Issuu

DUTERTE: I'VE UNDERGONE COLONOSCOPY

IVE women—three incumbent senators, a member of the House of Representatives and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio—are leading in the list of possible winners for the Senate in the May 2019 midterm elections. In the latest Pulse Asia survey report released Saturday, incumbent Senator Grace Poe topped the list of possible winners—if the May elections were held this month. The survey results also showed that among the 17 probable winners, 13 were either incumbent or former members of Congress. The survey showed that Poe continued to enjoy the top spot with her voter preference of 70.1 percent, translating to a statistical ranking of

solo 1st place. “Only 3.6 percent of Filipinos do not support any of the probable senatorial bets included in this survey probe, refuse to name their preferred senatorial candidates, or still do not know whom they will vote for in May 2019,”the Pulse Asia Research Inc. reported. Landing in 2nd to 3rd places was incumbent Senator Cynthia Villar (57.7 percent) while Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano occupied 2nd to 4th places (54.4 percent). Turn to A2

LEISURE SPOT. Within the sprawling 16-hectare Luneta Park in

Manila is the Chinese Garden (above), a favorite leisure playground for families who want some fresh whiff in the middle of a fumes-filled metropolis. Sonny Espiritu

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

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FACEBOOK ROLLS OUT DATING SERVICE

SHARED GRIEF. President Rodrigo Duterte sympathizes with one of the victims who lost their loved ones in a landslide in Naga City, Cebu. The President visited the victims who are taking shelter at the Enan Chiong Activity Center on Sept. 21, 2018. King Rodriguez/Presidential Photo

SOLON HITS COMELEC BUDGET CUT IN 2019

By Maricel V. Cruz

A MILITANT lawmaker has denounced the budget cut in the Commission on Elections, saying it is untimely because of the midterm elections next year. ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro voiced her concern during the plenary debates on the 2019 budget of the poll body, saying election workers and Comelec employees will be the ones to suffer. Under the proposed P3.757 trillion national budget for 2019, the Comelec is allotted P10.27 billion, down from this year’s budget of P16.15 billion. While the poll body’s proposed budget for next year is P15.88 billion or 36.73 percent lower than its 2018 outlay, Comelec incurred the biggest cut in terms of percentage among all other government agencies, said Castro. “Comelec does not deserve a budget this shockingly low especially in light of the upcoming 2019 elections,” Castro, a member of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, said. “We urge Congress to reject the proposed 2019 budget of Comelec because it will not be enough for it to facilitate a successful national elections that is also in compliant with existing laws. We worry that this kind of budget cut might cripple the body tasked by our Constitution to protect our right to vote and ensure clean and honest elections,” she added. She added that the proposed 2019 Comelec budget does not comply with the Election Service Reform Act, or ESRA law.

‘LANDSLIDE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED’

HE tragic landslide in Naga, Cebu that left at least 35 people dead and 44 still missing could have been avoided if local government executives and the regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau acted on reports that there were already fissures in the area, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said. “When they learned that there were cracks, even if the cracks were still small, they should have taken action immediately,” DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones said in an interview with dzBB on Saturday. “The fact that there were already cracks in the area, they should have already alerted the community to leave the site,” Leones said. The regional MGB found fissures in the area during an earlier site inspection. “They [MGB and local officials] are now being asked to explain,”Leones said. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has ordered the relief of MGB-Region 7

director Loreto Alburo and three other MGB officials following the landslide. On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte was asked by a female survivor if he would order the shutdown of the quarry operations in the area. “What I am requesting is for you to put a stop to Apo Cement which has been doing quarry operations here in Naga... It is the quarry’s fault, not the typhoon. For several years we have weathered storms and there were no landslides,” the citizen said after Duterte asked the survivors if anyone of them had something to say to him. Duterte responded in the affirmative,

but joked that the woman had been “trained well...like a spokesperson.” He then proceeded to ask the crowd if there were members of the New People’s Army present. “Who are the NPAs here? Just activists? Okay. Are there no NPAs here? You better watch out for these fools. Are there no NPA supporters here? Don’t enter into that. I will turn my back [on you],” the President said. “For 50 years they’ve been fighting with government. And for 50 years what have they shown? Killing, bullets, burials, and extortions. These sons of whores! Fifty years and all they did was kill.” “You like the communists? Look at their lives. Look at where they bury their dead. After an encounter they’ll just dig a hole somewhere and that’s that...If you believe in the NPA, then they will just keep on extorting. Tell them that’s why we will never reach an agreement here,” Duterte said.

BOGOTA—Facebook said a dating service it teased early this year is being rolled out in Colombia. The social media giant chose the Latin American country as its test lab because Colombians are particularly avid fans of using social networks and websites to find partners. The new feature, rolled out in Colombia this week, allows users to create a separate “dating” profile not visible to their network of friends, with potential matches recommended based on preferences and common interests. The service is programmed not to link up people who are already connected as family or friends, and users of Facebook Dating will also be able to block people if they wish. A basic chat service will be available, and the site will bar strangers from sending photos, videos or links. Some 21 million people log in to Facebook every day in Colombia, a country of 50 million people, according to the company. “We view this as an incredible opportunity to continue helping people build relationships in meaningful ways on Facebook,” said Facebook Dating product manager Nathan Sharp. Facebook’s chief Mark Zuckerberg in May announced plans for the new dating feature at the world’s leading online social network— while vowing to make privacyprotection its top priority in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. AFP

WEATHER

NEW STORM TO ENTER PAR

A NEW tropical storm is expected to enter the country today, the state weather bureau said. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the tropical depression east of southern Luzon has intensified into a tropical storm. The storm, which was was given the international name Trami, will be named “Paeng” once it enters the country today. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, the typhoon’s center was spotted at 2,060 kilometers east of Central Luzon. The weather bureau said the tropical storm may intensify into a typhoon and may affect extreme Northern Luzon, particularly the areas of Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands.

PROTECT KIDS IN EVACUATION SITES

PROSPERITY

CAKES. A kid is having the time of his life gazing at 551 mooncakes created by Eng Bee Tin for the Mid-Autumn Festival that formed a giant Philippine flag on display at Lucky Chinatown. Norman Cruz

SPOLIARIUM BOCETO SELLS FOR P63M THE sketch or boceto of Juan Luna’s renowned “Spoliarium” was sold for P63 million at the Salcedo Auction Saturday. The online news site of ABS-CBN reported the bidding for the Spoliarium boceto took nearly 24 minutes. The auction came weeks after the discovery of Juan Luna sketch became viral online. “Anyone who buys this, you will not have to make trips to National Museum anymore,” the auctioneer said. The boceto’s initial bidding price was placed at P25 million. Considered as Luna’s greatest work, the Spoliarium is at the National Museum in Manila.

SAVE the Children Philippines raised the need to ensure the health and protection of children in overcrowded evacuation centers a week after Typhoon “Ompong” hit Northern Luzon provinces. Albert Muyot, the group’s chief executive officer, said thousands of children are missing out on school and are forced to stay in cramped evacuation centers. He said the needs of children should be of utmost priority in all the humanitarian efforts because they are the most vulnerable during emergencies. “Children bear the brunt of every disaster,” Muyot said. The group has dispatched three humanitarian teams to Cagayan provinces and Tuguegarao to assess the situation and distribute emergency kits to help families attend to basic needs for food, health and hygiene. The Department of Education earlier said around 15 million students were affected by Typhoon Ompong. DepEd data also showed that a total of 1,743 classrooms were used as evacuation centers in 482 schools in the Cordilleras as well as in Regions 1 and 2. Another humanitarian team will be dispatched to Benguet to facilitate the assessment of the situation of displaced families, mostly children and lactating mothers affected by landslides.

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'SENIORS' STIPEND MUST BE RAISED' By Maricel V. Cruz AN OPPOSITION member of Congress has suggested that the monthly stipend for poor seniors—those 60 years old and above—be increased from the present P500 to P2,000. “The target is to extend the monthly subsidy to an additional 800,000 impoverished seniors. This explains the 20-percent or P3.9-billion increase in the allocation,” Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., House appropriations committee member, said. “We want the monthly stipend for poverty-stricken seniors bumped up to P2,000, considering that Congress has not increased the original P500 since 2010,” Campos said. “Congress has to move quickly in facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

raising the pocket money for hard up seniors who are now extremely vulnerable to hunger due to runaway food price inflation,” Campos warned. According to the HelpAge Global Network, the number of senior citizens in the Philippines is rising faster than the total population. “In 2000, there were 4.6 million senior citizens [60 years or older], representing about 6 percent of the total population,” the HelpAge Global Network said. In 2016, officials said the budget hike plan, once approved by the Congress, would increase the number of elderly-beneficiaries from the current 1.4 million to 2.8 million in 2017. In one of the consultations held by the Department of Finance among manilastandard.net

civil society groups, the Coalition of Services for the Elderly Inc. shared Secretary Carlos Dominguez’s earlier assessment that assistance for indigent seniors would be better served through targeted subsidies, such as social pensions, rather than providing them with exemptions via the Value Added Tax when dining out, which mostly only rich seniors enjoy. Campos said Saturday the government would spend P23.18 billion next year to pay for the P500 monthly allowance of up to 3.8 million senior citizens Turn to A2

SPOLIARIUM

BOCETO FETCHES

P63M AT

AUCTION

THE CROWN

By Joel E. Zurbano

NEWS / A4

ENTERTAINMENT / D3

FIVE WOMEN RULE POLL OF SENATE BETS

READY TO GET

VOL. XXXII • NO. 220 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

LAPU LAPU CITY—President Rodrigo Duterte admitted he had undergone colonoscopy and endoscopy last week performed by Dr. Jose Sollano, chairperson of the Asia Pacific Association of Gastroenterology. Duterte made the statement during APAGE’s 3rd Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Forum on Friday. “I had mine colonoscopy and endoscopy about a week ago. Joey, did the procedure and he said that, well, I have a bad case of Barrett. He said, if you’ll just stop drinking, you will live,” Duterte said in his speech. “Historically, I took after my mother who was always constipated. That was her complaint. But she lived to be 96 years old. So if you want to live forever, pray for constipation,” he added. The President said his son, Sebastian, was also a patient of Sollano, a former president of the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology. “He got it also and...he started to have a leak,” he said. “I’m telling you the truth. And that was also genetically maybe. And I have a son, Sebastian. He was also a patient of Joey. Joey said just [take] plenty of water.. the problem is plenty of visits to the bathroom...And my son was complaining about bleeding and there’s, as I said, a leak,” the President added. Turn to A2

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RODY SLAMS ICC, EU: BUNCH OF INTERLOPERS PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has once more criticized the Netherlands-based International Criminal Court and the European Union, showing his impiety against these two organizations and imposing what they said were Western values on the Philippines. In his speech Friday at the Asia Pacific Association of Gastroenterology forum in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu, the President, addressing the ICC, said:. “You’re all bulls*****. They want to send me to prison and try me for genocide... They’re a bunch of criminals. Show me how they died, when they died, where? Nothing.” “They [the ICC] would just say,‘Duterte time, 4,000 killed.’Me killing 4,000? I won’t even have time to sit for a sh*t. It would keep me busy for 24 hours,” he said. Duterte issued the statement following White House National Security Advisor John Bolton’s attack on the Haguebased rights body. Directing his ire against the European Union, Duterte said:“What’s your problem? Who are you to run my country? That’s the problem with the European Union. “They are into international governing. They create an ICC, European community, and they try to impose their values and the way they think how criminal is categorized. It’s neocolonialism,” he said, in reference to an expansionist doctrine. Duterte is facing complaints before the ICC over his war on drugs and his reported role in the alleged death squad killings in Davao City, where he ruled as mayor for over two decades. The President has withdrawn the Philippines’ ratification of the United Nations treaty that created the ICC, but it is being questioned before the Supreme Court. Duterte, an alumnus of the Catholic school San Beda University, also criticized Catholic Church leaders for purportedly turning a blind eye to cases of abuse by its priests. “They all keep on making this facade of righteousness when they know that after all they are also bunch of sh*t,” he said. Continuing his rant, Duterte said “Asking [for] cars from government, getting [them] free, when they know very well that there is a separation of Church and State, that no money of the government should be spent for benefit of religion.”

LIMIT TO BORACAY ARRIVALS SOUGHT

ITH only more than a month until Boracay Island reopens to the public, President Rodrigo Duterte emphasized the importance of limiting the tourist destination’s carrying capacity.

Mayor Sara Duterte

FIVE...

From A1

Senator Grace Poe

Senator Cynthia Villar

DUTERTE:...

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In his speech, Duterte acknowledged the efforts of APAGE and its partners for spearheading the conference, noting that intestinal disorders were among the common diseases that affect the uniformed personnel. “From my observation…not yet when I was mayor…but when I became President, I noticed that about 40 percent of all my soldiers and policemen suffer abdominal disorder,” Duterte said. “I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the food. You know, when the soldiers…they go to the mountains, drink the water without purifiers. And just because it’s a spring in the mountain, you will just easily conclude that it’s clean, that it is pure.” “I don’t think that is true because I said most of my [soldiers and policemen]… they have this—it’s in the gastroenterologist territory. Most of them are destroyed. Most of them die of something wrong there,” he added. Medical experts have described IBD“as an important emerging condition in the region’s developing nations” such as the Philippines as it poses a threat to the wellbeing and productivity of the people.

“Not all Filipinos and all tourists can go to Boracay. It cannot accommodate everyone,” Duterte said in Cebuano during his visit to landslide victims in Naga City, Cebu province. “If it’s a house, it would be similar to having just one comfort room for a thousand people,” he added. The President, however, assured the public that the inter-agency task force assigned to oversee the rehabilitation of Boracay was continuously studying the best way to manage the island. Meanwhile, he also complimented the rehabilitation efforts in the island, noting that Boracay now looks better

Senator Pia Cayetano

Senator Nancy Binay

Close behind them was also incumbent Senator Nancy Binay with a statistical ranking of 3rd to 4th places (50.6 percent). Completing the top half of the probable winners were Duterte-Carpio (39.5 percent, 5th to 6th places), incumbent Senator Edgardo Angara, Jr. (37.1 percent, 5th to 7th places), and former senator Jinggoy Estrada (34.6 percent, 6th to 10th places). Sharing 7th to 11th places were Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos (32.6 percent), incumbent Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (32.4 percent), and former senator Lito Lapid (32.2 percent). Former senator Sergio Osmeña found himself in 8th to 17th places (29.8 percent). Completing the list of probable winners were six personalities who were tied at 11th to 17th places— former senator Manuel Roxas (27.7 percent), actor Robin Padilla (27.4 percent), detained former senator Ramon Revilla, Jr. (27.4 percent), broadcaster Ramon Tulfo (27.0 percent), Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald dela Rosa (27.0 percent), and incumbent Senator Jose Victor Ejercito (26.7 percent). In a statement, Poe said “We are humbled and grateful for the continued support of our people. It is uplift-

'SENIORS' ... From A1 tagged as “qualified indigents” by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Campos, a deputy minority leader, said the P19.28 billion that the DSWD allotted this year for the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens covers only up to three million qualified beneficiaries, according to Campos. Under the Expanded Senior Citizens Law of 2010 that first pegged the monthly grant for indigents at P500, Campos said Congress was supposed to, but never reviewed the amount

than before. “Now it looks good,” Duterte said. He earlier said he intended to visit Boracay one of these days. The task force is composed of the departments of Environment, Interior, and Tourism. “They are still trying to see, still studying how to best manage it,” Duterte said. Earlier, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said Boracay’s carrying capacity for tourists would be limited to 19,215 a day. This figure includes 6,405 tourist arrivals a day. Malacañang has urged the task force to maintain the island’s carrying capacity

to assure that its rehabilitation efforts would be sustained. The task force also recommended evaluating the feasibility of using the extra available rooms, promoting the use of wetlands for filtering out waste from both soil and water, maximizing open spaces for vegetation, minimizing point source pollution, minimizing coastal erosion, and establishing permanent monitoring facilities in designated areas, among others. Last April 26, Duterte ordered the closure of Boracay for six months after lamenting since February that the top tourist destination has turned into a “cesspool” for its poor sewerage system. Boracay Island is expected to reopen as scheduled on Oct. 26. PNA

ing that women are being recognized as effective, decisive and compassionate leaders.” “However, the more important numbers which should concern us today are inflation, prices of goods, employment, fuel prices, and the damage caused by Ompong. Let us focus on clear and present challenges,” she said. Poe, daughter of the late “King of Action Movie” and losing 2004 presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr., topped the list of winners in the May 2013 senatorial race. With a record breaking 20,337,327 votes, Poe, who was the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairperson, surpassed the election record of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. who topped the 2010 senatorial race with 19,513,521 votes. The number of votes for Poe in 2013 was also the biggest number registered for a single candidate in Philippine election history. Poe ran for president with Senator Francis Escudero as running mate in the 2016 presidential elections but lost to then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte’s daughter Sara, now an incumbent mayor of Davao, was among the top contenders in the race but she said earlier she would not run for senator in the 2019 midterm elections. “I am not running for the Senate,”

she said during the recent oathtaking of 5,000 new members of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional political party she heads. “We just wanted to create a strong Region 11. We did not foresee this growing interest of other politicians from other regions,” she added. President Duterte also said recently his daughter would not run for a national post in the 2019 polls as he expressed support for a bill prohibiting the establishment of political dynasties. “I’m okay with it, there is no problem. My daughter, Inday, I can tell you I know her. She won’t run for [a] national [post],” the Chief Executive had said. The presidential daughter was also included in the top five contenders for senators in the Pulse Asia’s survey released last July. Meanwhile, the office of Senator Benigno Paolo Aquino IV issued a statement which stated “the first time two Aquinos were included in the Pulse Asia Survey resulted in a divided choice for voters, leading to a drop for Senator Bam Aquino.” “From being the only opposition candidate among the top 12 in past surveys, Aquino dropped from the Magic 12 in the recent survey conducted from Sept. 1 to 7,” it stated. “His cousin, actress Kris Aquino, was recently included in the survey and ranked similarly to Senator Bam.”

every two years for possible upward revision. “If government cannot afford to provide P2,000 monthly to every indigent senior all at once, we should at least offer the amount to those who are 70 years old and above,” Campos said. Campos is proponent of House Bill 2653, which seeks to jack up to P2,000 the monthly pension for destitute seniors at least 70 years old. In batting for the passage of his bill, Campos invoked the mandates of the 1987 Constitution for the State “to care for the elderly through just programs of social security, and to provide improved quality of life for all.” “An allowance of P2,000 per month, or P24,000 per annum, would serve as

a bigger helping hand to needy seniors at least 70 years old and who have absolutely no one else to turn to for financial aid,” Campos said. Under the law, indigent seniors refer to citizens 60 years old and above who do not receive any regular pension from elsewhere; lack permanent income or compensation, or regular and appropriate financial support from family members; and are listed as qualified beneficiaries by the DSWD. The DSWD is required to ensure that the P500 monthly stipend is given directly to payees. The department is permitted to spend only up to seven percent of the funding allocation for administrative purposes, said Campos.

FOR NEW COUPLES.

A 4-layer wedding cake, weighing 14 tons—flavored chocolate, vanilla, banana and carrot—is shared by 43 couples in Baguio City baked by members of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio City. The first three tiers will be donated to volunteers in the relief and rescue operations in Itogon, Benguet—the cake estimated to feed 10,000 persons. Dave Leprozo

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166 50 YRS AND ABOVE PINOYS DIAGNOSED WITH HIV

EU DELEGATES JOIN MANILA BAY CLEANUP THE EU Delegation to the Philippines joined the Manila Bay Cleanup on Sept. 22, 2018 in Roxas Boulevard, Manila. The group said it has been an advocate for a cleaner Environment and litter-free marine resources. European Union Ambassador Franz Jessen said the delegation’s participation in the cleanup is an expression of solidarity of the EU with the Philippines in ensuring that our oceans are rid of plastic wastes and other pollutants. The EU Delegation collaborated with the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary and the International Coastal Cleanup volunteers and were joined by other staff from the Danish and the French Embassies. Jessen said that the European Commission during the early part of the year adopted a Circular Economy Action Plan to foster a transition to a stronger and more circular economy where resources are used in a more sustainable way.

The Plan aims to ensure that all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030, the consumption of single-use plastics significantly reduced and the intentional use of micro plastics restricted. Plastic litter has become a major concern in Asia including in the Philippines and the EU Delegation is currently engaged in close dialogue with the Philippine government on the development of a national strategy for improving plastic waste management and reducing leakages of plastic waste in the marine environment. A regional program is also foreseen for a period of three years starting in 2019 to enhance policy dialogue, exchange shared knowledge and lessons learned from Europe, capacity enhancement, technology transfer and piloting of solutions for better plastic waste management in the Asian region.

COASTAL CLEANUP. Volunteers participate in collecting garbage from Manila Bay during the 33rd International Coastal Cleanup in Manila on Sept. 22, 2018. Around 8,000 volunteers participated during the cleanup a week after Typhoon ‘Ompong’ ravaged the country causing garbage to pile up caused by strong waves. AFP

PORT USERS SEEK GOV’T HELP By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Port Users Confederation of the Philippines has asked the government to come up with pro-active measures against port congestion and other problems looming in ports of Manila. PUCP officers and members have met with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Customs, Department of Transportation and other concerned agencies and discussed how they can find permanent solution to the problem as big volume of imports starts coming in for the holiday season. The group cited the Dec. 31, 2018 deadline given by the DPWH and DOTr to haulers and truckers to acquire additional transport equipment to conform with the government’s gross vehicle weight policy.

In July, the government suspended the enforcement of the maximum allowable gross vehicle weight for trucks and trailers with a total of 18 and 22 wheels to give haulers and truckers ample time to comply. The suspension covers Code 12-2 and 12-3 which involves truck, semi-trailer with 3-axles at motor vehicle and 2 axles at trailer for a total of 18 wheels and truck semi-trailer with 3 axles at motor vehicle and 3-axles at trailer summing up 22 wheels. Other truck/trailer codes are required to observe the current maximum allowable GVW under the anti-overloading policy. Public Works secretary Mark Villar said earlier the government is expecting full compliance from Codes 12-2 and 12-3 truck/trailer owners on upgrading their units to have maximum allowable GVW of 41,500 and 42,000 kilograms, respectively, before Jan. 1, 2019. He reiterated the importance of complying with the policy since early damage and deterioration to road pavement and occurrence of accidents are attributed to overloaded vehicles.

Under Republic Act 8794 entitled “An Act Imposing a Motor Vehicle User’s Charge on Owners of all Types of Motor Vehicle and for Other Purposes,” overloaded trucks will be fined with 25 percent of the amount of their motor vehicle user’s charge (MVUC) applicable to the vehicle at the time of infringement. PUCP president Rodolfo de Ocampo said they called up a meeting with government officials to discuss matters concerning the crisis looming in the ports both in the north and south harbor Manila. “We must act together and make proactive measures to avert port congestion that is why we called this forum so we could come up with a permanent solution,” said De Ocampo during the meeting held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. He added “this coming Christmas there will be volume of importation, the unavailability of shipping lines, container yards that hamper the return of the empty containers. There will be spill over on the first quarter.” “About the moratorium, we have been given until Dec. 31 and we don’t know if they will extend it by January. We just want an institutonalize solution.”

OCULAR VISIT. Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito converses with officials of the Philippine National Railways during an ocular visit at those PNR main office in Tutuban, Manila recently. Ejercito said one of his advocacies has always been to create an efficient, modern railway system. Lino Santos

MISUARI’S ARRAIGNMENT RESET NOV. 23 By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan has rescheduled to Nov. 23 the arraignment of former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Nur Misuari in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of educational materials during his watch as the chief executive of the area. The anti-graft court’s Third Division reset Misuari’s arraignment due to his pending motion to dismiss. Earlier, Misuari asked the antigraft court to dismiss the cases filed against him by the Ombudsman, citing an absence of evidence that will link him to the allegedly irregular transaction. He also raised the issue of inordinate delay against the Ombudsman. Misuari is facing two counts each of graft and malversation by falsifica-

HIV awareness, care, and treatment are also needed among the active Filipino elders, according to the latest official data on the spread of HIV-AIDS in the country. “Nalungkot ako nang malaman kong 166 sa 6,532 na natuklasang may HIV ay nasa edad 50 pataas. Ibayong tulong at kalinga ang kailangan nila,” Rep. Ron Salo. (KABAYAN Party-list), one of the principal authors of the proposed Philippine HIV-AIDS Policy Act, said. Salo, a member also of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs, was shocked to find out that two of the aged 50+ HIV positives are male OFWs and another two are female OFWs. “65 years old na babaeng OFW ang pinakamatandang may HIV. Aalamin ko sa DoH ang lagay niya upang matulungan ko sa pagpapagamot,” Salo said. From January 2013 to July 2018, the number of HIV positives in the 50+ age group totalled 1,047. “Nito palang nakaraang buwan ng Hulyo, 23 tao na edad 50+ ang nagpositibo sa HIV. Hindi lang mga kabataan ang maaaring maapektuhan ng malubhang sakit na ito,” Salo added. Former DoH consultant Salo also asked the DoH to take special care of the seniors with HIV. “They should be enjoying retirement and old age with the grandchildren, not dealing with HIV-AIDS, so DoH should be extra sensitive with their senior patients undergoing treatment and counseling,” Rep. Salo, member of the bicameral conference committee ironing out the final version of the Philippine HIV-AIDS law, also said.

CEB STARTS CEBU-MACAU FLIGHTS IN DECEMBER

DUTERTE CALLS FOR RATIFICATION OF BOL PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday expressed hopes that the Bangsamoro Organic Law would be ratified during its plebiscite on Jan. 21, 2019. “Sa (In the) BOL, Bangsamoro Organic Law, there is a plebiscite. Let’s just pray that it will push through. If it won’t, then that will be another problem,” Duterte said in Bisaya during his visit to check on landslide victims in Naga City, Cebu. The Commission on Elections earlier said that the plebiscite period will be held from Dec. 7, 2018 until Feb. 5, 2019, while campaign period will be from Dec. 7, 2018 to Jan. 19, 2019. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez assured the poll body is ready to conduct a plebiscite for the BOL amid preparations for the May 2019 midterm elections. Jimenez said holding a plebiscite is not as tedious as regular elections since it will just be using the manual system of voting and will only involve some 3 million voters. Last July 26, Duterte signed the BOL, or Republic Act No. 11054, which seeks to establish a new Bangsamoro political entity to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and achieve national rapprochement with the Moro rebel groups. Formerly known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the BOL is premised on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, a signed peace deal. In his speech during the ceremonial reenactment of the signing of the BOL on Aug. 6, Duterte enjoined all Filipinos to participate in “constructive discussions” on the BOL, including the plebiscite. PNA

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tion owing to the alleged anomalous procurement of educational materials worth P115.2 million during his term as ARMM governor. Misuari said he could not be held liable for the transaction that was done when he was no longer the ARMM governor. Misuari and his co-accused allegedly conspired to give “unwarranted benefits, advantage and privilege” to MBJ Learning Tools, CPR Publishing, and White Orchids Printing. He said the payments to MBJ Learning in December were released in 2003, CPR Publishing in July 2004, and to White Orchids Printing in July 2004 and September 2005. Misuari said that after his term ended on Sept. 30, 2001, his successor, Parouk Hussin, was governor when the payments

were made. “It is likewise clear as day that accused Nur Misuari did not receive any [of the] money or funds [that are the] subject matter of the complaint as the demand for payment was made when he was no longer performing the functions of the regional governor of ARMM,” Misuari said in his motion. He added that the issue of conspiracy is farfetched since he was detained in Malaysia from December 2001 to January 2002 and for six years in the Philippines from 2002 to 2008. Misuari also said his case should be dismissed because the Ombudsman took a total of four years and four months to finish its preliminary investigation. Misuari is out on a P460,000 bail he posted in September 2017.

THE Cebu Pacific Air has announced it will start operating its Cebu-Macau flight service this December in line with its program to further promote Cebu as a gateway to and from the rest of Visayas and Mindanao. Beginning Dec. 7, CEB will operate the Cebu-Macau direct flights four-times-a-week every Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The flight leaves Cebu at 6:50 p.m., and arrives in Macau at 10:00 pm; while its return flight leaves Macau at 10:45 p.m., and arrives in Cebu at 01:45 a.m. the next day. “Cebu Pacific is very proud to be the first to make this commercial connection available for every Juan, banking on the opportunity to grow our other hubs outside of Manila,” said lawyer Paterno Mantaring, Cebu Pacific vice president for Corporate Affairs. “We believe that this new connection is not only an answer to our passengers’ demands, but will also stimulate both the trade and tourism aspects in both destinations as it makes available both passenger and cargo services,” he added. Macau, with its prime location, allows it to serve as a gateway to Pearl River Delta, making it a perfect access point for business and leisure travelers alike. This connection gives passengers from the Visayas and Mindanao a more viable option to fly to and from the area. Cebu Pacific currently owns majority of the connection between Philippines and Macau, holding over 50 percent of the capacity share as it now flies direct from three hubs— Cebu, Clark, and Manila. To officially launch the beginning of this new route, CEB is offering an introductory, all-in seat sale of P999 until September 27, 2018, or until seats last. Travel period is from Dec. 7, 2018 to March 30, 2019. CEB also increased frequency of its flights from Cebu to Narita (Tokyo) from four times a week to daily, effective Dec. 1, 2018. Joel E. Zurbano

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

News

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SOLON HITS COMELEC BUDGET CUT IN 2019

By Maricel V. Cruz

‘LANDSLIDE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED’

WEATHER

NEW STORM TO ENTER PAR

PROTECT KIDS IN EVACUATION SITES

PROSPERITY CAKES. A kid is

having the time of his life gazing at 551 mooncakes created by Eng Bee Tin for the Mid-Autumn Festival that formed a giant Philippine flag on display at Lucky Chinatown. Norman Cruz

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Opinion

Joyce Pañares, Issue Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

PLIANT AMID DISASTER

HE Filipino capacity for resilience, seen by psychologists and behaviorists as virtue, rose notches higher once more with the offensive made by powerful Typhoon “Ompong” in Northern Philippines.

More than just rubberlike behavior, the Filipinos showed their bouncy, if kneadable, character as they helped family members and neighbors stand up to the fury of the 15th typhoon to enter the Philippines this year. It will be days before the final toll tab—in death and destruction to agricultural crops and infrastructure— would be officially signed.

But Ompong’s immediate victims reflected the resilience of other Filipinos in the other areas of the archipelago to adapt properly and well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant wellsprings of stress. The near knockout punch inflicted by Ompong this month underlined what outsiders have seen in the Filipino, whether he is at home or overseas, with his power and ability to return to his original form of being buoyant and strong after being bent, compressed or stretched. How else can one explain the capacity of the Filipino to adapt and bounce back when, as in the case of those in the typhoon-whacked Cagayan Valley, the Cordilleras and

DIWATA-2: ANOTHER STEP FORWARD INTO SPACE

the Ilocos, the residents, whose eyes were jabbed by beaten agricultural terraced lands, have not lost their hardy character? Perhaps, they continue to cherish family and social support, apart from relishing in their humanity the spirit of bayanihan, among Tagalogs, or the tagnawa, among northerners, which is deeply rooted in many towns where community members volunteer to help neighbors in various levels of cooperation. Philippine society has not been deficient in this spirit, with volunteerism and teamwork at the core of the Filipino soul and character, which defines properly the Filipino, who continues to have his faith in his God. A recipe to be pliant amid disaster.

By Pecier Decierdo DIWATA-2, the Philippines’ second microsatellite, is scheduled to be launched into space some time this year. Like its predecessor Diwata-1, Diwata-2 was designed and developed by Filipino scientists and engineers to help in assessing the extent of damages after a disaster as well as to monitor the country’s natural resources. But like a true successor, Diwata-2 is a next step forward rather than a retreading. Diwata-2 is an improvement on its predecessor, and there are reasons to be excited about its launching into space. When Diwata-2 begins orbiting the Earth, it will be capable of performing the following functions. One, it will take photographs of disaster-stricken areas to help authorities assess the extent of the damages. Two, it will monitor the state of the country’s natural and cultural heritage site. Three, it will monitor changes in vegetation. Four, it will help in observing cloud patterns and weather disturbances, including ones that might affect Filipinos. Diwata-1 has been doing these things since it was deployed into orbit on April 27, 2016. The first images it beamed down to the ground receiving station in Quezon City were hailed by experts as “world-best.” Diwata-1 even helped in the imaging of the recent Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut), showing the promise of space technology in making Filipinos safer. Over the last couple of years, Diwata-1, the Philippines’ first micro-satellite, has taken thousands of images with many different uses. These images have now been made public on the program’s website so that the general public can see some of the benefits of a homegrown space program. Diwata-2 will do many of the things it predecessor did, but it will also do more. Like its predecessor, Diwata-2 is a microsatellite. Unlike some satellites which can be as heavy as grand piano or even a car, micro-satellites are smaller machines, with masses somewhere between 10 and 100 kg. Diwata-2, for example, has a size and mass similar to a luggage (it is a cube 50 centimeters on each side and has a mass of 50 kilos). Diwata-2 will have many of the same instruments as its predecessor: powerful cameras that can help in monitoring the ground and observing the weather. However, Diwata-2 will be orbiting the Earth 213 kilometers higher than its sibling satellite. Diwata-1 orbits the Earth about 400-km above the ground. This is similar to the altitude of the International Space Station (ISS), and that is no accident. The Philippines’ first microsatellite was carried by a rocket to the ISS, from which it was deployed. Diwata-2, on the other hand, will be carried by a rocket directly into its orbit more than 600-km above sea level. The orbit of the newer satellite was specially chosen “sun-synchronous orbit.” This special orbit will allow the satellite to pass above a given spot on the ground at similar times. “With Diwata-2 being sun-synchronous, we get passes in a more periodic way,” Dr. Gay Jane Perez, who is part of the program, told Rappler. “So, if we have an area, for example, experiencing drought, we can monitor the development on this specific area.” In other words, the orbit of Diwata-2 improves its ability to monitor events as they develop. Diwata-2 is also equipped with solar panels that will generate energy to power its instruments. With the newer satellite orbiting higher up, it will be experiencing less drag from the upper portion of the Earth’s exosphere. This will give it a longer usable life compared to its predecessor. Diwata-2 satellite also has an instrument on board that is capable of communicating with amateur radio operators on the ground. This will allow licensed amateur radio operators to communicate with other parts of the country when all other channels are knocked down in case of a disaster. This might be crucial during disaster relief operations. The Diwata satellites are part of the PHLMicrosat program. PHL-Microsat stands for Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite. The program is a collaboration between the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and two universities in Japan, Hokkaido University and Tohoku University. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) also helps in this program. The goal of the PHL-Microsat program is to help the country build the capacity to make use of outer space to help address issues that matter to the everyday lives of Filipinos. In addition to Diwata-1 and 2, the program also produced Maya-1, the Philippines’ first nano-satellite. Nano-satellites are even smaller, with masses between 1 and 10 kg. Maya-1 is about the size of a handbag (10 cm on two sides and 11.35 cm on the third) and masses only 1.11 kilograms. Although small, the products of the country’s initial attempts to go to space are already having positive impacts on the ground. Just imagine what more bigger homegrown satellites can do?

SANTA CLARA: CHE’S CITY BUT ALSO CUBA’S GAY HAVEN By Moises Avila SANTA CLARA, Cuba—Jose Augustin Hernandez is a 53-year-old local government official in Cuba—who is transgender, sports a flamboyant pink wig and goes by the name Adela. Hernandez works in Caibarien, a town close to Santa Clara—a city synonymous with revolutionary icon Che Guevara but also Cuba’s most LGBT-friendly town. “I’m more revolutionary than gay,” says Hernandez, who has photos of both her boyfriend and the famous Argentine guerrilla on the wall behind her. “And look, no one is more gay than me, because I was born gay.” Sixty years ago, Santa Clara is where Guevara derailed one of US-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista’s military trains during the guerrilla resistance, and the city adopted him as one of its own. His remains and those of some of his Boliv-

ian comrades in arms are buried there. Santa Clara is located just 30 kilometers from Placetas, the birthplace of current Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who took over from Raul Castro in April. Over the last few decades, the surrounding Villa Clara province has developed into a haven for the LGBT community. Santa Clara is home to a gay-friendly hotel and the El Menjuje cultural center, which has put on drag queen shows since 1984, when homophobia was rampant in the Caribbean island nation. The city of 200,000 people has been at the forefront of the push to legalize gay marriage in Cuba, something that will be put to a referendum in February as part of a new constitution. “Santa Clara is something else—nothing is strange or surprising here because anything can happen,” said Ramon Silverio, the 69-year-old founder of El Mejunje.

‘A space for everyone’ Built on the ruins of a hotel, El Mejunje offers young artists a theater, concert hall and dance space where they can show off their talents. The entrance fee is five pesos ($0.20). “My idea was to have a space for everyone and everything, regardless of who they were or what their preferences were,” Silverio told AFP. “During the first years, El Mejunje was seen as hell, this place that brought together those people who, stereotypically, weren’t accepted by society.” That was during a time when homosexuals faced hostility and marginalization. But little by little, “the image changed and people realized it was something they couldn’t deny,” Silverio explained. “Diaz-Canel came here to El Mejunje before he was (provincial) first secretary of the party because he brought his children here for the kids’ activities we offer,” he said. “El Mejunje changed the city and the way the country looked.” AFP

Pecier Decierdo is the resident physicist and astronomer of The Mind Museum. Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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TRUMP TURNS ON HIGH COURT NOMINEE’S ACCUSER WASHINGTON—The woman whose sexual assault allegation threatens to bring down Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee rejected an ultimatum Friday for testifying in the Senate after the United States president turned against her, claiming her accusation could not be true. The increasingly ugly fight over the fate of Trump’s bid to put conservative judge Brett Kavanaugh into the lifetime position on the Supreme Court appeared to be nearing its end game, though still with no clarity on whether the woman at the center of the row will testify. Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor who says Kavanaugh carried out a violent sexual assault against her when he was 17 and she was 15, insists she is ready to testify under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, she rejected a Friday evening deadline imposed by the committee’s Republican leader to agree to his terms for the hearing, which he said should take place next Wednesday. If she didn’t agree, committee chairman Chuck Grassley said he would go ahead and schedule a vote on confirming Kavanaugh on Monday, but without her testimony. A statement by Ford’s lawyers carried by CNN asked for one more day to respond, calling the deadline “arbitrary.” “Its sole purpose is to bully Dr. Ford and deprive her of the ability to make a considered decision.... Our modest request is that she be given an additional day to make her decision.” Ford has said she wants to testify Thursday at the earliest and to be able to call as a witness a man who she says was present during the assault, when they were all teenagers attending private schools near Washington. The committee’s Republican leadership has turned down those demands. But late Friday, in a tweet addressing Kavanuagh directly, Grassley said he had given Ford more time to decide. “Judge Kavanaugh I just granted another extension to Dr Ford,” he wrote, adding Ford should decide “so we can move on.” “I want to hear her. I hope u understand,” he added. “It’s not my normal approach to b indecisive.” After several days of maintaining a relatively neutral posture, Trump took off the gloves Friday to declare that Ford could not be believed. The aggressive stance reflected Trump’s fear that time is running out to get his hand-picked judge confirmed—thereby tilting the Supreme Court firmly to the right for years to come—before November elections when Republicans risk losing control of Congress. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

FAMINE’S TOLL. A Yemeni child suffering

from malnutrition lies on a bed at a hospital in the northern district of Abs in the northwestern Hajjah province on Sept. 19. The three-year conflict between Yemen’s Saudibacked government and Huthi rebels linked to Iran has pushed the already impoverished country to the brink of famine, leaving many unable to afford food and water, with a total of 5.2 million children at risk of starvation, according to the Britain-based group Save the Children. AFP

ARRESTS ORDERED OVER FERRY SINKING N

AIROBI, Kenya— Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Friday ordered the arrest of the management of a ferry that capsized in Lake Victoria, as the death toll climbed to 131 and rescue workers pressed on with the search to find scores more people feared drowned.

The MV Nyerere may have been carrying as many as 200 passengers—double the ferry’s capacity— when it capsized close to the pier on Ukara Island on Thursday, according to reports on state media. Witnesses reached by Agence France-Presse said the ferry sank when passengers rushed to one side to disembark as it approached the dock. In a speech broadcast on TBC 1 public television, Magufuli said “it appears clear that the ferry was overloaded,” adding that “negligence has cost us so many lives... children,

mothers, students, old people.” “I ordered the arrest of all those involved in the management of the ferry. The arrests have already begun,” he added. The president declared four days of national mourning while saying at least 131 people had died, updating an earlier death toll of 126. Magufuli also announced the government would cover the funeral expenses of the victims. Mwanza governor John Mongella had earlier said the number of survivors was 40, but it was unclear whether any new survivors had been found since rescue operations resumed with police and army divers on Friday morning. “Operations are continuing,” he said, but hopes are fading that more survivors might still be found. State television cited witnesses reporting that more than 200 people had boarded the ferry at Bugolora, a town on the larger Ukerewe Island, where it was market day when locals said the vessel was usually packed with people and goods. “I have not heard from either my

father or my younger brother who were on the ferry. They had gone to the market in Bugolora to buy a school uniform and other supplies for the new school term,” said Domina Maua, who was among those seeking information about loved ones. Davita Ngenda, an elderly woman in Ukara, had already received bad news. “My son is among the bodies recovered,” she said, weeping. “He had gone with his wife but she has not been found yet. My God, what did I do to deserve this?” Sebastian John, a teacher, said such tragedies had become part of life for those living on the lake. “Since my birth, people have gone to their deaths on this lake, but what are we to do? We did not choose to be born here, we have nowhere to go,” he said. It remains unclear how many people are still missing. Tanzania’s Electrical, Mechanical and Services Agency, which is responsible for ferry services, said it was unknown how many passengers were aboard the MV Nyerere. AFP

US HITS CHINA TREATMENT OF UIGHURS WASHINGTON—The United States on Friday denounced China’s treatment of its Uighur Muslims in unusually strong terms, adding to a growing list of disputes in increasingly turbulent relations between the two powers. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voiced alarm after a United Nations report described the mass internment of Uighurs under the pretext of preventing extremism in the western Xinjiang region where the minority group is concentrated. “Hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of Uighurs are held against their will in so-called re-education camps where they’re forced to endure severe political indoctrination and other awful abuses,” Pompeo said in a speech on the state of religious freedom around the world. “Their religious beliefs are decimated,” Pompeo said. In a letter to Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, both Republican and Democratic members of Congress late last month called for sanctions on Chinese officials implicated in the internment of Uighurs. Pompeo did not say whether the United States would take punitive measures. Even so, the remarks were striking for their tone, with President Donald Trump’s administration putting human rights on the back seat in relations with allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration itself has faced criticism at home and abroad for its stance on Muslims, with the president as a candidate calling for a complete ban on Muslims entering the United States and, soon after taking office, barring entry to citizens of several Muslimmajority countries. Pompeo also expressed concern about the fate of Christians in China, who he said had been targeted in a government crackdown. The government, he said, has been “closing churches, burning Bibles and ordering followers to sign papers renouncing their faith.” AFP

MEXICANS SEARCH FOR KIN IN TRUCK FULL OF BODIES GUADALAJARA, Mexico—Dozens of people from across Mexico who are searching for missing relatives this week journeyed to the city of Guadalajara, where a scandal has erupted over a truck full of unidentified bodies that overflowed local morgues. A wave of violence linked to powerful drug cartels has sent the number of missing persons in the country soaring to more than 36,000, and families of the “disappeared” often search fruitlessly for them for months or years. Guadalajara, the country’s second-largest city, has been hit particularly hard by the violence as home base to the brutal Jalisco New Generation Cartel. It emerged over the weekend that the city’s morgues are so full, authorities decided to rent a refrigerated trailer to hold the bodies of 278 murder victims. The truck caused outrage when the authorities parked it in a series of impoverished neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Residents protested over the smell,

flies and risk to public health. Officials then moved it to a prosecution storage facility in the city center. The governor has fired the state prosecutor and coroner over the debacle. The gruesome affair drew some 100 people from across the country to the western city, where they demanded to know if their loved ones were among the bodies. “When I heard this awful news, I said, we have to go,” said Yadira Gonzalez, 36, who has been searching for her missing brother Juan for 12 years, and belongs to a group for people with missing relatives in the central city of Queretaro. They drove some five hours to picket outside the Institute of Forensic Sciences for Jalisco state, of which Guadalajara is the capital, demanding to know whether their loved ones were in the truck. “Our family members disappeared in Queretaro, but they could be anywhere in the country, really,” said Gonzalez. News media have broadcast

footage of the open trailer of the truck, with piles of bodies in black bags and a man in white boots stepping on the bags. “Society has lost all trust in government institutions and their leaders,” said another woman seeking a missing family member, Guadalupe Aguilar. “That’s why we’re here picketing. We won’t leave until we get answers.” The number of murder victims in Mexico has exploded in recent years. Since the government deployed the army to fight the country’s powerful drug cartels in 2006, Mexico has been hit by a wave of violence that has resulted in more than 200,000 murders. Last year, the country registered a record 28,702 homicides. Mass graves are regularly discovered containing dozens or even hundreds of unidentified bodies. Nearly 4,000 such corpses have been found since 2007, according to the National Human Rights Commission. AFP

9 JOURNALIST MURDERED IN MEXICO FOR ‘18 TH

TUXTLA GUTIÉRREZ, Mexico—Gunmen shot and killed a Mexican journalist as he left his home in the southern state of Chiapas, his newspaper said Friday, at least the ninth reporter murdered in the country this year. Mario Gomez, a reporter with El Heraldo de Chiapas, is the latest victim in a wave of violence against the press in Mexico, the second-deadliest country in the world for journalists after war-torn Syria, according to the watchdog group Reporters Without Borders. “He had recently filed a complaint because he was receiving threats,” a colleague at the paper told AFP on condition of anonymity. The newspaper said Gomez, a general news cor-

respondent in the town of Yajalon, was leaving for work when two unidentified men arrived and “murdered him in cold blood” with a series of shots to the abdomen. Gomez, 35, was taken to the hospital but died of his wounds, it said. “We call for an exhaustive investigation to find those responsible for this crime,” his colleagues wrote in an editorial published on the newspaper’s website. The state prosecutor’s office said in a statement it would “follow all lines of investigation to shed light on this reprehensible crime and bring those responsible to justice.” AFP

RESISTANCE. A man stands in front of a line of riot police blocking a street during a protest against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government in Managua, on Sept. 15. AFP

POPE TO HONOR BALTIC MARTYRS AMID ABUSE CRISIS VILNIUS, Lithuania—Pope Francis kicks off a Baltic tour in Catholic Lithuania on Saturday where he will honor victims of the region’s Nazi and Soviet occupations as the Church reels from fresh clerical abuse scandals. The four-day trip to the northeastern edge of the European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance brings him geographically close to Russia, where Vatican diplomats have been trying for years to arrange a papal visit. The pontiff will also visit mainly Protestant Latvia on Monday and secular Estonia on Tuesday as all three Baltic states mark 100 years of independence this year. But the celebrations risk being overshadowed by a fresh wave of devastating claims of sexual abuse by clergy across the globe.

Scandals in Australia, Europe, and North and South America have involved widespread claims of abuse—and cover-ups—by clergymen and lay members with one archbishop describing it as the church’s “own 9/11.” Pope Francis has called for a meeting of the heads of Catholic bishops’ conferences at the Vatican next February to discuss the issue of the “protection of minors.” However, the pontiff has kept a stony silence regarding claims he had ignored allegations of abuse that were reported to him. U2 frontman Bono said he could see the pain on Francis’s face after a Wednesday meeting when he told the pope that “it looks to some people that the abusers are being more protected than the victims.” AFP

Images

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SAFER GROUND. A dog tries to climb a ladder toward his waiting master in a flooded area of Salonga Compound in Calumpit, Bulacan in the aftermath of Typhoon ‘Ompong’ on Sept. 16. AFP/Noel Celis

BLOCKED ROAD. Natives of Barangay Deccan in Kibungan, Benguet use metal bars to try and set aside massive boulders carried by a landslide—amid steady monsoon rains—that blocked a farm-to-market road on Aug. 28. This was two full weeks before the deadly landslide triggered by Typhoon ‘Ompong’ claimed at least 80 lives in Itogon town to the south. Photo courtesy Brenlyn Siadto

TREASURED ART. Grace Palicas, the grand-niece of celebrated

TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE. An officer on the BRP Tarlac kisses her

Kalinga tatooist Whang-Od, displays her skill in the age-old art at Dutdutan 2018, an annual convention of tattooists, designers, and advocates of the body art form, on Friday. Diana B. Noche

baby goodbye on Friday as the Philippine Navy ship and its 440-man crew prepares to depart for a port visit to the headquarters of the Russian Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok, Russia and to participate in the International Fleet Review in Jeju, South Korea. Norman Cruz

WEAVING PATIENCE. Women demonstrate their native mat weaving skills inside the famed Saob cave in Barangay Basiao in Basey, Samar. Teddy Pelaez INCONGRUENT. A line of clothes being dried ruins what is otherwise the remarkable century-old facade of the Monte de Piedad Savings Bank, which was established in 1880, in Plaza Sta. Cruz in Manila. Sonny Espiritu

ON A LEASH. A

skateboarder gets help moving forward from his pet Siberian husky as they roam the roads of the CCP Complex in Pasay City on Sept. 16. Ey Acasio

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Reira U Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

WHY FLOYD-PACMAN ENCORE COULD HAPPEN

It’s going to set a record at the box office because many want to see Floyd Mayweather get his comeuppance and Manny Pacquiao his revenge.

By Alejandro del Rosario

SIDE from the megabucks involved, there are other factors on why the Floyd MayweatherManny Pacquiao rematch may happen. Mayweather, the megalomaniac that he is, wants to cement his ring record as the greatest fighter since Rocky Marciano. But that is a defective claim even if Floyd eclipsed Rocky’s undefeated record of 49 victories. First, Rocky Marciano was an exciting fighter who took on all and every opponent thrown his way. His knockout victims include such heavyweights as Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore. Mayweather, on the other hand is a boring boxer known more for his defense and getting out of harm’s way by dancing away from his opponent. This he did in dealing Pacquiao a unanimous decision loss in their first match in Las Vegas in May 2, 2015. Mayweather is also known for picking his opponents. The only other notable fighters he fought aside from Pacquiao, were

Shane Mosley and Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, whom Floyd dealt his only defeat. Like the way he fought Pacquiao, Mayweather used fancy footwork and his vaunted shoulder defense against Alvarez and Mosley. Manny on the other hand, took Shane to school with a masterful display of volume punches that made Mosley said after the fight: “Manny’s punches were coming from every direction I couldn’t tell where to expect them.” Like the other fighters Pacquiao fought, Mosley followed Ricky Hatton, Oscar dela Hoya, Antonio Margarito and more recently Lucas Matyssee into retirement. Pacquiao surprised the Argentine and his Filipino fans when he sent Mathyssee to the canvas thrice before the referee stopped the fight. Mayweather, known as the “Money Man” has enough to stay in retirement. But a three-year retirement period has made him an obscurity, something a megalomaniac like Mayweather cannot stand. Floyd also knows he cannot attract fight fans unless he faces a marquee name like Manny Pacquiao. Big bucks from Manny’s following of Hollywood stars troop to Las Vegas from Los Angeles just to see the Filipino fight.

It must burn up Floyd to see Manny whom he defeated on points get more attention than him. So on this issue alone, Mayweather-Pacquiao II is bound to happen. Recognition and respect, which Floyd Mayweather desperately wants, will be the driving force in this rematch to be signed, sealed and delivered. It’s going to set a record at the box office because many want to see Mayweather get his comeuppance and Manny Pacquiao his revenge. Speaking of revenge in a return bout, last Saturday’s (Sunday, Manila time) saw Mexican middleweight Canelo Alvarez exact his revenge against Kazakstan’s Gennady Golovkin via unanimous decision victory. Although there were no knockdowns despite Gennady’s record of 38 wins, 34 of them coming by way of knockouts, the CaneloGGG II was a slam-bang fight from start to finish. Golovkin suffered his first defeat at the hands of the Mexican slugger. Following his fight plan from lessons learned in their split decision draw first bout, Alvarez softened Golovkin with body punches prompting his foe to lower his guard to protect his torso. Canelo then peppered him with jabs and combination punches to the head. Canelo suffered a cut on his left eyelid, but his ring handlers stemmed the gash from flowing blood. At the end of the fight, it was Gennady, who had cuts on both eyebrows. The epic middleweight match between Canelo and GGG made more pronounced the lack of talent in the heavyweight division after the Ukrainian Klitschko brothers and Brit Lennox Lewis retired. It is in the welterweight division which is teeming with talents and box office crowd drawers. Aside from Pacquiao, there are Amir Khan and even world lightweight champion Terence Crawford, who could easily move up to the 146 pound class. Pacquiao, however, should avoid Crawford. The Nebraskan, a two-fisted knockout puncher is dangerous foe. Amir Khan, an Olympic gold medalist is no easy fight, either. As a former spar mate of Pacquiao, the Pakistani knows the Filipino’s style. Manny could fight Khan and Crawford later after the return bout with Mayweather. An upset loss to Khan could spoil the Manny-Floyd megabucks bout already in the works. (The author is a former president of the Philippine Sportswriters Association)

WALKER POWERS ELITE TO PBA LEAD By Reuel Vidal BLACKWATER Elite borrowed a page from coach Tim Cone’s playbook by bringing in import Henry Walker one conference early. The result: the Elite (4 wins, 0 losses) are on top of the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup standings. After a 0-6 start in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Blackwater brought in Walker to replace big man Jarrid Famous. The team limped home with a 1-4 record to close out the conference but the familiarity and camaraderie that resulted from Walker’s early arrival has clearly charged the team with renewed vigor. Last Friday the Elite leaned on Walker to beat defending champion Barangay Ginebra, 124-118, in overtime to vault to the top. The Elite have been leaning on their fearsome outside shooting with shooters Allein Maliksi, Mac Belo, Mike DiGregorio, new arrival Paul Zamar and of course import Walker to devastate their opponents. The Elite forced overtime after a tri-

ple by DiGregorio. Walker penetrated into the paint then zipped a pass to an open DiGregorio who drilled the trey from the right baseline corner. The Elite then drained four more triples in overtime to tally the victory pulling away. Zamar, Walker and Belo drilled the crucial triples in overtime to hand Ginebra its first defeat this conference. Blackwater coach Bong Ramos said the character of the team shone through. He said he hoped winning has become a habit. He added it was a different Ginebra team because Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter missed the game but the Gin Kings hung tough in regulation period and almost pulled out the victory. The other teams include the Magnolia Pambansang Manok (2-0), the Phoenix Fuelmasters (4-1), the Alaska Aces (3-1 loss), Ginebra (3-1), the San Miguel Beermen (2-1), the NLEX Road Warriors (3-2), TNT KaTropa (2-4), the Meralco Bolts (1-3), the NorthPort Batang Pier (05) and the Columbian Dyip (0-6). The Rain or Shine Elastopainters have not yet played as of press time. Ginebra import Justin Brownlee could have handed the Gin Kings the

Blackwater Elite import Henry Walker powers to the hoop against Barangay Ginebra defenders Aljon Mariano (31) and Joe Devance while Blackwater Elite big man Poy Erram (7) looks on. PBA Media

victory. But he missed on a drive in the dying seconds of regulation period. Brownlee started the extension period with a three-point play. Zamar, Walker and Belo then each drilled a triple as Blackwater started to pull away to post another upset win. Walker finished with six triples and scored a total of 39 points. Zamar unloaded a career-high 17 points. The Elite also posted surprise victories over TNT and San Miguel Beer.

Blackwater shocked San Miguel, 103100, to tally its second straight win this conference. Blackwater relied on a late surge to outscore SMB 29-18 in the last 12 minutes. Walker accounted for 10 points in that decisive run. The Elite also needed an extra five minutes to take down the KaTropa, 104-98. It was the first time in franchise history for the Elite to beat TNT. Prior to that game the KaTropa held an 11-0 record over the Elite.

SASO POWERS PRADERA TO PAL CROWN DAVAO CITY—Asian Games champion Yuka Saso powered Pradera Verde to its second straight Philippine Airlines Ladies Interclub team championship Saturday, scoring a tournament-best 59 points at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club. The 17-year-old Fil-Japanese eagled the par-5, 12th hole and made four birdies against a lone bogey to anchor Pradera Verde’s final day charge that overhauled Manila Southwoods’ three-point lead. Rianne Malixi, showing a lot of promise at a tender age of 11, closed out with 52 points and Malaysian Eliza Mae Kho chipped in 50 as Pradera finished with 161 points for a 13-point victory. Malaysian Vinisha Gunaseelan did not count with a 48. “We’re going for a three-peat next year,” declared Pradera Verde captain Norman Sto. Domingo who scrambled to form a team after losing six players from last year’s champion team. Depending on their availability, Pradera Verde is expected to bring back the Malaysians next year, according to team owner Lubao Mayor Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab. “We would also like to tap young Filipinas, too,” said PinedaCayabyab. Sto. Domingo made special mention of Malixi who bounced back from a 47-point debut to submit a two-over par 74 Saturday. “Watch out for Rianne. She’s young, but very talented,” he said. Sto. Domingo also paid tribute for Manila Southwoods for putting up a good fight. “They are well-balanced and better prepared this year,” Sto. Domingo said. After setting the pace in the first three rounds, Manila Southwoods chose the wrong time to play its worst round. Marielle Isabela Tee was the only Southwoods players to score 50 points as top gun Maria Sofia Chabon fell prey to a bacterial infection and failed to count with 45. Drawing a pair of 47s from Samantha Dizon and Laurea Duque, Manila Southwoods limped home with 145 points. “We still feel like we won out here, considering (the margin) last year,” said Southwoods skipper Claire Ong, referring to their 43-point defeat in Cebu City. Major sponsors for the 13th PAL Ladies Interclub include Airbus, Bombardier, People Asia, UM Broadcasting Network and Primax Broadcasting Network. Other sponsors are TFC, Mastercard, Resorts World, SEDA Hotel, SM Supermalls and Banco de Oro. Donors are Asia Brewery and Philippine National Bank. The final Championship Division results: Pradera Verde 618 (151-156150-161), Manila Southwoods 605 (156-154-150-145)

CARLOS, BAULETE HURDLE CEBUANA TENNIS FOES

Participants in the 14- and 16-and-under divisions pose before vying in the Cebuana Lhuillier Girls’ Tennis Challenge at the Makati Sports Club.

MACIE Carlos and Rovie Baulete hacked out victories in contrasting fashions to lead the charge of the fancied bets in the opener of the Cebuana Lhuillier Girls’ Tennis Challenge Under-14 and U-16 qualifying tournaments at the Makati Sports Club recently. Last year’s runner-up Carlos disposed of Corazon Lambonao, 6-2, 6-2, in the 14-U side while Baulete recovered from a second set defeat by dominating the super tiebreak, 6-4, 6-7(4), 10-2, in the 16-U play of the tournament sponsored by Malayan Insurance, Dunlop and Makati Sports Club. In other 14-U results, Mica Emana overpowered Tennielle Madis in the tiebreak, 6-2. 3-6, 10-0, while third ranked Tiffany Nocos upended No. 2 Julia Ignacio, 6-4, 6-1, in the

Unified Tennis Philippines-sanctioned event, which serves as a qualifier for the Women’s Tennis Association Future Stars Finals in Singapore next month. Justin Maneja, on the other hand, whipped Shedel Gica, 6-3, 6-0, while second seed Bliss Bayking blitzed past Ellaine Bahonsua, 6-0, 6-2, in the 16-U category. “Your worthy performance earned you a spot in this tournament and I believe the winners will make the country proud in the WTA Future Stars,” said Cebuana Lhuillier president/ CEO and UTP founder Jean Henri Lhuillier. All participants received certificates of recognition from UTP officials for emerging the top-ranking players in their respective categories.

Yuka Saso

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

Business

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

MAKATI SCHOOL TO OFFER COURSES ON CYBER SECURITY, CLOUD COMPUTING By Nathalie Grace Adalid and Rhosedel Grace Gabac

BEAUTY QUEEN UNITES ASEAN ENTREPRENEURS

FORMER beauty queen, who was crowned Miss Singapore in 2006, is uniting women entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia.

Soul Rich Woman founder Genecia Alluora

Genecia Alluora, who also won as Miss Singapore Chinese Cosmo 2011, is the founder of Soul Rich Woman, Southeast Asia’s largest network of female entrepreneurs with a presence in the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asean countries. “I established Soul Rich Woman in 2015 after finding it extremely difficult to find help and resources when I decided to launch my own coffee chain Coffee:Nowhere, after winning Miss Singapore in 2006,” Alluora says in an e-mailed interview. “I’m passionate in helping ambitious women in finding and building on their dreams,” she says. Soul Rich Woman now has 11,000 active members collaborating across 15 countries. It’s mission is to enable women to succeed in business, life and health through knowledge sharing, networking and inspiring confidence in one another. What started as a mission to help women entrepreneurs in Singapore has expanded to other Asean countries. It helps remove obstacles to female entrepreneurship through mentoring, skill sharing and network building programs across the region. She manages a team of 11 members to build the network. The global team is spread out across Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines and Ireland. “From Singapore to Manila, our members are sharing their expertise with each other and pooling their knowledge,” she says. Alluora was born and educated in Singapore. She supported her studies and her family by teaching yoga, aerobics and line dancing at age of 14. “Life can bring you on strange journeys sometimes that end up being significant and I ended up enrolling in my first pageant

competition, The New Face Competition in 2003. Within three years I was crowned Miss Singapore and I took the chance to upskill myself in public speaking, natural language processing and personal branding,” she says. Aside from being a line dancer, Alluora is also an animal lover and a professional rescue diver. “I love hiking and find exercise is a great help in terms of clearing my mind and helping me focus,” she says. “Those experiences really helped build my confidence to step into the business world. I initially set up InQueenz, an image consultancy that coached high profile business personalities, pageant contestants and even politicians on personal branding. After finding success in consultancy I wanted to try something more ‘bricks and mortar’ and began a partnership to set up coffee shop retail chain ‘Coffee: Nowhere’. The chain now has a presence in three countries and continues to grow strong,” she says. “People will be surprised to hear I’m a true blue introvert, playing an extrovert’s game. I’m also a marketing automation geek and I love my entrepreneurial lifestyle. I thrive on helping similar females reach their goals and I enjoy the concept of being able to work anywhere, anytime,” she says. Alluora says being a beauty queen helped her to become a better entrepreneur. “As a beauty queen every aspect of you is under scrutiny, not just by the public but also by yourself. I was always my harshest critic. That’s something pageantry and entrepreneurship share. You are always your harshest critic,” she says in an e-mailed interview. Continuous personal development helped her attain her status as a global entrepreneur. “While winning Miss Singapore International 2006 and Miss Singapore Chinese Cosmo 2011 helped me understand the importance of self confidence, self identity and the power of teamwork, it was my personal development that helped me cross over to entrepreneurship. You need to be confident in your skills and capability,” she says. “In both cases, you need to be resilient and Turn to C2

TELEPERFORMANCE TO HIRE THOUSANDS OF BPO WORKERS By Julianne Edon Gabis TELEPERFORMANCE, one of the largest private sector employers in the Philippines, opened a new site in Quezon City and expects to hire thousands of new BPO employees, on top of the 40,000 people already in its roster in the country. The French BPO giant opened its 19th site in the Philippines at Vertis North in Quezon City on Sept. 13. It announced job openings in the new site which can accommodate up to 3,000 professionals. Travis Coates, managing director of Teleperformance Philippines, said the company aimed to increase its already 40,000 employees in the country through further expansion.

Coates said the company was expecting to hire around 4,000 to 5,000 more people in the next few months to cater to online retail clients as well as healthcare services in the US. The new site at Vertis Tower 1 spans nine floors which, at full capacity, will be able to accommodate 3,000 employees. The site is strategically located within the mixed-use Ayala commercial complex at Edsa corner Minadanao Ave. Teleperformance now counts 19 sites in the country, making it the largest in Asia. Coates said the company was still looking to expand and sustain its growth in the Philippines. “We’re constantly looking at where is the next location for us. As we continue to grow and get more clients, we’ll continue to open as many sites as we need,” said Coates.

Teleperformance opens its new site at Vertis North in Quezon City. Shown during the ribboncutting ceremony are (from left) Teleperformance Philippines senior vice president Jeffrey Johnson, IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines president Rey Untal, Department of Information and Communication Technology Undersecretary Monchito Ibrahim, French Embassy economic counselor Estrade Laurent, Teleperformance Philippines managing director Travis Coates, site director Rina Villarba and vice president for operations Bryan Ashby.

A SCHOOL in Makati City unveiled its plan to offer courses on network engineering, cyber security and cloud computing to prepare their students to become “game changers” once they join the job market. Founded in 2002, iAcademy is a college in Makati City’s central business district. It describes its students as “game changers” as they undergo an experience and outcome-based training to become versatile individuals who are prepared to dive in professional industries with competency and knowledge. “Meaningful learning is attained when there is a purpose behind it; more so when students discover that purpose themselves. We challenge the students to solve realworld problems in our community through our project-based learning,” assistant principal for senior high school Mel Obedoza said. While it is primarily known as an IT school, iAcademy also offers courses in computing, business and design which are primed to prepare students for the demands of the professional world with a variety of facilities and resources specific for every program. “Next year, we’re gonna’be offering Bachelor of Science in Computer Science [with] specialization in Cloud Computing...We’re gonna’ be offering specialization in Cloud Computing because we have a partnership with Amazon Web Services,” Mitch Andaya, dean of School of Computing, said. “We’re gonna’ be certifying our students for ethical hacking. We’re gonna’ teach them about the network engineering, cyber security,” Andaya said. iAcademy School of Computing Dean Mitch Abaya

“The best preparation [for the students] is to really involve the industry. iAcademy is strong in terms of our industry partnerships. And majority of our faculty members are industry workers,” he said. The school, which also offers academic and technical vocational tracks for senior high school, is equipped with computer laboratories boasting of the latest softwares to further determine their students’ growth especially in the field of business. It also has other specialized rooms such as a lightbox room and fashion design and sewing room for the design students. “There is a study that 80 percent of the careers that our students will be having for the next 10 years have not yet been invented. So how do you teach that not yet been invented?” Mark Meily, dean of Arts and Design, said. The school is known for being the first IBM Center of Excellence in the Asean region. It is a partner of Solar Entertainment for Project Runway Philippines that showcases their fashion design and technology program. “We decide to offer courses based on what the world economy demands. Courses offered in iAcademy are responsive to the needs of the times in the sense that it provides real-world training and authentic learning experiences to students, so that they are not just merely consumers but makers, designers, and leaders of the different industries,” iAcademy vice president for academics Francis Jacob Aragon said.

Business

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 business@manilastandard.net

BEAUTY... From C1 quickly adaptable. Things can go wrong and you need to be able to react effectively. One core difference between the two is the level of responsibility. With your own business, you’re not only accountable for your own success but that of your team. That’s a big responsibility,” says Alloura, who is now 34. She says the idea of forming a platform for women entrepreneurs stemmed from the challenges she faces while setting up her own business. “I faced many issues when setting up my business. I found there was a lack of mentorship and a lack of resources for female entrepreneurs going from offline to online. Women face very unique challenges in business and during encountering roadblocks I realized the importance of networking as well as knowledge and skill sharing so I decided to do something about it,” she says. “I wanted to create a platform that could help aspiring and existing female entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia achieve their ambitions and my first step was to established an online platform called the ‘You Are Possible Academy’. This would later evolve into Soul Rich Woman,” she says. Soul Rich Women emerged as Southeast Asia’s largest online network of female entrepreneurs. “We are a platform for ambitious women regardless if they are aspiring or existing entrepreneurs! In our mission to ‘move the needle’ on female entrepreneurship, we provide online coaching webinars on social and digital media, branding and strategy. We also provide training sessions and one to one mentoring to female entrepreneurs by utilizing our 11,000 strong Southeast Asia network. Soul Rich Woman also give women a place where they can share their thoughts, challenges and exchange tips on how to reach their business goals and objectives. In its first year, SRW attracted 500 members, growing 300 percent yearon-year since then and attracting a wide range of entrepreneurs from therapists, retailers, wholesalers, authors and strategists. “As a company we are growing quickly. To date, we are active in seven countries including Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. We’re planning further expansion, continuing our growth across the region to target Hong Kong, China and beyond,” she says. “We’ve recently signed a partnership in Vietnam for the Ho Chi Minh and Ha Noi markets to provide workshops to female entrepreneurs for the online marketing 4.0 movement. We’ve also partnered with online shopping site Lazada to host regional workshops for our community to help them grow from offline to online. My ambition is to grow Soul Rich Woman into a brand that is impactful in driving female entrepreneurship and upskilling women to achieve their ambitions throughout 2018 and beyond,” says Alluora. “Now three years old, I really feel like we’re starting to make a difference,” she says. She advises the millennials to take time in gaining experience and knowledge. “Youth is funny, you think you’ve no time to achieve what you want and become easily frustrated. Experience and knowledge take time to build. You have loads of time so take it. Learn and live as much as you can and success will come to you naturally provided your willing to work for it,” she says. Alloura encourages young entrepreneurs to learn from others. “Don’t be a victim of your own circumstances, find a mentor and get your ass out there. Alone you are strong, and together we are unstoppable,” she says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Jollibee opened its first store in Europe in Milan, Italy—signaling the start of further expansion in the continent.

By Alena Mae S. Flores

JOLLIBEE SUSTAINS GLOBAL EXPANSION

OLLIBEE Foods Corp., the largest Asian restaurant company in the world, aims to continue expanding locally and globally even as it celebrated a vibrant first semester with more stores. “Through the expansion of our brands, we get to share great tasting food and service to our customers. We are excited to further spread the joy of eating not only in the Philippines, but also to the world,” JFC chief executive Ernesto Tanmantiong said in a statement. Following the success of Jollibee’s rapid expansion to eight stores in Hong Kong, Jollibee opened its first store in Macau, serving a taste of home for the nearly 40,000 OFWs residing in Macau. Jollibee also opened its first store in Europe in March 2018 at the historic Piazza Diaz in Milan, Italy. The brand also plans to further expand in the continent, with the first store in the United Kingdom opening within a year. It also celebrated its 100th store in Vietnam, opening in the city of Can Tho. The store opened to hundreds of Vietnamese locals lining up to get a taste of their Jollibee favorites.

Jollibee Vietnam opened its 100th store in the city of Can Tho to long lines of Vietnamese locals excited to try their Jollibee favorites.

Jollibee is now the third largest quick service the Middle East and Asia combined region, with restaurant brand in Vietnam, and it plans to open the Jalan Muara store opening in Brunei. 20 more stores in the country this year. Jollibee further plans to enter new markets – This year also marked Jollibee’s 200th store in particularly Indonesia and Malaysia – in the near future. In the North America region, Jollibee also opened its first store in Toronto, Canada, and targets to reach 100 stores in the country within the next five years. In the Philippines, Mang Inasal, which was fully acquired by JFC in 2016, opened its 500th store in Mandurriao, Iloilo. Red Ribbon — another prominent JFC brand acquired in 2005 and one of the country’s top bakeshop chains — also opened its 400th store in the vicinity of Manaoag, Pangasinan. “These milestones show the capability of the Filipino to compete in the global stage. This is made all the more special as we celebrate our 40th anniversary this year - proving that we are indeed spreading the joy of eating across the globe,” said Tanmantiong. Moreover, other brands under the company’s expansion agenda include Chowking, Greenwich Pizza, Burger King Philippines, Chinese chains Yonghe King and Hong Zhuang Yuan, Dunkin Donuts China, Vietnamese brands PHO24 and Highlands Coffee, and recently consolidated USbased chain Smashburger. Red Ribbon opened its 400th Branch in Manaoag, Pangasinan. Acquired in 2005, JFC operates a total of over 4,200 stores in 21 the brand has since then risen to be one of the country’s top bakeshop chains. countries across the globe.

MANILA WATER EXECUTIVE APPOINTED FIRST FILIPINO IWA BOARD MEMBER THE International Water Association has appointed Manila Water Philippine Ventures and Manila Water Asia Pacific president and chief executive Virgilio Rivera Jr. as a non-executive member of the IWA board of directors for the period of 2018 to 2020. Rivera is the first Filipino to be appointed to the board of the 60-year old organization. Rivera’s experience and achievements have earned him distinction as a valuable resource person in the water industry, particularly on topics concerning infrastructure privatization, regulatory economics and public-private partnership initiatives. He authored a book called ‘Tap Secrets: The Manila Water Story, An Exercise in Successful Utility Reform in Urban Water Sector’ which was co-published by the Asian Development Bank in 2014. Rivera was part of the core team that

prepared the bid submission that won the Metro Manila East Zone franchise for the Ayala conglomerate, giving birth to Manila Water Company Inc. IWA’s board has the overall responsibility for the corporate governance of the association, including its strategic direction, review of the plans established by the management team, monitoring of performance and the establishment and implementation of policies and internal controls. In 2016, Rivera was also honored as an IWA fellow, a program that recognizes an individual’s sustained outstanding contribution to the water profession. He was the first Filipino to be included in the prestigious group out of then 190 IWA fellows worldwide. As President of MWPV and MWAP, Rivera now leads Manila Water’s expansion efforts and provides the overall strategy for new business operations and new business

development as the company expands its core business to new geographies in the Philippines, as well as to targeted markets in the Asian region such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar. “As board member, I will advise IWA how to expand its membership and presence in Asia. I believe this appointment provides me an excellent opportunity to assess market trends, identify partnership opportunities, and develop new business opportunities, among others,” said Rivera. IWA is the premier global association for water professionals. It has over 13,000 members with the mission of growing the water industry by disseminating best practices and diffusing knowledge and innovation among its members. IWA members and staff are situated in 130 countries worldwide, forming the largest international network of water professionals working towards a water-wise world.

Manila Water Philippine Ventures and Manila Water Asia Pacific president and CEO Virgilio Rivera Jr.

Tech & Gadgets

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

GALAXY J6 AMBASSADOR TALKS MOBILE GAMING

TREND MICRO BULLISH ON PH MARKET

REND Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, aims to beef up its presence in the Philippines in the corporate and consumer segments, as well as a source of employment. Ian Felipe, Philippines country manager of Trend Micro, said he is bullish on the performance of the company because of the warm response of the market as manifested by the five-fold rise of its sales force over the past five years. “This is an indicator on how we plan to continuously expand and develop the local market and help organizations in the cybersecurity front,” Felipe said. “At the same time, Trend Micro is continuously investing in talent. We have boosted our recruitment efforts, and this has grown more than 40% over the five-year period.” Moreover, the company reported substantial growth in sales in the Asia Pacific region covering Australia, the Middle East and SouthEastern Asia driven by the huge demand in network security related business including cloudrelated business. Net sales for this period in Asia Pacific region amounted to 10,899 million yen (26.7% increase from the same period in the previous year) which is the highest net sales growth. Despite the introduction of policies and regulations data breaches have remained consistent The Philippine office of Trend Micro functions as the global technical support and research and development headquarters of the parent company, with focus on threat and incident response and solutions delivery. Aside from being one of the major threat research facilities all over the world, the Philippine office serves as the backbone of the company’s service infrastructure. “It is focused on providing a deep understanding of how threats and cyber attacks work in order to provide timely and appropriate solutions that the customers need,” he said. This deep understanding allows Trend Micro researchers and engineers to gain insight on current security conversations not just in the country, but also globally. According to Felipe, information and data privacy is among these conversations. Despite the introduction of policies and regula-

Standing Left to Right is Paul Oliveria- Trend Micro Philippines Technical Communications, Nilesh Jain, Trend Micro Vice President SEA and India and Ian Felipe, Trend Micro Philippines Country Manager.

tions that aim to protect user data and privacy such as the Data Privacy Act, reports noted that data breaches have remained consistent, if not higher. In the Philippines, according to the National Privacy Commission, they’ve received 57 reported data breaches to NPC from January to May 2018. “In our recently released 2018 Midyear Security Roundup report, we noted that using the relevant 2017 and 2018 datasets from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, we saw a 16-percent increase in reported U.S.-based data breaches. This may indicate that even if enterprises are aware of the risks of data breaches, they may still be unable to enforce proper data protection mechanisms in a comprehensive manner,” Felipe said. Meanwhile, Felipe said Trend Micro is orga-

nizing for the second time its Security TRENDs conference which will feature keynote and track sessions that discuss current challenges organizations are facing in the area of cybersecurity, such as the increasingly complex data breaches, new government policies, and the widening cybersecurity skills gap. With its theme this year focusing on Data Breaches, Security TRENDs will also feature some of Trend Micro solutions and technologies that are part of the company’s Connected Threat Defense strategy. He said Security TRENDs provide an avenue for enterprises and organizations to address collectively these issues so that they can implement strategies, and solutions that are strong enough to withstand the rapid-changing landscape of the hyper-connected world.

FOR Bianca Yao, a good mobile game provides a level battlefield that promotes exciting and healthy competition for all participants. An avid fan of online multiplayer platforms like Mobile Legends and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the popular gamer girl believes that action-packed and adrenalinefilled moments allow you to form connections and strengthen friendships. “At the end of the day, we play to socialize and have a great time with others. What’s the point of fighting computercontrolled opponents, right?” says the former courtside reporter. Nowadays, Bianca notes that it is easy for anyone to be part of multiplayer groups and tournaments. “We have a large and lively community, made more dynamic by the rise of smartphonebased games. Nowadays, you just need a powerful device and good Internet connection to join the fun,” she says. For on-the-go gaming, the full-time Twitch streamer recommends choosing a phone with an expansive screen and a powerful processor. “Vivid visuals and high speed are always important. Those always take you at the heart of exciting action.” So far, Bianca enjoys dynamic entertainment experiences with her Galaxy J6. Powered by a 14nm Octacore Processor, the smartphone allows her to engage in intense and fast-paced battles. The Galaxy J6 also provides immersive viewing with its 5.6” Super AMOLED Infinity Display, and cinematic sound quality through its Dolby Atmos Technology. “I never experience lag whenever I play in this phone. The screen and acoustics are also top-notch.” Bianca got the chance to put the Galaxy J6 to the test in her Distraction Challenge, which you can watch on Samsung’s official Facebook and YouTube pages. In the video, Bianca smoothly powers through her game of PUBG on the Galaxy J6 despite many tempting distractions.

NEW DEVICE BUNDLES FROM GLOBE AT HOME ARE you a Globe Mobile Postpaid customer? If you are, then your home internet experience can get a major upgrade! Get your hands on the latest offer from Globe At Home, exclusive for Globe Postpaid Mobile customers: the Secure WiFi and Entertainment Bundles! These packages come with wonderful add-ons that can enhance your home internet experience. Secure WiFi Bundle: Browsing at home has never been safer Everyone in the family needs not only strong, but also a secure internet connection. With the Secure WiFi Bundle, protecting loved ones from online threats has never been easier. This bundle comes with three (3) TP Link WiFi Mesh devices that have parental control capabilities that will allow you to set internet time limits, block unwanted sites, and monitor internet usage. It also comes with antivirus features to protect wifi from malicious content and identity theft. Plus, the TP-Link allows you to extend WiFi coverage throughout your home. Entertainment Bundle: Non-stop entertainment featuring your ultimate faves! Bundle. Get year-round access to premium content from Netflix, FOX+,

GOLANGCO..

From C4

and DisneyLife that you can enjoy on the Globe Streamwatch Roku Powered device that also comes with this fun bundle. This streaming device will also allow you to access more than 150 streaming channels and enjoy high-definition shows on demand. And don’t think you’ll only be able to enjoy your favorite online shows in the living room; with the

two Airties WiFi Meshes that come with the bundle, you’ll be able to extend your WiFi coverage throughout your home! Both bundles are priced at P2,799 (up to 50Mbps) and P3,199 (up to 100Mbps) with unlimited data and will come with a free landline with 24 months with unlimited calls to Globe and TM. For those who will avail with-

in the GMA area, Globe At Home’s Tech Squad installation and consultation services will also come free! The promo is only until November 30, 2018 so hurry and apply today! Create your best home yet with Globe at Home’s exclusive premium device bundles! To learn more, visit shop.globe.com.ph/broadband/ globe-at-home-wifi-bundles.

We also use digital contests, too, to make the experience more interactive and personal to our audience,”Golangco explains. When asked about the secrets behind his success, the man of the hour did not hold back in sharing his tricks of the trade. “When you’re working the digital landscape, you have to look at your readers as the boss. The best websites label themselves as the trendsetters, but you also have to learn how to understand the pulse of your audience and translate that into content that will resonate with them. It’s a two-way process.” At present, WheninManila.com has been named a top Emerging Influential Blog as well as a leading Lifestyle and Hobbies blog in the Philippines. The website also continues to create viral stories that leave their lasting mark on readers. For this level of success, Golangco has only humble words to offer. “It takes a visionary to create a spark, but the support of your audience is just as important to succeed in a world as everchanging as the digital landscape.”

BIGGEST EXPO FOR PACKAGING, PRINT, PLASTICS INDUSTRY RETURNS PACK Print Plas Philippines and Manufacturing Technology World, the largest and only trade show dedicated to the inter-related industries of packaging, printing, plastics, and manufacturing industry in the country, returns for its biggest edition to date. The event will be held on October 11 to 13 at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City. Visitors are encouraged to pre-register online at www.globallinkmp.com for free admission. “This year, we will welcome more than 300 local and international exhibitors representing brands and technologies from more than 20 countries, making it a convenient way for companies involved in the business of manufacturing, printing, packaging, and plastics to source new products and meet new potential business partners,” said Patrick Lawrence Tan, CEO of Global-Link MP Events International Inc., organizer of the show. Pack Print Plas Philippines brings together the industries best in packaging, plastics, printing, and office supplies. Held in the three business capitals in the Philippines, Cebu, Davao and now Manila, it serves as an avenue for stakeholders to source the latest innovations in the market today. After more than two decades, Pack Print Plas Phil-

ippines continues to serve these big industries and its stakeholders by providing them with a venue to connect. This year, the show will even feature foreign companies seeking for local importers, distributors, and wholesalers. The list includes: Beijing Neogreen Exhibitions Co. Ltd, Dalian FTZ Globe International Trading Co Ltd, Foshan Gongzheng Plastics Machinery Co. Ltd, Guangdong Liansu (Fetchina), Guangdong Yizumi Precision Moulding machinery Co. Ltd, Inktec Co., Jiansu Acemien Machinery Co. Ltd (Fetchina), Kiefel GMBH, Kushan Neo-Ental Machinery Co Ltd, Qingdao Kefengyuan Plastic Machinery Co. Ltd, (Aoger), Qingdao Keshengda Plastic Machinery Co. Ltd (Aoger), Quanzhou Sanwei Chemical Inds Co. Ltd (Fetchina), Ruian Bocheng Machinery Co. Ltd, Shanghai Jwell Extrusion Machinery Co. Ltd (Ruhrmesse), and many more. The event is made possible by the support of three of the leading industry organizations: the Philippine Center for Print Excellence Foundation, Inc., the Philippine Plastics Industry Association, Inc., and the Packaging Institute of the Philippines. “It is through this trade show that people will get firsthand experience the latest innovative technologies and see that it will be a worthwhile investment,”said President

Visitors can look forward to exploring a wide array of products and technologies from more than 300 brands.

Vicente Co of Philippine Plastics Industry Association. The plastics industry continues to be a growing business despite. According to a report made by Mordor Intelligence in 2017, the packaging application accounted for the highest market share of the plastics industry at 48%, recording a steady growth over the period. “With a lot of growth potential in food-related tech-

nology in the manufacturing space that has yet to be tapped, Pack Print Plas event is quite relevant in the building of the Philippine economy,” President Joseph Jocson of Packaging Institute of the Philippines said. Philip Lao, president of PCPEF added, “We are positive that as we work together with associations and stakeholders of the packaging and plastics industry, it will enable us to discover more innovative ways to reach a more progressive Philippine trade industry.” Pack Print Plas Philippines is held coinciding with Manufacturing Technology World which made this event the ultimate trade show each year. With its yearly success, this trade show has become the most reliable platform for exhibitors and visitors as it serves as an efficient venue to grow their businesses, both in terms of sales and technological advancement. Pack Print Plas Philippines and Manufacturing Technology World will be open from 10 a.m. to 06:30 p.m. daily from October 11 to 13. Interested trade visitors and professionals may pre-register at www.globallinkmp. com/ppp and/or www.globallinkmp.com/mtw to get a complimentary 1-day visitor pass. For more information on the event, contact the organizers at tel. no. (632) 893-7973.

TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

HP ENVY: SLEEK DESIGN, MAXIMUM VERSATILITY

P PHILIPPINES unveiled the latest HP ENVY 13, which features sleek, stylish design, powerful performance and maximum versatility to securely connect, create and collaborate from anywhere, anytime. The new ENVY laptop is packed with amazing features that go beyond basic performance and battery improvements. Today’s consumer wants a device that can do it all—whether at home, work or school, their device needs to keep up with their demanding lifestyle. With 81 per cent of people working during their personal time and more than half multi-tasking personal activities at work, using a device that can straddle the realities of each environment is more important than ever. HP’s new premium PC includes various form factors that meet an individual’s personal style and specific computing needs. “HP’s undisputed design and engineering leadership is delivering the ultimate combination of style, performance and versatility,” said Pallasena Viswanath, Managing Director of HP Philippines. “With the next level privacy and other industry-leading innovations, our new HP ENVY 13 creates unrivaled premium PC experiences.” HP ENVY 13 Laptop offers exceptional power in a sleek, stylish, allmetal design available in natural silver or pale gold. Featuring 8th generation Intel® Quad Core™ processors, up to 14 hours of battery life and security features including a fingerprint reader, this device is designed for the on-the-

Vince Golangco

HP’s new premium PC includes various form factors that meet an individual’s personal style and specific computing needs.

go multi-tasker. At 14.9 mm z height, the ENVY 13 is not only thin and light, but it also has the capacity to house an NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB videocard for maximum performance. Power to perform confidently: Power through any project that comes your way with up to 14 hours of power on the go, the latest Intel® Core™ processor and up to 8GB RAM. Designed for mobility: Elegance and durability in a thin and light, allaluminum design that syncs beauti-

fully with a full-size keyboard. Next-level privacy: Login quickly and securely with the integrated fingerprint reader. Rest easy knowing that your privacy is protected. Elevated entertainment: Immerse yourself in next-level entertainment on an ultra-bright FHD micro-edge display. Awaken your senses to audio perfection with Quad HP Speakers by Bang & Olufsen. Pricing and Availability In the Philippines, the HP ENVY

13 Laptop is available in HP Concept Stores. HP ENVY 13 Laptop is now available from a starting price of P60,990. For more information, please visit the HP Official Store in Lazada.com.ph. HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com.

OPPO DEBUTS F9 STARRY PURPLE By Nat Mariano GLOBAL innovation leader OPPO stepped up its game by providing users a fashionable yet innovative smartphone as the mobile company debuted its new, stylistic, and uniquely-designed smartphone to date: the OPPO F9 Starry Purple. Not even the inclement weather was able to stop OPPO from launching the F9 Starry Purple in its new flagship concept store at Glorietta 2. OPPO ambassador and singer-actress Glaiza de Castro even graced the launch of the bold and edgy F9 Starry Purple last Saturday. “I’m very happy with my Starry Purple OPPO F9. What makes it different from other smartphones is that it adds that special touch to my personality and makes me unique,” shared De Castro, expressing awe at the F9 Starry Purple’s design inspired from a starry night sky. Meanwhile, OPPO Philippines’ VP for Marketing Jane Wan said that the innovative OPPO F9 Starry Purple is the company’s tribute to the vibrant and full-of-life color of the year. “Embracing innovation and individuality, Starry Purple draws the excellent choice among the youth, leading a new trend in how our customers can dare themselves to be unique,” said Wan. “We encourage Filipinos to check out this eyecatching device. You won’t see any other smartphone that combines such a striking fashionable design and powerful specs the way the Starry Purple F9 does,” she added.

It’s back cover starts from a glossy indigo at the top and seamlessly transitions to a deep purple finish downwards, while its top portion is sprayed with small beads to achieve the starry effect and resulting to a gradient finish that cannot be ignored. Launched last month in Sunrise Red and Twilight Blue, OPPO F9 pioneered the highly beneficial VOOC Flash Charge technology in the mid-range category, allowing the user two hours of talk time in just five minutes of charging. The charger and smartphone are equipped with five layers of protection to ensure safety, while delivering optimal performance and quality. The F9 also brings together an innovative gradient body, waterdrop screen, 6GB RAM, and dual rear cameras, providing high value for money in every way. Additionally, using the VOOC Flash Charging of the OPPO F9 can save users up to 2-hour charge time as compared to the standard 5V/1A charger. This translates to less downtime and hassle with cables, chargers, and even carrying a power bank. OPPO F9 is also expected to save users time up to 45,260 minutes, or 31 days per year in waiting for OPPO ambassador Glaiza de Castro their phone to charge. proudly poses her new OPPO F9 For only P17,990, this special variant is available Starry Purple. Nat Mariano for pre-orders, with freebies worth P1,500.00 up for grabs such as a Bluetooth headset, gamepad holdWith an image for launching first-of-its-kind er, and ring holder. concepts, global innovation leader OPPO brings an For more details on OPPO’s products and activiexciting new twist to its latest model F9 through its ties, follow www.facebook.com/OPPOPH as well as purple variant. @OPPOPhilippines on Twitter and Instagram.

PH MILLENNIALS LEAD GIG ECONOMY By Ram Christian Agustin and Paul David Gelario THE digital revolution and its pivotal role in reshaping business models and changing the nature of economic and industrial sectors were the main talking points at the PayPal Gig Economy Media Summit in Makati last Sept. 19. The forum was headlined with topics revolving around the millennial generation’s part-time labor force, aka the “gig economy,” where nine out of 10 freelancers based on the PayPal Global Freelancer Study were under 40 years old, which include traditional freelancers, craftspeople, independent contractors, microentrepreneurs, and shift workers. Joining the forum were Nagesh Devata, PayPal Head of Cross-border Trade in Southeast Asia, and Abhinav Kumar, Head of Strategic Partnerships in Southeast Asia. Discussions concerning the Philippine freelancer economy were led by Shahab Shabibi, CEO and Cofounder of Machine Ventures; Nicholas Padilla, CEO and Space Captain of Kahon.Ph; and Luarni Sim, freelance graphic designer and LEGO Builder at Messy Maru. “Digital platforms have made the gig economy a

Joining the forum were Nagesh Devata, PayPal Head of Cross-border Trade in Southeast Asia, and Abhinav Kumar, Head of Strategic Partnerships in Southeast Asia.

global ecosystem. In this context, Filipinos need to be competitive at the international level,” said Nagesh. “Proper mentorship and guidance are key in enabling this growing community.” With technology and socio-economic trends continuously reforming business models, the type of jobs

needed have consequently been changed, which leads to a major job churn for employees, several of whom are at risk of automation, while others are lagging behind in skill development. Although gig workers now have access to an increasing number of jobs across multiple industries, they also face significant challenges in obtaining security in today’s economy. In exchange for the flexibility and control over certain aspects of their work, freelancers lose the usual benefits entitled only to traditional employees such as health insurance or performance bonuses. Currently, 85% of freelancers in Southeast Asia use PayPal as a payment method, where 58% of the gig community acquire work through various freelancer platforms. “Millennials will occupy the majority of the global workforce in three years. They are the on-the-go generation, with highly differentiated preferences when it comes to work.” said Nagesh. “The Philippines is one of the world’s most dynamic markets for freelancers and solopreneurs, and through the Freelancer Community Program, PayPal is giving them the opportunity to upskill by hearing from established freelancers in the community,” he concluded.

GOLANGCO BLAZES TRAIL IN DIGITAL CONTENT WHAT does it take to be visionary? Is it having the grit to start something without the assurance of success? The fearlessness to put ideas into actions? Or the determination to change the world? For WheninManila founder Vince Golangco, it is all these--and so much more. There are many ways you can describe Golangco, and yet few words can really encapsulate the man that he is and the milestones he has achieved. As the creative mind and force behind WheninManila.com, he has revolutionized the digital landscape with the way he packaged and distributed content to the masses. In his journey, he was able to change the way Filipinos consume stories, and in the process, the way brands connect to their consumers. There is not one school or college major that trains CEOs like Golangco. When asked about where and how he honed his understanding of the digital world, he explained, “It’s a combination of my experience as an entrepreneur and a creative. Before I started WheninManila.com, I’ve worked as a radio DJ and a voice talent. This gave me a perspective on how to connect with people. In terms of gaining fresh insights into lifestyle angles that appeal to consumers, I get that from my experience as a restaurateur.” To call Golangco a Jack of All Trades would be undermining his achievements in the digital scene. From being a humble website that created lifestyle stories, WheninManila is now recognized as a top blog and online magazine in the country. The website, which focuses on anything and everything under the sun--from food and fashion to travel and tech--rakes in over 10 million impressions with over two million following in their social media channels. Golangco manages his own creatives which include over a thousand writers, video editors, and photographers. The website is also a go-to platform for advertisers who want to widen the reach of their products. According to Golangco, they owe this success to the way they approach their stories. He shares, “We don’t focus on hard selling brands, we focus on encouraging ideas. If you want to succeed in the digital world, you have to appeal to the tastes of your readers. We do that by crafting stories that our consumers would want to talk about, and in the process, try out themselves.” WheninManila.com isn’t your ordinary online magazine either. In a world where the digital landscape gets saturated by content, it remains afloat by sticking to its multi-pronged approach in bringing stories closer to the readers. “For example, we don’t just focus on articles. We also make sure to utilize every social media post that we create. Turn to C3

Destinations D1

sunday, september 23, 2018

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

BUCKET LIST

Work and live in madrid for a year

From left TPB’s Vanessa Suatengco, Fidelis Cariño, and DFA’s Leo herrera-Lim

TOURISM NEWS

Travel expo puTs pH aT THe forefronT of global Tourism

FULL IMMERSION. Madrid's Plaza Parterre in Buen Retiro Park is just one of the many places in Madrid and in Spain Filipinos can explore while teaching english for a

“I

year through a one-year student visa program. (dziambel/Wikimedia Commons)

hAVe turned my life around and it was the best decision I have ever made,” enthuses James, a Metro Manila native, who’s now in his second year in Madrid. James have always dreamed of moving to europe, especially Spain, largely because of the Spanish influence on the Philippines. “But I would never have thought I could make that dream real until a friend told me about the TtMadrid visa program,” he shares. TtMadrid or Teacher Training Madrid academy offers a one-year visa program, also known as the Spanish and Teaching Abroad Program. The academy offers a four-week accredited Teaching english as a Foreign Language or TeFL course, which allows those who finish the course to live and teach in Madrid with a oneyear student visa. It provides native english speakers and bilinguals from all corners of the world a solid and comprehensive training. It also provides them with a place they can call home. “The philosophy of TtMadrid,” says the academy’s founder and director Natasha Mason Kennedy, “is that we support the students in every aspect of their lives.” The said support goes from the academy’s invaluable assistance while going

through the process of obtaining a student’s visa to finding an accommodation in Madrid, setting up a bank account, buying a phone, and finding the best tapas in town. The TeFL program itself, a fourweek intensive course, provides students with all the necessary tools to be successful while teaching english in Spain. “There is no doubt that it is a very demanding course,” admits James. “But at the end of the four weeks, I was feeling fully prepared to give high quality classes.” According to James, it didn’t take him a long time to find out whether it was true since, like all of TtMadrid graduates, he lined up several teaching jobs almost immediately after the end of the program—as the school provides daily job alerts and assistance in finding work with companies and agencies offering legal contractual agreements. Much like everyone who went through the course, James has the opportunity to teach general english or business english in academies and companies—helping Turn to D2

The Spanish and Teaching Abroad Program gives Filipinos the opportunity to live in Spain.

Palacio de Cibeles, the seat of Madrid's City Council. (Carlos Delgado/Wikimedia Commons)

The recently concluded Philippine Travel exchange held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom strengthened the country’s travel and trade opportunities with the international market. “PhITeX is the biggest governmenthosted trade event in the country. I am sure each of our prospective buyers will love every moment of their stay here in the country especially when they get to experience Filipino hospitality,” said tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who led the officials who welcomed foreign delegates to the event. Joining Romulo-Puyat was Tourism Promotions Board officer-in-charge Arnold Gonzales. Lending them a hand were DoT spokesperson Benito Bengzon Jr., DoT regional director for CAR Venus Tan, DoT assistant secretary Verna Buensuceso, Department of Foreign Affairs assistant secretary Leo herrera-Lim, Department of Transportation assistant secretary Mark Steven Pastor, and Pacific Asia Travel Association–Philippine chapter secretary general Dakila Gonzales. “Our valuable guests are in for a great experience to discover why it is more fun in the Philippines and why they should include the country in their respective markets’ tour packages,” said Gonzales. Over 200 international buyers from 30 countries, together with more than 220 local sellers, converged at the event’s venue. Aside from business-to-business sessions, the international buyers were also entertained with amazing cultural performances by the Sindaw Philippines Performing Arts Guild and Princess Rivera Virtudazo. They were also treated to Filipino cuisine prepared by renowned chefs. TPB further impressed the foreign delegates with special tours in Laguna, Tagaytay, Iloilo, Bacolod, Bicol, Ilocos, Dumaguete, Siquijor, Palawan, and Davao.

Immersing in a new culture and learning the Spanish language are some of the perks of moving to Madrid.

The iconic Gran Via in Madrid

Fun at the peak

The fog-covered Chin See Caves Temple.

this 6,000-hectare development I hAVe heARD so much about opened in 1971, thanks to the viMalaysia’s Genting highlands sion of Malaysian businessman, that, on a recent vacation in Kuathe late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong. la Lumpur with my eldest son, we he conceptualized it and moved made it a point to visit this beauheaven and earth, literally, to entiful resort high up on the mounsure that it materialized. tains. Because it is on top of Mount Located north of Kuala Lumpur, approximately an hour’s mercury rising Ulu Kali, 1,800 meters above sea drive, it is officially known as level, it has a temperate climate, By BoB zozoBrado Resorts World Genting, or RWG, averaging 19 degrees Celsius all and is an integrated tourism year round, making it the favorite development which includes hotels, shopping weekend destination of the residents of tropical malls, theme parks, and casinos. The first phase of Kuala Lumpur and of other cities in Malaysia.

Department of Tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat

So what awaits visitors to this mountain resort? Too many, one can’t finish visiting them in a day. There are seven hotels, two theme parks, two casinos, a humongous shopping plaza, a Premium Outlets mall, karaoke bars, dozens of restaurants, a challenging golf course, and fruit, vegetable, and flower farms, among many others. All these spell F-U-N for any visitor! No wonder it has been attracting hordes of tourists all throughout these years. The image of Genting highlands that keeps on popping up in my mind is of those cable cars that ferry passengers several kilometers up to the reTurn to D2

destinations

sunday, september 23, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

work...

From D1

prepare language certificates or just giving conversation classes. He can also work with either children or adults. Kate, a graduate from the us, points out how much she appreciates being able to get an insider’s look (not to mention useful connections) into typically spanish work environments. “I currently teach in-company classes in big companies, as well as private classes with doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, and accountants. I love the constant change and challenge of teaching english to this array of professionals,” she shares. but the experience is not only about work, it is also about enjoying the chance to get completely immersed in a different culture and learn a new language. Intensive spanish classes, delivered by ttmadrid’s spanish counterpart—La aventura española madrid—are a crucial part of the program. “Our teachers at Laemadrid share ttmadrid’s approach to teaching, which is both fun and dynamic, but with a real academic backbone,” says Kennedy. mastering the language makes it easier for graduates to dive into the vibrant life of the city, its rich food culture, and its colorful party scene. madrid’s central position is ideal for traveling around spain, and also europe, and discovering the huge diversity and fascinating history of the old continent. suffice it to say, it offers the perfect opportunity for a full immersion in one of europe’s most exciting city while imparting knowledge to and getting to know other people. “I can’t even begin to list all the benefits I have been deriving from this experience,” beams James. “I have traveled to my bucket-list destinations, I have gained valuable work experience, I have made friends from all around the world, and I have shared my passion for teaching the english language.”

a training session of teaching english as Foreign Language at one of spain's top teFL academies

His plans for the future? “I want to stay here at least one more year and work on my spanish fluency. there’s so much to learn in spain, especially the many connections this country has with Filipino culture—food, religion, fiestas, among many other customs. It feels like home.” agency collective nomads Global studios, through its travel media and community the nomads, has recently partnered with ttmadrid in providing the best career and lifestyle advice for interested enrollees from the philippines and other non-european countries. Filipinos and non-europeans can inquire about the spanish and teaching abroad program by contacting hello@ nomadstreet.com. by using the enrollment code “nOmads” when they inquire and sign up at ttmadrid, new students can enjoy free airport pick-up upon their arrival as well as a special city tour of madrid. For more information, log on to www.nomadstreet.com.

YOUR weekend CHUCkLe WIFe: How would you describe me? Husband: abCdeFGHIJK. WIFe: What does that mean? Husband: adorable, beautiful, Cute, delightful, elegant, Fashionable, Gorgeous, and Hot. WIFe: aww, thank you, but what about IJK? Husband: I’m Just Kidding! as of press time, the husband is still in the hospital, recuperating from broken bones.

the breathtaking view, going down on the Genting skyway.

Fun... From D1 sort. needless to say, I was most excited when I finally had the chance to be in one. the Genting skyway is recognized as the “World’s Fastest mono Cable Car system” as each cable car travels at a speed of approximately 22 kilometers per hour. It is also the longest cable car system in malaysia. there were no other passengers in our cable car, so when my son and I boarded it, we were like little boys on our first carousel ride in a carnival, with our ooohhhs, aaahhhs, and wows, while we “sailed” over breathtaking sights everywhere we looked! the exciting ride brought us to skyavenue, a large mall which houses dozens of shops and restaurants around a huge atrium where gigantic Led screens dish out attractive and colorful video presentations every 30 minutes. but what left our mouths gaping in awe was the First World Hotel, which is annexed to the mall. the Guinness book of World records has proclaimed it the World’s Largest Hotel consistently since 2006. It has 7,351 guest rooms, with an additional 1,100 rooms still under construction. the hotel lobby is so big, with so many people crisscrossing it at any given time. When you are in the middle of it, you feel like you’re in new york’s Grand Central station.

the hotel doesn’t have a reception counter but instead it has dozens of individual electronic kiosks where guests can easily check in by themselves, a process that takes only two minutes, maximum. Check out is even easier as all one needs is to insert the room key and the bill is automatically charged to one’s credit card, a process that takes a maximum of only eight seconds. the sheer number of guest rooms made me very curious, so I approached the concierge and asked for more details about the hotel. Its average occupancy throughout the year is a whopping 97 percent, which means that 7,130 rooms are occupied any given day. Its laundry system is very sophisticated that it can wash 40 tons of linen a day, that’s approximately 75,000 pieces every 24 hours! but, surprisingly, only around 3,000 employees are involved in running the hotel’s day-to-day operations. maybe because a lot of its facilities are run electronically. another attraction of our Genting Highlands tour was the beautiful Chin swee Caves temple. It has the statue of Qingshui, a buddhist monk who is considered an important deity because of his supernatural power to bring in rain to drought-stricken provinces, and to drive away evil spirits. this temple is located almost halfway through the ride, either on the way up or down from the mountain peak.

Stay by the bay LeadInG global serviced residences owner-operator ascott Limited offers long-stay travelers and staycationers chic bay side living with the opening of its newest property near manila bay. Opening in november this year is Citadines bay City manila, located at the corner of diosdado macapagal avenue and Coral Way. It’s a stone’s throw from the sprawling sm mall of asia, minutes away from entertainment hubs such as dream play and mall of asia arena, and just a short drive from ninoy aquino International airport.

the serviced apartment is perfect for an overnight stay or extended stays; ideal for those who want to explore manila and pasay, or those who want to relax in a home away from home, or those who have businesses or commitments to accomplish in the area. Citadines bay City manila offers 212 units divided into three types. studio deluxe is ideal for solo travelers or couples, the studio deluxe twin is designed for extended stays with its fully-equipped kitchen and

Citadines bay City manila's studio deluxe is ideal for solo travelers or couples.

the vast atrium of sky avenue, with its giant Led screens.

We could have gone around some more to enjoy its many other exciting offerings, but we only had a day to spend at Genting Highlands, a day of excitement, luxury, and entertainment for us. I’m sure all the other visitors to this resort feel the same way, which is why it continues to attract millions, in number of tourists and their expenditures. Last year, it registered

approximately 23 million visitors, and is expected to bring in 30 million by 2020. so, if you’re in this part of the world, share in the Fun at tHIs peak. It will give you an insight on the sense of pride the country has when it proclaims itself as “truly asia.” For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

ascott Limited will open in november its latest serviced residence property near manila bay.

washer and dryer features, and the spacious Onebedroom premier serviced apartment is great for families as it has separate living and dining areas. all apartments are equipped with modern amenities, including a smart tV, en-suite bathroom, and split air-conditioning system. security is round-the-clock. For recreational needs, there is a fitness center with free weights, selectorized machines, cardio zone, curated jogging path, and functional area that provides a space for group exercise classes. right outside is a 25-meter swimming pool, wading pool for kids, pool bar, a running path, and a sun deck.

the property itself is located in a mixed-use complex, with office spaces and retail options at the W mall, making shopping convenient for guests and residents. aside from strategic location and amenities, Citadines bay City manila offers guests 24-hour reception, complimentary parking, and daily breakfast and housekeeping service. also part of the amenities are limousine service and a selfservice launderette. On its opening, the property will offer introductory rates starting at p4,500 per night. Call (02) 550-3200 or e-mail enquiry.manila@theascott.com for inquiries.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018

STAR CINEMA’S SIX TEARJERKER FLICKS

READY TO WIN

KATHNIEL’S The Hows of Us has taken the country by storm with moviegoers raving about its heartfelt and emotional story and powerful performances from Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla that led it to become the first Philippine-produced film to cross the P600-million mark at the domestic box office. If you need more tearjerkers like The Hows of Us, here is a list of other hit Star Cinema romantic dramas that you can stream on iWant TV: 1. Milan (2004) “Mahal mo ba ako dahil kailangan mo ako, o kailangan mo ako kaya mahal mo ako?” Who could ever forget Claudine Barretto’s aching delivery of this classic hugot line that can even pass as a tongue twister? Milan, Star Cinema’s romantic drama offering 14 years ago, still speaks to many viewers to this day because of its universal themes of love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. 2. Dubai (2005) Claudine returned to the big screen with in 2005 opposite Aga Muhlach and John Lloyd Cruz. This time, she plays Faye, a woman torn between two men who happen to be brothers. Filled with dramatic scenes based on a screenplay by Ricky Lee, Dubai showcases that love that leads to conflict can be powerful enough to break even the strongest of bonds. 3. Don’t Give Up On Us (2006) Any Piolo Pascual and Judy Ann Santos movie is an emotional rollercoaster that leaves fans in a puddle of tears. One of their hit movies, Don’t Give Up On Us, had that effect among viewers in 2006. The movie features Judy Ann as a girl on a mission to find her best who gets cold feet on her own bridal shower. Her mission takes her up to Baguio where she meets Vince (Piolo Pascual), the voice behind a cassette tape her left behind.

By Darwin Pesco

ILIPINA beauties, Binibining Pilipinas Globe Michele Gumabao and Binibining Pilipinas Grand International Eva Patalinjug, are gearing up to claim the thrones and put the country’s name again on the map of international beauty pageants.

Before representing the country, the beauty queens were the women of the hour for the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. organized an exclusive send-off party on Sept. 19 at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center. “Hope we’ll bring pride,” Gumabao said as she is eager to make the country proud of her. She will head to Tirana in Albania for the Miss Globe final on Oct. 21. Despite being a volleyball superstar, young entrepreneur, and social media influencer, she has managed to have an intensive training for the pageant. “Setting your priorities is the key,” she said. Having two passions is the challenge for her because she had to make critical decisions by sacrificing a couple of volleyball games. Discipline is helping the athlete turned beauty queen to be competitive as a team player, she also shared her father’s advice on valuing preparation and balancing everything that she does. “Your number one competitor is yourself,” said Gumabao. Michele’s mom and brother, Marco Gumabao, wished him good luck and told her that even not winning yet they were already proud of her. Meanwhile, nurse and aspiring lawyer Eva will do her best to bag the country’s first ever Miss Grand International crown next month in Myanmar, in which the coronation night is set for Oct. 5. She expressed her happiness knowing the pageant’s advocacy is in line also with hers, which is protecting the children and women against domestic violence. Recently, she has been named as Philippine peace ambassadress by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. “I’m very happy because God put me in this position already,” Eva said. “I will do my best because I know that I’m bringing the hopes and dreams of Filipinos with me,” she declared with confidence. Aside from winning, Eva’s other goal is to gain more friends as she said that “being competitive and friendly is innate in every Filipina.”

Also, Miss Universe Philippines Catriona Gray, Binibining Pilipinas International Ma. Ahtisa Manalo, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational Jehza Huelar, and Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental Karen Gallman wished the two good luck in their attempt to claim the crowns. “I know you’ll make the Philippines proud,” Gray said. Filipinos can throw support to Gumabao by voting in the pageant’s poll, to vote just go to http://themissglobe.com/ participants2018, and to be updated with Gumabao and Patalinjug’s journey, just visit the Binibining Pilipinas web and social media pages.

PHILIPPINE BETS. Binibining Pilipinas queens Michele Gumabao (top) and Eva Patalinjug kick off the country's bid in the international pageant.

HOLLYWOOD

CARRIE UNDERWOOD GETS STAR ON WALK OF FAME

Pop-country superstar Carrie Underwood on Thursday got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- the latest honor for the Grammy-winning artist who has sold more than 60 million records.

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

POP-COUNTRY superstar Carrie Underwood on Thursday got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—the latest honor for the Grammy-winning onetime champion of TV reality show American Idol. Underwood, who is pregnant with her second child, is on a roll after suffering a nasty fall at her home late last year that required her to get dozens of stitches in her face. She has since released a smash hit album, Cry Pretty, recorded a new theme song for the National Football League’s flagship Sunday broadcast and will head out on a major tour in the United States and Canada in 2019 after giving birth. “How is this my life?” a tearful Underwood told the crowd outside the Capitol Records building in Los Angeles. “How does a girl from Checotah, Oklahoma end up with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?”

Singer Brad Paisley compared Underwood to legend Dolly Parton, saying: “Carrie Underwood is really in many ways this generation’s Dolly—the person that the world looks at as Miss Country Music. I just don’t think we could ask for a better ambassador.” Simon Cowell, who was part of the judging panel that propelled Underwood to fame on American Idol in 2005, said he “couldn’t be more proud” of her. Underwood is part of a small group of superstars produced by the reality show, along with Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, pop singer Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert, who now tours with Queen. Underwood has won seven Grammys and sold more than 60 million albums, according to her website. She also has won 14 Academy of Country Music awards. AFP

4. One More Chance (2007), A Second Chance (2015) Popoy and Basha are perhaps the most famous fictional couple in Pinoy pop culture thanks to John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo’s impeccable talent in bringing movie characters to life. In the first movie, viewers choked up tears as they witnessed two college sweethearts whose long-term relationship turns sour. One More Chance instantly became a cult following that placed John Lloyd and Bea on the map. In the 2015 sequel A Second Chance, both stars once again made their fans ‘ugly cry’ as they showed the tumultuous married life of Popoy and Basha. 5. One More Try (2012) This movie is sprinkled with a lot of painful speeches that made it a blockbuster in 2012 and Best Picture winner at the 38th MMFF. Angel Locsin plays a single mother who is willing to go to the ends of the earth just to save her son who is diagnosed with a rare blood disease. When she is forced to reconnect with her son’s biological father (Dingdong Dantes) who is now happily married to an accomplished executive (Angelica Panganiban), their reunion becomes complicated. 6. Starting Over Again (2014) Whenever Olivia Lamasan is at the helm of a film, don’t forget to grab a box of tissues as the story can get really emotional and gripping. Case in point is Lamasan’s 2014 phenomenal hit, Starting Over Again, starring Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga who play former lovers whose paths cross again years after their breakup that opens up a trove of unanswered questions. Expect your favorite pillow to be drenched in tears as you catch all these Star Cinema gems on iWant TV using One SKY Fiber broadband plans that are currently offered for half the price for the first three months of subscription. Visit mysky.com.ph/switch for details.

sunday, september 23, 2018

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Pets

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

My Furry Bestie

It is advised to bathe your dog once a week to prevent skin diseases and to make your dog feel comfortable. But do not bathe your dog when the weather is too cold. It is also advised that dogs be groomed regularly. Keep the hair long but comb the hair always during the cold season to help them protect themselves form the cold weather. Cut the hair short during the hot months to help prevent heat stroke.

THIS corner features pets of animal lovers every week. We hope new owners and those thinking of getting a pet will be encouraged to be responsible “furparents” through these features. We also hope more people will be moved to be kind to animals when they read about the great relationship that can be created between humans and animals. For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

Caring For a senior dog:

prevenTing AnD ADDressing

HAir Loss

S YOuR senior dog losing her hair or have bald spots in her body?

This may be due to aging or a medical condition that affect her more now than when she was younger, Phyllis Benson said in Hair Loss in an Older Dog. Some dogs do develop mange (galis, loss of hair) when they age or are older because the “By treating the reason, you can often manage her hair loss,” Benson said.

Benson suggested changing the food and adding supplements which provide nutrients for aging skin and hair, aside from ensuring the dog’s overall health. Save ALL noted that some dogs are allergic to chicken, while some develop itchiness after changing the food from chicken to beef. It is best to always monitor your dogs, and keep tabs of what you give them. Please bring your dog to the vet and consult him/her regarding the best food for senior dogs with such a condition. “Your vet may recommend more dietary protein and cutting back on grains and carbohydrates. Canned or wet food adds moisture to her digestive system so her body better handles and absorbs the nutrients important to healthy skin and coat,” Benson said.

Aging and Hair Loss If hair loss is due to aging, the hair will not grow back easily and the dog may have bald spots. “Her graying hair and dry skin are signs of reduced cell activity. Her hair is more sparse, easily damaged and brittle,” Benson said. Some dogs who were fed food scraps with soy sauce, fish sauce and preservatives develop mange (galis) or excessive scratching years later, some starting at nine (9) years Allergic Dermatitis of age based on the observation of As time passes, a dog can easily the animal welfare group Save ALL be affected by allergens such as Inc. - Save Animals fo Love and Light pollen, dust, mold, chemicals and among dogs of some humans who other irritants. have asked for help from them. “The first time she is bitten by a

Reducing exposure to allergens and treating symptoms ease her itching and reduce hair loss. Vet-approved antihistamines or supplements such as fatty acids, vitamin E and other skin nutrients help some older dogs regain their hair,” Benson said. Please consult your vet before giving any antihistamine or introducing new supplements and food.

Hormonal Hair Loss

Louise, a shih tzu who is now 10 years old, has never had a skin problem. She is given vitamin E once a week and 3 ml of multivitamins once a day in her boiled vegetables (allowed for dogs) with a small amount of beef or pork (no fat) mixed with a small amount of dog food that she has been used to since she was young. It is not advised to switch brands (of dog food) when the dog gets older.

flea, for example, she may have no reaction. Over the years, her immune system responds more aggressively to each exposure until one flea can cause frantic itching and inflamed skin or dermatitis. As her biting and scratching becomes more severe, she damages her skin and rips out hair, exposing herself to infection.

A senior dog is also affected by hormonal changes that affect her coat. “Hormones are produced by glands in the body, and when the glands malfunction, the hormones are out of whack and affect everything from your dog’s temperament her overall health. Older dogs are especially vulnerable to these hormone problems such as hypothyroidism, a disorder when the body does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Your dog may gain weight, be lethargic and lose her hair, “ Benson said. He added: “In Cushing’s disease, your dog’s body produces too much cortisol hormone. Common symptoms are hair loss, constant thirst and hunger. With your vet’s help, these and other hormonal problems can usually be treated to restore your dog’s health and hair.” DC To be continued next week.

uNA, a three-year-old poodl, loves to sleep beside her hooman Danie Rayburn. una also loves to welcome Danie from school. Danie says that although she is tired after a day in school, una makes her happy specially when she sees una “wagging her cute pompom of a tail.” Danie and her mother Carmela (with ey glasses) just love having una around. “Since having una, I have become more compassionate towards other animals,” Danie says.

They are the poodle brothers. Big MIKE (right), eight years old, and Big BEN, one-year-old, are good brothers to each other even though older Mike has a hard time playing with energetic Ben, says owner Edward Masukat.

MAniLA Zoo MAnAgeMenT Adriatico St, Malate, Manila Metro Manila 1004 Dear Manila Zoo, We wish to bring to your attention the alarming viral video of “Raffy”, the lion, a resident of Manila Zoo, caught-up in what seems to be a seizure fit which concerns us greatly as this appears to be a serious case of health condition, yet there seems to be no proper care present. This further puts Raffy in a serious risk. We are left to wonder if how many resident animals in Manila Zoo are exposed to risks and serious dangers due to lack of precautions and proper care. In fact, these recent months, numerous posts in social media about Manila Zoo have gone viral on Facebook showing emaciated animals and their appalling conditions. We strongly appeal to the management of Manila Zoo to investigate this serious case of “Raffy” and all the resident animals. Please make sure that they are fully protected and given proper health care and that they are not being endangered or their welfare compromised. It is already an immense inconvenience for them being confined and restricted in cages, the least the Manila Zoo management can do is to look after them and ensure that they are well maintained and treated humanely. We strongly insist on the strengthening and improving of animal health care, improving facilities and the general welfare of all the resident animals of Manila Zoo. Your failure to address these issues will not only jeopardize the welfare of the animas but you are likewise putting at risk the Management and its officers for violating the Animal Welfare Act, particularly Section 9 thereof, which states as follows: "However, regardless of the resulting condition to the animal/s, the penalty of two (2) years and one (1) day to three (3) years and/or a fine not exceeding Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) shall be imposed if the offense is committed by any of the following: (1) a syndicate; (2) an offender who makes business out of cruelty to an animal; (3) a public officer or employee; or (4) where at least three (3) animals are Your swift action will be greatly appreciated. This is a poster from the Animal Kingdom Foundation.

Editor's Note: 1. This letter is posted in this page with the permission of Atty. Heidi Marquez-Caguiao, AKF program director. 2. THE OTHER SIDE: In a shared post, an animal lover posted this comment from a zoo volunteer (this is not an official report from the zoo management): "Raffy came to the Manila Zoo 5 years ago and has always been in good health. This is the first time it hap-

Thank you. Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc. pened to him so the vets need to run a series of tests (blood chem/ MRI)to determine what is really wrong with him and the cause. he showed no signs of illness when we visited him last Saturday and even allowed us to scratch his back. When this incident happen last Sunday afternoon, it must be noted that (name removed by editor) just took a video but did not bother to inform anybody at the zoo, the vets' office is located just a few meters away. Zoo

staffs only found out about this when his post went viral yesterday. Upon learning this, Raffy was immediately put in quarantine for observation even if he showed no signs of illness and had a healthy appetite yesterday." 3. As of press time, there is no official report yet on the results of the test and the diagnosis of the vet as to the cause of the seizure. Atty Caguiao also has not received a response from the zoo management.