Manila Standard - 2018 September 9 - Sunday

RODY'S TRUST RATING DIPS

By Nat Mariano

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s net trust rating experienced an 8-point drop in the second quarter of 2018, but still remained “very good,” an independent pollster has revealed.

VOL. XXXII • NO. 206 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

The Social Weather Stations’ latest survey, released Friday, said Duterte received a +57 net trust rating in June 2018, falling by eight points from the +65 rating in March 2018.

“In the eight SWS surveys following his inauguration as President, from September 2016 to June 2018, Duterte’s net trust rating was excellent in five and very good in three,” the SWS said.

The survey also found that 70 percent of adult Filipinos have “much trust”on Duterte, 13 percent have“little trust,”while 18 percent said they are “undecided.”

According to SWS, the President’s 8-point decline in overall net trust rating from March to June 2018 was due to declines in the Visayas and Metro Manila, combined with steady scores in Mindanao and Balance Luzon. Turn to A2

DESTINATIONS / D1

QUIRINO’S CULTURAL AND ECOTOURISM CHARM

ENTERTAINMENT/D3

THIA THOMALLA

QUEEN ON KAPUSO BLOCK NO OLD GRANDMOTHER. Yes, Virginia, one can never be old with affectionate grandchildren Fernan (left), 10, and Erian (right) 6, as the 77-year-old grandmother, Virginia Cabral, gets attachment and honor on the eve of Grandparents Day from her grandchildren, whose role like others in her league is crucial to building a happy family. Diana Noche

WALKING THE BEAT.

Supporters of self-assertive Senator Antonio Trillanes IV continue their vigil out of the Senate building on Saturday where President Rodrigo Duterte’s vocal critic has sought refuge since the Chief Executive voided the former’s amnesty, prompting security authorities to prepare for his arrest.

Ey Acasio

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TRILLANES IN BED WITH REDS—DU30

NEWS/A2 ALIBABA FOUNDER RETIRING

By Nat Mariano and Vito Barcelo

warning the public to keep an eye on the opposition senator, the communists, and even the Liberal Party of the Philippines, PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Saturday as the three “pray” for his ouster.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was con“Those three, watch them closely. niving with the Communist Party of the The yellow Liberals, Trillanes, and the Philippines to depose him from office, Turn to A2

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MILITARY TOLD: BE LOYAL TO THE FLAG

By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said the military and police should not nurture loyalties to him or any of his Cabinet members but to remain loyal to the flag, saying he is willing to discuss with them (military and police) if they wanted him out as President of the Republic.

Duterte made the pronouncement after Senator Antonio Trillanes IV claimed some members of the military were “extremely bothered” with the presidential proclamation that voided his 2011 amnesty.

“I said, ‘You should focus your loyalty to the flag of the Philippines and the Constitution.' I told them, frankly, I said ‘I do not need loyalties,’” Duterte said in a speech on his arrival in Davao City from a six-day state visit to Israel and Jordan.

He said he was elected as President and intended to serve the people, adding “But if somehow...there is anything that is really demanded of the moment, then there is no problem.”

“Do not bring me the armor or anything. Just tell me. We can have coffee, I’ll invite you and I will—well, anybody who is interested, I will administer the oath.

Now, what followed or what will follow, rather, that’s not my problem,” he said.

Duterte said there were many ways to oust a president which included impeachment, mutiny, and coup d’état.

“Well, I just want to work. If the Filipinos do not like me, then I will step down.

No problem,” he said.

Trillanes, the most vocal critic of the Duterte administration, said he received messages from some military personnel he did not identify who conveyed their “conflicted” thoughts on the issue of voiding his amnesty.

“They are bothered. They are extremely bothered by this political move of their commander-in-chief that they are being subjected to this uncertainty,” the senator said.

The President said he was not afraid of any coup to oust him, but will step down if the people wanted him out.

He said: “I don’t want them to shoot each other. The military shooting police.

So why would I sacrifice the lives of people, my own countrymen to do the…?

We can go somewhere else?

RODY'S...

From A1

Net trust in Duterte fell by two grades from “excellent” to “good” in the Visayas, down by 21 points from +70 in March 2018 to +49 in June 2018.

In Metro Manila, it fell by one grade from “very good” to “good” in Metro Manila, down by 20 points in March to +42 in June.

However, Duterte’s trust rating stayed “excellent” in Mindanao, hardly moving from +89 in March to +88 in June.

It also stayed “”very good” in Balance Luzon, although down by three points from +53 in March to +50 in June ne.

The Palace said Friday it welcomes the results of the said survey, expressing gratitude to the people for putting confidence on Duterte during a “challenging time.”

“The Palace views the latest survey results with humility; however, we have to take note that regardless of ratings, the President remains focused on his job of governing the nation,” said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque in a statement.

“Much remains to be done, especially in assisting the poor, vulnerable and severely hungry families. We are now working double time to aid families affected by high prices while keeping the economy stable,” he added.

The survey was conducted from June 27 to 30, 2018, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults aged 18 and older nationwide. The SWS asked 300 individuals each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The survey had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

On Friday, Roque said there was no reason to panic despite the inflation hitting a nine-year high of 6.4 percent in August 2018.

“This 6.4 is not unprecedented in our history. We have inflation rates of 7 percent. During GMA’s [Gloria MacapagalArroyo] time it was double digit and in GMA time it was only what? Eight years ago? So it’s not a reason to be—to have any sort of panic,” he said.

Roque assured that anti-inflationary measures are now in place to counter its impact, including such social grants as the Conditional Cash Transfer, Unconditional Cash Transfer, and additional rice imports.

“We are addressing (it). But the results of the anti-inflationary measures that government is doing cannot be achieved overnight,” he said. With PNA

TWIN TRIPS REAP $143M; ALLIANCES RENEWED—RODY

By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s trip to Israel and Jordan reaped more than $143 million in investments expected to generate thousands of jobs, Malacañang said after the President arrived in Davao City Saturday.

The President, who arrived a day earlier than his official scheduled arrival, said the renewed friendship with Israel and Jordan was very significant to the country’s development, particularly for the improved welfare of thousands of Filipino workers in the two Middle East countries.

“In Israel, I met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who we identified ways and means of broadening cooperation to combat terrorism and transnational crimes, enhance security and defense, intensify twoway trade and investment and improve people-to-people exchanges,” Duterte said in his arrival speech Davao City.

“With President Reuven Rivlin, I discussed the need to improve technical cooperation, particularly in capacity and capability building,” he said.

In Jordan, Duterte met King Abdullah II where the two leaders identified the areas for concrete collaboration to address terrorism and extreme violence.

“Together with His Majesty’s Cabinet, we discussed ways to expand cooperation in two-way trade and investment, human resource development, interfaith dialogue and tour-

ism, and other areas of governance,” Duterte said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the multi-million investments was the result of business meetings between the Filipino and Israeli businessmen.

“They have also met about defense and security cooperation and of course, we now recognize Israel as major partner in the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program,” the Palace spokesperson said.

In a related development: • A Palace ally lauded Duterte for engaging Israel and Jordan in the quest for peace and unity.

CamSur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said Duterte also put on the spotlight anew the crucial role of overseas Filipino workers in his government’s inclusive growth and development policy.

“After successfully recalibrating Philippine foreign policy in training its focus on our Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] neighbors and our major trading partners in Asia, the President has pushed the envelope once more by mooring his latest overseas stint to the message of global peace and unity,” said Villafuerte, who was part of the

President’s delegation to his visits in Jordan and Israel.

According to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, a total $82.9 million worth of private business agreements and letters of intent were signed during the four-day official visit.

Israel and the Philippines also signed three agreements, namely, a Memorandum of Agreement on the temporary employment of homebased Filipino caregivers; Memorandum of Understanding on scientific cooperation; and Memorandum of Intent on the collaboration on promotion on bilateral direct investment.

In Jordan, over $60 million in investment pledges were also secured by the Philippines.

Duterte and King Abdullah II witnessed the signing of five agreements covering labor, defense and investment, among others.

The agreements were memoranda of understanding on political consultations, defense cooperation, labor cooperation, investment, and a memorandum of agreement between the Jordan Maritime Commission and the Maritime Industry Authority of the Philippines concerning the recognition of certificates under the Terms of the 1978 STCW (Standards of Training Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers) Convention.

Jordan also donated two Bell Cobra attack helicopters to the Philippines.

In Malacañang, Roque said the Philippines was now one of the most important markets for arms made in Israel.

The Chief Executive has been consistently saying that apart from enhancing the Philippines’ bilateral relations with its foreign counterparts, his main priority will always be the Filipino people, and this was also evident in his official visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

During the President’s meeting with King Abdullah II, he mentioned that one of his principal interests was the situation of the Filipinos in Jordan.

“Although most are in a good position, there are some who are still in the predicament of not having proper documents,'' the President observed.

In Israel, the signing of the agreement on the employment of Filipino caregivers will help address the issue of exorbitant placement fees that cost our OFWs anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000.

By any measure, this agreement shows the commitment of both governments to uphold the interests of Filipino workers, he said.

In Jordan, two labor agreements will enhance the standards of protection for Filipinos employed as household service workers and regulate labor deployment, exchanges, and communication and further studies on labor.

“As I have repeatedly said, your Government will continue to do its part to ensure that the rights of our nationals working abroad are protected, enhanced and upheld,” Duterte said.

“We also concluded a number of government to government and business to business sector agreements,” he added.

ALIBABA CHAIRMAN QUITS, FOCUSES ON EDUCATION BEIJING—Alibaba’s charismatic cofounder and chairman Jack Ma plans to retire from the Chinese e-commerce giant on Monday to devote his time to philanthropy focused on education, he told The New York Times in an interview.

Ma was an English teacher before starting Alibaba in 1999 and built it into a multibillion-dollar Internet colossus, becoming one of the world’s richest men and a revered figure in his homeland.

His own worth has soared along with that of the company, which has added cloud computing, films and epayments to its growing portfolio and was valued at $420.8 billion when the stock market closed on Friday.

Ma told The New York Times that he plans to step down from the company on Monday—his 54th birthday—referring to his departure as “the beginning of an era” rather than an end.

Ma, who gave up the title of CEO in

TRILLANES...

From A1 [communist] politburo… Watch them closely, those three. They are all connected,” warned Duterte in a speech during his arrival from a week-long visit to Israel and Jordan.

Duterte said Trillanes, who recently made headlines following the sudden revocation of his amnesty, was currently “collaborating [and] sleeping with the enemy.”

“We will show it to you. To the soldiers, before you jump into conclusion, ask your Intelligence [Service] first and they will show you. It [the information] is not for public consumption, but when the right time comes, and if I’m compelled by the Supreme Court to say,‘Now state your case,’ I will expose everything.

But it will be detrimental as they will know where we get [the information],” said Duterte.

“Now, they don’t know [our sources].

I even said, ‘It’s being supplied by a foreign power, not here.’ But if you really want [to know], to the military who have strong ideals, just ask your Intelligence community,”said the President, stressing that Trillanes, the Liberals, and the communists were plotting his ouster.

“Coup d’etat, coup d’etat, it’s nonsense. The word does not even appeal to me at all. If you’re an idealist or a man with principles, watch those three. They are the ones who will oust me and it will

2013, said he now planned to devote his time and fortune to education. He is among China’s richest men with a net worth of around $40 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The way he chose to make the announcement was unusual. The New York Times is blocked in China

by Communist Party censors and there was no official statement from Alibaba on Saturday.

Alibaba’s press office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The firm posted a photo on social media on Saturday of Ma meeting with the chairman of the Moutai liquor company.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV released on Friday, Ma hinted at hisretirement plans, saying he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, one of the world’s most prolific philanthropists.

“There’s a lot of things I can learn

go into a higher [level next] October,” he added.

The President made the remarks when asked if there was a need to do a loyalty check among the military and the police forces.

Duterte, however, stressed he did not need loyalties, sharing he frankly told the military ranks to focus their loyalty to the flag of the Philippines, and the Constitution.

“I was elected as President and I intend to serve. But if somehow there is anything that is really demanded of the moment, then there is no problem,” Duterte said, implying the possibility of a movement to overthrow him.

“Do not bring me the armor or anything. Just tell me. We can have coffee, I’ll invite you and I will—well, anybody who is interested, I will administer the oath. Now, what will follow is not my problem,” said Duterte.

“So, there are many ways: impeachment, mutiny, coup d’état, everything.

Well, I only work. If the Filipino people does (sic) not want my service then I will step down. That should not be a problem,” he added, pointing out he would not let the armed forces and the police to wage war against each other.

“For me to order [them] to shoot at each other, I will not do it. Find another president. I will not do it,” he said.

On the declaration to nullify Trillanes’ amnesty, Duterte admitted he could not refuse Solicitor General Jose Calida’s request to investigate the conditions of the amnesty granted to the senator.

from Bill Gates. I can never be as rich, but one thing I can do better is to retire earlier,” he said.

“I think some day, and soon, I’ll go back to teaching,” he said, adding he had been preparing philanthropy plans at his eponymous foundation “for 10 years.”

Ma is part of a generation of billionaire entrepreneurs who made their fortunes as China embraced the digital age, creating some of the country’s largest and most successful companies in the space of little more than a decade.

Huge conglomerates like Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu and JD.com are to China what Facebook and Google are to the United States.

Ma is the first of his generation of uber-wealthy tech bosses to retire, a rare move in a country where business figures often run their empires well into their 80s—Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing only retired in May at the age of 89.

An accidental entrepreneur Ma’s rags-to-riches story is particularly remarkable.

Born into a poor family in Hangzhou, eastern Zhejiang province, Ma became a university teacher but gave the job up after discovering the Internet.

After being knocked back by US venture capitalists in 1999, a cashstrapped Ma persuaded friends to give him $60,000 to start Alibaba, which operated out of an apartment in Hangzhou.

“The first time I used the Internet, I touched on the keyboard and I find ‘well, this is something I believe, it is something that is going to change the world and change China,’” Ma once told CNN. The company, still headquartered in his hometown, initially allowed businesses to sell products to each other online but soon morphed into China’s largest online retail market.

AFP

Duterte said it was Calida’s initiative to review the amnesty given to Trillanes, triggering its revocation through a presidential proclamation.

Duterte signed Proclamation 572 on Aug. 31 that revoked Trillanes’ amnesty given by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2010.

In the proclamation, Duterte said Trillanes—who urged Filipinos Saturday not to vote for candidates on Duterte’s slate—did not file an Official Amnesty Application Form as per certification dated Aug. 30, 2018, issued by Lt. Col. Thea Joan Andrade, stating “there is no copy of his application for amnesty in the records.”

The President admitted that Calida, whom Trillanes accused of cornering government contracts to the security agency owned by Calida’s family, had initiated the research on the circumstances of the granting of amnesty to Trillanes.

“I cannot refuse because I have no power. I have to enforce the law,” Duterte said.

“It was Calida who did all the research on Trillanes’amnesty just like what he did to Sereno. You know, Calida is bright,” Duterte said, denying there was any politics behind it.

“If the solicitor general said there’s a mistake and it has to be corrected, I cannot refuse,” the President said.

Duterte, a former Davao prosecutor, explained the power to pardon and the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of Congress was a presidential power and it could not be delegated to

anybody else.

The President also insisted that the amnesty allowing the senator’s release was void. “ Therefore his getting out of custody was also void because there was no basis. The amnesty was defective [and] fatally flawed,” Duterte said.

Trillanes accused Duterte of ordering his arrest because he was the most vocal and prominent critic of his administration.

The senator described the executive order as “stupid” and vowed to resist the order.

Duterte has said Calida is a government lawyer. As a President, he said he could not insist another view since the proclamation was already recorded as a public paper.

“So, whatever he put down in that, I will believe it. If I doubted him in the first place, I [would] already have him disposed somewhere else,” said Duterte.

He added: “The power to pardon and the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of Congress is a presidential power. It cannot be delegated to anybody else. That’s a constitutional mandate.

“In the first place, the amnesty allowing his [Trillanes] release was void.

Therefore, his getting out of custody was also void because there was no basis. The amnesty was defective [and] fatally flawed.”

Duterte said he would leave the execution of arresting Trillanes in the hands of the Judiciary department.

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FOCUS ON ECO, SPORTS, TOURISM, DOT URGED

WORLD FIRST AID DAY.

Philippine Red Cross volunteers participate in a simultaneous CPR training at the Manila Ocean Park, in observance of the World First Aid Day, in an aim to teach people first response aid specially during road crashes.

Norman Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz

FLEEING BFF BANDITS KILL CIVILIAN, HURT 2 OTHERS

By Francisco Tuyay A CIVILIAN was killed while two of his companions were wounded after Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters bandits fired at them while retreating from pursuing security forces following a firefight at the outskirts of Maguindanao province.

Reports said Babay Dansalan was initially placed in critical condition following the attack but later died in a hospital while being treated. His wounded companions were identified as Maula Rerente Mangimblas and Dangalao Dangwa Akad, all residents of Barangay Dungan, Datu Montawal, Maguindanao.

The incident occurred after troops responded to a tip from a civilian on the plan by the terrorists to transport three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from Sitio Kabasalan, Barangay Darumpua, Sultan in Barongis, Maguindanao to Kabacan, North Cotabato.

As government forces approached the areas the BIFF bandits fired at them while fleeing towards the southern direction.

Troops from the 7th Infantry Battalion immediately conducted pursuit operations and chanced upon the bandits in Barangay Dunguan.

Reports said the bandit decided to leave the area, but while fleeing, deliberately fired at the civilians, wounding three of them.

Later, a suspected terrorist identified as Mohanid Kambilan and Abdulah Minilo were arrested and the military recovered two M16 rifles, one Garand rifle and a Caliber .45 pistol.

KOREAN TRUCKS DUMPED IN DAVAO, DTI BARES

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE Trade and Industry department has expressed alarm over the illegal importation of Korean used trucks in the Port of Davao.

Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo wrote to Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña asking him to look into the purported influx of Korean used trucks being dumped in the country.

“It has been brought to our attention that a number of shipments of used trucks have arrived during the last few days in the Port of Davao,” Rodolfo stated in his Sept. 6 letter to Lapeña.

Attached in the letter were the

copy of the Inward Foreign Manifest showing that the subject junked trucks were as old as 1995 model.

As shown by the manifest, the used trucks arrived in Port of Davao, and were released on “as-is condition” to the following consignees: PhilCar Sales & Rental Service General Corp., C GlobalMotor Sales Enterprises Corp., 429 Enterprises; Reygon Li Enterprises; Davao AMG Trading Center Corp., Yesgo Importation Enterprise., Philko Trading Corp., Captain Young Heavy Equipment Corp., Goodmorning Lang Co., BCT Company Korea Ltd., and AGCAT Trading.

Rodolfo reminded Lapeña that in order to prevent junked trucks and other vehicles from proliferating the Philippine market, the Customs bureau itself issued a memorandum in September last year.

The memorandum stated “That the date of Certificate of Authority to Import (CAI) of used car must be

prior to the date of arrival of the vehicles,” and that “the submission of the Release Certificates (R/Cs) on the vehicles shall be prior to the release of shipments.”

Despite non-compliance with the memorandum, the vehicles were nonetheless released by Customs.

Executive Order 156 provides that upon arrival of imported used motor vehicles at the Customs collection districts, which include the Ports of Manila, Subic and Davao, the importers shall secure from the DTI-Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau a Release Certificate.

The Release Certificate is used as basis for the release of the goods from the Bureau of Customs and subsequently, for registration of the vehicle at the Land Transportation Office.

However, despite the absence of these requirements, the BoC Davao released the old completely built up trucks and special purpose vehicles.

BUILD BRIDGES TO LINK ISLANDS—VISAYAN SOLONS

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives on Saturday urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to prioritize the construction of the P42-billion Panay-Guimaras-Negros island bridge.

Once built, the said bridge will surpass San Juanico Bridge’s record as the country’s longest, according to the bloc’s leader, Rep. Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental.

Benitez and Rep. Jerry Trenas of Iloilo, also a member of the bloc, said their group supports the project as part of the Duterte administraiton’s “Build, Build, Build” program.

In a statement, the group also appealed to their fellow legislators to

support the project that will link Panay to Negros island, through Guimaras.

The 14.3-kilometer Panay-Guimaras link can be completed by 2021 should construction start this year.

On the other hand, the GuimarasNegros bridge, spanning 5.7 kilometers, could be started before the end of the term of President Duterte, Benitez said.

Benitez, chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, said it is important for Congress to rally behind Duterte’s infrastructure program to ensure the implementation of Phase 2 of the project.

He believes that Phase 3 of the project that will interconnect Ne-

gros to Cebu, will also be funded by government owing to the expected economic success that will be realized as soon as the two bridges are completed and become operational.

“We believe that Region 6 has so much potential for tourism and economic opportunities that can be maximized through the creation of accessory infrastrucctures such as the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge that will enhance connectivity within the region,” Benitez said.

“The project shall improve transportation connectivity and efficiency and promote regional economies by way of enhancing productivity, attracting investments and generating more revenues for localities in the region,” he added.

4 TEACHERS CITED AS OUTSTANDING FILIPINOS FOUR teachers received honors as 2018 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos during the awarding ceremony held on Sept. 7 at the Metrobank Plaza Auditorium.

The teacher-awardees are: Mary Jane Ramo, Master Teacher II of Tonggo Elementary School (Tudela, Misamis Occidental); Alma Janagap, Ed.D., Master Teacher II of Pavia National High School (Pavia, Iloilo); Aimee Marie Gragasin, Ph.D., Special Science Teacher V, Philippine Science High School-Cagayan Valley Campus (Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya); and Carla Dimalanta, Ph.D., Professor X, University of the Philippines, Diliman (Quezon City).

Known as Misamis Occidental’s culture and environment heroine, Ramo focused her life’s work on the promotion of indigenous peoples’ education, and was dubbed as an “honorary Subanen” after her efforts brought back the locals’ self-worth and adoration for their native

culture. She is also an advocate of environmental protection in her immediate community.

“Nothing compares to the happiness and fulfillment I feel every time I see young Subanen learners perform Subanen dances, wear their Subanen attire, and be proud of their own culture,” Ramo shared.

Janagap, Iloilo’s literacy crusader, chose to remain a classroom teacher instead of applying for administrative and supervisory positions. She fostered a culture of reading in the school, and held reading sessions for students struggling with regular academic load.

Her Reading Clinic, which she equipped with books and multimedia materials, served as her legacy, and was replicated by various schools in Iloilo.

“I will not trade being a teacher for anything else. Knowing that my students lead empowered lives anchored on moral values gives me real pride and joy,” she said.

INTERROGATION. National Capital Region Director Guillermo Eleazar interrogates the arrested alleged Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agent Mario Luisito David Israel with cohort Cynthia Eusebio who were nabbed during a buy-bust operation at Banawe Street corner Del Monte Avenue in Barangay Sienna, Quezon City. Confiscated from the suspects were five sachets of shabu and a Glock 19 pistol.

Manny Palmero

A PRO-ADMINISTRATION lawmaker on Saturday said the Department of Tourism should develop ecotourism and extreme sports destinations as a pre-requisite to the implementation of major infrastructure project meant to attract tourists. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on local government, said meeting the target of 7.4-million visitor arrivals this year hinges on the development a new tourist destination.

Citing the example of Camarine Sur, Villafuerte said the province was transformed into a Philippine hotspot for extreme sports and ecotourism on his watch as governor from 2004 to 2013.

“Before we embark on a massive tourism infrastructure program, we should consider the development of tourist spots as ecotourism and extreme sports destinations, which have a higher number of repeat tourists and longer stays as shown by the example of CamSur,” Villafuerte, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said.

He said Camarines Sur as an extreme sports hub has a high number of repeat visitors who have to stay weeks ahead before a sports event to acclimatize themselves to the weather in the area and train there.

“They also return to the place to improve their skills. Not only that, they also come with their relatives and friends in tow,” he added.

SPD FORMS COMMITTEE TO ENHANCE INFO ON CRIME THE law enforcement approach to fight criminal elements now needs a deeper participation of the community, especially the business sector.

The Southern Police District formed Metro Manila South Security Committee aims to prevent crimes through dissemination of different information such as crime situation, threat assessment and other security related matters in the locality.

The MMSSC is composed of police station and community precinct commanders, police intelligence and operations officials and security managers of different business establishment in the southern part of Metro Manila.

SPD director Tomas Apolinario, who was designated chairman of the MMSSC, said the committee was formed to enhance and strengthen the security and safety cooperation in the community.

The group is also composed of personnel tasked on matters of corporate security, public relations, corporate intelligence and government relations, emergency coordination, accommodation and property development security, allied industry and public transport security, event and meeting management, media relations and training. Joel E. Zurbano

POLICE TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST ISULAN TOWN BOMBING SUSPECTS THE police will file next week charges against the suspects in the first of the two recent bomb attacks in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat province, which killed five people and wounded 48 others.

Police Regional Office 12 (Soccsksargen) Director, Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco said on Saturday that the Special Investigation Task Force “Hamungaya” is finalizing the cases against the suspects in the Aug. 28 explosion in Isulan.

On Friday, Rasco met with members of the two SITGs created by PRO-12 in line with the twin attacks to monitor the progress of the ongoing parallel investigations.

SITG “Hamungaya” is mainly focused on the first attack, which happened two days before the culmination of Isulan’s 7th Hamungaya Festival and 61st foundation anniversary celebration.

Three people were killed and 46 others were wounded in the blast, which ripped through an “ukay-ukay” stall and a nearby store located beside the national highway in Barangay Kalawag 3.

Another SITG dubbed “LJ” was activated for the Sept. 2 blast inside the Liezther James Internet cafe in Barangay Kalawag 2, which left two people dead and 12 others wounded.

The two SITGs are headed by Senior Supt. Oliver Enmodias, PRO-12 deputy director for operation. PNA

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TRUMP BLAMED FOR INFLATION

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HILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday blamed US President Donald Trump after inflation hit a nine-year high in the Philippines, hurting the image of the populist leader.

It was an unexpected claim from the fiery Duterte, a one-time fierce critic of the United States but who has since embraced Trump after the business tycoon was elected in November 2016.

When questioned by reporters about the 6.4-percent inflation in Au-

gust, a nine-year high that exceeded most analysts’ forecasts, Duterte blamed Trump’s economic policies.

“Who started it? America. When America raised its rates, everyone raised theirs as well. That is how it is. There is nothing we can do,” he told reporters.

“Because America...Trump wanted it.

Even taxes like excise tax, they raised it.

Even import dues,” Duterte said.

He later clarified that he was not angry at his fellow populist, saying: “I will talk to friend Trump.”

“I have nothing against the American people, not the slightest... misgiving against Trump,” he added.

Duterte, who has previously admitted he is not well-versed in economics, did not elaborate on how US economic policies might affect inflation in the Philippines.

Duterte, who took office in mid-

2016, had previously been criticized

by US officials for his bloody war on drugs that his own administration says has left at least 4,410 suspects dead.

Human rights groups charge that the actual death toll is thrice as high but Trump has brushed aside such concerns, hailing his “great relationship” with Duterte.

Duterte, who has consistently enjoyed strong approval ratings, also charged that the surge in inflation and the rising prices of food are being used by the opposition against him. AFP

‘INDAY SARA TO FULFILL UNATTAINED PROMISES’

By F. Pearl A. Gajunera DAVAO CITY—Davao Region was hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake Saturday afternoon.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the epicenter of the earthquake, which was tectonic, was in Malay, Davao Oriental.

The earthquake was felt at Intensity 5 (strong shaking felt by most people outdoors and indoors) in Davao City and in Mati City, Davao Oriental; Intensity 4 in Koronadal City and Bislig City; Intensity 3 in Tupi, South Cotabato and in Alabel and Malapata in Sarangani; and Intensity 2 in Cotabato City and General Santos City.

PENTAGON TO SPEND $2B FOR NEW AI

By Nat Mariano DESCRIBING her daughter as the “alpha” of their family, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Filipino people can depend on his Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to fulfill his unattained promises to the public.

Duterte told members of the Filipino community in Jordan that he hopes for his daughter to accomplish the things he might not be able to complete once he steps down from his post.

“If I fail to make good on my promises, I hope in little ways, Inday, she’s a mayor, she might be in the future,” Duterte said late Friday evening. “In the family, she is the alpha. In Davao, they know. She has a strong personality since she and her siblings were young.”

“You can ask her for help. Inday is good. She’s capable,” said the President, adding that her daughter even knows how to kick a sheriff.

Duterte earlier brushed aside speculations that Duterte-Carpio will run for a national post next year as several political parties have expressed desire for her to join their senatorial slate.

A Pulse Asia survey released in July showed Duterte-Carpio, who heads the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, would likely rank third to fifth if the senatorial elections were held at the time the survey was conducted.

She has received a 46.2 percent voter preference from the 1,800 survey respondents, all registered voters, nationwide, behind only Senator Grace Poe, Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano and Senator Cynthia Villar.

The presidential daughter said she was “overwhelmed” by the survey result, but made no confirmation on her political plans next year.

STRONG QUAKE HITS DAVAO

CLEANUP DRIVE. Ahead of the International Coastal Cleanup Day, Dragon Boat paddlers do their share in removing trash in Manila Bay on Saturday. Norman Cruz

US WARNS: TARIFFS ON ALL CHINESE GOODS FARGO, United States—President Donald Trump threatened to slap tariffs on all of the Chinese goods imported into the United States, ramping up the already tense trade relations with Beijing.

The US has punitive tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods already in place, and another $200 billion “in the hopper” that Trump said “could take place very soon.”

But he told reporters traveling with him to Fargo, North Dakota that “behind that, there’s another $267 billion ready to go on short notice if I want.”

That would cover virtually all the goods imported from the world’s second-largest economy.

“That totally changes the equation,” Trump said.

His comments contradict the more diplomatic remarks earlier Friday from his top economic adviser Larry Kudlow who said talks with Beijing are continuing to try to defuse the conflict, and that he was hopeful that a solution could be found.

“China, right now, is a far bigger problem,” Trump said. “I’m being strong on China because I have to be.”

The deadline for public comment on the next wave of punitive taxes on $200 billion of annual imports from China expired Thursday, so Trump could impose the tariffs immediately.

He previously had threatened to hit 100 percent of imports from China if the country failed to address US concerns over theft of US technology and barriers to American goods and investments.

Trump has had Beijing in his crosshairs since he took office, and has applied increasing pressure to try to convince it to change its policies, allow more imports and reduce the $335-billion US trade deficit with China.

China so far has retaliated dollarfor-dollar with tariffs of its own on US goods, but since it imports less than $200 billion a year from the United States, it has run out of room to match the US. But businesses warn there are other ways China can strike back, through regulations and other administrative means.

The last effort at a negotiated solution came in late August with meetings between low-level officials, but nothing came of it. AFP

FVR AND MING RAMOS: AN ENDURING LOVE STORY WHEN one talks about enduring love, one song easily comes to mind and it’s Crystal Gale’s “A Long and Lasting Love.”

Here are some enchanting lines of Gale’s song: “A long and lasting love / Not many people find it / But those who do their whole life through / Put their heart and soul behind it / A long and lasting love / Is what I’ve always dreamed of / A special bond / That goes beyond the changing of the seasons / A long and lasting love / Someone I can care for / Someone to be there for the rest of my life / A long and lasting love.”

For former President Fidel V. Ramos and his wife of 65 years, former First Lady Amelita “Ming”Martinez Ramos, theirs is a union that has become enduring and long lasting just like Gale’s stirring song.

Their love and marriage have withstood the test of time that FVR recently even devoted a five-part series in his Sunday Manila Bulletin sermons to honor his wife and the legacy of Madam Ming.

FVR’s columns featured the various facets of Ming Ramos as an understanding wife to a military officer who rose to become President as well as a doting mother to their five daughters Angel, Jo, Cristy, Chula, and Margie, and now as a loving grandmother to their eight grandchildren.

In 2009, I was privileged to author a book on the life and times of the former First Lady titled “Simply Ming” which was FVR’s loving way and thoughtful gift in grateful appreciation of his wife.

Just like FVR columns, Simply Ming recounts their friendship as classmates at UP High School and as neighbors at Padre Faura; Eddie’s courtship to Ming and

how they fell in love; her ability to balance her time in raising their children and fulfil her duties as the wife of a decorated military officer, and, later as President.

Simply Ming book also featured her other traits and facets as a career professional and educator environmentalist, sports leader, musician, social worker and as a First Lady who was a woman full of substance.

At the tail-end of the Ramos presidency, Madam Ming wrote a column titled “Beside Eddie,” and she shared, “Despite the fact that I am the First Lady now, I am still working for mostly the same reasons 45 years ago at the International School Manila. However, the experience has been a wonderful one with its share of happy moments and trying moments. I am proud to say that the last six years have been a good family bonding experience for us. Certainly after the six-year stint, any other problem not national in scope that Eddie and I will encounter in the future will pale in comparison!”

As for FVR’s appreciation of Madam Ming, here is a hearty and lovely letter he penned on

Mother’s Day in 1995 which is reprinted below: “Dearest Ming, Happy Mother’s Day is too short a phrase, sometimes too impersonal and unoriginal especially between two people who have shared almost a lifetime together.

Certainly we have more thoughts to share and express.

We are at this moment separated by a continent, the Pacific Ocean and the US continent—and a thirteenhour time difference—not by official duties but by something more precious—Margie’s college graduation in Atlanta, Georgia. I hope that Margie will understand and forgive my absence during her commencement day, just as you and d’girls have been understanding of my career as a military man, Cabinet member, jobless candidate, and now as President.

This kind of separation is something not new to us, as my military duties have often taken me away from all of you. The

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon’s research wing said it was investing $2 billion to develop a new generation of artificial intelligence with “human-like communication”skills.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, will use the money to fund around 20 existing projects over the next five years and launch new ones over the next 12 months seeking a higher level of machine learning, the agency’s director Steven Walker told reporters near Washington.

“We are making multiple research investments aimed at transforming computers from specialized tools to partners in problem-solving,” said Walker, referring to the new generation of machines as “AI Next.”

“We want to explore how machines can acquire human-like communication and reasoning capabilities, with the ability to recognize new situations and environments and adapt to them,” he said in a statement.

The current generation of smart machines and robots cannot be easily updated when new technology appears, and researchers want them to learn to update themselves, he said.

The new smart machines will be designed to help speed up security clearance vetting or accelerated accreditation of software systems, the agency said.

Most of DARPA’s research, which is entirely funded by the Pentagon, is focused on technologies that can be used in combat, such as drones that are becoming ever more autonomous. AFP

responsibilities of the Presidency are certainly now more demanding of our personal time.

We marvel at your never-ending patience, love and support—manifested by the tireless work you have done to assure the children and me the warmth of home. You are my source of strength wherever I go and in everything I do. It is your comforting support (and that of d’girls and grandchildren) that has motivated me and guaranteed whatever successes we have enjoyed.

It is to your credit that we have five wonderful and upright daughters. They have always been our great pride and joy. We are glad that when you had to take on the role of father and driver during my absences, you made sure that they never forgot about me! Truly, being a mother and wife is difficult enough, but you have proven to be more.

Not once did we see you falter. Today, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, how can we fully express the depth and breadth of our love and gratitude to you for giving everything a husband, father and family could ever want?

With all our love, Eddie” Straight from FVR’s heart, his Mother’s Day letter reflects the kind of relationship that they both shared in the many years being together.

When asked what she considers her greatest achievement in life? Without batting an eyelash, Ming replied, “Sticking to Eddie Ramos through thick and thin all these years.”

As FVR used to joke around, “According to Madam Ming, the longest phrase in the English dictionary is ‘I Do.’ But seriously, it’s one such commitment that I have always treasured for a lifetime.”

This article was written by Melandrew Velasco, official biographer of the Ramos family, as a special tribute to the Ramoses and their ilk.

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Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Opinion

EDITORIAL

NURSERY FOR GREAT VALUES

W

E PAUSE today from our usual Sunday activities and pay attention to the grandparents who have been arguably essential in healthy, if positive, parent-child relationships in the social and emotional development of children.

We don’t even have to look back—and underhandedly be grateful—to 40 years ago when US President Jimmy Carter first declared Grandparents Day a national holiday in 1978, a declaration taken advantage of by commercial establishments and advertising firms for the possible wads and investments gained.

Beyond the alphabet, this jump on the bandwagon mentality has erased the meaning, the substance, of the role of grandparents in what we call the family as a basic social institution.

Grandparents—whether they are called lolo or lola, apoy, tatay (accent on the second syllable) or nanay, apong lakay or apong baket, grandpop or grandmomma, lilo or lila—can verily be the wellspring of happiness and wellbeing of the entire family, something that is not always acknowledged.

Some believe an expensive dinner or lunch at a posh restaurant on Grandparents Day would raise the gimmick.

But before and after the recognizable burp today, many slide back to forgetting what impact grandparents have in the family circle, given the Filipino culture of a nuclear family.

Some, with the irruption of technology which has made many very impersonal, have thrown into the blotted out zone the impact grandparents have on their grandchildren: a sense of emotional intimacy, unwavering support, and an experience about the face of a true and positive relationship.

Today, as it must be on other days of the common and the

INDIAN ARTIST DRAWS PORTRAITS WITH A TYPEWRITER

leap years, children and grandchildren must recognize that grandparents have an enriching wealth of experience, which make them a good link to a child’s cultural heritage and family history.

They also provide an extra layer of support, which can make a major difference in a child’s formative years and in years beyond.

Experts have said, and we are persuaded to agree, that grandparent-grandchild bonds during the teenage years are associated with less behavioral and emotional difficulties as well as social problems with peers.

There are also instances when grandparents have an extra and soft shell tympanum when grandchildren need someone to talk with, the latter finding in grandparents a toll-free expressway to open up and share with them difficult moments.

Given the culture in pre- and post-millennium rollover, where both parents in many families are employed by firms that demand their physical presence outside the home, an often frame is that of forbearing grandparents rising to their role in raising today’s leaders of tomorrow.

One study has suggested that roughly 2.7 million grandparents provide for the basic needs of a grandchild, with more going into the extra zone to take care of their grandchildren for nights on end while the parents are away.

Grandparents, given their legends as emotional pillars, are definitely better—although not every grandparent may be gung-ho about this role—than paid househelp or baby sitters, with the parents feeling a great sense of comfort, aware their children are left in the hands of doubtlessly capable and caring hands.

Today, as in the other days of the Gregorian calendar, we doff our hats to grandparents who do not compete with their children to be virtual parents, grandparents who know their role in raising a happy and emotionally stable family, not only for the clan, not only for the community, but for their country.

By Peter Hutchison

MUMBAI—Clickety-clack, clicketyclack, ding rings out from a home in India’s Mumbai where Chandrakant Bhide is creating his latest artwork—on a typewriter.

The 72-year-old thumps the keys of the bulky, manual machine to draw portraits of famous people, all bearing an unmistakeable resemblance to their subject.

From politicians and film stars to cricketers, animation characters and religious symbols, Bhide has produced around 150 pieces of typewriter art over the past half century.

“I have done many personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy. This is my hobby, my passion,” he tells AFP. Bhide has held 12 exhibitions of his work and has become something of a local celebrity since discovering his unique talent in the late 1960s while employed as a bank clerk.

As a young man, he had wanted to go to art school and become a commercial artist but his family was unable to afford the costs so he trained in stenography instead.

Bhide was working in the administrative department of Union Bank of India when in 1967 his boss asked him to type up a list of staff intercom numbers.

“I typed it in the form of a telephone itself. When I saw it I thought, ‘This is fantastic, I can make art through this medium.’ Everybody seemed to like it, too,” he recalls.

Bhide started using the “x” key to produce images of Hindu god Ganesha to mark India’s annual festival celebrating the elephant-headed deity.

He then began to experiment with other keys—including “w,” dash, asterisk, ampersand and percentage sign—progressing to create portraits of celebrities from India and abroad.

While Bhide takes only 15 minutes to draw Ganesha, several hours are required to complete a famous face in what is a painstaking process.

No delete key With steely focus he uses his left hand to grip the knob that controls the platen—the roller that feeds the paper through—as he taps the keys with his right index finger.

He stops every so often to change the angle of the page before typing again.

Sometimes he’ll flick the colorchange lever from black to red or viceversa and he’ll glance down regularly at the photograph he is working off to make sure he hasn’t made an error.

“Typing requires dedication and concentration. If you put one stroke in the wrong place then you have to start again. It’s not like a computer where you can delete. Many times I’ve made mistakes and had to start again,” says Bhide.

Bhide, who doesn’t sell his artwork or take orders, has been featured in several Indian newspapers and has been able to show his portraits to many of the Indian stars he has drawn.

He says he plans to attempt Donald Trump, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

All of his works have been produced on the same Halda typewriter he used for the 30 years that he worked at Union Bank. The bank gifted it to him for one rupee when he retired in the mid-90s.

“I have got so many things out of this typewriter. Typing is an art,” he says.

AFP Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EX-TRUMP AIDE JAILED IN RUSSIA COLLUSION PROBE WASHINGTON—A former advisor to US President Donald Trump whose contacts with Russians set off the investigation into possible collusion with Moscow was jailed Friday for lying to the FBI. US District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced foreign policy aide George Papadopoulos to 14 days in prison, acknowledging his guilty plea and his remorse, but noting that he “lied in an investigation that was important to national security.”

Papadopoulos was the second person ordered to prison in the sprawling, 16-month Russia collusion investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

It came just over two weeks after two former top Trump aides were convicted of felony crimes in cases that grew out of the probe.

Trump suggested the conviction was trivial for a probe that has cost millions since it launched in May 2017 -- while ignoring the 35 indictments, five guilty pleas and one trial conviction Mueller has racked up so far.

“14 days for $28 MILLION - $2 MILLION a day, No Collusion. A great day for America!” Trump tweeted.

Senator Mark Warner, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which has its own Russia collusion investigation, applauded Mueller’s work. AFP

T

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

JAPAN QUAKE TOLL NOW AT 30; 400 HURT

OKYO —The death toll from a powerful quake that triggered landslides in northern Japan rose to 30 Saturday, as tens of thousands of rescue workers raked through the mud for survivors.

The majority of the dead are from the small rural town of Atsuma, where a cluster of dwellings were wrecked when a hillside collapsed from the force of the 6.6-magnitude quake, causing deep brown scars in the landscape.

Around nine people are still unaccounted for in the town and around 400 sustained minor injuries, according to the local government of the northern Hokkaido island.

“We never had landslides here,” said Akira Matsushita who lost his brother in Atsuma.

“I couldn’t believe until I saw it with my own eyes,” he told TV Asahi. “When I saw it, I knew no

one could survive.”

Some 40,000 rescue workers, including SelfDefense Forces drafted in specially, were searching for survivors with the aid of bulldozers, sniffer dogs and 75 helicopters, according to the top government spokesman.

“They’re doing their best around the clock,” Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

All three million households on Hokkaido island lost power when Thursday’s quake damaged a thermal plant supplying electricity to the region, but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said power was mostly restored.

“Thanks to hard work to boost power supply throughout the night, the number of households without power has declined to 20,000,” Abe told a cabinet meeting to discuss the quake.

Abe added the government would release emergency funds to deliver food, water and fuel needed for power generators at hospitals.

A total of 31,000 households still have no water and around 16,000 people have evac-

uated to shelters.

The earthquake also collapsed a handful of houses and walls in the main regional city of Sapporo but considering the strength of the quake, the death toll was relatively light, with the majority of victims coming from the landslide in Atsuma.

International flights at the main airport in Sapporo resumed operations on Saturday, while bullet trains began service the day before.

The quake was the latest in a string of natural disasters to batter the country.

Western parts of the country are still recovering from the most powerful typhoon to strike Japan in a quarter of a century, which claimed 11 lives and shut down the main regional airport.

Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where many of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are recorded.

On March 11, 2011, a devastating 9.0-magnitude quake struck under the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread damage and claimed thousands of lives. AFP

NICARAGUAN BIZ CLOSED; 24-HOUR STRIKE BEGINS MANAGUA, Nicaragua—Many shops, banks and gas stations were closed Friday in a 24-hour strike in Nicaragua called by the opposition in protest at “political prisoners” and the rule of President Daniel Ortega’s government.

In Mercado Oriental, one of the capital Managua’s main trade districts, most of the 20,000 shops and businesses were shut, while few people were out on the streets.

“It’s an excellent strike, this is how we are supporting those who were taken, who are being tortured, who have no business being in jail just for protesting,” shopkeeper Geidy Areas, 38, told AFP. The normally busy road south from Managua to Masaya, where many shops operate, appeared more desolate than normal.

Friday’s strike, the first since July, was called by the opposition Civil Alliance for Justice and Democracy.

More than 300 Nicaraguans have been charged with crimes for taking part in protests, including 85 who are accused of terrorism.

The Alliance is demanding dialogue with Ortega’s government after months of turmoil that left more than 300 people dead, according to rights groups.

In Managua, most banks, gas stations, shopping malls and book shops were closed but there were more buses and public transport vehicles running than during previous strikes in June and July.

In an important economic zone north of Managua, many hardware stores, shops and cafes remained open.

“People have to keep struggling because they’ve got bank debts and need to feed their children,” food vendor Johana Blandon, who works in a busy free trade zone to the east of Managua, told AFP. AFP

FACIAL RECOGNITION SYSTEM TRIED OUT FOR US AIRPORTS

DULLES, Virginia—As facial recognition technology use generates intense scrutiny, a new system unveiled at Washington’s Dulles airport is being touted as a “user friendly” way to help ease congestion for air travelers.

Officials at Dulles unveiled two new face recognition systems Thursday, one to meet legal requirements for biometric entry-exit records, and a second to help speed processing of travelers arriving on international flights by matching their real-time images with stored photos.

The growing use of facial recognition has ignited debate over surveillance and privacy around the world, but officials told media this system was a way to help reducing annoying lines and wait times without compromising security.

“The technology works,” US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan told reporters at an airport unveiling.

“It’s fast, it’s user-friendly, it’s flexible and it’s cost-effective. And we believe it will change the face of international travel.”

Over time, officials say the biometric recognition system will allow a traveler’s face to eliminate the need for a boarding pass. AFP

ALL FOR A POT. Indian Hindu devotees take a vow before forming a human pyramid in a bid to reach and break a dahi-handi (curd pot) suspended in the air during celebrations for the Janmashtami festival, which marks the birth of Hindu God Lord Krishna, in Mumbai on Monday. AFP

FIRED-UP OBAMA ATTACKS TRUMP, REPUBLICANS CHICAGO—Barack Obama assailed US Republicans Friday for failing to keep President Donald Trump in check, in a forceful return to the political fray aimed at firing up Democratic voters ahead of key elections.

Since leaving office, the 44th US president has pointedly avoided direct criticism of his successor, making a calculated effort not to utter Trump’s name.

But on Friday the gloves came off.

“What happened to the Republican Party?” asked Obama, accusing Trump of “capitalizing” on “fear and anger.”

In a nod to the turbulence of the

past week—which saw allegations of a secret “resistance” working inside the White House—the 57-yearold Obama poured scorn on the idea that “everything will turn out okay” because some of Trump’s staff are secretly ignoring the boss’s orders.

“That’s not how our democracy is supposed to work,” Obama thundered, in reference to the revelations by investigative journalist Bob Woodward, whose new book describes Trump’s aides battling to rein in an angry, uninformed president.

The Democratic former president assailed Republicans as “unwilling to find the backbone” to challenge

Trump head-on -- accusing them instead of answering “outrageous” actions with “vague statements of disappointment.”

“They’re not doing us a service by actively promoting 90 percent of the crazy stuff that’s coming out of this White House, and then saying, ‘Don’t worry, we’re preventing the other 10 percent,’” he said.

Obama’s remarks to an auditorium of college students in Illinois— the state he represented before he won the White House—marked the opening salvo in a series of campaign stops aimed at boosting fellow Democrats in November’s

midterm elections, when voters will elect much of Congress and 36 state governorships.

In a wide-ranging speech punctuated by frequent applause, Obama criticized the divisive politics of the era, decrying Trump’s attacks on the media and the judiciary, his eagerness to work with Russia while neglecting traditional alliances.

But he also sounded a hopeful note about the apparent mobilization of Democratic voters.

“Out of this political darkness I am seeing a great awakening of citizenship all across the country,” Obama said. AFP

PRISON AND HOSPITAL: PRIMARY BATTLE GROUNDS IN BRAZIL’S ELECTION RACE RIO DE JANEIRO—A jail cell and hospital bed have turned into the most unlikely, and important, campaign barracks during Brazil’s surreal and unpredictable presidential race.

Jailed leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and hospitalized right-wing runner Jair Bolsonaro, who was stabbed by a left-wing activist on Thursday, have emerged as the two principal actors in the election soap opera that has proved as absurd as it has been enthralling.

They may have the most supporters, but neither is expected to end up as successor to outgoing President Michel Temer, who declined to even stand in the election amidst record unpopularity levels.

Lula has been banned from standing in the October 7 first round due to his corruption conviction while Bolsonaro, the subsequent front-runner, is widely expected to be beaten in the second round run-off

no matter whom he faces.

Popular Workers’ Party leader Lula had been streaks ahead in the polls with twice as much support as his bridesmaid Bolsonaro.

But since he was struck off the ballot paper over Brazil’s clean-slate law and his punishment for accepting a seaside apartment as a bribe, Bolsonaro has forged clear on 22 percent, 10 points ahead of environmentalist Marina Silva and center-left candidate Ciro Gomes.

Despite their travails, both are enjoying soaring popularity, not least because many see them as victims, something that engenders sympathy, empathy and sometimes more votes.

Lula claims to be the target of a political persecution aimed at preventing him from running for, and winning, a third term as president following his successful back-toback spells from 2003-10. AFP

GREASE PEOPLE. People covered in black grease take part in the traditional festival of the Cascamorras, in Baza, near Granada, on Friday. Every year on September 6 a villager from Guadix dresses as an oddball character called “Cascamorras” and travels the three kilometers to the village of Baza, flanked by a team of representatives, to stage an attempt to recapture the statue of the Pieta virgin before returning to Guadix after three days to be punished by the locals for his failure. AFP

Images

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WEEK

HONORED ELDERLY. To celebrate Grandparents’ Day today, here are images of our beloved senior citizens from here and abroad. The main photo shows some of the residents of the Hospicio De San Jose in San Miguel, Manila being pushed on their wheelchairs by their sons and daughters. Grandmothers on similar chairs also say their afternoon prayers, while others manage to horse around with their grandchildren. Finally, 73-year-old Indian artist Chandrakant Bhide (above right) shows off his portaits of famous people—created with just a typewriter. Sonny Espiritu, Diana Noche and AFP

FOOTBALL CAMP. Barça Academy Coach Jordi Aguilar Roca high-fives a camp student

NEW WHEELS. A man counts his change after purchasing a classic bicycle in front of a bike store at the Port Area in Manila.

Sonny Espiritu

as ‘The Road to Barcelona’ started for some 160 kids in Cebu City. The Queen City hosted Year 2 of the MILO-FCB event at the Cebu City Sports Complex led by Roca and Albert Batalla Fernandez. Seven aspiring young footballers will get the chance to train at Spanish football giant FC Barcelona’s famed Camp Nou in a nine-day camp with world-class coaches from the FCB Youth Academy. Peter Paul Duran

TOP HAT. A protester takes part in a march to the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Manila on Saturday, during a demonstration to denounce coal and fossil fuel industries and call for a transformation of dirty energy to renewable energy systems. Noel Celi/AFP

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

Reira U Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP FOR OBIENA Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena (right) hangs his head in disappointment as he rests on the partitions surrounding the track and field arena after failing to clear the bar at 5.50m during the 2018 Asian Games.

By Reuel Vidal

A

SK any elite athlete what his biggest motivation for success is and chances are his answer would be making up for a disappointment.

The 2018 Asian Games, where he could not garner a medal, could either be just a big disappointment or a valued motivation for Philippine pole vault record holder EJ Obiena.

The 21-year-old UST student, whose 5.30 was good for seventh place in the Asiad, has chosen to look to the future and focus on just getting better.

“Back to school and for this month I would do some cross training with other sports to recover. At the moment we still don’t have any competition set for this year.

I might compete in the upcoming UAAP,” said Obiena.

His personal best is actually 5.61 which would have been good enough to win silver behind the 5.70 set

by Seito Yamamoto of Japan. But Obiena was simply not at his best during the Asiad.

After suffering an ACL injury in 2017 he had to spend precious time to heal and recover. Later he needed to build up his leg strength. Then he needed to regain his form and finally his confidence.

He seemed to have come all the way back to peak form and could clear 5.51 on what he would describe as his best day.

He had a game plan for the Asiad. He would start at 5.30, skip 5.40 to preserve his strength, clear 5.50 and then go on to battle for the gold. It was a sound

plan which he could not execute.

He easily cleared 5.30 on his first attempt. He skipped 5.40 and went straight to 5.50 where he missed three attempts which left him at seventh place.

He is glad to be back home and plans to focus on his form in a back to the basics approach in his training.

“This month I would not be practicing regularly at Ultra. But training goes on and we are already starting our foundation training,” he said.

Obiena is looking forward to the 2019 Southeast Asia Games which will be held right here in the Philippines.

“The Thai guys are always strong and I know that they would prepare for the SEA games as much as they can.

It is a year more before the SEA games and I would train as hard as I can to have the upper hand,” said Obiena.

He will have his work cut out for him. In particular he should be wary of Thais Patsapong Amsam-Ang who cleared 5.50 in the Asian Games to win the bronze medal and Porranot Purahong who cleared 5.20.

The two will provide the biggest challenge for Obiena. But it is a challenge that could be overcome with the proper motivation and the proper preparation.

“I learned a lot from this season and got to know myself even more. It is time to work more and get smarter along the way. Goals are still there waiting and looking back 11 months ago, I may not be there yet but I am closer than I was yesterday,” said Obiena.

Like Michael Jordan who became the greatest basketball player of his generation after being left out of the varsity team during junior high school EJ Obiena will use the Asian Games disappointment as fuel to attain greater heights in his sport.

Filipino pole-vaulter EJ Obiena elevates as he tries to clear the bar during the 2018 Asian Games.

GIRL POWER IN A RACE FOR EXCELLENCE

Des (right) and Jacq Buncio

DOUBLING the fun in the Superbikes Cup, champion racer, Jacquelyn Buncio is now joined by sister Maria Lourdes, making for an even more exciting Superbikes Cul 2018.

All in the family The interest in motorbikes and racing definitely runs in the Buncio family as the Buncio patriarch, Gregorio “Yoyong” Buncio has always been into the sport.

The girls’ late brother, Maico Buncio was also a champion racer before his career was cut short. In spite of what happened, the Buncio sisters have chosen to make use of Maico’s legacy as a source of strength to continue on what he started - but on their own terms.

Jacq, the youngest, has always been known for her vivacious spirit, and admits that she really had to plead with her parents to let her race. Des, who eventually followed Jacq’s lead, is the older sister, and has always been into racing but only started competing professionally recently.

Of course, the decision to race and follow in their brother’s footsteps was tough on their parents, especially their mother. But after much prodding, their parents eventually gave in but not without much supervision from their father, Yoyong, to ensure their safety in practice and in races.

Championing gender norms While racing has always been seen as a guy’s sport, the Buncio sisters doesn’t see that as a reason for them

to not do what they love.

Lots of practice and a determination to succeed has put them to a level at par with other celebrated racers.

As such, TOTAL has also given them their support by welcoming them in Team TOTAL. Since 2017, through its top-of-the-line motorcycle engine oil HI-PERF, Total has been Jacq’s partner and sponsor, the 2017 overall Superbikes Cup champion in the Heavyweight A category.

After a stellar year with Jacq, TOTAL has also decided to sponsor Des, who was was the 2017 overall Superbikes Cup champion for the Lightweight A Category.

The talented sisters has been leading the way in inspiring others that there’s no limit to what people can do, regardless of gender, as long as they’re determined.

This is why TOTAL is proud to have these exceptional young women in their roster of athletes as they fearlessly secured their place in a typically male-dominated sport.

They also bring in new energy into the races and inspire other female motorsports athletes in the country.

As a global leader, Team TOTAL aims to successfully fulfill the company’s long-standing commitment to its international motorsports heritage; and its commitment to empowering women in motorsports.

Make sure to keep your eyes on what Team TOTAL has in is gearing up for next.

JORDAN CRUISES TO 4-SHOT ABOITIZ WIN DASMARINAS, Cavite—Aussie Damien Jordan nailed his first Philippine Golf Tour Asia crown in style, beating a stellar field with a brilliant final round 68 for a whopping four-stroke victory over Thai Namchok Tantipokhakul in the Aboitiz Invitational at Orchard’s Palmer course here yesterday.

Jordan fended off Tantipokhakul and Angelo Que’s early threat with a decisive four-birdie binge in a seven-hole stretch linking both nines, turning what was expected to be a down-tothe-wire battle into a runaway triumph as his putting clicked and his rivals faltered in hot condition one after the other.

“I putted superb,” who actually hinted at striking back this week after falling short in his first stab at victory where he settled for third to Jhonnel Ababa and Korean Kim Joo Hyung in Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational last week.

He pooled a 15-under 273, spiked by a lead-grabbing 64 in the first round. He slowed down with a 71 and reeled back in the rain-hit second round but got back into the groove—and the lead—with a 70 in the penultimate day of the $100,000 tournament which served as the fifth leg of this year’s PGTA put up by ICTSI. “I had no pressure as the leader so I tried my best to avoid making mistakes,” added Jordan, who pocketed $17,500 from the $100,000 purse in the event sponsored by Aboitiz Equity Ventures and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. While he kept his game and putting in check throughout the last 18 holes, his rivals floundered trying to chase and put the pressure on him.

Tantipokhakul, who with Que started the final round just two strokes off Jordan, went on a spin after a birdie on No. 2, stumbling with back-to-back bogeys. Though he hit three birdies in the next 10 holes, the Thai ace failed to rattle the plucky Aussie, who had pulled away with birdies on Nos. 6, 7, 11 and 12, cruising to victory with a run of pars in the six holes.

Tantipokhakul bogeyed No. 15 but birdied the last for a 70 for solo second at 277 worth $11,500 in the event backed

by ICTSI, Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology Inc.

Damien Jordan savors the sweet taste of a breakthrough PGT Asia victory.

3 PH ATHLETES ATTEND MUNICH CAMP; GRAB SILVER, BRONZE

By Ram Christian Agustin

YOUNG athletes Juan Miguel Basmayor and Catherine Angelica Bradborn, representatives of the Philippines, took silver and bronze titles, respectively, at the 10th Allianz Junior Football Camp 2018 in Munich, Germany last Aug. 27 to 31.

The two were in the winning teams that bagged the silver and bronze medals at a tournament held at Säbener Straße in the finals of the five-day camp attended by 56 young athletes aged 14 to 16 years from 24 different countries.

The young athletes were joined by Ivy Tapiz from Dipolog, who won the Robotics’competition in the camp, where her robot was chosen to be launched into the stratosphere by well-known Italian robotics’ teacher Valeria Cagnani.

“The kids at the camp were very competitive. They all played to make their country proud. But I had to

make sure that despite our cultural differences and the language barrier, we understand each other. We speak the same language when it comes to football,” said Basmayor, a former national team player for football now playing for De La Salle Zobel.

“There’s a different approach to how the camp was undertaken, it was an opportunity for us to also better understand the generation of today, the digital natives.

Not only are they passionate about football but they are also very much influenced by digitalm” said Brand Communications and Digital Director Rei Abrozaldo.

“We’re happy with this batch, at least for the Philippines.”

Before kickstarting the tournament, the players attended three training sessions in theory and practice, led by World Cup winner Klaus Augenthaler, whose 15year career playing for FC Bayern Munich led to seven Bundesliga titles.

The participants also got to see their idols up close

during the open training and meet and greet sessions, where they landed photos and autographs with the likes of world champion Corentin Tolisso, Thomas Müller, Arjen Robben, Bayern captain Oliver Kahn and watched the farewell match of retiring Bastian Schweinsteiger in a game between FC Bayern and Chicago Fire at the Allianz Arena.

“Everything needs to be equal. Everything needs to be boosted especially the attitude and discipline of the player. Even if one is good at football, without it you’ll go nowhere. You can’t have improvement in your skills without discipline and attitude towards the game,” said Basmayor when asked what areas he thinks he needs to improve on in football.

The camp is aligned with the Allianz Global Explorer Program #ExploreWithUs that highlights the “digital natives” of today’s society revolving in everything that is digital and technological to better define the lifestyle, aspirations, and needs of the participants.

Philippine representatives Juan Miguel Basmayor and Catherine Angelica Bradborn bagged silver and bronze medals in the recently concluded Allianz Junior Football Camp (AJFC) 2018 held in Munich, Germany. Ram Christian Agustin

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

MOBILE APP AIMS TO BOOST BLUE-COLLAR JOB MARKET

MILLENNIAL LADY CEO BUYS INTO COMPANIES MFT Group CEO Maria Francesca ‘Mica’ Tan

F

OR Maria Francesca ‘Mica’ Tan, time is the most important currency. At 26 years old, she has accomplished a lot, having learned the ropes of stock investment and finance in her teens before establishing a private equity firm that acquires and manages companies in the Philippines and eight other countries.

Tan is the co-founder and chief executive of MFT Group, a dynamic private equity company composed of more than 300 professionals who work in 18 cities across nine countries. The firm has offices in Fort Bonifacio, Singapore, Hong Kong and New York.

“We believe that time is our currency,” Tan says in an interview at Manila House, a private membership club in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

MFT Group, the company named after Tan, has invested in and managed 20 ventures, mostly family legacy businesses. “Initially, the other founders and I decided to name it after me. We put more meaning into it. Now, it stands more for Moving Forward Together,” she says.

She became interested in stock market when she was 13. At 17, she and three of her older friends ventured into purchase order financing.

With the help of their families, the company grew to become a private equity firm in 2014.

“We started here in BGC [Bonifacio Global City] in 2014, but the founders and I started working almost eight years ago. We bonded as a group.

We started financing together, and it evolved into private equity. MFT now is a private equity group that buys into, invests in or co-manages mostly family legacy businesses,” she says.

MFT Group’s vision is to establish presence and profitable business models in 100 business areas worldwide by 2037.

As the CEO, Tan is the youngest in the boardroom. She does not mind being tagged as a millennial, although she is quick to add that she

has learned a lot from her parents, mentors, five siblings, friends and industry peers.

“I think that millennials have been highlighted too much,” Tan says. “I would like to speak more about family businesses as a whole, which has three types of people from three generations— Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials.”

MFT serves as a bridge among the three generations who run family legacy businesses. Her brother, Eric Tan is MFT’s chief operations officer.

Her father is a cancer specialist, while her mother is into jewelry business.

Tan finished high school in Poveda and was admitted to Fordham University in New York. She, however, decided to forego her studies, because time is important. “After high school, the offices of my mentors became my college. I was supposed to take up Finance in Fordham University but I decided not to. Instead of New York being my campus, it was the world that became my campus.

I reached out to different industry leaders and that’s how MFT came about. College to me is ongoing,” she says.

She focuses on expanding family businesses here and abroad. “I love work. I take it with me everyday. I hop to different offices. One day to us seems like two days. We practice that in the office. We have two cut-offs in a week. Monday to Wednesday is one week, and Thursday to Saturday is another week. Somehow, we get to control our perception of time,” she says.

MFT buys into different sectors such as finance, real estate, medical equipment, food and beverage, lifestyle and entertainment. “The private equity can come in to expand the business, to save the business or to take it global. That’s what private equity does. In the local market, I can say we are strategically focused on family legacy businesses. I don’t think that there are others who are. That’s what sets us apart.”

MFT buys into different companies with majority stake and “sometimes influential minority”.

“Then we restructure the corporate blueprint.

Our main goal is to ensure that the next generation is prepared to take over. That is our main challenge. We work with the previous generation and the current, and we plant seeds. This will ensure that whatever revenue the previous

generation made, the next generation will surpass it,” she says.

MFT has two divisions. The first is the shared services division that covers finance, marketing, legal and operations. Its second unit is the Tack Ops which stands for tactical opportunities. The team, composed of different senior advisors or consultants, helps companies explore growth opportunities, including going global.

Among the strategic investments of MFT Group are Asian Invest Management Ltd. HK, an asset management company based in Hong Kong; hospital equipment supplier Meihao Corp.; Mondial Medical Technologies; MR Angel Credit Corp.; Trade Pro; Salad Stop Spain SL; La Lola Churreria; Tzun An Sek Corp.; Mimi & Bros.; California-based 2Puffs Distribution LLC; Upstart; FlySpaces; MFT Properties; MFT Entertainment; Accentik Inc.; Tambunting Pawnshop Online; and EM RAC Petro Corp.

It has operations in the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States and Spain.

MFT helped Singaporean company Salad Stop to expand to Spain and Philippines-based La Lola Churreria to have presence in Vietnam. Tan, a pescetarian, advocates healthy food.

Tan says the MFT Group grew its assets portfolio to about P3.2 billion as of June this year.

“Compared to last year, we grew it by about 47 percent. In terms of revenue, we outperformed 2017 by 57 percent,” she says.

Tan says MFT Group is “approached everyday by different companies of all sizes.”

“We have dealt with hundred-year-old companies, 40-year-old companies, 20-year-old companies. The challenges are very similar. We understand the dynamics of the boardroom. The son and the father arguing, or the mom and the dad arguing are things we are used to. And this helps us a lot. Because we have gone through what they are going through,” she says.

MFT Group comes in to help these family businesses grow.

“For many centuries, family businesses really are the backbone of economies. We believe that what we do is needed especially in the Philippines, where a lot of legacy businesses are trying to grow,” she says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

From left to right: TrueMoney managing director Xavier Marzan, FindWork co-founder and chief operating officer Allen Tan Chee Hoe, FindWork co-founder and chief executive Kevin Williams, DMCI HRD supervisor Rolly Pabustan, Tesda director Cariza Dacuma and FindWork Philippines country head Rommel Torres.

By Ram Christian Agustin and Rhosedel Grace Gabac AFTER creating three successful start-ups that were acquired by Daimler B enz, Kevin Williams kick-started FindWork, an online job search platform that teamed up with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and TrueMoney in the Philippines to cater to the blue -collar job market. “ This platform is new to the market but it’s going to be a very big game-changer,” said Williams, the co-founder and chief executive of FindWork. “It’s not about just the technology. It’s about the people that we are reaching out to.”

Under the partnership with Tesda, FindWork aims to register the current two million blue-collar workers and an upcoming two million graduates in its system. The company focuses on helping the underserved “trabahunters” or highly-trained blue-collar workers who are always seeking job opportunities.

“We, in Tesda, are happy indeed that we finally have the partnership with FindWork. We found solution with them,” said Tesda director Cariza Dacuma.

The company’s interface aims to streamline the usual tedious process of job applications to be more efficient with features such as advanced matching and job offer social advertising algorithms, fingerprint plus and an in-platform messenger.

An application tracking system categorizes all applications sent by matching scores and prioritizing the most qualified, while an algorithm features jobs from social media paid campaigns.

The in-app chat platform directly connects hiring companies to their selected applicants which avoids spam and fraud that is common on external messaging apps. As an added form of security, FindWork will check the credibility and legitimacy of the hiring companies on the platform.

“Every time that a company registers, that company will not have access to post a live job until that company is 100-percent verified by our local team. We’ll call them, and many times our team will visit them to ensure that they are a real life company,” said Williams.

“Our mission is not just to create a fantastic job search platform, not just to create a fantastic human resources 2.0. It’s to bridge the gap, to connect job seekers, hiring companies, opportunity, and financial inclusivity for a very, very long time,” he said.

MOST FILIPINO SMES TAP ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

By Julianne Edon Gabis

FedEx Express managing director for the Philippines John Peterson

SMALL and medium- size enterprises in the Philippines are adopting electronic commerce faster than their counterparts in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a study commissioned by Federal Express.

The study entitled ‘Global is the New Local: The Changing International Trade Patterns of Small Businesses in Asia Pacific and conducted by Harris Interactive shows that 96 percent of SMEs in the Philippines use e-commerce.

About 52 percent of their total revenues are now through e-commerce, it says.

With eight out of 10 in the Philippines

saying they use both mobile payments and software automation in managing their supply chains and distribution channels, it outpaces the 77 percent average for software automation and 73 percent for mobile payments in the Asia Pacific region.

“We see the global footprint of Philippine SME’s is moving further afield as they start to think bigger in this thriving digital economy,” said FedEx Express Philippines managing director John Peterson.

With exports accounting for 89 percent of total annual revenues of Philippine SMEs and a combined value of $1.4 billion, it is significantly higher

than the average 71 percent of the rest of the APAC region.

Customs procedures and logistics issues remain as challenges when exporting and importing in the country.

The local SMEs are also in need of faster internet to help them expand their e-commerce reach.

“The SME from the Philippines are now competing so you want to make sure that the platforms that they have are competitive,” said Peterson.

The study covered markets such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, with 500 respondents per market.

Business

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 business@manilastandard.net

CARGILL UNVEILS DIGITAL NUTRITION SOLUTIONS IN PH ANIMAL nutrition provider Cargill has launched a digital nutrition solutions software under the Provimi brand in the Philippines.

The latest innovation will provide precise nutritional data through digital tools that will help feed mill and animal producers meet their production goals and growth of their businesses.

“Our digital solutions portfolio will enable our customers to make smarter decisions based on science and predictive tools to become more successful,” said Dr. Jun Romo, general manager of Cargill Provimi Philippines.

“I think there will be some resistance at first because of some challenges in terms of the market embracing the idea of digital nutrition,” Romo said.

Romo said that with rising input cost in animal nutrition being a challenge, not adapting with the latest kind of technology will result in even more expenses in purchasing raw materials.

“In animal nutrition, forward thinking companies are taking luck out of the equation by utilizing predictive modelling tools and science-based analysis to ensure more consistent feed quality, more predictable animal performance, and higher margins,” said Maxime Hilbert, strategic marketing and technology director of Cargill Provimi in Southeast Asia.

The technology provides services such as precise measurement of nutrients and raw materials, evaluation and selection of supplies and customization of diet formulation for livestock.

It is on its way to being available for swine and poultry businesses in the next 12 to 18 months. Julianne Edon Gabi

CEBU DATA CENTER RECEIVES GLOBAL ACCREDITATION A UNIT of PLDT Inc. which enables digital business solutions in the Philippines has received a global accreditation for its newly inaugurated Vitro Data Center in Cebu City.

NTT Communications recognized the new robust facility of ePLDT as part of its network of Nexcenter-certified data centers, which are located in more than 140 locations in 18 countries.

All Nexcenter-accredited data centers passed rigorous in-house parameters set

by NTT Communications, ensuring that all facilities meet the globally consistent data center standards in service quality, flexibility and cost efficiency.

NTT Communications employs consistent operational procedures across all its data centers worldwide, backed with the benchmarks set by international certifications and operational guidelines such as ISO and Information Technology Infrastructure Library.

To date, ePLDT carries a total of five Nexcenter-accredited data centers in Makati, Pasig, Paranaque, Clark and Cebu.

“This accreditation comes at a very opportune time for the company as we recently launched our premiere data center in Cebu,” said Eric Alberto, ePLDT Group president and chief executive.

“As part of the international network of the state-of-the-art data center facilities around the world, Vitro Cebu 2 is now more capable of offering technology solutions to businesses that are looking to expand their operations in the region. Similar to other Nexcentercertified data centers across the globe, Vitro Cebu 2 is positioned to empower both local and multinational businesses with global scalability that conforms with NTT Communications’ consistent data center standards and service quality,” Alberto said.

Vitro Cebu 2 is ePLDT’s 10th data center facility in the country. It houses up to 800 racks, completing ePLDT Vitro Network’s 9,150 total rack capacity.

FILIPINO COMPANY MIGRATES TO CLOUD, DEPLOYS IOT DEVICES A

Filipino manufacturer of air-conditioning units and refrigerators has moved all its business and financial data into the cloud and formed a new unit to deploy internet of things as a prelude to the rise of smart homes in the Philippines.

“Our intent is to look at current and future technologies that could expand our business in a more disruptive way,” says Froilan Rabatan, the head of research and development of Cortex Technologies Corp., the newly formed strategic business unit of Concepcion Industrial Corp.

“The things that we look at are internet of things, as CIC is really into air-conditioning and refrigeration. We thought of expanding our portfolio to include smart homes. That’s the venture we are looking at. We found AWS [Amazon Web Services] as the platform to help us through that technology shift,” Rabatan says in an interview in Makati City.

CIC, controlled by the Concepcion family, is a local company behind world-class appliance brands such as Carrier, Condura and Kelvinator. It also has existing partnerships with Toshiba, Midea and Otis.

Rabatan, who graduated cum laude with a BS degree in Computer Engineering from UP Diliman in 2001, says CIC wants to go beyond its present lineup of products to take advantage of technologies and enable smart homes (automated houses) in the country. An automated home is possible by connecting appliances, electric devices, CCTV and other gadgets in the house to the Internet.

“Cortex officially became a company in June or July 2017. Back in 2015, our CEO Raul Joseph Concepcion had a 2020 vision which is to basically make the company five times bigger than what it was by 2020. Part of the strategic statement was to expand the business to be more disruptive, looking into technologies. It was then they decided to form a new technology unit,” he says.

“We need to evolve into more than just AC and ref. Even our CEO thinks that technology is a game changer,” he says.

Cortex introduced its first IoT product called Carrier Smart+Cool plug and mobile app this year.

The plug device connects to WiFi, allowing the homeowner to run the air-conditioner on a specific time or day using a smartphone.

Rabatan says the user can also set a budget for air-con consumption, in either peso value or kilowatt. The app will then alert the user if he has reached the limit. The final goal, he says, is to help the user reduce electricity consumption by intelligently scheduling the use of an appliance such as an air-conditioner.

“It connects to WiFi. You can monitor your power consumption real-time, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. You can see the trends.

On your own, you can set certain schedules when to turn on or off. You can also set reminders, when you want it maintained. You can set our own budget,” he says.

Rabatan says the next version of the app “will tell you what you need to do.”

“This is an exciting time for us. Next year, we will add more to the Smart+Cool plug. We will improve our way of connectivity, we will add more predictive features, and we will make the rest of the products interoperable. That is just the start,” he says.

Rabatan, who previously worked for HewlettPackard Enterprise, says he decided to join CIC to know what it felt like to work for a Philippine company. “The good thing with CIC is that our CIO [chief digital information officer] is Sean Byrne, who thinks very progressively,” he says.

Byrne led CIC’s migration of its entire data center operation to a public cloud using the AWS platform. “Everything, including ERP [enterprise resource planning] is now in the cloud,” says Rabatan.

The IT team of CIC began migrating its IT system to the AWS Cloud in 2016. Core AWS

Cortex Technologies Corp. head of research and development Froilan Rabatan

services that CIC uses include Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), which runs all the company’s applications, with data relating to those applications contained in the Amazon Relational Database Service. Data storage is provided by the Amazon S3.

In early 2018, CIC implemented SAP Hana on the AWS Cloud—realizing one of Byrne’s key goals for faster, less expensive deployments. SAP Hana became crucial to CIC’s financial, production, and supply chain operations across its consumer and commercial business.

“There are two reasons that we moved to the cloud. First is cost. It is more expensive to have your ERP system, application system hosted in a data center. Aside from that one, you need people to support that. With the cloud, it is easier. In 15 minutes or less, you have a production server right away. Second reason is growth. We are looking at expanding our core, outside of AC and refrigeration,” Rabatan says.

Without hardware costs, it became financially viable for CIC to build a large-scale computing environment for an IoT solution.

Byrne then considered developing smart products, such as smart air conditioners. He also tapped the AWS IoT infrastructure to deploy the first product of Cortex, which is also headed by Byrne as chief executive.

With the SAP Hana project completed, CIC focused on enhancing its air conditioners and

refrigerators with smart technology. CIC first developed smart plugs, which could be fitted to new air conditioners and other appliances in the market.

“We have around 2.5 million air conditioners in operation right now, and we’re selling hundreds of thousands every year. The initial question was which IoT service would be elastic enough and affordable enough to handle the data going back and forth from these plugs. We found that AWS IoT Platform could deliver what we needed through a combination of Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS, and AWS Lambda. AWS Lambda was crucial, giving us the capability to run our code specifically in response to events,” says Byrne.

Byrne, an Australian, says CIC has reduced its overall IT costs between 30 percent and 50 percent since it moved to the AWS Cloud. “We are now in a situation—like other companies using publiccloud services—where we are seeing business growth without any corresponding increase in IT spend,” he says.

“We have seen an increase of 40 percent in the number of IT projects that we can complete in a year because of the flexibility of the AWS Cloud.

We have also been able to increase IT availability to 99.999 percent since our move to the AWS Cloud, giving our customers and strategic third parties more reliable IT services,” says Byrne.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

NAVER INVESTS IN IPRICE GROUP

iPrice Group CEO David Chmelar

IPRICE Group, Southeast Asia’s leading product discovery and comparison platform, has extended its latest funding round to welcome Naver as its latest investor.

“Naver doesn’t only operate the leading search engine in South Korea but has been also able to build an impressive shopping and price comparison engine in its domestic market. Given the wealth of experience and strategic value that Naver brings to the table, we couldn’t pass on the opportunity to welcome them as our latest investor,” says iPrice Group co-founder and chief executive David Chmelar says.

“We are honored to receive the vote of confidence of such an iconic company in our path to become the primary gateway to online shopping in Southeast Asia,” he says.

Naver’s direct investment comes only three months after its subsidiary’s VC arm, Line Ventures, led iPrice’s latest funding round.

“The tremendous traction which iPrice has continued to display throughout their latest fundraising is a testament to the impressive execution of the team and the explosive growth of SEA’s e-commerce market,” says Peter Na of Naver Corp.

Since its latest Series B funding announcement three months ago, iPrice claims to have grown the number of monthly users to a further 50 percent, mainly driven by its Indonesian market.

IPrice is Southeast Asia’s leading product discovery and comparison platform, connecting consumers with hundreds of e-commerce merchants through the best possible shopping experience. Since

October 2014, the platform has established itself as the fastest growing in its segment across seven markets: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Hong Kong.

Naver is the leading search portal in Korea. Based on know-hows earned from providing search service for years, it has launched various global services like Line, Webtoon and Snow.

Tech & Gadgets

SYNC 3 with navigation

NEW FORD ECOSPORT: TECH MEETS COMFORT T ECHNOLOGY has definitely changed the way we live today— all the way to driving our cars.

Much like how cellphones are now capable of doing more than sending messages or making calls, cars have become large smart devices with advanced technologies that make it easier and more convenient for customers to get from point A to point B. One such car is the new Ford EcoSport packed with smart features perfect for the tech-savvy driver. Here’s a lowdown of the features of the new and refreshed EcoSport designed to help you do more, move freely, and make the most of our fast-paced lifestyle:

the new EcoSport that is most useful and relevant during the rainy weather. When it rains or when a passing car splashes water onto your windscreen, the Rain Sensing Wipers automatically turn on. No need to manually turn it on as the car does it for you.

Automatic Headlights It is difficult driving when there is poor visibility or when it gets dark outside. The new EcoSport headlamps automatically turn on when daylight starts to fade, making driving safer.

Navigate easily through the busy streets and unpredictable road conditions at night with this smart feature.

Smart Keyless Entry Fumbling for your car keys? With the new EcoSport, the Smart Keyless Entry feature allows you to get into your car without having the keys in your hand. As long as they key fob is inside the driver’s bag or pocket, the system senses when it’s within the range of the car. Just pull on the front door handles and the car will easily unlock.

EcoBoost The new EcoSport is a smart and fuel-efficient vehicle that comes with the 1.0L EcoBoost engine that produces more power while consuming less fuel. It comes with the Auto Start/Stop Technology that switches off your engine when you stop at traffic lights or idling in a queue. EcoBoost is Ford’s most technologically-advanced engine that makes vehicles more fuel efficient without compromising power and performance.

For more information about the new EcoSport, visit www.ford.com.ph/suvs/ecosport/ or a Ford dealer nearest you.

SYNC 3 The new EcoSport is powered by SYNC® 3 that allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel while staying connected through their smartphone. SYNC® 3 features voice control for the entertainment system and for the driver’s calls and text messages. The AppLink 3.0 feature on SYNC® 3 allows passengers to use their favorite apps via the car’s touchscreen.

Rear View Camera with Rear Parking Assist Reverse parking is made easier with the new EcoSport’s Rear View Camera with Rear Parking Assist. This feature alerts the driver by sounding off a noticeable alarm when it detects unseen objects and even people within a few meters.

Rain Sensing Wipers The Rain Sensing Wipers is another feature of

EcoBoost Engine

SHOPFEST: 1ST STOP FOR YEAREND SHOPPING

By Carmela Martinez ALONG with the cold winds, the “Ber” months are also rolling in and that means all-out shopping for gifts as Filipinos start preparing for Christmas and New Year.

Those who don’t like the hustle and bustle of stores and malls filled to the brim with people can look forward to ShopFest, the year-end shopping festival where customers doesn’t have to leave the comfort of their own homes.

It is a four month-long online shopping festival that spans from the Sept. 1, 2018 to the Jan. 3, 2019.

It is organized by ShopBack, an e-commerce website that lets their shoppers get some money back when they buy something there. They also provide discount coupons and voucher codes from 300 affiliate retailers. In the site or app, they also share tips on how to be a smart shopper.

From grocery shopping to health and beauty to travel and dining, whether you have a busy schedule or falling behind your gift list, ShopFest has got your back.

“Christmas countdown starts in September for all Filipinos and that’s the main driving force for us to spend during the year-end period,” said Prashant Kala, Country Head of ShopBack Philippines. “With this consumer insight in

ShopFest launch at Yes Please, BGC, Taguig

mind, we set out to construct a meaningful platform that efficiently connects both retailers and shoppers for the year-end period when shoppers are prepared to spend in preparation for the most important festive season of the year.”

Customers are not the only ones excited for this time of the year, but also retailers and they expressed it in a panel discussion on retail landscape through the lens of industry leaders-Kala, along with Paulo Campos Co-

Founder and CEO of ZALORA Philippines, Ysabella Yonathan Country Head of Traveloka Philippines and Cheena Abellon Marketing Head for Food Panda Philippines. They shared their plans and insight for ShopFest.

The festival has six events in total.

The first event is the 9.9 Rewards Day, it is catered for the early birds who want to shop before an avalanche of shoppers start coming. The second event is 10.10 Perfect Ten Sale gives more attention to the perfectionist in people who are on

point with their shopping. The third event is the 11.11 Single’s Day focuses on the bargain hunters who camp and wait till the stroke of a specific time to buy products from China Marketplace that come along with sweet deals in their favor. The next episode is the Black Friday Cyber Monday Sales brings in all the sought after international fashion and tech brands.

The heat is on with the 12.12 Online Fever offers sizzling deals for electronics, home and living, and fashion. People –especially Filipinos, are known for last minute shopping and the shopping festival is geared up to support them with the Christmas and New Year Sale filled with luxury good to food and groceries.

It is easy to enjoy more of this with ShopFest Ultimate Experience where shoppers earn points by making purchases using ShopBack during ShopFest and searching for special keys to unlock Treasure Chest with the ShopBack app.

With the innovative system of ShopBack, it is no wonder that people flock to not just the app but also the website. What started as a Singaporean cashback program now has branches in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan and Australia. The company aims to make ShopBack as not just an app, but also a lifestyle that makes shopping an effortless, hassle-free experience.

FREE INTERNET VIDEOS/GAMES FROM GLOBE AT HOME PREPAID WIFI GLOBE At Home revolutionized the home internet space last year by being the first in the Philippines to launch Prepaid Home WiFi and introducing the pinakasulit na wifi sa bahay from Globe with the HomeSurf15 promo, giving consumers 1GB of data for only P15.

Now, Globe At Home is giving its consumers more bang for their buck by adding even more perks to its HomeSurf promos!

Fuel your passion for all things K-Drama and esports with FREE ALL-DAY INTERNET from Globe At Home. HomeSurf promos will level up to deliver more data through free all-day internet to access top Korean video streaming on Viu and gaming apps like Arena of Valor and League of Legends. All this for as low as only P15!

With this new promo from Globe At Home, there’s something for the whole family. They can now #PlayItRight and binge-watch Koreanovelas like Goblin and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? on Viu without having to worry about consuming their data allocation.

They can also get their game on by stepping

into the exciting worlds of Arena of Valor and League of Legends for as long as they want.

Get the best entertainment for the best family bonding moments!

“In line with our thrust to deliver fast, reliable, and affordable home internet to more Filipinos, Globe At Home has partnered up with some of the most in-demand apps.

We’re proud to offer free all-day internet access for videos (Viu) and games (Arena of

Valor and League of Legends) through our partners so our customers can go home and enjoy their favorite shows and games right in the comfort of their own homes. Now all they have to do is plug, load, and surf,” said Martha Sazon, Senior Vice President for Broadband Business of Globe.

By giving customers free access to videos on Viu, Globe further strengthens its #PlayItRight advocacy and reminds the public that content is best watched using legitimate sources and recognized streaming platforms only.

Get a Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi today for only P1,999 from Globe Stores, 7 Eleven, Ministop, and Abenson stores. You can then enjoy internet access at home that is 2x faster, has 2x wider coverage and 2x stronger signal vs. MyFi. To top it all off, use it easily by loading via the Globe At Home app, via *143#, at loading stations, and soon, via GCash.

This promo is also available for Homesurf15, Homesurf349 and HomeSurf599. For more information, visit broadband.globe.com. ph/prepaid-wifi.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

CASHALO PARTNERS WITH VIVO PH, OTHER TOP FIRMS CASHALO, the solution that gives Filipinos financial freedom at their fingertips, has partnered with mobile phone manufacturer Vivo Philippines, and other local and international companies to further accelerate financial inclusion for Filipinos.

These companies include IMI Global, ranked 6th largest EMS supplier for the automotive market in the world by New Ventures Research, and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc., awarded by Singapore Airlines for Most Creative Customer Service Winner in 2013 (CEO TCS Awards).

“We have proven our commitment to breaking boundaries in the smartphone industry and leading the pack to the future. Now, we’re thrilled to work with a company who has a strong purpose.

At Vivo, we always see how we can cater more to the needs of Filipinos. The opportunities to help this market is astounding, and we’re excited to be a part of this ecosystem,” said Annie Lim, Vivo Philippines vice president for Partnerships and Strategy.

The financial services and technology platform will provide employees of partner companies with financial access to small ticket cash loans amounting from P2,000 to P5,000 through an expedited application process, and interest rates, starting from as low as 2.95% a month.

With the use of cutting edgetechnology, robust data science capabilities, and an innovative credit analysis and scoring infrastructure, Cashalo is delivering greater financial freedom and opportunity for Filipinos.

“Cashalo is excited to take a leading role in driving greater financial awareness and inclusion in the Philippines,” said Hamilton Angluben, Cashalo general manager. “We are thrilled to partner with like-minded companies that share impactdriven values. The confidence they have for our proven ability to drive meaningful change is encouraging and infuses the entire Cashalo team with great motivation as we forge ahead in our endeavor to serve more Filipinos.”

For partnership inquiries, please contact partnerships@ cashalo.com.

Cashalo is the first product of the strategic partnership between Hong Kong based technology player Oriente – whose founders are behind internet giants Skype and LU.com – and Express Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of JG Summit Holdings, Inc. Join the thousands of people who use Cashalo to build their financial futures today. Download the app from the iOS App Store and Google Play Store. For more information, please visit www. cashalo.com.

SMART BOOSTS COMMUNICATION, PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS IN LEGAZPI RESIDENTS of Legazpi City, Albay, can now benefit from Smart Infocast, a text message broadcast solution developed by PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications.

Smart Infocast is a web-based platform that can send out several short message service to a specific group of people as defined by an organization.

In the case of the governing body of Legaspi City, the facility can readily send out news broadcasts, weather bulletins, and other critical information to residents via text message, making it an effective emergency communications solution for the LGU. Smart Infocast also allows registered subscribers to send reports or feedback to the system administrator.

Gracing the launch of Smart Infocast are representatives of Smart and the city and provincial governments, led by Mayor Noel Rosal, Gov. Al Francis Bichara, and PLDT-Smart chief technology and information advisor Joachim Horn and consumer business for customer development regional head John Palanca.

“Smart Infocast will enable the Legazpi local government unit to communicate with the constituents in times of calamities and help in information dissemination, using our cell phones. It will make connecting with all the 70 barangays here in Legazpi so much easier,” said Rosal.

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TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

LENOVO REVEALS ITS SMARTEST DEVICES YET AT TECH LIFE ’18

B

ERLIN—Lenovo, during the company’s annual Tech Life event, unveiled a series of new smart home, laptop and AR devices, continuing its commitment to transforming technology and user experiences, making the devices easier to use, more engaging and more productive for consumers.

This commitment is fueled by Lenovo’s ‘Intelligent Transformation’ strategy and a product ethos of engineering with purpose; designing for difference and creating technology that empowers customers with tomorrow’s technology today.

Bringing the Smart Home Vision to Life Lenovo Smart Home Essentials is a new family of connected devices that offer a simple, one-stop shop for a smarter, more intelligent home. Addressing today’s fragmented smart device landscape, Lenovo’s family of connected home essentials—and the recently launched Lenovo Smart Display—signal the company’s growing and multiplatform AI ecosystem and ambitions in the smart home category.

The Lenovo Link app serves as a centralized control center to set up and manage all applicable devices, as opposed to an individual app for each device. Users can control specific groups of devices at once or automate them to make certain actions at specific times during the day. Not only do the Lenovo Smart Home Essentials work with the Google Assistant™ and Amazon® Alexa®, but customers will be able to easily set up, automate and control various aspects of the home with just their voice using the Lenovo Smart Display as a control hub.

Lenovo Smart Essentials includes: Lenovo Smart Plug—a small, simple-to-use device that can be plugged into any open outlet, letting users control any compatible device that’s plugged into it.

Lenovo Smart Camera—a smart surveillance camera that lets you monitor live video footage inside the home—even at night through infrared night vision. Its built-in mic and speaker allow for two-way audio capability.

Lenovo Smart Bulb—a smart light bulb that lets users remotely schedule and customize lighting—adjusting color temperature and dim brightness, or turning it on and off from anywhere and at any time through the Lenovo Link app.

The Lenovo Smart EssenKylo Ren tials range of products will be Lightsaber available starting in the US in November and is expected to expand to other markets including EMEA and Australia later.

Yoga C930

The Best of Innovation and Design Come Together with the New Yoga™ PC Range Lenovo’s premium Yoga consumer PC portfolio offers top quality craftsmanship, meaningful innovation and immersive entertainment for on-the-go users who expect powerful and agile performance.

Powered by 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, the Yoga C930 is Lenovo’s flagship Windows® 10 consumer 2-in-1 laptop, debuting a never-before-seen Rotating Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos® Speaker System2, speakers custom-designed to deliver breakthrough moving audio. It supports Dolby Vision™ HDR, which transforms your entertainment with ultra-vivid imaging. The Yoga C930 also features a Garaged Pen that charges in its compartment, providing more intuitive productivity. Far-range mics enable Cortana® and Alexa on the Yoga C930 to recognize voice command from up to four meters away, even in standby mode.

The new Yoga Book C930 is the world’s first dual display laptop with E Ink,2 rewriting the rules of portable productivity. The versatile E Ink screen turns into a dynamic, customizable keyboard with multi-language support, digital paper for notes or sketching, and even an eReader at the touch of a button. All this combined with Windows 10 and Intel Core processor performance in an ultra-thin and ultra-light form factor with great battery life. As the industry’s first device to be powered by Qualcomm®’s latest Snapdragon™ 850 Mobile Compute Platform, the

thin and light Yoga C630 WOS combines the power and productivity of a Windows 10 laptop with the alwaysconnected mobility of a smartphone. Made for today’s mobile generation, it has integrated LTE Advanced Pro5 with up to 25+ hours of local video playback.

The Yoga C930 and Yoga Book C930 will be available in EMEA from end of September with a starting price of €1,499 (inc VAT) and €999 (inc VAT) respectively. Availability for the Yoga C630 WOS is November with a starting price of €999.

Turbo-Charged Productivity with the New ThinkPad X1 Extreme Lenovo’s new slim and stylish ThinkPad X1 Extreme will enable users to power through intensive tasks thanks to its discrete NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics and the latest 8th Gen Intel Core processors featuring integrated Gigabit Wi-Fi, which includes Core i9.11 The multi-monitor support enables multitasking and RapidCharge technology charges the battery up to 80 percent in just 60 minutes. Its 4K, 100 percent Adobe RGB color gamut display with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos immersive audio set the bar high for content creation or consumption activities on this device.

Innovative security features include ThinkShutter camera cover, Windows Hello™ facial recognition, and touch fingerprint reader. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme will be available in EMEA from September.

New Star Wars™: Jedi Challenges Dark Side Content Expansion and Limited Edition Kylo Ren Lightsaber Fan-favorite Star Wars: Jedi Challenges will receive a Dark Side Expansion, a new, free content update that allows fans to play through new challenges as Kylo Ren—dueling Yoda, Rey and more in AR. The Dark Side Expansion update will be available as a free update this winter.

In celebration of the new dark side content, a limited-edition Lightsaber Controller modeled after Kylo Ren’s iconic weapon from the films will be coming to select markets this winter. In the US, availability is $99.99 on Lenovo online and select online retailers. The controller is fully compatible with all content in the Jedi Challenges app.

24-HR FREE SHIPPING FOR P199 ON SHOPEE 9.9 SUPER DAY ON Sept. 9, Shopee will be offering 24 hours of Free Shipping at an all-time low minimum spend of P199. Users can also look forward to a series of exciting deals including Flash Sales featuring 9 timings of flash deals as low as P99 with no shipping cost, P99 voucher valid sitewide for 24 hours, and 2 additional free shipping vouchers.

In addition to all the massive promotions, Shopee is giving 9 sessions of the popular Shopee Shake game, as well as up to 99% off across all product categories!

So, what are you waiting for! Shop at the biggest sale of the year, Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Visit https://shopee.ph/99 from Aug. 30 to Sept. 9 for more details.

For more information on Shopee Dance competition, check out Shopee’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ShopeePH/ Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. It is a platform tailored for the region, providing customers with an easy, secure and fast online shopping experience through strong payment and logistical support. Shopee aims to continually enhance its platform and become the region’s e-commerce destination of choice.

Shopee has a wide selection of product categories ranging from consumer electronics to home and living, health and beauty, baby and toys, fashion and fitness equipment.

SAMSUNG LAUNCHES 3 CUTTING EDGE GADGETS

By Paul David L. Gelario SAMSUNG officially announced the coming release of three cuttingedge portable gadgets at a media launch held at The Wholesome Table, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig last Sept. 4.

The three newly-released portable devices are the Samsung Galaxy Watch, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5, and Samsung Tab S4.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch has an 80-hour battery life, stress management tracker, sleep tracker and fitness tracker that will safeguard both the users’ physical and mental health.

It is sold in two distinct versions: a silver-colored 46 mm version, and a rose-gold 42 mm version, with suggested retail prices of P16,990 and P15,990 respectively The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5, as the name suggests, has a wide 10.5inch display equipped with Dolby Atmos 3D surround sound to amplify both the audio and visual experience when watching movies, playing games, and listening to music to create an optimal user experience.

A Kids Mode option is also included in the tab to cater to the needs of children that will make entertainment safe and learning immersive for them.

The Galaxy Tab A 10.5 has a suggested retail price of P23,990.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 is the most technologically advanced among all the gadgets released and is the only gadget now available in the Philippines.

The Galaxy Tab S4 is designed to leverage a users’ productivity with a powerful multi-tasking assistant called Desktop Experience mode that offers multi-window option, drop-and-drag hand gestures, and a POGO keyboard that connects with other tablets for an efficient typing experience.

With an improved S Pen, the Galaxy Tab S4 offers limitless possibilities for users to demonstrate his or her creative side.

The sound quality of the Galaxy Tab S4 is also powered by Dolby Atmos that delivers a realistic surround sound, along with a 10.5 Super AMOLED Display to magnify its visual potential.

The Galaxy Tab S4 has an efficient 7,300mAh battery that has an endurance of up to 16 hours of usage; when battery emptied, it has a fast charge mechanism that can restore back to 100% battery with only 3 hours and 20 minutes of charging.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 will be available on Sept. 14, and Sept. 28.

TOP 9 DEALS TO LOVE ON LAZADA'S 9.9 SALE; ITEMS AS LOW AS 99 CENTS AFTER the much talked about launch of LazMall, Southeast Asia’s biggest online shopping and selling destination ushers in the ber season with the 9.9 sale, with discounts up to 90% off.

Get on a shopping high with deals as low as 99 centavos! It’s definitely an addto-cart kind of weekend with these top steals from Lazada’s wide assortment: For only 99 cents, moms will love the Pampers Baby Dry Taped Diaper New Born and Premium Care Diaper Pants M in 4s! Both come in a handy pack for going out with their little ones.

Stay fresh and confident all day with 70ml Head & Shoulders Cool Menthol for Men and Head & Shoulders Old Spice Shampoos, both for only 99 centavos!

Protect your crowning glory with Pantene’s 99-centavo 70ml Hair Fall Control Shampoo and 3 Minute Miracle Hair Fall Control Conditioner!

Impress friends and family with your sparkling-clean interiors with P39 portable car vacuum cleaners.

Look like a celebrity with Sunnies Gradient Lens Metal Frame Aviator-style Fashion eyewear for only P44!

Alpha males rejoice! Pond’s Men Facial Wash White Boost and Pond’s Men Facial Wash Acne Solution sell for only P69 each, both at 100g!

A must-have for any car owner! Get this 1080P Wide Angle Dash Camera for only P99!

More storage for your data! Get this Samsung EVO Plus Micro SDHC that comes with an adaptor for only P149!

Foolproof your daily makeup routine for only P299, only with Colourette FlexiPowder in Pecan!

These items will be available via Lazada’s new shopping game “Slash It!”, a feature that allows customers to lower the price of a product through

a referral link sent to friends to slash the price. This new feature is another Lazada-first to make shopping more exciting. Vouchers and discount codes are also up for grabs via the Shake It! feature where customers can get additional discounts by shaking one’s mobile phone at designated time slots!

Aside from deals up for grabs, major partners celebrating Lazada’s 9.9 sale are: Citibank—Enjoy up to 500-peso discount for a minimum purchase of 2500 with voucher code LOVE2CLICK99; Mastercard—Get 12% off (Php 200 max) on flash sale items with voucher code MCDEBITFLASH; RCBC Savings—Up to 30% off for a minimum spend of 999 with voucher code RCBCSAVINGS9999; GCash—10% off your purchase with voucher code GCASH10.

Double 9 means double lucky! Win

a brand-new phone from PeraSwipe when you use voucher code PERASWIPE99 (upon a minimum purchase of P99). Craving for a vacation? Get a chance to win a trip for two to Singapore when you use voucher code IWAN-

TEVIAN on any purchase!

Get #AllYouEverWanted by downloading the Lazada app! Shopping has never been this fun on Lazada’s 9.9 sale —all leading up to the most awaited annual 11.11 and 12.12!

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sunday, september 9, 2018

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

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unconventional

jobs in japan you didn’t know about

Japan has long been a popular choice for overseas Filipino workers looking for a place to earn a living. as of 2017, Filipinos are the third largest group of foreign workers in the country. aside from common jobs available in Japan, it also offers unique opportunities to earn money.

DARK DEPTHS. The aglipay Caves and Campsite, one of Quirino province's tourist attractions, is a series of 38 caves which boasts an underground spring and well and preserved stalactites and stalagmites. (Photo from quirinoprovince.org.ph)

QuIrIno’S CuLTuraL and ecotourism charm Q

Quirino Motorismo Motocross Challenge is currently the country's biggest motorcycle sports festival.

Tokushu Seiso (The Lonely Death Cleaner)

With an aging population, Japan has an increasing number of kodokushi or “lonely deaths.” Thus, there is also a high demand for tokoshu seiso—people who are hired to clean up the deceased person’s belongings. It is not a simple task, knowing that the owner of the house has passed on, so the cleaner usually says a prayer for the deceased person before entering the place.

uIrIno sure knows how to show pride for its six towns as it celebrates its 20th panagdadapun Festival from Sept. 6 to 10.

Literally meaning “gathering” in the Ilocano language, panagdadapun gathers its six municipal festivals into one big event.

These festivals are penenkakasisit of nagtipunan, pagay-pagay of Saguday, panagsasalog of Maddela, Ginnamuluan of Cabarroguis, pammadayaw of Diffun, and panagsalukag of aglipay, which depict the way of life of the Bugkalot, agta, Igorot, Kalinga, and Dumagat indigenous peoples, as well as Ilocano lowlanders—highlighting their roles in Quirino’s socio-cultural development.

The celebration of the festival also marks the 47th founding anniversary of Quirino, the smallest and youngest province in the Cagayan Valley.

The province was created on Sept. 10, 1971 when it was culled out from nueva Vizcaya by virtue of republic act 6394 and was named after former philippine president elpidio Quirino.

The locus of the festivities is happening tomorrow, Sept. 10, with an anniversary program and the panagdadapun street dance parade and competition, showcasing the municipal festivals.

Supported by the Department of TourismCagayan Valley region, fringe activities include indigenous arts and crafts exhibit, visual arts competition and landscape photography contest, job fair, the Search for Binibining Quirino pageant, sports tournaments, and socio-civic events. according to Governor Junie Cua, the panagdadapun is an opportunity to showcase Quirino’s natural charm through its colorful cultures and ecotourism destinations which are the province’s main tourist attractions. among these destinations are the aglipay Caves and provincial Forest park, Siitan nature park and Binmapor rock Formation in nagtiTurn to D2

(@advancemartialartsconnect.com)

Ninjutsu (Part-time Ninja Trainers)

Filipinos are known for their talents in singing and dancing, which is why a lot of entertainers get hired to work on theme parks and cruise ships. In Japan, some establishments are also looking for “ninja trainers” to help promote tourism and teach kids about ninja etiquette. So if you’ve always dreamed of being a ninja and have a few stunts up your sleeve, this job is for you.

Sakura (The Decoys)

panagdadapun Festival is a gathering of the festivals of Quirino's six municipalities.

artifacts displayed at Quirino Museum

also known as a “hospitality supporter,” the decoys are hired as fake guests in weddings, meetings, or Turn to D2

southernmost discoveries

The colorful 12-foot concrete buoy says it all.

mercury rising

By BoB zozoBrado

When I learned that our Caribbean cruise would include a day stop at Key West, Florida, I wasn’t really too excited about it. I just tried to focus on the fact that it’s something new for me, as I’ve never been to that city before, and that new discover-

ies always fascinate me. Little did I know that such visit would spring a lot of beautiful surprises for me.

Being first-timers in the islandcity, my family and I decided to take a Coach Tour which took us to all the important tourist attractions the place offers. as we got on the vehicle that looked like a trolley car, a feeling of childish excitement immediately crept over me because it resembled those of the Christmas carnivals in Cebu, during my childhood years,

where my parents would take me and my siblings to. as it was the least dangerous among the rides in the carnival, they would easily permit us to go on the trolley train that would “choo-choo” its way throughout the length and breadth of the fun place.

Back to the present, when our very knowledgeable driver-cumtour-guide started his spiel, it immediately changed my perception of the city, as its tourism “jewels” unravelled before me. The first

thing I was curious about was its name. Why “Key West,” when the island-city is actually in the eastern part of the uS? The early Spanish settlers discovered this island and saw a lot of bones of the dead Indians who inhabited the place, so they called it Cayo Hueso, in english, Cay (pronounced “key”) of Bones. Through the centuries, the Spanish name stuck, but knowing how Spaniards speak so fast, the “hueso” Turn to D2

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sunday, september 9, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

5Fromunconventional...

D1 other events. One company also offers fake lovers and funeral guests. this is a good option to consider since pinoys are naturally friendly and sociable

Narabiya (The Professional Queuer)

Imagine you’re standing in line, waiting for your turn to get your driver’s license renewed, when you suddenly remember that you left the stove on at home. What do you do? Call someone to stand in line for you. In Japan, it’s totally possible. and if you’re willing to do this for a few hours, you could earn as much as Jpy15,000 (p7,000).

Kensetsu Sagyo-in (Construction worker for the 2020 Olympics)

preparations for the upcoming Olympic games in tokyo are in full swing. Huge stadiums and other structures are being built, and Japan needs to hire more people to get them done on time. Whether you’re a carpenter, engineer, or architect, you’ll most likely find an opening to suit your skill set. this is a great way to earn and be part of a historical event.

resulted to a lot of shipwrecks, and many enterprising families made a lucrative industry out of salvaging these shipwrecks. In fact, there must have been heard by the was a time when Key West was the early americans as “Wes,” thus the richest city in the us. name Key West was born.

What else makes Key West fathe next important discovery mous? american novelist, short I made was that the island is the story writer, and journalist ernest southernmost point of the united Hemingway put up a beautiful states. In the map, there is nothing house, nestled in the old part of else american below it. It is so far town, where he lived for more down south of the us mainland than 10 years and wrote part of his that the city is only 90 miles north novel, For Whom The Bell Tolls. He of Cuba, which made it the near- won the nobel prize in Literature est entry point for a lot of Cuban for his seven novels, six short storefugees who have fled from their ries, and two non-fiction works. country during the past decades. the house has a beautifully Further harnessing this geo- landscaped garden and is now a graphical importance as a tourist museum where visitors can get a draw, the city put up a very col- closer look of all the rooms, and orful 12-foot concrete buoy at its more details on his books that southern edge, right by the bay, were made into movies. While livto attract hordes of tourists. In fact, ing in this house, Hemingway was all throughout the day, they queue given a six-toed cat, named snow up, just to have their photos taken White, by a ship captain. now, 40 beside this landmark. descendants of that pet reside in as we drove the museum. through the a few streets, our blocks away YOUR weekend driver pointed is the original out a unique sloppy Joe’s CHUCkLe feature of the bar, another a 3-year-old boy sits near a pregnant houses in the favorite of woman, looks at her tummy intently. city. each has the famous bOy: Why are you fat? a metal roof, writer. It was WOman: I have a baby inside me. to make it easy originally in bOy: Is it a good baby? to collect raina run-down WOman: yes, it is a very good baby. water into a building and bOy: then why did you eat it? cistern which was called its residents blind pig, can use daily. selling whisIt also prevents fire from spreading, key for 15 cents, gin for 10 cents, a painful lesson they learned from and had gambling. When the ownthe devastating fire in 1886 which er added a dance floor, he called practically wiped out the whole city. it silver slipper but the place was For a seven-square mile island of still shabby. a little over 26,000 residents, the being a regular patron of the driver mentioned quite a number bar, Hemingway suggested that it of rich families so I asked him the be named sloppy Joe’s, which he source of those families’ wealth. adopted from Jose Garcia’s rio Hathe nearby coral barrier reef has vana, another run-down bar sell-

southernmost...

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Where my favorite dessert was first baked.

ing liquor and iced seafood. since there was always melted ice on the floor of this bar, patrons referred to the owner as sloppy Joe, the name borrowed by Hemingway. among the items on the presentday sloppy Joe’s menu were ernie’s Grilled burger and ernie’s mojito. Of course, I enjoyed them for lunch.

Our tour also took us to La Concha Hotel, a seven-story building, making it the tallest structure in the city. It is where, in one of its guest rooms, famous american playwright tennessee Williams wrote the final draft of A Streetcar Named Desire, even if he had his own house in Key West where he lived for 42 years. Williams won, among other accolades, two pulitzer prizes, tony awards, and the presidential medal of Freedom.

I asked our tour guide why Key West provided the perfect environs for these luminaries in literature and the arts to produce their

respective masterpieces. His cryptic reply was: “there are dozens of bars in the city.” Go, figure! but the favorite discovery I had during our tour was the city being the birthplace of one of my best-loved desserts ever—Key Lime pie. made of Key lime juice, egg yolk, and sweetened condensed milk in a pie crust, usually made of Graham crackers, this patisserie staple is sold everywhere on the island. Of course, I made it a point to go to the original bakery that first produced it commercially, had two slices of the pie, and paired it with ice cream of the same flavor.

It certainly was a day of discoveries and I’m glad a visit to Key West was part of our cruise itinerary. It whetted our appetite for bigger, even better discoveries at our next stop.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

to help OFWs ensure their hardearned money goes straight to their families in the philippines, bdO provides more than 5,000 Cash agad partners, over 4,000 atms, and over 1,000 branches nationwide to make it easier and convenient for beneficiaries to withdraw remittances.

quirino's...

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punan, the iconic Governor rapids at the Cagayan river in maddela, and the series of waterfalls tucked inside the rugged terrain and virgin forests. the landlocked province is also gaining popularity as a mecca for motocross owing to the challenging track the provincial government built in the capital town of Cabarroguis and the annual Quirino motorismo, the country’s biggest motorcycle sports festival. the province has also put up the state-of-the-art Quirino Watersports Complex, the best in the Cagayan Valley region, which boasts a hostel with well-appointed rooms, an events pavilion overlooking an infinity pool, and a world-class wakeboarding and winch park.

Cua said this year’s celebrations highlight the economic, political, and governance gains the province has achieved since its creation.

He noted that this year’s celebration is special with the consecutive annual seal of Good Local Governance award the province received from the department of the Interior and Local Government for its excellence in financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order.

It is also a finalist in the 2018 national disaster risk reduction and management Council’s Gawad Kalasag, the country’s premier annual awards for outstanding contribution in the fields of drrm and humanitarian assistance. the province was also conferred the nutrition Honor award in 2015, the highest distinction in nutrition, by the national nutrition Council, and the Consistent regional Outstanding Winner in nutrition maintenance award in 2013, also from the nnC. Cua said the accolades are in line with Quirino’s vision of being the prime agro-industrial and eco-tourism destination in the north.

ernest Hemingway’s favorite watering hole.

FREQUENT FLYER

Early Christmas FliGht DEals LOOKInG for a new and fun way to spend this year’s Christmas?

How does shopping in London’s sprawling Christmas markets sound like? Or perhaps you would like to experience a white Christmas while participating in the festivities of Copenhagen or surrounded in glimmering lights of milan or new york City.

How about basking in the comfort of Johannesburg’s sunny winter in the mountains or in the sand on the pristine shores of Cape town? Warm winter sun and cool evenings await holiday revelers in dubai, which is complete with outdoor theme parks and family-friendly attractions.

With the holiday season just around the corner, dubai-based airline emirates offers a special holiday rates with fares as low as us$669. the early Christmas sale is ongoing until sept.

16, for travels from sept. 10 to march 15, 2019. economy flight to dubai costs us$669, while business Class starts at us$2,199; milan flights start at us$789 (economy) and us$2,309 (business); madrid flights start at us$889 (economy) and us$2,499 (business); Cape town flights start at us$1,049 (economy) and us$3,469 (business); Johannesburg flights start at us$1,019 (economy) and us$3,379; new york flights start at us$899 (economy) and us$3,309 (business); London flights start at us$779 (economy) and us$2,509 (business); and Copenhagen flights start at us$829 (economy) and us$2,549 (business). emirates offers special bundle offers as well as rewards and other benefits. It also provides its flyers

experience a white Christmas in London or Copenhagen.

award-winning inflight entertainment system, providing access to more than 3,500 channels including Filipino content; free onboard Wi-Fi; and in-flight meals, inspired by cuisines from all over the world. business Class passengers have access to emirates’ network of over 40 lounges worldwide, including seven lounges in dubai. they also have access to emirates’ range of award-winning services, including comfortable leather armchairs, and can select from an extensive menu of complimentary

hot and cold gourmet buffet.

Families with young children are also well cared for with special services and products, from free toys and kid’s meals, to entertainment and priority boarding. emirates currently operates 18 weekly flights from manila to dubai, as well as a daily service each from Cebu and Clark to dubai, connecting passengers to a wide number of destinations in europe, the middle east, and the americas.

Go to www.emirates.com/ph for more information.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018

D3

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

THIA THOMALLA

NEWEST QUEEN ON KAPUSO BLOCK

By Nickie Wang

F

ILIPINO-GERMAN model and Miss Eco International 2018 Thia Thomalla now ventures on a new journey as she signs a management contract with GMA Artist Center.

Before joining Artist Center, Thia was crowned Miss Eco Philippines at the Miss World Philippines 2017, and earlier this year, she represented the country in Egypt for Miss Eco International and bested more than 50 delegates from around the world. She is the first Filipina and Asian to win the crown.

The 22-year-old Tourism and Event Management graduate is delighted to have a home network in GMA and she is looking forward to the new experiences that await her. She says it has always been a dream for her to be an actress.

“I’m just starting and I’m attending workshops so I’m doing my best. I want to act and be part of romantic comedies,” shared the beauty titlist.

She also looks forward to be working with some of the male Kapuso stars like Dingdong Dantes and Alden Richards.

“Based on their shows and how they work, they are really professional. I’m really sure that if I get to work with them, I will learn a lot,” Thia remarked.

At the contract signing held on Sept. 4, GMA Entertainment Group Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable, and GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi SantiagoLara were present to welcome Thia, who was accompanied by her talent manager Arnold Vegafria, to the network.

Rasonable is proud to welcome the millennial beauty queen and claims that the network will hone her skills as she blossoms into a versatile actress and performer.

“She mentioned in the past that she wanted to go into acting, so after her workshops, we want to put her in dramas or maybe even in comedies. We’re just excited to give her those projects para makita ang kanyang talent and how beautiful she is,” the GMA executive said.

Pop-rocker chic Avril Lavigne

AVRIL LAVIGNE

RETURNS AFTER NEARDEATH LYME ILLNESS POP punk heroine Avril Lavigne on Thursday announced her first song in five years as she revealed that was so ill with Lyme disease that she feared death.

The Canadian singer and guitarist, who became an international star in the 2000s as one of the most successful women in the hard-charging world of skater rock, said she would release the first song off her upcoming album on Sept. 19.

Lavigne, in a letter to fans on her website, said that the song, “Head Above Water,” reflected her struggle and that she wrote it as she lay incapacitated on her couch.

“I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down. I felt like I was drowning. Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air. Like I was in a river being pulled in a current,” she wrote.

Lavigne described her past several years as the worst in her life but said: “I was able to turn that fight into music I’m really proud of.”

The 33-year-old, whose bestknown songs include “Girlfriend” and “Complicated,” said that she was initially reluctant to discuss her illness. But she said she wanted to raise awareness about Lyme disease, which is spread by tick bites and can lead to severe headaches and an incapacity to move.

Lavigne announced an effort through a foundation to help others to diagnose and seek help for Lyme disease as well as support for research to eradicate the illness.

Her last album, which was self-titled, came out in 2013. She did not reveal a date for the full next album. AFP

WHERE MILLENNIALS CAN TAKE THEIR GRANNIES

Avail of free medical checkups for your grandparents for a single-receipt purchase worth P500 in Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza activity areas.

From left: GMA SAVP for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, GMA SVP for EG Lilybeth G. Rasonable, Thia Thomalla, and Arnold Vegafria.

#MAYWARD ON STARSTUDIO.PH’S FIRST COVER STORY STARSTUDIO, ABS-CBN’s most loved and widely-circulated entertainment magazine, with a strong global reach via TFC community, is now online.

Kapamilyas’ favorite showbiz magazine for 17 years, with heartwarming celebrity stories and exclusive features of their private spaces and lifestyles, has gone all-out digital beginning September 3 via StarStudio.ph.

The website, via its daily and monthly story releases, features extensive expositions of celebrity stories, fun and engaging videos, exciting polls, and exclusive photos, with the trademark StarStudio brand of storytelling that fans have come to love.

The first cover story feature is the life journey of Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, starting from their ordinary childhood, challenged and strengthened by pain and loss. The overwhelming response to the story reflects the fans’ deepened perspectives on their idols, beyond #MayWard’s career

highlights and the kilig.

The maiden issue also features a home tour of Erik Santos’s house and a celebration of his 15 years in the music industry, Sam Milby’s story on how maturity has shaped his decisions in life, celebrity fitness ideas Kapamilyas could do at home, Nash Aguas’s new pursuit as a restaurateur, and the TNT Boys’ humble and trying lives before their unexpected rise to global fame.

StarStudio.ph is part of the fresh initiatives of ABS-CBN, which is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among Filipino media companies, and a growing list of digital properties.

Bridging Kapamilya fans around the world and the stars they follow—with in-depth, relatable, inspiring, and authentic stories— has never been better, with StarStudio. ph. For updates, follow StarStudio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ StarStudioPH.

Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber

THERE is nothing quite like the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren as it transcends generational differences.

Today, Grandparents Day, Araneta Center fetes this familial link in “Junior & Senior Day: Celebrating the Bond of Grandparents and Grandchildren” at the Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza.

For just a minimum single receipt purchase worth P500 from any Araneta Center establishment, a grandparent and his/her grandchild will get the chance to participate in the activities and avail of the services and souvenirs in the three malls.

Aging should not be a reason for the grandparents to look old and feel old. And at the Gateway Mall, elders who embody youth in both their look and outlook will get the chance to be “modelolos” and “modelolas” as they walk in the fashion competition “Look Young, Feel Young Outfit Contest.”

Seniors who still love to sweat out and stretch their muscles will also have a grand time at the Zumba sessions at the Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza.

Health and wellness are definitely important for the grandparents, and this is why medical checkups and wellness talks will also be conducted in the three malls.

Grandparents and their grandchildren may also participate in various games that will put their teamwork to a test.

Handsome prizes will also be drawn. All these activities and more will ensure a bonding moment grandparents and their grandchildren will definitely treasure.

For more updates, visit www. aranetacenter.net, and follow Araneta Center’s social media pages: @ aranetacenter on Facebook and Twitter and @thearanetacenter on Instagram.

D4

sunday, september 9, 2018

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Pets

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

caring for a Senior dog:

GOOD FOOD

I

(for a healthy Senior dog)

F YOu have been giving food prescribed or suggested by your vet since your furbaby was a pup, then you have less adjustments to make in the diet of your dog when he or she becomes a senior dog.

But if you gave your dog anything she or he begged from you since a pup, it is best to have a blood test done and determine the appropriate food for your dog based on the vet’s assessment.

Some dogs who were given table food with preservatives, soy sauce and salt tend to have rather high values related to the condition of the kidneys and the liver.

But if you have had a blood test done yearly, this would have been detected early and a change in diet would have been advised.

If you do not have a blood test done yearly, and you give table food, please have a blood test done as soon as you can if your dog is already a senior dog.

Based on the blood test result, your vet will advise you on what food is most appropriate for your dog to hopefully reverse the effects of the ingredients in table food that are not good for your dog. If the blood test shows your dog is suffering from a dis-ease, the vet can prescribe medicine and the appropriate food to ease his discomfort.

The shift from one diet to another will not be easy but it is important to help your dog live without the discomfort of an illness in his/ her last years.

If you really love your dog, you must practice “tough love” and think of his /her health when he /she starts begging for table food again.

It is not going to be easy but think kidney failure or liver cancer and that will make you follow your vet’s advice. Think of wanting to have your baby live longer with you, and it will be easier to say No to those begging eyes. You wouldn’t want to see your dog suffering due to an illness, do you?

Good food for a senior dog

I do hope that from puppyhood to adulthood, you avoided food with salt, sugar, preservatives, soy sauce, fish sauce, and other food that are not good for dogs.

Please continue to do so.

If your se senior dog is not sick

Senior dog Nacho (left) is now 10 years old. He is buddies with Batchi, 4.

Though they beg with those cute eyes for table food, they are only given food which are good for dogs.

based on the blood test, here is a list of good food you can choose from or you can add to your dog’s diet, according to Petcha.com in 10 Best Foods To Feed Your Senior Dog. 1. Yogurt Yogurt contains probiotics or beneficial bacteria that helps heal digestive problems. You can put a spoonful of plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt with live cultures in your dog’s meal.

2. Eggs Eggs contain protein that is good for your dog. Boil the egg to make it easier for yoru dog to digest it. Dogs do not have to worry about high cholesterol as humans do.

“Eggs can consist of one half of your dog’s diet. Most people feed no more than two eggs a day to a large dog (more than 60 pounds), one egg to a medium size dog (30 to 60 pounds), and ½ of an egg to a small dog (less than 30 pounds). another option would be to give a small dog one egg every other day,” Petcha.com says.

3. Liver Exceptionally nutrient-dense, Liver is packed with vitamins and trace minerals. It is exceptionally nutrient-dense.

“Feed small amounts regularly.

Feeding large amounts at once can lead to loose stools. Liver should be no more than about 5 percent of the total diet. For a 50-pound dog, that comes out to about 1 ounce of liver daily. a

25-pound dog might eat 1/2 ounce of liver daily, or 1 ounce every other day. a tiny dog would eat even less, maybe 1/2 ounce every other day, while a 100-pound dog could have 2 ounces a day or 4 ounces every other day,” Petcha. com says.

4. Fish Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids which support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and contribute to skin and coat health.

“Canned fish with bones, such as sardines, jack mackerel and pink salmon, are better than tuna.

Rinse the fish before feeding to reduce sodium. a 50-pound dog could eat 1 or 2 ounces of fish (two to four small sardines) daily, while a 25-pound dog can eat half that much, and a 100-pound dog can eat twice as much. another option is to feed a whole meal of fish once or twice a week.” Says Petcha.com 5. Broccoli Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts have antioxidants and other nutrients that might prevent cancer.

“Limit amounts if they cause gas.

These vegetables are best served cooked because the raw form can suppress thyroid function if you feed too much, “Petcha.com says.

6. Sweet Potatoes Sweet potatoes have beta-carotene which are also contained in other other yellow-orange vegetables.

“They are also a good source of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

Sweet potatoes and other starchy foods should always be cooked,” says Petcha.com

"Baby" is a portrait of a python named baby when she was eight (8) months old. She is the source of all snake 'sheddings' in the recent collection of shed paintings.

Skin Shed

by SnakeS

bring a unique texture to art pieceS COMINg from a musically-inclined family, Lyra Brenyl or Lye took a path in life peppered with different to odd tastes and choices. at a young age, she easily fell in love with animals, from fish to turtles, then later on dogs, cats and reptiles such as pythons and iguanas.

She also laid her hands on writing, educating kids about wildlife, and playing dark music as a hobby.

Brenyl then started using oil pastels and palette knife painting.

One day, out of curiosity, she decided to do something “fresh” and use the skin shed by reptiles to bring a different texture to her art. She calls her works as "shed paintings."

Some consider her work as a wildlife piece, but to her, “it’s an activism piece showing that we do not need to kill a reptile for its skin just for human vanity, but rather, we could use their ‘shedding’ to create something beautiful, for people to understand that we coexist and that animals play an important role in our ecosystem. “ She adds: “The same goes with cats, dogs rabbits. all animals are beautiful in their own skin.”

7. Berries Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries contain antioxidants that might help prevent cancer. These also provide fiber.

8. Chicken Petcha.com notes: “Dark meat provides more nutrition than ultralow-fat chicken breast. Remove skin for dogs that need fewer calories.”

9. Beef Red meat contains iron, zinc and other nutrients your dog needs.

“Feeding a mix of poultry and ruminant meats, such as beef and lamb, supplies a wider variety of fatty acids than feeding only one or the other. For older dogs, cook beef and drain some of the fat, “Petcha.com says.

10. Oatmeal Petcha.com adds.”Oats and other whole grains provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, as well as fiber that can help some dogs with digestive issues.”

"Hatchling" is an artwork inspired by the newborn vipers at a western laboratory. The lab collects their venom for pharmaceutical pain killers.

Brenyl stresses that “greed is never good. People should learn the art of sustainability, instead of killing animals and destroying nature.”

Brenyl, who studied philosophy in the Philippine Christian university, is one of the artists who displayed their art pieces at SM Megamall's art for Everyone from aug. 24- Sept. 4.

She now has three pieces left from her unique and rare collection of “shed paintings,” and decided to donate part of the sale of her art work to “help a bunch of cute rescues from Save animals of Love and Light.”

A rAy of sunshine from A rescued dog

Now beautiful and healed, Shine enjoys playing in the park.

She was such a sick, weak pup. This was Shine on the day she was rescued.

IT waS midnight when he first saw her.

She was a stray pup who looked very sick and needed help immediately.

She was also such a sweet, trusting pupper as she would come to him when he would call her.

But he could not take her home. His family did not like having dogs in the house.

Still a student who would go to the computer shop in 2014, Virgilio Cabanag would always see the puppy whose condition tugged at his heart.

One day, he recalled he saw the pup was so weak, it looked like the pup would die anytime.

“I just had to help her,” Virgilio said.

Thus, after three days, he decided to do something to help the dying puppy.

It was also midnight, Virgilio said. “I called her and told her that if she would allow me to carry her, I would bring her home.”

Then he asked help from Save all Inc.- Save animals of Love and Light as he did not have the means to have the dog treated immediately.

Save aLL asked him to bring the pup to a clinic where she was diagnosed with the fatal distemper virus and demodectic mange, or galis, a skin disease that flares up every now and then due to allergy to food or a compromised immune system.

Shine almost died. But she fought hard and everyone, specially Virgilio, fought with her.

Save aLL admins were amazed at Virgilio’s desire to help the puppy get completely well. He would give

the meds prescribed and the supplements that Save aLL admins recommended. He would bring the puppy all the way to a clinic which is far from their Deparo, Caloocan home for the follow-up check-up and treatment for mange. Man and pup endured the two-hour bus ride to the clinic, and another two-hour travel time going home.

Because of the puppy’s amazing transformation and the effect on Virgilio’s life, everyone agreed to call her Missy Sunshine.

Virgilio fostered Shine for a year. when she was declared completely well, Save aLL decided to allow Virgilio to adopt her because of his dedication and love for the rescued puppy.

Before her rescue, dogs were banned from their house. But Virgilio’s persistence and Shine’s sweet, loving nature grew on the members of the family, thus Virgilio parents not only allowed Shine into their home but into their hearts too.

“My family loves her so much now. My parents treat her as their apo (grandchild),” Virgilio said.

Shine grew up into a very lovely doggy because of the love Virgilio and his family showered her.

Virgilio said he still can not believe the sick pup he rescued is now the beautiful doggy who continues to bring sunshine into their lives.

“She is indeed a blessing and my sunshine,” Virgilio said.

He is happiest, he said, when he sees Shine “comfortable while sleeping, unlike before when

she was sleeping on the streets. Napakasarap sa pakiramdam. (It is such a good feeling.) I am happy to know she is now fed well and no longer on her own on the street looking for food and nowhere to go when it is raining. It feels good to know I have helped someone like her have a good home.”

Shine, said Virgilio, also made him responsible.

“She is now one of the reasons I work very hard.”

Virgilio eventually finished his studies and became a seaman.

“Shine is one of the best things that happened to my life. She is one of the reasons I have set goals in my life to improve the lives of those I love. Siyempre kasama siya. (Of course that includes her.)” also, Virgilio said, “after I finish my contract, I promised Shine we will go to the Paw Club. She is not just my dog, she is my baby.”

Virgilio stressed: “ we, humans, should know how to give back the love and loyalty that our furbabies give us.” (DC) Editor's note: There are a number of pups and dogs waiting for a human to love them. These rescued pups and dogs will thrive well in a loving home where it is hoped they will stay for the rest of their lives. They do bring sunshine and love into any home. To adopt a rescued pup or dog or to donate for rescues of Save aLL, please contact Save aLL admins Maricel Mondejar, Joanne Zamora, or Julie Rodriguez in Facebook (FB) or in the Save aLL FB pages.