Manila Standard - 2018 September 1 - Saturday

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LADON LONE PINOY BOXER TO Rank Country

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60 70 62 40 20 26 22 29 13 7 40 44 17 13 3 18 10 12 15

China Japan Republic of Korea Indonesia IR Iran Chinese Taipei Uzbekistan India DPR Korea Bahrain Kazakhstan Thailand Hong Kong, China Malaysia Qatar Vietnam Mongolia Singapore Philippines

257 186 159 93 58 59 56 64 34 25 62 68 40 31 12 37 21 20 20

FIGHT FOR GOLD

LAST MAN STANDING.

Flyweight Rogen Ladon exults as the referee raises his hand following his victory over Tongdee Yuttapong in their Asian Games semifinal bout on Friday. AFP

By Riera U. Mallari

PNP releases facial image of bomb suspect

JAKARTA— Fighting with a one-inch cut on his right eyebrow and a wound in the bridge of his nose, Filipino Rogen Ladon dominated his Thai foe Tongdee Yuttapong in their flyweight semifinal bout on Friday and scored a unanimous 5-0 win in the 2018 Asian Games at the Jakarta International Expo here. Next page

26 farmers groups oppose rice import VOL. XXXII • NO. 198 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Philippine National Police released on Friday a computer-generated facial composite of the “person of interest” in the recent bombing in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat. Police said the composite image was put together using descriptions from two to three witnesses. Based on the image, the suspect is from 20 to 25 years old, around 5-foot Next page

MMDA new move vs illegal parking NEWS A6

Duterte: Corruption stalls PH growth

‘‘ NEWS A3

But what I’ve heard is that there are calls for [the Marcos family to issue] an apology tantamount to an admission, which we would never do. — Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos at the weekly Nanka Media Forum on Friday.

Neda: Phase in federalism over 15 yrs

By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

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THE shift to a federal system of government must be carried out in five phases spanning 15 years so as not to disrupt the economy’s growth momentum, the National Economic and Development Authority said Friday. In a statement, Neda said the first year of the first phase of the transition “should be devoted to a spatial analysis of federated regions and their socioeconomic profiles, an accounting of government workforce and functions, and the mapping of existing laws, regulations, and policies.” “This can be accompanied by an extensive review and amendment of provisions of the 1987 Constitution that have limited the country’s opportunities to achieve inclusive growth and development,” the agency added. Meanwhile, the cost of shifting to a federal system of government will amount

to only P13.29 billion, the members of the presidential Consultative Committee on the Constitution said Friday. Their estimate contrasts with the Neda’s estimate of P131 billion to P253 billion. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies, meanwhile, said the shift would set the government back by P44 billion to P72 billion. Also, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said there is a need to instill a culture of planning in formulating and implementing the Philippines’ economic and development policies. Gatchalian, head of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, said the Neda had crafted good socio-economic development plans over the past years, and yet most of the plans were used only as reference instead of being implemented. “We have good long-term plans, but they are just only being cited. How are we going to make planning a part of our culture?” Gatchalian said. Next page

Palace downplays Rody’s rape joke By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s remark linking women’s beauty to the streak of rape cases in the country, especially in Davao City, must not be taken seriously, Malacañang said Friday. “I don’t think we should give too much weight to what the President says by way of a joke,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told reporters. In other developments: • Duterte’s statement that the Philippines is better off with leaders like the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos than Vice President Leni

Robredo was just the President’s personal belief, Roque said Friday. “That’s just the personal belief of the President that almost everyone is better than the vice president,” Roque said. He said Duterte’s remark was just his personal assessment. • Duterte on Thursday rejected Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison’s claim that he is suffering from a chronic kidney disease. “Dying? Kidney? My arm looks really good. Here, see! Do you see any injection marks?” Duterte said. Next page

ARMERS groups say that importation is not the solution to rice supply problems, nor will it address the long-term food security concerns of the country.

In a position paper on the government’s move to liberalize rice imports under its socalled tariffication program, the Federation of Free Farmers and 25 other groups said the removal of quantitative restrictions should be handled carefully. “We strongly advise that the removal of the QRs on rice imports should be handled carefully and prudently given the current uncompetitiveness of a large numbers of rice farmers against cheaper imports and the dangers of relying excessively on imports for the food security of the country,” the farmers said. The farmers said the continued protection of the rice industry is imperative as the government conducts competitiveness-enhancing measures. “Preserve as many policy tools and options as possible, and introduce effective safety nets to protect local farmers,” they urged the government. “Introduce innovative and more effective programs for rice farmers, and provide the sustained budgetary support for such programs,” they added. They also said the bound tariff rate should be set at the maximum possible allowed by the General Agreement on Tariffs and TradeUruguay Round (GATT-UR) regulations— in support of the 180 percent rate proposed by the House version of the tariffication bill. Next page

Gloria favors, retailers buck NFA abolition By Maricel V. Cruz, Nat Mariano and Rio N. Araja SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday said she supports the eventual abolition of the National Food Authority. The Arroyo-led House earlier passed on final reading a tariffication bill that would end the NFA’s monopoly on rice imports by removing quantitative restrictions such as import quotas or prohibitions imposed on agricultural products and replacing these with tariffs. “They have to import and when we tariffy importation, maybe NFA can be abolished because then it will be liberalized so it’s something that can be debated on,” she told reporters at the sidelines of a visit to an Aeta community in Pampanga. “It can stay, it can go. To me, I’m neither here nor there about the situation but right now the most important thing is we should be able to import rice and make it arrive before October,” she said. She said she would check on the status of a counterpart bill in the Senate. Next page

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DoJ to Palace: Cancel Nayon pact By Rey E. Requejo and Nat Mariano

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HE Justice department has recommended to Malacañang the cancellation of the lease contract entered into by Nayong Pilipino Foundation Inc. with the Hong Kong-based Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp. for the construction of a gaming complex on its property along Manila Bay in Parañaque City. The Palace said the contract would “That is definitely for cancellation bedefinitely be canceled following the cause [Justice] Secretary [Menardo] Guefoundation’s advertisement insisting on varra has already supported the opinthe legality of the contract. ion of the President that the contract is

Gloria... From A1

Calls for the abolition of the NFA have mounted in after the sharp rise in the price of rice. Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos also supported the abolition of the NFA. At the Nanka media forum, Marcos hit the NFA for its failure to meet its mandate and to address the escalating prices of rice. “Perhaps, it is [high] time to abolish the NFA. It was created by father, but I am telling you this, the NFA has defeated its purpose,” she said. Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Sherwin Gatcahalian batted for the NFA’s abolition for its failure to address the rice crisis in Zamboanga City. But farmers groups said the NFA should be retained to ensure that buffer stocks of rice are available in times of need. The groups also emphasized the need for the NFA to continue licensing rice importers to prevent disorderly manipulation of stocks and pave the way for easy rice trade liberalization. “We support calls for reforms within the NFA to obviate reported anomalies... However, the purported corruption within the agency should not be used as an excuse to dismantle the agency, which exercises a very vital role in the food security of the country,” they said in a position paper on tariffication. The stakeholders include the Federation of Free Farmers, the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (Pakisama), and 24 other groups. The farmers said the agency could procure from farmers at competitive prices by periodically conducting auctions to replenish its buffer stocks. It can also develop services that will plug gaps in the value chain.

Neda:... From A1

“The whole point of planning is really to implement it down the road.” Con-Com member Edmund Tayao presented the breakdown of the group’s P13.29-billion figure on Friday. The committee assumed that there would be 12 additional senators, 108 new members of the House of Representatives, 450 new regional assemblymen, 18 federated regions (without the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region), and one intergovernmental commission. Tayao noted the amount does not factor in the cost of creating three new high courts and the additional 33 justices as provided in the Con-Com’s draft charter. The large discrepancy between the Con-Com estimate and Neda and PIDS estimates is due to a difference in assumptions, the political science professor said. “Wrong assumptions were made when the budget was made by DoF (Department of Finance) and Neda. They never came to Con-Com to ask about the details of the [draft] constitution,” he said. The second phase of Neda’s proposal—five years of laying the foundations of federalism—should prepare the regions and rationalize government structures and functions, including an extensive review and amendment, as necessary, of the Local Government Code and the Administrative Code. The agency said the second phase “is a time for adopting a transitional charter and the establishment of a federal transition commission.”

Ladon... From A1

The victory left Ladon as the lone Pinoy boxer with a chance to fight for a gold medal on Saturday, as compatriots Eumir Felix Marcial and Carlo Paalam both suffered split-decision defeats and settled for bronze medals. Marcial fell to Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov in their middleweight semifinal, and Paalam kissed his chances of advancing to the battle for gold goodbye after a similarly close 2-3 setback to Amit of India.

flawed,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque told reporters on Friday. “The only difference is, as stated by Secretary Guevarra, the said contract is void from the very beginning.” Roque said Guevarra had concluded that NPFI’s lease contract with LRPDC had no legal effect because it was void from the beginning. “According to the secretary of Justice, the contract of Landing with Nayong Pilipino is a build-operate-transfer contract disguised as a lease contract,” Roque said. Because it is a build-operate-transfer

project, it should have complied with the BOT law including public bidding, he said. “This of course rebuts the public advertisement paid for by the former officials of the Nayong Pilipino. Again, I reiterate the DoJ has joined the President in concluding the contract is void ab initio,” Roque said. Justice department had rejected the claim of the sacked NFP board of trustees head Patricia Yvette Ocampo that public bidding was not required for the deal. Duterte earlier ordered the department to review the contract, which he said was “flawed.”

Du30 stands by word that Naga is shabu hotbed PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says he is standing by his earlier statement that Naga City, the hometown of Vice President Leni Robredo, is a “hotbed of shabu.” “I stand by my word that Naga is the hotbed of shabu. It was her brother-inlaw who brought drugs to Bicol. That’s true,” Duterte said in his speech during the 49th Charter Day celebration at Mandaue City in Cebu. In other developments: • The camp of Vice President Robredo on Friday hit back at Duterte for his repeated accusation that Naga City is a hotbed of shabu.

Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesman, said the President must look into the entry of shabu worth P6.8 billion through the Port of Manila, arrest supposed drug lord Peter Lim and recall his decision to bring with him police generals in his trip to Israel instead of telling over and over lies about Naga City. “Lies repeated over and over again are still lies. Instead of accusing [and accusing] without any basis, if he is that serious against drugs, he should have investigated the entry of P6.8 billion worth of shabu, arrested Peter Lim and allowed the police generals to work instead of giving

taking them to a travel junket to Israel,” Gutierrez’s Twitter message read. • Attacking Robredo is another attempt to divert the public’s attention from the tons of missing smuggled shabu and missing NFA rice from the market, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Friday. Duterte was referring to Butch Robredo, brother of the late Interior secretary Jesse Robredo. It was former Naga City councilor Luis Ortega who first claimed that the Vice President’s brother-in-law was involved in the drug trade. PNA, with Rio N. Araja

Navy flagship runs aground, still functional MILITARY authorities have given assurances the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, one of the Philippine Navy’s largest warships, is still operational despite minimal damage when it ran aground near Hasa-hasa Shoal in Palawan Wednesday night. The impact did not cause any heavy damage to the ship’s hull, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said Friday. “Damage to the hull is very minimal,” Detoyato said, adding the starboard or right propeller sustained damage due to the grounding. But he maintained the port or left propeller and engines remained intact. Detoyato said two tugboats from Batangas had been deployed to aid in the recovery of the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, which had 117 Navy personnel on board, with one leaving Thursday afternoon and another later on Friday. These small craft are expected to reach the grounded frigate in two days and will be used in removing it. The grounding site is being secured by other naval assets in the area, military sources said. The ship is one of three Hamiltonclass cutters acquired by the PN from the United States Coast Guard and converted into frigates. PNA with Francisco Tuyay

pNp... From A1

TOPNOTCH HEALTHCARE. House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (center)graces the blessing of the newly renovated Annex Building of the Romana Pangan District Hospital in Floridablanca, Pampanga funded by the European Union. The new building houses the Emergency Room, Out Patient Department, Dental, X-Ray, Laboratory, OB-Surgical Ward and Patient Rooms and will provide health services to the residents of Floridablanca and nearly towns. The hospital was named after the paternal grandmother of Speaker Arroyo, Romana Pangan, mother of the late President Diosdado Macapagal.

They argued that a high bound rate allows the government to adjust actual or applied tariff rates depending on market conditions. On the other hand, if the bound rate is set to a very low level, the government cannot impose a tariff higher than 40 percent even if the situation warrants it. In this connection, they urged the government review its commitment to a 35-percent special tariff for Thailand and Vietnam, two major rice producers. The position paper represented the views of the FFF, the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka, Pambansang Katipuan ng Samahan sa Kanayunan, Pambasang Katipunan ng Samahan sa Kanayunan, the Kaisahan ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, and others. The Palace on Friday said the National Food Authority Council has authorized private traders to import rice beyond the minimum access volume to bring rice prices down. He said the Palace has asked the cooperation of the NFA, headed by Jason Aquino, on the NFA Council’s move to stabilize rice prices. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said it would be better if the private sector did the rice importation because this would be “faster” and would “avoid corruption.” He added that this was the direction the administration was headed anyway, with the rice tariffication bill. Roque said the Senate is also expected to pass the bill, which he said would reduce rice smuggling. “If the importation for every trader is legalized, the incentive to smuggle

would disappear,” he said. At present, Roque said NFA remains under the supervision of the Office of the Executive Secretary. It is up to President Rodrigo Duterte if NFA would be brought back to the supervision of the Department of Agriculture, he added. Also on Friday, Senator Francis Escudero asked the Justice Department and the National Bureau of Investigation to look into possible economic sabotage, given the rice shortages being felt in some parts of the country. The government, he said, must protect the agriculture sector, especially the farmers from traders and importers, who by their illegal importation of agriculture products, especially rice, significantly affect the production, availability of supply and stability of prices, and the food security of the state, Escudero said. He also lambasted the “undeniable undervaluation” in most import documents for rice, which clearly violates Republic Act No. 10845 or the AntiAgricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. Selling undervalued imports at a higher price was not only illegal, it is “downright avaricious and immoral,” Escudero said. Furthermore, he asked the Department of Trade and Industry to put a cap on the price of rice, as importers and traders are already taking advantage of the rice shortage in some parts of the country. The Zamboanga City government was forced to declare the city under a state of calamity due to a rice shortage that has pushed prices for the grain up to P70 per kilo. However, last week, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the crisis was “officially over” after the supply

stabilized due to the arrival of fresh stocks from the National Food Authority and other nearby provinces where harvest has already started. Senator Nancy Binay urged Malacañang to review the government’s palay buying policy from local farmers as farm-gate prices of unmilled rice continue to rise. By practice, she said the NFA is supposed to buy palay from local farmers and producers. But with farm gate prices at P23 per kilo average, the NFA can’t move because they are only allowed to buy at between P17 and P20 per kilo. In April, NFA asked the NFA Council that they be allowed to buy palay at P25 per kilo but Malacañang gave them a ceiling of P20. The senator said Malacañang should now intervene and push the NFA Council to be sensitive enough in helping local farmers while striking a balance between importing rice and buying locally. Senator Cynthia Villar also urged the DTI to recommend to the President a ceiling on the price of rice. The NFA’s Aquino has ordered the creation of a technical working group of department managers to coordinate with other government enforcement agencies in their anti-smuggling operations. Aquino cited the President’s call during his last State of the Nation Address to resolve the artificial rice shortage caused by hoarders and their protectors. Aquino said the group will coordinate closely with different intelligence and enforcement agencies like the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Ports Authority, the Philippine National Police, NBI and the Philippine Competition Commission. With PNA

The boxers earned the Philippines’ 14th and 15th bronzes here, while Ladon is now assured of at least a silver medal. Ladon’s left straights proved effective against Yuttapong as the Filipino Southeast Asian Games silver medalist in 2015 dictated the tone of the bout. “We confused the Thai by changing Rogen’s style in the first round,” said men’s boxing head coach Ronald Chavez. “The instruction was to tease the opponent with his right and deliver the left straight. In the first round alone, we knew Rogen had the Thai under control.” A headbutt in the second round that

opened a deep gash in his right eyebrow didn’t stop Ladon from scoring with his straights and combinations. “We went in at the same time and of course he’s shorter, so he hit me with his head,” Ladon told Agence France Presse, his face swathed in butterfly plaster stitches. He said it wouldn’t affect him with just a 24-hour turnaround until the final. “I’ll manage, it’s the last hurdle.” Knowing that he was ahead on points, the Rio Olympian then danced in and out of Yuttapong’s comfort zone, while sneaking in a couple of lefties to the

face of his overmatched foe. “I just followed my coaches’ instructions—to make full use of my straights,” said Ladon, the 24-year-old Villadolid, Negros Occidental native, who could be on track for the biggest win of his career. “In the first round, I tried to get the feel of his [Thai] strategy and come the second round, my jab-straights found their marks.” Standing in his way is a fellow southpaw, Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Latipov, who made it to the gold medal round after a 4-1 win over Kyrgyzstan’s Azat Usenaliev in the other semifinal. With AFP

26... From A1

6 inches to 5-foot 7 inches in height, has a medium build, likely weighs around 55 to 60 kilograms, and has fair complexion. PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the suspect could be identified by a fruit vendor from whom the suspect bought fruits before the incident. The suspect was later known to have placed a bag and shoved it under a motorcycle of a Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit member before the explosion, which killed three and wounded 30 others. Police are also looking into other “persons of interest” who may be involved in the bombing. Meanwhile, the Palace said Friday that talk about extending martial law in Mindanao is premature, despite the recent bomb attacks in Basilan and Sultan Kudarat. At a press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said there were still three months before martial law expires at the end of the year, and that President Rodrigo Duterte would heed the advice of the military. “Let’s assess [the situation] first... I am not in a position to substitute my decision for that of the men on the ground,” he said. Roque, however, thanked House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya for expressing the readiness of Congress to support an extension, if the President seeks it. “We thank Congress for their cooperation but as I said, the decision whether or not to extend [martial law] will be pursuant to a recommendation to be made by our security forces,” shared Roque. With PNA

palace... From A1

“Sison even pointed out my dark skin, which was caused by going around so many places. But I’m not the one who’s dying.” • Duterte on Thursday vowed to help uncover the sexual abuses by priests in the Philippines amid allegations of a Catholic Church coverup on such crimes in the United States. Speaking during the 49th charter day celebration of Mandaue City, Duterte said there was a “worldwide condemnation” of child sexual abuse by priests with Pope Francis now at the “center of the turmoil.” “Everybody is trying to seek an opening for everyone to see. And I will be glad to do it here in the Philippines,” Duterte said. Roque said Duterte does not justify the raping of women just because of their beauty. He said the President, in fact, had appointed several women to the highest seats in the government. “From what I have seen myself, although I’m from Luzon, people in the South particularly in Cebu and the Visayas, they don’t really take things as seriously as people in Luzon,” he said. “Let’s just say that perhaps the standard of what is offensive and what is not offensive is more liberal in the South. In his speech in Mandaue City on Thurday, Duterte said in jest that his hometown, Davao City, had a high number of reported rape cases due to its beautiful women.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Corruption preventing PH economic progress—Du30 P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has lamented how the Philippines would take longer to reach the economic progress achieved by its neighboring countries due to massive corruption within government. POWER FACILITIES. Meralco continues to upgrade its electric

distribution facilities. In photo are Meralco Network crews replacing an electric distribution pole along Paso De Blas Road, Barangay Paso De Blas, Valenzuela City as part of its regular maintenance activities. This is part of what Meralco calls its thrust to ensure safe, adequate and reliable electric service to its customers. For updates on maintenance schedules, follow the Meralco Facebook and Twitter pages or call the Meralco 24/7 hotline 16211.

Filipinos in Malaysia told: Always bring legal docus By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday advised Filipinos in Malaysia to always bring with them their legal documents after the Malaysian authorities warned of a possible crackdown on illegal migrants in that country, where 400,000 Filipinos live illegally. In a statement, the DFA said Malaysian amnesty program for illegal immigrants which started in 2016 ended Aug. 30. Many Filipinos are illegally working in Malaysia and those without immigration permits will be deported, the DFA warned. The DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Malaysia had extended assistance to more than 5,000 Filipinos who have no legal papers or have been staying and working illegally in that country. In January 2016, Malaysia urged illegal immigrants to avail themselves of the two year amnesty but only about 5 percent of the estimated 400,000 undocumented Filipinos in Malaysia did. “We are reminding our countrymen in Malaysia, particularly those without legal immigration status, that the amnesty program ends August 30,” Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose said in the statement. Jose advised Filipinos who comply with Malaysian immigration requirements “to exercise due prudence and to ensure they carry their legal documents at all times.” The Philippine Embassy “is ready to provide assistance to Filipinos, who may be affected by the intensified immigration operations,” Jose said. Thousands of Filipinos illegally entered Malaysia through Borneo which is just several miles away from the Sulu archipelago.

Groups praise Puyat for Boracay’s no-smoke shield By Joel E Zurbano and Vito Barcelo VARIOUS health and environmentalist groups on Friday praised Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat for taking a bold step to protect Boracay Island by prohibiting smoking in public places. “We laud Secretary Puyat for her recent pronouncement that the island of Boracay will now be smokefree. She is the only Secretary that has the audacity to implement this policy and this only goes to show that she is a true servant of the Filipino people,” said Roberto Del Rosario, president of the Action on Smoking and Health Philippines. He added, “Aside from protecting the environment, we believe such initiative will also ensure that tourists—especially children—are protected from the ill effects of smoking and second-hand smoke. Likewise, we are one with Puyat’s vision of having sustainable tourism for the country.” Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines executive director Maricar Limpin reminded local government units to strictly implement the provisions of Executive Order 26 or the nationwide smoking ban. President Rodrigo Duterte signed EO 26 on May 16, 2017. The directive enjoins the members of the Philippine National Police, with the Smoke-Free Task

Force under the city and municipal governments, to strictly carry out the provisions of EO 26 including the apprehension of violators and the institution of criminal proceedings for violations. E.O. 26 is a reinforcement of Republic Act 9211, also known as Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, which prohibits smoking in certain public places and the purchase and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to and by minors, and in certain places frequented by minors. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways is rushing the completion of roads and other infrastructures in Boracay resort for its opening on Oct. 26, 2018. Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said construction workers were on two-shift work system to finish the roads leading to the main island’s tourist area. The government is expecting a better and more sustainable Boracay that will welcome back visitors as well as bigger market following the island’s full recovery. In 2017, foreign tourist arrivals reached 6,620,908 total and in the first half of 2018, 3,706 million international arrivals were recorded, promising a positive run towards the 7.4-million goal by the end of the year. With the reopening of Boracay, the country is looking forward to bringing in new markets as well as sustaining the growth of its key markets—South Korea, China and the United States.

Yearly incentive okayed By Maricel V. Cruz WITH an overwhelming 203 votes, the House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill raising the yearly service incentive leave of employees from five to 10 days, to boost the workers’ morale, wellness, and productivity. House Bill 6770, with Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting as one of the bill’s authors, proposes to amend Article 95 of Presidential Decree 442, as amended, or the Labor Code of the Philippines. The proposed amendment provides that every employee who has rendered at least one year of service shall be entitled to a yearly service incentive leave of 10 days. The provision shall not apply to those who are already enjoying such benefit, those enjoying vacation leave with pay of at least 10 days, and those in establishments regularly employing less than 10 employees or in establishments exempted from granting this benefit by the Secretary of Labor and Employment after considering the viability or condition of such establishment. Tambunting said paid leaves was beneficial to the employees and economically advantageous to the employers.

“If we cannot stop graft and corruption and cannot maintain law and order in this country, Philippines should never reach the level of economic progress enjoyed by Malaysia and Indonesia on the present level,” Duterte said in his speech Thursday during the 49th Charter Day celebration at Mandaue City, Cebu. “It would take us about 10 years or 15 years to catch up, maybe more than. That’s the problem with Filipinos. But do not also try to crucify the

country. I don’t like it,” he added. Duterte made this remark after criticizing sacked officials of government-owned and-controlled corporation Nayong Pilipino Foundation and high-ranking officials and employees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Health Service Command anew over alleged corruption. On Aug. 7, the President fired the entire board of NPF for leasing its property for a $1.5-billion casino resort in Parañaque City despite his

moratorium on casinos. Duterte was not only against the construction of new casinos, he also believed the contract was flawed. “You grant a franchise for 75 years? You must be crazy,” Duterte said. “I was so pissed off that I was trying to fix Nayong Pilipino’s anomaly. And here comes a report that afternoon,” he added. A week later, Duterte fired at least 20 highranking officials and employees of the AFP-HSC over alleged corruption at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City involving the anomalous purchases of equipment and fraudulent transaction, such as ghost purchases, splitting of contracts to circumvent the mandatory bidding processes, and conceiving fictitious suppliers.

PUBLIC APOLOGY WE, Nail Sarif Alos, Mahdi Baraocor, Armano Mama Dirampatun, and Agakahn Nuska, operators of establishments at Greenhills Shopping Mall, San Juan City, and Susan Huang and Samia Mala, operators of establishments at Berma Centre, Parañaque City, acknowledge that LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER, is the owner of the “LOUIS VUITTON” mark, among others:

registered with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. We were engaged in the sale and distribution of counterfeit LOUIS VUITTON products and apologize to LOUIS VUITTON for such infringing acts, in violation of LOUIS VUITTON’s intellectual property rights. We undertake to refrain from the sale and distribution of counterfeit LOUIS VUITTON products and hereby certify that we have in fact ceased from dealing in/storing counterfeit LOUIS VUITTON products. WARNING! All LOUIS VUITTON products are manufactured and produced according to LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER’s stringent production and safety standards. Members of the public are therefore cautioned against purchasing counterfeit and/or unauthorized products that are not manufactured by LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER, which will not hesitate to actively and aggressively protect its intellectual property rights. Anyone caught manufacturing, distributing, selling or advertising unauthorized and/or counterfeit LOUIS VUITTON products will be dealt with to the full extent of the law. Should you have any information regarding importers, wholesalers or retailers selling counterfeit LOUIS VUITTON products, please contact – VERGARA MAMAÑGUN JAMERO LAW OFFICES Units 2217-20 Cityland Herrera Tower 98 V.A. Rufino cor. Valero Sts., Salcedo Village, Makati City 1227 Philippines (+632) 886 3711, (+632) 843 0165 Email:info@vmjglaw.com (MS-SEPT. 1, 2018)

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Opinion

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With INA, how could Naga lose?

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

I strongly suspect that if not for the President’s dislike for the Vice President to be his successor and his preference for Bongbong Marcos, Naga City would never have elicited negative comments from this administration and its people would have been largely IN A speech, President Rodrigo Du- left in peace. terte said that based on intelligence Far from being notorious for crimiinformation Naga City is a hotbed of nality and illegal drugs, Naga City, unillegal drugs. The statement was made der the present dispensation headed by supposedly to justify the President’s Mayor John Bongat (disclosure: John is aversion to having Vice President Leni a classmate from UP Law ’89 and was a Robredo succeed him. The PNP Chief college student in Ateneo de Manila in disputed this claim saying that Naga the 1980s when I was teaching there), is City from where the Vice President a model city and one of the most livable hails and her husband, the late Jesse cities in the country. Robredo, served as a mayor, is not a Naga has a total land area of 8,448 hotbed of illegal drugs. However, in an hectares and a population of 160,000 interesting turn around the PNP chief residents but which number goes up to said that Naga City is high on its crime as high as 230,000 during daytime. As rating. Bongat points out, As expected, “To imagine how the Vice President small Naga really and the Naga City is, its territory and council contested population repIt’s a model city and this claim. To the resents only .48 PNP Chief’s claim one of the most livable percent and 2.90 that Naga the 5th in the country. percent, respechighest crime voltively, of the Bicol ume among cities regional total. Yet, in the Philippines, we have the most the Vice President number of banks, dismissed the 42 of them, as of statement as “totally unacceptable.” last count.” And the administration should spare Since the time of Jesse Robredo, our people and our beloved city from Naga City has been consistently sinmisinformation, she added. Further she gled out as one of the country’s most explained that in truth in Naga, “Mur- improved and business-friendly cities der is 34th; Homicide 24th-26th; Rape- in the country because of its trailblaz29th; Robbery-11th; Theft-6th.” ing programs that work to ensure a livIt turned out that the PNP Chief mis- able community. understand the fifth ranking which reAs recorded in its official website, ferred to Region 5, Bicol, where Naga Naga City has so far received over 150 belongs. regional, national and international As is now too common in this ad- awards and distinctions since 1988 ministration, the President’s penchant when it started to build a reputation for at making mindless pronouncements being a model local government unit and socially unacceptable remarks which crafted and implemented innowith dubious factual basis would force vations in local governance. An interhis spokespersons and officials to national news magazine has singled scrounge for a more acceptable expla- out Naga as one of the most improved nation if not into making tortuous at- cities in Asia because of its trailblazing tempts at justification of the President’s programs that work to ensure a livable statements. The “Naga City being a and forward-looking environment and hotbed of illegal drugs” remark is now strengthen other traditional indicators all too typical. Turn to A5

Ugly

A

FTER more than two years, we have learned that it is useless to expect the President to change his perception of women—or at the very least rein in his tongue.

His supporters even believe his spontaneity is endearing and equates to honesty and lack of hypocrisy. At his age and given his temperament, Mr. Duterte is a prisoner of his own perceptions, habits and experiences. Nonetheless, while we are not surprised that he has uttered yet another rape joke this week—he said on Thursday that the incidence of rape is high in Davao because there are many beautiful women there—we join the chorus of aghast citizens in saying that this leader should know better than advertise his misogyny. His first controversial remark

was made when he was just on the campaign trail. He said he should have been the first in line with a missionary who had been raped and killed while doing work in prison. He also implied to soldiers that they could get away with raping women at the height of martial law down south. Fighting the communists would also entail shooting female adversaries in the genitals. Earlier this year he kissed— on the lips—a Filipina overseas worker in Seoul, even as he insisted he sought her permission and made sure her husband would not mind the gesture. Mr. Duterte and the Palace would have us take the situation lightly, saying he does not have a low regard for women, that in fact he respects women and wishes to protect them. Sadly, these exhortations do not mean anything now. We know what we know—that some things will never change no

matter the spin. What we know, too, is that more than the views of one man, the bigger concern is the prevalence of the rape culture and victim-blaming in a society like ours. Sure, we have made great strides in advancing gender balance and, in general, an open mind. The reality, however, is that these efforts have not been enough and many still choose to suffer in silence instead of speaking out and shaming those who must be shamed. Rape is not a matter of beauty, not even of sex. It is about power, entitlement and impunity. Certainly there is nothing uglier than supposedly enlightened Filipinos believing that victims get raped because they look, or dress, or speak, or act a certain way. If our President cannot lead on this issue, then let us take the initiative and do away with the rubbish thinking, ourselves.

Belt-tightening measures hot rice if I am to eat well. I have no problem with simple viands but I am choosy with my rice. The rice that I best like now costs P72-75 per kilo from the former P50-55 per kilo. I have now settled for the second best which ARE you also on a “tightening your costs P60-65 per kilo. We also make belt” mode because of the soaring pric- sure that we only cook what we think es of commodities and services? I am, we can consume in one sitting. Someand I know many others who are. I do times, we find ourselves running out of not even consider myself poor. I won- cooked rice. Bitin! It is really unthinkable that this agrider how ordinary Filipinos are coping. I do not have to be a doctor of eco- cultural country now has rice-shortage, nomics to know that the economy is and has resorted to rice importation. going bad. I feel the pinch and it hurts. Countries like Thailand and Vietnam Middle class friends say they also do. studied rice propagation technology in Recently, I was speaking with someone our very own International Rice Rerich, as in top one percent rich and as search Institute (IRRI) but we have before, we got to talk about food, one been overtaken by them by many miles. of our guilty pleasures. He remarked Naiwan na naman tayo sa kangkungan. The big inthat he has nocreases in gasoticed how much line prices have the prices of foodpushed the prices stuff have signifiof virtually evecantly increased. History has taught rything up the If someone as rich ceiling. as this guy finds us that a hungry and I used to enjoy food expensive, sickly people is an angry doing the growe can only impeople. Government ceries and until agine how hard it recently, did not must be for ordi- must beware. bother to do lists nary mortals. of things we needFilipinos will ed in the house. not survive withI bought what out rice. Many of us have this for breakfast, lunch and I wanted and rarely looked at prices. dinner. But this staple food has become Now, I do not relish going to the superso expensive. We are also running out market. If I can afford not to, I do not. of stock of this most important staple Doing this controls my buying habits food. The National Food Authority has and only necessities are bought. When said that its stocks are only good for I must do the groceries, I now compare three days if the whole country is to be prices and buy less. Once, I stuck to buying the things I liked and I ended supplied. Worse, the NFA has been accused up paying almost double for my usual of improperly storing its rice and some P8,000 worth of groceries. Small shops and markets is where sacks were found to have animal waste. Worst, not only do we now import rice, we frequently go now. Not only are the some of the imported commodities have prices more reasonable, we are findbeen found to be infested with weevil or ing that the vegetables and fruits are fresher. I actually like going to Divi“bukbok.” This is unacceptable. I, for one, am quite particular with soria and I would frequent it if it were Turn to A5 my rice. I want good, newly cooked,

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

In Kenya, rubbish reborn as art By Zina Desmazes IN A room that is both home and studio, Evans Ngure works on a sculpture, a fantastical fish fabricated from found objects: wooden spoons, broken scissors and an old machete. Long before upcycling became a hipster mantra, Ngure turned his Nairobi apartment into a workshop, and junk into art, his choice of artistic expression echoing a necessary developing world culture of re-use. After trying his hand at painting and graphic design, Ngure became a “junk artist” as an act of reciprocity and community. “My goal is to have an impact on so-

ciety, from the ground where I live to everybody that comes in contact with my art,” he says. Sometimes he forages for raw materials himself, sometimes his neighbors bring him items, sometimes buyers hand over bits and pieces. People “end up seeing my work, they relate to it, so they take part by giving me stuff that I can use,” he says. Rubbish, resurrected The artist’s imprint is clear on the roof of the four-story apartment building where he lives in the north of the Kenyan capital: Reclaimed art is scattered about, a strip curtain made from hundreds of buttons leads inside. To live from his art, Ngure makes

and sells everything from small items of jewellery, to large pieces of art. Wire pendants, earrings and bracelets sell for $5-20 (4-17 euros) while bigger works and sculptures cost hundreds. “Mostly it is the Kenyans that buy from me, especially the jewellery,” he says, of his clientele, who visit him at home. He takes out a brooch from a paper bag. It consists of a two-euro coin hanging from a golden wire, with beads and a miniature Eiffel Tower. These are quick to produce and Ngure can make them in a matter of hours, but sculptures can take several days. Turn to A5

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India’s women-only comedy show tackles breasts, bras and bias

The complete ideological bankruptcy of the Left

widely acclaimed. At Femapalooza’s New Delhi show, 13 comedians, aged between 17 and 37, tried out their jokes on an audience of around 30 women in an intimate, dimly lit room. Some appeared nervous, but the crowd revelled in every woman-friendly gag. Priya Elias vented her frustration with thongs. “Women don’t enjoy wearing thongs... I am pretty sure a man invented them,” the former lawyer joked. She told AFP that her content is received much more warmly by all-women audiences. “The energy in the room is different,” she said. “Women are always told they are not funny and that is not true at all.” No pressure First-time performer Naomi Barton said she is more comfortable sharing her jokes with a women-only crowd, with no pressure to please men. “When I talk about PMS [premenstrual syndrome] and how it affects my mental health, landing me in funny situations, a woman will get it,” said Barton, a digital publisher with a major firm. As in many countries, public discussion of menstruation and sexuality is replete with euphemisms. At the New Delhi show, Sethi asked some teenagers if they understood her joke about “the bedroom toy.” As the teenagers blushed and smiled, she introduced the surprise act of the evening: Aditi Mittal, one of the handful of women to have made an impression in India’s male-dominated comedy scene. Mittal has a special affection for women-only shows. “Many men think women are doing

stand-up comedy because they are so desperate for attention... Some even say ‘don’t you get enough attention from your boobs’,” quipped Mittal, the first Indian woman to get her own special on Netflix. Comedy in India can be a boys’ club, acknowledged leading male stand-up Rohan Joshi, a member of the popular All India Bakchod sketch group. “We live in a culture where for years women’s opinion has never been valued. This is at the heart of comedy,” said Joshi. Platforms such as Femapalooza have helped bring more women onto the comedy circuit, but there have been objections about its format. Male comics have complained about the women-only events, even calling them sexist, Sethi said. In response, her company Comedy Ladder organized an event where both men and women performed. The show introduced men as male comics on stage and women simply as comics, Sethi said, to show “how weird it sounds.” Femapalooza’s audience has grown as word has spread. It does not always get a five-star rating, however. “It was a novel concept but only a few interesting performances... there were many first-timers,” said Deepshikha Singh, a communications professional in the New Delhi audience. As the evening drew to a close, fathers and husbands lined up outside the club to drive members of the audience back home, partly out of concerns for their safety—a stark reminder that for many women in India, life is often no laughing matter. AFP

land in Camarines Sur is a major tourist destination that offers a myriad of beautiful beaches and sporting activities such as diving, swimming, snorkeling and spelunking. Once properly developed, the whole of Bicolandia can be a major tourist destination because it is well endowed with natural beauty and the people welcoming and hospitable. Bicolano cuisine can be as delicious and tasty, if not more so, than dishes found in most regions in the country. Laing or pinangat, kinunot, Bicol express, tilmok, and labong, to name a few, are distinctly Bicolano dishes that all local and foreign tourists alike should try. Finally, one cannot talk about Naga City without mentioning Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia, INA as the Naga and Bicolanao faithful call her. As described by Fr. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon and posted in the CBCP website: “The highlights of the Peñafrancia festivities are a drama which progresses without requiring much words. There are a number of silent rituals involved. People lit candles while quietly uttering a prayer. There are those who silently join the throng of people ushering INA from the Basilica to the Cathedral. A chosen few accompany her in the pagoda on the way home. There are also those who rush towards the image to touch her, or to grab a piece of ornament on the andas or the pagoda. Others take a dip into the river as she passes by. These are but only a few of the varied manifestations of the people’s devotion to her, form-

ing part of the whole ensemble of the celebration. There aren’t much words involved. Wordiness only robs a ritual of its meaning. Thus, the cry of the people: Viva la Virgen! Viva el Divino Rostro!” People come to the Peñafrancia for different reasons, according to Fr. Alarcon—to fulfill a panata, express gratitude, and seek a blessing. It is “a collective ritual of faith,” “a public expression of confidence, tenderness and gratitude of a people towards the enchanting Mother of beautiful love.” It is not a coincidence that these attacks by President Duterte against Naga is happening just as the Peñafrancia festivities are about to begin. This is a test of faith for Naga, for its officials and citizens, and for us who love Naga. This city is not called An Maogmang Lugar (The Happy Place) for nothing. To the malicious attacks unleashed against it the best response is to invoke INA, and sing the hymn composed by Jesuit priest Fruto Ramirez, especially these words: Inang mamomoton ika an buhay, Ako rangahon mo sa kamunduan/ Ina, kung ako man parakasala, Sa Dios hagada man ang pagkaherak/ Kaya daing ibang inaasahan, Kundi ika Inang Mahal! (Loving mother, you are life,Take me out of my sadness/ Mother, if I have sinned, Intervene for me with the Lord/ I have no one else to turn to, But to you loving mother). With INA on its side and back, how could Naga lose?

only lasts up to two days depending on where my meetings are and how bad the traffic is. I do not like driving to Makati and when I must go there, I use Grab. My last trip for a meeting cost me a little over P1,000.00! This is how expensive going from one place to another has become in Metro Manila. I am just thankful that all my kids are now professionals and I no longer have any dependent. I dread to think how ordinary families, especially those with kids in school, are able to make ends meet with the very high cost of living these days. Are they even able to go out for some fun? What kind of food do they eat? Do they content themselves with instant noodles day in and day out? Inflation is on a nine-year high. This means that the buying power of our money is much less. The peso has been going consistently weaker by the

day. As of this writing, 1USD equals PhP53.54. Some say that this is good for our exporters but the reality is our export industry is very weak. Many blame the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law for the increase in prices of products and services. Still, this administration is poised to approve TRAIN 2, which, experts say will make matters even worse than how things are now. With the slashing of the budgets for education and health, expect social services to suffer more. Up to what extent will people suffer? There might come a time when tightening of belts will not be enough to cope. History, however, has taught us that a hungry and sickly people is an angry people. Government must beware.

tect the interest of the oligarchy. The world saw how the imperialist transformed the whole of South America to states ruled by caudillos on behalf of the landlords and the US imperialist. In the fifties and sixties, we witIT IS disheartening to see people who nessed the same political landscape in are most vociferous in denouncing Southeast Asia where military juntas, human rights violation, extrajudicial cliques and puppet governments ruled killings, oppression and exploitation in South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Innow in alliance with countries seek- donesia, South Vietnam, Laos, Caming to have our President tried before a bodia and Burma. The military’s exposure to progresKangaroo Court. The CPP, the NDF and its front or- sive ideas prompted the oligarchy to ganizations are working round the refrain from putting too much trust clock to deliver the country to a tribu- in them. Progressive ideas seeped in nal organized by countries that hold because neoliberalism saw the prithe unprecedented record in mass vatization of state-owned enterprises, slaughter, genocide, oppression and the deregulation in the prices of basic exploitation. It is not human rights commodities and services, and the violation that is being raised against contractualization of labor to the withthese moronic traitors, but their igno- ering of trade unions. The lunatics in rance in understanding what they are the militant left even refuse to accept that revolution has never been their fighting for. The lawyer who once stood as par- monopoly. This underscores the reason why ty-list representative of Bayan Muna has completely lost track of his politi- governments, even if besieged by civil cal paradigm upon which his ideology war, avoid bringing the issue of human rights violation before an internationrevolves. We are saying this because this al forum because they give precious is basic to all cadres. Failure to ap- value to the sovereignty and political ply one’s political paradigm is telling independence of their country. Such their party and its front organization is consistent to Article 2 of the United have little prospects of winning their Nations Charter, to quote: “Nothing so-called struggle for national libera- contained in the present charter shall tion. Ignorance on how to apply Mao’s authorize the United Nations to inter“Correct Handling of Contradiction” vene in matters which are essentially within the domesis exposing that tic jurisdiction of these nincomany state or shall poops are in fact require the memserving as accomto submit to plice in restoring Sensible and patriotic bers such matters to European colonisettlement under alism presented Filipinos could not even the present charin a grand dimen- comprehend how the ter.” sion of a new inEven assuming ternational legal ICC acquired jurisdiction there is an issue in order. over those five cases. our membership It is the most that according shameful that a to one Supreme leadership that Court justice, the was once the vanguard of the revolution has now been decision by President Duterte to withreduced to bunch of lunatics. Even if draw from the ICC is invalid, much we give it to them that extrajudicial that it cannot be done by the issuance killings and human rights violations of an executive order, alas, he should have taken place, no upright politi- have known it that there is no law that cal party would recklessly initiate to could prevent us from withdrawing bring to court a government it seeks to from the ICC which is not even treated overthrow. Even the government that as an international organization insohas accused them of mass slaughter of far as the UN Security Council is conalleged deep penetration agent has not cerned. This stems from the universal taken this kind of action of bringing principle that the exercise of our sovthem to court. Rather, Colmenares and ereign right is exclusive and indivishis Bayan Muna are acting as warrant ible to our independence. Sensible and patriotic Filipinos servers of the imperialists, coyly hiding behind the curtain of an interna- could not even comprehend how the ICC acquired jurisdiction over those tional tribunal. The conduct of the militant left in alleged five cases of extrajudicial killseeking an alliance with the oligarchs, ings when it has not even conducted the landlords and the Church is indica- any preliminary investigation to fortive they have completely lost their mally allow them to file their case ideological perspective. They could no before the prosecutors’ office. This longer segregate the issues that could so-called National Union of People’s rightly identify them as a revolution- Lawyer does not seem to understand ary party. They have aligned them- that even if they filed it before ICC selves on issues not rooted in ideology Prosecutor Fatuous Bensouda, that just to consummate their political sur- did not make sense because it remains vival. They could no longer dichoto- the exclusive prerogative of the govmize whether the human rights issue ernment to allow an investigation for they carry has the same substance as the purpose of holding our President that raised by the oligarchy disguising criminally liable. How could the ICC prosecutor proas belonging to the opposition. In fact, they have become ludicrous because ceed to conduct a preliminary investithe imperialist and the neoliberal are gation which is mandatory when our parroting the same line of human timely withdrawal from that apartheid international court, technically disalrights violation. It is for this reason why some politi- lowed Fatou from conducting a precal observers see the tacit collabora- liminary investigation? The country is not even under any tion of the Left with the Liberal Party and their yellow animals as prurient. legal obligation to prove the operabilOur people could not believe that in ity of the “complementarity principle” their lifetime the corrupt politicians because arguing that presupposes and the ideological zealots would be the country is still under its jurisdicone in dreaming to overthrow the gov- tion which is not. Whether or not our ernment under the guidance of their courts are functioning is beside the exiled leaders, now suspected to have point. We just cannot allow such discussion because we have effectively been reduced to imperialist trolls. Even most disgusting is the support withdrawn our membership that is extended by the Church which every- meant to prosecute and try our own body knows is deeply committed to citizens for alleged crimes committed defending the interest of the oligarchy. in our country and to be tried and posMany of their young converts simply sibly convicted and jailed in Europe. parrot nonsense, not realizing that This alone already constitutes a gross history is full of instances where the violation of the territoriality principle oligarchs supported and bankrolled in criminal law where people can only coups d’ etat, military juntas and cau- be tried in place where the crime was dillos that committed atrocities against committed. civilians. They could not discern that rpkapunan@gmail.com the military are only acting to pro-

customers. “I also have a landfill where I go to collect, even around here I have a place where I collect,” says the 29-year-old. Closest by is an informal dump spilling across a dirt road between a pair of buildings near to his home. Here, Ngure salvages discarded plastic toys and tin cans, leaving with his arms full. “I am collecting whatever material I find... This is part of a motorcycle, so, by the look of this, it will end up as a

very amazing sculpture,” he says, with an enthusiastic smile, weighing the dented metal in his hands. Give things a second chance Determined by the random chance of what Ngure finds, his sculptures have a sometimes surreal style. “All my life I have been that kid that loves collecting stuff but it never blossomed until I went to campus where we started creating artwork from unconventional materials,” says Ngure, who studied

By Ruchika Chitravanshi MEN are strictly banned at Femapalooza, a comedy show for Indian women where the punchlines range from breasts and bras to equal pay and censorship. They are not allowed to attend, perform, or even check tickets at the most recent show at a New Delhi club. For Femapalooza founder Jeeya Sethi, humor just for women is a way to make progress in deeply patriarchal India, where rape and gender bias are hot-button issues and women are widely expected to adhere to conservative stereotypes. “Men only talk about men, [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and masturbation, or they make sexist jokes,” said Sethi, a stand-up comic herself. Femapalooza has organized more than 35 shows in different cities over the past three years, providing what Sethi calls a safe and friendly environment for women comics. “Standup is all about being unabashed. When there are women around you can say anything at all and not be judged,” she said. Rights activists have campaigned for years for greater access to public and performing spaces for women in India—and their safety, given the record of violence against women in the vast South Asian nation. Some have emerged in recent years, with similar comedy events held in Mumbai and Bangalore. Women-only shows such as “Leddis Night” by online magazine Ladies Finger and “Disgust Me” by stand-up comedian Sumukhi Suresh have been

With... From A4

that make life easier for its citizens. Naga’s culture of transparency has transformed the city into a model of governance excellence. Following the example of former Mayor Jesse Robredo, Naga’s officials have been consistent in practicing and institutionalizing accountability and transparency innovations as integral part of governance. They are proud of their ability to ensure openness in government services and transactions and afford every Nagueño his constitutional right to information. As Vico Sotto, Pasig City councilor and my student at the Ateneo School of Government, posted about Naga in Facebook: “Talagang hotbed dito! Hotbed of citizen empowerment and participation in governance! What’s amazing is that all of them said that the government doesn’t simply tell them how things will be done; they give input and usually arrive at a consensus. From top to bottom, everyone is a stakeholder!” Naga is of course not only known for its success in governance. As a Bicolano by affiliation (my wife is a Bonto from Legaspi, Albay), I have only praises for the people, food and the great places to visit in that city and neighboring areas. Naga is a few hours’ bus ride to Albay Province where Mayon Volcano, the world’s most perfect cone, is located. It is several hours’ drive to the scenic provinces of Sorsogon and the island of Catanduanes. Likewise, Caramoan Is-

Belt-tightening... From A4

easier to go to. My friends have been doing the same. Some of us have even switched from going to high-end salons for our haircuts to the modern barber shops that cater to men and women. We also eat out less and when we do, we go to places that we are sure to deliver because we do not want to pay for something not to our liking. We have set a limit to trying out new restaurants and cafés. When we go to new places, we first read reviews to lessen the possibility of getting disappointed. Since gasoline is very expensive, I try to stay put in one place as much as possible. However, my work requires me to go to numerous meetings and the P1,000.00 worth of gas on the average

In Kenya,... From A4

Ngure imagines himself resurrecting unwanted objects, and is constantly on the lookout, whether wandering downtown or scouring a rubbish dump. “I collect them from different areas, I collect them from the ground even when I am walking in town, I get them from friends as donations or from my

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@bethangsico on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

painting at Nairobi’s Kenyatta University. “I started adding things into my paintings, like buttons and cutouts from clothes, so that evolved into full collages entirely made from found objects.” As an example, he reaches for a peacock, its body made entirely from strips of old leather belts with cutlery for a train. Recycling has become such a core element of Ngure’s life and work that he can’t but anthropomorphize the compo-

nents of his art. “It is not only people that need second chances but also objects that cannot speak for themselves, they need that second chance: before you trash them, just re-think about them,” he says. The artist also wants to raise awareness about the protection of wildlife by making collages representing animals such as butterflies or ladybugs which he exhibited, with other works, at the British Institute a few months ago. AFP

News

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

150 illegally parked vehicles get tickets

SUSPECTED SHABU.

Some P6.8 million worth of suspected shabu were seized from two Filipino-Chinese identified as James P. Cheung Fung and George C. Ping during a buy-bust operation by PDEA Special Enforcement Service operatives along Adriatico Street near Rizal Memorial Stadium, Barangay 719, Mabini, Manila. Manny Palmero

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority has seized about 150 vehicles during its first day of intensified campaign against illegal parking along Mabuhay Lanes. The agency started on Friday its “towtruck less” operations and catch illegally parked vehicles by merely giving citation tickets to drivers, or attach the tickets to their windshields if the vehicle is unattended. “We have started enforcing this and there was already an estimated 50 percent increase in the numbers of vehicles apprehended along Mabuhay Lanes,” said MMDA chief information officer Sharon Gentalian. According to the MMDA, the campaign, is aimed to alleviate traffic flows along the 23.8-kilometer Edsa and secondary roads in the metropolis in anticipation of the heavy traffic this “ber” months or holiday season. MMDA task force supervising officer Edison Nebrija said the secondary roads is being used as Mabuhay Lanes, or alternate routes for private motorists to avoid Edsa (north and southbound directions). “Tow-truck less operation starting today [is] a lot faster, more coverage and hopefully less to zero on road altercations and arguments between drivers and enforcers,” said Nebrija. He said the MMDA will continue to remind motorists and concerned residents that the alternate routes for Edsa should be free of any form of road obstructions from 6 am to 9 pm everyday. “We should educate them that these alternate routes should be free of obstructions during these times," said MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia. Garcia said traffic enforcers were instructed to issue at least three citation tickets with corresponding penalty against violators. A fine of P200 for violating the illegal parking rule, P150 for disregarding traffic signs and P150 for obstruction. “This is the agency’s response to hard-headed vehicle owners who defy the MMDA’s illegal parking rules,” said Garcia. With PNA

Sombero, ex-BI execs denied bail By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division has junked the petitions for bail of former Immigration deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles, and retired police officer Wenceslao Sombero Jr., citing strong evidence for plunder. The 48-page ruling of the anti-graft division said the accused are sufficiently charged and must face trial on the plunder case that stemmed from the alleged P50-million bribery scandal at the Bureau of Immigration. “This Court finds that accused Argosino, Robles and Sombero are not entitled to bail,” the Sandiganbayan ruling said. “It must be emphasized that the Court's ruling herein is not a prejudgment of the guilt of the accused,” the ruling clarified. “The Court merely determined the weight of evidence for the purposes of bail.” The Ombudsman charged Argosino, Robles, and Sombero with the non-bailable offense of plunder; and one count each of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, direct bribery, and violation of Presidential Decree 46, which punishes public officials for receiving gifts from private individuals. Ombudsman investigators earlier revealed that Argosino and Robles have acquired ill-gotten wealth worth P50-million when they conspired with Sombero, then-president of Asian Gaming Service Provider Association Inc., in exchange for assistance in the release of 1,316 illegal Chinese workers at Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Clark, Pampanga owned by Chinese casino mogul Jack Lam. The ruling explained that receiving the alleged P50 million beyond office hours may signal the possibility that the money could be used for illegal transactions.

No looming water shortage, top MWSS officials assure “T

HERE is no looming water shortage and we will always uphold the best interest of the people.”

This was jointly announced by Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Chairman Franklin J. Monteverde and Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco in the Water Challenge Forum the other day organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines even as they reassured the customers of adequate supply of potable water in the coming years over reports that Metro Manila may experience water shortage in 2021 before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term. The two MWSS officials allayed the fears of the public in response to a statement made by Manila Water chief operating officer Geodino Carpio that the non-approval of water treatment Laguna East Bay project may result in water shortage by 2021. Under the Duterte administration, MWSS is on a “catch-up mode in terms of creating new water sources following more than 30 years of not developing major water supply projects to address the growing demand in Metro Manila due to population growth and development.” At present, the MWSS has continued several water infrastructure projects started by the past administration to ensure water security in several areas, namely the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project and the Angat Water Security Projects, with the latter aimed at strengthening Angat Dam in case a 7.2-

magnitude earthquake occurs thus ensuring water availability. Another major project in the pipeline is the Kaliwa Dam construction of which is set to commence once the MWSS Board of Trustees gives its approval to the winning bidder as recommended by the Bids and Awards Committee. The project is expected to be completed by 2023, one year after Duterte ends his term. “While we respect the opinion of Mr. Carpio, it is best for Manila Water to properly present its P15-billion Laguna East Bay Project that can produce additional 250 mld water as part of the overall water security and sustainability program for the East Zone instead of making his personal analysis on the overall costing of the P12.2 billion Kaliwa Dam Project that is expected to produce additional 650 mld,” Velasco said. In a meeting the other day, Manila Water president and CEO Ferdinand M. dela Cruz and Carpio informed the MWSS chief that Manila Water fully supports the construction of the Kaliwa Dam and that the Laguna Lake East Bay Project has been further reduced to P13.5 billion from P15 billion. “We welcome any new water source projects such as the Laguna Lake East Bay but the MWSS position is always to strike a balance between the overall cause and effect on any business development and the interest of the consuming public who will eventually shoulder the expected increase in water rates,” Velasco said. According to Velasco, MWSS maintains that in the long run, it is cheaper to construct new dams than maintain and operate water quality from Laguna Lake due to its turbidity, a reality shared by Carpio himself.

US official tackles Indo-Pacific strategy By Rey E. Requejo ANOTHER ranking United States official visited Manila this week as part of a multistop trip to Asia to identify opportunities for broader bilateral engagement with government and private sector stakeholders as part of President Donald Trump administration’s push for Indo-Pacific Strategy. US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Manisha Singh held separate meetings with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, National Economic and Development Authority chief Secretary Ernesto Pernia and Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ma. Lumen Isleta for Office of American Affairs to discuss US initiatives to support private sector-led growth in fields of common interest, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, energy, and the digital economy. Singh is the second American official who called on the country to promote the Indo-Pacific Strategy, a concept that President Trump first introduced in his speech in Da Nang, Vietnam where he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November last year. Earlier this week, US Deputy Assistant Secretary Walter Douglas of the State Department’s Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy and Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs held a roundtable discussion with Filipino journalist about the concept of “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.” During her two-day visit, Singh also met with infrastructure firms, briefed the Joint Cyber Security Working Group, and met with small companies to learn about the country's emerging start-up ecosystem. In her speech before a gathering of private sector representatives, the US official stressed the importance of high standards in commerce and public-private partnerships to unlock the power of the market for sustainable development.

IN BRIEF SAP Go to expand ‘Malasakit Centers’ SPECIAL Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go wants to strengthen and expand the Malasakit Center program in order to make quality medical care available to more Filipinos. The Malasakit Center is the one-stop shop program of President Rodrigo Duterte to hasten the delivery of medical services and give poor patients access to free medicines. In his State of the Nation Address last July, the President said Go was “instrumental in arriving at the right decision through proper consultation” when he decided to put up Malasakit Centers. Under the program, patients are assisted in availing themselves of the services and financial assistance provided by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Pooled together, the assistance can reduce the patients’ medical bill—including medicines—to a more affordable amount or at times, to zero.

Fox to fight ‘depo’ order till the end AUSTRALIAN missionary Sister Patricia Fox on Friday vowed to see her deportation case out till the end. At a news conference in Quezon City, Fox, along with her legal counsel Jobert Pahilga, said she will elevate the case to the Department of Justice to file a plea on Monday. "All I want to say I want to fight for this case until the end. I will always for a chance to renew my visa till the end," she told reporters. "As what I have said before, I love the Philippines. As a Church person, all I just want to do is to bring the goods news. I am not doing anything wrong," she said. She said she is hoping the justice department would not pre-judge her case. Rio N. Araja

Angat Dam will not spill over—Pagasa

DAY OF PRAYER. Fifty children with disability from Gabay ng mga May Kapansanan sa Malabon in Malabon City and 12 nuns from the Sisters of Holy Face of Jesus and Malabon Zoo owner Manny Tangco celebrate the World Day of Prayer for the care of creation held at Malabon Zoo, Aquarium and Botanical Garden. Andrew Rabulan

‘Nothing wrong with X-ray scan of magnetic filters’ THERE was nothing irregular in the photographs of the X-ray scan result conducted on four magnetic lifters that supposedly contained P6.8 billion worth of shabu as submitted by the Bureau of Customs to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Dangerous Drugs. A Customs official said this on Friday after Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino insisted during Thursday’s committee’s hearing that PDEA’s highly trained and decorated K-9 dogs could never go wrong. Aquino said the dogs sat on the magnetic lifters that slipped past the MICP, indicating the presence of illegal drugs. During the House hearing, Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo noted the dis-

crepancy in the colored photographs that he obtained from his source and the black and white photos submitted by the BoC to the committee that conducted its second hearing on the issue on Thursday. Quimbo said that the hollow portion at the bottom of the images that showed brown discoloration proved the existence of shabu as pointed out by PDEA. But the BoC official, who asked not to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said the MICP Xray inspector that looked at and interpreted the scan had not been remiss in his job and was trained by Nuctech, the supplier of the X-ray machines for the BOC. The X-ray Inspector assigned at the MICP is under the Office of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña.

WITH expected thunderstorm rains over Metro Manila, and the rest of Luzon, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on Thursday gave the public the assurance that Bulacan’s Angat Dam will not spill over, affect Ipo and Bustos dams in Luzon, and even flood nearby communities. In an interview, weather forecaster Samuel Duran said only the Visayas and Mindanao will experience moderate rainfall due to low pressure area inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility or 630 kilometers east of Guian, Eastern Samar. The amount of isolated or thunderstorm rains would not be that enough to increase the water elevation of the three dams in Bulacan. Edgar dela Cruz, Pagasa hydrologist, said Angat Dam’s raw water resources would pass through Ipo and Bustos dams to end up in La Mesa Dam for water treatment and distribution to customers of the two water concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System—the Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. “With the kind of rainfall condition in the area, it is unlikely Angat Dam will spill over,” he told the Manila Standard. “Dam operators would know if their water would overflow. They also do not want their dam facilities to be destroyed if there is too much water,” he said. Rio N. Araja

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Gutang wins slam dunk competition

57 bowlers reach BWC nat’l finals FIFTY-SEVEN pintopplers—40 men and 17 ladies—hurdled the second center finals recently and advanced to the 2018 Bowling World Cup national championship set on Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 2,3,5 in three different venues— Coronado Lanes, Superbowl and Paeng’s Eastwood Bowl. Kenneth Chua tallied 2594 pinfalls in 12 games and former national kegler RJ Bautista shot 2594 to lead the men’s list while Nancy Frianeza rolled a 10-game series of 2356 to pace the ladies’ division. Other top scorers in the second center finals are Ramon Camba with 2591, Benshir Layoso (2582) and Jeff Carabeo (2401) for men and Dyan Coronacion (2229), Mades Arles (1998), Abbie Gan (1897), Lara Posadas (1867) and Alexis Sy (1835) for ladies. The first center finalists of 40 men and 28 ladies will join the second batch of bowlers in the national finals, with the winners earning the right to represent the Philippines in the 54th Bowling World Cup International Finals on Nov. 4 to 11 at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, Nevada. Last year’s international event was held in Hermosillo, Mexico with the Philippines’ Krizziah Tabora emerging as ladies’ champion. The other second center finalists follow: Men—Randall Go, Boy Roman, June Seculles, Ernie Jacinto, Mark Varona, Glenn Albert Binoya, Kevin Cu, Alex Bea, Romer Sto. Domingo, Ramel Francisco, Lando Galbey, Santos Walang, Eric Aranez, Jorel Simbulan, Rene Boy Aranico, Erwin Cabaneros, Anton Alcazaren, Marc Matias, Ted Convocar, Kevin Atienza, Ren Cremen, Rene Rodelas, Niel Buencamino, Nichole Andrew Jimeno, Wency Olivares,,Joebert Buenafe, MJ San Jose, Edwin Rupido, Francis de Leon, Paul Eluna. Jerht Santos, Boyet Delfino, Dumo Bejara, Joe Tomagan and Federico Rivera. Ladies—Perla Pacheco, Jane Bonifacio, Abby Lanuza, Ester Lita Santiago, Joanne Santos, Myls Creencia, Liza Pabico, Mae Malvar, Cielet de Leon, Alice Cabazor and Farah Onasa.

BOXING HERO. Rogen Ladon (blue) of the Philippines celebrates his win over Thailand’s Yuttapong Tongdee (red) following their men’s fly (52kg) semi-finals boxing match at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on August 31, 2018. Gadon will fight for an Asian Games gold medal. AFP

Tigresses, Lady Maroons try to seal PVL title clash U

NIVERSITY of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines go all-out today as they seek to finish off their respective rivals and set up a clash for the Premier Volleyball League Season 2 Collegiate Conference crown at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. The second seeded Tigresses reasserted their mastery over the No. 3 Far Eastern U Lady Tams, overcoming a first-set struggle before scoring a 1625, 26-24, 25-18, 25-23 victory while the fourth-ranked Lady Maroons pulled off a 26-24, 19-25, 25-22, 25-20 reversal over the top seeded and erstwhile unbeaten Adamson Lady Falcons in the opener of their respective best-of-three semifinal series last Wednesday. “The job isn’t done yet because we haven’t reached our goal – which is to become the champion,” said UST assistant mentor Yani Fernandez. “Why would you be satisfied with two wins (against FEU) in the elims and in Game One? Still, Game Two is Game Two.” That should make the Tigresses

Games today

(Semifinals) 9 a.m. – National U vs FEU (men’s) 11 a.m. – UST vs Adamson (men’s) 2 p.m. – UST vs FEU (women’s) 4 p.m. – UP vs Adamson (women’s)

fiercer as they gun for the clincher in their 2 p.m. encounter with the Lady Tams also expected to come into the match with key adjustments in a bid to neutralize their rivals’ strength and force a rubber match. For one, Heather Guino-o is raring to make up for her service miscue that stymied the Lady Tams’ fiery comeback in the stretch of the fourth set that saw them save four match points before eventually yielding the set and the game. Celine Domingo, Jerrili Malabanan, Kyle Negrito and Lycha Ebon also vowed to step up and measure up against UST’s fancied combination of Eya Laure, Milena Alessandrini, Ysabel Jimenez and Tin Francisco.

The Lady Falcons are also tipped to recall the form that netted them a sweep of the elims of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision with coach Air Padda expecting to draw the best from Joy Dacoron, who struggled for just eight points the last time out, Eli Soyud and Bernadette Flora and likewise foil the Lady Maroons’ bid to sweep them. Gametime is at 4 p.m. Both matches can be viewed via streaming on www.abs-cbn.com/ livestream/pvl. Meanwhile, National U battles FEU at 9 a.m. while UST tangles with Adamson at 11 a.m. as semifinal action kicks off in the men’s side of the league backed by Mikasa and Asics.

Pacio gets second crack at ONE Strawweight World crown

Team Lakay MMA fighter Joshua Pacio acknowledges cheers of fans as he is introduced inside the cage before a fight. ONE Championship

FOR the second time in his young career, Filipino strawweight contender Joshua “The Passion” Pacio will be challenging for the ONE Strawweight World Championship. Pacio will once again share the cage with reigning strawweight titleholder Yoshitaka “Nobita” Naito from Japan to determine who gets the right to call himself the king of ONE Championship’s 56.7-kilogram division at ONE: Conquest of Heroes on September 22 in Jakarta, Indonesia This will be a rematch of their 2016 encounter for the championship, which saw the challenger Pacio showcasing his mettle as one of the top talents in the division with a solid performance in a losing effort and Naito proving why he was the defending champion with a third-round submission victory. At that time, it was just Pacio’s third fight on the ONE Championship stage, having won his first two bouts in impressive fashion. Way before he was regarded as one of the Philippines’ best young mixed martial artists, Pacio started out as a fan sitting in the stands, watching and cheering on his mentors in Team Lakay. “I still can’t believe it,” Pacio said. “Before, I was just sitting there, up in the stands, watching my coaches compete. Now, I’m competing alongside them as well.”

The 22-year old Baguio City native began his ONE Championship career in 2016 and has since posted a 6-2 record with notable wins over the likes of Kritsada Kongsrichai, former ONE Strawweight World champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and most recently, Pongsiri Mitsatit. On September 22nd, he gets another opportunity at the coveted ONE Strawweight World Championship. Pacio got into the martial arts world through Wush, much like his seniors at Team Lakay, and initially thought that would be the farthest that his journey would take him. “Never, in a million years, would I have known that getting into Wushu would take me this far.” Pacio explained. “I thought regional competitions in Wushu and national tournaments would be the final stop for me in terms of martial arts,” he continued. Training every single day with the kind of talent that calls Team Lakay home will definitely help with one’s motivation. Seeing his coaches and stars like Eduard Folayang, Kevin Belingon, Honorio Banario and Geje Eustaquio represent Team Lakay inside the ONE Championship cage, it lit a fire inside of Pacio.

Tiger continues return to top form NORTON, United States—Tiger Woods says the secret to recapturing the dominating form that made him a 14-time major champion in an era of younger rivals is to keep putting himself in contention. The 42-year-old American tees off in Friday’s opening round of the US PGA Dell Technologies Championship, the second event of the tour’s season-ending playoffs, seeking his first victory in more than five years. Woods, whose 79 career PGA titles are three shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, has not competed at TPC Boston since 2013, where his best finish was a runnerup effort behind Phil Mickelson in 2007. Asked what he needed to do to reclaim the intimidating aura he once owned against a new generation of rivals, Woods said he has to put himself in the title hunt as he did in finishing second to Brooks Koepka at the PGA Championship earlier this month. “The thing is for me is to just keep getting there in the mix and keep getting there on that back nine late

on a Sunday with a chance to win,” Woods said. “It’s just a matter of giving myself a lot of opportunities and in order to win you have to be there. I’ve been there enough this year and clearly learned a lot from it.” In 15 events this season, Woods has also shared second at the Valspar Championship and fifth at Bay Hill in March and briefly led on Sunday at the British Open before sharing sixth. It’s not a bad comeback season for a star who underwent spinal fusion surgery last year and wondered if he might ever play again. “This has been one of my best years, considering that I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Woods. said. “I just didn’t have a clue. “And the fact that I’ve been able to make it this far is very exciting to me. I have a bright future ahead of me because at this point last year that wasn’t the case, didn’t know. But now I know that I sort of have a bright future.” AFP

Tiger Woods of the United States in action during the Pro Am event prior to the start of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston on August 30, 2018 in Norton, Massachusetts. AFP

ST. BENILDE’S Justin Gutang needed just a completed dunk in beating Arellano U’s William de Leon and Lyceum of the Philippines U’s Enoch Valdez in the finals to emerge the slam dunk king of the Season 94 NCAA All-Star Game at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City. Gutang did a reverse two-handed dunk at first, tried to do another one but failed to complete it before settling for a left-handed jam that elicited a 41 from the five-member judges’ panel that included Alab coach Jimmy Alapag and NCAA Press Corps president Norman Riego. Both Valdez and de Leon failed to even complete their dunks. Gutang’s best came in the elimination when he stuffed in a pass by teammate Jimbo Pasturan that earned him 46 points. “I wasn’t satisfied with my performance because I wasn’t able to practice that much but a win is a win,” said Gutang. In the three-point shootout, San Beda’s AC Soberano outgunned Mapua’s Exeqiel Biteng in the finals to clinch the three-point shootout title, his second after reigning supreme three years ago. San Beda took in alumnus Rome dela Rosa as a last-minute replacement to Jake Pascual and teamed up with Calvin Oftana and Anfernee Zachary Estacio to rule the Shooting Stars event. Dela Rosa, who won four championships with the Lions and is currently with Magnolia in the PBA, was just in the venue to cheer for younger brother Ry dela Rosa of Jose Rizal, who was there to compete in the three-point shootout but was called upon when Pascual, a former San Beda teammate, was a no-show. Needing to borrow San Besa star Javee Mocon’s shorts and a spare San Beda shirt, dela Rosa, Oftana and Estacio defeated Mapua’s Clint Escamis, Exi Biteng and Yong Garcia with Oftana hitting the half-court shot to clinch the crown. They beat a field that also included Arellano U’s Jio Jalalon and Letran’s Rey Nambatac, who are also in the pros like dela Rosa. “It’s nice to be back and representing the school that gave me a chance to play,” said dela Rosa, who last played for the Lions five seasons ago. Earlier, Jose Rizal’s Mark Mallari topped the skills challenge.

SPCP hosts WNCAA’s 49th season By Ram Christian Agustin AFTER the 48th Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) last year which was hosted by Saint Pedro Poveda College, St. Paul College Pasig will be hosting this year’s W NCAA in its 49th season with the theme “Play Bold With a Heart of Gold” scheduled to kick-off today at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Manila. “Boldness with respect, ethics, responsibility, fairness and teamwork,” said Sr. Dedicacion Rosario, the hosting school’s directress regarding the key emphasis of WNCAA’s theme for its season this year. “We are motivated by our recent Asian Games gold medal winners to play our best with a lot of boldness and courage,” said WNCAA president Juanita Alamillo of CEU about the recent victory of female athlete Hidilyn Diaz for the weightlifting event. “We have only three holdovers from last season’s team but we also have new, talented recruits so we are confident that we can get championship number eight,” added Alamillo. WNCAA, the country’s only trilevel league that showcases the skill of Filipina athletes, will kick off with a basketball tripleheader while volleyball starts on Sunday at the same coliseum. “Our student athletes have continuous preparations and now that the WNCAA season is here, trainings are more frequent,” said Kathleen Anne Pike, SPCP assistant principal for GIFT (Giftedness Instruction for Talent) Development Program. All members are required to participate in the basketball, volleyball, cheerdance (midgets) and cheerleading (seniors and juniors) competitions while the hiphop dance event has been unveiled as their new event this season.

Sports

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

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Federer, Djokovic advance at US Open NEW YORK—Roger Federer on Thursday set-up a US Open third round clash against Nick Kyrgios who found himself at the centre of an impartiality row after an umpire climbed down from his chair to tell him: “I want to help you”. Second seed and five-time champion Federer, 37, made it 18 wins in 18 second round appearances in New York by seeing off error-plagued Frenchman Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. “I think it’s always tricky against Benoit, never quite the same point. Sometimes he plays very deep in the court, then he plays up in the court,” said Federer. Also going through were Wimbledon champion and two-time US Open winner Novak Djokovic as well as Maria Sharapova, the 2006 champion in New York. However, women’s second seed Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out by Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine. Kyrgios reached the third round by seeing off France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert 4-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3, 6-0. The match created a huge storm after respected umpire Mohamed Lahyani lost patience with the underperforming 30th seed and climbed down from his chair to tell the Australian, trailing by a set and 3-0, to try harder. “I want to help you,” Lahyani could be heard saying. “This isn’t you. I know that. You are great for tennis.” A furious Herbert said that Lahyani had over-stepped the mark. “The umpire doesn’t have to talk to him at all. The only thing he can tell him is pay attention, because if you continue like this, I’m going to give you a warning,” said the 27-year-old. “They can tell him from the chair. He doesn’t need to go down. He doesn’t need to say the words he said on the video. That is not his job. I don’t think he’s a coach, he’s an umpire.” Kyrgios, however, played down the incident. “He said he liked me. I’m not sure if that was encouragement,” said the Australian who nevertheless won 19 of the last 25 games following Lahyani’s unprecedented intervention. “He just said that it’s not a good look. I know what I was doing out there wasn’t good.” AFP

Marion Kim Mangrobang (right) of the Philippines is trailed by, from left: Taiwan’s Kuo Jia-chi, Taiwan’s Chang Chi-wen Macau’s Hoi Long as they compete in the women’s triathlon during the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang on August 31. AFP

PH women triathletes falter P

ALEMBANG—Affected by the stifling early morning heat, Kim Mangrobang struggled in the last lap of the run leg to finish in seventh place in the 18th Asian Games women’s triathlon competitions that wound up in front of the Jakabaring Sport City Shooting Range on Friday.

Running in a tie for third after the 40-km bike race, the swim-bikerun event’s second leg, Mangrobang strained to keep pace with her faster running rivals, eventually fading to No. 7 in a time of two hours, five minutes and 20 seconds. Filipino-American Kim Kilgroe, who at one point was second overall during the bike leg, had a respectable Asian Games’ debut in placing ninth (2:06.57) in the event handily won by Japanese top pick Yuko Takahashi (1:59.29), with China’s Zhong Menying (2:01.16) and Macau’s Hoi Long (2:01.28), taking silver

and bronze, respectively. “Masayang-masaya na rin po ako sa naging resulta ng laro ko. Nagtraining kami ng mahirap para dito pareho ng mga kalaban. Lahat naghanda. Pakiramdam na lang kung sino ang mas maganda na lang sa araw ng laro,” Mangrobang, the 2015 Southeast Asian Games triathlon queen, noted. The 27-year-old pride of Sta. Rosa, Laguna refused to blame the sweltering and humid weather, which reached a high of 30 degrees Celsius, for her performance, although she bared that it was only in the low-20s in Rio Maior, Portu-

gal, where she has been training last week before coming over here. “Medyo mainit pero manageable naman po,” said Mangrobang, who improved on her ninth-place finish from the previous edition held in Incheon, South Korea four years ago, of the race conditions. A member of the national team since 2016, Kilgroe was delighted by her maiden Asian Games outing “Just being here is already an awesome experience for me. To be able to play for our country and get a good finish exceeded my expectations,” she said. Women’s team coach Ani de leon Brown said she was generally satisfied by the performance of both her wards, but noted the hot conditions had affected Mangrobang “because she was coming over from Europe where the weather is still cool.” “Had Kim (Mangrobang) managed

TNT KaTropa guard RR Garcia (right) dribbles past Phoenix Fuelmasters counterpart LA Revilla while TNT big man Justin Chua looks on. Phoenix beat TNT decisively.

Enriquez seeks repeat at PPS SYDNEY Ezra Enriquez hopes to ride the momentum of her twin victories in Liloy last week as she guns for another “double” in the PPS-PEPP Salug regional age-group tennis 2018 which got under way yesterday, Friday at the Uswag Salug Tennis Courts in Zamboanga del Norte. Playing before hometown crowd should also motivate Enriquez to shoot for another pair of victories against likes of top seed 14-year-old Rica Labrador and Princess Gom-Os in both the girls’ 16- and 18-and-under divisions of the Group 2 tournament sponsored and hosted by Mayor Jeffrey Lim and presented by Dunlop. Jalia Elumba and Labrador, meanwhile, gear up for fierce showdown in the 14-U play while Faith Regencia aims for a second straight victory in the 12-U category after topping the Liloy stop of the three-leg Zambo del Norte tour of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Pera Padala age-group circuit. Keen competition is also seen in the boys’ section with top seed Nilo Ledama, No. 2 Lex Estillore, third-ranked Jessy Elumba and No. 4 Jose Maria Pague heading the 18-U cast with Estillore and Ledama switching rankings in the 16-U side of the five-day event backed by Asiatraders Corp. and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines, made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. “The Zambo del Norte swing of the PPS-PEPP should encourage other provinces and cities to host more agegroupers to keep the youth busy and at the same time further expand the base of the sport,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Ababa leads rain-soaked round

DANAO City, Cebu— Jhonnel Ababa needed just a par on the first hole to hike his lead to three as Kim Joo Hyung opened with a bogey before heavy rain suspended play in the third round of the ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational here yesterday. Dark cloud settled over the P3.5 million event early morning, bringing heavy rain that submerged some of the fairways and greens and rendered the course unplayable. Play was delayed for almost three hours before the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. decided to suspend it and cancel the final round, reducing the tournament to a 54-hole affair. The unfinished third round will be completed starting at 7 a.m. today. “Although the rain let up a bit, the forecast is for more rain for the rest of the day. Because of that, we don’t expect the course condition to improve,” said PGTI tournament director Andy Maglipon. That gave Ababa’s title drive some kind of a push as he hiked his lead to three over Kim with hardly any effort.

With a 69 and 66 plus a par, he kept a seven-under card with Kim dropping to joint second at four-under with Aussie Damien Jordan, who also parred the first hole, and Jerson Balasabas, who birdied No. 3 to go four-under overall before play was halted. James Ryan Lam stood at threeunder after an even-par card after three holes in the final stop of the four-leg Visayas swing, which also serves as the penultimate leg of the 10-stage Philippine Golf Tour put up by ICTSI. But if there’s one player ruing the stoppage, it’s American Pete Vilairatana, who birdied the first three holes, and Rene Menor, who hit two birdies in three holes, as they joined Zanieboy Gialon, who also birdied No. 3, at twounder overall. Michael Bibat and Dino Villanueva posted identical one-under cards while Jobim Carlos parred the first three holes and stood too far behind Ababa at even par with Joenard Rates, virtually kissing his bid for a followup to his victory at ICTSI Iloilo last week goodbye.

Jhonnel Ababa hopes to cash in on his chances after the event was reduced to 54 holes.

to stay with the first pack, she could have wound up among the top five,” Brown added. She pointed to the superb strategy of the Japanese duo of Takahashi, ranked No. 15 in the International Triathlon Union world ratings, and Yuka Sato in ensuring that the former was able to clinch the gold. “Sato ‘killed’ the rest of the field and acted as the buffer so that her compatriot would win,” said Brown of the Japanese, ranked No. 20 in the world, who eventually bowed out just a few meters into the 10-km. run leg. Sato was among the four casualties of the event’s scorching conditions, reducing the 22-man field to 18 entries. Southeast Asian Games men’s triathlon champion Niko Huelgas and John Chicano are set to compete in the men’s triathlon scheduled for Saturday.

Fuelmasters rout TNT KaTropa By Reuel Vidal THE Phoenix Fuelmasters dominated both ends of the court to destroy the skidding TNT Ka Tropa, 112-82, in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup yesterday, August 31 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Fuelmasters mauled the KaTropa with their pressure defense then scored almost at will at the offensive end to post the lopsided victory. Jason Perkins led the Phoenix onslaught with 22 points and five rebounds to win the Bida Player of the Game. Calvin Abueva converted a layup to cap a 10-2 Phoenix start in the fourth which hiked the Fuelmasters lead to 37 points, 95-58, with 8:41 to go in the game. Matthew Wright then virtually settled the outcome of the game by drilling a triple which increased the Fuelmasters lead to 41 points, 100-59, with seven minutes to play. Phoenix improved to three wins against a single loss. The Alaska Aces (3-0) are alone at the top of the standings. Trailing them are Magnolia Pambansang Manok (1-0) and the Blackwater Elite (1-0). The other teams include the NLEX Road Warriors (3-1), the Meralco Bolts (1-2), TNT KaTropa (1-4), the NorthPort Batang Pier (0-2) and the Columbian Dyip (0-3). The San Miguel Beermen and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters have not yet played. Defending champion Barangay Ginebra is playing its first game against the Dyip as we went to press. The Fuelmasters, who lead from the start, started their demolition in the third. RJ Jazul drilled a three-pointer to push Phoenix to fat 31-point, 78-47 advantage with 3:51 to go in the third quarter. Seldom used Alfrancis Tamsi gave TNT an unexpected lift. He drilled backto-back three-pointers, plus a bonus free throw to cut the Phoenix lead to 29 points, 85-56, after three quarters.

IN BRIEF Treasury: Govt debt increases to 7.043t THE government’s outstanding debt as of end-July 2018 stood at P7.043 trillion, P27.40 billion or 0.4 percent higher over the previous month’s level, due to net availments on both domestic and foreign obligations, the Bureau of the Treasury said Friday. Of the total stock, 34.68 percent were secured externally while 65.32 percent were borrowed in the domestic market. The government’s domestic debt amounted to P4.600 trillion, P21.45 billion or 0.5 percent higher from the end-June 2018 level. “The increase in the level of domestic debt was due to the net issuance of government securities amounting to P21.57 billion slightly tempered by the stronger peso that diminished the value of onshore dollar bonds by P0.12 billion,” the Treasury said. To date, domestic debt has increased by P159.27 billion or 3.6 percent since the beginning of the year. External debt, meanwhile, amounted to P2.443 trillion, P5.94 billion or 0.20 percent higher than the end-June 2018 level. Julito G. Rada

Business

BCDA obtains ISO 9001:2015 certification THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority earned an ISO 9001:2015 certification for its quality management system from TÜV Rheinland Group. The certification covers the provision of conversion and development services, real estate management and engineering for land and assets under the jurisdiction of BCDA. The ISO 9001:2015, the latest version of the ISO 9001 standard, is the most widely known and internationally accepted standard for quality management and recognizes organizations with a quality management system that consistently provides services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. TÜV Rheinland Group is a global leader in independent testing, inspection, and certification services worldwide. “The recent ISO certification validates that BCDA’s standardized processes are consistently followed,” BCDA Organization Development and Management Department Manager Patrick Roehl Francisco said.

Automotive sales down 14% in first 7 months of 2018 By Othel V. Campos AUTOMOTIVE sales in the Philippines dropped 14.4 percent to 199,628 units in the first seven months of 2018 despite promotions and special rates to buyers from 233,115 units year-onyear. Sales in July also fell 4.5 percent month-on-moth to 28,038 units from 29,350 units in June. Both passenger car and commercial vehicles sales in the seven-month period declined 21.1 percent and 10.8 percent, respectively. Sales of passenger cars dropped to 63,003 from 79,881 units a year ago, while those of commercial vehicles declined to 153,234 units from 136,669 units. Except for category IV and V buses whose sales grew 13.1 percent and 18.3 percent, respectively, segments under commercial vehicles posted negative sales of 31.2 percent for Asian utility vehicles, 1.4 percent for light commercial vehicles and 21.7 percent for light trucks. Sales of passenger cars in July fell 45 percent to 6,975 units from 12,701 units a year ago, while those of commercial vehicles dropped to 21,063 units from 24,250 units. Passenger car sales dropped 10.2 percent from 7,766 units in June while those of commercial vehicle declined 2.4 percent from 21,584 units. Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. remains the market leader with 42.28 percent, followed by Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. with 19.45 percent. Nissan Philippines Inc. is in the third spot with an 8-percent market share, while

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

B1

NEW BPI AMTC PRESIDENT.

BPI Asset Management and Trust Corporation holds a cocktail event at Shangri-La at the Fort to introduce newly-installed president Sheila Marie Tan (fourth from left) to clients. With Tan are (from left) Ignacio Bunye, BPI AMTC independent director; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Bank of the Philippine Islands chairman; Cezar Consing, BPI president and chief executive officer and BPI AMTC director; Antonio Jose Periquet, BPI AMTC chairman; Mercedita Nolledo, BPI AMTC director; Jesse Ang, BPI AMTC director; and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, BPI AMTC director.

July domestic liquidity climbed 11% to P11.1t DOMESTIC liquidity, or the money supply circulating in the financial system, rose 11 percent in July to about P11.1 trillion yearon-year, slower than the revised 11.8-percent expansion a month ago, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday. The regulator said in a statement the overall growth of domestic liquidity, also called “M3,” remained in line with its prevailing outlook for inflation and economic activity. “The BSP will continue to closely monitor domestic liquidity dynamics to ensure that monetary conditions remain conducive to maintaining price and financial stability,” it said. Data showed domestic claims grew 16.1 percent in July, unchanged from the growth in the previous month. Loans for production activities continued to be driven by lending to different key sectors, such as wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; financial and insurance activities; real estate; manufacturing; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply; and construction. Julito G. Rada

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

August inflation rate hit 5.9%—Bangko Sentral T By Julito G. Rada

HE BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas said the inflation rate in August likely accelerated further to 5.9 percent from 5.7 percent in July due mainly to higher food prices driven by heavy rains associated with southwest monsoon and successive typhoons during the month. The Bangko Sentral’s Department of Economic Research forecasts inflation in August within the range of 5.5 percent and 6.2 percent. “The central forecast implies a slight deceleration of the month-on-month inflation. Higher price of rice and key food items due to weather disturbances and supply disruptions, increase in gasoline and LPG prices, and slight upward adjustments in electricity rates in Meralco-serviced areas contributed to upward

pressures in August,” the department said. “Meanwhile, lower diesel and kerosene prices as well as modestly appreciated peso could partly temper price pressures this month,” it said. The central bank said it would remain watchful of economic and financial developments that could affect the inflation outlook and closely monitor inflation expectations and emergence of further second-round effects ahead of the Monetary Board policy meeting in September. Earlier, private economists said they expected inflation to peak to 5.9 percent in August from 5.7 percent in July as intermittent weather disturbances affected food prices during the month. In a joint report for the month of August, First Metro Investment Corp. and University of Asia & the Pacific expressed optimism that inflation would decelerate in the succeeding months. “Headline inflation will peak in August given the heavy rains and flooding during the month,” FMIC and UA&P said in the Market Call report for the month. “The saving factor in the third quar-

ter would be normalizing food prices, due to September rice harvests and larger imports and downward trending crude oil prices to well below $70/ barrel. Electricity rates should also go down as hydro-power plants go full blast during the rainy season,” they said. They said inflation in September might slow down to 5.2 percent and further to 5 percent in October. Inflation in July accelerated to a more than five-year high of 5.7 percent from 5.2 percent in June based on the 2012 price index, due mainly to higher food prices. The figure brought the inflation average in the first seven months to 4.5 percent, well over the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent this year earlier set by the government. The economists said unless inflation started to slow down and exports began to move to positive territory, economic growth would continue to remain tepid, or around 6.5 percent or less in the third quarter. “... With construction [especially infrastructure] and manufacturing remaining robust, the underlying growth momentum should hold up,” they said.

China grants sought on 12 big infrastructure projects THE government is seeking Chinese grants to finance the feasibility studies on 12 big-ticket infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Friday the government submitted to the new aid agency of China— the China International Development Cooperation Agency—an indicative list of 12 infrastructure projects that would undergo feasibility studies with possible financing from China. An agreement was also reached in a meeting last week between a Cabinetlevel delegation from Manila and CIDCA chairman Wang Xiaotao, in which Beijing will provide a $13.4-million grant to fund the feasibility study of the proposed bridge project that will link

the islands of Panay, Guimaras and Negros in the Visayas region. The exchange of letters for the PanayGuimaras-Negros Island Bridge Project was signed by Wang and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar during the meeting held at the CIDCA headquarters in Beijing last week. Following the meeting with CIDCA, the Philippine delegation met with Export-Import Bank of China chairperson Hu Xiaolin to further discuss loan financing and co-financing arrangements for the Philippines’ infrastructure projects. Wang said the Philippine delegation led by Dominguez was “the first highlevel delegation” that CIDCA had received since its establishment in April

this year. “This truly shows that China gives great importance to the promotion of its bilateral relations with the Philippines,” Wang said during the meeting as he assured the delegation that through CIDCA, China will continue to provide assistance to the Philippines “in the direction determined by the leaders of both our countries.” The other members of the Philippine delegation included Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and other senior government officials. CIDCA deputy chairman Zhou Liujun and Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua and other officials were also present. Julito G. Rada

Ayala ties up with German firm, ventures into logistics By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. has teamed up with Brillant 1257 GmbH & Co. Vierte Verwaltungs Kg (Brillant) of Germany in forming a holding company that will invest in the logistics business. Ayala said in a disclosure to the stock exchange wholly-owned unit AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and Brillant would create a holding company to serve as the investment vehicle for future initiatives relating to courier and freight forwarding services. AC Infrastructure will hold a 60-percent equity interest in the holding company, while Brillant will own 40 percent. The investment forms part of Ayala’s strategy to develop infrastructure that will result in better efficiencies and improve the fulfillment goals of its existing businesses in real estate, banking, telecommunications and ecommerce. Brillant, meanwhile, is a Zalora affiliate. Ayala earlier venture into e-commerce space with the acquisition of a 43.3-percent interest in BF Jade EService Philippines Inc., the owner and operator of online fashion platform Zalora Philippines. Zalora is currently the Philippines’ largest online fashion destination offering over 120,000 products across over 1,000 brands in accessories, beauty, clothing, shoes and sports. AC Infrastructure early this month announced it teamed up with Aboitiz Group’s Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. and Unisys Philippines in submitting an unsolicited offer to the government to develop a national ID system. The proposal involves the design and development of a national identity infrastructure solution, which will collect, store, maintain, manage and authenticate the identity information of individuals. The consortium’s proposal came after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law The Philippine System Identification Act (PhilSys Act), which ordered the government to create a single official ID card for all Filipinos and resident aliens in the country. The national ID system is expected to reduce corruption, curtail bureaucratic red tape, avert fraudulent transactions and misrepresentations, strengthen financial inclusion and promote the ease of doing business.

Beep card users in rail transits rising By Darwin G. Amojelar

ENVIRONMENT PARTNER. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources signs an agreement with leading steelmaker SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. for the sustainable conservation, development and management of at least 100 hectares for a period of up to six years within the areas where the steel firm operates. Signing the partnership agreement are (seated from left) DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu and SteelAsia chairman and CEO Benjamin Yao. With them are (standing from left) DENR’s Undersecretary Rodolfo Garcia, director Crisanta Marlene Rodriguez of the Biodiversity Management Bureau; director Nonito Tamayo of the Forest Management Bureau; Undersecretary ] Jonas Leones; director Lourdes Wagan of the Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Service; SteelAsia’s Matilde Fernando, environmental consultant; Gen. Benjamin Magalong, senior vice president for operations; and Adrian Cristobal Jr., vice chairman.

AF PAYMENTS Inc., the joint venture of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp., said the number of passengers using beep card in the three mass rail transits in Metro Manila are rising after recording one billion transactions on August 8. About 56 percent are beep card transactions while 44 percent are cash via single journey tickets. The trend in the use of beep cards is still increasing. Some 59 percent of fares in July were paid using beep cards. “Reaching this milestone is a testament that we were able to create a robust and dependable payment solution for mass transit that has brought convenience to millions of the city’s rail riders over the last three years,” Peter Maher, president and chief executive of AF Payments, said.

The Ayala-MPIC consortium won the permit to operate an automated fare collection system as a Public-Private Partnership project in 2013. “Our team works day and night in partnership with the DOTr and the rail operators to ensure that the system meets the demanding performance standards set out in the Concession Agreement,” Maher said. Beep recently launched a mobile app that enables cardholders to check the load and transactions on a daily basis for up to five cards. The app is available for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. “Our customer surveys have consistently shown that the ease and convenience of using the beep card is among the top three reasons why commuters prefer to take LRT 1,” Light Rail Manila Corp. president and chief executive Juan Alfonso said.

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Business

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks end flat; eyes on inflation T HE stock market closed virtually flat Friday on mixed trading as investors opted to stay on the sidelines ahead of next week’s government report on the August inflation rate.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index minimally gained 2.55 points, or 0.03 percent, to 7,855.71 on a value turnover of P8 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 107 to 91, with 46 issues unchanged. Private economists expect inflation to peak to 5.9 percent in August from 5.7 percent in July after intermittent weather disturbances affected food prices during the month. Economists from First Metro Investment Corp. and University of Asia &

the Pacific earlier expressed optimism that once it hit the peak in August, inflation would decelerate in the succeeding months. “Headline inflation will peak in August given the heavy rains and flooding during the month,” FMIC and UA&P said in their monthly ‘Market Call’ report. San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc., a unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., advanced 5.3 percent to P99, while casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. climbed 3.1 percent to P9.55. Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, fell 2.1 percent to P4.59, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second largest lender in terms of assets, slipped 1.2 percent to P73.25. Meanwhile, emerging market currencies sank in Asia on Friday, with the Indian rupee at a record low as dealers fear contagion from financial crises in Argentina and Turkey.

A report that Donald Trump is planning to impose tariffs on a further $200 billion of Chinese imports as soon as next week has added to the fright on trading floors, with most equity markets across the region also down. All three major Wall Street indexes ended down, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ending a streak of four straight days of records. Tokyo ended marginally lower, while Hong Kong sank one percent and Shanghai lost 0.5 percent. A better-than-forecast reading on Chinese manufacturing activity was unable to lift the gloom. Sydney fell 0.5 percent, while Singapore was off 0.2 percent. Wellington, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta were also sharply lower but Seoul rose 0.7 percent. Forex traders have been dumping emerging market currencies after Argentina’s peso became the latest to hit the buffers on concerns about the country’s economy.

The peso hit a record low near 40 to the dollar Thursday despite the central bank hiking interest rates 15 percentage points to 60 percent. It has lost 53 percent of its value since the start of the year as the government of President Mauricio Macri faces a financial catastrophe. At the same time Turkey’s lira continues to face heavy selling after a deputy central bank governor resigned with the economy facing a possible recession, made worse by US sanctions. The currency has also lost about half its value this year. The flight out of emerging market units hit India, where the rupee fell to 71 against the dollar for the first time on Friday. The embattled currency has has lost about 10 percent this year. And the Indonesian rupiah also dived, briefly hitting the 14,750 to the dollar mark seen during the Asian financial crisis in 1998. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59 9,250 93.75 1,324,350 2.6 6,000 130.1 3,031,590 1.68 159,000 31.9 29,700 7.7 600 16.4 900 14.48 527,100 4.18 167,000 8.66 300 0.59 2,691,000 73.25 11,338,360 1.01 257,000 11.8 52,900 48 453,500 195 150 109.9 430 83.3 20 28.5 68,700 194.5 614,290 76.1 57,310 1.24 2,000

544,287.50 123,985,384 15,640 393,926,303 268,260 946,810 4,550 14,756 7,630,138 686,520 2,598 1,591,130 831,747,231.50 255,790 624,220 21,766,800 29,205 45,248 1,666 1,965,755 119,817,233 4,398,682.50 2,480

43,070 -10,953,119.50 143,157,221 -84,000 -130,575 -643,886 120,000 -92,550,729 -2,524,800 -663,160 -54,857,510 -272,250 -

35.55 17.14 0.97 1.19 0.233 3.21 14.28 29.7 19 46 68.2 80.05 1.8 7.42 10.48 15.84 10.22 7.26 7.02 1.6 16.9 63.75 28 7.35 13.78 2.16 279.4 4.96 3.04 24.4 13.08 18 366.4 2.04 4.02 8.99 5.01 7.65 0.97 11.5 56 6 4.8 2.49 3.09 1.68 13.1 93.9 5.57 0.127 1.01 138 2.08 1.79

INDUSTRIAL 37 3,385,400 17.18 653,100 1 16,336,000 1.25 1,292,000 0.234 2,460,000 3.21 3,284,000 14.28 211,700 32 3,410,400 19.4 13,000 46 1,010,100 68.25 1,000 80.05 30 1.8 15,000 7.68 29,400 10.54 1,921,000 16.24 2,311,200 10.22 81,800 7.3 257,500 7.04 10,841,700 1.6 40,000 17 1,551,200 64.9 193,720 28.2 62,000 7.4 115,800 13.82 529,100 2.2 560,000 288 1,025,030 4.97 110,000 3.04 39,000 24.4 2,442,800 13.2 315,700 18.1 1,433,500 373.4 547,750 2.06 412,000 4.02 75,000 9.06 1,304,100 5.2 128,100 7.95 124,000 0.98 11,316,000 11.8 59,100 57.5 1,220,380 6 62,700 4.8 5,000 2.49 47,000 3.15 50,000 1.69 148,000 13.1 15,600 99 3,975,660 5.66 234,600 0.127 10,000 1.08 835,000 139.5 2,261,800 2.1 3,341,000 1.81 15,296,000

124,162,955 11,216,752 16,335,270 1,570,160 575,850 10,673,180 3,057,332 108,977,320 251,712 46,464,600 68,205 2,401.50 27,000 225,596 20,208,098 37,231,818 848,602 1,872,179 76,283,097 64,120 26,359,492 12,557,922.50 1,750,645 855,779 7,312,974 1,229,850 292,015,084 546,450 120,060 60,294,015 4,173,574 25,880,914 203,579,986 856,000 304,290 11,765,264 650,201 969,422 11,246,050 692,146 69,531,368.50 378,220 24,060 117,030 154,860 249,730 204,534 390,567,675 1,329,162 1,270 904,350 316,590,398 7,028,590 27,958,860

-8,656,915 -132,974 259,020 35,800 -3,428,470 -1,582,482 -54,794,020 -460,000 1,887,704 2,944,784.00 -476,442 -14,388,268 3,399,860 2,196,248.50 4,971,186 220,100 -3,524,400 27,360 -15,655,465 -338,412 -2,687,618 37,816,506 -277,710 -125,190 986,650 -6,591,540 -26,792 -10,592,821.50 -81,060 14,400 -42,806,407.50 13,000 -15,992,755 -161,330 118,610

0.405 54.3 13.8 0.92 6.1 39.5 1.5 1.5 1,000 6 12.8 7.05 0.205 890 60 5.73 0.61 4.94 17.46 0.64 5.49 3.73 0.041 1.28 2.87 2.79 172 967 0.77 1.54 417 299 0.34

0.375 52.6 13.44 0.92 6 36.5 1.46 1.47 980 5.96 11.92 6.9 0.205 875 58.15 5.55 0.59 4.62 16.98 0.62 5.32 3.37 0.04 1.25 2.83 2.78 166.1 956 0.76 1.49 417 298 0.33

HOLDING FIRMS 0.39 9,620,000 53.45 3,319,470 13.8 13,290,900 0.92 10,000 6.1 10,000 36.55 401,200 1.47 5,914,000 1.48 1,289,000 1,000 334,250 5.99 4,821,400 12.8 8,870,100 7.05 21,900 0.205 50,000 876 212,690 60 2,171,610 5.73 4,000 0.59 13,000 4.7 1,942,000 17.2 5,078,900 0.63 648,000 5.45 53,644,500 3.73 62,000 0.04 18,100,000 1.27 199,000 2.84 507,000 2.79 752,000 169 762,390 966 241,160 0.76 75,000 1.53 58,000 417 20 299 100,890 0.33 12,180,000

3,763,550 176,330,282 180,490,974 9,200 60,805 15,138,550 8,717,190 1,915,050 332,550,250 28,911,008 110,937,354 154,367 10,250 187,082,585 128,729,212.50 22,317 7,700 9,234,340 87,504,346 408,220 288,985,260 218,780 726,100 250,120 1,440,300 2,090,570 129,208,544 232,484,410 57,040 87,600 8,340 30,065,770 4,037,450

39,250 48,414,287.50 20,134,908 51,805 734,410.00 752,000 8,469,125 -1,575,125 18,095,938 -50,405,445 13,982,262 -1,362,110 -69,445,742 63,368,923 -352,210 -12,540,415 -17,669,820 -8,970 62,700

7.3 0.98 13.14 0.74 44.5 3.09 4.59 5.71 6.5 0.445 0.95 0.98 0.249 0.42 9.35 26 0.58 0.122 1.53 1.19 1.72 4.72 0.68 0.48 0.5 3.51

7.07 0.96 13 0.72 43.9 3.06 4.49 5.62 6.5 0.44 0.95 0.96 0.24 0.41 9.2 25.35 0.57 0.113 1.51 1.18 1.68 4.52 0.63 0.47 0.49 3.45

4,903,380 616,740 349,828 372,920 545,783,610 289,540 743,570 5,701 650 996,700 4,750 458,880 922,850 158,800 4,249,480 15,645,020 297,220 38,370 3,717,180 1,391,700 7,993,630 142,003,890 85,868,350 1,574,900 358,250 529,490

591,197 200,470,895 -43,040 -105,910.00 -13,250 19,360 1,596,385 -272,020 74,640 1,101,470 -44,058,460 -185,610 7,000

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

60 94 2.64 130.5 1.7 31.9 7 16.4 14.46 4.07 8.66 0.58 74.45 1 11.8 48 194.5 105 83.3 28.5 199.7 78 1.24

60 94.5 2.64 130.5 1.7 31.9 7.7 16.4 14.54 4.2 8.66 0.61 74.5 1.01 11.8 48 195 109.9 83.3 28.7 199.8 78 1.24

57.75 93.1 2.6 128.3 1.68 31.75 7 16.36 14.42 4 8.66 0.57 72.55 0.99 11.8 47.8 194.5 105 83.3 28.5 194.5 76 1.24

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

36.45 17.3 1.02 1.2 0.234 3.3 14.5 31.9 19.5 46 68.2 80.05 1.8 7.42 10.58 16.22 10.4 7.3 7.05 1.7 17 65 28 7.35 13.84 2.24 287.8 4.97 3.11 24.95 13.4 18.5 372 2.1 4.02 9.05 5.08 7.7 1.01 11.7 58.1 6.1 4.83 2.49 3.1 1.69 13.12 93.9 5.6 0.127 1.02 140 2.11 1.89

37 17.3 1.03 1.28 0.24 3.33 14.58 34 19.8 46 68.25 80.05 1.8 7.7 10.58 16.38 10.4 7.3 7.05 1.7 17.14 65 28.35 7.4 13.96 2.24 288 4.97 3.25 25 13.58 18.5 373.4 2.1 4.21 9.06 5.2 7.95 1.01 11.8 58.1 6.1 4.83 2.49 3.15 1.71 13.4 99 5.78 0.127 1.13 143.7 2.13 1.92

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 JOLLIVILLE HLDG LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV MJC INVESTMENTS PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS

0.385 53.3 13.5 0.92 6 38.7 1.46 1.49 990 6 12.2 6.9 0.205 890 59.6 5.55 0.61 4.94 17.46 0.62 5.48 3.38 0.04 1.28 2.85 2.78 169.5 964.5 0.77 1.54 417 298 0.34

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

7.24 0.98 13 0.72 44.05 3.07 4.57 5.62 6.5 0.445 0.95 0.96 0.249 0.42 9.35 25.8 0.58 0.118 1.53 1.19 1.69 4.69 0.63 0.47 0.5 3.47

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

21 2.03 38.7 1.15 7.13 6.4

21.3 2.05 39 1.15 7.23 6.48

20.95 2.03 37.9 1.14 7.08 6.37

21.3 2.03 39 1.14 7.16 6.4

4,293,700 33,000 10,721,300 144,000 330,200 3,460,500

90,856,105 67,160 413,571,170 164,300 2,356,544 22,183,909

-27,453,970 -26,873,510 -40,019 5,974,404

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

13.54 24.85 1.43 0.51 0.045 13.6 3.16 9.26 0.062 74.35 8.02 6.2 8.69 2.25 25 2,060 5.55 309 4.07 94 12.08 7.83 0.121 3.19 3.51 15 4.03 1.03 19.96 0.45 5.3 6.9 2.89 2.09 1.95 17.5 8.15 10.6 8.7 111 5.09 1,400 0.87 0.415 45.95 78 8.15 2.19 0.86 0.66 5.18 0.79 11.6

13.7 24.9 1.43 0.51 0.046 13.6 3.19 9.55 0.062 75 8.02 6.4 8.7 2.25 25.8 2,116 5.57 319 4.07 94.7 12.08 7.83 0.123 3.21 3.65 15 4.03 1.04 20 0.45 5.47 6.9 2.89 2.09 1.95 17.5 8.2 11 8.8 111 5.13 1,415 0.87 0.425 46.75 81.6 8.15 2.21 0.87 0.68 5.18 0.8 11.6

13.5 24.7 1.43 0.49 0.045 13.6 3.01 9.26 0.062 72 8 6.16 8.25 2.25 24 2,054 5.48 308 3.89 93.15 12.06 7.83 0.121 3.07 3.5 15 3.91 1.01 19.58 0.45 5.15 6.56 2.86 2 1.95 17.5 8.1 10.6 8.7 109.8 5.05 1,380 0.86 0.4 45.6 77.85 8 2.18 0.83 0.66 5.09 0.77 11.42

SERVICES 13.6 24.8 1.43 0.495 0.046 13.6 3.04 9.55 0.062 72 8 6.32 8.25 2.25 24 2,116 5.55 317 3.9 93.65 12.06 7.83 0.122 3.07 3.57 15 3.94 1.03 19.64 0.45 5.46 6.82 2.88 2.05 1.95 17.5 8.16 11 8.8 109.8 5.13 1,393 0.87 0.405 46 81.6 8 2.19 0.84 0.67 5.11 0.79 11.52

20,500 25,700 6,000 11,781,000 900,000 1,000 2,211,000 15,333,000 2,400,000 275,210 2,800 1,755,100 32,000 10,000 108,700 84,530 300,900 2,190 2,953,000 1,256,560 20,100 20,000 1,380,000 4,507,000 21,000 200 586,000 729,000 1,951,300 10,000 40,100 1,760,000 356,000 149,000 1,000 100 1,278,200 220,800 10,800 1,230 84,000 101,985 2,377,000 22,740,000 842,200 513,490 110,400 1,739,000 14,379,000 20,380,000 159,000 2,707,000 1,879,800

278,126 636,730 8,580 5,865,635 40,600 13,600 6,794,290 145,194,768 148,800 20,202,385 22,416 11,104,117 267,377 22,500 2,670,425 177,922,730 1,661,607 692,888 11,619,420 117,776,970 242,806 156,600 167,760 14,143,490 73,920 3,000 2,312,330 740,280 38,412,862 4,500 210,217 11,854,379 1,023,020 300,890 1,950 1,750 10,425,018 2,344,326 93,985 136,003 425,496 142,288,485 2,058,580 9,329,600 38,935,865 40,916,501 888,779 3,820,770 12,188,260 13,567,490 813,055 2,115,640 21,627,994

9,492 -8,580 290,490 51,384,209 -9,273,125.00 -1,321,673 59,354,200 568,300 -9,456,896.50 -516,130 -953,380 -54,172 14,530 2,086,553 551,320 125,470.00 18,795 -5,060 -17,996,400 1,125,780 1,008,250 3,977,800 -27,581,445.50 73,803.00 1,695,700 5,832,320 -61,700 -10,300 311,000 -14,951,560

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 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

0.0027 1.6 3.48 20.05 1.45 1.96 0.315 7.43 1.99 0.21 0.123 0.129 0.0084 0.0086 1.42 5.47 1.17 0.57 1.19 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.7 4.1 16 29.1 0.0093

0.0028 1.62 3.5 20.45 1.45 2 0.315 7.49 2 0.214 0.126 0.129 0.0084 0.0086 1.42 5.56 1.2 0.58 1.25 0.013 0.014 0.013 3.7 4.15 16.3 29.75 0.0096

0.0026 1.58 3.46 20.05 1.45 1.95 0.315 7.26 1.98 0.209 0.123 0.129 0.0082 0.0085 1.4 5.33 1.15 0.57 1.19 0.012 0.013 0.012 3.54 4.09 15.48 29 0.0084

MINING & OIL 0.0027 119,000,000 1.59 1,152,000 3.46 151,000 20.1 13,000 1.45 26,000 1.98 1,306,000 0.315 60,000 7.38 15,900 2 11,230,000 0.214 480,000 0.123 3,210,000 0.129 10,000 0.0082 21,000,000 0.0085 33,000,000 1.4 193,000 5.43 2,476,900 1.16 391,000 0.58 378,000 1.21 3,029,000 0.013 36,200,000 0.013 3,800,000 0.013 53,800,000 3.56 54,000 4.1 681,000 15.7 3,063,300 29 4,713,600 0.0089 179,000,000

320,300 1,845,300 525,020 262,100 37,700 2,568,400 18,900 117,678 22,371,310 100,720 397,930 1,290 172,800 280,800 270,800 13,421,921 454,510 218,160 3,678,390 453,300 49,700 650,000 193,490 2,798,990 48,474,956 137,131,860 1,583,900

78,300 809,960 4,010 -15,760 13,004,720 25,800 -107,607.00 181,500 4,200 25,300 10,740 -1,244,440 1,317,470 -88,853,215 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A PCOR PREF 2A SFI PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

24.5 503 501.5 101.4 104.9 5.3 987.5 99.6 1,011 1.94 986 77.4 80.2 75.25 76.5 75.5 77

24.5 503 501.5 101.5 104.9 5.3 987.5 99.6 1,011 1.94 1,000 77.4 80.2 75.3 76.5 75.6 77

24.35 503 501 101 104.9 5.3 987.5 99.6 1,011 1.94 986 76.05 80.2 75.25 76.5 75.5 77

PREFERRED 24.35 42,600 503 20 501 1,500 101 13,400 104.9 110 5.3 220,600 987.5 50 99.6 60 1,011 1,980 1.94 1,000 1,000 1,050 77.4 1,320,080 80.2 9,940 75.3 12,800 76.5 25,750 75.6 17,240 77 25,890

1,038,060 10,060 751,575 1,354,300 11,539 1,169,180 49,375 5,976 2,001,780 1,940 1,046,000 100,392,168 797,188 963,590 1,969,875 1,302,420 1,993,530

-366,000 -1,036,150 -

LR WARRANT

2.43

2.45

2.43

WARRANTS 2.45 75,000

183,130

-

7,106,254 1,081,150

214,800 210

702,270

-

8,002.80

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 7.1 0.98 13.1 0.73 44.5 3.08 4.59 5.71 6.5 0.44 0.95 0.97 0.24 0.41 9.2 25.5 0.57 0.113 1.51 1.18 1.7 4.59 0.67 0.475 0.495 3.49

684,700 637,000 26,800 511,000 12,338,700 94,000 163,000 1,000 100 2,260,000 5,000 473,000 3,810,000 380,000 460,100 613,900 513,000 330,000 2,458,000 1,172,000 4,712,000 30,953,000 128,877,000 3,320,000 730,000 152,000

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.46 2.83

5.54 2.88

5.33 2.83

FIRST METRO ETF

116.8

117

116.5

USD DMPL A2

10.26

10.26

10.26

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

20,791,895

INDUSTRIAL

97,414,259

HOLDING FIRMS

146,167,906

PROPERTY

214,751,395

SERVICES

121,281,489

MINING & OIL

482,281,748

GRAND TOTAL

1,084,389,206

5.33 2.83

SME

1,312,500 381,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117 6,010 DDS 10.26

780

VALUE 1,810.09 (down) 11.59 1,510,296,240.35 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,272.85 (down) 14.21 1,941,862,949.06 HOLDING FIRMS 7,764.67 (up) 27.19 2,069,980,406.21 PROPERTY 3,945.53 (down) 5.52 1,537.18 (up) 1.84 1,349,950,011.24 SERVICES MINING & OIL 9,903.96 (down) 48.67 901,368,980.99 PSEI 7,855.71 (up) 2.55 238,446,747.44 All Shares Index 4,772.33 (up) 11.43 8,020,798,303.80 Gainers: 91; Losers: 107; Unchanged: 48; Total: 244

Aboitiz Power to complete 2 hydro-electric power stations By Alena Mae S. Flores ABOITIZ Power Corp. expects to fully complete the 68.8-megawatt Manolo Fortich and the 19-MW La Trinidad hydro-electric plant to avail of the extended feed-in tariff for hydro until 2019. Aboitiz Power said in a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange Hedcor Bukidnon Inc. was building the Manolo Fortich hydro project in Bukidnon province. The commercial operations of the first plant with a capacity of 43.4 MW began in July while the second plant with an output of 25.4 MW capacity was expected to reach commercial operations in September “once the fining tunnel lining works are completed.” The 19-MW La Trinidad hydro power plant, meanwhile, is being built by Hedcor Inc. with completion date set by the second half of 2019. Both plants were expected to operate with feed-in tariff, Aboitiz Power said. The Department of Energy has endorsed the extension of the installation target for biomass and hydro until 2019 to the Energy Regulatory Commission. The installation target for the two renewable energy technologies expired in December. The extension is seen to further promote renewable energy development in the country. The ERC in 2012 approved a feed-in tariff rate of P5.90 per kilowatt-hour for run-of-river hydro within the installation target of 250 MW. ERC reduced the run-of-river hydro feed-in tariff to P5.8705 per kWh for projects completed in 2017 after reviewing and implementing the 0.5-percent digression rate. The regulator has not come out with a new feed-in tariff rate for the extension. Aboitiz Power said it built the foundation to sustain growth over the longterm. The company expects to expand its generation portfolio to 4,000 MW in 2020 from 2,999 MW as of end December 2017.

Megawide bullish on revenues from transport terminal By Jenniffer B. Austria MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. said the Parañaque Integrated Transport Exchange is expected to contribute P717.2 million in leasing revenues to the company next year. Megawide during a recent investors briefing said leasing revenues from PITx would reach P717.2 million in 2019 and increase to P1.13 billion in 2020 and P1.28 billion in 2021. PITx, a 4.6-hectare integrated bus terminal project, is slated for completion by the second half of 2018. The project, previously called Southwest Integrated Transport System, will connect passengers coming from the Cavite side to other transport systems such as the future LRT Line 1 South Extension, city bus, taxi, and other public utility vehicles that are serving inner Metro Manila. The project will include passenger terminal buildings, arrival and departure bays, public information systems, ticketing and baggage handling facilities, and park-ride facilities. Once fully operational, the PITX will be capable of serving 200,000 passengers on a daily basis. It can also do commercial development and collect revenues generated from it. Megawide owns 100 percent of PITx after buying out MW Property Management Inc.’s stake in the company for P344.1 million early this month. “Megawide decided to acquire the said shares because it sees the potential in the transportation infrastructure industry and believes that the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange project is consistent with its philosophy of Engineering a First World Philippines. Further, all the profit from the PITx will accrue in favor of Megawide,” the company said. Megawide ventured into transport infrastructure as part of a diversification plan. It move will also increase in the company’s recurring income base. Megawide posted a net income P1.26 billion in the first half of the year, up 10 percent from P1.15 billion year-on-year. The increase was driven by the continued robust growth of the company’s airport business segment, which contributed 65 percent to consolidated net earnings.

World

B3

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Moon to send special envoy to North Korea

SEOUL―South Korean President Moon Jae-in will send a special envoy to Pyongyang next Wednesday to discuss plans to hold a summit with the North’s Kim Jong Un and nuclear disarmament, local media said Friday. The unnamed envoy will visit the North’s capital city on September 5, Yonhap news agency said, citing a presidential spokesman. Seoul proposed the envoy’s visit Friday morning and Pyongyang accepted it a few hours later, Kim Eui-kyeom said, adding they had not yet who the envoy will be. “The envoy will have broad discussions over a detailed schedule for the inter-Korea summit, development of bilateral ties...and nuclear disarmament of the Korean peninsula,” Kim was quoted as saying. Moon and Kim have met face-to-face twice now, the first during a historic summit at the border truce village of Panmunjom in April. It was the first time a North Korean leader had ever crossed into the South. They met a second time in the truce village as they scrambled to salvage a summit between Kim and US president Donald Trump in Singapore which eventually went ahead. They have since agreed to hold a third summit in Pyongyang at an unspecified date in September. AFP

Robot to protect Great Barrier Reef

SYDNEY―A robot submarine able to hunt and kill the predatory crown-ofthorns starfish devastating the Great Barrier Reef was unveiled by Australian researchers on Friday. Scientists at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said the robot, named the RangerBot and developed with a grant from Google, would serve as a “robo reef protector” for the vast World Heritage site off Australia’s northeastern coast. The RangerBot has an eight-hour battery life and computer vision capabilities allowing it to monitor and map reef areas at scales not previously possible. “RangerBot is the world’s first underwater robotic system designed specifically for coral reef environments, using only robot-vision for real-time navigation, obstacle avoidance and complex science missions,” said Matthew Dunbabin, the QUT professor who unveiled the submarine. “This multi-function ocean drone can monitor a wide range of issues facing coral reefs including coral bleaching, water quality, pest species, pollution and siltation.” Software will also enable the bot to detect crown-of-thorns starfish, which eat coral, and “instigate an injection which is fatal” to the predators, he said, adding that the injection is harmless for other reef creatures. AFP

Japan eyes record defense budget

TOKYO―Japan’s defense ministry on Friday made its biggest-ever budget request, seeking better missile defense and bolstered air power amid the ongoing threats from North Korea and China. The ministry wants 5.298 trillion yen ($47 billion) for the next fiscal year from April, the seventh straight annual increase and 2.1 percent more than last year. Among the items on the defense ministry’s shopping list are two sets of USmade Aegis Ashore missile defense systems to defend the country against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, with a combined price tag of 234.3 billion yen. It also wants six more F-35 fighter jets and two E-2D Hawkeye radar and maritime aircraft, with plans to expand the air force patrol team by adding 30 servicemen to a current team of 830. The budget request came hot on the heels of the ministry’s annual defense review, which said North Korea still poses a “serious and imminent threat” despite a diplomatic detente earlier this year. After the historic June 12 summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, there has been little tangible progress in denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. AFP

FASHION WEEK.

Models present outfits by THE Australian label Forever New during Melbourne Fashion Week in Melbourne on August 31, 2018. AFP

Struggle to digest world anger

Y

ANGON―Baffled, hurt or indignant, many inside Myanmar are struggling to digest a week of opprobrium heaped on their country by the UN and even Facebook over the treatment of the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim group whose plight elicits little sympathy in the Buddhist-majority nation.

some 700,000 of the minority in violence that horrified the world. But in Myanmar, the army was widely cheered for its defense of the country from “Bengali” interlopers―as the Rohingya are falsely cast. A UN report on Monday pulled few punches in calling for the army chief’s prosecution for genocide against the Rohingya and singled out Myanmar’s democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi for failing to speak up for the group. Yet the public response has been muted on an issue warped by Islamophobic rhetoric and the rehashed history peddled by the military. “We were happy to fight the military Last year’s military crackdown ostenfor democracy but we don’t want to fight sibly on Rohingya militants pushed out

them over Rakhine,” shipowner Kyaw Kyaw, 47, told AFP, from a Yangon teashop. “I have sympathy for the victims but defending our country from terrorism is more important,” he added, parroting the official line that the army “clearance operations” were justified to root out Rohingya militants. Myanmar’s evolution from military rule to a quasi-democracy in 2011 brought with it freedoms unknown for nearly half a century. Even so, most people still rely for information on state media, Facebook or a fledgling independent media that mostly toes the government line when it comes to the Rohingya.

Filmmaker imprisoned for six years for ‘espionage’

Spain finding it hard to set migrant policy MADRID―In June, Spain welcomed the Aquarius migrant rescue ship with open arms. Then in August, Madrid sent back to Morocco more than 100 men who had forced their way into its overseas territory of Ceuta. The apparent U-turn has led to questions over the migration policy of the new Socialist government of Spain, which has overtaken Italy to become the preferred destination of people wanting to get to Europe. Criticized by the conservative opposition when it insisted on opening its doors, the recent expulsion has drawn stinging reproof from activists and sarcastic glee from the likes of Italy’s farright interior minister Matteo Salvini. When Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez came to power on June 1 after ousting his conservative rival Mariano Rajoy, he scored a coup in Europe by opening up the eastern port of Valencia to the Aquarius. The charity ship had made headlines after being refused entry in Italy and Malta despite having 630 migrants on board whom it had saved off the coast of Libya. At the time, Sanchez’s government had also announced it intended to facilitate health care access to illegal immigrants. It also planned to remove barbed wire from the fences sealing off Ceuta and Melilla, another overseas Spanish territory in Morocco, which regularly tears through the hands and legs of migrants trying to scramble over. AFP

DINOSAUR AT THE FRONT DESK. A robot dinosaur wearing a bellboy

hat welcomes guests from the front desk at the Henn-na Hotel in Urayasu, suburban Tokyo, on August 31, 2018. The reception at the Henn-na Hotel east of Tokyo iis eeriely quiet until customers near the robot dinosaurs manning the front desk. Their sensors detect motion and they bellow: ‘Welcome.’ It might be the weirdest check-in experience possible, but that’s exactly the point at the Henn-na (‘Weird’) chain, which bills itself as offering the world’s first hotels staffed by robots. AFP

Detroit hosts star-studded funeral for music icon Aretha Franklin DETROIT―Detroit will bid a final goodbye to US music icon Aretha Franklin at her star-studded funeral on Friday, her family to be joined by political dignitaries and music royalty in celebrating her life. The 76-year-old singer, beloved by millions around the world, died of cancer on August 16, closing the curtain on a glittering six-decade career that made her one of America’s most celebrated artists. Former president Bill Clinton and Smokey Robinson are among those due to address her six-hour, invitation-only funeral at the Greater Grace Temple. Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande are to lead the musical tributes. The service is for family and friends only, meaning that members of the public will have to watch online or on a giant screen reportedly being erected near

the church. The formal part of the service is to begin at 10am (1400 GMT) in her Michigan hometown. Franklin won 18 Grammy awards and was feted for her civil rights work, raising money for the cause and uplifting activists with her anthems. She influenced generations of female singers from the late Whitney Houston to Beyonce, with unforgettable hits including “Respect” (1967), “Natural Woman” (1968) and “I Say a Little Prayer” (1968). “I think it’s going to be a very upbeat service. I think it’s going to be a very jubilant service,” Bishop Charles Ellis, the officiating pastor, told AFP this week. The daughter of a prominent Baptist preacher and civil rights activist, Franklin sang at the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the inaugurations of

There are signs that politics is again becoming taboo, as patriotism and a deep mistrust of a still-powerful army dull criticism. At the same time a siege mentality is building in a country that felt the glow of global support just a few years ago as its story of triumph over authoritarianism captured the headlines. “I feel sad the world is looking down upon Myanmar people,” says traditional doctor Than Sein, 50, from a neighboring teashop table, remembering how Buddhists and Muslims used to eat at each other’s houses and lamenting they no longer do so. Suu Kyi, still a heroine domestically, articulated the mood. AFP

presidents Clinton and Barack Obama. She was awarded America’s highest civilian honor by George W. Bush in 2005. Letters from Bush and Obama are expected to be read at the funeral. After the service, she will make her final journey in the same ivory 1940 Cadillac LaSalle that transported the body of her father in 1984, and that of civil rights icon Rosa Parks in 2005. More than 100 pink Cadillacs―a nod to her 1985 hit “Freeway of Love”―will reportedly line up outside the church. She will be buried in Woodland Cemetery alongside her father and siblings. The funeral comes the morning after more than 40 artists performed at a free concert, billed “A People’s Tribute to the Queen,” spanning the R&B, Gospel, Jazz and Blues genres in which Franklin excelled.

Thousands of joyful fans packed into a water-front arena in Detroit, listening to guest singers powering through some of her greatest hits, culminating in an all-cast arrangement of “Respect”. Her signature song, a feminist anthem, became a rallying cry as African-Americans rose up nationwide in the 1960s to fight peacefully for racial equality. Her grandchildren spoke briefly, delivering heartfelt thanks on behalf of their family. “It’s truly inspiring to see how many hearts, how many people my grandma has touched,” said Victorie Franklin. Dancing, excitedly taking selfies and filming parts of the concert on their cellphones, the evening was a chance for Detroit to celebrate the life and legacy of a towering figure regarded as local royalty. AFP

PHNOM PENH―An Australian filmmaker was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday after being convicted of espionage in Cambodia in a case that Human Rights Watch slammed as a “ludicrous charade”. James Ricketson has been held in jail since his arrest in June last year after he flew a drone over a rally held by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which was dissolved months later. The CNRP’s dissolution paved the way for strongman premier Hun Sen to win a clean sweep of all parliamentary seats in July’s national election, which Western democracies have said was flawed in the absence of a viable opposition. After a six-day trial, Judge Seng Leang found the 69-year-old Ricketson guilty on two charges of espionage. “We have decided to convict [him] to six years in prison for espionage and collecting harmful information that could affect national defense,” he said. The prosecution had accused Ricketson of working as a filmmaker in Cambodia for years as a front for spying. “Unbelievable―which country am I spying for?” Ricketson asked out loud in court. His lawyer Kong Sam Onn told reporters waiting outside the court that he plans to request a royal pardon from the Cambodian king. Earlier this week 14 opposition lawmakers and activists jailed before the election were released after sending apology letters to Hun Sen, which the premier said he sent on to the monarch. Calling the result “devastating”, Ricketson’s son Jesse said he could not comment on whether an apology letter to Hun Sen was forthcoming to secure his father’s release. Human Rights Watch’s Phil Robertson decried the court’s findings on Friday, saying that the trial “exposed everything that’s wrong with the Cambodian judicial system”. Robertson said the Australian was used as a “scapegoat” by the government to crack down on political opposition. He also criticized what he said was inaction by the Australian government in “failing to publicly and consistently challenge this ludicrous charade and demand Ricketson’s immediate and unconditional release.” AFP

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

B4

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Tapping the youth market

M

YTOWN, a coliving brand in the Philippines, is opening its 12th dormitory building this month to fill the need for the growing population entering the Philippine’s workforce.

Under its company Philippines Urban Living Solutions (PULS), MyTown built its first building in 2014, and was recently named by Chushman & Wakefield as a trailblazer in the rental accommodation market. MyTown has been building dorm-living facilities by providing amenities that boost tenancy. The interiors are functional and geared towards the lifestyle of young adults. “MyTown’s co-living micro

condos have provided a muchneeded solution for young urban professionals by making metroliving accessible and affordable, while giving them a safe place to

connect with like-minded people, and develop their skills through our tenant activities and amenities,” said PULS chief executive officer Mark Arellano Kooijman.

Top developers on tap

HOME AWAY FROM HOME. The Wyndham Hotel group recently entered Malaysia’s capital city with the opening of the 107-room Ramada Suites Kuala Lumpur city centre. Formerly known as Invito Hotel Suites, the all-suite hotel now operates under the Ramada brand flag thanks to a franchise agreement between Trinidad Signature Suites Sdn Bhd and Wyndham Hotel Group. This latest Ramada hotel is the first of five new Wyndham Hotel Group locations due to open in Malaysia before the fourth quarter of 2019, including the 170-room Ramada Resort Lumut, the 257room Days Fraser Business Park Kuala Lumpur, the 322-room Ramada Encore Meridin Johor Bahru and the 322-room Ramada Meridin Johor Bahru. “Our expansion in Kuala Lumpur, one of Asia’s key gateway cities, is a sign of our continued commitment to building a powerful network of hotels and resorts across South East Asia, particularly in key capital cities, to meet rising demands,” said Barry Robinson, president of Wyndham hotel group South East Asia. BASKING IN THE TROPICS.

IF YOU plan to buy an investment condo, choose one from the country’s top property developers and those located in prime locations to ensure good resale value years from now. At a recent roundtable by global real estate brokerage RE/MAX Philippines, country manager Kenneth Stern (Shown here) said condos like Ayala Land Premier’s One Serendra, The Residences at Greenbelt, and Park Terraces, and those by Rockwell Land have been performing well in the secondary market, judging by how much these properties’ value increased since their launch dates. Stern noted this data is important as it shows which condos and which developers perform well in the secondary market. “Condo buyers and investors look at future prices whenever they purchase, and our data will help them make informed decisions,” he said. RE/MAX is a franchisor of real estate brokerage services that was founded in 1973 by Dave and Gail Liniger. RE/MAX Philippines was founded in 2012, and continues to grow its network with over 25 franchises, and more than 200 brokers nationwide.

DMCI Homes recently topped off the second building of Sheridan Towers development in Pasig, putting it on course for turnover in May 2020. The 43-residential level north tower reached its full height last July, while the south tower along Sheridan Street was turned over a year ahead of its committed ready for occupancy (RFO) date of November 2018. Both towers have enjoyed brisk business particularly from young professionals and startup families working in Makati, Mandaluyong, Ortigas, and BGC. The tropicalthemed development occupies a land area of 11,155 sq.m, offering a full array of resort-inspired amenities including a basketball court, playcourt, children’s play area, entertainment room, fitness gym, function hall, lap pool, leisure pool, kiddie pool and gardens. Both towers were designed using Lumiventt® Technology - DMCI Homes’ design technology for high-rise structures that allow natural light and airflow into the residential units.

Kärcher flagship center in Manila

Developers from the rising sun ASIAN Mergers and Acquisition Links (AMAL) recently partnered with Kyushu Yaesu Co., Ltd. and NedSteel Construction and Development Corp. to build a lowcost housing project in Nueva Ecija. Phase 1 of Peñaranda community (Seen in photo) and Phase 2 in Tabon are currently being developed by the joint venture outfit, Hinata Housing Corporation, and is scheduled to be finished in three years. The prices of the homes range from P800,000 to P1.5 million for Peñaranda, and P1.5 million to P2 million for Tabon. Hideki Tanifuji, founder and CEO of AMAL said the Philippines is rising as a favored investment destination for Japanese construction companies. “We want to build homes for Filipinos – affordable yet quality homes which our company is known for back in Fukuoka,” said Nakashima. At the signing of the joint-venture agreement under Hinata Housing Corporation were Edilberto Morcilla, director of Nedsteel; Antonio Lorenzano, chairman of Nedsteel; Hisao Nakashima, executive vice president of Kyushu; and Akira Shiraishi, president of Ambitious Urban Development, Philippines, Inc.

Present from left were: Parañaque City vice mayor Jose Enrico Golez; Fernandez; Kärcher global deputy CEO Markus Asch; ASEAN president Klaus Puehmeyer; and Dr. Andree Buhl, economic and commercial counsellor of the German Embassy in Manila.

GLOBAL cleaning technology and solutions provider Kärcher recently inaugurated its first service center and showroom in the Philippines. Located in Sucat, Parañaque, the Kärcher Center displays the company’s range of high-pressure cleaners, vacuum cleaners and other cleaning equipment, implements, solutions both for industrial, commercial and home use.

The new center gives customers and potential business clients the chance to experience the products by themselves, or see how they work through a demonstration by professionals. “Our flagship center will definitely help develop our commitment to bring the right cleaning solution to every Filipino customer, said Kärcher Philippines country manager Zurich Fernandez.

Life

bernadette ernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @mstandardLIFe

young life

saturday, september 1, 2018

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5 things

people regret in their 40s SAD SUNSET. Forty-something individuals share the things they regret doing in their 20s..

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hey say life begins at 40, but how you live your 20s shapes the kind of life you’re going to have two decades later. So before #YOLOing every decision you make, it’s important to look a little bit into your future.

you’ll never know until you’re there, right? hence a team from The Medical City Clark initiated a survey involving individuals who are now in their 40s, asking them what they regret doing when they were younger. And their answers would probably, hopefully, make you reconsider your #priorities.

Did not travel enough

exploring the world is one of the regrets older people have. With the pressure of work coupled with the notion that traveling is expensive, people are less likely to start traveling at a young age to prioritize career and financial stability. While building your career and aiming for financial stability are important, enjoying some of your hard-earned money while you still have the time can also be beneficial. So go ahead, take that well-deserved break—but make sure you have enough money to fund it.

Stopped seeking new knowledge after school

Spent more money than they saved

“Save and invest for the future so that you can retire young to enjoy life,” says a 48-year-old respondent from Parañaque. Financial stability is indeed a step toward the future. Sadly, however, not everyone realizes it especially when one has money to spend and a lot of things to experience. Start saving early—get a life insurance, invest in stocks, or simply open a savings account.

Learning never stops after college. It’s important to widen your horizons, try out new things. But if you are afraid to leave your comfort zone yet or know you really are good at it, a 40-year-old communications CeO said, “Do not leave your comfort zone. expand it. Make it bigger!” Attending seminars and conferences, conversing with other professionals in the industry, or even just reading books are helpful. Remember, information and knowledge are out there, you just have to go out and grab it.

Kylie Jenner steps back to ‘97 The year 1997 was seminal as a year during which two icons were born. The first was Kylie Jenner: currently one of the most influential people on the planet. Case in point: Snap, the company behind Snapchat, in February lost about $1.5 billion in market value when Jenner tweeted she’s done with the messaging app. Well, she only has 25.4 million followers on Twitter, to date. So there’s that. Beauty boss and style icon, Jenner has subverted the expectations placed on young women by establishing herself as a makeup mogul and a creative visionary who refuses to allow anything to stand in her way. The second icon was the adidas Originals Falcon Dorf runner, a shoe which paid homage to the attitude of the time; a daring statement injected into the pinnacle of an era where women weren’t afraid to break the rules and speak their truths. Twenty one years later, Jenner and Falcon join forces in a campaign featuring Falcon Dorf—the shoe that pushed the boundaries of what a sports footwear could be with its fashion-forward edge. “I love ‘90s style,” reveals Jenner. “It’s really inspired many of the color choices in my beauty collections. These looks are definitely a throwback to that time.” Falcon is reborn for a new generation. While holding tight to its core values that established it as a revolutionary force, Falcon is fresh and evolved in a gray, pink, black, and blue colorway.

Kylie and Falcon Dorf, both born in 1997 and both an image of a strong, independent woman.

Its maximalist design seamlessly pairs with Jenner’s own desire for striking palettes and bold designs, with key features including a paneled construction in classic mesh and suede overlays, a molded heel unit, and reflective detailing. The rubber midsole ties the Falcon together, with juxtaposing accents of color on the forefoot and heel to create a confident silhouette that bridges ‘90s nostalgia with modern energy. The Falcon campaign will launch globally on Sept. 6. The new Falcon footwear will be available at adidas Originals stores, select retailers, and on adidas.com/falcon.

Disregarded health

People often start too late when it comes to taking care of their health due to their hectic lifestyle, and the consequences of this procrastination appear in their later years. A 41-year-old male from Nueva ecija said, “Be health-conscious since your health today is the effect of [how you lived] your younger days.” Cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and diabetes are just some of the common diseases that arise from one’s lifestyle. however, according to Dr. Rebecca Dizon, one of the executive check-up consultants at The Medical City Clark, there is still hope regardless of age.

Disconnected and neglected relationships

Once you start building a career, you will rarely get enough time to bond with family and friends. We make ourselves believe that they will always be there—but they won’t. One respondent from Pangasinan said, “Life is too short, enjoy every moment with your loved ones.” Being preoccupied with work can sometimes cause us to neglect our family and friends, but a cup of coffee or a movie night once in a while with them can make a difference.

“It is never too late to start living a healthier lifestyle, even in your 40s. There is always a chance of improving your health as long as you adhere and comply with the advices and recommendations of your doctors,” opined Dr. Dizon TMC Clark’s executive Check-up Program is designed to be tailor-fit for each person, identifying one’s specific health concerns while being cost-efficient by addressing a person’s overall wellness. The packages can be personalized based on age and gender.

Millennial makeup mogul Kylie Jenner stars in adidas Originals Falcon campaign wearing Falcon Dorf, a sports footwear launched in the same year she was born.

Life

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saturday, september 1, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

An ‘odd’ agency launched CREATIVE agency DSTNCT Philippines rebranded as Oddefy Creative Agency, ushering in a new culture of creatives. During its official launch party on July 27 at A Space, Oddefy’s managing director Via Villafuerte said, “In today’s saturated and often desensitized media, you have to stand out in order to cut above the noise. Standing out, however, is not enough.” “You have to be different in a relevant way and genuinely resonate with your audience. This is what makes your communication effective. This is what Oddefy strives to always bring to its brands,” she added. Having operated for over two years as DSTNCT Philippines,

the group has worked with some of the leading brand names in fashion, fintech, telecommunications, and retail malls, among others. Apple Valenzuela, Jennie Julaton, Eric Ho of the Belo Medical Group, and Raymund Sison of Propel Manila along with Deo Sumayao and JV Suarez of Catch 21 were seen mingling with the crowd during the launch party. Singaporean industry stalwarts Lesner Chua, chief marketing officer of The JYSK Group and Vincent Yap, founder of Teazle Group graced the event as well. Performances by DJ Butta B, singer/ songwriter Earl of Manila, and mentalist The Oracle, amplified the night.

Makeup artist Marj Sia (standing left) and other volunteers host a makeup workshop for kids diagnosed with cancer.

Giving time

I

for a meaningful cause T’S not every day that you can make a difference in other people’s lives. But is sure is one of those days that can make you feel like you’ve done something truly important.

Lifestyle blogger and makeup artist Marj Sia, together with Make-A-Wish Foundation, had her first-ever volunteering experience through “Be Bold and Beautiful with Marj Sia.” Ten cancer-stricken kids from the Philippine General Hospital were treated to a day of makeup session. The objective of the program was to create an uplifting and positive mindset. The girls were reminded, in a fun way, that they are beautiful inside and out, and nothing can stop them from feeling pretty. One of the beneficiaries, 14-year-old Arabella, who spends most of her time in the hospital and interacts with other patients her age, was glad to have this experience with other girls and newfound “ates.” The visit from Sia and other volunteers provided her with a different perspective on life. She is now more confident and sees beyond her illness. “Naging masaya ako na may nakasama akong ibang bata, at may nakilalang bagong mga ate. Naging masaya ako na may natutunan akong konting bagay tungkol sa makeup at mas excited na akong mag-ayos ng sarili (I was happy

to be among other kids and meet new ‘older sisters.’ I was glad to learn a few things about makeup, and now I’m more excited to make myself look good),” said Arabella, who has sarcoma, a tumor that affects the connective tissue. For Sia, volunteering is something she recommends everyone who can should do. “I also recommend that people do this kind of advocacy in their life. I think I have achieved most of the things I want in this life but it’s a different kind of feeling to bring joy to others,” she enthused. Meanwhile, radio jock DJ Chacha of MOR 101.9 recently celebrated her birthday with the elderly at GRACES Home for the Aged. Accompanied by her fans club members, she provided food, entertainment, and donations in kind consisting of blankets and new clothes. She’s been doing this for six years now. “I’ve always had a soft spot for the elders as I don’t have grandparents anymore. Visiting GRACES makes me happy and I will do it over and over again,” she shared.

DJ Chacha recognizes the loneliness the elderly feel being without their families. “I want to make them feel that they are remembered and loved even by strangers like us,” she said. The radio jock believes that one must generously share whatever they have, big or small. “When we do, we make the world better for someone else and find true meaning and satisfaction in our own lives.” Sia and DJ Chacha both signed up for Time Please, a volunteering program of Globe Telecom, to volunteer for their chosen beneficiaries. Time Please provides a platform for volunteering activities that match individuals or groups of volunteers with various opportunities around the country. To date, Globe and Disney’s Time Please program has reached over 13 million volunteer hours through small acts of kindness nationwide. “We are grateful to all volunteers who shared their time and talent to help others in need. We hope our collective effort will truly make a difference to the lives of all beneficiaries,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer and senior vice president for corporate communications. Time Please ended its run on Aug. 31.

ButtaB sending out the good vibes for the night.

Via Villafuerte, managing director of Oddefy introduces the company to everyone.

Earl of Manila dropping some of his famous original music.

BULLETIN BOARD

FEU offers wellness program

DJ Chacha brings entertainment and gifts to the elderly at GRACES Home for the Aged.

IN A bid to transform higher education in the country, Far Eastern University introduces Wellness and Recreation Program in the first semester of academic year 2018-2019. This program replaces the traditional Physical Education system in favor of a more holistic approach. WRP offers a wide range of non-traditional courses like wall climbing, zumba, tai chi, and yoga. FEU also introduces adaptive wellness and recreation, which are designed specifically for students with disabilities and health issues. “We are always aware of the value of wellness and recreation in holistic development, and that is why we are excited to introduce these classes to everyone,” says Dr. Ma. Teresa Trinidad Tinio, senior vice president for academic affairs. The courses will be offered to members of the FEU community including students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Also included in WRP are lectures that enrich the mind and create practical habits like mental health, social responsibility, nutrition, and financial wellness. Go to www.feu.edu.ph for more information.

Superga’s Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary collection

HAPPY FEET

Superga celebrates Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday

ITALIAN shoe label Superga celebrates Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary with a collection inspired by the “Roaring Twenties.” The capsule is characterized by refined details and materials, with a retro

appeal. For every romantic girl, Superga introduces the Minnie mules with satin uppers, eco-fur insole, and satin Minnie ears decoration. Another fancy piece of the collection is the 2750 decorated with an openwork Mickey pattern.

In the Philippines, Superga is located at Greenbelt 5, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Magnolia, Central Square, Estancia Mall, Rustan’s Alabang Town Center, Rustan’s Ayala Cebu, Rustan’s Glorietta 3, and Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza.

Far Eastern University offers Wellness and Recreation Program. (Photo from FEU/Facebook)

Entertainment

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T WAS a shining night for Aleynah Cassedine Redillas and Satriani Lancelot Acot when they were named SM Little Stars 2018 during the Grand Finals held recently at the Centerstage of SM Mall of Asia.

HARDAWAY’S TAKEAWAYS

Game plans from an NBA All-Star player By Darwin Pesco FIVE-TIME NBA All-Star player Tim Hardaway Sr. shared his life lessons as a father and a former basketball player in a meet and greet event held at the Makati Diamond Residences recently. “You got to be confident.” Talking about his career as an NBA player, he swaggered that his whole career is the best part of playing hoops. Hardaway told the fans to be confident all the time and have a little arrogance in every game to get the highest potential. “God gave me a gift,” said he. He has had a great NBA experience playing in the various teams in the league. Growing up in the city of Chicago taught him a lot of lessons to play tough, fast, and slow. Emphatically, he shared the difficulties of being a father and a coach at the same time. Good night sleep and learning from mistakes are the pieces of advice he always tells to his son, who is now following in his footsteps as an NBA player. “I can’t show my emotions which is hard,” he confessed as it is hard for him to cheer his son especially in a play where their teams collide for a win. Currently, Tim is an assistant coach of the Detroit Pistons while his son Tim Duane Hardaway Jr. is a player of the New York Knicks. As a parent, his piece of advice to all the fathers and mothers is to let their children learn and don’t rush their path to knowledge and skills development. “Let them come to you and ask you questions,” Hardaway stressed. As the interview wrapping up, Hardaway gave a rule that applies even outside of the court. “Always think and prepare ahead,” he said as he sees the rule as a game plan for life. Moreover, Hardaway with NBA Champion Brian Scalabrine and the Detroit Pistons dunk team were part of the NBA 3X Philippines presented by AXA, which showcases a 3-on-3 game of men’s and women’s teams of all ages. It is a two-day event of music, entertainment, and live basketball action with DJ spinning to electrifying beats to delight the audience. “With the popularity of basketball in the country, we at AXA Philippines aim to use this as a platform to spread the word to local NBA fans how essential it is to prepare early your game plan in life,” said AXA Philippines president and chief executive officer Rahul Hora. AXA Philippines is one of the leading and fastest-growing life insurance companies in the Philippines. The company and the NBA are partners for winning game plans to reach out to more Filipino basketball fans.

NBA All-Star player Tim Hardaway Sr. with event host DJ Nikko Ramos

Aleynah Cassedine, 6, who represented SM City Fairview, amazed the audience in her delightful performance of “Naughty,” from Matilda, the Musical, while Satriani Lancelot, 7, representing SM City Bacoor, wowed the audience by dancing “Haypa” of MMJ. They won over 26 finalists in the 12th edition of this annual nationwide search for cute, adorable and talented kids. As Grand Prize Winners, they each received amazing prizes including a brand-new Chevrolet Trax, P200,000 worth of cash and shopping money, a trip to China for two (including round-trip tickets, hotel accommodations and tours), and a four year college scholarship grant from National University. Other shining stars were: first runner-up Isabela Espinosa from SM Southmall , who danced “Better When I’m Dancin” by Meghan Trainor; second runner-up Rhemaya Ruth Simpson of SM City Iloilo who delighted the audience with an energetic acrobatic gymnastic dance ; and third runner-up Sylvannah Jamie Manuelaurice Garcia from SM City Sta. Mesa who charmed the audience with her soulful rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” song performance. Hosted by Robi Domingo and SM Little Stars 2013 third runner-up and now one of the featured artists of Your Face Sounds Familiar Esang de Torres, the event’s distinguished board of judges included multi-talented movie actor John Arcilla, recording artist Sam Concepcion, dance master Mickey Perz, and beauty queen Winwyn Marquez. They chose the winners based on the following criteria: 40 percent

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO PAULO Avelino, this writer wants to affirm and believe, we share a connection. Not the romantic and rainbow kind of way, silly you. A fondness and kinship of sorts, I dare say. When we meet, accidental, coincidental or planned, I feel he exerts extra efforts to ensure that the once in a blue moon meetings, will make lasting impact. To illustrate, in a posh mall, walking by my lonesome, in a hurried pace as I was late for a meeting. From my periphery, a familiar figure loomed and before I knew it, Paulo was in front of me. He went out of his security cordon so that we can exchange pleasantries. That made day! One time, in a set visit for a film wherein he was co-producer, after the interview and we have to pose for posterity, “The last time I saw you was a year ago, in Cinemalaya, ang tagal na,” Avelino remembered Just recently, in the Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral press conference, he was the center of the universe. He mingled, conversed and posed with everyone who wanted a slice or piece of him. As he walked toward the door to leave the venue, Avelino saw this Manila Standard columnist. He immediately went to where I was, did not mind the women who formed a circle to protect him and to my bewilderment and kilig, gave me a tight embrace. My photo moment with him, when I placed my hand on his stomach just like I did before, he was cool, no ill-at-ease

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, September 1, 2018

ACROSS 1 Narrow fissure 5 Klutzes 9 Happen 14 Skunk’s defense 15 Small fly 16 Batter’s place 17 Dog food brand 18 Earring site 19 Take a sip 20 Continued 22 Like some comments 24 Whittled down 26 Fireplace tool 27 Montezuma’s people 30 Bonn’s river 32 Vice — 33 Chief in importance 34 — vu 38 Afore 39 Demolished 42 Ooola’s Alley — 43 Ms. Parks of civil rights fame 45 Malaria symptom 46 Salon offering 48 Evil spirit 50 Vital signs 51 Dividend earner 53 Do the trick 55 Dogs and cats 57 Book appendi-

ces 61 Bar mixers 62 Passed the word 64 Liverpool poky 65 Ms. Dunne 66 Ayla’s creator 67 — spumante 68 Galas 69 Angler’s hope 70 After all others DOWN 1 Jungle warning 2 Slothful 3 Dandies 4 Theatrical groups 5 Gawkers 6 Battery post 7 Groovy 8 Ladder type 9 Alternative 10 Rattled 11 Social position 12 Downright 13 Bulrush 21 Large parrot 23 Speculate 25 Fearsome vampire 27 Say it’s so 28 None 29 Half of seis 31 Walk in the woods

33 Noted starseekers 35 Geological periods 36 Baseball’s — Canseco 37 Zoo attraction 40 Fray 41 Stonehenge worshipper 44 Determined 47 Against the rules 49 Wipes out a floppy

50 Table tennis gear 51 Disturb a sleeper 52 Holes up 54 Hotel employee 55 — — by magic 56 Wild guess 58 Apollo acronym 59 Periods 60 Found a roost 63 Yes, on the Riviera

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Simply... From C4

SM’s Little Stars 2018 SM Little Stars 2018 grand prize winners Aleynah Cassedine Redillas from SM City Fairview and Satriani Lancelot Acot of SM City Bacoor.

SM Chairman for Executive Committee Hans T. Sy warmly welcomes the grand winners of SM Little Stars in SM Malls in China in Xiamen, Chengdu, Suzhou, Chongqing, Tianjin, and Zibo.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

for Star Quality, 20 percent for Personality and 40 percent for Talent. One of the highlights of the program was the participation of the SM Little Stars winners from China who also showcased their talents during the event. They were SM City Xiamen’s Zhang Tingshuo and Lin Enji, SM City Chengdu’s Peng Yagi and He Junxian, SM City Suzhou’s Xie Zeyu and Ming Ruihan, SM City Tianji’s Ren Zixuan and Gao Huaijun, SM City Zibo’s Yang Kaige and Sun Yuehan and SM City Chongqing’s Wu Zhenxi. The SM Little Stars pageant is one of the many exciting events of the SM Supermalls.

A charming Paulo on and off screen Paulo Avelino stars as the titular character Gregorio del Pilar in 'Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.'

vibe. He whispered, “Para akong ikakasal dahil sa suot ko.” He wore an ecru hued blazer over white polo and formal pants. His inquiry, “Masarap ba ang food dito? Parang mas masarap ang pagkain dito kaysa sa holding area namin.” He was so comfortable with me. It felt like I was in the company of a good old friend who did not mind the exchange of embraces and hugs, my hand being on his belly is as normal as normal can be. Are we all set to share a bromosexual relationship, the platonic relationship that happens between a straight and gay man? “Being a Filipino, it is important to me that our history is remembered,” Avelino declared during the media con. “Importante na paulit-ulit ipaalaala sa atin itong mga istorya natin para makita natin ang mga pagkakamali natin at maitama natin sa ngayon.” His desire is for the majority who embrace the film’s statement. “Tandaan mo kung sino ka,” this was the actor’s reminder to all, as Goyo. What is most important is, “Ang kalooban at kaibuturan.” With regard to the film’s box office outcome, “My biggest pressure right now, I want the film to do extremely well at

the box office para di sila mahirapan sa funds or kumuha ng magpo-produce for the next film,” he stated. He expressed a lament, “Not being able to do the film I want to do because of so many restrictions. I want to do films and other projects at my own pace. Hindi yung kailangan kong gumawa ng pelikula dahil kailangan kong gumawa ng blockbuster hit. Parang hindi lang para mag-grow ako as a person, but also to help the film industry or the people in the industry.” He expounded. “What should you prioritize in your life? Coming from Goyo, I get to realize, and I’m sure a lot of you will realize na maiksi ang buhay. Why do we keep doing things... parang we can’t be distracted from what we really need to do or what we have to do, parang the bigger responsibilities in life.” In conclusion, Avelino said, “It was not easy to be Goyo. I just hope more people get to watch it so that more minds and hearts will be opened, especially the lessons from the lives of our heroes. History has a peculiar way of repeating itself. We should not forget the lessons from the past.” Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral will screen in cinemas nationwide starting Sept. 5.

‘Santa Nena!’ competes in Iraq An award-winning short film from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) has been officially selected to compete at the 3rd Slemani International Film Festival in Iraq from Oct. 10 to 16. Tim Rone Villanueva‘s Santa Nena! follows fellow Benildean filmmaker Shallah Montero’s Papa’s Shadows, which represented the Philippines at the Slemani IFF’s international short film category last year. Santa Nena! tells the story of a miraculous patron saint (Elora Españo in the titular role) who springs to life at night. One day, while talking to her friend, an angel (Jelson Bay), she received a message from God. She has to be the child-bearer for the second coming of the Messiah on earth with Manuel (Ross Pesigan), “the boy with the golden balls.” Fellow thespians Mailes Kanapi, Rolando Inocencio and Martha Comia play supporting characters. Villanueva, who hails from Kawit, Cavite, said he was inspired by Santa Maria Magdalena of Kawit Church, or more popularly known as Santa Nena to Kawiteños, in coming up with the short film. Advocacy filmmaker and BenildeFilm mentor Seymour Sanchez served as creative producer of the capstone project. “In Philippine culture, having devotion to a saint or patron is a huge part of it. Most people believe in the miracles of different patrons of the church to accommodate their request. But what if the situation turns around and saints were to ask people a favor? Will the people grant a saint’s request? This film challenges what happens if you reverse the situation of men and saints,” the young filmmaker explained. The black comedy earlier won several accolades such as Best Short Film (Student Category), CineFilipino Film Festival 2018; Best Director and Best Production Design (Student Category), Pelikultura 2018: The CALABARZON Film Festival; Honorable Mention (Short Feature Category), 29th Gawad CCP Independent Film and Video Festival; Gold Picture Prize, Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Performance for Españo and Technical Excellence awards (Maningning Category), CineSB7 Film Festival; Best Narrative Short Film, Best Director, Best Script and Best Actor for Pesigan, Ateneo Video Open 2017; and Best Narrative, Best Performance and Best Production Design (Intercollegiate Category), Sinepiyu XI. Santa Nena! was also screened on July 5 at the DLS-CSB SDA Cinema as part of the One La Salle Film Festival. Last year, it figured prominently in two film events in Mindanao -- competing at the Philippine shorts competition of the fifth Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival in General Santos City and being part of the official selection of Cinema Rehiyon 9 in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley. Villanueva’s capstone project under the Digital Filmmaking program will slug it out with 19 other similarly notable short films from Afghanistan, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Estonia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Spain and Turkey.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018

Halili Cruz School ’Halik’ achieves all-time high national TV rating of Ballet dancers acclaimed in recent shows THE most daring television drama on TV this year, Halik, just achieved its all-time high national TV rating. The Jericho Rosales starrer gained its highest rating so far for its episode on Aug. 24 where his character and Jacky (Yen Santos) confront their respective spouses about their problems. The national TV rating of Halik

has been continuously rising since its premiere last Aug. 13, until it breached the 20-point mark two Fridays ago. It received a rating of 20.7 percent, beating its rival Inday Will Always Love You (12.9 percent), according to data from Kantar Media. In the episode, Ace (Sam Milby) successfully covers up his affair

with Jacky’s secretary, while Lino and Jade (Yam Concepcion) encounter another road bump to their independence when he announced that his family will move in with them in their new home. Many netizens were able to relate to what Lino and Jade were going through which is why its hashtag, #PalusotNaHalik, trended on Twitter.

'Halik' lead star Jericho Rosales during the TV series' grand media launch held at ABS-CBN's 9501 Restaurant in Quezon City.

With kids, you can

ISAH V. RED

STUDENT-DANCERS at Shirley Halili’s The Halili Cruz School of Ballet have been applauded wildly recently at their performances at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) in Resorts World, Meralco Theater, and even in Heng Shui in China. Founder and Artistic Director, Shirley Halili Cruz and Associate Artistic Directors Grace Perez and Anna Halili Cruz Bueno who conceptualized all the shows and the concerts can’t any less happier with their students achievements. “Diversiferia” and “Dance Divertissement” at NPAT showcased the versatility of more than 500 Halili Cruz ballerinas in varied choreography. They did classical ballet, neo classical, lyrical, tap, jazz, contemporary and hip hop. The concert was part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Quezon City Balle, also known as the Halili Cruz Dance Company. Until Sept. 4, 114 Halili Cruz dancers are in Singapore. From there, they travel to Scotland and Morocco and in October to Los Angeles in California and Turkey in November. Congratulations to the Halili Dance Company.

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'The Kids' Choice' hosts Robi Domingo and Eric Nicolas with 'The Just Kids League' Chunsa Jung, Onyok Pineda, Jayden Villegas, Carlo Mendoza, and Xia Vigor.

Artistic director Shirley Halili Cruz and associate directors Grace Perez and Anna Halili Cruz Bueno with other members of the artistic team.

Tribute to National Artist Lucrecia Kasilag To mark the 100th birth anniversary of National Artist for Music Lucrecia Kasilag, the art advocacy program Art 2 Art has prepared a tribute episode airing on Sept. 2 on DZRH and RHTV. “Tita King,” as she was popularly called, would have turned 100 on Aug. 31. With an artistic career that spanned seven decades, Dr. Kasilag was a world-class music educator, composer, performing artist, administrator, and cultural entrepreneur who was admired and honored in the Philippines and abroad. Serving as resource persons are Kasilag’s nephew, Jobert Ochoa, and classical pianist Jonathan Arevalo Coo, the latter a Kasilag specialist who was entrusted with the late artist’s piano and chamber music. The two guests share anecdotes about Tita King as a beloved aunt and as an esteemed colleague. Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company and hosted by “Ballerina ng Bayan” Lisa Macuja, Art 2 Art airs every Sunday, 3:30 to 4:00 p.m., on radio via DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), on cable television via RHTV (Ch. 129 on Skycable in Metro Manila, Ch. 18 on Cignal TV and Ch. 3 on Cablelink) and livestreaming on http:// dzrhnews television.tv. The show may also be viewed via the Facebook account DZRH News Television. On Sept. 9, Art 2 Art honors the late Kapampangan artist Perfecto Mercado who, though unschooled in the arts, produced a rich body of work known as “dreamscapes” and described as having a mature style, deep intent, and technical mastery. Biographer Gari Apolonio and Mercado’s son, Arnold, share details about the regional artist’s creative process and about a recently launched book on his life and art and an ongoing retrospective exhibit of his works. Continued on C3

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OMETIMES it’s difficult for the whole family to sit down and watch primetime TV together, but with ABS-CBN’s newest talent-reality competition, The Kids’ Choice, weekend family bonding gets more fun and exciting. The show promises to be “an excellent program with great, unfiltered humor only kids can deliver.” On Thursday, ABS-CBN presented kiddie celebrities Xia Vigor, Onyok Pineda, Carlo Mendoza, Jayden Villega and Chunsa Jung, collectively called The Just Kids League, to the members of entertainment press as they sit on the judging panel in the reality show, which starts airing tonight. Worldwide trending social media sensation Xia Vigor made a mark with her performances in Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids and with her acting prowess in numerous Kapamilya television series such as Langit Lupa. Another well-known child star Onyok Pineda rose to fame as the lovable

sidekick in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and his transformations in Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids. He will also give his take on the performances of the contestants in the show. The viral child wonder Carlo Mendoza shot to fame in Gandang Gabi Vice, will add fun and entertainment with his signature “gigil” and witty quips that will surely put a smile on viewers’ faces. Goin’ Bulilit mainstay and Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids performer Chunsa Jung will bring her cute antics to a whole new stage as she gives her funny and unfiltered comments on the contestants. Lastly, talented skater boy Jayden Villegas who first impressed viewers in Little Big Shots, completes the “Just

Kids League” lineup. The Kids’ Choice, hosted by Robi Domingo and Eric Nicolas, is an original concept that features for the first time a panel of celebrity child stars who will critique talented noncelebrity families called “Fam-bato.” “You can only imagine how we are on the set,” Robi pertaining to how rowdy the kids were during the press event. “That’s the reason why we can’t go live but I can assure you that it’s all fun.” Every episode, four “Fam-batos” will showcase a variety of talents to impress the kiddie judges to be proclaimed as “The Kids’ Choice.” But apart from their jaw-dropping talents, the families’ heartwarming stories will also take the spotlight as they share moments with the “Just Kids League” and impart inspiring lessons. Dubbed as the only show on TV where kids have the last say, The Kids’ Choice premieres today on ABS-CBN and will air every Saturday and Sunday thereafter. For more information, like and i-follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook. com/TheKidsChoicePH), Twitter (@ TheKidsChoicePH), and Instagram (@ TheKidsChoicePH).

SNAPSHOT

Matteo Guidicelli picks his sleeping partner IT’S official—Matteo Guidicelli is “The One” for Uratex, as the leading “Sleep Specialist” launches the matinee idol, athlete, and all-around good guy as its first celebrity endorser in a TV commercial. “People underestimate the importance of sleep, which is one of the most important things in life. And people also underestimate what a

mattress can do. A Uratex mattress is a very good investment because you’re not only buying a durable product that you can use for a long time, but you are also investing on good quality sleep,” testifies a grateful Guidicelli. At the contract-signing at the Uratex Magallanes Showroom in Paseo de Magallanes, Makati City were Abigail Carino, Uratex Brand Manager,

Classic Foams; Peachy Medina, Uratex Managing Director; Matteo Guidicelli; Cherry Wong-Tan, Uratex Marketing Director; and Apol Butas, Catalytx Advertising Inc. Client Service Director. “Our campaign, ‘The One for Uratex,’ is about better sleep, the value of sleep, and how Uratex can be your right partner,” explains Peachy Medina. “Matteo, like Uratex, strives for excellence. He tries everything. He’s good at any role or any field he chooses. He’s not afraid to try new things—that’s innovation. He’s a good representative of the youth of today—smart, confident, and athletic. Matteo is very caring; and a good son, brother, friend and boyfriend. He’s also trustworthy, a quality that our brand is known for.”

HOLLYWOOD

Gosling took flying lessons for new astronaut film CANADIAN actor Ryan Gosling said Wednesday that he tried to learn to fly to play astronaut Neil Armstrong in an emotional new biopic about the strong but silent space hero. The Hollywood star renewed his Oscar-winning partnership with La La Land director Damien Chazelle for First Man, which tells how Armstrong overcame tragedy after tragedy to become the first man to walk on the moon. Gosling revealed how he took flying lessons so he could get inside the mind of the engineer and test pilot as the film opened the Venice film festival. “I thought what I should do was learn how to fly. Neil could fly before he could drive. But not too long in when the instructor asked me to take the plane into a controlled stall, I thought ‘this is a terrible idea,’” the actor told reporters. “There was a reason why Neil Armstrong was destined to be one of the best pilots of all time and I’m not. There was something very different about him and a lot of other astronauts,” Gosling said. It took a “certain breed of person to get into a plane that has never been flown before and push it to its breaking point for the sole purpose of furthering our knowledge of aeronautics.” Chazelle, who is half French and half Canadian, said the astronauts were universal heroes. “When I first saw a Gemini I thought it was just part of the spacecraft—but it was the whole thing. I wanted to capture how terrifying it felt searching in the void of space in flying tin cans.” Gosling, 37, and Australian costar Jason Clarke paid tribute to the courage of the astronauts, admitting that just grappling with the claustrophobia of the space capsules was enough for them. “The crew created capsules that were too authentic,” said Clarke. “It was a kind of meltdown. We had a seriously hard time sitting in the capsule locked in our space suits with three levels of doors closing on you.” British star Claire Foy, who played Armstrong’s late wife Janet, said the film owed a “huge debt” to Armstrong’s sons and his late widow Janet, who helped vet the script and met the actors. Asked what he looks for in a director, Gosling joked: “Good hair. A strong head of hair is important. And Damien (Chazelle) is half-Canadian, so that helps as well.” AFP

Canadian actor Ryan Gosling plays astronaut Neil Armstrong in the new film, 'First Man.'