Manila Standard - 2019 January 22 - Tuesday

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VOL. XXXII • NO. 341 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Bangsamoro in crucial vote cops/soldiers watch over 2.8m voters ‘History’s in 20,000 and Nash B. Maulana the making: By Nat Mariano DECADES-LONG push to halt the violence that has claimed some 150,000 lives in Mindanao Peace at stake’ culminated Monday with a vote on giving the

ARMM

– Total Population: 3.8 million (2015 census); Land area: 12,536 km2 – Basilan (347,000) 1,327.23 km2 – Lanao del Sur (1.05 million) 3,872.89 km2 – Maguindanao (1.18 million) 4,871.60 km2 – Sulu (825,000) 1,600.40 km2 – Tawi-Tawi (390,000) 1,087.40 km2 – City of Lamitan (Basilan) (75,000) 354.45 km2 – City of Marawi (Lanao del Sur) (202,000) 87.55 km2

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nation’s Muslim minority greater control over the region.

By Nash Maulana “THIS is a historic event when people truly assert a participatory democratic right, as you see them troop early in the morning to the polling precincts,” said Professor Rufa Cagoco-Guiam, resident analyst of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, based in Cotabato City.

Guiam, also former editor of the Catholic-run The Mindanao Cross, notes that generally, Moro voters in most past elections were dictated upon by their leaders on how they should vote. This is no longer the case, she said, as people are strongly motivated to achieve peace and justice.

House Deputy Speaker Bai Sandra Sema, who represents Maguindanao and Cotabato City in the House of

The plebiscite is the final step in a peace deal with the Catholic-majority country’s largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been a key force in a separatist insurgency that has raged since the 1970s.

Core areas of the proposed Bangsamoro region, located on the island of Mindanao, are expected to vote overwhelmingly to join it.

Voting for inclusion into BARMM • • •

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Cotabato City (Maguindanao) (300,000) 176.00 km2 Isabela City (Basilan) (113,000) 223.73 km2 44 barangays in North Cotabato Moro-dominated villages in Carmen (Kibayao, Kitulaan, Langogan, Lanoon, Manili, Pebpoluan and Tupig), Kabacan (Buluan, Kayaga, Kilagasan, Lower Paatan, Magatos, Simone and Tamped) Pikit (Balabak, Barungis, Bualan, Bulod, Bulol, Dalingaoen, Fort Pikit, Gli-Gli, Inug-ug, Langayen, Manaulanan, Nabundas, Nalapaan, Nunguan, Pamalian, Panicupan, Rajahmuda, and Talitayand Tinutulan) Pigcawayan (Banucagun, Cabpangi, Datumantil, Libungan, Toreta, Simsiman, and Upper Pangangkalan); Midasayap (Rangeban and Tumbras) and Aleosan (barangays Pagangan) Matalam (barangays Ilian and Natutungan).

6 municipalities in Lanao del Norte Nunungan, Tangkal, Munai, Pantar, Balo-i and Tagoloan-II town.

THUMB TINT. A woman shows her inked thumb (left) at a voting precinct in Cotabato Monday during a vote on giving the Muslim minority greater control over the region. In Manila, Muslim residents in the capital’s Quiapo district (middle) pass by a signage showing their support for the BOL plebiscite. In Maguindanao (right), Muslim women look for their names in a voting precinct to ratify or not the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. AFP/Norman Cruz

Oil price spurt sparks fears of inflation, call for pay hike

By Alena Mae S. Flores and Macon RamosAraneta THE country’s oil firms raised the price of diesel by P0.40 per liter, kerosene by P0.15 per liter, and gasoline by 10 centavos per liter effective 6 am Tuesday.

Chevron Philippines, PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines,

Total Philippines and Flying V issued separate advisories of the increase, which they said reflects the movement of oil prices in the world market.

This would be the third consecutive weekly oil price increase, reflecting the movement in world oil prices.

As the price hikes would trigger inflation worries, Senator Bam Next page

Road Board abolition bill OKd

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives on Monday approved on final reading a bill abolishing the Road Board by a 180-0-0 vote.

House Bill 7436 will now be transmitted to the Senate, where congressmen and senators will hold a series of bicameral confer-

House bill punishes parents for their children’s offenses

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

LAST RESPECTS. President Rodrigo Duterte pays his last respects (above) to Henry Sy when he attended the wake of the Chinese-Filipino business magnate, investor and philanthropist at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City Sunday, then condoles (below) with the Sy family.

Presidential Photo

ence committee meetings to finetune the bill.

Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr.―who earlier in the day stepped down as House Majority Floor Leader―said the Road Board funds shall now be transferred to the General Fund under the General Appropriations

PARENTS will be jailed for the crimes that their children commit under the substitute bill lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility approved by the House of Representatives committee on justice Monday.

With Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in attendance, the committee chaired by Oriental

‘Amang’ threatens Samar, Leyte

By Rio N. Araja THE Palace on Monday advised the public to brace for tropical depression “Amang,” which is heading towards the Leyte-Samar area, according to weather forecasts.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo asked the public, especially those expected to be

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Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, unanimously approved the substitute bill, which proposes to amend the “Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006” or RA 9344, and lower the minimum age for criminal liability from 15 to 9.

The bill provides a maximum six months in prison as a penalty for parents of children who refuse to undergo a mandatory intervenNext page tion program.

affected, to stay safe by coordinating with local government agencies and monitoring weather advisories.

“We ask the public, especially residents who will be affected, to stay vigilant, monitor the latest weather advisory in their respective areas through government

A peek into world of bra making

Mari Kondo’s tidying philosophy

Boo, ‘world’s cutest dog,’ dies aged 12

IT RARELY sees the light of day but the upscale bra is the most tested, sweated over and highly engineered piece of clothing of all.

AFP went behind the scenes at some of the most famous French lingerie houses to draw back the veil on the almost exclusively feminine world of bra making.

AFTER experiencing homelessness in 2011, Sarah Eby found herself constantly collecting things so she would never again feel she had nothing to call her own.

“When I moved into my apartment, it just felt empty,” the motherof-one from Arvada, Colorado told AFP. “I got everything I could to try and make it feel like I had a home.”

BOO, the “world’s cutest dog,” has died at 12 years old, his owners announced on Facebook.

“With deepest sadness I wanted to share that Boo passed away in his sleep early this morning (Jan. 19) and has left us to join his best friend, Buddy,” Boo’s humans—as they call themselves—wrote in a tribute on the Facebook page, which has over 16 million followers.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Senate vows 2019 budget okay T

HE Senate will pass the proposed P3.757-trillion 2019 national budget today so it can reach President Rodrigo Duterte’s table by the first week of February, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

He said the senators will first finalize the amendments to the budget before they

Bangsamoro...

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“I’m tired of the violence because my father is one of the victims,” said 22-yearold Jembrah Abas, adding he was slain by unidentified attackers after advocating for peace.

The election “is on the 20th anniversary of his death. I’m so sick of the violence,” she said.

Roughly 2.8-million voters will be watched over by a contingent of 20,000 police and soldiers, amid fears rival insurgent groups could use violence to try to disrupt the plebiscite.

The peace process began in the 1990s and does not include hardline Islamist factions, including those aligned with the Islamic State group, which are also active in Mindanao.

“Their motive is to sow terror,” Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said, referring to the rival groups. “They don’t really have any other cause.”

The government and MILF hope that a new, stable Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will attract investment to a region where brutal poverty and perennial bloodshed have fueled recruitment by radical groups.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who also hails from Mindanao, has long backed the creation of an autonomous region for the island’s Muslims.

Under the terms of the law which lays out the region’s powers, the Bangsamoro region will get $950 million in development funds over the next 10 years, as well as chunk of the tax revenue generated within its borders.

The national government will keep control over the police, though the leadership of the autonomous area will be closely involved in security matters.

Final results are expected to be released within four days of the voting, with an approval triggering the demobilization of a third of MILF’s fighters, which it says number 30,000.

Muslim rebels have long been battling for independence or autonomy on Mindanao, which they regard as their ancestral homeland dating back to when Arab traders arrived there in the 13th century.

In fact, the new entity would enlarge and replace a similar autonomous zone, which struggled to complete development projects and was plagued by violence.

The proposed region includes the city of Marawi, which was seized by jihadists flying the black flag of IS in 2017 and who were only dislodged by a five-month battle that flattened swathes of the town.

Experts say the devolution of powers to the region is one of the best opportunities in recent memory to bring down the persistently high levels of lawlessness in Mindanao.

However, corruption and mismanagement are perennial problems across the nation of 105 million, and doubts remain over whether resources promised for development would find their way to Bangsamoro.

Experts also said not all groups would support the change.

“In the short term, there are a number of groups and politicians that are going to lose out,” Gregory Wyatt, director for business intelligence at PSA Philippines Consultancy, said.

“So there are significant short-term risks.”

The Palace on Monday said the “yes” vote would win in the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law because the majority of people believe in it, and dismissed communist allegations that it would be ratified by vote buying and coercion by the government.

In a statement, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Ma. Sison, said the BOL would be ratified because the administration has taken control of the Commission on Elections and put the PNP in charge in so-called hot spots.

Sison said vote buying was at P200 per vote and P1,000 for each vote buying agent, and payments in the millions to Comelec officials, certain governors, congressmen and mayors.

Panelo dismissed the communist leader’s statements as “nonsense.” “’Yes’ will win because that will be the voice of the majority, not because of Presi-

vote to approve the bill.

He said the bicameral conference committee meeting could be convened by Tuesday.

“The amendments were submitted over the last four days. There were amendments that were already being proposed weeks ago, but everything will be finalized later,” Sotto said.

“And then right after that we will approve it on second and third reading so we can convene the bicam either tonight or dent Rodrigo Duterte’s coercive influence, or vote buying,” he said.

In his statement, Sison, who lives in the Netherlands, said he is “in touch with the representatives of various Bangsamoro forces and other people in mixed communities.”

“I know exactly how much the vote-buying agents of Duterte are paying to the ordinary poor voters and how much in millions the Comelec officials and certain governors, congressmen and mayors are getting to rig the plebiscite,” Sison said.

Despite tension and security threats in some areas, the Comelec reported a high turnout at the start of the plebiscite.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said that while there were reports of delays in some precincts in Cotabato City, the plebiscite proceeded peacefully. He added that the presence of soldiers and police—especially in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Lanao del Sur—helped ensure a peaceful election.

More than 1 million registered voters cast their ballots in Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi—and in the cities of Cotabato and Isabela.

Another 600,000 registered voters will vote on Feb. 6 in Lanao del Norte, Jimenez said.

“The vote is not computerized and they just answer the ballots by yes or no,” the poll body said.

Jimenez said the counting will be manual and full results will most likely be released four days after the close of voting.

In Cotabato City, 72 teachers backed out from serving in 240 precincts, citing threatening text messages they received, ARMM Comelec Director Rey Sumalipao said.

Jimenez said the situation was promptly addressed by appointing policemen to take the teachers’ place.

A grenade found outside the Rojas Elementary School scared voters away, but bomb disposal personnel later exploded it safely.

The BOL seeks to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with the BARMM, which provides for more fiscal autonomy and resources through revenuesharing with the national government, a block grant and other development funds.

In Sulu, where the BOL has been strongly opposed by former governor Sakur Tan, ballot boxes were all delivered at 5 a.m., voting started on time and went on smoothly and orderly in all the province’s 18 municipalities, according to reports reaching the Comelec regional office in ARMM. Voting also went smoothly in Maguindanao, Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu said, as he dispelled rumors on social media that he had defected to anti-BOL camp.

A second plebiscite will be held on Feb. 6 in the municipalities of Midsayap, Aleosan, Pikit, and Kabacan in North Cotabato, and in the entire province of Lanao del Norte, except Iligan City. The balloting for yes or no will determine if the residents of the areas approve of a territorial expansion of the region to cover 36 more barangays in those North Cotabato municipalities, and six municipalities in Lanao del Norte.

All ballots cast from the five ARMM provinces will be canvassed at the SKCC Hall, and the Maguindanao ballots will be tallied at the Regional Legislative Assembly of the ARMM—all starting 6 p.m.

Since Cotabato and Isabela are not part of the ARMM, the results counted from votes cast in these cities will be sent directly to the Comelec Manila where tallies will be canvassed.

Earlier, an official of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission said misinformation was being spread about the BOL. In a media forum in Marawi City, Commissioner Ammal Solaiman said people were being told that a “yes” vote would put the entire Lanao del Norte in the Bangsamoro area.

“That it is not the concept. Only the six municipalities, and those that filed their petition, will be included in the Bangsamoro if ‘yes’ votes will win,” Solaiman said.

Another misinformation being circulated is that Christian residents in Lanao del Norte would be stripped of their rights once the BOL is ratified.

“There are provisions in the BOL that would protect the rights of Christian residents,” she said.

With Francisco Tuyay and PNA

A peek...

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Mari Kondo’s...

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No other item of clothing provokes such fierce emotions.

Some swear by traditional bras, others prefer the structural minimalism of modern bralets and crop tops, while a growing feminist minority entirely reject what they see as a symbol of female oppression.

Designed these days using 3D modelling, bras made by most big French brands are sewn to the millimeter and samples are worn by testers before going on sale.

It takes up to two years from the first preparatory sketches for a new model to end up in the shops, according to their makers.

Prototypes are on average remade and altered around 40 times. The width of a pencil mark can often be the difference between two cup sizes, they say.AFP

But as Eby moved house over the years, the clutter built up. Now, inspired by the Japanese home organizing guru Marie Kondo, the 27-year-old says she has banished the chaos for good.

And she’s hardly the only one.

Kondo is small in stature, but her tidying philosophy has reached stratospheric heights.

Her book, “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” has earned a cult following since its publication in the United States in 2014, with millions adopting her suggestions for a neater, happier existence.

But it is the 34-year-old’s new Netflix show, “Tidying up with Marie Kondo”— released on New Year’s Day, when everyone is keen to reinvent themselves and motivated by their resolutions—that has everyone talking. AFP

tomorrow.”

With President Duterte’s certification to the bill’s urgency, the Senate could forgo the three-day rule and pass the budget bill on second and third reading within the same day.

The Senate terminated the period of interpellations on the budget last week.

A contentious issue in the 2019 national budget is the alleged P75-billion “insertion” of the Department of Public Works

and Highways without the agency’s knowledge. But the Senate moved for its deletion.

Sotto said the P75 billion may be realigned or chopped up for other government projects.

It was earlier proposed that the insertion could fund the health facilities enhancement program, or even the potential government takeover of the bankrupt Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines. Macon Ramos-Araneta with PNA

MULTITASKING? Policemen remove a voter (right) accused of casting multiple ballots at a voting precinct in Cotabato on Jan. 21, 2019, during a vote on giving the nation's Muslim minority greater control over the region. AFP

Oil price...

From A1 Aquino on Tuesday said it was another reason for the Department of Budget and Management to immediately release the fourth tranche of the salary increase for government workers.

The additional pay for government workers, Aquino said, would be a big help for them to cope with the oil price increase.

Meanwhile, Senator Sonny Angara said he will also study the possibility of exempting from the 12-percent value-added tax all cancer medications and other available maintenance medicines in the market, apart from medicines for three leading noncommunicable diseases in the country.

Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, said the group deliberated and made possible the VAT exemption on medicines for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law, which started Jan. 1.

On Jan. 15, oil firms raised pump prices

by P2.30 per liter for diesel, P1.40 per liter for gasoline, and P2 per liter for kerosene.

On Jan. 8, oil companies also raised prices

by P0.80 per liter of gasoline, P0.70 per liter of diesel, and P0.40 per liter of kerosene.

World oil prices have been on an uptrend on hopes that the United States and China can resolve a trade dispute that has triggered a global economic slowdown.

Oil prices have also been receiving support from supply cuts started at the end of 2018 by Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Earlier, Aquino urged the DBM to use

House bill...

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Leachon defended the lowering of the age of criminal responsibility by saying it would protect them from being used by “ruthless and unscrupulous criminal syndicates to evade prosecution and punishment.”

He also fended off criticism that the bill was “anti-poor and ruthless.”

Children in conflict with law will not be detained, but placed into Bahay Pag-Asa where they will undergo a “reformation” program whose supervision will be transferred from the local government to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Leachon said.

“First, we are not putting these children in jail, but in reformative institutions to correct their ways and bring them back to the community. And second, they are not branded as criminals but children in conflict with the law,” said Leachon, adding that the bill provides for these records to remain confidential.

Leachon said the maximum penalty for those exploiting the children to commit criminal offenses are the following: reclusion temporal—or 12 to 20 years—if the crime is punishable by less than six years, and life imprisonment, if it is punishable by

’History’s...

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Representatives, said she voted “yes,” though quite late, because policemen servers were stricter after replacing 72 teachers in 240 precincts, who had backed out of poll duty after they received threatening text messages.

For “yes” voters, affixing their fingerprints, writing a three-letter word, and casting their ballots represented bold steps to achieve self-determination and autonomy never before experienced.

Moro people were joined by Christian residents twice in Cotabato City for peace assemblies urging residents to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which will establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in the place of the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, as a way through achieving lasting peace—and substantially, the Moro people’s right to self-determination.

the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund for the fourth and final part of the salary hike for government workers under the Salary Standardization Law. The senator even submitted Resolution No. 982, expressing the sense of the Senate that the DBM should use the MPBF to pay the final part of the salary hike for government workers.

Aquino has been calling on the government to suspend the implementation of second part of excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law to help lower price of petroleum products.

His colleague, Angara, said the original proposal among senators was to exempt all maintenance medicines from VAT. But the Department of Health suggested that the exemption be extended first to medicines for diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments due to high cholesterol―the three leading causes of death among Filipinos.

Angara said he was ready to facilitate the passage in the Senate of any proposal from the House of Representatives to remove the VAT on other maintenance medicines and medications for cancer patients.

Under the Constitution, all tax measures must emanate from the lower chamber.

This means that the Senate cannot pass a tax measure unless the House passes its own version.

The Department of Energy, meanwhile, has issued a circular repealing its previous order requiring oil companies to source Euro II compliant diesel due to lower oil prices in previous months, discounts to PUVs, continuous rollout of Pantawid Pasada program and the increase in minimum fare. more than six years.

He said the parents of the children who are in conflict with the law will be detained for a minimum 30 days and maximum of six months if they do not undergo an intervention program to be supervised by LGUs like parenting seminars and counseling.

If children are convicted, Leachon said, they will be detained at the agricultural camp under the supervision of the Bureau of Corrections and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Children aged 9 to 15 convicted of serious offenses will be confined at Bahay PagAsa, and after a year, the court will decide whether they are fit for reintegration into the family and community, Leachon added.

Opposition lawmakers said they saw no good in lowering the age of criminal responsibility.

“Putting in jail children as young as 9 years old while plunderers and big-time criminals remain scot-free and roam the corridors of power only shows the misguided sense of justice of our legislators,” said Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao.

“It is a crime bigger than any wrongful act a nine-year-old can possibly commit.”

He added that the bill would victimize poor children twice over, because they have already been punished by poverty and hunger.

’Amang’...

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stations and social media accounts, and coordinate with their local disaster and risk reduction management offices for the appropriate and responsive action,” Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo said all the concerned government agencies were on standby in preparation for Amang.

Citing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Panelo said a total of 2,678 families (11,153 persons) were preemptively evacuated in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Masbate, Eastern Samar, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. Panelo also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has already positioned a total of 2,500 family food packs amounting to P912,750 for those who may need it. With PNA

Monsod takes turn to oppose extended ML

By Rey E. Requejo A THIRD petition challenging the constitutionality of the extension of martial law in Mindanao has been filed before the Supreme Court.

That came about after the 15-member bench resolved to reset the oral arguments on the case that had been scheduled for today and tomorrow to Jan. 29.

The petitioners, led by former Commission on Elections Chairman Christian Monsod, asked the high court to declare the extension of Proclamation 216 for another year or until December 2019 as unconstitutional.

The previous two petitioners were filed by opposition lawmakers led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman and lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc led by Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate who argued that the factual bases for the declaration or extension of martial law in Mindanao no longer existed.

“The present factual situation no longer calls for an extension of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus,” Monsod’s 30-page petition says.

Monsod’s group says the 1987 Constitution requires that the existence of an actual rebellion and the requirement of public safety must be met to allow martial law to be extended.

“The factual situation present in Mindanao, which is the basis for the President to intimate the extension for martial law, and the Congress to approve, does not show that the courts or the branches of civilian government are unable to carry out their functions,” the petition says.

The petitioners urged the high court to fulfill its mandate “to be proactive and to independently determine the factual basis of the proclamation or extension of the declaration of a martial law.”

They suggested to the high court to conduct an “independent inquiry, investigation, scrutiny or judgment” and not rely on a report provided by the executive branch.

“Clearly, the intent of the framers of the Constitution is for the Honorable Court to play an active role in the determination of the sufficiency of the factual basis for the extension of martial law at this instance,” insisted Monsod who was a member of the commission that drafted the 1987 Charter.

Duterte pays last respects to tycoon Henry Sy PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday night visited the wake of SM Group founder Henry Sy Sr. who died in his sleep on Saturday morning.

In a statement sent to reporters on Monday, Malacañang said Duterte arrived at the Heritage Park in Taguig City at 10:50 p.m. to pay his respects.

He stayed for more than an hour before leaving and expressed his condolences to Sy’s family.

On Saturday, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo described Sy as a “visionary and a pillar of the Philippine economy” who believed in the Philippines’ potentials.

He cited Sy’s contributions to the Philippine economy and culture.

“The landscapes of the major cities in the Philippines seem unadorned and incomplete minus the imposing architectural delight [of Sy’s malls],” Panelo said.

“He made “malling” a delightful experience as part of urban living in the Philippines, where Filipino families and ordinary folks bond, promenade and create wondrous and memorable moments.”

Sy, a Chinese immigrant, was the Philippines’ richest person from 2005 to 2018 and the 52nd richest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine.

He established a small shoe business in 1958 in Carriedo in downtown Manila that was called Shoe Mart, after which the SM chain of malls was named. Sy later expanded to other businesses like retailing, banking, property development, mining and gaming. PNA

Road Board...

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Act (GAA), after both houses of Congress agreed on what to do with the agency and its multibillion-peso kitty.

Andaya said the special account provided in the GAA will be deleted and it will no longer be considered as a separate account.

“It will now be part of the national budget or the General Fund to be used for the GAA,” he added.

Meanwhile, Andaya again accused Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno of another “insertion” operation in the proposed budget by revising the implementing rules and regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act to allegedly transform the Department of Budget and Management into a “super-bidding body.”

Andaya made the revelation at the resumption of the congressional investigation on the alleged irregularities in the budget preparation involving Diokno.

The Camarines lawmaker relinquished his post as majority leader after he was appointed chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations.

“The House leadership under Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has accepted my offer to relinquish my post and lead the contingent tasked to complete one major unfinished business left in our legislative calendar: The passage of the 2019 national budget,” Andaya said in a speech in plenary session.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

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Manila Bay in critical condition, says Cimatu

By Rio Araja and Maricel Cruz

E

NVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Monday urged government offices, including the local governments, around Manila Bay to set a good example to private establishments—residential and commercial ones— on the compliance with the Clean Water Act and Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. “Manila Bay is in critical condition and serve the revived Manila Bay,” he added. proper wastewater discharge and solid waste But a party-list legislator said the DENR disposal play a key role to reviving it,” he said. should reveal the details of the multi-bilHe told stakeholders that rehabilitation lion peso rehabilitation plan. works at the Manila Bay would start on Jan. 27.

Government offices, particularly those in the Manila Bay area, must ensure that they are connected to sewer lines or have their own sewage treatment plants for proper wastewater disposal, he said.

He also reminded them to manage their solid waste to minimize garbage that end up in landfills or oceans.

According to Cimatu, solid waste was still a huge problem due to non-segregation, rampant use of single-use plastic products and improper waste disposal.

He warned establishments that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources would clamp down on all establishments discharging untreated wastewater either directly into the Manila Bay or into esteros and rivers leading to the bay.

“We will issue notices of violation to non-compliant establishments or we will shut them down. Until they comply, they cannot operate,” he said.

“With education, we can clean up Manila Bay, we can sustain it, and we can pre-

All passport data safe, NPC told THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday assured the National Privacy Commission that all passport data was safe in the agency’s custody.

Data Protection Officer and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Medardo Macaraig, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank Ferrer, and other DFA officials made a full presentation on the passport process and told the privacy commission “that measures are in place to protect the personal data of passport applicants” in its entire ISO-certified process.

“The department assured the Commission that it takes extremely seriously the protection of the personal information of the public and that all passport data is safe,” DFA Spokesperson Elmer Cato said in a statement sent to reporters.

“The Department remains in custody and control of passport data and that this has not been shared with or accessed by any unauthorized party,” he added.

The meeting between the NPC and DFA comes following the remarks of DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on an alleged passport data loss within the agency.

In view of the clarification that no breach occurred, Cato said the DFA “is hoping that it was able to address the concerns of the Commission.” PNA

GMA: Retain P20b hike in DA budget

By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday said she would push her earlier move to increase by about P20 billion the proposed P123.7-billion allocation for 2019 of the Department of Agriculture.

Arroyo made the statement as she reiterated her appeal to the House small committee on appropriations to increase the budget of the DA by P20 billion to help in further lowering inflation.

“The House had increased the budget of DA by P20 billion upon my instruction because I noticed that since my administration, the budget for DA had dropped significantly,” Arroyo said in statement.

With the impending passage of the 2019 budget by the Senate, Arroyo said she will instruct the House members of the bicameral committee to make sure that the P20 billion remain in the final budget.

“We have to make sure the increase in the DA budget is retained in the final budget because it will enable the DA to implement measures that will help farmers and increase production needed to control inflation,” Arroyo said.

URBAN POOR CHAMPION. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo vows Monday to put up P100-million for the titling of at least

6,000 family-beneficiaries at the National Government Center in Commonwealth, Quezon City, who are housing recipients under RA 9207, the law she signed when she was president in 2003 . That law enabled 60,000 urban poor families in QC to acquire the land they have long been occupying. She made the call when she convened the first Oversight Committee on NGC which seeks to make sure all legitimate beneficiaries attain housing security. She is flanked by QC Rep. Feliciano Belmonte (left) and Rep. Winnie Castelo.

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

The story of Henry Sy, Sr. THE life of Henry Sy, Sr. who died at the age of 94 is some kind of a fairy tale, a simple rags-to-riches story. He is known as the richest Filipino, the King of Retail, a business icon, and a good friend to other conglomerates and businessmen.

For me and my wife, the passing of Henry —often called “Tatang” by those who knew him—is some kind of personal loss. We have known him for many decades.

To every Filipino who wants and aspires to do something, Henry is the perfect example of dreaming big and working hard, coupled with praying (his wife is a devout Catholic).

Many things have been written about this great Filipino, nation-builder and prime example of a success story. Today I will recount

His passing is a personal loss.

something that many Filipinos don’t know about him.

Way back in 1948, my late brother Willie, a budding politician in the second district of Manila, was working for the late Manila congressman Joaquino “Titong” Roces. He told me to meet somebody he knew in Quiapo. I was then a junior student taking my Bachelor of Arts course at the old Ateneo de Manila at the Padre Faura ruins.

When we reached Carriedo Street, Willie told me to wait because he would like me to get acquainted with a young Chinese whose father owned an air-conditioned shoe store.

At that time, air conditioning was a kind of novelty.

In front of the store was a big pile of shoes.

Sy, who was in his early 20s, a few years older than me, was standing beside a big pile of shoes all imported from Boston, U.S.A. He

said that if I wanted to buy, he would give me a good price.

I chose a pair with the brand name “Bostonian.” At least, I thought, my friends would know that it was imported.

I was later on told that they were slightly damaged export surplus products that Sy had bought in Boston. And Henry went on importing them for his father’s shoe shop.

Then came the Retail Trade Nationalization Act, which gave Filipinos the sole privilege of engaging in retail. Obviously, Henry Sy saw this as an opportunity, not a barrier.

Sari-sari stores were then dominated by the Chinese.

With his friend and partner, businessmanpolitician Senen Mendiola of Oriental Mindoro, Sy incorporated SM to engage in the retail of shoes. SM stood for the initials of Mendiola. Sy was still only then a Chinese national who migrated with his father to the Philippines, penniless, from Amoy in China, which is now called Xiamen.

My late brother Willie later on told me that Sy was opening his first shoe store at the corner of Avenida Rizal and Plaza Goiti, beside the Ideal cinema house. There was another well-known shop at that time, Good Earth Emporium, which was famous for having the first escalator. There was always a big crowd there. This made people aware of the existence of SM. I then followed the progress of SM, later on in Makati beside the well-known Hotel Intercontinental where other well-known shops and restaurants were. It was called Makati Commercial Center.

When SM Makati went into full operations, I was told that Sy would make his rounds of the store and even take a cup of coffee at the coffee shop there. I was business editor at that time already, and I figured Sy always made a good story.

Would you believe, my gulay, that it was at Elysee Coffee Shop where Sy told me about his plans? He said he would put up an SM in Mandaluyong and another one in Quezon City.

After some years, these plans did materialize.

I was a resident of Philamlife Homes in Quezon City for many years and I used to wonder what would happen to that vacant lot.

During one of our coffee sessions, Sy told me about his dream of seeing all Filipinos owning a pair of shoes, having an SM in every nook and corner of the Philippines, and seeing all Filipinos able to go to school.

Turn to A5

EDITORIAL

A

Striking a balance nonetheless in view of the greater good of cleaning up the effects of many years of neglect and greed.

Now we will see if the same brand of willpower is enough to clean up Manila Bay. These are just two examples of how a leader's decisiveness and consistency could make a difference in the nation he governs.

In other issues, the response is nowhere as universal. For example, the push toward federalism despite what are seen as more pressing concerns for Filipinos appears to have lost steam. Lowering the age of criminal liability to 9 years old from 15 is another proof, especially given the perceived uneven application of the law on the rich and the poor.

The manner of fighting illegal drugs could also be taken as an example of sheer will. In this, Mr. Duterte clearly wants to achieve what no president has done before. Unfortunately, while nobody questions the rationale of the campaign, many, including the international community, do not approve of the manner in which it is being carried out.

Meanwhile, political will for the much vaunted fight against corruption, another age-old menace that has held this country back from genuine progress, ap-

PLEBISCITE was held Monday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Isabela City and Cotabato City. There will be another day for voting for yet other places in Mindanao, two weeks from now.

Whatever the final tally, the plebiscite meant to reflect the people's will on the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which will in turn establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, is by itself a milestone. This is the farthest that the peace effort in the South has gone, after numerous failed attempts by previous administrations to put an end to the decades-old conflict.

Credit goes to the sheer will of this administration to finally do what its predecessors have not achieved, for a host of reasons.

It is the same strong will that made the closure of the worldfamous Boracay Island—in the middle of summer at that—possible. President Rodrigo Duterte branded the island a cesspool, and despite concerns on what the sixmonth closure would do to our tourism numbers, it was closed

pears to vary depending on the nature of the crime and the political affiliation of the suspected party.

Persistence and strength of will are qualities that increase any leader's chances of succeeding against the many problems that plague a nation. There will always be critics and opposing views, but if a leader is firm about the end he has in mind, then all he has to do is to chart the steps to get there, undeterred by setbacks.

There is however a difference between persistence on one hand, and arrogance and obstinacy on the other.

Unfortunately, the line between these is often thin. Public officials may believe that they are being resolute when in fact they are already deaf to criticism however constructive. They may think they are being strong when in fact they are on the verge of tyranny.

The virtue is not necessarily in strength, or in openness, but in the wisdom to know when to persevere and when to back off, or at least pause to listen.

As elections draw closer, we hope there would be more strong and progressive leaders—but most of all, discerning ones.

The Bangsamoro is the future AS I write this column, voters in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the cities of Cotabato and Isabela in Basilan are lining up to vote in the plebiscite for or against the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The latter will replace the former. The difference is substantial, with the BARMM definitely superior to the ARMM. It’s certainly an improvement. Based on the concept of the highest form of local autonomy, agreed upon in the peace talks between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Bangsamoro Organic Law delivers an autonomous region and government that will be strong and effective.

I look forward now to a well-governed Bangsamoro that will ensure peace, justice, and development.

In the end, of course, as I wrote in MindaNews a few months ago, the Bangsamoro will rise or fail on whether it is able to make itself sustainable financially and economically. To get to that point, the support of the national government and the international community is necessary. There must be also the right policy, governance and enabling environment to ensure such financial and economic sustainability.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) grants the Bangsamoro government the right to manage its funds, income and resources.

Under the law, the National Government will provide an annual block grant automatically appropriated in the General Appropriations Act of the Congress to the Bangsamoro government in order for it to efficiently perform its powers and functions. The block grant, to be released directly to the Bangsamoro Government, is equivalent to five percent (5%) of the net collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and from the Bureau of Customs.

The block grant, though, and other national

government subsidies given in lump sum, may not be spent without an appropriations law defining the purpose for which they are intended.

Some have criticized the block grant as excessive but actually it is based on what the ARMM is already getting now plus the money allocated to it through the national government agencies. I know this because I have done a study on options for the block grant a few years ago. One must also bear in mind that the BARMM has far more responsibilities than the ARMM. The BOL has excellent provisions on natural resources conservation and utilization.

The Bangsamoro Government, among others, shall have the power, authority, and right to explore, develop, and utilize the natural resources, including surface and subsurface rights, inland waters, coastal waters, and renewable and nonrenewable resources in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. In the exercise of that power, the protection, conservation, rehabilitation, and development of forests, coastal, and marine resources, including the adoption of programs and projects, to ensure the maintenance of ecological balance and biodiversity shall be given priority.

In addition, the Bangsamoro Government shall also have the power to declare nature reserves and aquatic parks, forests, watershed reservations, and other protected areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. The management and protection of nature reserves and aquatic parks, forests, watershed reservations, and other protected areas in the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro that have already been defined by and under the authority of the National Government shall be transferred to the Bangsamoro Government.

ConstituSubject to the provisions of the Constitu tion and national laws, the Bangsamoro GovGov ernment and the National Government shall jointly exercise the power to grant rights, privileges, concessions over the exploration, development, and utilization of uranium and fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal in the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro. Qualified citizens who are bona fide residents of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, all other conditions being equal, shall have preferential rights over the exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources.

The Bangsamoro Government may endorse to the President financial and technical agreements covering mineral resources in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, in accordance with the mining policy . Small-scale mining shall be regulated by the Bangsamoro Government. Zones of Joint Cooperation in the Sulu Sea and the Moro Gulf are also to be created. The Bangsamoro Government shall have exclusive powers over inland waters, including lakes, marshes, rivers, and tributaries within its territory, except those that provide energy to power generating plants.

Turn to A5

Champions They come along only once in a while.

SPEAKING recently at the 11th anniversary of the Bacolod-Silay airport, House Speaker and former President Arroyo pushed for the revival and expansion of the Roll-On, RollOff (RORO) transport system, an ambitious nautical infrastructure program she had championed in 2003 as president.

The Speaker plans to convene an oversight committee in the House to work with the Philippine Ports Authority and Department of Transportation to update the study done

earlier by the Asian Development Bank, the original proponent of the program.

RoRo was intended to transport rollingstock cargo not requiring the use of cranes. It was an important part of the 919-km Strong Republic Nautical Highway system launched

by Arroyo to interlink the country’s major is-

lands through two north-south and one eastwest nautical highways.

ADB has said that RoRo significantly reduced transport costs and travel time. This in turn significantly reduced the prices of food and other basic commodities transported from rural to urban areas, thereby contributing to poverty alleviation.

The original plan was to build 72 RoRo projects throughout the country. Unfortunately, in 2011, PNot cancelled the vast mama jority—66—on grounds that only six were needed. He blamed overpricing and wasteful spending for his decision, without ever sharing with the public his comparative cost evaluations, cost-benefit calculations, or any other project and program feasibility metrics.

What really happened, as we now know, Turn to A5

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Opinion

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Can the DENR hack it?

THIS Sunday (Jan. 27) the Department of Environment and Natural Resources begins implementing a 10-year plan costing a whopping P42 billion to revive Manila Bay from decades of pollution and urban blight.

You will recall that serious efforts were made as far back as the early 90s—during the Ramos administration—to clean up the Pasig River, which empties into Manila Bay. Some headway was made in reviving the heavily polluted body of water, with succeeding administrations trying to sustain the effort, including a costly dredging. To date, though, the water remains murky and foul-smelling.

The biggest obstacle to the clean-up of Manila Bay, it looks to me, is not the big hotels, business establishments and condominium clusters along the coast.

The huge problem is removing the informal settlers, or to use what’s considered a politically incorrect term—squatters—comprised of an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 families living near the coastal area and along the banks of the many esteros that lead to the Pasig River and ultimately to Manila Bay. If the average family has no less than four members, that’s more than a million informal settlers polluting Manila Bay on a daily basis with their trash and human waste.

And we’re not even talking of the business establishments near the esteros and the immediate coastal area that also dispose of both their liquid and solid waste into waterways.

Putting the “Manila Bay Action Plan” to work is therefore going to be a Herculean task. Going by official pronouncements, the plan has three phases: Phase 1 is cleanup and improvement of water quality improvement, Phase 2 is rehabilitation, and Phase 3, protection and sustainment.

Phase 1, starting this month, will include the clean-up of esteros and waterways, reduction of the level of fecal coliform and toxic discharges from establishments, and provision of temporary sanitation facilities for informal settlers

The Bangsamoro...

From A4

The Bangsamoro Government shall also recognize, protect, and promote the establishment of cooperative enterprises as well as establish economic zones, industrial estates, and free ports in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

Also to be established are banks and financial institutions and their branches including an Islamic window in domestic and foreign conventional banks; as well as offshore banking units of foreign banks within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and in accordance with the principles of the Islamic banking system.

The construction and maintenance of national roads, bridges, water supply and services, and flood control and irrigation systems and the maintenance of existing airports, seaports, and wharves in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region shall be funded and implemented by the National Government.

In Article XIV (Rehabilitation and Development) the Bangsamoro Government, with funding support from the National Government, shall intensify development efforts for the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and development of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region as part of the normalization process.

Champ...

From A4

was the perverse PNot policy of underspending especially on infrastructure. This was intended simply to boost fiscal and monetary liquidity in order to make the rating agencies happy. In other words, public monies were not spent on and for the public, but hoarded for the benefit of lenders and their raters, as well as being misspent on well-known budget anomalies like DAP, PDAF, and wholesale bribery of legislators in the Corona impeachment.

These days, with PNot finally on his way to well-earned obscurity, Arroyo wants to champion RoRo all over again. As her speakership draws to a close in June, she plans to conduct a “sentimental journey” to visit key RoRo sites, especially in the Visayas region where she wanted to interlink all those islands east to west. Duterte supports the revival of the RoRo program, so we can expect to see more ports and vessels in the coming years. *** As a former BDO consultant on risk management who labored in the Sy family’s vineyard for six years, I was pleased with the overwhelmingly positive view of the family patriarch’s life and achievements as the public responded with sincere sympathy to news of Henry Sy’s passing last weekend.

At the ripe old age of 94, the old man was most likely no longer an active partici-

residing along the esteros and the Manila Bay shoreline. Solid waste management and planning for the relocation of the informal settlers will also be done.

Results of the latest water test on Manila Bay showed that its fecal coliform level stood at 330 million most probable number (MPN) for every 100 milliliters, way off the acceptable level of 100 MPN. The acceptable level for Class SB water is 100MPN/100 ml. The DENR’s goal is to reduce coliform level to less than 270 MPN/100ml less by December 2019.

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte made the announcement that the government would start cleaning the

The rehabilitation of Manila Bay is a daunting exercise.

heavily polluted Manila Bay, with Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año instructed to head the operation. At the same time, Duterte warned hotel owners in the area to install water treatment systems for the proper disposal of waste material—or face closure.

To jumpstart the massive cleanup, a DENR—led task force will release an initial list of establishments that will receive “notices of violation” of environmental laws particularly on water and solid waste management.

News reports indicate that the DENR has already taken water samples from or checked the compliance level of close to 300 commercial establishments. The next move is to show them the results and inform them of the requirements, including the establishment of water treatment plants. If they don’t meet these, they face closure.

Aside from closure, violators face fines ranging from P20,000 to P200,000 for every day of violation, beginning on the date the water sample was taken.

Recently, the DENR inspected the local government-run Manila Zoo and

found that it had been discharging untreated sewage directly through one of the esteros flowing into the bay. The agency ordered the 59-year-old zoo to immediately construct its own sewage treatment plant, with the city later expressing willingness to build two more of such facilities.

The Department of Tourism has expressed full support for the government plan to rehabilitate Manila Bay, saying that it would be to the “best interest” of the tourism industry and “in line with the thrust of the DOT to create a culture of sustainable tourism.”

Having said all this, we see the massive project facing big odds even as government has succeded in reviving Boracay, considered the crown jewel of Philippine tourism, where the cleanup effort last year required the closure of the famous resort island to tourists for six months.

We’re well aware that the DENR has given assurances that they will apply the same “political will” observed in the rehabilitation of Boracay Island, and strictly implement Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 which they say is the “key to addressing water quality issues and other environ environmental problems in the historic bay.”

Last week, at the Saturday Forum@ Annabel’s which I moderate, DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda pointed out that the cleanup should be a community effort, with various sectors helping out. He’s right.

The Manila Bay rehab project is actually long overdue. In 2008, the Supreme Court issued an order for the DENR and 12 other government agencies to clean up Manila Bay and restore its water quality to Class SB level safe for recreational activities such as swimming. It’s 2019, more than a decade after that ruling, and the problem seems to have gotten even worse.

The next target is 2029 for the waters of Manila Bay to be as pristine as in the old days—the post-war era, for instance—but we really hope the government succeeds in this noble undertaking.

We may have serious reservations at this point as to whether government can relocate all informal settlers that pollute Manila Bay within 10 years, but we’d be glad to be proven wrong.

SMC: A corporate giant expanding massively

ANYONE who has no idea at all, or has only a faint idea, of what a massive corporate expansion looks like, should read any of the media reports of the recent statement made by president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang to the stockholders of this country’s No.1 manufacturing establishment, San Miguel Corporation (SMC). SMC’s expansion program for the period up to 2020 is nothing short of awesome.

The program covers SMC’s core business—food products and beer—and the packaging for those products. The price tag for 18 facilities is P742 billion. Easily this is the largest expansion (of capacity) we’ve undertaken in our company,” Mr. Ang told his company’s stockholders.

The biggest part of the expansion program relates to SMC’s beer business, which was placed under a new corporate entity called SMB (San Miguel Brewery Inc.).

SMB’s expansion consists of (1) installation in Northern Mindanao—Misamis Oriental, specifically—of a brewery with an initial capacity of 1 million hectoliters, (2) construction in different parts of the nation of up to six more breweries, and (3) an increase in the capacity of its Santa Rosa City bottling plant.

The expansion on the food-products side of SMC’s business consists of the building of additional poultry processing plants, processed meat facilities, dairy products plants, ready-to-eat products, flour mills and feed mills. Inaugurated recently was the General Trias City facility that doubled SMC’s hotdog manufacturing capacity. One of its food-production subsidiaries, San Miguel Pure Foods, has entered into a licensing agreement with the US’s George Hormel Co. under which SMC will produce Spam meatloaf for the domestic market and for export to Southeast Asian countries. And it has completed the construction of two additional feed mills—one in Bataan and one in Bulacan.

Expansion of container capacity must go

Authority will serve as the interim government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region during the transition period, with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front leading the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, without prejudice to the participation of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in its membership. That is consistent with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro we forged with the MILF in 2014.

I assisted the government panels that negotiated with both the Moro National Liberation Front and the MILF in the last 25 years. I am happy and grateful we have reached this stage.

After yesterday’s plebiscite, we will wait two weeks, on February 6, to find out if the current ARMM will be expanded to more municipalities in Lanao del Sur and barangays in North Cotabato. By the time this column goes to press, we will know if the cities of Cotabato and Isabela have joined the BARMM. I hope both cities vote yes but even if the No vote prevails, that is not the end of the world. It will still be a day of celebration.

I look forward now to a well-governed Bangsamoro that will ensure peace, justice, and development. This will be good not only for the Bangsamoro but also for the whole of Mindanao and for the country.

pant in the management of his vast family empire. But at least according to my parish priest’s Sunday homily, “Tatang” was still leaving his mark where it truly counted— by regularizing thousands of SM employees just last year in compliance with the government’s drive against labor-only contractualization.

Mr. Sy’s rags-to-riches story is by now the stuff of legends, starting with his decision at the age of 12 to remain in the Philippines after his immigrant father lost everything here and decided to return to China.

By dint of business smarts, sheer hard work, and an unwavering faith in his adoptive country through all its ups and downs, and with the support of an unusually competent and close-knit brood of children, Tatang built the country’s largest property developer, largest landlord, largest retailer, largest bank.

As the country’s richest man, everything he did was outsized. But so too was his philanthropy, especially in the field of education, the focus of his philanthropic championship. So many young men and women today that he sent through college owe him their futures.

I’d like to think that all those bonus years of life Henry Sy enjoyed were part of his Divine recompense for his generosity. And with his passing, I’d like to think as well that his family and associates will carry on, not only with his business success, but also with the philanthropic generosity that marks any truly great man. *** Our hats are off for the umpteenth time

to our inveterate boxing champion, Senator Manny Pacquiao, who retains his WBA welterweight title after a bruising match-up last Sunday with American fighter Adrien Broner.

In his first bout past the age of 40, the senator ended up chasing his opponent all over the ring, landing more than twice as many blows as Broner. The days of a quick knock-out may already be in Manny’s past.

But nobody can question his quickness, his innate talent honed by the experience of so many fights, and most of all, the aggressiveness and sheer heart that pushes him to test the limits of his ageing body, time and again.

In the Senate, he’s also developing a reputation as a quick learner, a team player, and a politician who puts himself on the line no less than he does in the ring.

Many were impressed by his bravura performance speaking recently before an academic crowd in Oxford. True, the words had been crafted for him by someone else.

But wordsmiths are a dime a dozen, while a Pacquiao, who can charm his audience with a speech, alternately brash and selfdeprecating, that resonated with so much color from his life, comes along only once in a while.

Is the presidency somewhere in his future? I’m sure the fastidious crowd who banned him from moving into their Forbes Park enclave would be horrified. But that— if nothing else—is precisely the biggest reason why I would give him my vote.

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Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@yahoo.com.

hand in hand with expansion of production capacity. Accordingly, SMC is expanding the capacities of its bottling and packaging facilities.

As already stated, it is increasing the capacity of its Sta. Rosa City bottling plant. And it has acquired the Australian bottling companies— Portavin Holdings Pty. Ltd., Barossa Bottling Services Pty. Ltd. and Best Bottlers Pty. Ltd.— to support the expansion of its operations in the Western Pacific area.

In his statement to SMC’s stockholders, Mr. Ang said that through the diversification program of the last ten years – into infrastructure, power generation and oil refinery and marketing, among other business fields – SMC never lost sight of its core businesses as growth engines. “Over the years we’ve worked to continuously strengthen not only our leadership in the markets we’re in but also our capability to meet the changing needs of our growing consumer base,” said Mr. Ang. In undertaking its largest-ever expansion program—building poultry and meat processing plants, dairy plants, flour mills and feed mills to produce food products for the domestic

The company has been operating like a mini-Department of Agriculture and with regard to its exports a mini-Department of Trade and Industry.

operatmarket and for export—SMC has been operat ing like a mini-Department of Agriculture and with regard to its exports a mini-Department of Trade and Industry. I’m inclined to think that this country would be far better off if its agriculture and food sector—farm production, food prices and rural employment—were operated by entities like SMC and the Department of Agriculture and the National Food Authority were headed by men like Ramon S. Ang.

The promise of Mindanao is within grasp

ernhil@yahoo.com

The National Government will provide a special development fund to the Bangsamoro Government for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of its conflict-affected communities. The amount equivalent to fifty billion pesos (P50,000,000,000.00), at five billion pesos (P5,000,000,000.00) per year, for a period of ten (10) years from the ratification of the Organic Law, shall be allocated for this purpose.

Overall, especially with the block grant and the special development fund, the Bangsamoro should be able to stand up and lay down the foundations of good governance and economic development. I would have wanted more fiscal autonomy but the BOL provisions are still an improvement over the ARMM law.

Moving forward, it is important for the national government to implement its commitments faithfully, This incudes Congress when it exercises its power of the purse.

The leaders of the Bangsamoro must in turn hold themselves accountable to the highest standards of governance and accountability if this is to work. As a former government negotiator with the MILF and teaching now a generation of future lawyers of the Bangsamoro, I know many of them and I believe that this will be the case.

The transition period for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region shall commence upon ratification of this Organic Law. A Bangsamoro Transition

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PRIOR to this column’s publication, a good number of Mindanaoan in the predominantly Muslim regions would have voted to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law on Monday, the first day of the plebiscite in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Isabela City in Basilan and Cotabato City.

The same result is expected on the second day of the BOL plebiscite, set for February 6 in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and contiguous areas.

Finally, this historic event comes to pass under President Duterte—and not because he is from Mindanao. His leadership is simply determined to bring about genuine change to uplift the quality of life in this country.

It’s understandable that we supporters want to give due credit to Manong Digong for working the Legislature to push the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that eventually became the BOL. The President also went out of his way to campaign for its ratification.

But the enactment of the BOL and its overwhelming ratification is not about President Duterte.

Manong Duterte simply did his job, to

The story...

From A4

Now there are 79 SMs nationwide, with another six in China.

He went on to banking, property development, tourism, hotel, gaming and almost anything you can think of.

He was fortunate to have children who shared his vision. I know only three of his six children.

As shown by the accolades he has been getting from the business community, big business did not consider him a competition but as a friend and associate. His being chairman of both the Asia Pacific Colleges and National University attests to his commitment to education.

His biggest legacy, to my mind, is his hard work, patience and perseverance.

My wife and I will miss him. *** The first plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law creating the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was relatively peaceful except in Cotabato City and Isabela City where the atmosphere was tense. In Marawi City, voting was delayed because of bad weather.

To be sure, we can predict that the “yes” votes will be overwhelming be-

do what is right and what has been long overdue for Mindanao.

The BOL is the dream that generations in Muslim Mindanao have been struggling for over a bloody, decades-old strife.

Neither it is about the previous tenant of Malacañang, who bungled the effort and almost cost Mindanao the attainment of lasting peace. Good thing he is out of office now.

Another fellow in self-exile in the Netherlands is running his mouth to undermine the Mindanaoans’ exercise of their constitutional right to self-determination.

Jose Maria Sison, who runs the country’s communist fronts by remote control, belittles the BOL initiative as mere invitation to a “bigger armed conflict.” He claims there are Muslim groups opposed to it.

Of course, Sison is entitled to his own opinion as everyone is, whether pro or anti-BOL. It’s something to debate on the negotiating table.

But, just like the Islamic State terrorist movement, Sison would outright instigate armed conflict and confrontation between and among our brother Filipinos in Mindanao.

He is opposed to the attainment of enduring peace, the promise of Mindanao that is now within our reach.

He fails to recognize that what's good for Mindanao is also good for the whole Filipino nation.

cause no less than President Duterte went around the region to solicit “yes” votes.

With Monday’s plebiscite and another one on Feb.9, I wonder if the Supreme Court would still proceed with oral arguments in connection with the two petitions brought up before the High Court.

The petitions, one by the government of Sulu and the other by the Philippine Constitution Association, question the constitutionality of the BOL. Both assail the BOL saying the 1987 Constitution only mentions two autonomous regions—the ARMM and the Cordillera Autonomous Region.

This brings up the question: Can Congress amend the Constitution replacing the ARMM with the BARMM? Will the Supreme Court decide even after the plebiscite? It does seem that any ruling by the Supreme Court will be an exercise in futility. The result of the plebiscite will be the voice of the people.

Still, while there are those who say that the plebiscite could mean the end of conflicts between the government and rebel groups in the South, terrorist forces still want to establish a caliphate.

If that is so, what would be the use of BARMM? www.emiljurado.weebly.com

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF MIAA posts increase in collections 2018 THE Manila International Airport Authority posted a remarkable performance and positive growth rates, collecting more than P14 billion in revenue despite minor challenges it encountered in 2018.

Based on its 2018 accomplishment report released on Monday, the MIAA collected a total of P14.11-billion gross revenues, up by nine percent or P1.16 billion compared to its P12.94-billion revenue collected in 2017.

MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal said the agency's net income from airport operations went up by 14 percent or P759 million, for a total of P6.24 billion.

"The jump in revenues can be attributed to the overall increase in both flight and passenger movements brought about by the steady growth in international travel, as well as the swelling arrival of Chinese tourists ever since the government initiated the Visa Upon Arrival option at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport," said Monreal.

MIAA records showed that international flight operations in NAIA improved by 4.42 percent or 4,822 flights for a total of 113,817 flight movements. The number of passengers also went up by 9.62 percent or 2,015,939 for a total of 22,973,510 international travelers. per flight, said Monreal. Joel Zurbano

Gov’s plea to dismiss case thrown out AURORA Gov. Gerardo Novera’s plea to the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the graft case against him for his involvement in the rigged bidding process for the repair of the provincial highway in 2014 has been denied.

Thus, the antigraft court will proceed to the full hearing of the case.

In a resolution dated Jan. 14, the antigraft court's Sixth Division said Noveras's motion to dismiss lacks merit “because he has been correctly charged of acting with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or inexcusable negligence.

“Accused Noveras argues that the information is insufficient because it does not allege the element of causing undue injury to any party, including the government. The court disagrees,” the Sandiganbayan said.

The Ombudsman filed charges against Noveras and seven others for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly implementing the anomalous repair of the Dimalang Bridge Approach and the Road Section of the Casiguran-Dilasag Provincial Road.

Ombudsman prosecutors said “evidence showed the project's contractor, RMCR Construction, already bagged the road repair works even before the procurement process was finished.”

Maricel V. Cruz

BI hits record-high income in 2018 THE Bureau of Immigration posted a record high income of more than P7 billion in 2018, surpassing the 2017 collection by as much as P1.5 billion.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the figure is for the 11 months of last year as the bureau waits for the revenue collection for field and satellite offices for the month of December 2018.

At present, the total revenue collection from January to November 2018 stood at P7.03 billion, which is nearly P1.5 billion more than the P5.58 billion earned in 2017.

“We expect our total income in 2018 to surpass P7.5 billion in 2018 after all revenue from our main office and field and satellite offices for December are added to the 11-month collection figure,” Morente said.

The BI Chief said the BI’s annual revenue collections have steadily jumped to record levels since over the last six years.

He said that “from only P2.7 billion in 2012, our yearly income has increased four-fold, thanks to the aggressive efforts of the government in marketing the Philippines as a prime tourist and investment destination to the international community.”

Morente attributed last year’s phenomenal rise in immigration fee collections to the success of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration in initiating reforms and programs that attracted many foreigners to visit and do business in the country. Vito Barcelo

Publicist’s mom passes away MRS. Reynalda ‘Nanding’ de Guzman of San Roque, Marikina City recently passed away.

She left behind her son, publicist Joey de Guzman, and three other siblings.

Her remains lie in state at their residence at #82 A. Mabini St., near San Roque Chapel in Marikina City.

Readers are requested to pray for the repose of her soul.

44 FLAGS UP. Four

years after the botched police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao —Jan. 25, 2015—where 44 members of the Special Action Force, the Metro Manila Development Authority placed Monday 44 tricolors at the People Power Monument at Edsa in Quezon City as a memorial for the fallen heroes.

Manny Palmero

Duterte still behind push for federalism—Palace

By Nat Mariano

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is not abandoning his push to shift the country into a federal system of government, the Palace said on Monday three days after the President mulled to amend a few economic provisions of the Constitution.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte was just expressing ideas on how to approach the push for a federal Constitution.

“Well, you know the President is a very creative person. If he feels that one method is not practical or cannot be realized, he goes to another mode. What is important to him is certain provisions in the Constitution must be amended and that is a judgment call of the Congress,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.

“He was just expressing an idea. And it depends how members of Congress would take it,” he added.

Asked what made the President think that it is difficult for his administration to push for federalism, Panelo said Duterte thought of the slow-moving development of Charter change in Congress.

“Perhaps what he is saying is that it takes too long for Congress to act on it. You must remember that he has been advocating for a revision of the Consti-

tution at the inception of his presidency and Congress know that or knew that. But Congress hasn’t taken serious moves to make it a realization,” Panelo explained.

The Palace official also said the President's change of mind may have been caused by a realization that members of the Congress do not support the Dutertebacked federal constitution.

“As he tells us he is fond of shaking the trees. So, maybe he wants a reaction from those who would want to respond to his idea,” he said.

“He wants the Constitution to be amended the soonest... We have to ask Congress why it’s moving slow,” he added.

Sought for a comment on what economic provisions that the President would like to change, Panelo said Duterte wants to amend the entry of foreign investments in the country.

“He mentioned during the campaign about the entry of foreign investments; there is so much restriction. He wants to

liberalize that,” he said, without particularly identifying an industry.

According to Panelo, Duterte's wanting to revise some of the economic provisions in the Constitution will “not really” affect the administration's push for federalism.

“What he is just saying is, ‘Maybe you should do this first. If you don't want to do prioritize the federalism then to do this’,” he said.

Even with Duterte's recent remarks, Panelo said the federalism idea of the President remains, expressing optimism that Congress will pass federalism before the end of his term in 2022.

“It will always be there because he believes in it,” he said.

“The President is optimistic that it will [pass] because he knows that federalism will help the development of this country.

It’s a matter of time on the part of Congress who would do it,” Panelo added.

According to the Palace official, Duterte pursues federalism in order to improve governance in the local government units and accelerate economic growth and progress in the provinces.

The President has been promoting the shift to a federal form of government to address the country's economic issues, power unevenness, and armed conflicts in Mindanao, among others. With PNA

SEIZED FIREARMS.

The Philippine National Police chief Director Oscar Albayalde (middle) present to the media the seized firearms totaling 1,025 from 96 private security agencies whom they served a cease to operate order in 2018 during a press briefing held at Camp Rafael Crame in Quezon City on Monday. PNA

Customs agents seize 1,150 kilos of ‘hot’ meat

By Joel E. Zurbano CUSTOMS agents assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have intercepted a total of 1,151 kilos of meat this month following the Department of Agriculture’s order to ban meat and its processed products from countries affected by the African Swine Fever outbreak.

NAIA Customs collector Carmelita Talusan said her men seized the meat and products after their owners and carriers failed to show or present import sanitary and phytosanitary clearance from concerned agencies in the Philippines.

“The bureau is constantly monitoring the entry of unsafe goods to the country.

We are working closely with the DA, especially with the processing of regulated importations such as meat,” Talusan said.

Talusan ordered her men to continue inspecting and scanning using

the agency’s X-ray machines all meat and products coming from 13 identified countries affected by the virus.

The affected countries include China, Hungary, Belgium, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa, and Zambia.

“We are consistent in protecting our industry from any possible swine and agricultural epidemic,” she said.

Talusan added that from June until December last year, prior to the outbreak of the virus, a total of 5,302 kilos of meat products with no proper clearances from the Bureau of Animal Industry and Food and Drug Administration were also seized

by Customs NAIA personnel and turned it over to BAI Quarantine Division.

In September and October last year, cases of pork meat products contamination have been recorded in Korea and

Japan through dumplings and hotdogs products.

According to the BAI, outbreak of the virus can affect the 40 million plus live hogs/pigs in the Philippines and can destroy the P2 billion worth of swine industry in the country.

To safeguard against the epidemic, BAI personnel and Port of NAIA officials initiated measures at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to strengthen the vigilance against the virus.

“Safe meat products accompanied by import permit or the Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Import Clearance are the ones qualified for release in Ports,” Talusan said.

Talusan also said that Customs Guidelines flier for NAIA stakeholders which includes documentary requirements of all regulating agencies for import and export were also provided to BAI.

‘Kasambahays’ entitled to 3 leave benefits, DOLE says

By Vito Barcelo THE “kasambahay” or household service workers are now entitled to three more leave benefits under a new labor advisory, on top of the provisions in the Domestic Workers Act or Kasambahay Law, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. Secretary Bello issued and signed Labor Advisory No. 10, series of 2018 that entitles ‘kasambahays’ to Solo Parent Leave (RA 8972), Special Leave Benefit for Women under the Magna Carta for Women (RA 9710), and Violence against Women and their Children Leave (RA 9262), The additional leave entitlements are aside from the five days service incentive leave granted under the Labor Code.

The Labor chief also urged employers to strictly implement the Batas Kasambahay Law to protect household service workers, reminding employers that under RA 10361, the law provides minimum requirements and benefits for the household service workers, such as standard minimum wage for the workers who are employed in the National Capital Region (P2,500); in cities and 1st class municipalities (P2,000); and on other municipalities (P1,500).

‘Kasambahays’ are also entitled to social benefits, such as one full rest day, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG benefits, five days Service Incentive Leave, and other workers' rights.

The law is considered as a landmark labor and social legislation which entitles household service workers to have mandatory social benefits, including 13th-month pay, five days annual service incentive leave, and a one whole day uninterrupted weekly rest period.

MMDA to close portion of N. Ave THE Metro Manila Development Authority has announced that it will close to vehicular traffic a portion of North Avenue in Quezon City beginning 6 a.m. today (Jan. 22) in its effort to ease road congestion on Elliptical Road.

Motorists going to Quezon Memorial Circle from North Avenue are advised to turn right at Agham Road and take Quezon Avenue to Quezon Memorial Circle to destination.

MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the closure aimed to ease heavy traffic in the area when vehicles coming from North Avenue and those using the Elliptical Road merge.

“We want to address the chokepoint area on the Elliptical Road with this road closure,” said Garcia, in a press briefing on Monday afternoon.

MMDA Traffic Engineering Center records showed that 8,728 vehicles traverse the Elliptical Road-Quezon Memorial Circle while 1,419 vehicles traverse from North Avenue to Quezon Memorial Circle during morning rush hour.

Meanwhile, Garcia also announced that the dry run activity for the Yellow Lane policy along Elliptical Road continues this week.

“We will start apprehending violators through the no contact apprehension policy,” said Garcia.

Joel E. Zurbano

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Zverev implodes; Osaka advances Cocolife Tigers M

Rose, Towns carry Wolves past Suns, 116 to 114

ELBOURNE—Alexander Zverev self-destructed Monday to slump out of the Australian Open at the hands of Milos Raonic, as Japanese US Open champion Naomi Osaka ground her way into an quarterfinal with Elina Svitolina.

LOS ANGELES—Derrick Rose nailed a three pointer from 18 feet with just 0.6 seconds left to lift the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 116-114 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

“It was about damn time I hit a shot like that,” said Rose.

Rose and Karl-Anthony Towns took turns carrying the ‘Wolves on their backs as they combined for 61 points.

Towns scored 28 of his 30 points in the first half and Rose scored 29 of his 31 points in the second half for the Timberwolves, who had to overcome an 11-point deficit.

The Suns decided to double team Towns in the second half which opened the door for Rose to then take charge.

“I got to get back into the rhythm of things. I believe in myself and I work on this all the time,” Rose said, who shot 11-of-18 in the second half.

T.J. Warren scored 21 points and Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre each added 18 for Phoenix, who lost all four games on their road trip to drop to 4-20 overall on the road this season.

Elsewhere, Tobias Harris scored 27 points and flirted with a triple double as the Los Angeles Clippers snapped a five-game losing skid with a 10395 win over the red-hot San Antonio Spurs.

Harris also had nine assists and nine rebounds and Patrick Beverly finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers in front of a crowd of 18,300 at the AT&T Center arena.

The Clippers led the contest for all but 14 seconds as Beverley helped seal the victory with two late free throws.

San Antonio, who suffered their second consecutive loss at home, took the lead, 101-95, with 31 seconds to go on Aldridge’s final basket of the game but the Clippers were able to execute down the stretch.

“It was a great win,” said Harris.

“Every single guy that got out here and played was effective.

“We knew tonight we were going to need everybody’s effort.” AFP

As the second week of the opening Grand Slam of the year got underway, the highly-rated German fourth seed lost the plot against the former world number three Canadian, crashing 6-1, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5).

Zverev has routinely been anointed as the flag-bearer for the next generation, but again failed to live up to his reputation and has now missed out on making the last eight of a major for the 14th time in 15 attempts.

So furious was he with his form, the 21-year-old had a major temper tantrum in the second set, whacking his racquet into the ground eight times to leave it a crumpled mess.

“I just tried to stay composed and it worked out well for me today,” said cool

16th seed Raonic, who made the semifinals in Melbourne in 2016.

He will face Croat Borna Coric or Frenchman Lucas Pouille next.

‘I was, like whoa’ Fourth seed Osaka emerged from an error-strewn first set against crafty Latvian Anastasija Sevastova to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The victory left the bubbly 21-year-old with a last-eight clash against ambitious Ukrainian Svitolina, who battled past American Madison Keys 6-2, 1-6, 6-1.

It will be a new experience for whoever wins that showdown, with neither of them going beyond the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park before.

This contrasts with the massively experienced Serena Williams who has made the

last eight or better 11 times on her way to seven Australian Open crowns.

The 37-year-old 23-time Grand Slam winner has a blockbuster last-16 evening clash against world number one Simona Halep on Rod Laver Arena, while Novak Djokovic meets fastrising Daniil Medvedev.

Osaka beat Williams to clinch the title at Flushing Meadows last year. It propelled her to stardom, but she has been far from convincing at her first major since.

“I was watching all these kids winning. Last night (Stefanos) Tsitsipas beat (Roger) Federer and I was like whoa, and I decided I wanted to do well too,” she said of rallying back.

Pressure handled Svitolina needed to dig deep to overcome 17th seeded Keys, a US Open finalist in 2017.

The turning point was a marathon 16-minute game early in the deciding set that went to deuce 11 times as Keys chased a decisive break. AFP

NCAA’s top 4 teams shoot for spots in finals

Necelle Gual (9) of the Perpetual Lady Altas shows her blocking prowess in their game against JRU Lady Bombers recently. Dennis Abrina

Republic of the Philippines Department of Science and Technology Technology Application and Promotion Institute

Republic of the Philippines Department of Science and Technology Technology Application and Promotion Institute TAPI Administrative Order No. 2019- 005 Series of 2019 Guidelines on the Technology Innovation for Commercialization (TECHNICOM) Program Awards

EXPECT drama and suspense when the top four teams in NCAA Season 94 Women’s Volleyball fight for a spot in the Finals on Tuesday, live from the FilOil Flying V Centre, San Juan City on ABS-CBN S+A, S+A HD, LIGA, and LIGA HD. The Final Four kicks-off with defending champion Arellano University Lady Chiefs and San Beda University Lady Red Spikers at 2 p.m., followed by number one team College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers against fourth-seeded University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Lady Altas at 4 p.m.

CSB, AU, and SBU are all entering the Final Four with an 8-1 record but are ranked 1-2-3 based on points earned, set quotient, and point quotient, with the Lady Altas completing the semifinals cast with 6 wins and 3 losses in the eliminations.

The CSB Lady Blazers and AU Lady Chiefs, who have twice-to-beat advantage, hope to finish their respective matchups behind top players Rachel Austero and Necole Ebuen, respectively. The two squads have won the championships in the past three years, with CSB clinching the title in Season 91 before Arellano went back-to-back in Seasons 92 and 93.

Standing in their way, however, are two teams that are still high from big wins. Veteran spiker Cesca Racraquin and San Beda broke Arellano’s eight-game winning streak and prevented a stepladder semis via a gutsy five-set win 16-25, 25-17, 25-19, 18-25, 16-14 last Tuesday (January 15). Meanwhile, UPSHD claimed the fourth spot at the expense of the Jose Rizal University Lady Bombers, 25-13, 19-25, 25-21, 25-14, in a match that saw Lady Altas spiker Cindy Imbo doing it all on offense and defense with 18 points, 22 digs, and nine receptions.

TAPI Administrative Order No. 2019- 0 0 4 Series of 2019 Guidelines on the Grant of the ‘Gawad MASALIGAN”

Section 2. Rationale Since 2013, TAPI continuously implements new measures and innovations in the delivery of the TECHNICOM Program’s services to achieve the Program’s goal of bringing research outputs from laboratory to market.

Section 1. Title - This guidelines shall be known as the ‘Guidelines on the Grant of the Gawad MASALIGAN Award”.

These kinds of endeavors must be recognized to encourage and inspire more researchers and harness better and relevant innovations.

Through recognition, their stories along with the technologies, could be better promoted and possibly linked to relevant stakeholders.

The following awards are given to TECHNICOM project leaders who have successfully contributed to the agriculture, industry and health sector. Each awardee is selected based on the commercialization and market potential, socio-economic impact, and novelty of the technology. Only one individual project leader will be given for each category.

Section 3. Objective- To recognize the achievements of the TECHNICOM-funded technologies and the efforts of their respective inventors/researchers in developing and bringing highly relevant innovations to society for the benefit of economy, environment, and nation.

Section 4. Awards Category A. Gawad DAGTA The Gawad DAGTA or Dakilang Ambag sa Teknolohiya at Agham ng Agrikultura is given to outstanding and promising TECHNICOMfunded technology in recognition of its significant contribution to the field of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Natural Resource (AANR).

B. Gawad DAGITAB The Gawad DAGITAB or “Dakilang Ambag at Gabay sa Industriya sa Tulong ng Teknolohiya at Agham para sa Bayan” is given to the most promising and outstanding TECHNICOM-funded technology in recognition of its significant contribution in the industry sector.

C. Gawad DAGISIK The Gawad DAGISIK or “Dakilang Ambag sa Imbensyon at Siyensiyang pang-Kalusugan” is given to the most promising and outstanding TECHNICOM-funded technology in recognition of its significant contribution in the Health sector.

Section 5. Awards Included Awardee of each category shall receive a plaque, certificate and cash incentive amounting to Twenty Thousand Pesos (Php 20,000.00) to be awarded to the project leader of the winning technology.

Section 6. Eligibility This award is open to all technologies and project leaders of TECHNICOM-completed projects (2013-2017) under the AANR, Industry and Health sector.

Section 7. Criteria for Evaluation 1.

Awardee for each category will be chosen based on the following criteria: Commercialization and Market Potential Socio-environmental Impacts Novelty (IP Protection)

- 50 pts - 30 pts - 20 pts 100 pts

Please refer to the attached “Annex A” for detailed criteria for evaluation.

2.

The TECHNICOM Program Unit will shortlist all qualified projects (technologies) to determine the top three nominees for each category.

3.

Among the top three nominees, one awardee will be selected for each category.

4.

The TECHNICOM Program Unit will recommend nominees and awardees to the TAPI Director and TECHNICOM Program Director for final approval.

5.

6.

Decisions of the TAPI Director and TECHNICOM Program Director shall be final and unappealable.

In case of a tie, full liquidation of the project will be taken into consideration.

Section 8. Confidentiality- The name of the awardee shall be taken with utmost confidentiality until the day of awarding.

Section 9. Coverage of the Award- The initial awards to be given in the year 2019 shall cover the TECHNICOM Program’s proponents/ beneficiaries who have successfully completed implementing TECHNICOM-funded projects from 2013-2017. Thereafter, TECHNICOM awards shall cover TECHNICOM-funded technologies completed within the last five years excluding the year prior the awards. All technologies awarded during the previous TECHNICOM awards are ineligible to participate in the succeeding TECHNICOM awards.

Section 10. Effectivity This Order shall take effect upon publication in the Official Gazette or newspaper of General Circulation and upon filing at the UP Law Center in accordance with law.

Section 2. Description - The award is an acronym for the Phrase “Maasahan sa Lipunan, Galing sa Negosyo”, which represents an attribute of good beneficiary of the Venture Financing Program, a successful business with a notable impact to its society. This is an award given to the best beneficiary of the Venture Financing Program (VFP) in terms of its success in refund of the assistance provided. The beneficiary shall also realize significant impacts on its operation in terms of sales generation, increase in income which also promoted social and economic advantages through employment generation and market expansion.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Science and Technology Technology Application and Promotion Institute

GUIDELINES ON THE GRANT OF ‘GAWAD KATHA-LIKHA’ FOR THE DOST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (RDI) Section 1. Title - This guidelines shall be known as the “Gawad Katha-Likha Guidelines” for the DOST Research and Development Institute (RDI) Section 2. Description - This is an award that is being given to the DOST RDI which disclosed their valuable knowledge on their filed intellectual properties through the assistance of TAPI. The grant of Gawad Katha-Likha shall be facilitated by the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI).

Section 3. Objectives - To recognize the efforts of the beneficiary (MSMEs) of the VFP to diligently adhere to the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement signed for the implementation of the project under the Program and at the same time promoting an improved production condition and environment both for its employees and customers.

Section 3. Objective - To recognize the efforts of the DOST RDI which has contributed to the country’s innovation.

Section 4. Awards included

Section 4. Awards included -

The award shall include a plaque of appreciation and a cash incentive amounting to fifty thousand pesos (P50,000). The cash incentive shall be subject to applicable taxes.

Section 5. Selection of Nominees The possible nominees are the beneficiaries which are Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of the completed projects of the Venture Financing Program from 2010 - 2018. The list of completed projects will be trimmed down to three nominees for the final selection of winners/awardees.

Section 6. Criteria of Selection The following criteria are to be met in order to be considered as nominee for the Best VFP Beneficiary.

The awards shall be named as ‘Gawad Katha-Likha’,

The award shall include a trophy/plaque of recognition.

Section 5. Who may be given an award - The nominee shall be a DOST RDI which filed the most number of IP application through the Intellectual Property Assistance Program of TAPI. The initial awards that will be given in the year 2019 shall cover the IPs filed for year 2010 up to 2018. Thereafter, there shall be an annual giving of the awards to be determined based on the IPs to be filed per year. The nominee who garnered the highest points shall receive the plaque of recognition.

Section 6. Criteria for the Giving of Award - The following criteria must be met in order to be considered a nominee for the Gawad Katha-Likha:

1.

The nominee shall be a beneficiary (MSME) of a completed VFP project from 2010 to 2018.

1.

The top 3 DOST RDls garnering the highest points based on the point system shall be considered as nominees.

2.

The following point system will be followed in determining the the Best VFP Beneficiary:

2.

The nominees are scored/rated based on the following point system: PCT - 20 points Patent - 10 points Utility Model - 2 points Industrial Design - 2 points Trademark - 2 points Copyright - .25 points

Criteria Maximum Points Implementation of the project a) No. of Request for Deferment of deposit of check 15pts b) No. of Request for Restructuring of refund schedule 15pts Timeliness on the Submission of Reports a) Submission of AFR 15pts b) Submission of ARE/PAR 10pts c) Submission of Progress/Completion Report 10pts %Increase in Number of Employees Hired under the Project 15pts Social Responsibility/Community Impact 10pts Increase in Market Outlet (Local) 5pts Increase in Market Outlet (International) 5pts TOTAL 100 PTS * Attached matrix for each criteria

3.

Provided, that where the DOST RDI has filed for PCT Application for its Philippine patent, only the PCT shall be counted.

4.

The DOST RDI which shall garner the top three highest points using the point system in the immediately preceding items shall automatically be considered a nominee. While the nominee with the highest points will be given the award.

3.

5.

In case of a tie, the DOST RDI with the most number of IPs filed according to the following order shall be considered the winner.

Taguig City, Philippines, JAN 21 2019, 2019.

(SGD) EDGAR I. GARCIA Director

4.

The beneficiary that will gamer the top three highest points using the above point system will be recommended/considered as top nominees for the award. While the nominee with the highest point will automatically be recognized for the award.

In case of a tie (nominees with equal points garnered), the nominee with the most number of DOST assistance availed will be recognized for the award.

DOST assistance may be but not limited to technical assistance, trainings, technology assessment, consultancy, etc.

Section 7. Confidentiality - The name of the winner shall be taken with utmost confidentiality until the day of awarding.

Section 8. Coverage of the Award - The initial awards will be given in the year 2019 and shall cover the beneficiaries with completed VFP from 2010 - 2018. Thereafter, there shall be an annual giving of the awards.

Section 9. Effectivity This Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or newspaper of General Circulation and upon filing at the UP Law Center in accordance with law.

Taguig City, Philippines, JAN 21,2019 ,2019.

a. b. c. d. e.

(MS-JAN. 22, 2019)

Most number of Patents Most number of Utility Models if no Patent was filed; Most number of Trademarks if no Patent or Utility Model was filed; Most number of Industrial Designs if no Patent, Utility Model or Trademark was filed; Most number of Copyrights if no Patent, Utility Model, Trademark or Industrial design was filed

Section 7. Confidentiality - The name of the winner shall be taken with utmost confidentiality until the day of awarding.

Section 8. Effectivity - This Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or newspaper of general circulation and upon filing at the UP Law Center in accordance with law.

Taguig City, January 15, 2019 (SGD) EDGAR I. GARCIA Director

(SGD) EDGAR I. GARCIA Director (MS-JAN. 22, 2019)

DAVAO Occidental Cocolife Tigers quickly bounced back to life after a sorry loss by throwing its might against host team Marikina Shoe Masters, 80-68, in the second phase of the elimination of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Datu Cup recently at Marist School Gym in Marikina City.

The Mindanao team of owner Claudine Bautista backed by Cocolife president Elmo Nobleza, FVP Joseph Ronquillo and AVP Rowena Asnan, tightened its grip on top of team standings in the south division with a 16-4 record, while the Shoe Masters skidded further to 7-10, needing to win their remaining matches to stay in contention for the next stage..

The Tigers’ offensive thrusts, led by the game’s Best Player in former pro, veteran Leo Najorda, Mark Yee, Billy Robles and Bonbon Custodio, took control of the game in the early goings, building a double-digit advantage in third quarter.

The Marikeños staged an uprising, led by ex- pro Jondan Salvador, but were easily foiled by the defense of big man Bogs Raymundo inside the paint and homegrown Emman Calo and Joseph Terso at the backcourt as the Cocolife Tigers notched its 16th victory in 20 outings.

“Our one-point setback against GenSan motivated us to go all out in this game and my teammates responded very well,” Tigers’ leading scorer Najorda said.

The victory, according to team manager Ray Alao, set their focus in making it to the finals and their mission of winning the championship.

TAPI ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2019 -0 0 2 Series of 2019

Section 1. Title- This guidelines shall be known as the “Guidelines on the Technology Innovation for Commercialization (TECHNICOM) Program Awards”

Market-ready innovations from various sectors are developed and eventually commercialized through the intervention/support provided by the TECHNICOM Program, Commencing from the innovative ideas, these technologies are transformed into their market-ready versions and validated thru applicable business models and innovation strategies in order to provide for better industry adoption and commercialization. Business opportunities from these innovations translate to economic and socio-environmental impacts, Success stories highlighting experiences geared towards technology transfer and commercialization are living testaments to TECHNICOM Program’s goal of increased economic activity and technology-based ecosystem that pushes for inclusive sustainable development.

bounce back by downing Marikina five

(MS-JAN. 22, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

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TUESDAY, JANUARY22, 2019

Thais want to extend PH Golf Tour reign at Beverly THE country’s perennial regional rivals won five of the 12 LPGT tournaments in 2018 and ruled the first of two legs of the new season, making them the players to watch in the P750,000 event which features the country’s top guns and a couple of South Korean aces.

Sirisampant won at Southwoods in her first LPGT stint in 2015 while Ngam-usawan scored a breakthrough at Royal Northwoods in 2016 with the likes of Tiranan Yoopan, Alisara Wedchakama, Aunchisa Utama, Mookharin Ladgratok, Saraporn Chamchoi and Chonlada Chayanun firming up the Thais’ title drive in the 54-hole championship put up

by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. But they will be in for a tough outing with two-time LPGT Champion Tour titlist Lee Jeong Hwa out to restamp her class, together with compatriot Lee Ji Hyeon, who topped the kickoff leg of the new LPGT season in the ICTSI Camp John Hay Ladies Championship last October.

The locals, however, will also be coming in full force, guaranteeing a fiery chase for top honors at the short, flat but tricky Beverly Place Golf Club layout with LPGA Tourbound Dottie Ardina leading the hosts’ bid.

Pauline del Rosario, Princess Superal, Cyna Rodriguez and Chihiro Ikeda are likewise raring to join the title hunt with Daniella Uy, Marvi Monsalve, Alex Etter and Gretchen Villacencio also hoping to sneak into contention along with Lisa Kang of the US, Valerie Tan of Brunei and Baek Soo Kyung and Bang Choeun of Korea.

With only the top 15 after 36 holes advancing to the final round, expect a spirited battle right from the start with amateurs Mafy Singson, Samantha Dizon, Eagle Ace Superal and Arnie Taguines of The Country Club along with Laurea Duque and Marianne Bustos spicing up the event backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology Inc.

NorthPort’s Anthony named Player of Week FIL-CANADIAN forward Sean Anthony emerged as the first Cignal-Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps Player of the Week for the 2019 season after contributing huge numbers in NorthPort’s strong start in the Philippine Cup. A known hardworker on both ends of the floor, the 6’4” Anthony registered averages of 20.5 points 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals as NorthPort beat Blackwater followed

by NLEX in its first two assignments in the All-Filipino conference.

In the Batang Pier’s opening game, Anthony came off the bench and scored 19 points, hauled down five rebounds, issued the same number of assists and one steal as they ripped the Elite, 117-91 last January 16.

Four days later, the PBA’s sixth overall pick in the 2010 rookie draft sizzled with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven steals and five assists to power NorthPort to a 95-90 win over NLEX. NorthPort’s back-to-back wins marked the franchise’s best season start in two years.

“We know Sean, laban lang ng laban,” NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio said after his team’s five-point win over NLEX on Sunday. “Sixth man nga namin, pero nag-deliver, nag-double double, tapos ‘yung hustle di tumitigil.”

Anthony bested teammates Mo Tautuaa and Robert Bolick, along with Phoenix’s Jason Perkins, Alex Mallari and Justin Chua for the weekly citation.

NorthPort will be gunning for a third straight win this Friday when it collides with Columbian Dyip at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Saruttaya Ngam-usawan spearheads the Thais’ drive for another LPGT diadem

NCR gets piece of SEAG action

By Peter Atencio

M

OST of the events of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will no longer be concentrated in New Clark City.

Since many of the venues for the games are still under construction, there will be some events that will be moved to the Metro Manila area.

Tom Carrasco, senior deputy director general of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, said this following a series of meetings last week at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

“We are 90% done on the venues.

Inaayos at tinitimpla pa namin ang pro-

gramming of events,” said Carrasco.

The PHISGOC, according to Carrasco, has decided to hold 40 percent of events in New Clark City, while venues in Metro Manila are being eyed to handle 30 percent.

There will be a number of events in Subic which is 20 percent, while polo will be Batangas, surfing is set to be in La Union.

On the other hand, Tagaytay will play host to cycling and skateboarding.

The PHISGOC has tasked judo chief Dave Carter to look into the readiness of the venues for the Games.

In their ongoing meetings, the PHISGOC has finalized the number of sports disciplines still at 56 and the number of events at 523, an increase of two.

So far, the Philippine Sports Commission is taking care of the requests for equipment of many national sports associations preparing for the biennial meet.

The PSC has submitted the documents which details all the expenses of the Games to the Senate.

They are now waiting for the approval of the P7.5 billion budget for the hosting of the SEA Games.

Polo body all out for SEA Games competition UNITED Polo Players Association has finally heaved a sigh of relief after the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee, led by its chairman Peter Cayatano, approved the inclusion of its sport in the biennial meet which the country will be hosting late this year.

Through the backing of Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas and Chairman Rep. Bambol To-

lentino, polo, which offers three golds, became the 56th sport in the list of events that will be contested with lots of passion and energy from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

“It was a huge relief for all of us after PHISGOC gave us the green light to stage our sport,” said UPPA Chairman Emeritus Rep. Mikee Romero (1Pacman Partylist). “All our efforts did not go down the drain and we thank Mr.Vargas and Rep. Tolentino for their

Federation International Polo Zone D President Peter Predevilla (6th from right) is flanked

by UPPA Chairman Emeritus Rep. Mikee Romero (left) and POC President Ricky Vargas during a recent gathering of sports officials, where polo was officially named as the 56th event in the 30th SEA Games. Also shown are (from right) POC Secretary-General Pato Gregorio, AirAsia executive Erick Arejola, Robert Bachmann and other FIP officials.

all-out support.”

Federation International Polo Zone D President Peter Predevilla was also delighted with the inclusion of the sport in the 30th edition of the biennial sports extravaganza, even as he hailed Romero for being passionate in his effort to make polo tournament very successful.

“I look forward to working with you and make this the outcome a success.

FIP places a high priority on the SEA Games outcomes and for all the countries that participate and especially in ensuring the reputation of the host country,” said Predevilla of Romero.

Predevilla was also impressed with the preparation being undertaken in the Miguel Romero Field in Calatagan, Batangas that he immediately approved the main venue. The field is named after Romero’s late son.

With the formal inclusion of their sport, Romero, UPPA president Coco Garcia and Secretary-General Jun Juban have vowed to fast-track the upgrading of the existing facilities and construction of the other playing grounds of the rich and powerful in the region.

“With the support of PHISGOC and POC we’ll do everything to make our event a big success,” said Garcia.

Other officials of the association are Tonio Veloso as executive general and Jun Eusebio as vice chairman.

Eagles demolish Baby Tams FORTHSKY Padrigao, playing his second game after missing most of the first round, took charge in the second period for the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eaglets, as they demolished the Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws, 77-61, last Sunday at the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan.

Padrigao, who missed most of the first round after he underwent surgery for appendicitis, hit 13 of 19 points in the second canto.

His efforts helped the Blue Eaglets post their seventh win in 10 outings in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament and move to a share of second spot with the Baby Tamaraws.

Seven-foot-one slotman Kai Sotto showed the way with 27 points and 22 rebounds for the Blue Eaglets.

After missing six games, Padrigao played one of his best games this season, making 11 points in the last 5:50.

This enabled the Blue Eaglets to engage FEU-Diliman into a few deadlocks before moving away on a 30-21 edge in the remaining 5:02.

Successive baskets from Padrigao and Geoff Chiu in the final 6:42 of the fourth handed Ateneo its biggest edge, 47-29.

RJ Abarrientos made 16 points for the Baby Tamaraws.

Earlier, Gerry Abadiano eked out a a career-high performance of 29 points, five rebounds and two assists as the Nazareth School-National University Bullpups swamped the Adamson Baby Falcons, 112-71.

This kept the Baby Falcons in the solo lead with their 9-1 winloss card. Peter Atencio

PH Go For Gold skateboarders show promise SKATEBOARDERS Margielyn Didal and Christiana Means of Team Go For Gold Philippines have shown the resolve needed in their challenging journey to qualify to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Both reached the semifinal round of the Street League Skateboarding World Championship held recently in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, kicking off their Olympic quest with a lot of promise.

“Congratulations to both Christiana and Margie for making the semifinals in this prestigious tournament. Although we were not able to advance further, this is an important step in Olympic qualifying,’’ said Go For Gold godfather Jeremy Go. They also emerged as the first Filipinos to go that far in the SLS where the top 54 skateboarders in the world saw action.

Didal, who catapulted to instant fame when the Cebuana captured the gold medal in the Asian Games, landed 14th overall in the semis with 20 points while the Oregon-based Means placed 22nd with 11.8 points.

“We know that with the right exposure and support, our athletes can improve further and we are happy to journey with them in their quest for gold,’’ said Go, vice president of Powerball Marketing and Logistics Corp., the company behind the Go For Gold Program.

Only eight skateboarders led by Leticia Bufoni of Brazil and Americans Mariah Duran and Lacey Baker advanced to the Super Crown Final of the first world qualifying meet for next year’s Olympics.

“Margie and Tiana may have missed the finals, but they managed

to place good in the rankings,’’ said Monty Mendigoria, president of the Skateboarding and Roller Sports Association of the Philippines.

Aside from the PH skateboarding team, national athletes from triathlon, cycling, sepak takraw, dragonboat and wrestling are also being supported by the Go For Gold program.

“This is just the first ranking competition of world skateboarding and the reason why our athletes competed was to gain points and establish their world ranking in order to earn a slot in the Olympics,’’ added Mendigoria.

Buoyed by her golden feat in the Asian Games last year in Palembang, Indonesia, Didal has trained her sights on bringing home the country’s first gold medal from the Olympics.

Margielyn Didal

IN BRIEF Tanduay expanding in the global market TANDUAY Distillers Inc., the liquor unit of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, plans to further expand its presence in the global market after successfully penetrating the US. Tanduay chief finance officer Nestor Mendones said in a recent interview the company was set to establish its presence in three US states and three more countries within the year.

The liquor firm has already established its presence in Australia, Guam, Germany, China and the United Arab Emirates. It is also actively distributing in New York, Florida, California and Chicago.

“For this year we are focused on adding more states in US,” Mendones said. Tanduay in 2018 sold 5,000 cases overseas.

Mendones said company was in search of partners to help it aggressively expand overseas.

Mendones said Tanduay must tap local distributors in the US that will then sell the products to retailers.

Tanduay last year was ranked the topselling rum by global spirits think tank Drinks International.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

Hyundai’s auto sales declined 6% in 2018 HYUNDAI Asia Resources Inc., the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, registered sales of 35,401 units in 2018, down 6 percent from 37,678 units in 2017.

“Amidst the uncertainty faced in the automotive industry for the year, Hyundai has proven itself to weather the odds and exceed expectations. The economic landscape shows to be more optimistic, you can expect more from us in 2019,” said Hari president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

She noted that the company was still in a better position with only 6 percent decline in sales compared to the double-digit drop of the total Philippine automotive industry.

Hyundai’s December sales reached 2,957 units to boost fourth-quarter sales to 9,961.

Fourth-quarter sales dipped 2.5 percent from 10,227 units sold year-on-year.

Passenger cars retained their position as the brand’s volume driver by accounting for 56.2 percent of the total sales.

Othel V. Campos

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

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By Alena Mae S. Flores

ICTSI SUBIC’S MILESTONE. Subic Bay International Terminal Corp., a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc. operating the New Container Terminals 1 and 2 at the Subic Bay Freeport, caps 2018 with a milestone after reaching its 200,000th twenty-foot equivalent unit move on Dec. 23. Shown are the officials and employees of SBITC, who celebrate the event by the offloading of a milestone CMA CGM steel box from MV Sinar Sangir. One of the country’s most technologically-advanced box terminals, Subic Bay International Terminal has an annual capacity of 600,000 TEUs.

Moody’s says economy likely grew by 6.8% in Q4 T

By Julito G. Rada

HE Philippine economy likely rebounded with a growth of 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter from a sluggish 6.1-percent expansion in the third quarter, on the back of strong private consumption, Moody’s Analytics, a division of Moody’s Corp., said Monday.

Moody’s said in a report this could bring the 2018 GDP growth to 6.5 percent, representing the lower end of the government’s target range of 6.5 percent to 6.9 percent for the year. The Philippine Statistics Authority will announce the official growth figures on Jan. 24.

“GDP growth in the Philippines likely hit 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter, after slowing to 6.1 percent in the third.

Improvement is expected in private consumption after a slump in the third quarter on higher food prices squashing discretionary spending,” Moody’s said.

“Imports of goods also accelerated to double digits, a consequence of the government’s large infrastructure spending program. Full-year GDP growth remains on track to expand 6.5 percent in 2018,” Moody’s said.

The gross domestic product grew 6.1 percent in the third quarter, slower than 6.2 percent in the second quarter and 7.2 percent a year ago as high inflation tempered household spending during the period.

The slower growth in the July-to-September period was linked to the decline in agricultural output that was affected by a series of typhoons.

The interagency Development Budget Coordinating Committee revised downward the 2018 growth projection to a range of 6.5 percent to 6.9 percent from the previous estimate of 7 percent to 8 percent. The DBCC, however, retained the 7 percent to 8 percent projection from 2019 to 2022.

First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metro-

bank Group, said last week the economy might grow faster in 2019 by 6.8 percent to 7.2 percent, on the back of consumption spending amid the decelerating inflation rate and strong macroeconomic fundamentals.

First Metro president Rabboni Francis Arjonillo said in an annual economic briefing in Taguig City that the 2019 growth projection was faster compared to 2018 as the economy was expected to regain strength.

“The Philippine economy is again in a growth trajectory. Apart from the country’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals and expected inflation easing this year, another important factor in pushing economic growth is the continued policy reform drive of the Duterte administration,” Arjonillo said.

He said inflation was on a clear downward trend and expected to taper off to 3 percent to 5 percent given the normalization of food supply and lower global oil prices.

Other factors that could contribute to sustained economic expansion are the recovery in manufacturing and increase in tourist arrivals.

THE net profit of power retailer Manila Electric Co. in 2018 was likely higher than P20.3 billion in 2017, the company’s top executive said Monday.

“Quite well, the profits would be ahead of 2017,” Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan told reporters when asked about the company’s financial prospects.

Meralco posted a consolidated core income of P20.2 billion in 2017, up 3 percent from P19.583 billion in 2016. Consolidated reported net income reached P20.384 billion in 2017, also up 6 percent from P19.176 billion in 2016.

Pangilinan said prospects for 2019 would be even better. “We’re optimistic for this year. Generally speaking, prospects for the economy has improved with inflation down, higher income, the interest rates, increases in tenor, so we are optimistic about it. It has its effects in the stock market as well,” Pangilinan said, adding electricity demand was quite strong in January.

Meralco officials earlier predicted that full-year sales would grow 4.5 percent to 5 percent in 2018.

“We’ll probably end this year at about 4.5 to 5 percent. I think we have to see what the final November and December figures, are but call it 4.5 to 5 percent growth from last year,” Meralco president Oscar Reyes said.

Meralco’s sales volume reached 42,102 gigawatt-hours in 2018, up five percent from 2016. Meralco currently has over six million customers in its franchise.

“Compared to 2017, I think because of this volume growth, we expect slightly better bottomline. I think we have to recognize that there are a number of developments that are happening,” Reyes said.

He said among the factors that affected demand were increased energy efficiency promotion and solar rooftop installation.

PLDT allots over P58b for capital spending in 2019

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Govt, Japan sign P99-b loan for rail, flood control deals THE Philippine and Japanese governments on Monday signed two loan agreements amounting to P98.69 billion to finance rail and flood control projects in Luzon.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Shigenori Ogawa, the directorgeneral of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, signed the agreement providing the Philippines with a P80.47billion loan, which represents the first tranche of Japan’s total commitment in providing funding support for the NorthSouth Commuter Railway Extension Project.

Dominguez and Ogawa also signed the P18.22-billion loan accord (about $351.8 million) for the fourth phase of the Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project.

Dominguez said the signing was a positive results of the “fast and sure” approach adopted by the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte and Japan under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The two projects were processed in a record time of two months, after the board of the National Economic and Development Authority approved them in November.

“This is, by far, the fastest loan processing time in the history of Philippines-Japan bilateral cooperation. We would like to share the credit here with our counterparties, who espoused the same sense of urgency and trusted our commitment to get these projects done,” Dominguez said. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Meralco’s profit in 2018 topped ‘17 performance, says Pangilinan

AirAsia begins flights from Clark to Incheon AIRASIA Philippines on Monday mounted direct flights from Clark International Airport to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea.

“We are staying true to our commitment to provide the much needed international connectivity and convenience for travelers in Metro Manila, Central, and Northern Luzon,” said AirAsia Philippines director for flight operations Gomer Monreal.

Aside from Clark, AirAsia offers several flights daily to Korea from Manila, Cebu, and Kalibo, while domestic flights from Clark include Cebu, Davao, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro. “The future of aviation, travel and tourism is taking shape in Clark. Now more than ever, Clark is truly saving us from air traffic congestion, and enabling airlines and travelers to enjoy the convenience of traveling. Today’s inaugural flight is a fantastic opportunity for Filipino travelers to explore and experience winter in Korea,” Monreal said.

AirAsia currently operates a fleet of 21 Airbus A320s from hubs in Manila, Cebu, Kalibo, and Clark. Darwin G. Amojelar

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

CEBU PACIFIC GETS A321NEO. Cebu Pacific Inc. receives the first of 32 A321neo (new engine option) aircraft ordered directly from Airbus. The new aircraft will support the carrier’s fleet renewal and expansion plans over the next five years. Cebu Pacific expects delivery of at least five more A321neo aircraft this year to support its expansion. The latest delivery brings the total number of aircraft in the Cebu Pacific fleet to 72.

PCC approves Fernwood’s acquisition of Liquigaz from Lucio Co

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Competition Commission approved Fernwood Holdings Inc.’s acquisition of Liquigaz Philippines Corp., the liquified petroleum gas business of billionaire Lucio Co. PCC said in a decision dated Jan. 17 the deal would not likely result in the substantial lessening of competition for the bulk and cylinder supply of LPG in Luzon.

PCC said after the acquisition, there would still be further competition constraints on the parties from other market participants in the LPG industry.

“The commission thereby resolves that it will take no further action with respect to the proposed transaction,” PCC said.

Cosco Capital Inc., the listed retail

holding company Lucio Co., announced in October 2018 that it was exiting the LPG business with the sale of its entire stake in Liquigaz Philippines to Fernwood Holdings.

Cosco Capital said the transaction “is expected to maximize shareholders’ value and for the company to achieve financial flexibility moving forward.”

Cosco Capital acquired 90 percent of the capital stock of Liquigaz Philippines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SHV Energy of the Netherlands, in 2014.

Liquigaz Philippines is the second largest supplier of LPG in the country accounting for about 30 percent of total market volume and is the biggest seller in Luzon.

More than 60 percent of the country’s annual LPG importation is un-

loaded, stored and sold from Liquigaz’s 12,500-metric-ton capacity storage tanks in Mariveles, Bataan, the largest of such facility in the Philippines. It is the only supplier capable of receiving both refrigerated and pressurized LPG cargo.

Liquigaz Philippines generated a 28-percent increase in revenues to P7.59 billion in the first six months of 2018, driven by an increase in sales volume and the recovery in global LPG prices during the period.

Net income, however, declined 9 percent to P233 million.

With the divestment, Cosco Capital will still have several business under its portfolio including Puregold Price Club Inc., S&R Membership Shopping, Ellimac Prime Holdings Inc. and Office Warehouse Inc.

PLDT Inc. is allocating over P58 billion for its 2019 capital expenditure mainly to finance the rollout of fiber and wireless networks.

“It [capex] has been presented to the board late December. It’s higher than [in] 2018,” PLDT chairman and president Manuel Pangilinan said.

The company programmed a record capex of P58 billion last year.

“We’re going to push the buildout of 4G. You’ve seen the latest OpenSignal report. We’re number one in terms of speed and we’re almost equal with competitors in terms of coverage.

Big push on FTTH [fiber to the home] and fiberization of our legacy copper cables,” he said.

Fitch Ratings said in November that it expected the entry of a new telecom player to temper the revenue growth of and raise the capex pressures on PLDT and Globe Telecom, Inc. The government earlier named Mislatel Consortium of businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics and China Telecom as the new major telecom player.

Pangilinan said he remained optimistic about the outlook for PLDT this year.

“Good number for 2018, and I think I’m optimistic about 2019,” he said.

The country’s largest telecom company posted a net income of P16.48 billion in January to September, down from P21.87 billion in the same period in 2017.

PLDT saw a net profit of P4.5 billion in the third quarter, down from P5.38 billion a year earlier.

Excluding foreign exchange gains and other non-recurring income as well as the figures from unit Voyager, PLDT recorded a core profit of P19.07 billion in the first nine months, up by 5 percent from P18.12 billion in 2017.

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Business

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market retreats; Cemex declines S TOCKS slipped Monday as investors wait for catalysts that could extend the market’s latest run ahead of Thursday’s release of the gross domestic data in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index lost 39.66 points, or 0.5 percent, to 8,007.46 on a value turnover of P5.7 billion. Losers beat gainers, 114 to 86, with 45 issues unchanged.

Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc. fell 3.6 percent to P2.40 on profit taking, while Manila Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, declined 1.7 percent to P362.80.

BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, slipped 1.5 percent to P130, but conglomerate San Miguel Corp. climbed 4.7 percent to P162.80.

The rest of Asian markets on Monday built on last week’s rally as investors cheered a report that China had offered to eliminate its massive trade surplus with the United States, while data showed Chinese economic growth hit forecasts in 2018.

Regional equities picked up where they finished Friday after Bloomberg said Beijing had pledged to ramp up spending on US goods over the next five years.

While there was some skepticism over the offer, observers said it indicated that talks between the economic superpowers were heading in the right direction.

The news provided further support to shares, which were already being buoyed by hopes the two sides would

be able to resolve the tariffs spat, which has hammered world markets for almost a year.

China’s top economics negotiator is due to visit Washington later this month for more talks as the end of a 90-day truce agreed between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping draws closer.

“For now markets are going ahead with the growing perception that there is a lot of willingness by both parties to make a deal,” said National Australia Bank senior strategist Rodrigo Catril.

“But as the March 1st deadline approaches the market is also likely to demand more concrete evidence that a deal looks more likely than not.”

Shanghai closed 0.6 percent higher and Hong Kong rose 0.4 percent in the afternoon, while Tokyo ended 0.3 percent stronger.

Sydney rose 0.2 percent, Singapore added 0.4 percent and Taipei put on 0.5 percent

with Wellington and Jakarta also up.

China released figures showing the economy expanded at the 6.6 percent clip expected in an AFP survey, but that represented its slowest pace since 1990, when it was hit by outrage over the Tiananmen Square crackdown a year earlier.

And in a sign of the battle Beijing faces in getting things back on track, October-December growth came in at 6.4 percent, the worst quarterly figure since the global financial crisis 10 years ago.

The data come as China struggles to address a chronic debt burden while at the same time fighting the damaging trade war with the US. It also reinforces the need for officials to press on with stimulus measures, such as the tax cuts announced last week and moves to make it easier for banks to lend. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59.7 1,490 92 1,739,150 2.4 145,000 130 1,191,230 1.46 137,000 27.95 575,500 7.6 2,100 16.18 600 12.64 578,400 4.58 419,000 1.45 2,000 815 60 0.475 70,000 82.35 1,373,160 1.01 963,000 45.7 287,500 179 4,250 122 20 59.25 26,250 26.7 61,200 177.6 222,670 1,805 545 64.5 6,530 1.18 143,000

88,974 160,110,372 346,840 155,479,140 197,050 16,110,895 15,949 9,672 7,383,350 1,946,040 2,880 48,900 31,900 113,061,022.50 974,060 13,043,730 762,897 2,440 1,554,677 1,639,450 39,671,172 983,725 421,506.50 166,740

71,640 -46,194,765 11,900 -5,249,025 -12,720,050 -2,271,232 48,900 20,614,461 -1,633,385.00 -250,200 317,790 589,650 5,120,983 -320,081 -

37.45 16.1 1.07 1.38 0.24 82 2.39 15.1 140 30.8 16.52 39.55 1.8 6.49 6.34 11.64 15.76 8.07 7.3 1.55 19.56 73.4 26.9 2.1 6.13 12.02 1.77 320 4.31 3.15 10.1 27.15 12.46 17.2 362.8 0.176 1.39 3.74 7.77 6.52 9.08 1.27 10.9 47.1 6 4.71 1.83 2.75 1.45 11.64 90.2 6.3 0.87 142.7 2.32 2.08 1.53

INDUSTRIAL 37.45 1,327,200 16.36 369,500 1.09 3,638,000 1.4 298,000 0.24 910,000 90 140 2.4 54,436,000 15.1 159,000 140 40 30.85 67,200 16.52 15,700 41.4 8,500 1.8 10,000 6.5 21,900 6.62 18,600 11.76 2,955,200 15.78 1,909,200 8.07 227,500 7.34 925,000 1.55 12,000 19.9 1,719,600 75.95 298,120 26.9 100 2.2 21,331,000 6.19 1,135,000 12.14 1,535,600 1.78 1,123,000 325.2 401,380 4.31 5,000 3.15 15,000 10.6 1,900 27.15 12,200 12.48 1,731,600 17.3 7,526,200 362.8 427,120 0.176 620,000 1.4 10,117,000 3.75 73,000 7.77 1,923,900 6.98 1,717,300 9.09 6,000 1.27 16,267,000 11 29,100 47.25 1,020,700 6 400 4.71 4,000 1.83 491,000 2.99 50,000 1.46 145,000 12 2,499,500 91.75 779,150 6.3 160,600 0.9 69,000 144 2,908,390 2.32 37,000 2.13 5,315,000 1.55 1,836,000

50,140,105 6,051,052 3,960,570 416,210 219,410 11,815 134,904,750 2,404,328 5,600 2,075,350 259,556 346,520 18,000 143,406 119,875 34,647,600 30,353,358 1,847,818 6,829,581 18,600 34,122,884 22,340,313.50 2,690 46,875,020 7,140,111 18,994,344 2,029,100 130,252,054 21,550 47,250 19,750 335,215 22,017,080 132,063,202 157,431,532 109,260 14,252,370 273,650 15,043,979 11,744,636 54,530 20,885,500 318,904 48,369,825 2,400 18,840 904,670 138,660 212,420 29,500,996 72,143,552.50 1,021,827 60,260 418,607,637 85,840 11,221,560 2,840,310

-19,328,680 394,192.00 1,191,500 -49,350 -6,253,860.00 -668,602 -951,790 314,615 18,000 6,500 7,474,632 -20,114,728 -1,707,872 526,013 -8,138,574.00 541,756 1,730,320 -84,082 777,916 65,227,008 225,335 -1,307,742 -1,288,750 -66,439,390 -4,924,580 -1,243,833 -2,966,589 -7,454,410 -28,060,805 -1,222,944 27,836,732.50 -2,594 67,478,674 -854,980 -73,060

0.69 66.6 13.98 0.8 6.5 25.9 1.43 1.45 915 7.2 12.1 12.02 0.23 1,022 66 0.6 5.6 14.72 0.61 4.94 0.036 1.16 2.56 155.6 960 1.38 470 251 0.255 0.227

HOLDING FIRMS 0.7 14,798,000 66.6 629,600 14.08 15,844,500 0.8 4,000 6.5 5,000 27.3 93,200 1.54 50,491,000 1.53 7,006,000 925 414,410 7.24 1,578,100 12.26 5,511,000 12.3 401,900 0.23 10,000 1,037 59,920 67.1 2,159,270 0.62 129,000 5.69 1,352,900 14.78 4,297,400 0.62 640,000 4.96 25,503,300 0.037 3,600,000 1.16 77,000 2.57 293,000 162.8 822,150 970 105,240 1.43 84,000 470 500 260 80,710 0.26 2,760,000 0.227 10,000

10,385,360 42,689,290 223,249,798 3,200 32,500 2,530,750 76,104,980 10,491,040 382,627,190 11,424,553 67,490,992 4,914,372 2,300 62,211,560 144,107,316 80,590 7,693,573 64,551,150 391,690 129,141,035 132,800 89,320 755,330 132,098,637 102,181,190 118,760 235,880 20,259,390 704,100 2,270

-511,000 12,317,569.50 2,327,194 32,500 1,642,710 -213,530,810 2,540,697 -2,873,632 -1,244,452 27,511,015 26,265,334 1,114,102 -30,126,402 -46,811,552 43,956,968 -20,129,275 -105,420 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

59.9 93.95 2.37 132.5 1.43 27.8 7.59 15.82 12.7 4.62 1.43 815 0.455 82.5 1.03 44.3 180 122 58.85 26.7 179.7 1,805 64.6 1.16

59.9 93.95 2.4 132.8 1.48 28 7.6 16.18 12.82 5 1.45 815 0.475 82.65 1.03 45.7 180 122 59.95 27.2 179.9 1,805 65 1.18

58.15 91.2 2.34 129.6 1.43 27.8 7.59 15.82 12.64 4.58 1.43 815 0.45 82 1 44.3 179 122 58.85 26.6 175.9 1,805 64.5 1.16

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR EUROMED FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PH RESORTS GRP 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 VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

37.95 16.22 1.09 1.38 0.249 82.5 2.51 15.2 140 31.3 16.52 39.55 1.8 6.66 6.54 11.76 15.9 8.22 7.4 1.55 20.2 73.95 26.9 2.18 6.5 12.78 1.86 324.6 4.31 3.15 10.1 27.5 12.46 17.2 370 0.183 1.4 3.74 7.8 6.6 9.08 1.3 11 47.95 6 4.71 1.83 2.75 1.51 11.82 90.2 6.4 0.88 142.9 2.32 2.13 1.55

38.2 16.7 1.1 1.41 0.249 90 2.62 15.2 140 31.3 17 41.4 1.8 6.67 6.63 11.8 16 8.25 7.52 1.55 20.2 76.15 26.9 2.26 6.5 12.78 1.86 325.2 4.31 3.15 10.6 27.6 12.98 17.88 377.6 0.183 1.44 3.76 7.89 7.05 9.09 1.3 11 47.95 6 4.71 1.87 2.99 1.51 12.28 94 6.49 0.9 146.2 2.32 2.13 1.57

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 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 ZEUS HLDG

0.7 67.9 14.14 0.8 6.5 25.9 1.43 1.45 939 7.2 12.12 12.26 0.23 1,040 66.5 0.61 5.69 15.3 0.61 5.04 0.037 1.16 2.6 155.6 980 1.38 474 251 0.26 0.227

0.72 69.5 14.26 0.8 6.5 27.75 1.54 1.54 945 7.27 12.4 12.48 0.23 1,050 67.3 0.64 5.79 15.48 0.63 5.18 0.037 1.16 2.6 164 984 1.43 474 260 0.26 0.227

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

8.74 0.85 10.6 1.7 0.89 44.6 2.47 4.2 6.2 0.455 0.81 0.87 0.255 0.38 8.71 21.4 0.51 1.59 1.19 5.39 0.425 0.465 2.17 0.42 3.55 43.9

8.77 0.85 10.6 1.7 0.92 45.75 2.52 4.25 6.2 0.475 0.81 0.91 0.26 0.38 8.88 21.4 0.51 1.64 1.22 5.39 0.43 0.47 2.23 0.42 3.55 43.9

8.51 0.82 10.6 1.66 0.86 44.15 2.43 4.19 6.14 0.45 0.81 0.86 0.25 0.37 8.7 20.9 0.495 1.57 1.18 5.27 0.42 0.46 2.14 0.41 3.35 43.9

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS VISTA LAND

23.2 2.03 3.11 39.35 1.36 6.15 5.87

23.4 2.03 3.15 39.95 1.38 6.24 5.9

22.95 1.98 3.11 38.8 1.33 6.03 5.85

23.2 1.98 3.11 39.9 1.38 6.14 5.88

684,600 1,314,000 969,000 11,058,100 2,496,000 371,600 3,458,700

15,870,380 2,635,430 3,013,730 437,279,785 3,398,420 2,290,690 20,339,844

9,852,475 -2,408,820 0 229,019,945 1,234 -13,311,459

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

14 22.6 1.35 0.435 0.041 3.08 10.8 0.057 82.3 7.99 6.76 7.11 2.1 16.88 890 2,092 5.9 320 2.99 1.88 108 10.84 7.35 0.138 6.26 3.13 14.88 3.35 0.8 17.56 0.37 5.15 2.78 2.14 3.8 9.84 8.95 3.5 120 3.17 1,250 0.94 46.85 86.1 7.82 2.5 0.75 0.43 5.5 0.76 13.26

14.42 24 1.35 0.45 0.041 3.15 10.88 0.057 82.5 8 6.84 7.44 2.1 16.88 891 2,098 5.99 330 3.05 1.88 110 11.18 7.35 0.138 6.3 3.13 14.88 3.36 0.87 17.78 0.385 5.15 2.85 2.14 3.87 9.84 9 3.6 120 3.28 1,258 0.94 46.85 86.3 7.82 2.53 0.77 0.45 5.54 0.77 13.5

13.9 22.6 1.3 0.435 0.041 2.96 10.2 0.054 81.5 7.99 6.66 7.11 2.08 16.32 890 2,060 5.86 315.2 2.98 1.88 104 10.7 7.2 0.125 6 3.13 14.3 3.27 0.8 17.52 0.35 4.97 2.75 2.01 3.8 9.56 8.93 3.45 117 3.17 1,225 0.92 45.75 82 7.82 2.47 0.75 0.425 5.48 0.73 13.24

SERVICES 13.9 23.9 1.31 0.445 0.041 3 10.2 0.055 82.5 7.99 6.67 7.4 2.08 16.32 890 2,080 5.88 330 3 1.88 104 11.18 7.3 0.128 6.03 3.13 14.88 3.3 0.84 17.54 0.35 5.05 2.75 2.02 3.82 9.56 8.93 3.59 120 3.2 1,225 0.93 45.75 82 7.82 2.48 0.75 0.44 5.51 0.75 13.24

93,200 461,300 443,000 4,150,000 4,200,000 2,778,000 6,525,900 45,570,000 84,510 7,400 1,399,400 35,800 70,000 111,900 80 14,750 555,600 6,320 1,096,000 10,000 430,370 20,900 17,000 14,470,000 11,711,100 9,000 9,000 1,002,000 262,000 252,200 70,000 137,900 2,396,000 669,000 1,816,000 25,500 4,000 100,000 2,540 1,161,000 21,605 6,934,000 792,300 151,200 8,800 8,777,000 2,587,000 20,540,000 1,191,900 4,266,000 1,586,900

1,312,646 10,963,770 583,880 1,845,800 172,200 8,401,530 67,951,972 2,515,500 6,953,913 59,186 9,401,167 254,863 146,040 1,839,998 71,230 30,768,770 3,280,942 2,082,460 3,303,160 18,800 46,441,057 225,190 123,795 1,868,050 71,588,654 28,170 133,296 3,323,680 222,620 4,428,562 25,850 690,712 6,668,020 1,354,170 6,947,220 244,831 35,812 359,090 304,550 3,727,540 26,808,505 6,461,110 36,429,890 12,466,217.50 68,816 21,897,740 1,956,290 9,036,050 6,555,027 3,172,030 21,103,168

7,100 -8,200 264,020 -21,169,490 806,008.50 -245,295 8,735,890 16,100 -57,330 3,854,274 12,800 -5,653,351 4,302 3,300 -799,306 27,000 48,110 65,000 8,604 13,425.00 235,190 -814,370 -5,245,125 -25,940 -1,644,810 -482,663 -413,660.00 343,320 -155,450 -58,778 1,727,788

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

0.0021 1.61 2.82 14.54 1.97 7.9 1.68 0.219 0.12 0.126 0.0075 1.23 2.64 1.09 0.69 1.02 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.57 4.17 15.42 24.4 0.0068

0.0022 1.63 2.84 14.98 2.02 7.94 1.68 0.223 0.122 0.126 0.0075 1.23 2.64 1.09 0.69 1.04 0.013 0.013 0.013 3.64 4.28 15.48 24.4 0.0068

0.002 1.6 2.79 14.44 1.91 7.69 1.43 0.219 0.118 0.122 0.0075 1.22 2.51 1.02 0.69 1 0.012 0.013 0.012 3.57 4.09 15.34 24.05 0.0067

MINING & OIL 0.0021 592,000,000 1.61 2,377,000 2.8 332,000 14.5 14,400 2.02 8,027,000 7.84 3,700 1.52 45,632,000 0.219 360,000 0.12 7,100,000 0.122 3,830,000 0.0075 6,000,000 1.22 215,000 2.52 6,868,000 1.07 53,000 0.69 265,000 1.03 853,000 0.013 13,200,000 0.013 590,400,000 0.013 52,600,000 3.63 11,000 4.19 3,216,000 15.34 713,900 24.2 1,157,900 0.0067 4,000,000

1,243,000 3,821,830 933,810 209,168 15,736,960 28,690 69,928,670 79,150 850,870 478,140 45,000 263,070 17,515,870 55,830 182,850 871,980 171,500 7,675,200 651,400 39,770 13,512,910 10,978,654 28,041,810 27,000

0 57,600 -25,541,660 -155,110 -63,480.00 1,757,170 -1,496,588 -3,806,865 -

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

18.76 494.8 98.45 103 490 5.74 905 95 1 99.1 996.5 1,010 100.5 106 970 75.25 76.4 73.45 74.5 73.5

21 494.8 98.45 103 490 5.76 905 95 1 100.5 999.5 1,020 100.5 106 971 75.35 76.75 73.5 74.5 73.5

18.74 494.8 98.45 102.5 489.4 5.7 900 95 1 99.1 996.5 1,010 100.5 106 970 75.25 76 73.45 74 73.35

PREFERRED 20.1 940,000 494.8 4,000 98.45 40 102.5 500 489.4 1,550 5.7 842,800 900 130 95 100 1 1,000 100.5 2,160 999.5 1,500 1,020 115 100.5 21,950 106 120 971 1,540 75.35 890 76 20,600 73.5 24,700 74 5,100 73.35 2,700

18,750,304 1,979,200 3,938 51,290 758,594 4,809,053 117,150 9,500 1,000 216,520 1,495,440 116,800 2,205,975 12,720 1,495,290 67,039.50 1,570,490.50 1,815,350 378,200 198,354

-10,273,909 -4,674,511 27,150 50,250 30,150 12,720 46,944

LR WARRANT

1.99

1.99

1.93

WARRANTS 1.99 234,000

456,880

-

5,569,060 8,713,620

15,000 -1,528,790

2,238,268

-134,989

21,311 48,864

-

MS

PROPERTY 8.77 0.84 10.6 1.66 0.88 45.3 2.48 4.2 6.2 0.46 0.81 0.91 0.25 0.37 8.71 20.95 0.495 1.62 1.22 5.36 0.43 0.47 2.19 0.42 3.36 43.9

480,900 1,768,000 7,500 120,000 3,316,000 7,445,000 3,947,000 118,000 3,600 50,880,000 30,000 362,000 13,840,000 1,210,000 410,600 325,000 2,831,000 30,524,000 1,538,000 18,772,500 13,870,000 510,000 5,167,000 1,850,000 1,798,000 4,900

4,166,538 1,469,620 79,500 201,020 2,916,070 335,666,795 9,848,580 496,550 22,140 23,538,050 24,300 314,700 3,504,600 450,800 3,593,407 6,838,260 1,418,765 49,075,740 1,862,190 100,274,455 5,938,150 237,700 11,292,750 766,550 6,161,800 215,110

253,565 166,000 1,700 51,037,895 -932,370.00 -68,800 455,000 93,750 -971,819 -10,935 -1,349,660 10,830,610 -95,820 74,654,948 215,000 -69,000 356,000 349,910 -

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5 1.59

5.01 1.61

4.9 1.55

FIRST METRO ETF

119.1

119.7

118

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.1 10.18

10.1 10.18

10.1 10.18

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES 8,232,413

INDUSTRIAL

151,745,603

HOLDING FIRMS

140,778,127

PROPERTY

183,207,190

SERVICES

151,296,195

MINING & OIL

1,340,990,346

GRAND TOTAL

1,982,925,064

4.9 1.55

SME

1,129,100 5,526,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.8 18,800 DDS 10.1 10.18

2,110 4,800

VALUE 1,799.58 (down) 16.05 540,609,502.71 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,627.36 (down) 23.49 1,564,025,571.245 HOLDING FIRMS 7,962.08 (down) 41.11 1,585,811,517.58 PROPERTY 4,048.38 (up) 31.03 SERVICES 1,532.05 (down) 28.08 1,128,688,508.29 MINING & OIL 8,757.37 (down) 64.40 658,315,188.86 PSEI 8,007.46 (down) 39.66 173,394,265.4285 All Shares Index 4,799.00 (down) 5.92 5,667,369,352.15 Gainers: 86; Losers: 114; Unchanged: 45; Total: 245

SEC upholds PSE ruling to delist Calata, ban officials

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission upheld the decision of the Philippine Stock Exchange to delist Calata Corp., an agri business company owned by businessman Joseph Calata.

The SEC also affirmed the perpetual ban on Calata’s chairman and president Joseph Calata from becoming a director of any listed company and the disqualification of six other officers of the company, namely Jose Marie Fabella, Halmond Parker Ong, Melvin Calata, Johnny Uy, Edmund Solilapsi and Fr. Conrado Zablan, Calata was officially delisted from the PSE on December 11, 2017 after the exchange found that the company was liable for multiple violations of disclosure and delisting rules.

The exchange found Calata Corp. committing committed 29 distinct violations of disclosure rules when it failed to timely disclose changes in the shareholdings of its directors and principal officers.

The rules state that directors and principal officers of a listed company must disclose to the PSE any “acquisition, disposal, or change” in their shareholdings within five trading days.

The PSE said Joseph Calata made multiple trades of Calata shares between November 29, 2016 and March 16, 2017. But the corporation only disclosed these trades on June 23, 2017, which is already beyond the required five trading days.

Joseph Calata also made multiple trades of Calata shares from April 20, 2017 to June 20, 2017. But the company only disclosed the trades on July 7, 2017, which is also beyond the required five trading days.

The agribusiness firm committed 26 violations of the blackout rule when it executed trades during a “Blackout Period,” when the officers were the only ones in possession of material non-public information.

Cebu Pacific receives first A321neo jet

By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Pacific on Monday said it has taken delivery of its first A321neo to expand its Asia-Pacific network.

The airline, owned by industrialist John Gokongwei, ordered 32 A321neo aircraft directly from Airbus and will receive another five A320neo leased from Dublin-based Avolon.

The new aircraft will support the carrier’s expansion and fleet renewal program.

The new addition complements Cebu Pacific’s Airbus fleet, which currently includes 43 A320 Family aircraft and eight A330-300 wide-bodies.

The A321neo aircraft for Cebu Pacific features 236 seats in a single class configuration. The aircraft is powered

by Pratt and Whitney PurePower GTF engines.

The A321neo offers new generation engines and delivers 20 percent fuel cost savings. It also offers significant environmental benefits with nearly 50 percent reduction in noise footprint compared with previous generation aircraft.

Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific said 68,284 passengers flew in 414 domestic and international flights on December 21, 2018—the highest number flown in a single day.

The figure surpassed the previous record of 65,298 passengers flown lon May 7, 2018, during the peak dry season.

For the yuletide peak season covering December 16, 2018 to January 7, 2019, Cebu Pacific and Cebgo flew a total of 1.391 million passengers, up 7.4 percent year-on-year.

“We are pleased to have enabled hundreds of thousands of passengers to make memories and moments during the yuletide season. We thank the airport authorities, our partners, stakeholders, and most of all, our staff for the effort to help serve the traveling public during the peak travel period. As passenger traffic continues to grow, we are committed to improving our service to make flying with Cebu Pacific more pleasant, safer and more efficient,” said Cebu Pacific chief operating officer Michael Ivan Shau.

Standard Manila TODAY Standard

TODAY

IN BRIEF China’s population growth slows BEIJING―China’s population grew at a slower rate last year despite the abolition of the onechild policy, official data showed Monday, raising fears an aging society will pile further pressure on an already slowing economy.

There were 15.23 million live births in 2018, a drop of two million from the year before, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed.

With 9.93 million deaths, this led to a growth rate of 3.81 per thousand in 2018, a dip from 5.32 per thousand the previous year.

NBS commissioner Ning Jize said population growth had peaked, but said the country still had huge potential.

“China’s labor participation rate is not considered low worldwide, more than 700 million of our 900 million people [of working age] are employed, and there is still room [for growth],” he said.

Signs of China’s falling population growth had emerged when data released by some local authorities indicated a significant drop in births last year. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

World

Manila

B3

26 have wealth as half of humankind

D

AVOS―The world’s 26 richest people own the same wealth as the poorest half of humanity, Oxfam said Monday, urging governments to raise taxes on the wealthy to fight soaring inequality.

A new report from the charity, published ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, also found that billionaires around the world saw their combined fortunes grow by $2.5 billion each day in 2018.

The world’s richest man, Am-

azon CEO Jeff Bezos, saw his fortune increase to $112 billion last year, Oxfam said, pointing out that just one percent of his wealth was equivalent to the entire health budget of Ethiopia, a country of 105 million people.

The 3.8 billion people at the

bottom of the scale meanwhile saw their wealth decline by 11 percent last year, Oxfam said, stressing that the growing gap between rich and poor was undermining the fight against poverty, damaging economies and fueling public anger.

“People across the globe are angry and frustrated,” warned Oxfam executive director Winnie Byanyima in a statement.

The numbers are stark: Between 1980 and 2016, the poorest half of humanity pocketed just 12 cents on each dollar

of global income growth, compared with the 27 cents captured by the top one percent, the report found.

Oxfam warned that governments were exacerbating inequality by increasingly underfunding public services like health care and education at the same time as they consistently under-tax the wealthy.

OFFICE OF THE CHAIRPERSON SEC MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 1 SERIES OF 2019 TO

To maintain an organized and orderly filing of Audited Financial Statements (AFS) and General Information Sheet (GIS), the Commission, pursuant to its authority under the Corporation Code and Securities Regulation Code adopt the following measures in the filing of annual reports: I. AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF COMPANIES WHOSE FISCAL YEAR ENDS ON DECEMBER 31, 2018: 1.

ON THE BEACH. Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko meet well-wishers as they stroll on a

Health Minister Jorge Alcocer said 85 deaths were confirmed and that another 58 people were hospitalized in Hidalgo, while others in worse conditions had been moved to Mexico City for specialized treatment.

Family members of the victims have called on the government to continue looking for remains and to bring back forensic experts for that purpose.

Funerals already have begun, but the handover of remains has been slow because many of the victims were burned beyond rec-

Republic of the Philippines Department of Science and Technology

GUIDELINES ON THE GRANT OF ‘GAWAD KATHA-LIKHA’ Section 1. Title – This guidelines shall be known as the “Gawad Katha-Likha Guidelines”.

Section 2. Description – This is an award that is being given to the inventor and researcher who disclosed their valuable knowledge on their filed intellectual properties through the assistance of TAPI. The grant of Gawad Katha-Likha shall be facilitated by the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI).

The awards shall be named as ‘Gawad Katha-Likha’.

Section 3. Objective – To recognize the efforts of the inventor and researcher who has contributed to the country’s innovation.

Section 4. Awards included – The award shall include a trophy/plaque of recognition and a cash incentive amounting to twenty thousand pesos (P 20,000.00). The cash incentive shall be subject to applicable taxes.

Section 5. Who may be given an award – The nominee is any citizen of the Philippines who filed the most number of IP application through the Intellectual Property Assistance Program of TAPI. The initial awards that will be given in the year 2019 shall cover the IPs filed for year 2010 up to 2018. Thereafter, there shall be an annual giving of the awards to be determined based on the IPs to be filed per year. The nominee who garnered the highest points shall receive the cash incentive.

Section 6. Criteria for the Giving of Award – The following criteria must be met in order to be considered a nominee for the Gawad Katha-Likha: 1.

The top 3 applicants garnering the highest points based on the point system shall be considered as nominees.

2.

The nominees are scored/rated based on the following point system: PCT – 20 points Patent – 10 points Utility Model – 2 points Industrial Design – 2 points Trademark – 2 points Copyright - .25 points

3.

Provided, that where the applicant has filed for PCT Application for his Philippine patent, only the PCT shall be counted.

4.

Likewise, where the IP application is through reimbursement from TAPI, without pre-examination of the latter, the points shall be as follows:

Section 3. Objectives – To recognize the role and efforts of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Officer (TTBDO) who facilitates fast and efficient transfer of DOST -generated technologies to the industry.

Section 5. Selection of Nominees – The possible nominees are the Technology Transfer and Business Development Officers (TTBDO) who facilitated the most number of technologies transferred to the industry from 2016 - 2018 of the DOST RDls thru Technology Transfer Day and Fairness Opinion Board Projects.

Section 6. Criteria of Selection – The following criteria are to be met in order to be considered as nominee for the Best Technology Transfer and Business Development Officer: 1.

The nominee shall be officially endorsed by their respective Institute as their Technology Transfer and Business Development Officer (TTBDO).

2.

The following point system will be given for every technology facilitated by the Technology Transfer and Business Development Officer Award (TTBDO): Parameter

Point System 1

5%

Number of Technology Licensing Agreement Executed

3

15%

Reimbursement may be done in any of the following circumstances:

Number of Technologies Fully Transferred and Commercialized

16

80%

a)

Where the applicant has initiated the filing of IP application to IPO and presented an official receipt to TAPI for reimbursement;

Total

20 pts

100%

b)

Where the applicant has initiated the filing of IP application to IPO and presented the billing statement to TAPI for payment of the latter; and

c)

Where the applicant has drafted the claims and submitted it to TAPI for IP application, without pre-examination of the latter.

There shall be two categories:

b)

Researcher category – researcher whose name appears in the IP application coming from the public or private research development institutions and higher academic institutions, whether public or private, regardless of the source of funding of the research and development for the technology.

Individual inventor category – inventor whose name appears in the IP application and self-funded the research and development for their technologies.

Section 7. Confidentiality – The name of the winner shall be taken with utmost confidentiality until the day of awarding.

3.

The TTBDO who will garner the highest points will be declared as the winner.

4.

In case of a tie, the winner will be decided based on the number of fully-commercialized technologies. The RDI with the most number of technologies adopted and Iicensed will be declared winner of the award

Section 7. Coverage of the Award - The initial awards will be given in the year 2019 shall cover the transactions facilitated by the TTBDOs from 2016 - 2018. Thereafter, there shall be an annual giving of the awards.

Section 8. Effectivity: This Order shall take effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or newspaper of general circulation and upon filing at the UP Law Center in accordance with law.

Taguig City, Philippines, January 21, 2019

Taguig City, January 15, 2019

(MS-JAN. 22, 2019)

An Affidavit signed by the President and Treasurer (or Chief Finance Officer, where applicable) attesting to the fact that the company timely provided COA with the financial statements and supporting documents and that the audit of COA has just been concluded; and (ii) A letter from COA confirming the information provided in the above Affidavit.

3.

All corporations may file their AFS regardless of the last numerical digit of their registration or license number on or before the first day stated in the coding schedule in paragraph 1 pertaining to said digit;

4.

Late filings or filing after respective due dates shall be accepted starting June 3, 2019 and shall be subject to the prescribed penalties which shall be computed from the date of the last day of filing schedule stated in paragraph 1;

5.

The AFS, other than the consolidated financial statements, shall have the stamped “received by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) or its authorized banks, unless the BIR allows an alternative proof of submission for its authorized banks (e.g. bank slips);

6.

The basic components of the Audited Financial Statements (AFS) as prescribed under SRC Rule 68, as amended, shall be submitted by filers.

Failure to comply with any of the formal requirements under said Rule including the prescribed qualifications for independent auditors and/or any material deficiency or misstatement that may be found upon evaluation of the specific contents thereof, shall be considered a sufficient ground for the imposition of penalties by SEC. The acceptance and receipt by the Commission of the financial statements shall be without prejudice to such penalties.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET (GIS) 1.

All corporations shall file their GIS within 30 calendar days from: a. b. c.

Stock Corporations – date of actual annual stockholders’ meeting Non-Stock Corporations – date of actual annual members meeting Foreign Corporations – anniversary date of the issuance of the SEC License.

III. ALL REPORTS All corporations may directly file their AFS and GIS in SEC Head Office, PICC Building, all Satellite Offices (Ali Mall-Cubao Quezon City, SM Manila, SM North EDSA, Robinson’s Galleria, Muntinlupa City Hall and SM Mall of Asia) and Extension Offices (Cebu, Davao and Iloilo) applying the SEC issued number coding schedule for AFS. All filers of GIS and AFS, regardless of the number of reports to be filed at SEC, complying with the circularized SEC-issued number coding schedule (for AFS only) may choose to avail of any of the following options: a). SEC Express Nationwide Submission (SENS) with the following procedures:  Filer downloads SEC Express Nationwide Submission Checklist and Undertaking Form (SENS Form)  Filer accomplishes and signs SENS Form  Filer attaches checklist with signed undertaking to each report to be submitted  Filer encloses the documents and accomplished checklist with undertaking in an envelope  Filer proceeds to the nearest courier area of their choice for his offsite submission and pay the service fee and courier fee  Courier delivers the receiving copy to filer within the agreed period of time b). Any Courier/Regular Mail with no return copy of reports submitted:  Filer downloads SEC Express Nationwide Submission Checklist and Undertaking Form (SENS Form)  Filer accomplishes and signs SENS Form  Filer attaches checklist with signed undertaking to each report to be submitted  Filer encloses the documents and accomplished checklist with undertaking in an envelope  Filer proceeds to courier of his choice or post office The reckoning date of submission of GIS and AFS through courier is the date the courier has actually sent or delivered the filed reports to the SEC. All other circulars, memoranda and implementing rules and regulations that may be inconsistent with the foregoing provisions shall be deemed modified or amended accordingly.

This Memorandum Circular shall be published in two newspapers of general circulation.

Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Manila, Philippines.

10 January 2019.

For the Commission:

(SGD.) EDGAR I. GARCIA Director

Section 8. Effectivity – This Order shall take effect immediately upon publication.

(SGD.) EDGAR I. GARCIA Director

(i)

Percentage

Number of Term Sheet Facilitated

a)

(c) Those whose AFS are being audited by the Commission on Audit (COA) provided that the following documents are attached to their AFS:

Section 4. Awards included – The award shall include a plaque of appreciation and a cash incentive amounting to twenty thousand pesos (P20,000). The cash incentive shall be subject to applicable taxes.

PCT – 5 points Patent – 2.5 points Utility Model – .50 points Industrial Design – .50 points Trademark – .50 points Copyright - .05 points

The inventor/researcher who shall garner the top three highest points using the point system in the immediately preceding items shall automatically be considered a nominee. While the nominee with the highest points will be given the award.

(b) Those whose securities are listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) and those whose Securities are registered but not listed in PSE and Public Companies. Covered under Sec.17.2 of the Securities Regulation Code (SRC). These entities shall continue to observe the due date of filing of their AFS (within 105 calendar days after the end of fiscal year) as attachment to their Annual Reports (SEC Form 17A), in accordance with the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Securities Regulation Code.

Section 1. Title – This guidelines shall be known as the “Guidelines on the Grant of the Gawad SALIN Award”.

Section 2. Description – This is an award given to the best Technology Transfer and Business Development Officer (TTBDO) who facilitated the most number of technologies transferred to the intended market of their Institute. The grant of this award shall be facilitated thru the Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI).

The above filing schedule shall not apply to the following corporations:

However, for Broker Dealer whose fiscal year ends on December 31, SEC Form 52-AR shall be filed with the Commission depending on the last numerical digit of its registration number as prescribed by the Commission. Broker Dealers whose fiscal year ends on date other than December 31 shall file SEC Form 52-AR, 110 calendar days after the close of such fiscal year.1

Technology Application and Promotion Institute

Guidelines on the Grant of the “GAWAD SALIN AWARD”

(MS-JAN. 22, 2019)

1 and 2 3 and 4 5 and 6 7 and 8 9 and 0

(a) Those whose fiscal year ends on a date other than December 31, 2018. These entities shall file their AFS within 120 calendar days from the end of their fiscal year;

ognition.

The Hidalgo state prosecutor said 54 of the dead could not be readily identified, and require DNA analysis.

Mourners began arriving little by little at the home of one of the victims, while in the adjacent street a hearse carried another corpse.

“He’s gone forever,” sobbed a woman as the remains of Cesar Jimenez were transferred to a church for a funeral mass attended by dozens of relatives and friends. AFP

TAPI ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2019-001 Series of 2019

TAPI ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2019- 003 Series of 2019

7.

2.

Death toll from Mexico fuel explosion rises to 85 TLAHUELILPAN, Mexico― The death toll from a fiery explosion in central Mexico rose to 85 on Sunday as authorities vowed to hold accountable those responsible for a deliberate fuel-line puncture that drew hundreds of people looking to gather gasoline before it ignited.

The search for human remains at the site of the explosion in the state of Hidalgo ended late Saturday. While families began to bury the dead, officials indicated the death toll could still rise.

: : : : :

All SEC Satellite Offices and Extension Offices in Cebu, Iloilo and Davao shall be governed also by the above coding schedule in 2019. However, any corporations may file on or before its respective filing dates.

beach near the Hayama Imperial Villa in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, on January 21, 2019. Akihito will become the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in around two centuries when he steps down from the throne on April 30. AFP

Technology Application and Promotion Institute

6.

All corporations, including branch offices, representative offices, regional headquarters and regional operating headquarters of foreign corporations, shall file their AFS depending on the last numerical digit of their SEC registration or license number in accordance with the following schedule: April 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 April 29, 30, May 2 & 3 May 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 May 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 May 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Republic of the Philippines Department of Science and Technology

5.

: ALL CONCERNED CORPORATIONS

SUBJECT : 2019 FILING OF ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET

Lunar eclipse woos sky watchers

WASHINGTON―An unusual set of celestial circumstances came together over Sunday night and the wee hours of Monday for sky watchers in Europe, Africa and the Americas, where the moon was fully obscured before lighting up again with a faint red glow.

In the streets of Mexico City, Los Angeles and Paris and in the Moroccan desert, moon gazers turned to the sky to observe the phenomenon, around midnight in the Americas, and shortly before dawn in Europe and Africa.

The eclipse lasted about three hours: during the first hour the full moon was gradually swallowed up by the shadow of the Earth, then an hour of total eclipse where it was not invisible but instead appeared tinted in hues of red, orange and pink, followed finally by its full reemergence, bright and shining.

The full Moon appeared bigger than normal because it was closer to the Earth—about 222,000 miles (358,000 kilometers) away—earning it the nickname “super Moon.” AFP

Calls for increasing the rates on the wealthy have multiplied amid growing popular outrage in a number of countries over swelling inequality.

In the United States, new congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made headlines earlier this month by proposing to tax the ultra-rich up to 70 percent. AFP

EMILIO B. AQUINO Chairman 1

Rule 5.2.1.5.2 of the 2015 SRC IRR

(MS-JAN. 22, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

B4

SM builds new building for Dagupan East Central school

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Children enjoy the grounds of their new building at East Central Integrated School in Dagupan City, and later join officials of SM Foundation Inc. led by Connie Angeles (center, inset) in presenting the symbolic key of the building to school officials.

‘Angeles risks falling into P233-m debt trap’ A

NGELES CITY—This Pampanga city’s debt payment in 2019 will climb to a new high of P233 million, “taking a heavy toll on the city’s social services as it irreversibly falls into a disastrous debt trap for 15 years,” a mayoral candidate said over the weekend.

This developed as the Northern Luzon Airport Consortium has committed to invest P6 billion to run the operations and maintenance service of Clark International Airport that will “redefine the tourism and travel industry of the region upon its completion come 2020.”

Kambilian official candidate Alexander S. Cauguiran said the city government’s total outstanding debt has ballooned to P1.6 billion, the largest in the city’s history, and its yearly debt payment shall increase from P179 million in 2018 to P233 million this year, as the installment for the P1.22-billion loan from the

Development Bank for the Philippines starts to kick in.

This massive borrowing, Cauguiran warned, exacts a heavy toll on the city’s basic social services.

“Take the case of the Ospital Ning Angeles [ONA]. Its 2019 budget for drugs and medicines amounts to only P4 million, and P11 for medical, dental, and laboratory supplies and equipment. This was approximately the same amount appropriated for the same items last year, while the city paid P179 million to service its loan,” he said.

The candidate said most ordinary An-

geles residents “are complaining of the dire lack of medicines and medical supplies at the city-owned hospital.”

“Indeed, how can one reconcile that city spends P233 million for debt service while providing a measly P15 million for ONA’s medicines and medical supplies?” he added.

Meanwhile, the NLAC includes Josephine Gotianum-Yap, president and chief operating officer of Filinvest Development Corp., one of four companies in the consortium.

Cauguiran, the former Clark International Airport Corp. president, said the group’s vision is to position Northern Luzon as a gateway “that will surely create more growth of job and economic prosperity for Angeles City.”

“This is the reason why we need to develop the industry as more tourists means more jobs and a strong economy for city,: he said during a meeting with the Hotel

and Restaurants Association of Pampanga (HRAP).

To realize the success of the program, Cauguiran said the region needs to attract over 600,000 tourists a year ― including the Koreans, Chinese, retired Americans, and Australians who are regular visitors of the city.

Data from the World Travel and Tourism Council showed that every 30 tourists who visit a place creates one job for the locals, he said.

The employment generated by the tourism industry will be deployed in hotels, restaurants, and food industries. Accountants, IT technicians, drivers, tourists guided, janitors and utility men will also see more opportunities.

“More tourists, more jobs with strong economy will also generate more related establishments like souvenir and delicacy shops for economic prosperity,” Cauguiran said. Romeo Dizon

DAGUPAN CITY—Pupils at the East Central Integrated School in Dagupan City have more reasons to be happy.

The young learners will be attending classes in a new two-story, fourclassroom, disability-friendly elevated school building donated by SM Prime through SM Foundation.

They would enjoy new geometrically-shaped and colored desks and tables, their own comfort rooms and fans to cool them from the warm dryness of the province throughout the year.

Their rooms are also shaded from the sun by the cool-colored curtains provided by the Parent Teacher Association.

All four classrooms can comfortably accommodate 50 students, with each classroom at the top floor equipped with five left-handed desks and the rest right-handed desks; two wall fans, comfort rooms with lavabos; concave blackboards and teachers’ desks and tables.

The kindergarten rooms also have wall fans, toilets, concave blackboards and teachers’ desks and tables. The school building likewise has ramps and a dedicated toilet and washroom for the disabled at the ground floor. It is also emergency equipped with LED lights, emergency exits and fire extinguishers.

Turned over to school principal Dr. Reynaldo Barrozo and to local officials led by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, the new school building’s ground floor will be utilized by kindergarten pupils while the second floor has been assigned to Grade 3 students.

East Central is said to be the oldest operating school in Pangasinan. The school caters to two barangays, Mayombo and Herrera Perez, with a current student population of 2,300 and a teaching staff of 99.

For the elementary grades, the ratio of students per teacher is 1:35 but the ratio of high school is 1:55. The Principal however is confident that DepEd will increase the number of schoolteachers this coming school year.

Engr. Ramon Gil Macapagal, trustee of the SMFI and SMIC head of the corporate affairs and sustainability, said SM Foundation is committed to serve by supporting and empowering its host communities through education, healthcare, shelter, disaster response, farmers’ training, environmental programs and care for persons with special needs.

“We work hand in hand with our communities to create opportunities and improve lives,” he said.

The SM group has been working for a better tomorrow by helping realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SM Foundation particularly focuses on the SDGs: No Poverty (SDG 1), Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) and Quality Education (SDG 4), he explained.

Macapagal asked the school administration to take good care of the building where future leaders of industry and government could come from.

He said SM “wants to enhance the learning experience for students so students will have memories worth recalling later in life.”

COA disallows P92m spent on nonexistent works in Mabalacat DESPITE President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against the Commission on Audit, it appears that the financial oversight body remains alert in safeguarding the people’s money.

This time, COA is asking the return of some P92 million spent on a nonexistent projects in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

In a notice of disallowance made last August, COA said the money spent for the slope protection works along Sapang Balen and Quitangil Creek, in Mabalacat City violated procurement rules.

COA disallowed P92.525,687.52, paid to A. L. Dare Construction, because the projects appear to be “ghost projects.”

The auditing body said the assorted photographs submitted as evidence of the funds spent on the projects by the contractor “were taken from projects actually undertaken by the DPWH Pampanga 3rd Engineering District.”

According to COA auditors, the projects “were the slope protection works of the government along Sapang Balen Creek and Quitangil Creek in Mabalacat City in CY 2016.”

State auditors found that the four projects submitted by A. L. Dare—1st Phase Sapang Balen Creek Project worth P22,443,500; Last phase of Sapang Balen Creek Project (P39,985,500); First Phase Quitangil project (P17,382,700); and the Last Phase of the Quitangil project (P18,885,000)—were duplication of DPWH projects of Pampanga’s 3rd Engineering District.

These are the flood control structures, facilities, repair and rehabilitation of the Sapang Balen Creek at Barangay Mangalit, Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The state auditor named former Mabalacat threeterm Mayor Marino P. Morales and A. L. Vital Dare, who owns the construction firm, liable for the transaction.

FOOD CATERERS. Speaking during the 18th Induction Ceremony of the Food Caterers Association of the Philippines at the Marco Polo Hotel, Senator Cynthia A. Villar (right) acknowledges the big help of food caterers to farmers, fisherfolk, agri-entrepreneurs, and other food-related or allied businesses, especially the micro and small businesses. She pointed out that this industry provides more than 65 percent of employment in the country. Lino Santos

Smart Cities Readiness gab set in Cauayan Belmonte vows education,

By Jessica M. Bacud CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela—The City Government of Cauayan in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology, the Isabela State University and the League of Cities of the Philippines, is set to conduct the Smarter Cities Readiness Challenge Workshop 2019 here.

The activity, titled “Capacity Building for Smarter and Sustainable Cities” is slated on Jan. 25 to 26, at Hotel Andrea here. Local chief executives of the different cities and university officials across the country are expected to attend, Cauayan City Mayor Bernard Faustino M. Dy said.

Engr. Sancho Mabborang, DOST-2 regional director, said the Smarter Cities Readiness Challenge Workshop 2019 aims to pace the delivery of services to the populace with the intervention of technologies.

“The Smarter Cities frame work anchored

in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) will further speedup the process for a better and proper services to the public,” Mabborang stressed.

The workshop will focus on the Smarter Cities framework of DOST that is attached in the ICT structure. These include categories on smarter education, smarter governance, smarter health, smarter agriculture and smarter transportation among others services offered by the local government units.

Science Secretary Fortunato Dela Pena will be around to present the programs of the agency in the region and turnover the Hybrid Electric Train to the City of Cauayan, Mabborang said.

Meanwhile, The League of Cities for the Philippines is seeking to help position the whole of the country as a smart cities leader, and therefore coordinating this workshop with its member cities to advance these goals.

livelihood for QC inmates

QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday vowed to provide education and livelihood opportunities to inmates in a bid to give them a “second chance.”

If elected mayor this May, Belmonte said she would adopt the model instituted for female inmates in Davao City, to uplift the morale and encourage inmates to change their ways.

“I personally witnessed here in Davao that services are being provided to teach inmates new livelihood skills and to encourage them to be productive. I want to bring this kind of opportunities in our city,” she said.

“I’m very inspired to see that in a correctional facility, we can still offer opportunities to our people like education, livelihood programs, physical activities and such. That way, we can see that they want to change for themselves and for their families,” Belmonte added.

Detainees still have the chance to become better persons, she noted.

The vice mayor is the head of the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council. Rio N. Araja

Life

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

H EA LTH A N D E N V I R O N M E N T

‘Every Brilliant Thing’

@MStandardLIFE TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

C1

puts a spotlight on mental health awareness

T

HREE thousand people die everyday by suicide according to the International Association for Suicide Prevention.

Despite being touted as the one of the happiest countries in the world, the Philippines has the highest number of depressed people in Southeast Asia, with the Global Burden Disease Study in 2015 revealing that 3.3 million Filipinos suffer from depression, with suicide rates of 2.5 percent in males and 1.7 percent in females. Department of Health earlier reported that suicide rates in the country have risen in 20 years, from 1992 to 2012.

Stigma associated with mental health continues to plague the country, albeit mental health awareness is a topic which more people are becoming more interested in participating. Many organizations and individuals are sparking conversations on this topic in safe spaces and forms.

The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical are staging the first Philippine production of “Every Brilliant Thing,” a one-character play by Duncan Macmillan that tells the story of a child who writes a list of things in the world that makes life worth living—ice cream, water fights, staying up past bedtime, watching TV—every time their mother comes back from the hospital trying to commit suicide.

Told through the eyes of an individual who faces their mother’s depression, the story captures not only the struggles that people face in those situations but also shows the amazing capacity the human spirit has for finding happiness in the smallest of things.

“Every Brilliant Thing” hopes to stir conversation and educate audiences on mental health around the world through theater. It had been staged in locations across the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, and South Korea. It also had been filmed for an HBO documentary in 2016.

The Philippine debut of the play stars Teresa Herrera and will be directed by Jenny Jamora—veering from the traditional male lead character in a bid to show that the story’s message knows no

culture or gender.

“Mental health affects everyone at some point at some degree and we should take responsibility for our actions. We have to respect this story. It’s about life,” said Herrera.

The play features a unique format wherein the audience is included in the performance as the lead character breaks through the fourth wall and interacts with the viewers as the narrative plays out.

Also unique to this play are the postshow discussions wherein The Sandbox Collective invites several mental health experts to have a dialogue about the topic for the audience. This allows the theme of mental health to be further understood and explored in the space of openness, acceptance, and healing.

They will also be promoting support groups, suicide hotlines, mental health consultations, and various coping mechanisms to raise awareness with audiences.

“I want people to have an encounter, to find their way through this issue,” said Toff de Venecia, artistic director of the Sandbox Collective. “Suicide and mental health needs to be understood.”

AWARENESS AND EMPOWERMENT. The

Philippine debut of the onecharacter play 'Every Brilliant Thing,' a story that stirs conversation and educates audiences on mental health, stars Teresa Herrera and directed

by Jenny Jamora.

Every Brilliant Thing will premiere on Feb. 2 at the Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall, Maybank Performing Arts Theater, 26th Street cor. 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City.

Bringing out your empowered self

Dr. Lia Bernardo’s latest Experience Your Wholeness Retreat aims to help participants to let go of things that no longer serve them to unleash their “Empowered Self.”

The three-day workshop, on Feb. 8-10, conducted by the team of Dr. Bernardo, a psychoneurologist and integrative health expert, is happening at Anya Reort Tagaytay. Being held in a refreshing and conducive location, it will allow for reflection and assist participants to enumerate the things that no longer serve them in anyway, and those that do not have a place in the plans they have set.

According to Dr. Bernardo, EYW is a life-changing experience that is realized among a group of like-minded individuals. It is a meditative tool and process, which aims to make one fully responsible for their life choices and will heighten one’s awareness of negative belief systems that hinder actualizing highest possibilities.

As a result, she said this will help overcome the paralyzing fears and selflimitations that have long suppressed the creative expression of one's true self.

The retreat will likewise be a ground for forming new friendships and networking, as well as provide options, tools, and techniques to shift paradigms for extraordinary results. Dr. Bernardo said it may be then applied to the choices an individual makes as well as the growth of those around them.

Further, the principles taken out of EYW learnings can be applied to the fundamental principles of leadership, success and peak performance, as well as taking necessary steps towards achieving personal mastery.

Gifts for EYW retreat participants.

Call 0998-9767149 or email tina@liabernardo.com for inquiries and registration.

Anya Resort Tagaytay is a refreshing and conducive location suitable for reflection and meditation.

Pineapple fields surround the Tagaytay resort.

The comfy bed helps guests relax.

Life

C2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2016

St. Luke’s College of Medicine highlights vital role of medical education

I

N celebration of its 25th anniversary, St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial recently staged talks that highlighted the role of medical education in producing graduates who can help address the national and global health agenda and tackle challenges in healthcare.

“We are committed to the formation of doctors who are competent and ethical, academic and research-oriented, collaborative and patient-centered, socially engaged and compassionate,” said SLMCCM-WHQM president and dean Dr. Susan Pelea Nagtalon.

Dean Nagtalon spoke during the Lukan to the Future: Conversations that Matter, the kickoff activity of the medical school’s yearlong 25th foundation celebration.

Lukan to the Future featured a powerhouse lineup of speakers representing different sectors and perspectives.

In his keynote address, Professional Regulation Commission Commissioner Dr. Jose Cueto, Jr. underscored the vital role of the academe in promoting professionalism.

“The academe lays the foundation

Philippine Regulation Commission Commissioner Dr. Jose Cueto, Jr. and St. Luke's Medical Center College of MedicineWilliam H. Quasha Memorial dean Dr. Susan Peleo Nagtalon speaking during 'Lukan to the Future: Conversations that Matter.'

for the development of professionalism among students, residents, and medical practitioners through the teaching and assessment of professionalism. Academicians serve as role models during the earliest stages of clinical exposure of medical students,” he stated.

In her presentation on “The Academe and the National Health Agenda,” Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, chief of the Department of Health’s Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau Research Division, identified the five key stakeholders of Universal Health Care in the country:

Patients, Providers, Payers, Physicians, and Suppliers of medicines, devices, and diagnostic tests.

Dr. Ho said, “Education can equip these key stakeholders with ethical values and problem-solving skills that are crucial in achieving our national health agenda.”

“I believe that the majority of would-be physicians begin their journey with a sincere and simple dream to one day make a difference and be of service to mankind,” said Dr. Malaya Santos, SLMCCMWHQM associate dean for Student Affairs, in her talk on social accountability

in medical education.

Aligned with the World Health Organization framework, medical schools have the obligation to direct their education, research, and service activities toward addressing the priority health needs of the community, region, and nation.

The other speakers were Dr. Jeffrey So, chair of the SLMC Department of Pathology; Dr. Deborah David-Ona, vice president for medical Practice Group and assistant chief medical officer, SLMC Global City; Dr. Heidi Sampang-Abiad, country manager of Remote Access Medical Phil-

ippines; Dr. Jordan Badangayon; and Dr. Frederick Gomez, news anchor at CNN Philippines.

A panel of selected SLMCCM-WHQM students also held an engaging and insightful discussion on “Thriving (not just surviving) in Medical School.”

Founded in 1994 through the leadership of William H. Quasha, then chairman of the Board and president of St. Luke’s Medical Center, the SLMC College of Medicine has established itself as an excellent training ground for future physicians.

Since 2009, the college has maintained a consistent, outstanding performance of its graduates in the Physicians’ Licensure Examination. In 2016 and 2017, the PRC recognized SLMC College of Medicine as the number one top-performing medical school in the country.

The college is now focused on further enhancing the medical curriculum, promoting holistic student development, continuing faculty development, improving infrastructures and student services, and establishing international linkages with institutions of excellence.

Voters want candidates who will address plastic pollution

Specialty Lifestyle Concepts, Inc. employees join Rise Against Hunger Philippines in feeding children.

Global apparel brand donates meal packs to children OLD Navy Philippines recently concluded its month-long campaign with Rise Against Hunger Philippines and donated 1,800 Fortified Meal Packs for the international hunger relief organization’s feeding program.

Specialty Lifestyle Concepts, Inc., a subsidiary of Store Specialists Group, Inc. which exclusively distributes Old Navy in the Philippines, gathered its employees at Bonifacio High Street and packed Fortified Meals enough to feed 22,000 children.

The Rise Against Hunger meal packs are composed of rice, soy, dried vegetables or fruits, flavoring mix, and a vitamin and mineral sachet. Each meal pack contains a sachet of delectable flavoring mix such as chicken arroz caldo, beef congee, fish flakes, champorado (chocolate), and ginataan (coconut milk).

The savory meals contain dried vegetable mix of squash, alogbate or malabor spinach, camote or sweet potato tops, and or jute leaves. The ginataan pack contains dehydrated fruit mix of orange, sweet potato, banana, and mango. The vitamin and mineral

THE Philippine electorate are becoming more aware of the plastic pollution problem as a Social Weather Stations survey revealed 7 out of 10 Filipinos said they will support candidates who will ban establishments from using single-use plastic across the country.

The nationwide survey, undertaken on the third quarter of 2018, also showed that eight of 10 Filipinos will vote for a candidate who will advocate for the strict implementation of solid waste management laws.

In addition, it also revealed that eight of 10 survey responsdents support prohibiting groceries, public markets, fast food chains, and other similar establishments from using or providing nonbiodegradable plastic bags, with a net approval rating of “extremely strong.”

“The voters have spoken, and they want candidates who will address the issue of plastic pollution with true and lasting solutions,” said Abigail Aguilar, campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia-Philippines.

She added, “We are hearing a lot now on how politicians want to solve this crisis, but sadly, these are band aid solutions that are mostly done for show. Our voters are looking at the midterm elections to choose candidates who will present a vision and see that vision translated into action.”

The survey revealed a strong

clamor for regulating or banning single-use plastics and the proper and full implementation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law, which provides for solid waste reduction through proper waste segregation, recycling, composting, and other ecological methods before disposal in the appropriate facilities.

The survey also revealed that people are starting to look at the role of corporations perpetuating the plastic pollution crisis. While seven out of 10 still point to individuals as being responsible for reducing plastic pollution in the country, three of 10 Filipinos now believe that companies producing plastics should have greater responsibility.

“These findings show that plastic pollution has become an important issue for Filipinos. They expect their elected officials and those aspiring for public office to come up with genuine solutions to address the problem.

They are also waking up to the fact that while individual responsibility is important, the companies who are pushing the continued production of single-use and unrecyclable packaging for their products bear a greater responsibility for this crisis,” said Von Hernandez, coordinator of the global #breakfreefromplastic movement.

Old Navy employees packing Fortified Meal Packs which are enough to feed 22,000 children.

sachets inside the meal packs contain 23 essential vitamins and nutrients that children need such as calcium, B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, and iron.

Funds from the donation came from Old Navy customers who purchased

Fortified Meal Packs worth P100 at any of the brand’s stores. In return, customers enjoyed P100 off when they purchase any Old Navy item. Each Fortified Meal pack is enough to feed 12 to 15 children.

Promoting responsible pet ownership through food EQUILIBRIO, a premium brand of pet at the Summit Galleria Cebu in Cebu City. event showcased the brand’s compreGathering a total of 75 veterinarians, hensive suite of products packed with foods, recently unveiled its new line of products to pet owners and veterinarians business partners, and pet owners, the nutrients scientifically formulated to meet the needs of cats and dogs.

During the event, Equilibrio highlighted its commitment to advocating responsible pet ownership.

“As a pet food brand, we are not just about giving pet owners the essential nutrients that their cats and dogs need, but also about helping them become responsible fur-rents,” said Johanna Emata, marketing manager of Neovia Equilibrio launched its newest line of products to pet owners and veterinarians.

Philippines.

An SWS survey revealed Filipino voters will support 2019 midterm election candidates who will address the issue of plastic pollution with lasting solutions.

Entertainment

ABS-CBN’S iWant

jumpstarts the year with 11.3M subscribers

“S.P.A.R.K.” features the loveteam of Andrea Brillantes and Grae Fernandez

“The Gift” stars young actors Sharlene San Pedro and Nash Aguas

A

BS-CBN’s streaming service iWant is kicking off 2019 with 11.3 million Filipinos streaming its original shows and movies and its archive of Kapamilya programs, films, and live shows—the largest library of Filipino content on any streaming service in the country.

The new iWant recorded 60 million video views in December 2018 and has already gotten two million app downloads on both iOS and Android since it was launched in November last year.

This month, iWant releases more new original content, including the sexy romcom film Allergy in Love, which is written and directed by Joross Gamboa.

It features the story of Johnson (Pocholo Barretto), who gets an extreme and potentially fatal allergic reaction whenever he is exposed to physical intimacy, but finds himself falling in love with Ayama (Chienna Filomeno), who aims to help him cure his odd medical condition. iWant also goes edgy with its eroticdrama anthology series Hush, which features stories of different people going through their individual journeys to selfdiscovery, intimacy, and fulfillment of sexual fantasies.

Early this month, iWant released the action-suspense series High, about Miguel (Markus Paterson) who goes through an underground game in order to save his sister (Ria Atayde), who was kidnapped by a dark web syndicate.

iWant also brought back the teamup of Andrea Brillantes and Grae Fernandez in S.P.A.R.K., which tackles the blossoming love between two young teens.

Sharlene San Pedro and Nash Aguas also star in The Gift, which chronicles the story of a young man with Asperger’s syndrome who falls for a sheltered woman. The movie has been receiving positive feedback online for its lead stars’ performances and relatable story, and for promoting awareness on the developmental disorder.

Helmed by some of the country’s best and up-and-coming directors such as Gino Santos, JP Habac, Richard Somes, Noel Teehankee (Hush), Joross Gamboa (Allergy in Love), Dondon Santos (High), Carlo Artillaga (The Spark), and Onat Diaz (The Gift), the original series and films showcase relatable characters and stories that cater to Filipino sensibilities via iWant, which provides access to the most comprehensive Filipino content and multimedia entertainment experiences.

Meanwhile, more subscribers can get their iWant craving in the comfort of their

own homes as they can already connect the streaming service to their TVs via Chromecast and Apple Airplay. This year, iWant will also be made available on TV streaming devices such as Roku, Android TV boxes, and SKY set-top boxes.

New features will also be introduced to subscribers such as offline viewing and commenting on and chatting about their favorite content within the streaming service.

Mobile subscribers can also enjoy their favorite movies and shows on iWant whenever and wherever they are by subscribing to the telco providers’ respective promos.

Smart, TNT, and Sun subscribers can now stream iWant videos via Smart Gigasurf 99 with Video Every Day for only P99, which comes with 2 GB data for surfing and all apps and an additional 1 GB per day to watch up to one hour of videos every day, valid for seven days.

Globe mobile customers can enjoy video streaming of their favorite Kapamilya movies and TV shows on iWant for as low as P29 with GoWATCH. To register, just text GOWATCH29 to 8080 and get 2 GB or up to five hours of streaming for iWant and other video apps & sites valid for one day. iWant, which can also be accessed via web on iwant.ph, boasts a diverse library of free original movies and shows that have earned praises from Filipino users and continue to rack up views, including the much hyped film Glorious, teen-fantasy series Spirits Reawaken, the star-studded and feel-good anthology series Alamat ng Ano, gore-horror film Ma, lifestyle show Laureen on a Budget, and entertainment talk show I Know Right?! (IKR).

It also offers currently airing and old ABS-CBN shows, documentaries, and specials, 1,407 films and restored movie classics, fastcut versions of currently airing Kapamilya teleseryes, Asianovelas, thousands of songs, One Music’s live digital concerts, and the live streaming of Camp Star Hunt, iWant ASAP, DZMM TeleRadyo, ABS-CBN Channel 2, and ABS-CBN S+A. Filipinos, meanwhile, watched Catriona Gray’s quest for the Philippine’s fourth Miss Universe title on iWant, which provided free livestreaming on the ABS-CBN Live channel that recorded hundreds of thousands of views.

For updates, like www.facebook.com/ iWant, and follow @iwant on Twitter and @iwantofficial on Instagram, and subscribe to www.youtube.com/ iWantPH.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Brocka, Bernal and Philippine Cinema celebrated in huge centennial exhibition BROCKA, Bernal and the City, a special exhibition that features the interesting lives and impressive works of Philippine National Artists for Film Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, will honor the legacies of the iconic auteurs at the 12th Floor Gallery of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus.

Apart from creating some of the country’s finest films and commencing the remarkable cinematic journeys of the industry’s leading actors and actresses, both Brocka and Bernal were known as street parliamentarians during the dictatorship whose narratives encapsulated advocacies, battled political censorship, championed film workers’ rights, shared comprehensive g e n d e r depictions, and demonstrated the power of the artist in initiating social change.

The exhibition examines how the two creative geniuses used Manila as a milieu that greatly impacted on the lives of Filipinos.

It features a series of user-directed film showings where the viewers can freely choose which among the significant pieces are screened.

Brocka’s Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag (1975) and Bernal’s Manila

by Night (1980), which projected a critical reflection of the urban experience at that time, headline the selections.

Other masterpieces available on view are Brocka’s Insiang (1976), Jaguar (1979), and Bona (1980) and Bernal’s Ikaw ay Akin (1978), Relasyon (1982), Broken Marriage (1983), and Working Girls (1984).

Two separate spaces have been allocated for the works of Brocka and Bernal, while a third area is dedicated to recent Brocka- and Bernal-inspired movies such as Manila (2009), starred and co-produced by Piolo Pascual, and Anino (2000), directed by Raymond Red. Brocka, Bernal, and the City likewise

features recorded interviews from the individuals who have worked with the filmmakers on and off the camera, to include scriptwriter Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., and actors Bembol Roco, Cherie Gil, Gina Alajar, and Ronnie Lazaro.

Film scholar Ed Cabagnot, directors Nonon Padilla, Peque Gallaga, Mel Chionglo, and Jose Javier Reyes, who serves as the Chairperson of Benilde’s Digitial Filmmaking (DFilm) Program, will also impart their insights. Pascual and Red will share how the works of Brocka and Bernal motivated them as artists.

Contemporary artworks of the members of the Urban Sketchers of Manila that illustrate some Manila hotspots used by the two directors as shoot locations are displayed and are for sale during the run of the exhibition.

“Film is always relevant because it is a reflection of society, and Brocka and Bernal’s films showcase that,” Center for Campus Art (CCA) Director Architect Gerry Torres noted. “They were activists who voiced out what they saw were the ills of society at that time and what ills they were protesting against then are still around, some even became worse.”

Spearheaded by the CCA, Torres believes that this exhibition will focus on the future crop of Benildean filmmakers-artists who continued to fight their battles despite the dangers.

Brocka, Bernal and the City exhibition is part of the series of activities in line with the 30th anniversary celebration of Benilde, and is the College’s contribution to the commemoration of 2019 as the 100th year of Philippine cinema.

The exhibit is open to the public from Jan. 25 to April 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the 12th Floor Gallery of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo (Vito Cruz) Street, Malate, Manila.

Sunshine Dizon praises cast of upcoming series AS ONE of the stars of the upcoming GMA offering Inagaw na Bituin, Sunshine Dizon is confident that the show will be a success once it starts airing.

The actress said that the program will surely have a recall among viewers since the plot is in the league of classic musical dramas like Bituing Walang Ningning and Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas.

“It’s very ‘komiks’ type. Apart from that, the cast is highly competent which includes the likes of Angelika dela Cruz, Marvin Agustin, Angelu de Leon and Gabby Eigenmann. The two junior leads Kyline Alcantara and Therese Malvar are also

good,” she said.

“The line-up of performers is formidable and that’s what makes it interesting. Well, admittedly, the story is not new. We’ve seen stories of this kind before but there are exciting twists in here. Like viewers will hear me sing.

Ha-ha-ha! You’ve heard it right. We’ll use our true voices and might perform original compositions in the soap,” she added.

Considering the cast and the story, it can very well be fielded in the prime time slot. But for Sunshine, she believes that it doesn’t matter if it’s in prime time or in the afternoon slot since it has been the trend of late that afternoon shows are as grand as those airing on prime time.

It can be remembered that she top-billed the GMA afternoon soap Ika-6 Na Utos, which aired for more than a year because of its consistently high ratings. With Inagaw na

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, January 22, 2019

ACROSS 1 Confirm 5 Ring-shaped island 10 Landed 14 One-liner 15 TV and radio 16 Diva — Ponselle 17 A Baldwin 18 Jaywalker 20 Overhauled 22 Half a score 23 Tugs hard 24 Spud 26 Be nosy 27 Zero degrees latitude 30 Morning crower 34 Gunnysack material 35 Unloads 36 Cutting tool 37 Mail pouches 38 Dolphins’ city 40 1971 moonwalker — Shepard 41 Compass dir.

42 Hogwash 43 Open 45 Gross out 47 Adds up to 48 Giants’ slugger Mel — 49 Investment 50 Work long and

hard 53 Computer key 54 Iffy attempts 58 Coverage 61 Mideast power 62 Rattan stalk 63 Hold forth 64 Columbus’ smallest ship 65 Church alcove 66 Slow to learn 67 Sudden, short intake of breath DOWN 1 Open a bit 2 Mouse cousin 3 Made do with 4 Piano performances 5 Fuse word 6 Seesaw 7 More peculiar 8 Bank holding 9 Sixth notes 10 Decks out 11 Cut of meat 12 Ms. Dinesen 13 Catches some rays 19 Greenhorns 21 Disk contents 25 Highest 26 Lecterns 27 Waned 28 Seeming 29 Argues for

30 Brink 31 Claw 32 Praise 33 Sublets 35 Cheer from the bleachers 39 Adherent 40 Sharing a border 42 Flat-topped hill 44 Negative responses 46 Pointy beard 47 Cravat cousins 49 From Japan

50 Pet-adoption org.

51 Prepare presents 52 Time beyond measure 53 Raison d’ — 55 Opera solo 56 Forbids 57 Cold spell 59 — liver oil 60 Once called

Bituin, does she feel it would surpass or at least equal her previous show?

“I don’t like to put myself under pressure.

All I can say is that we have a good material. I think that’s a good start.”

Apart from acting, the award-winning actress recently ventured into film production through Sangre Productions, the outfit she put up along with fellow Encantadia stars Iza Calzado, Karylle and Diana Zubiri. *** Angel Locsin believes that her latest project The General’s Daughter came at the perfect time.

“Maybe if this was offered to me two or three years ago, I wouldn’t be able to do it. I felt I couldn’t. In fact, I already submitted my resignation letter then to the management of ABS-CBN because of the fact that I couldn’t

do Darna anymore due to my spinal problem.

I felt I didn’t want to be part of the business anymore during those times,” she said in a recent interview.

Angel further said that she felt she didn’t deserve the very nice treatment her mother studio was giving her because she couldn’t do her job as a talent. She also felt she was like a huge disappointment.

“I’m paid but it appears I’m short-changing them. I thought resigning or retiring from the business was the most practical way to treat the problem. I was just thinking of attending to the farm I bought in Bulacan,” she mused.

It’s good her top bosses convinced her to still give it one more chance.

“I’m thankful I listened to their advice.

Then, their business units started pitching in projects to me. I realized at that point that if I’ll

Sunshine Dizon resign, these are the type of people I’ll miss--supportive and caring individuals,” she ended.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

Donny charms the cast and director of ‘Mary Poppins Returns’

MARTIN

DEL ROSARIO

is a ‘pretty’ good actor I

N BORN Beautiful, the sequel to the criticallyacclaimed comedy drama that stars Paolo Ballesteros, Martin del Rosario brings a scripted character to life by going through a transformation that even some actors wouldn’t dare to go though.

Donny and Hannah Pangilinan at the Mary Poppins Returns's junket and world premiere in Los Angeles

AT THE world premiere of Mary Poppins Returns in Los Angeles, Donny Pangilinan alongside his mom, Maricel, and sister and vlogger, Hannah, met the cast and director of the film.

“It was surreal walking the red carpet and witnessing everything. Still can’t believe I was able to interview the people behind this wonderful film,” Donny shared.

Donny was able to meet and interview Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Jack), Ben Whishaw (Michael Banks), Emily Mortimer (Jane Banks), and director Rob Marshall during the trip.

Complimenting Donny were Blunt and Marshall themselves. He was wearing a Mickey Mouse sweater, which Blunt took as a sign that he’s a big Disney fan. “I knew it from the sweater!” she gushes.

Meanwhile, Marshall praises Donny about his interview saying, “You’re so good. You know why you’re so good?

Because you listen. A lot of people have questions already planned, but you listen to what I’m saying and go with it. That’s a rare quality.”

In his vlog, Donny said, “That moment really touched my heart. It meant a lot coming from a director who made so many amazing films… I was so nervous, I didn’t know if what I was saying made sense. I tried my best to be calm and to stay in the moment.”

Watch Donny’s interview with the cast on his vlog and their family’s red carpet experience on Hannah’s YouTube channel.

Mary Poppins Returns is still showing in Philippine cinemas. To join the conversations online, use #MaryPoppinsReturns.

The film made him wax his chests, legs, arms and back because he admitted, “I’m really hairy.” He wanted to portray the character as truthful as possible.

The preparations went beyond the usual acting workshops and required a complete physical transformation. He also had to walk on stilettos and undergo a catwalk training with model Wilma Doesnt as his mentor.

“I had to go on a strict diet to shed pounds so I would look good on female clothing. I avoided working out to soften my muscles. But the hardest part was the hair waxing experience. I didn’t want to cry but I couldn’t help it,” Martin shared with Manila Standard in an interview.

“I had to psyche myself prior to actually getting into the character. It’s the most challenging at the same time fulfilling project I’ve ever done. It’s so hard. Barbs, the name of my character, is very complex. I really had to study the character. So, when we’re done filming, I felt so glad that we were able to create an interesting character,” the GMA Artist Center star added.

Martin breathes life to the well-loved character of Barbs, a transgender who sets out on her own adventures following the death of her best friend, Trisha, played by Ballesteros in the prequel.

“I feel pressured, but at the same time, honored that I was chosen to play the role. Of course, people will be expecting a lot from the sequel and from me as the new Barbs, but every actor has his own interpretation when in comes to essaying a character. What I can assure the audience is that we did our best,” he asserted.

On what fans can expect from the highly-anticipated movie, “The twist of the story, the continuation of Barbs’ life from Die Beautiful to Born Beautiful, the character’s dilemma and the crazy turns in her life. If there’s one takeaway they can get, it’s the message that love knows no gender and that we all have the right to be happy,” said Martin.

feat in cinema: it became a favorite of both audiences and critics here and abroad —making it one of very few movies that ever managed to win international awards and become a blockbuster hit at the same time (the top-grosser of that year’s Metro Manila Film Festival).

Now, after three years, its spin-off film, Born Beautiful, will be shown in cinemas nationwide starting tomorrow (Jan. 23).

“If there’s a Marvel Universe, why can’t there be a Beautiful Universe?” quips Born Beautiful director Perci Intalan.

“There are so many fascinating a n d

GMA Artist Center talent Martin del Rosario opens up about the emotional and physical challenges he encountered in portraying a transgender character in the film "Born Beautiful."

heartwarming stories based on the transgender experience and Die Beautiful has proven that these stories are universal, you don’t have to be a member of LGBTQ to appreciate it and be moved by it.”

Born Beautiful follows the story of Trisha’s (Paolo Ballesteros) best friend, Barbs Cordero (Martin del Rosario). After Trisha’s sudden death, Barbs tries to go on with her life as a mortuary beautician at Happy Ending Funeral Homes. When another friend dies, Barbs tries to start a new life as a straight man named Bobby.

And this triggers a chain of events that leads her to the arms of Trisha’s exboyfriend Michaelangelo, her own exboyfriend Greg and a woman that barges into her life to turn it upside down again.

There’s already a lot of buzz around Born Beautiful, not only because of it’s eye-catching posters with Martin del Rosario looking gorgeous as Barbs, there’s also the trailer that features Barbs passionately kissing not one but two men.

“Martin and the cast are just fearless,” adds Intalan. “They became so immersed in their roles and they bonded well behind the scenes so

Barbs and Greg kiss in a canteen in one of the scenes of the anticipated movie.

A must-see movie

In 2016, Die Beautiful managed a rare Martin breathes life to the well-loved character of Barbs, a transgender who sets out on her own adventures following the death of her best friend.

Barbs and Michael share an intimate moment

Oscars: the show must go on...without a host HOLLYWOOD’S biggest night—the Oscars—is set to take place next month without a host for the first time in 30 years, after comedian Kevin Hart pulled out of the gig and no suitable replacement was found.

Though organizers have yet to confirm the plans, entertainment insiders say the show’s producers are forging ahead with preparations for the 91st Academy Awards on Feb. 24 with no emcee.

If all goes ahead, it would be the first ceremony without a host since the 1989 gala—one widely seen as one of the most embarrassing ever, featuring an infamous duet between actor Rob Lowe and... Snow White.

As gala organizers struggle to overcome a steady decline in

there was no hesitation in doing kissing scenes or even love scenes. The moment Martin dresses like Barbs, Martin becomes Barbs. And all the other cast responded to that. All the characters came to life.”

Apart from Martin del Rosario, in the cast are Lou Veloso, Chai Fonacier, Kiko Matos, Akihiro Blanco, Elora Españo, Joey Paras, Jojit Lorenzo, Gio Gahol, VJ Mendoza with the special participation of Die Beautiful star, Paolo Ballesteros.

The film was rated R-18 by the MTRCB and that is making viewers even more curious to see it. Intalan explains, “We knew the film is best appreciated by a mature audience so we were applying for an R-16 rating from the start. But the MTRCB felt it needed a higher rating.

We were even asked to cut some scenes and bleep out some lines to get that R-18. And that was surprising because most of the scenes were actually comical situations.”

Born Beautiful is written by Die Beautiful creator Jun Robles Lana and screenwriter Rody Vera with Elmer Gatchalian, Ivan Andrew Payawal and Fatrick Tabada. The film was produced

by Cignal Entertainment, Octobertrain Films and The IdeaFirst Company.

Oscars night is Hollywood's biggest night—this year, it looks like it will go forward without a host for the star-studded gala

viewership, many say the failure to find a host is actually good news.

“It’s a blessing in disguise,” Tim Gray, awards editor at entertainment magazine Variety, told AFP. “People have been saying for years that the format—the same since 1953 —needs to change and they’re trying to cut down on running time. So personally, I think it’s a great idea not to have a host.”

Hart, who is currently starring opposite Bryan Cranston in The Upside, was named to host the Oscars in early December. But the backlash was swift—homophobic tweets he made several years ago reemerged, prompting an outcry on social media, and he withdrew just a few days later.

AFP

GMA Network all set for senatorial debate TO EMPOWER Filipino voters in the 2019 Midterm Elections, GMA News and Public Affairs mounts Debate 2019: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off. Leading senatorial hopefuls will face one another to discuss their positions on various national issues and crucial government policies. The debate will also test their knowledge on key issues affecting Filipinos.

Debate 2019: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off aims to aid our citizens in making an informed choice in the coming elections as it will be an opportunity for the viewers and voters to get to know the senatorial aspirants better, learn about their platforms of government, and hear their answers to the most pressing issues of today.

Debate 2019: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off airs on Feb. 9.