent the Philippines in the SINA 3x3 International Elite League slated Nov. 13 to 17 in Beijing, China.

The Dasma Ballers went home with $2,000 for finishing first runner-up, while Metro Star Realty took second runner-up honors for a $1,000 cash prize in the tournament with Allan Caidic as commissioner and Mediapro Asia and SINA as organizers.

Big Boss Idol reached the finals after beating guest team Aba Prefecture of Tibet, 21-13, to arrange a championship match against Dasma Ballers 2, which defeated Metro Star Realty, 20-11, in the other semifinal bracket.

League organizers are now looking forward to staging another edition of the tournament with plans to also bring the event in major cities outside Manila.

Sports

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

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

Marcial reiterates PBA support to PH five

PREPARATIONS of Team Philippines for the next window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers are expected to start shortly after national coach Yeng Guiao presents his program in a special meeting with the PBA board of governors Tuesday next week at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.

The Nationals resume their chase for a spot in the 2019 World Cup in China with back-to-back home games at the MOA Arena in Pasay City against Kazakhstan on Nov. 30 and versus Iran on Dec. 3.

Guiao is expected to name his pool of 18 to 20 players during the meeting to be presided by TNT KaTropa’s Ricky Vargas, who has just been given a one-year extension as chairman of the PBA board.

“The PBA governors want to know who will be the players in the pool for these players to be notified.

The board also wants to know the program and the practices. Pero kahit sino ang players na tawagin, for sure ibibigay yan ng PBA,” said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.

But even before the meeting with the national coach, the PBA has also decided to take a break from Nov. 17 to Dec. 4 to give way to the fifth window of the FIBAWC qualifiers.

“It may be pushed to Nov. 19 if we’re to have a playoff game for the last quarterfinal berth,” said Marcial.

The PBA takes a breather Wednesday and Friday in observance of the All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day. The Governors’ Cup elimination round concludes with the double-headers on Saturday and Sunday.

NLEX tangles with Rain or Shine then San Miguel Beer takes on Meralco Saturday while Phoenix Petroleum mixes it up with Blackwater then TNT KaTropa slugs it out with Barangay Ginebra Sunday.

Andray Blatche, Jayson Castro, Terrence Romeo and Troy Rosario, national players who have served out their suspensions by FIBA, are tipped to join the pool of players utilized by Guiao in the last FIBA widow where Team Phl clashed with Iran and Qatar.

Christian Standhardinger, Paul Lee, Alex Cabagnot, Gabe Norwood, Scottie Thompson, Poy Erram, Ian Sangalang, Marcio Lassiter, Raymond Almazan, Allein Malicsi, Beau Belga and Asi Taulava formed the national team that dropped a 73-81 loss to Iran in Tehran on Sept. 13.

In the next game where the Nationals clobbered the Qataris, 92-81, in a closed-door match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sept. 17, Stanley Pringle, Japeth Aguilar and Matthew Wright took over from Standhardinger, Almazan and Malicsi.

The Boston Red Sox celebrate their 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Five to win the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Ruthless display of hitting nets Sox World Series title L

OS ANGELES—Steve Pearce smashed two home runs as the Boston Red Sox romped to their ninth World Series crown on Sunday, pounding the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 with a ruthless display of hitting to clinch the Major League Baseball championship with two games to spare.

Pearce’s double-blast sandwiched home runs from Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez to seal a 4-1 victory in the best-of-seven match-up as the Dodgers’ quest for a first World Series title since 1988 ended in disappointment.

“This has been a lifelong journey,” said Pearce, who was later named Series MVP. “To be here right now is a dream come true.”

The 35-year-old Pearce, who supported the Red Sox as a boy, only joined the club in June after an 11-year career in the Majors.

“Best feeling in my life,” he said. “This is what you grow up wishing that you

could be a part of something like this.”

Red Sox pitcher David Price claimed the win with a sublime pitching performance, notching five strikeouts in seven masterful innings for one run and just three hits conceded.

It was another ice-cold display from Price, who had also shut down the Dodgers’ expensively-assembled batting lineup in game two of the series at Fenway Park on Wednesday.

But it was yet another bitter postseason outing for Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who once again failed to deliver on the big occasion with the Dodgers needing a victory to take the series to a

now, it doesn’t make it any easier.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave a frank assessment of his expensively assembled team’s failure to end their World Series drought.

“Ran up against a very good ballclub,” Roberts said. “And just a little bit too much for us.

“Ultimately, and it’s tough to say, but the better team won.”

- Fast start The Red Sox took the lead in the first inning, quickly going after Kershaw to get the first runs on the board.

After Betts flied out to left center-field, Andrew Benintendi drove through a gap to reach first base.

Pearce, Boston’s hero from Saturday’s 9-6 game four win after blasting a home run and a three-run double, picked up where he left off the previous night with a towering home run over center field to make it 2-0. AFP

Young guns boost PH Golf Tour Summit Point roster

Explosive triple-header kicks off PSL Games Today (Filoil Flying V Centre) 2 p.m. – Smart vs Sta. Lucia 4:15 p.m. – Petron vs Cocolife 7:00 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs Cignal

F2 Logistics kicks off its long journey back to the throne in an explosive tripleheader for the opening salvo of the Philippine Superliga (PSL) All-Filipino Conference today at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Cargo Movers are dead serious in asserting their dominance as they open their bid against a solid Cignal side in the 7 p.m. featured battle of this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled

by Isuzu, Sogo, Senoh, Asics, Mikasa, Mueller, UCPB Gen and Bizooku.

Reigning champion Petron, meanwhile, clashes with Cocolife at 4:15 p.m. following the 2 p.m. encounter between Smart and Sta. Lucia in this league that was named as one of the 10 finalists for the Best Women’s Sports Event category of the prestigious SPIA Asia Awards.

The league will formally open at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City on Saturday starting with a pair of clashes in the Collegiate Grand Slam, the league’s newest endeavor that features six of the best college teams in the country.

But in the All-Filipino of this twin tourneys that also has ESPN5, Hyper HD and Aksyon TV as broadcast partners, all eyes will surely be on F2 Logistics.

Since joining the league in 2016, this conference has been the Cargo Movers’ turf, thanks to their intact core of Aby Marano, Cha Cruz, Majoy Baron, Ara Galang, Dawn Macandili, Kianna Dy, Kim Fajardo and other former and current De La Salle University players.

game six in Boston.

The 30-year-old Texan lefty, who had also given up five runs in a mauling by the Red Sox offense in game one, is widely regarded as the greatest pitcher of his generation.

But his dream of crowning a decade of regular season dominance with a World Series ring looks more remote than ever after a brutal pummeling in what could turn out to be his final outing with the Dodgers if he opts out of the remaining two years on his contract.

The Dodgers were left to watch a visiting team celebrate a World Series at Dodger Stadium for a second year running following the Houston Astros’ victory in game seven of the Fall Classic last season.

“There’s only one team that can win and we know that, but it just hurts worse when you make it all the way and get second place,” Kershaw said.

“So having done that two years in a row

Micah Shin (above) and Kim Joo Hyung are back in the Philippine Golf Tour Asia hunt

KOREANS Micah Shin and Kim Joo Hyung rejoin the Philippine Golf Tour Asia in Batangas, firming up the already formidable field slugging it out in the $100,000 Summit Point World 18 Challenge beginning tomorrow (Wednesday) at Summit Point Golf Club in Lipa.

Shin, 21, and Kim, 16, skipped the CAT Open leg of the region’s newest circuit in the CAT Open at Luisita last week but they are coming into the Summit event brimming with confidence, bringing in games honed up by stints in the local circuit and abroad.

The Davao-based Shin, who edged Miguel Tabuena to become the first non-Filipino to win The Country Club Invitational last February to add to his Asian Tour victory late last year, placed fifth in PGT Asia Southwoods ruled by Jay Bayron last June before campaigning in other regional tours.

Kim, on the other hand, scored his maiden triumph at PGT Pueblo de Oro last July and finished tied for sixth in his last PGT Asia event in the Aboitiz Invitational at Southwoods last Sept. The Rivierabased shotmaker, who has dominated the country’s amateur circuit to move up to the pro ranks last year, also vied in a couple of tournaments abroad and is among those tipped to contend in the seventh leg of the circuit put up by ICTSI at the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed layout which features replicas of 18 of

the famous golf holes across the world, But they are just but two of a host of fancied players in pursuit of the top $17,500 purse in the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. with last week’s CAT Open winner James Ryan Lam also confident of making it two-in-row after winning the PGT Asia CAT Open last week.

Other local aces expected to figure in early contention are PGT Asia Forest Hills leg winner Jhonnel Ababa, Riviera titlist Jobim Carlos and Bayron, along with Luisita Invitational champion Clyde Mondilla, Elmer Salvador, Michael Bibat, Justin Quiban, Joenard Rates, Tony Lascuña and Orlan Sumcad.

But they will be up against a crack roster of foreign challengers, including Americans John Michael O’Toole, Nicolas Paez, Brett Munson and Lexus Keoninh, Thais Pasavee Lertvilai and Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij, Koreans Hwang Myung Chal and Park Jun Sung and Macedonian Peter Stojanovski.

Meanwhile, the pros test the challenging layout one last time in today’s (Tuesday) pro-am tournament with amateur partners and guests of the event’s chief backers, including ICTSI, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology Inc.

Hope Christian crowned Fil-Chinese Amateur Athletics’ champ HOPE Christian High School finally ended six years of futility by stunning multi-titled Chiang Kai Shek College, 57-44, to win the Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletics Championship recently at the Chiang Kai Shek College gym in Tondo, Manila.

Led by Christian Pauco and Harvey Pagsanjan, the Hope Christian dribblers outscored the Blue Dragons, 17-10, in the payoff period to end their rivals’ reign in the country’s premier Fil-Chinese tournament.

Hope Christian’s title win was its fifth since 1992. It also triumphed in 1993, 2011 and 2012.

Dr. Cecilio Kwok Pedro, owner of Hapee Toothpaste and school’s

chief backer, is hoping the school’s victory over CKSC could be the start of something good for the team as it vies in the prestigious PSSBC Tournament of Champions in December.

Hope Christian coordinator Bernard Yang said the team is hoping to become the first two-time champion of the PSSBC having won the inaugural tournament seven years ago.

Pauco led Hope Christian with 18 points to emerge as the Final MVP while Pagsanjan, who added 16 points and grabbed a game-high 17 boards, emerged as the tournament’s MVP. Hope Christian and Chiang Kai Shek will represent FCAAF in the Tournament of Champions.

Hope Christian High School players are shown with chief backer Dr. Cecilio Kwok Pedro of Hapee Toothpaste and team coordinator Bernard Yang and Athletic Coordinator Steve Tiu during the team’s celebration last Sunday.

IN BRIEF Group of contractors bucks cement tariffs A GROUP has strongly opposed the imposition of safeguard measures on imported cement, saying it will hurt consumers and all contractors.

Philippine Contractors Association Inc. said in a position paper that while the safeguard measure favored local cement makers, the local construction industry would bear the brunt of higher prices once safeguard measures were slapped on imports.

“In these times of increased activities in the construction of residential houses, residential and commercial condominiums, office buildings, industrial plants, roads, and bridges and other structures where cement is a major component, the imposition of safeguard measures will surely tilt the balance and adversely affect the buying public,” the group said in the paper.

The Tariff Commission earlier reversed earlier safeguard measures recommended by the Department of Trade and Industry on cement after the appellate court ruled against them. Othel V. Campos

Business

Asian Terminal gets upgraded certification SUSTAINING its safety leadership in the ports industry, listed Asian Terminals Inc. was recently certified as ISO 45001:2018 compliant, becoming the first international port operator in the Philippines to secure the upgraded global standard in occupational health and safety.

Independent audit body TUV Rheinland Philippines conferred ATI’s compliance to the top-tier management system, making ATI its first client to successfully transition from OHSES 18001 to ISO 45001, well ahead of the new standard’s adoption deadline in 2021.

Aside from the feat, ATI was re-certified for its global standards on Environment Management (ISO 14001:2005), Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015) and Supply Chain Security Management (ISO 28000:2007) by the same audit firm.

These standards form part of ATI’s Integrated Management System, which underpins the company’s robust risk management strategy, anchored on promoting a safe, healthy, secure and ecofriendly port environment for workers and stakeholders alike.

BEST BANK FOR SMES. Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. receives the AsiaMoney Award for Best Bank for SMEs, highlighting the bank’s service to small and medium enterprises. RCBC senior vice president Jayson Mendoza (center) accepts the award from AsiaMoney editor-in-chief Clive Horwood (left) and Asia bureau chief Matthew Thomas at The Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street in Beijing, China.

Neda ICC approves P67-b Marawi rehab, infra deals T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Cabinet-level review committee in the National Economic and Development Authority approved projects worth more than P67 billion, including two projects for Marawi City rehabilitation and recovery, a road network in Mindanao, a major flood-control project in Metro Manila and a gymnasium in New Clark City.

Neda said the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee approved the P6.5-billion Rehabilitation and Development Plan for Greater Marawi - Stage 2, which provides a viable solution for the rebuilding of Marawi City.

The RDP – Stage 2, which is expected to be completed by 2022, will be funded through official development assistance.

The ICC-CabCom also approved the list of programs and projects under the Bangon Marawi Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (for possible ODA financing, with a total cost of P3.4 billion.

These include programs and projects

in land resource management, social services, physical infrastructure, livelihood and business development implemented by the national government or is in support of local government-implemented projects, and the construction of classrooms for permanent resettlement sites, in view of land-related issues arising from the Marawi siege.

Neda said in Metro Manila, the ICCCabCom approved the fourth phase of the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project, executed by the Public Works Department, that would put in place flood management infrastructure along the eight-kilometer stretch of the Lower/Middle Marikina River and the construction of the Marikina control gate

PT&T cleared to join third telco bidding

PHILIPPINE Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said it is now ready to participate in the bidding for a third major telecom player on Nov. 7, after it obtained a certificate of no outstanding liabilities from the National Telecommunications Commission.

NTC certified that PT&T had “no uncontested obligations to the NTC as of Oct. 1, 2018,” including supervision and regulation fees, spectrum user fees, penalties, surcharges and interests.

PT&T said it paid P20.57 million in spectrum users fee to NTC from 2003 to 2018 and the uncontested P10.27million SRF for 2018.

“Since embarking on its revival, PT&T has been clearing the way to meet all the pre-qualification requirements to bid for the new major player or the 3rd telco bid,” PT&T president and chief executive James Velasquez said.

“With its long history of providing telecommunications services to the Filipino people across the nation, we believe we can meet all the stringent requirements to participate, this recent certification is another proof of that,” he said.

The terms of reference issued by NTC for the selection of new major player stated that interested participants should have no uncontested outstanding liabilities such as SRF and SUF, other penalties, surcharges and interests to the agency as of Oct. 1.

PT&T bought bid documents for the selection of the new major player. Other companies that purchased bid documents were Now Telecom of businessman Mel Velarde, Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp., the joint venture of businessman Chavit Singson’s LSC Group of Companies and TierOne Communications, Norway’s Telenor Group and China Telecom. Darwin G. Amojelar

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

B1

BDO’s income jumped 18% to P8.4b in Q3

2GO Group revives Davao-Manila route 2GO Group Inc. revived the Davaoto-Manila passenger shipping route to address the lack of an accessible and affordable ferry service for almost 10 years, the Department of Transportation said Monday.

“Our President said, let us make the Filipino life comfortable. Mr. President, today as we celebrate, this is our modest way, 2GO’s modest way, your Cabinet’s modest way, the Transportation Department’s modest way of contributing to your desire to make the Filipino life comfortable,” DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

The passenger shipping route is envisioned to enhance connectivity and mobility between Luzon and Mindanao, giving people more travel options and lowering the prices of goods and commodities through the access of freight containers traveling from Davao to Manila and vice versa.

“It is imperative that we establish public sea transport routes from Manila to Davao and other ports across the country... This route will facilitate greater mobility, encourage investments, and stimulate our local economies,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

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

structure.

The project will cost P33.09 billion and will be funded through a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Neda said the Committee also approved an increase in cost for the third phase of the same project to P9.02 billion from P7.5 billion, because of additional civil works, including dredging. The project covers the 5.4-km stretch of the Lower Marikina River, as well as the 9.9km remaining sections between the Delpan Bridge and Napindan Channel covered under the second phase of the PMRCIP. The agency said the ICC-CabCom also approved the Road Network Development Project in Conflict-Affected Areas in Mindanao that would construct, rehabilitate, and improve the 178.43 km road network in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and its neighboring regions.

The project, which the DPWH aims to finish by 2024, has an estimated project cost of P13.42 billion and is proposed to be funded through a loan from Jica.

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Monday, October 29, 2018

VICTORIA RECEIVES BIG SHIPS. Victoria International Container Terminal in

Melbourne is now the regular recipient of large container vessel calls, bringing the port into line with its peers on the east coast of Australia—Sydney and Brisbane—and delivering multiple benefits to importers and exporters. VICT, developed at a cost of Au$660 million

by Manila-based International Container Terminal Services Inc., is a fully automated terminal which in 2017 was the recipient of the Australia’s acclaimed Smart Infrastructure Project award. Shown is the maiden call of the 8,501-TEU Cosco Thailand at VICT.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

53.7320

Japan

Yen

0.008939

0.4803

UK

Pound

1.282600

68.9167

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127549

6.8535

Switzerland

Franc

1.002707

53.8775

Canada

Dollar

0.763767

41.0387

Singapore

Dollar

0.724585

38.9334

Australia

Dollar

0.709200

38.1067

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652872

142.5441

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266603

14.3251

Brunei

Dollar

0.721970

38.7929

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000066

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030202

1.6228

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

14.6297 61.2222

Euro

Euro

1.139400

Korea

Won

0.000877

0.0471

China

Yuan

0.143993

7.7370

India

Rupee

0.013614

0.7315

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239636

12.8761

New Zealand

Dollar

0.652300

35.0494

Taiwan

Dollar

0.032297

1.7354

DENR plans to file charges against 5 steel mills for alleged pollution

By Othel V. Campos THE Environment Department said it plans to file cases against five steel mills for allegedly releasing air polluting emissions that pose serious hazards to public health and the environment.

The department earlier launched an investigation into the activities of the five steel mills following complaints of alleged violation of labor and environmental laws, particularly the Clean Air Act or Republic Act No. 8749.

The companies were members of the Philippine Induction Smelting Industry Association which were using induction furnace for steel manufacturing, an

equipment called by the Asean Iron and Steel Council as obsolete and banned in China due to the pollution that it caused and alleged substandard steel that it produced.

Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said in an interview that the department would not allow these companies to continue their practices at the expense of the environment.

“We will not allow these capitalists to cause damage to the environment,” Antiporda said, citing the department’s recent moves against a group of resorts for the environmental damage it had caused in Boracay Island.

The AISC, calling for the ban of in-

duction furnace in Asean, said that induction furnace facilities were “environmentally unfriendly” because they generally lacked proper environmental control and were not equipped with waste gas treatment system.

“As a consequence, the process releases harmful gases and generate high degree of pollutants to the environment,” the AISC said in its position paper presented during the last meeting of the Asean senior economic officials meeting.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu earlier ordered an investigation into possible violations of environmental laws by the five steel mills which were accused of emitting high air pollution levels.

BDO Unibank Inc. said Monday net income climbed 18 percent in the third quarter to P8.4 billion from a year ago, on solid expansion of core lending and deposit-taking, life insurance and fee-based businesses.

The third-quarter net results also represented a 15-percent rise from P7.3 billion in the second quarter.

Total profit in the first nine months hit P21.5 billion, up 6 percent from the same period last year.

BDO said excluding the results of BDO Life, which was impacted

by PFRS9’s mark to market on its investment portfolio and One Network Bank’s ongoing investment in the micro-SME lending business, net income would have registered a 13-percent growth in January to September.

The bank said lending operations posted a 17-percent increase in gross customer loans to almost P2 trillion, led by the middle-market and consumer segments.

Asset growth was funded by the 12 percent increase in total deposits to P2.3 trillion, with low-cost Casa ratio steady at 70 percent.

Net interest income expanded 20 per cent to P71.5 billion, with net interest margin improving year-onyear and quarter-on-quarter on upward loan re-pricing and managed funding costs given a large low-cost Casa base.

Non-interest income rose to P35.8 billion on the back of insurance premiums and fee-based income which grew 21 percent and seven percent, respectively.

These growth numbers were offset by the 71-percent decline in trading and forex gains amid the volatility in the capital markets.

Gross operating income went up by 13 percent to P107.3 billion. Operating expenses advanced 13 percent to P71.7 billion, on sustained business and branch expansion as well as higher documentary stamp tax on time deposits owing to the implementation of the government’s tax reform program.

Volume-related operating expenses, comprising 41 percent of total operating expenses, were up 14 per cent.

Meralco’s profit climbed 14% to P18b in 9 months

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. said Monday net income climbed 14.4 percent in the first nine months to P18.212 billion from P15.928 billion in the same period last year on higher energy sales Core income, which excluded the effects of foreign exchange gains or losses, mark-to-market adjustments, gain on disposal of investment and another one-time exceptional transactions, also rose 9 percent in January to September to P16.69 billion from P15.37 billion a year ago.

“The main driver of growth for Meralco continues to be our core distribution business, with volumes from real estate businesses, including the Philippine online gaming operators, having provided the uplift for the commercial sector,” Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.

Total energy sales rose 4.8 percent to 32,921 gigawatt-hours in the nine month period. Industrial energy sales, which accounted for 30 percent, grew by over 7 percent to 9,768 gWh, while commercial volumes, with a 39-percent share, reached 12,938 gWh. Residential volumes increased 3 percent to 10,111 gWh as demand was dampened by weather disturbances, outages, economics and temperature.

Meralco officials said residential volumes registered a negative growth of one percent ub July, the first such decline recorded due to the impact of higher inflation, interest rates and weaker peso.

Meralco said this negative growth for residential customers continued in August and September, but the declines were partly offset by both commercial and industrial sales during the third quarter.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market climbs; BDO rises

T

HE stock market climbed Monday on select buying following positive corporate earnings in the third quarter.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 44.70 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,109.03 on a value turnover of P4.2 billion. Gainers beat losers, 97 to 78, with 45 issues unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, advanced 2 percent to P118.30. The bank said net income rose 18 percent in the third quarter to P8.4 billion from a year ago, on solid expansion of core lending and deposit-taking, life insurance and fee-based businesses. Total profit in the first nine months hit P21.5 billion, up by 6 percent from the same period last year.

DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji

Group climbed 3.5 percent to P12.40, while Security Bank Corp., the sixthlargest lender, added 1.7 percent to P142. Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. rose 2.2 percent to P168.10.

The rest of Asian stocks fluctuated Monday with investors still on edge after last week’s rout, with caution after another hammering for Wall Street offsetting bargain-buying.

Even a forecast-busting jump in US economic growth in the third quarter was not enough to prevent all three main indexes in New York from tanking, with the Dow and S&P 500 falling into negative territory for the year.

The US losses came after disappointing earnings reports from titans Alphabet and Amazon, which compounded concerns about rising interest rates and the China-US trade war that shows no sign of abating.

“Fears of an economic slowdown in

the US proved to be premature, but investors worry that the boost from (Donald) Trump tax cuts is evaporating,” said Alfonso Esparza, senior market analyst at OANDA. “Stocks have been vulnerable as the US Federal Reserve stands firm on its plans to hike one more time this year and three or four in 2019 on its path to rate normalization. US-China relations have not improved and earning reports have started to reflect the impact of tariffs on China.”

Hong Kong fell 0.1 percent in the afternoon after moving between gains and losses, while Tokyo ended 0.2 percent off and Shanghai lost more than two percent. Seoul shed 1.5 percent.

But Sydney climbed 1.1 percent, Singapore added 0.5 percent, Wellington put on 0.6 percent and Jakarta was 0.4 percent down.

“I still think there is room for a bit

of a downside to go because I do see this as being largely a structural shift in markets,” Kyle Rodda, a market analyst at IG Group in Melbourne, told Bloomberg Television.

“The overall sentiment is still to the downside, is still quite bearish and there will be a little while for this correction to play out.”

Attention now turns to the release later this week of US jobs data for a fresh glimpse at the world’s top economy.

The dollar was mostly up against higher-yielding and emerging market currencies including the Mexican peso, Australian dollar, the Indonesian rupiah and Thai baht.

It was also up against the yuan, with weak industrial profits data and speculation of fresh monetary easing putting downward pressure on the Chinese unit, which is sitting close to a 10-year low. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59 23,290 81.95 458,610 2.49 1,000 118.3 950,430 1.34 17,000 28.05 35,700 15.5 21,000 11.36 272,400 3.98 176,000 1.6 4,000 65 915,460 0.91 124,000 40.7 22,600 187 80 78.35 480 29.3 38,300 142 795,200 66.95 6,990

1,373,868.50 37,567,086 2,490 112,411,687 22,780 1,004,320 323,900 3,102,342 676,200 6,400 59,532,218.50 113,700 921,780 14,880 37,621.50 1,106,805 113,324,647 467,740

1,267,926.50 -4,467,977.50 -28,137,683 246,840 -503,606 -37,858,371.50 -240,400 -63,864,291 229,012.50

32.3 17.8 0.92 1.25 0.21 2.08 13.1 36.2 16.14 38 1.55 4.8 7 10.72 14.72 9.01 6.95 7.5 15.84 63.9 24.5 6.44 10.7 1.65 263.8 52 4.8 25 11.12 17.4 355 6.1 1.65 4.06 8.12 4.4 8.98 0.95 10.7 48.4 5.48 4.79 2.24 2.84 1.49 10.38 84.05 5.18 0.88 130 1.5 2.55

INDUSTRIAL 32.35 2,233,800 17.8 416,500 0.93 1,459,000 1.3 111,000 0.22 480,000 2.13 3,415,000 13.3 2,044,800 36.5 338,300 16.14 2,000 38 700 1.59 479,000 5.35 47,000 7 100 11 7,253,800 14.86 7,400 9.01 29,800 6.99 1,177,100 7.5 120,800 15.96 249,600 63.9 349,520 24.5 41,200 6.44 2,000 10.78 833,700 1.65 125,000 270 366,380 52 160 4.8 250,000 25 1,202,700 11.12 49,500 17.68 4,132,800 360 223,310 6.1 1,500 1.7 312,000 4.06 18,000 8.12 182,500 4.4 90,000 9 18,600 0.97 106,000 10.72 53,900 48.4 402,500 5.5 1,516,900 4.79 1,000 2.25 19,000 2.84 4,000 1.55 14,000 10.38 142,400 84.5 1,748,260 5.2 134,300 0.9 168,000 133.8 816,610 1.52 737,000 2.61 20,292,000

72,441,355 7,486,968 1,354,720 138,900 103,620 7,265,870 26,991,580 12,367,660 32,364 26,600 749,300 241,170 700 79,409,410 108,998 269,070 8,203,939 906,225 3,983,280 22,373,454 1,009,600 12,880 8,995,178 209,000 98,066,140 8,390 1,200,950 30,118,850 559,318 72,508,150 80,277,888 9,150 529,760 73,290 1,487,946 400,670 167,328 100,760 583,362 19,503,910 8,313,094 4,790 42,580 11,380 20,920 1,499,462 147,720,350.50 698,595 151,150 108,085,696 1,112,200 53,688,710

-19,759,555 -922,766.00 -4,700 -3,733,010 26,915,530 2,095,460 -26,600 -4,115,550 -13,248 -5,804,947 82,525 370,880 -15,618,798.50 4,020,630 2,538,398 2,695,675 -56,458 -23,236,254.00 12,485,948 -513,200 -675,413 -137,814 -17,885,565 -88,590 -1,246,790 1,149,575 -11,341,443 -226,690

0.475 46.1 11.7 0.88 6.2 25.45 1.23 1.24 920 7.12 12.7 7.23 0.23 785 6.01 48.5 0.55 4.44 14.88 0.56 4.8 0.038 1.16 2.33 168.6 900 1.4 435 280 0.236

0.465 44.7 11.5 0.87 6.2 25 1.2 1.21 906 6.95 11.96 7.22 0.188 765 5.81 47.6 0.51 4.39 14.58 0.55 4.77 0.037 1.15 2.27 164.5 870 1.35 409.8 262.2 0.222

HOLDING FIRMS 0.47 10,320,000 46.1 530,400 11.6 1,085,200 0.87 5,000 6.2 89,000 25.3 22,700 1.23 1,399,000 1.21 459,000 915 121,760 7 3,417,300 12.4 7,000,400 7.23 12,500 0.23 1,640,000 778.5 80,900 5.81 6,700 48.45 751,800 0.54 502,000 4.4 1,003,000 14.6 1,218,800 0.56 795,000 4.8 13,281,000 0.037 2,300,000 1.16 246,000 2.27 290,000 168.1 704,000 900 170,530 1.35 184,000 409.8 50 280 4,140 0.229 920,000

4,833,800 24,151,500 12,585,046 4,360 551,800 570,390 1,699,540 559,370 111,332,540 23,933,422 86,924,546 90,275 338,850 63,000,920 39,761 36,429,530 256,410 4,415,220 17,889,108 441,930 63,633,690 85,400 284,260 663,910 117,930,965 152,572,675 248,570 21,246 1,133,626 215,170

13,800 -4,003,925 -2,067,472 551,800 -20,120 -30,250 -45,107,180 -20,015,985 26,465,774 11,318,680 -30,365 27,563,445 -2,827,280 -1,537,858 -19,876,390 -294,160.00 77,844,214 51,743,990 -538,800 -

7.02 0.79 1.94 0.64 38.9 2.42 4.39 0.415 0.91 0.91 0.222 8 19.68 0.54 1.44 1.08 2.9 4.4 0.57 0.41 0.43 3.41 20.95 1.95

6.9 0.76 1.93 0.61 38.2 2.39 4.36 0.4 0.91 0.9 0.21 7.8 19.28 0.53 1.42 1.04 2.75 4.3 0.55 0.4 0.395 3.32 20.1 1.94

832,359 732,290 38,790 457,090 219,745,065 2,757,670 175,220 668,450 910 9,910 690,350 7,541,129 5,382,570 1,070 6,646,050 12,107,820 68,812,080 17,109,640 7,921,650 758,900 98,650 2,624,440 72,016,140 874,890

-7,010 -780 -72,331,245 -353,200 -4,091,940 -600,530 80,300 -3,868,770 -6,630 88,000 10,890 -29,442,110 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK

59 82 2.49 116.2 1.34 28 15.76 11.56 3.97 1.6 64.9 0.9 40.65 185 78.4 28.5 140.8 66

59 82.5 2.49 119.8 1.34 28.45 15.76 11.56 4.09 1.6 65.55 0.92 41.3 187 78.4 29.3 146 67

57.25 81.05 2.49 116.1 1.34 28 15.2 11.36 3.7 1.6 64.5 0.9 40.65 185 78.35 28.5 140.7 66

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR ENERGY DEVT FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHIL H2O PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

32.5 18.08 0.95 1.25 0.21 2.13 13.2 36.2 16.2 38 1.57 4.8 7 10.84 14.72 9.1 7 7.5 16.12 64.1 24.5 6.44 11 1.67 268 59 4.81 25 11.6 17.58 358 6.1 1.66 4.08 8.15 4.51 9 0.95 10.7 49.35 5.48 4.79 2.24 2.85 1.49 10.64 84.9 5.2 0.93 130 1.51 2.55

33.45 18.1 0.95 1.3 0.223 2.14 13.3 37.5 16.2 38 1.6 5.4 7 11.2 14.86 9.12 7 7.75 16.12 64.1 25.5 6.44 11 1.69 271 59 4.81 26 11.6 17.68 361.6 6.1 1.7 4.08 8.25 4.68 9 0.97 10.92 49.35 5.9 4.79 2.25 2.85 1.55 10.66 84.9 5.21 0.97 134 1.53 2.71

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS

0.465 45.15 11.58 0.88 6.2 25.3 1.21 1.24 906 7.1 12 7.22 0.193 785 6.01 47.6 0.55 4.44 14.78 0.56 4.79 0.038 1.15 2.3 164.5 893 1.4 435 270 0.222

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

7.02 0.76 1.93 0.62 38.75 2.4 4.39 0.4 0.91 0.9 0.21 7.8 19.32 0.54 1.43 1.08 2.87 4.4 0.56 0.405 0.395 3.36 20.55 1.94

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.17 34.5 1.15 6.5 0.74 5.24

3.17 34.5 1.15 6.86 0.74 5.27

3.17 34.1 1.11 6.45 0.7 5.12

3.17 34.4 1.11 6.66 0.7 5.12

6,000 4,273,500 352,000 602,300 171,000 4,502,600

19,020 146,599,050 394,170 4,024,377 120,560 23,132,565

-19,020 -26,050,610 -13,244,828

2GO GROUP ABS CBN APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY MELCO RESORTS METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A NOW CORP PAL HLDG 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

10.88 21.5 0.445 0.039 13.2 1.63 8.13 66.4 7.8 6.03 2.12 10.8 2,050 5.1 317 2.79 88.3 7.7 0.105 3.4 3.27 13.72 3.45 0.8 17.12 0.41 5.4 7.07 2.22 1.31 4.7 8.4 106 3.45 1,370 0.75 0.34 42 78 7.17 2.52 0.74 0.53 5.19 0.58 11.02

10.88 21.5 0.445 0.04 13.42 1.66 8.27 66.5 8 6.4 2.12 11 2,052 5.1 320 2.87 92 7.7 0.108 3.42 3.27 13.72 3.53 0.8 17.4 0.41 5.4 7.1 2.27 1.35 4.82 8.4 106 3.5 1,409 0.77 0.355 42 79 7.17 2.64 0.75 0.53 5.19 0.58 11.5

10.5 21.3 0.43 0.038 13.2 1.62 8.11 66.2 7.8 5.97 2.12 9.8 2,000 5.08 308 2.79 88.3 7.65 0.105 3.24 2.96 13.72 3.38 0.76 17.06 0.41 5.3 7.06 2.21 1.31 4.38 8.4 106 3.3 1,355 0.75 0.335 41 78 7.17 2.51 0.72 0.5 5.16 0.56 11.02

SERVICES 10.6 21.3 0.435 0.039 13.2 1.65 8.16 66.4 7.8 6.21 2.12 10.1 2,052 5.08 320 2.83 91 7.65 0.106 3.29 3.25 13.72 3.39 0.78 17.32 0.41 5.35 7.09 2.22 1.35 4.5 8.4 106 3.5 1,400 0.76 0.355 41.6 78.5 7.17 2.6 0.74 0.51 5.17 0.58 11.5

6,800 19,900 290,000 5,400,000 1,700 1,053,000 24,678,800 35,340 25,300 3,642,800 2,000 132,600 30,710 88,400 3,220 1,038,000 1,233,870 10,000 730,000 14,871,000 10,000 500 298,000 525,000 575,500 100,000 100,200 7,509,100 725,000 2,000 3,450,000 200 20 548,000 55,075 2,017,000 800,000 30,200 1,570,240 200 10,752,000 940,000 23,163,000 1,138,300 1,025,000 1,360,100

72,062 425,520 128,650 210,600 22,622 1,721,170 201,107,484 2,345,343.50 197,665 22,764,728 4,240 1,374,706 62,869,970 449,646 1,017,034 2,945,830 112,219,469 76,675 77,300 49,389,790 30,230 6,860 1,016,530 411,850 9,966,216 41,000 535,978 53,215,360 1,614,580 2,660 15,785,420 1,680 2,120 1,879,760 76,601,215 1,533,350 277,250 1,253,850 123,419,748.50 1,434 27,858,300 688,270 11,702,730 5,884,567 585,620 15,535,434

9,450 -26,520 -40,828,871 -184,293.50 -246,777 3,006 738,330 -297,330 -87,521,055.50 5,250 -6,835,250 -262,100 -1,083,338 -31,506,744 -26,820 -798,350 -138,870 2,380,060 -27,180 -551,740 35,616,133.50 7,202,620 1,720 -6,395,030 -4,730,519 2,202,664

144,700 60,610,120 19,380 917,628 2,043,430 41,927 1,675,890 234,150 45,000 13,700 295,160 37,596,140 17,190 82,000 357,610 107,100 644,400 223,010 19,855,740 325,532,652 9,708,285 23,800

4,781,450 104,250 -627,870 -28,790 -46,400 2,792,230 18,895,924 5,209,100 -

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 7 0.78 1.94 0.61 38.7 2.39 4.36 0.415 0.91 0.91 0.22 7.9 19.34 0.53 1.42 1.04 2.8 4.4 0.56 0.405 0.43 3.37 20.1 1.95

119,200 943,000 20,000 744,000 5,718,300 1,153,000 40,000 1,630,000 1,000 11,000 3,270,000 949,200 278,700 2,000 4,658,000 11,243,000 24,588,000 3,912,000 14,135,000 1,890,000 240,000 781,000 3,540,300 449,000

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

0.0022 1.81 2.69 15 1.92 7.29 1.83 0.209 0.11 0.0069 1.3 2.65 1.04 0.57 0.94 0.012 0.012 4.17 3.63 18.4 27.1 0.0058

0.0023 1.88 2.98 15.3 1.95 7.36 1.83 0.21 0.11 0.0069 1.3 2.65 1.04 0.62 0.96 0.013 0.012 4.17 3.75 18.96 27.65 0.006

0.0022 1.7 2.69 13.9 1.88 7.19 1.8 0.205 0.107 0.0068 1.22 2.6 1 0.57 0.92 0.012 0.012 4.03 3.5 16.7 27 0.0058

MINING & OIL 0.0023 63,000,000 1.79 33,559,000 2.98 7,000 14.98 62,200 1.88 1,075,000 7.19 5,800 1.82 923,000 0.21 1,130,000 0.107 420,000 0.0068 2,000,000 1.25 236,000 2.6 14,458,000 1.03 17,000 0.58 140,000 0.95 382,000 0.013 8,400,000 0.012 53,700,000 4.03 55,000 3.54 5,456,000 17.8 18,292,100 27.2 356,100 0.006 4,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF GLO PREF P HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

21.2 460 489 100 97 470 96.8 1.03 100 1,000 75.8 76.95 72.55 75 74 72.75 74.45

21.45 460 489 100 97 470 96.8 1.03 100 1,000 75.9 76.95 74.4 75 74.5 74 74.45

21.2 460 489 100 96 470 95.65 1.03 100 970 75.8 76.95 72.55 75 73.5 72.1 74

PREFERRED 21.45 500 460 470 489 540 100 1,400 96 2,780 470 2,200 95.65 300 1.03 1,000 100 10,500 1,000 3,635 75.9 790 76.95 350 74.4 17,500 75 3,280 74.5 7,950 74 12,210 74.45 351,600

10,650 216,200 264,060 140,000 267,000 1,034,000 28,711 1,030 1,050,000 3,620,830 59,889 26,932.50 1,270,550 246,000 585,700 888,819 26,176,170

-

LR WARRANT

2.31

2.39

2.29

WARRANTS 2.39 166,000

382,820

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.66 1.44

4.66 1.56

4.5 1.42

4.52 1.45

687,420 20,792,140

-5,286,450

FIRST METRO ETF

105.8

106.5

105.8

1,052,637

-

USD DMPL A2

10

10

10

34,900

-

-

SME

151,000 13,952,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 106.5 9,920 DDS

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

4,296,248

INDUSTRIAL

71,938,733

HOLDING FIRMS

54,522,484

PROPERTY

90,248,346

SERVICES

110,193,512

MINING & OIL

207,675,438

GRAND TOTAL

552,992,418

10

3,490

VALUE 1,584.78 (up) 21.22 380,320,582.00 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,581.30 (up) 58.89 1,149,737,880.91 HOLDING FIRMS 7,005.73 (up) 47.86 827,273,099.64 PROPERTY 3,477.41 (down) 16.98 1,471.31 (up) 9.72 602,770,160.58 SERVICES MINING & OIL 9,468.80 (up) 57.58 810,795,435.96 PSEI 7,109.03 (up) 44.70 460,205,110.62 All Shares Index 4,353.39 (up) 20.80 4,233,650,349.13 Gainers: 197; Losers: 78; Unchanged: 45; Total: 220

Century set to open P1-b green building in December

By Jenniffer B. Austria CENTURY Properties Group Inc. said it will open its P1-billion green building—Asian Century Center—in Bonifacio Global City in December this year.

Century Properties said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the 21-story tower would have 26,913 square meters of leasable space, contributing an estimated P468 million in annual revenues to the group once fully leased out.

Developed in partnership with Jose Alvarez-led Asian Carmakers Corp., Asian Century Center is accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and follows the core and shell rating system of the US-based Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a recognized green building certification system in the world. The project is a pre-certified LEED building.

“CPG is consciously improving its developments to not only conform with modern specifications but also green and sustainable design. Asian Century Center is CPG’s proud addition to its office leasing portfolio as it provides great value to its locators through its superior features, Peza accreditation and LEED compliance,” Century Properties chief operating officer Marco Antonio said.

The office building is designed with the latest building features, including the variable refrigerant flow air-conditioning system, a building automation system, 100-percent backup power with redundancy, and fire detection and alarm systems.

The real estate brokerage services firm Leechiu Property Consultants has been appointed exclusive leasing manager for the tower.

Century Properties in September also signed with Leechiu to market 58,618 square meters of net leasable space in Century Diamond Tower, a 35-story premium office building that the company is developing in partnership with Mitsubishi Corp.

Scheduled to be completed by 2019, Diamond Tower is expected to contribute P844 million in annual revenues to the company.

The property firm has been diversifying its portfolio by adding to its highrise condominium projects other segments, such as affordable horizontal housing, leisure and tourism developments and for-lease properties to create a solid four-platform business.

Robinsons Retail posts nine-month income of P3.83b ROBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc., the retail holding company of the Gokongwei family, posted a net income of P3.83 billion in the first nine months of 2018, up 9.8 percent from P3.49 billion year-on-year, on double-digit growth in revenues.

Robinsons Retail said in a disclosure to the stock exchange nine-month consolidated net sales rose 13 percent to P91.8, billion driven by the robust same store sales growth across all formats and the contribution of new outlets.

Nine-month operating income climbed 10 percent to P4.65 billion while core net earnings, which exclude interest, income from the 40-percent stake in Robinsons Bank and unrealized forex gains or losses, increased 12.7 percent to P3.5 billion from P3.1 billion on year.

“High consumption was sustained through the first nine months of 2018, coming from the rise in take-home pay among salaried workers with the TRAIN Law’s implementation at the beginning of the year,” Robinsons Retail said.

Same store sales growth for the group rose 6.6 percent from the target in the January-to-September period.

The supermarket segment, which contributed 46 percent to consolidated net sales, led with a positive same store sales growth of 8.6 percent in the first nine months of 2018.

Same store sales growth was also healthy across other segments during the same period, with specialty stores registering a growth 7.8 percent, DoIt-Yourself at 6.1 percent, convenience stores at 4.5 percent, drugstores at 2.9 percent, and department stores at 2.4 percent.

Net income in the third quarter was flat at P1.21 billion even as net sales rose 13 percent to P31.35 billion.

Jenniffer B. Austria

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Manila Standard TODAY

Manila

Manila Standard TODAY

World

TODAY

B3

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TODAY

Mourners pray for the victims of synagogue attack P ITTSBURGH―Mourners held an emotional vigil Sunday for the victims of a fatal shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, an assault that saw a gunman who said he “wanted all Jews to die” open fire on a mostly elderly group.

MEETING. Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, meet with students from Houghton Valley School at Maranui Cafe in Wellington on October 29, 2018. Harry passed on greetings from “our little bump” to conservation workers in New Zealand on October 29, when he and the pregnant Meghan toured a South Island nature reserve. AFP

IN BRIEF Trump called part of the problem WASHINGTON―A group of Pittsburgh Jewish leaders wrote an open letter to President Donald Trump Sunday telling him he bears responsibility for a deadly shooting at a synagogue in the US city.

A mostly elderly group of 11 people were gunned down in the bloody assault on the Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday morning by a shooter who said he “wanted all Jews to die,” while six more were wounded in the attack.

“For the past three years your words and your policies have emboldened a growing white nationalist movement. You yourself called the murderer evil, but yesterday’s violence is the direct culmination of your influence,” the open letter said.

It called on Trump to “fully denounce white nationalism,” to “stop targeting and endangering all minorities,” to “cease your assault on immigrants and refugees” and to “commit yourself to compassionate democratic policies that recognize the dignity of all of us.”

Until he does so, Trump―who has announced his intent to visit Pittsburgh―is not welcome in the city, the letter said.

The shooting, which has sparked an outpouring of grief and shock from American Jews, came just days after a pipe bomb was sent to prominent Jewish philanthropist George Soros, who has been the target of what many see as anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. AFP

Thais stunned by death of billionaire BANGKOK―Stunned Thais on Monday digested news of the death of billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, whose dazzling success as the owner of Leicester City showered pride and prestige on the kingdom.

Vichai, 60, died when his helicopter plummeted into a car park outside the King Power stadium shortly after his side’s 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday.

For most of his life the publicity-shy dutyfree magnate, Thailand’s fifth richest man who spun billions from his King Power monopoly, was not a household name in his native county.

That changed with Leicester City’s oddsdefying English Premier League title in 2016, the least likely of victories in the world’s most watched football league that has gone down in footballing lore.

While he continued to avoid interviews, Vichai was a regular at Leicester matches and his face -- and the King Power brand -- became synonymous across a football-mad country with the success of Thai business overseas.

Thais on Monday awoke to confirmation of his death -- an abrupt end to a global success story in a sometimes inward-looking country. AFP

19 dead in China mining incident BEIJING―Nineteen miners have been confirmed dead in east China following a mining accident earlier this month that trapped 22 people, state media reported Monday.

The tunnel where the miners were working was blocked at both ends by coal after pressure caused rocks to fracture and break on October 20, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Only one miner has been rescued so far.

Rescuers working to clear the tunnel recovered six bodies Sunday. Two miners remained unaccounted for as of Monday morning.

The accident took place at a mine owned by Longyun Coal Mining Co. Ltd. in Yuncheng County in Shandong province.

Deadly mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record, despite efforts to improve coal production conditions and crack down on illegal mines.

In December 2016, explosions in two separate coal mines in the Inner Mongolia region and in northeastern Heilongjiang province killed at least 59 people.

Earlier that year, 33 miners were killed in a colliery explosion in October in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing, and in September, at least 18 were killed in a mine blast in the northwestern Ningxia region. AFP

‘America First’ credo recalls isolationists in World War I WASHINGTON―World War I sparked America’s emergence as a global power, when it flexed its muscles to end the bloody stalemate in the trenches in Europe.

A century after the November 11, 1918 armistice, debate still rages over the US role in the world and the country is led by a president whose credo―”America First”―harkens back to that of post-World War I isolationists.

“The debate that comes at the end of the First World War is ‘Are America’s interests best served by joining international organizations like the League of Nations?’,’” said Michael Neiberg, a history professor at the US Army War College.

“Or is America best served by staying away from these organizations and pursuing its interests alone?” added Neiberg, author of “The Path to War: How the First World War Created Modern America.”

For Geoffrey Wawro, professor of military history at the University of North Texas, “World War I puts the United States into the mainstream of world affairs in a leadership position.”

In the conflict’s immediate aftermath, President Woodrow Wilson championed the League of Nations designed to keep the peace.

But Henry Cabot Lodge, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saw the world body as a threat to US sovereignty and engineered a rejection of US membership by the Senate.

“Even though we retreated into isolationism, the lingering impact of US intervention is never erased because we’re just such a strong power,” said Wawro, author of “The Mad Catastrophe,” a book about the outbreak of World War I. AFP

Merkel faces bitter reality after losses in key regional election F R A N K F U RT ― G e r m a n Chancellor Angela Merkel faced a bitter political reality on Monday after the parties in her fragile coalition suffered heavy losses in a key regional election and a junior partner made threats to quit.

Sunday’s blow for Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) in Hesse was the latest state poll marred by the image of the right-left “grand coalition” government limping from crisis to crisis at a federal level.

“The situation for Merkel is grave,” daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung said late Sunday. “Now the question is whether we’ll soon have to write ‘in liquidation’ after her coalition.”

Preliminary final results showed both of the formerly dominant parties being hit with losses of around 11 percentage

points in Hesse, western Germany, compared with the last election in 2013, although the CDU still claimed first place with 27 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, the SPD tumbled to a tie for second place with the up-and-coming ecologist Greens, each at 19.8 percent.

Showing political gains was the far-right anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) which took 13.1 percent of the vote to enter the Hesse state legislature for the first time.

That result would allow the current state government of CDU and Greens to continue, albeit with a thinner majority.

Merkel’s first order of business when she speaks at 1pm (1200 GMT) in Berlin will be bucking up the Social Democrats, who have threatened to leave the federal coalition that many blame for years of disappointing electoral setbacks. AFP

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC The public is hereby notified that TOP HIGH GLOBAL RESOURCES INC., a corporation duly registered under the rule of the laws of the Philippines notifies that in behalf of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the Corporation has elected the newly appointed board of directors of the company: LOREEN V. DELA CRUZ – PRESIDENT MAGDALENA L. TAN – TREASURER FARHANA N. SARIP – CORPORATE SECRETARY MA. LOURDES M. DAVID – DIRECTOR CONSUELO S. AMPIL – DIRECTOR

In connection with its requirment of the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) licensing branch for the change of Board of Directors of the Corporation to be acknowledge

Americans had earlier learned the identities of the 11 people killed in the brutal assault at the Tree of Life synagogue, including 97-year-old Rose Mallinger and couple Sylvan and Bernice Simon, both in their 80s.

Nine of the victims were 65 or older.

The auditorium of downtown Pittsburgh’s Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum was packed for the 90-minute vigil, which began with music from an AfricanAmerican choir.

Speakers said thousands more had gathered in the cold rain outside, listening in via loudspeaker.

A female cleric led an a capella rendition of the national anthem and a male cantor read the Hatikvah―a Jewish poem and Israel’s national anthem.

“Words of hate are unwelcome in Pittsburgh,” said Rabbi Jeffrey Myers to a standing ovation, which he followed with a message to political leaders.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it has to start with you, our leaders,” he said. “My words are not intended as political fodder.”

“Stop the words of hate.”

The rabbi, who had helped pull people out of the synagogue after the attack, chanted a memorial prayer in Hebrew, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief.

Similar events took place nationwide, with words of solace pouring in from the

US Jewish community―the largest outside Israel―as well as the pope and European leaders.

Federal officials said Sunday that 46-yearold suspect Robert Bowers―arrested at the synagogue after a firefight with police― faces 29 federal charges, many carrying the death penalty. He has been hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds but will appear before a federal magistrate Monday.

The assault on the 150-year-old congregation was the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in recent US history.

Squirrel Hill, the close-knit neighborhood and heart of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community where the shooting occurred, was in shock.

“Heartbroken,” said Aylia Paulding, 37, her voice breaking as she summed up the mood.

Authorities said the gunman burst into the building early Saturday and opened fire with an AR-15 rifle and two Glock handguns in a 20-minute rampage.

Four police officers or SWAT team members were injured, one critically.

E. Joseph Charny, 90, was worshiping in a room with a half-dozen people when he saw a man appear in the doorway and heard shots ring out, he told The Washington Post.

“I looked up and there were all these dead bodies,” said Charny, a retired psychiatrist who has attended services at Tree of Life since 1955. AFP 040608 040608 (Bank (Bank Code) Code)

METRO SOUTH COOPERATIVE BANK

IDC IDC Centre, Centre, Zapote Zapote Street Street cor. cor. Kalayaan Kalayaan Avenue, Avenue, Brgy.

Brgy. Sta. Sta. Cruz, Cruz, Makati Makati City City

BALANCE BALANCE SHEET SHEET

As As of of SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 30, 30, 2018 2018

A AS SS SE ET TS S

Cash Cash and and Cash Cash Items Items Due Due from from Bangko Bangko Sentral Sentral ng ng Pilipinas Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Due from Other Banks Financial Financial Assets Assets at at Fair Fair Value Value through through Profit Profit or or Loss Loss Available-for-Sale Available-for-Sale Financial Financial Assets-Net Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unquoted Unquoted Debt Debt Securities Securities Classified Classified as as Loans-Net Loans-Net Investments Investments in in Non-Marketable Non-Marketable Equity Equity Security-Net Security-Net Loans Loans and and Receivable Receivable -- Net Net Loans Loans to to Bangko Bangko Sentral Sentral ng ng Pilipinas Pilipinas Interbank Interbank Loans Loans Receivable Receivable Loans Loans and and Receivables Receivables -- Others Others Loans Loans and and Receivables Receivables Arising Arising from from RA/CA/PR/SLB RA/CA/PR/SLB General General Loan Loan Loss Loss Provision Provision Other Other Financial Financial Assets Assets Equity Equity Investment Investment in in Subsidiaries, Subsidiaries, Associates Associates and and Joint Joint Ventures-Net Ventures-Net Bank Bank Premises, Premises, Furniture, Furniture, Fixture Fixture and and Equipment-Net Equipment-Net Real Real and and Other Other Properties Properties Acquired-Net Acquired-Net Non-Current Non-Current Assets Assets Held Held for for Sale Sale Other Other Assets-Net Assets-Net Net (Philippine branch branch of of aa foreign foreign bank) bank) Net Due Due from from Head Head Office/Branches/Agencies, Office/Branches/Agencies, ifif any any (Philippine TOTAL TOTAL ASSETS ASSETS LL II A B I L I T I E S ABILITIES Financial Financial Liabilities Liabilities at at Fair Fair Value Value through through Profit Profit or or Loss Loss Deposit Deposit Liabilities Liabilities Due to Other Banks Due to Other Banks Bills Bills Payable Payable a) a) BSP BSP (Rediscounting (Rediscounting and and Other Other Advances) Advances) b) b) Interbank Interbank Loans Loans Payable Payable c) Other Deposit Substitute c) Other Deposit Substitute d) d) Others Others Bonds Bonds Payable-Net Payable-Net Unsecured Unsecured Soubordlnated Soubordlnated Debt-Net Debt-Net Redeemable Redeemable Preferred Preferred Shares Shares Special Special Time Time Deposrt Deposrt Due Due to to Bangko Bangko Sentral Sentral ng ng Pilipinas Pilipinas Other Other Financial Financial Liabilities Liabilities Other Other Liabilities Liabilities Net Net Due Due to to Head Head Office/Branches/Agencies/(Philippine Office/Branches/Agencies/(Philippine branch branch of of aa foreign foreign bank) bank) TOTAL TOTAL LIABILITIES LIABILITIES STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Capital Capital Stock Stock Other Other Capital Capital Accounts Accounts Retained Retained Earnings Earnings Assigned Assigned Caprtal Caprtal TOTAL TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY EQUITY TOTAL TOTAL LIABILITIES LIABILITIES AND AND STOCKHOLDERS’ STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY EQUITY CONTINGENT CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS Guarantees Guarantees Issued Issued Financial Financial Standby Standby Letters Letters of of Credit Credit Performance Performance Standby Standby Letters Letters of of Credit Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Trade Related Related Guarantees Guarantees Commitments Commitments Spot Spot Foreign Foreign Exchange Exchange Contracts Contracts Securities Securities Held Held Under Under Custodianship Custodianship by

by Bank Bank Proper Proper Trust Trust Department Department Accounts Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) b) Agency Agency Accounts Accounts c) c) Advisory/Consultancy Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Derivatives Others Others TOTAL TOTAL CONTINGENT CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) (TLP) Specific Specific allowance allowance for for credit credit losses losses on on the the TLP TLP Non-Performing Non-Performing Loans Loans (NPLs) (NPLs) a. a. Gross Gross NPLs NPLs b. b. Ratio Ratio of of gross gross NPLs NPLs to to gross gross TLP TLP (%) (%) c. c. Net Net NPLs NPLs d.

Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) e. e. Ratio Ratio of of total total allowance allowance for for credit credit losses losses to to gross gross NPLs NPLs (%) (%) f.f. Ratio Ratio of of specific specific allowance allowance for for credit credit losses losses on on the the gross gross TLP TLP to to gross gross NPLs NPLs (%) (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross allowance of credit losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross allowance of credit losses Ratio Ratio of of DOSRI DOSRI loans loans and and receivables, receivables, gross gross of of allowance allowance for for credit credit losses, losses, to to gross gross TLP TLP (%) (%) Gross Gross non-performing non-performing DOSRI DOSRI loans loans and and receivables receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) Percent Percent Compliance Compliance with with Magna Magna Carta Carta (%) (%) a. a. 8% 8% for for Micro Micro and and Small Small Enterprises Enterprises b.

2% for Medium Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return Return on on Equity Equity (ROE) (ROE) (%) (%) Capital Capital Adequacy Adequacy Ratio Ratio (CAR) (CAR) on on Solo Solo Basis, Basis, as as prescribed prescribed under under existing existing regulations regulations a.

Total CAR (%) a. Total CAR (%) b. b. Tier Tier 11 Ratio Ratio (%) (%) c. c. Common Common Tier Tier 11 Ratio Ratio (%) (%) Deferred Deferred Charges Charges not not yet yet Written Written Down Down Unbooked Allowance for Credit Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses Losses on on Financial Financial Instruments Instruments Received Received

Amount Amount Current Previous Current Quarter Quarter Previous Quarter Quarter 1,250,765.74 51,062,305.11 1,250,765.74 51,062,305.11 65,787,010.61 65,787,910.61 65,787,010.61 65,787,910.61 673,867,210.30 779,876,513.77 673,867,210.30 779,876,513.77 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15,000 000.00 15,000,000,00 15,000 000.00 15,000,000,00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,568,426,460.91 2,120,714,123.03 2,568,426,460.91 2,120,714,123.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,604,158,061.69 2,150,445,723.81 2,604,158,061.69 2,150,445,723.81 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 35,731,600.78 29,731,600.78 35,731,600.78 29,731,600.78 18,142,996.40 15,281 18,142,996.40 15,281 ,709.91 ,709.91 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 31,601,472.06 32,554,935.66 31,601,472.06 32,554,935.66 183,470,824.69 183,702,004.71 183,470,824.69 183,702,004.71 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4,562,561.82 4,082,594.29 4,562,561.82 4,082,594.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,562,109,302.53 3,268,062,097.09 3,562,109,302.53 3,268,062,097.09 0.00 0.00 1,946,925,387.21 1,946,925,387.21 0.00 0.00 821,000,000.00 821,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 821,000,000.00 821,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7,630,709.38 7,630,709.38 38,635,683.83 38,635,683.83 0.00 0.00 2,814,191,780.42 2,814,191,780.42

0.00 0.00 1,913,240,493.69 1,913,240,493.69 0.00 0.00 582,000,000.00 582,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 582,000,000.00 582,000,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10,006,013.00 10,006,013.00 37,597,363.07 37,597,363.07 0.00 0.00 2,542,843,869.76 2,542,843,869.76

657,102,514.60 657,102,514.60 24,296,844.30 24,296,844.30 66,518,163.21 66,518,163.21 0.00 0.00 747,917,522.11 747,917,522.11 3,562,109,302.53 3,562,109,302.53

638,312,403.21 638,312,403.21 8,776,346.33 8,776,346.33 78,129,477.79 78,129,477.79 0.00 0.00 725,218,227.33 725,218,227.33 3,268,062,097.09 3,268,062,097.09

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,727,914.47 2,727,914.47 2,727,914.47 2,727,914.47

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,727,933.47 2,727,933.47 2,727,933.47 2,727,933.47

2,745,741,325.47 2,745,741,325.47 141,583,263.78 141,583,263.78

2,289,061,622.34 2,289,061,622.34 138,616,098.53 138,616,098.53

314,761,974.21 314,761,974.21 11.46% 11.46% 173,178,710.43 173,178,710.43 6.31% 6.31% 56.33% 56.33% 44.98% 44.98% 45.00 45.00 540,737,257.29 540,737,257.29 19.69% 19.69% 0.00 0.00 0.00% 0.00%

211,749,097.44 211,749,097.44 9.25% 9.25% 73,132,998.91 73,132,998.91 3.19% 3.19% 79.50% 79.50% 65.46% 65.46% 45.00 45.00 550,090,864.29 550,090,864.29 24.03% 24.03% 0.00 0.00 0.00% 0.00%

9.47% 9.47% 35.89% 35.89% 5.00% 5.00%

11.60% 11.60% 33.54% 33.54% 3.00% 3.00%

19.78 19.78 18.84 18.84 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

22.14 22.14 21.20 21.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

BOARD BOARD OF OF DIRECTORS DIRECTORS FR. FR. ANTONIO ANTONIO CECILIO CECILIO T. T. PASCUAL PASCUAL Chairman Chairman ATTY. ATTY. MICKEL MICKEL M. M. BORIGAS BORIGAS Vice-Chairman Vice-Chairman DIRECTORS DIRECTORS ROBERT ROBERT V. V. AREVALO AREVALO PATRIA PATRIA T. T. CHIONG CHIONG ROMEO ROMEO A. A. DE DE JESUS JESUS DORIS DORIS R.DORIGO R.DORIGO NORMA NORMA G. G. GUHITING GUHITING EDITA EDITA S. S. LAURON LAURON GARIBALDI GARIBALDI O, O, LEONARDO LEONARDO ROBERTO ROBERTO C. C. MASCARINA MASCARINA FR. FR. SERAPIN SERAPIN F. F. PERALTA PERALTA PEDRO PEDRO A. A. PLAZA PLAZA DIVINA DIVINA C. C. QUEMI QUEMI PEDRO PEDRO E. E. RIEZA, RIEZA, JR. JR. NICOLAS NICOLAS H. H. VERONILLA VERONILLA EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OFFICER Renelia Renelia V. V. Estioko Estioko President President

1/ 1/ Common Common Equity Equity Tier Tier 1 1 is is only only applicable applicable to to all all Universal Universal and and Commercial Commercial Banks Banks and and their their subsidiary subsidiary banks. banks.

Republic Republic of of the the Philippines Philippines )) Makati Makati City) City) s.s. s.s.

I/We, I/We, RODA RODA L. L. CRUZ CRUZ and and RENELIA RENELIA V. V. ESTIOKO ESTIOKO of of the the above-mentioned above-mentioned bank bank do do solemnly solemnly swear swear that that all all matters matters set set forth forth in in the the above above balance balance sheet sheet are are true true and and correct correct to to the the best best of of my/our my/our knowledge knowledge and and belief. belief.

RODA RODA L. L. CRUZ CRUZ Finance Finance Head Head

RENELIA RENELIA V. V. ESTIOKO ESTIOKO President President

SUBSCRIBED SUBSCRIBED AND AND SWORN SWORN to to before before me me this this 29 29th day day of of October October 2018 2018 at at Makati Makati City, City, affiant affiant exhibiting exhibiting his/her/their his/her/their Passport Passport No.P1057056A, No.P1057056A, issued issued at at DFA DFA NCR NCR EAST EAST on on December December 01, 01, 2016 2016 and and Passport Passport No. No. P1747134A, P1747134A, issued issued at at Manila Manila City City on on January January 25, 25, 2017.

2017. th

Doc. Doc. No. No. 17 17 Page Page No. No. 65 65 Book Book No. No. 445 445 Series Series of of 2018 2018

(MS(MS- OCT. OCT. 30, 30, 2018) 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

B4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Tacloban remembers ‘Yolanda’

By Robbie Pangilinan TACLOBAN CITY Mayor Cristina Romualdez recently led events commemorating the fifth anniversary of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” that affected over eight-million persons in the region—1.69-million families, 7,904 barangays, and 409 municipalities— and left 6,300 dead, 1,061 missing, and 28,689 injured.

The mayor visited a mass gravesite at the Holy Cross Memorial Garden as well as the Barangay Basper public cemetery ahead of the anniversary on Nov. 8, which will be declared a city holiday by Malacañang.

President Rodrigo Duterte, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda K. Romualdez, and former Rep. Martin Romualdez will grace the event on Nov. 8.

Taclobanons are expected to gather at the 120-square-meter Yolanda Shipwreck Memorial Park, release sky lanterns and light candles and enjoy a concert at the Tacloban City Hall.

“To the volunteers, local and international NGOs, LGU officials, good public servants from the national government, and to everyone who has a good and helping heart, may you always have the strength and power to help the needy ones, now and in the future,” said Mayor Romualdez.

“To our friends and loved ones who left us during Yolanda, you will always be missed and remembered. You are our inspiration to continue moving on and live the most of our lives,” she added.

DOH-Calabarzon fetes Dengvaxia Laguna vaccinees THE Department of Health in Calabarzon, in coordination with the Provincial and City Health Offices of Laguna, conducted the first round of the Mental Health Fair for Dengvaxia Vaccinees with the theme “Malusog na Kaisipan para sa Pangkalahatan Handog ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan” (A healthy mind for everyone, presented by the DOH) in Calamba, Laguna.

DOH Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said the event is part of the continuing commitment and support of the government to provide physical, psycho-social and mental health interventions for Dengvaxia vaccinees, their parents and families.

He said this will serve as a debriefing process to vaccinees and their families on the effect made by the Dengvaxia vaccination.

“It affected their entire mentality, adding to the snail-paced treatment of the children,” Janairo said.

Participants also engaged in the various activities prepared by the regional office including poster making contest, face painting, singing and dancing, and free haircut. Dental health services such as cleaning and tooth extraction and physical check-up were also performed.

The regional office also distributed a DV (Dengavaxia Vaccinee) Pack which includes multivitamins and ascorbic acid to further boost their health, oresol, paracetamol, olyset net, “quitikill” (an insecticide powder to kill mosquito larvae), thermometer, soap, mosquito repellant, urinal, and an information booklet on the prevention and elimination of dengue mosquitoes.

According to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, the municipality of Calamba has the highest number of Dengvaxia recipients in the province with a total of 6,364. Laguna has a total of 35,232 vaccinees.

Janairo also apologized to the 500 families of vaccinees who attended the event during his opening speech.

Total assistance is being given to Dengvaxia vaccinees in the region like free medical assistance, including laboratory services, hospitalization, medicines, physical checkup and psychosocial activities.

“The emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. We need to provide them the essential support in order to safeguard their welfare and complete their optimal development,” he said.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez is hands-on in building houses for Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ survivors, then talks to a centenarian survivor (inset) nearing the fifth anniversary of the superstorm that ravaged the city. Gonzales added P50,000 to the cash incentive of the city’s sole centenarian, on top of the P100,000 the national government gifted her recently.

100-year-old women still await benefits

By Nash B. Maulana

B

ULUAN, Maguindanao — All five centenarian women identified by local Offices of Senior Citizens’ Affairs are still waiting for their package of benefits from the national government, as provided under Republic Act 10868, the Centenarian Act of 2016.

Some of Maguindanao’s 36 municipalities have yet to completely organize municipal Osca units, Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said in a note to Board Member Mamatanto Mamantal over the weekend.

But to soothe the weakening souls in

their twilight, Mangudadatu met many of the province’s senior citizens at the Municipal Gymnasium here on Thursday.

Each of the centenarians received P25,000 from the Provincial Governor’s Office, and that Mangudadatu told them

HABITAT BUILDER. Habitat for Humanity Philippines Ambassador Derek Ramsay leads the launch of the Philippine Legacy Build at the Bon-bon Resettlement Project Phase III in Silay, Negros Occidental. Over 250 youth representatives of the province, the Silay government, and Katuwang community members joined Ramsay in building 86 homes for future residents of Bon-Bon as part of the country’s first ever Legacy Build. It is a series of special builds of Habitat in Asia Pacific that aims to honor the contributions of former US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter for the last 35 years.

to wait for the P100,000 that DSWD would be giving them as provided in the Centenarian Act. Provincial Board Member King Jazzer Mangudadatu said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office should be helping its Municipal Social Welfare Offices hasten the organizing of lower OSCA units at municipal and barangay levels.

PSWDO head Emma Ali said the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DSWD-ARMM) has processed 44 cases of centenarian claims for benefits package under RA 10868 and were paid P100,000 each in 2017.

Mayor Freddie Mangudadatu of Mangudadatu town said the centenarian law is about compassion that even the requirements are made easier for elderly persons to comply. But some field workers apparently do not know the DSWD implementing guidelines.

DSWD-ARMM Secretary Laisa Masuhud Alamia thus wanted appreciation of the required documents elevated to a unit in her department that is tasked to address concerns on centenarian benefits.

Mamantal said the governor has urged the Provincial Board to pass an ordinance, directing municipal local governments that have yet to organize local OSCA units to fast-track formation of that office for the elderlies.

Mamantal said Maguindanao has 44,008 senior citizens in 36 towns, and that OSCA units are supposed to lead validation of social cases of local centenarians, according to the DSWD Implementing Guidelines for RA 10868.

More phases of Las Piñas roads opened to traffic

By Maon Ramos-Araneta TRAFFIC in major thoroughfares in Las Piñas City and its neighboring towns and cities is expected to ease in time for the holidays, as the second phase of the Las Piñas River Drive and fourth phase of the Zapote River Drive road projects were opened to motorists.

Senator Cynthia A. Villar and daughter Camille Villar led the inauguration of the partially completed Phase 2 of the Las Piñas River Drive, a 600-meter road connecting the CAA Bridge to Manuela 4B village. It will pass through the Villanueva, Dela Cruz and Batibot compounds, through the Daimar Subdivision and end at Manuela 4B. Once completed, the entire 1.2-kilometer Phase 2 of the road project will cover the foot of the CAA Bridge up to the Carmella 3D Bridge.

The first phase of the undertaking spanned 1.7 kilometres and covered Navas Road and passed through the Doña Julita Subdivision to the C5 Extension Road.

The Las Piñas River Drive project seeks to provide homeowners and travelers an alternate route connecting the CAA Bridge to the C5 Extension Road and take motorists away from the busy roadways of the city.

The Villars likewise opened the 1.2-kilometer Phase 4 of the Zapote River Drive, which cuts through Manuela Subdivision, Samanta Village, Christianville Subdivision in Talon 5, and across Soldiers Hills 2 and Almanza 1 subdivisions.

Phase 3 of the road undertaking was inaugurated last year, which covered a full kilometer of flood control structures and improvements from Pegasus St., Moonwalk, Talon 5 to M. Alvarez Ave.

Fun, festive Halloween: ‘Fright night’ sells in Subic Bay Freeport

By Butch Gunio SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween, a tradition believed to have originated from the Gaelic pagan festival Samhain, conjures images of ghosts, witches, and wandering spirits. But what started as a scary commemoration is now as festive as every other modern celebration.

Here in the Freeport Zone, the practice is as commercial as it can get. Hotels, restaurants, bistros, shopping malls, business offices, and residential areas are all dressed up in pumpkins, cobwebs and bats, and flying

broomsticks, and almost everybody is preparing for some themed Halloween party.

Establishments such as the Segara Hotel and the Lighthouse Marina Resort are holding their own family-oriented Halloween parties, and are encouraging visitors to stay overnight for the special Halloween entertainment treat.

Liberty Sports Bar, a more “mature” establishment, even has a costume contest that is open to the public, with goodies and cash prizes to be given to winners.

With these kinds of parties expected to be held in most parts of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, it’s no wonder that Royal Duty Free Store, SM City Olongapo, and Harbor

Clark agency evicts informal settlers

By Romeo Dizon CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga— The Clark International Airport Corp. has ordered informal settlers to immediately vacate 12 hectares of land they are currently occupying without legal basis, as it stalls the ongoing construction of the P12-billion new passenger terminal inside the aviation complex here.

The order was issued by the Committee on Informal Settlers created by the CIAC to clear the 700-hectare aviation complex of illegal settlers occupying the area since 2009.

The CIS served the notice of eviction to the head of 20 families occupying the 12 hectares and asked to them leave and

relocate elsewhere immediately.

The clearing operation, which started Oct. 24, has the CIAC seeking the assistance of its sister government firm, the Clark Development Corp., to augment its security force in the area and prevent any untoward incident that would be triggered by the clearing operation.

Apart from the CIS exercising exercise maximum tolerance, CIAC is also seeking the help of the Mabalacat City government to solve the nine-year-old illegal settlers’ problem.

“After exhausting all the legal remedies, including a series dialogues and notices hoping to reach an amicable settlement to no avail, we are constrained to perform this eviction action,” the agency said.

Point Ayala Mall are displaying Halloween merchandise to make each child (and parent) keep up with the Halloween crowd.

What parent would allow his child to dress down and be left out in a Halloween party? Fortunately, toy shops are selling faux bloody murder weapons, masks, and full-body costumes for little fairies, and witches, and skeleton ghosts.

Of course, stores have also stocked up on candies, chocolates, and ghoulish cupcakes, cookies and other food that visiting trick-or-treaters would later expect each time they knocked on doors.

VITAMIN DONATION.

In celebration of National Correctional Consciousness Week, Generika Drugstore recently donated one month’s supply of Nutrawell Sodium Ascorbate vitamins to select inmates at the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City. In photo (from left) are Generika Drugstore VP for Operations Jay Ferrer, Corrections technical officer 1 Lulu Santos, and Generika brand ambassador Cherry Pie Picache.

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

Discovering

C1

the joys of

body building A female contestant at the ANB Universe Pro-Am International showcases her rear muscles.

By Diana B. Noche

T

HERE are several reasons why people go to the gym and sweat it out. To build up muscles, get rid of unsightly flabs, lose weight, gain strength.

Being fit is more than physical appearance.

For the health-conscious lot, it’s always a good feeling to rise in the morning, face the new day and its challenges. Looking good is a satisfying bonus.

Bodybuilding is an exceptional kind of discipline. There are absolutely no quick fixes. You sweat at every barbell thrust. You grunt at each squat and lift.

The tendons hurt. The hamstrings get pulled. The teeth gnash. You curse when the going feels rough.

And then comes the eureka moment. That instance you look at yourself in the mirror and realize that you are looking at a Mt. Olympus god.

Macho-looking men are “oglable”— prominent jaws, bushy eyebrows, very impressive chest, larger-thanordinary mortals in overall size. You know, the near duplicate of Sylvester Stallone stuff that is supposed to exhibit virility.

To the participants of the ANB Universe Pro-Am International, a recently held fitness event at the Circuit Makati, the event was the nail-biting climax to all the rigid workouts they have undergone to be in the competition.

Each competitor appeared to have a commitment to see results, to win; the stage was the arena where the final survivor would stand, fists punching the air in a blaze of strobe lights.

Everybody was hyped, including the audience who whooped as their favored athlete, in a non-adversarial stance, dashed and flashed and did their bit of grandstanding for the judges.

A few eager beavers almost jumped out of their seats and high-fived as the

With a mix of good looks and confidence, Mico Resurreccion, winner in the Male Fitness Model Under 173cm and Male Fitness Model Under 35, easily wins the crowd.

Sarina Wing wins in the Swimsuit Model Novice and Swimsuit Model Under 35 categories.

Nutritional supplements brand boasts improved service, new products

winners were announced.

Mico Resurrecion was easily embraced by the crowd. He had star quality and a mix of good looks and confidence—displaying the kind of swagger that certifies a winner. He won the Male Fitness Model Under 173cm and the Male Fitness Model Under 35.

Sarina Wing, who won the Swimsuit Model Novice and the Swimsuit Model Under 35 categories, shared her workouts helped develop her perseverance and tenacity to achieve such grace and flawless form to which the judges, some of them from Las Vegas, saw and gave their nod.

Despite the glorious feeling, the title does not cap the pursuit of becoming a healthy and fit person. It’s a never-ending self-discipline. No “yoyo” dieting. It is sticking to a regimen of good eating habits.

When the urge to be a couch potato beckons, be deaf to it. Sleep at night instead of spending it indulging in happy hours. Go for the natural bodybuilding routine. That’s the healthy way to make the victory stick.

Leading nutritional supplements and vitamins brand General Nutrition Centers (GNC Philippines) has announced the improvements it’s implementing to align with those in GNC Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan.

GNC, a pioneer in the health and supplement industry, has been in the Philippines since 1994 and now operates about 40 stores throughout the country.

Key enhancements of GNC include a wider selection of new, exciting, and innovative products that cater to every member of the family; extensive training of store staff about the products offered; improvement of customer service; and door-to-door delivery through the company’s online marketplaces and logistics partners in the region.

The company offers a premium assortment of health,

Photos by Diana B. Noche

ONI Global Group chief executive officer Cynthia Poa and US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim led the opening of a GNC store in the Philippines.

Male bodybuilding competitor shows off his best form.

Cultivating healthy inner relationship According to the leading experts in psychoneurology—a drug-free alternative to traditional psychiatric and psychological approaches—developing a healthy relationship with yourself is the key to thriving in all aspects of your life.

This philosophy is in line with the country’s expert, Dr. Lia Bernardo’s. She guides people through a gentle journey towards experiencing the essence of who they are, to embrace their wholeness in mind, body, and spirit.

In partnership with Anya Resort Tagaytay, Dr.

Bernardo and her team hold regular sessions centered on self-love and self-acceptance as keys to wellbeing. Utilizing the resources of psychoneurology, she presents a totally different perspective on her inner journeys retreat. With several breath work and meditation exercises in between sessions, participants are bound to find serenity and joy from within, to create harmonious relationships with others.

On Nov. 9-11, Dr. Bernardo will hold Experience Your Wholeness Retreat at Anya Resort Tagaytay. The three-day retreat is priced at P30,000 for single occupancy, P24,000

(per person) for double occupancy, and P22,000 (per person) for triple occupancy. Included in the package are accommodation for two nights in a junior suite and daily Continental breakfast.

Email contact@liabernardo.com or visit liabernardo.com/retreats for more information.

wellness, and performance products, including sports nutrition supplements, weight management supplements, vitamins, herbs and greens, wellness supplements, health and beauty, food and drink, and other general merchandise. This assortment features proprietary GNC and nationally recognized third-party brands.

GNC products include scientifically formulated, clinically studied, and lifestyle-, gender-, and age-specific Multis; fish oil and omega products containing essential omega-3 fatty acids; a line of gluten and lactose free probiotics; and weight management supplements such as fat burners, meal replacements, and appetite control.

Also part of the wide range of products of the supplements brand are Women’s Hair, Skin, and Nails Formula that protects the body against radical damage and restores skin elasticity; anti-aging supplements derived from the placenta of pure thoroughbred horses raised in Hokkaido; sports nutrition products including preworkout, endurance, muscle boosting, and post-workout recovery; and a comprehensive assortment of babies and kids nutritional supplements.

Go to www.gnc.com.ph for more information.

Dr. Lia Bernardo leads the Experience Your Wholeness Retreat at Anya Resort Tagaytay.

Life

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

What your pimples are trying to tell you

O

NE of the major sources of stress and frustration is having pimples.

Pimples on the forehead According to the said theory, acne formation on this area is a symptom of poor digestion and stress. To flush out toxins and improve digestion, professionals recommend getting a good night sleep, drinking plenty of water, and eating a balanced diet to reduce pimples on the forehead.

Pimples are more than just pus-filled sacs of inconvenience. They occur when skin’s oil glands are overactive and dead skin cells are trapped in the pores. They are also triggered by hormonal imbalance.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, acne appearing in certain areas of the skin suggests a weakness or toxicity in a certain organ or gland in the body. A theory called “face mapping” suggests the location of one’s acne presents clues on what’s causing it or indicates underlying problems that can’t be resolved by pure skin care alone.

Pimples on the T-zone

Pimples on the cheeks Breakouts on the cheeks are said to be linked to the respiratory system.

As the air in urbanized cities can be polluted, those who are frequently out and about are strongly advised to take extra care cleansing the face to remove accumulated dirt in the pores. Pressing phone against cheeks can also be the reason for pimples appearing in this area.

Acne breakouts on the T-zone are often caused by gastrointestinal imbalances or food allergens. Since the T-zone has more oil glands than the rest of the face, experts recommend eating more leafy vegetables and reducing consumption of dairy, red meat, and fast food in order to improve complexion of this area.

Pimples on the chin Hormonal imbalance is one of the major causes of acne formation on the chin. It usually happens to women when they’re about to have their monthly period.

A regular sleep schedule and healthy diet can help reduce breakouts in this area, but since hormonal imbalances are tougher to address, if symptoms persist, experts recommend to visit a dermatologist.

As satisfying as it may be to pop and wipe zits into oblivion, experts recommend taking the time to study and address acne formation not just for healthier

psoriasis

More than skin deep:

Dealing with

Psoriasis is an incurable autoimmune disorder that causes scaly red skin lesion on the body.

About 2 million in the Philippines are afflicted by this condition. (Ed’s note: not an actual photo of psoriasis)

skin, but also to improve overall health.

Pimple poppers can tune in to the premiere of Dr. Pimple Popper on TLC on Nov. 5 at 8:05

Psoriasis is often dismissed as only a skin disease—forgetting its adverse effects to a person’s physical and mental health.

An incurable autoimmune disorder that causes scaly red skin lesions on the body, psoriasis affects two to three percent, or around 125 million cases, of the global population. In the Philippines, an estimate of two million people have been diagnosed with psoriasis, data from Psoriasis Philippines showed.

On top of having to deal with the physical discomfort of the disease, patients are also highly prone to psychosocial and mental health disorders due to the stigma that comes with having psoriasis. As flawless skin is often considered the societal norm, those misinformed of psoriasis’ effects are likely repulsed by skin lesions and may even assume it is contagious.

It is not uncommon for psoriasis patients to isolate themselves from their peers for fear of discrimination. According to the World Health Organization’s Global Report on Psoriasis, published in 2016, society’s reaction to the disease is what largely causes social exclusion, discrimination, and stigma among psoriasis patients.

To address this stigma, the WHO, in the same report, recommended a new global strategy on peoplecentered health services; one that highlighted the importance of consciously adopting the perspectives of individuals, families, and communities—making them not only beneficiaries of the services, but also participants in other people’s care.

Despite the condition being fairly rare in the Philippines, those struggling can opt to seek refuge among fellow patients. At Psoriasis Philippines, psoriasis patients are able to rally together for support and treat-

p.m. The show will feature the viral sensation Dr. Sandra Lee, also known as Dr. Pimple Popper, treating patients with extreme skin conditions.

ment aid, as well as feel like they are part of a community. According to the group’s website, they are currently one-to-two million members strong nationwide.

With no permanent cure to its symptoms, a psoriasis diagnosis leaves a devastating impact. Nevertheless, patients can still live long and fruitful lives once they eventually learn to accept their condition.

Certain remedies such as topical therapies and ointments, phototherapy, biologics, and medicinal tablets can effectively help curb the condition.

De pending on the extent and severity of the condition, patients should consult a certified medical practitioner for immediate treatment.

Committed to provide afflicted individuals with the proper care they deserve, Johnson & Johnson Philippines has developed several kinds of psoriasis medication treatments made readily available across the country.

Currently, Johnson & Johnson is working with professional organizations to help standardize the management of psoriasis in the country. This initiative will assist doctors in their diagnosis while providing appropriate treatment advice depending on the harshness of the symptoms.

“Our goal is to help institutionalize psoriasis as a public health program. While it may not be a devastating condition like cancer, the disease severely debilitates its patients from pursuing physical and social activities,” said Dr. Erwin Benedicto, senior manager for scientific affairs and medical compliance of Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc. He continued, “If we can establish psoriasis an important public health concern, then more people diagnosed with psoriasis can muster up the courage to seek treatment and become functional members of society again.”

iPhoto

A partnership for accessible quality healthcare RELIANCECARE, a subsidiary of Unilab, has partnered with Philips Philippines to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare in the country. The partnership includes supplying RCI’s HealthFirst multi-specialty clinics and HealthFirst Dialysis Centers with Philips medical devices and clinical workflow software and solutions, as well as providing training to RCI’s healthcare professionals.

Philips will also be supplying RCI’s medical device requirements at the soon-to-open Williams Outpatient Surgical Center—a state-of-the-art six-story facility in Mandaluyong that will offer both diagnostic and interventional procedures.

Present during the partnership announcement are (from left) Health Systems Philips ASEAN Pacific general manager Diederik Zeven, RelianceCARE Inc. general manager David Y. San Pedro, and Philips Philippines country manager Ashwin Chari.

Entertainment

Pink Filmfest empowers LGBTQ+ community A FTER a three-year hiatus, the Quezon City government is set to unveil the screens for the Quezon City International Pink Film Festival (QCIPFF), which runs from Nov. 14 to 25.

Since the city council’s approval of its landmark ordinance protecting the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer (LGBTQ+) community against discrimination and harassment, the Pink Film Festival continues to be at the forefront of gender empowerment and awareness in the city and in the country.

This year’s edition commemorates the 79th founding anniversary of Quezon City and the centennial of Philippine cinema.

Featured in the festival are a total of 64 international and local feature and short films.

Filmmakers and actors from the United States, Brazil, Indonesia, Tonga, Spain, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Syria, Turkey, and the United Kingdom will participate in this year’s celebration.

The Philippines’ oldest film festival for the LGBTQ+ community features films on health and sexuality, as well as human rights. Seminars are to be held during the festival week with LGBTQ+ rights advocates leading the discussions.

Opening the festival on Nov. 14 is Jethro Patalinghug’s 50 Years of Fabulous, a documentary on the world’s oldest surviving LGBTQ+ charity organization, San Francisco’s Imperial Council.

Also featured in the international lineup are films celebrating gay pride and sexuality such as Brazil’s Liquid Truth, Japan’s Boys for Sale, and Turkey’s Mr. Gay Syria, Tonga’s Leitis in Waiting, and Thailand’s The Driver.

'Call Her Ganda' is a film that tackles the brutal murder of The Philippine lineup commemorates the life and transgender Jennifer Laude. contributions of former Quezon City Pride Council President and film director Soxie Topacio, his comedy film Ded na si diagnosed with HIV-AIDS daily.

Lolo leads the Philippine lineup.

In relation to human rights record, a total of 164 cases of hate The highlight of the local film program is PJ Raval’s crimes against the LGBTQ+ community were recorded from documentary on the tragic life of Jennifer 1996 to 2012.

Laude titled Call Her ‘Ganda’” A special feature of the QC an anti-discriminatory, LGBTQ+-friendly city festival are 42 short films coming from various parts of the The first pro-LGBTQ+ legislation—with implementing world and the archipelago. rules and regulations—in Metro Manila was enacted here in Screenings are to be held at the Gateway Cinema Complex Quezon City (Ordinance No. SP-1309, s. 2003). The ordinance in Cubao, Nov. 19 to 21 at University of the Philippines Cine prohibits all acts of discrimination committed against members Adarna in Diliman, and Nov. 22 to 25 at Cinema Centenario in of the LGBTQ+ who are either looking for jobs or working in Maginhawa Street. government offices and for the private sector in the city.

This year, the festival partners with Amnesty International Furthermore, a comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinance Philippines to talk about the current health and human rights was proposed in 2014, with an objective to end prejudicial situation concerning the LGBTQ+ community. Project Red treatment based on sexual orientation, gender identity and Ribbon Care Foundation will also conduct HIV awareness expression (SOGIE). program and testing.

Overall, a 2017 report from Human Rights Watch shows Without proper response, the number of Filipinos living that 19 cities and six provinces have enforced pro-LGBTQ+ with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune ordinances—with a meager 15 percent of the whole Philippine Deficiency Syndrome (HIV AIDS) will tally around a population protected. The need for a national law on antiquarter of a million by 2030. The Philippine National AIDS discrimination is still pending, as the now 18-year-old AntiCouncil reports that in 2018, as many as 32 Filipinos were Discrimination Bill awaits its fate at the Philippine Congress.

Trending encounter in ‘Halik’ registers all-time high rating

The cast of trending and top rating drama, 'Halik'

THE intense confrontation between Lino (Jericho Rosales) and Ace (Sam Milby) in last Thursday’s (Oct. 25) episode of Halik, gripped both TV and online viewers as it recorded an all-time high rating of 27.1 percent according to Kantar Media.

In the emotionally-charged scene, Lino finally caught Jade (Yam Concepcion) and Ace in the act of cheating on him and Jacky (Yen Santos). Overcome with anger, Lino couldn’t help himself and punched Ace. It beat the 10.6 percent of rival program Pamilya Roces.”

The series is also making waves online as it is now the most watched show on iWant TV, the streaming platform of ABS-CBN, having racked up 2.5 million weekly views. The show, among other top viewed TV series, helped drive up the number of active users on iWant TV to an all-time high of 1.2 million in three years.

Netizens are highly invested in the episode, and were tweeting with the hashtag #BistadongHalik, which became a trending topic on Twitter.

Keep tuning in to the most daring teleserye on television. Halik airs every night on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida, right after Ngayon at Kailanman.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, October 30, 2018

ACROSS 1 Wild guess 5 Water the plants 9 Argentine dance 14 Faucet hookup 15 Like a desert 16 In plain view 17 Disturb 19 Update a watch 20 Go for the gold 21 Rock concert needs 22 Two score 23 Tightrope walker 25 Ages upon ages 26 Snapshot 27 Level off 30 Wearing vestments 33 1836 battle site 34 2001 to Augustus 36 Harbinger 37 Full of thorns 38 Cabbie’s income 39 Out — — limb 40 Sponged up 41 Knight’s journey 42 Shortstop’s place 44 Mongrel 45 Move little by little 46 Invented word

50 Skirmish 52 Loft locale 53 Actress — Thompson 54 “The Lion King” voice Cheech — 55 City dwellers 57 Put one’s two cents in 58 Take a spill 59 Hamlet 60 Inquired about 61 Inspired poetry 62 Kind of tradition DOWN 1 Hindu Destroyer 2 Bracer 3 Daisylike plant 4 Nectar gatherer 5 Runway 6 Throw lava 7 Playful bites 8 Insect killer 9 Great Lakes port 10 Reluctant 11 Cozy dwelling 12 Lady Jane — 13 Slugger Mel — 18 Fanatical 22 Sudsy 24 Not closed 25 Veld grazer 27 Wielded 28 Marie’s friend 29 Safe callers

30 Aussie jumper 31 Former Atlanta stadium 32 Edible seed 33 Popular pie 35 Devotee 37 Prolonged attack 38 Pivot 40 Made less narrow 41 Actor Anthony — 43 Tabby 44 Pinkish shades 46 Hawser

47 Church table 48 Ms. Davis of films 49 Palette adjunct 50 Explorers’ needs 51 Composer — Satie 52 Slender wire nail 54 Kiwi’s extinct cousin 55 ET vehicle 56 Courtroom vow (2 wds.)

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Gerald turns to action in new TV project Gerald Anderson will star in an upcoming action drama 'Take Life.'

IN HIS upcoming soap opera titled Take Life Gerald Anderson is playing the role of a soldier and he’s glad that a Memorandum of Understanding was already signed between ABS-CBN and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for this.

“That’s right!” he says. “It feels great that we’ve just gotten the support of the AFP for this project. Both parties agreed to support each other in giving the Filipino audience a good and realistic program. We waited for so long for this to happen. I’m really happy with the partnership.

“On the part of the AFP, they can help a lot in training the cast members who are assigned military roles in the plot to give a more accurate portrayal. Meanwhile, ABSCBN will serve as the perfect vessel in which the viewers can take a glimpse on the colorful lives of military people.”

He has already seen some rushes of the scenes that were already shot that’s why he believes that the show holds a lot of promise.

“Actually, we haven’t shot any military scenes yet, only the family scenes and it’s good. While shooting the scenes, everybody was inspired. We felt things will turn out positive specially the viewership. I’m hatsoff to our director (Richard Somes). His treatment to this TV offering is like a film.”

Interestingly, it can be remembered that he already played a military part in one of his previous shows, Tayong Dalawa opposite Kim Chiu. How different is it from his latest offering?

“The story is far different, that’s for sure.

This is not a re-telling of my former soap.

Compared to Tayong Dalawa, this one focuses more on military life, what they and their families go through in the name of national security.”

“I can say that the impact made by Tayong Dalawa during that time was strong. Many were inspired to enter the military due to the show. I hope we will achieve the same effect with ‘Take Life.’ Anyway, as I’ve said, I feel confident with our material,” adds Gerald.

Is story really the king?

Film experts speak out

A moderated discussion with film experts (from left) Kriz Gazmen, Jade Castro, and Amir Muhammad.

DISTINGUISHED filmmakers and producers from different backgrounds, Black Sheep Creative Director Kriz Gazmen, director, writer, producer, and consultant Jade Castro, and Malaysian book publisher, writer, and moviemaker Amir Muhammad, shared their experiences and insights on storytelling and script development through their answers on the query “Is story really the king?”

Speaking before student-artists at the School of Design and Arts (SDA) Cinema of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), CEO and President of multimedia production house Unitel Production and Straightshooters Media Inc. Madonna Tarrayo, and currently the festival director of CineFilipino, moderated the session.

Gazmen, formerly the creative director and writer of the production outfit Star Cinema, stated that even though the Filipino audience watch movies mainly due to stars, it is still crucial to tell a beautiful story. “Story is really king because it is not just about the script – it is the cinematography, lighting, music, sound, editing, and everything else that tells a story,” he suggested.

Muhammad, a partner of Da Huang Pictures in Kuala Lumpur who recently launched his production house Kuman Pictures, maintained that story is important but doesn’t necessarily have to be original. “It has to be a mixture of things that you are very familiar with and things that seem very different,” he opined.

On the contrary, Castro, who is behind the award-winning film Zombadings I: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington Remington, and whose UFO Pictures produced the popular Cinemalaya film Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, discussed that as much as story is a vital element in film, it is not really the king.

“Cinema is not just story, there is always something more than that. It is totally possible for a film to have no story,” he stated. “You do not have to push for a story to be in the forefront. It is a good guide for filmmakers who are doing narratives but for the audience, they can enjoy a film for its music and visuals even if the story is ridiculous.”

The producers shared hints with aspiring filmmakers on what they look for in a story. “I want to be moved,” Gazmen insisted. “I don’t believe in genres that much, I only believe in a beautiful story with emotions.”

Castro, on the other hand, looked for the freshness of the voice and perception in the narrative. “If it has been done before, what is the point of giving money to that project?” he stated. “I want to watch something that I have not yet seen before.”

Tarrayo proclaimed that film is a very collaborative medium, wherein a filmmaker would need assistance from other people.

“For the script, it is really difficult to get from point A to point B because the more people who give feedback the more it could develop better or go the other way around,” she said.

Muhammad, however, believed that following feedbacks word per word usually results to an unsatisfactory film. “You have lots of feedback from special groups, including people who do not watch films, but are investors who have a say. If I were to produce, I prefer to just trust the filmmaker,” he proclaimed.

Story is King is made possible by the Viddsee Juree awards competition, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Cinematheque Center Manila, Benilde Film, and Benilde Film Works.

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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Entertainment

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

Celebs usher in Holiday season with beauty campaign

'Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko' lead stars Kris Bernal, Rayver Cruz and Thea Tolentino

Kris deserves an award for her role as scorned wife

IT’S been Kris Bernal’s dream to be recognized as a serious actress. In fact, there’s a conscious effort to take every role she essays seriously.

“I’ve been portraying heavy roles these days. It’s a bit of a challenge because heavy drama is kind of exhausting. But my only goal is to make the character I play as truthful and as relatable as possible,” Kris told Manila Standard in a recent interview during a press conference organized by GMA Regional TV in Bacolod.

From Little Nanay to Impostora and to her current series, Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko, the actress has been giving her “best” for her peers in the industry to recognize her talent as a serious actress.

“Since I’ve been doing heavy drama, all I’m aiming for is to really win an award. It’s a validation. It’s different when fans tell you that you’re good compared to an award-giving body recognizing your talent. Maybe after that I can go back doing romantic comedy,” she said.

In previous interviews, Kris expressed her frustrations for not receiving an acting award amid being in the business for more than a decade now.

“Every time I’m given a show, I always give my best. I focus on the character and study the emotional requirements of it. And as you can see, most of the characters I play are a bit different,” she said.

During the press con in Bacolod where she was joined by costars Thea Tolentino and Rayver Cruz, the later confidently said that Kris “deserves an award for her role” in Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko. “You really need to see how she gives life to the character she plays. Trust me, after this show. Kris will win an acting award,” Rayver raved.

In Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko, Kris takes on the role of Rachel who marries Nathan (Jason Abalos), who apparently is unhappy and feels trapped in his own body. He undergoes sexual reassignment and facial feminization surgery in order to fully embrace the woman inside him. He left without knowing that Rachel is pregnant with their second child. Rachel, after Nathan died, went to the province where she gave birth.

Years later, Rachel meets balikbayan Gavin, portrayed by Rayver Cruz. Rachel falls for him instantly but her prospect of happiness is met with a big blow when she discovers that he’s engaged to a mysterious and strikingly beautiful woman named Venus, breathed to life by Thea Tolentino.

GMA artists Dave Bornea, Liezel Lopez, Ashley Ortega, and Lindsay Johnston were among the celebrities that graced Watsons Look Good Feel Great Holiday season campaign that kicked off at Mall of Asia last week.

The GMA artists joined host Karla Aguas, actress Bettina Carlos, the press and social media influencers in a day of shopping for health and beauty products at Watsons.

Together, they all supported the leading health and beauty retailer promote the campaign that underscores looking great amid our busy schedules by simply allotting some “me time” to ourselves once in a while.

Just like what the host said during the opening program, Christmas isn’t just about being with family members and close friends.

It’s also a great time to reconnect with people we don’t see often, like our relatives who live out of town or friends who reside far away.

“Giving is the essence of the season.

We love to give gifts to people we love— our parents, family members, barkada, employees, neighbors, colleagues and even strangers,” the host said.

“But this feeling can be ruined by external

GMA Artist Center talents Liezel Lopez, Ashley Ortega, Lindsay Johnston, and Dave Bornea at Watsons store in SM Mall of Asia.

factors like traffic and lack of time. Who has the time to shop for gifts all day when you have so many things to do at home and at work,” she added.

Taking that in consideration, leading health and beauty retailer, Watsons, helps solve this problem by being the one-stop destination for the best customized and themed gift sets for everyone in your gift list, whether your loved one is into health, fitness, skin care, hair styling, basic essentials and so on. Watsons has a wide selection of health and beauty gift sets that will make your holiday shopping easier and more convenient.

Watsons also makes it more affordable for shoppers by offering select exclusive

gift sets for only P279 or P399 when they buy three until December 31, 2018. For Watsons Card members, shoppers can get two times their bonus points when they buy exclusive gift sets until December 26, 2018.

Watsons believes that everyone should look good and feel great this holiday season.

After all, when you look good and feel great, it will be a truly happy Christmas.

For more information, visit www.watsons. com.ph, follow @watsonsph on Facebook and Instagram. For exclusive benefits and promos, get the new Watsons Card.

Membership is free and non-expiring. Get one point for every P200 spend at Watsons.

ZEUS

is a dance god in upcoming concert

Dubbed as the 'God of the Dance Floor,' Hashtags member Zeus Collins is taking his big moves and undeniable swag at the SM Skydome on Nov. 3.

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

H

ASHTAGS member Zeus Collins is retuning on the performance stage via The Dance Machine Concert happening on Nov. 3 at the SM Skydome.

Known for taking on jaw dropping production numbers everywhere he goes, the Star Magic artist promises that the show will be better and bolder.

“I’m going to try some new things that I wasn’t able to do in my previous dance concert,” said Zeus during a recent press conference held in Quezon City.

What is set to make that night even more exciting is the fact that some his close friends are joining Zeus onstage. Among them his It’s Showtime family namely Dawn Chang, Ryan Bang and co-Hashtags members Nikko Natividad, Paulo Angeles, Jimboy Martin, Charles Kieron and Jameson Blake and other special guests.

Set to bring her own brand of dance party on the show is young performer and YouTuber Lady Pipay, with whom Zeus performed with during the latter’s birthday show. After which, the unlikely tandem’s Bboom Bboom dance cover even landed among the trending topics with over 350,000 views to date.

Zeus and Lady Pipay dance spot would surely be one of the show’s highlights given their expertise in performing.

But more than being blessed with a new opportunity, Zeus is very much happy to be given the chance to perform to a live audience anew through his upcoming concert.

“I’m really excited to show the audience the production numbers that we have prepared for the show. I’m motivated to do this because, for the second time, someone trusted me to do another concert, so I promise to showcase what I don’t normally do on TV,” he said.

The It’s Showtime mainstay has already wowed many with his unmatched dancing skills January last year through his first solo free show titled Zeus Collins in Concert in Trinoma.

Like the last time, though, Zeus is hoping to be able to bring cheer and inspiration to his fans on the day of his second concert.

“Sana rin pagkatapos nilang manood ng concert ko eh mas ma-a-appreciate pa nila ang pagsasayaw,” he said.

But how did the concert’s title even come about?

“The concept is the dance machine so we’d like to take Zeus’ dancing skills to the next level and we believe that he is indeed the God of the Dance Floor that is why we want to showcase the different kinds of genres that he can dance,” said Drei Roxas, Istudyo ni Pipay’s Communications Officer.

Apart from being involved in the concert’s choreography, Zeus is also proactive in the creation of his show’s lineup, repertoire and even his wardrobe. With only a few more weeks before his sophomore concert, Zeus is now gearing up for the rigorous rehearsals that they would be doing to make sure that they would give nothing but perfection come showtime.

Produced by Istudyo ni Pipay, the show is directed by dancerchoreographer Nesh Janiola. For tickets just visit https:// smtickets.com/ or any SM Ticket Booth.