Manila Standard - 2018 September 30 - Sunday by Manila Standard

BEAT THE HEAT.

VOL. XXXII • NO. 227 • 6 SECTIONS 24 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

The red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus), also known as the green-winged macaw which attains 37 inches in length among adults, which mates for life, tries a taste of weekend sunshine at the Manila Zoo in Pasay City after the metropolis had been buffeted by heavy monsoon rains the past few days. Sonny Espiritu

OIL FIRMS TO INFLATE PRICES BY P1.4/LITER C By Alena Mae S. Flores and Maricel V. Cruz

ONSUMERS will have to brace for higher pump prices as oil companies are set to increase prices effective Tuesday, a move that is feared to trigger a new round of price spiral and foul up government efforts to tame inflation in wake of food shortages.

UNSUNG HEROES. Mrs. Marites Buco, grade school teacher

“Expect fuel prices to go up again next week. Diesel should go up by P1.30 to P1.40 per liter while gasoline should increase by P0.80 to P0.90 per liter,” Unioil Philippines said in its price forecast advisory. The impending increase would be the 7th in as many weeks. Other oil companies confirmed the expected increase, saying it is “potentially true” as they await the final computation tomorrow. Two militant lawmakers on Saturday urged the government to repeal the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law in response to the Filipinos’growing clamor for immediate economic relief amid skyrocketing prices. Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas of Gabriela and Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis, both members of the Makabayan Bloc, said the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey which indicated inflation control and wage increase as top urgent

at the Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila, during a spurof-the-moment photo opportunity with her pupils inside the classroom, only days in the World Teachers Month celebration which ends on Oct. 5—an image of thousands of unsung heroes across the continents. Lino Santos

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TSUNAMI

TEACHERS' MONTH TRIBUTE: MORE THAN A CALLING IT HAS been repeatedly said that teaching is more than just a profession. To many, it is a calling, a vocation, and a mission, as it equates to honing, nurturing, and enriching the lives of children entrusted upon the teacher’s care. But for Alternative Learning System (ALS) teachers like Ms. Ednalyn Estrella Fajardo, teaching is taking care not only of schoolchildren, but also of out-of-school youth and adults including jail inmates, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, reformists, and even guest relation workers. Fondly called Teacher Eds

KILLS 400 IN

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by her learners, this 52-yearold educator is not content with teaching from Mondays to Fridays. She travels all over the province of Pampanga even during weekends to seek OSYA groups and encourage them to enroll in ALS. Even Mayor Dante Datu Torres of Guagua noticed her efforts and lent her his own service vehicle so she can further expand the reach of her advocacy. A Master Teacher II at Pulungmasle Elementary School and the ALS Coordinator of Guagua West District, Teacher Turn to A2

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national concerns reflected the public’s sentiment of the government’s skewed priorities. World oil prices have been reacting to the US sanctions against Iran, which could trigger a tightness in oil supply. The US is expected to launch its sanction against Iran starting Nov. 4 and this has caused uncertainties on impact to global supply. On Sept. 25, the oil firms raised the price of gasoline by P0.40 per liter, diesel by P0.20 per liter and kerosene by P0.15 per liter amid tight supply coupled with robust demand from Indonesia and the Persian Gulf on the back of reduced Chinese exports; refinery turnarounds and multiple refinery issues in the US midwest. Turn to A2

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RODY'S TRUST RATING RISES TO 'VERY GOOD' By Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s trust rating bounced back anew from a record low “good” to “very good” despite his previous controversial remarks on “God is stupid,” according to the third quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey released Saturday. The Survey, conducted from September 15-23, 2018, found 70 percent of adult Filipinos satisfied, 14 percent undecided, and 16 percent dissatisfied with the performance of President Duterte. Compared to June 2018, the gross satisfaction of Duterte rose by 5 points from 65 percent, gross undecided fell by 1 point from 15 percent, and gross dissatisfaction fell by 4 points from 20 percent. This brings the President’s net satisfaction rating to +54, the SWS survey said. Turn to A2

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NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE ON HOLD STOCKHOLM, Sweden—In tatters after a #MeToo scandal, the Swedish Academy has postponed this year’s Nobel Literature Prize, leaving an empty page for 2018 as it attempts to reform the venerable institution. Created in 1786 by King Gustav III and modeled on its French elder, the Swedish Academy has selected the winner of the prestigious literary distinction since it was first awarded in 1901. The “Holy Grail” of authors, poets, and playwrights, the Nobel has gone to some of the greatest writers of all time, from Albert Camus to Samuel Beckett and Ernest Hemingway. But the list of recipients also includes US rock icon Bob Dylan, the 2016 choice harshly criticized by some who lambasted the Academy for overlooking other popular and critically-acclaimed authors such as American novelist Philip Roth, who died in May 2017 without getting the nod. After the Dylan controversy, the Academy attempted to smooth things over last year with an uncontroversial laureate, Kazuo Ishiguro, a British author of Japanese origin whose nomination enjoyed broad consensus. But just three weeks after that announcement, the institution again found itself in controversy, this time in the eye of the #MeToo hurricane. Frenchman Jean-Claude Arnault, married to an Academy member, and the head of an influential cultural club in Stockholm, was accused of rape and sexual assault. AFP

RODY'S TRUST...

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This is a 9-point increase, and one grade up, from his personal record-low of good +45 (65 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied) in June. On Duterte’s pronouncement that “God is stupid,” 83 percent said it was vulgar, and 14 percent said it was not vulgar. The remaining 3 percent did not know. On his pronouncement that there were many rape cases in Davao City because there were many beautiful women who live there, 63 percent said it was vulgar, 33 percent said it was not vulgar, and 5 percent did not know. The President’s net satisfaction rating rose from good to very good in class D or the masa, at +56 (71 percent satisfied, 15 percent dissatisfied) in September 2018, up by 13 points from +43 (63 percent satisfied, 21 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in June 2018. However, it fell from very good to good in class ABC, at +41 (64 percent satisfied, 23 percent dissatisfied) in September, down by 25 points from +66 (79 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in June. It also fell from very good to good in class E, at +45 (64 percent satisfied, 20 percent dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in September, down by 7 points from +52 (69 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied) in June. It stayed good in Metro Manila, at +36 (61 percent satisfied, 25 percent dissatisfied) in September, up by 1 point from +34 (59 percent satisfied, 25 percent dissatisfied) in June. Rural net satisfaction with the President stayed very good, at +62 (74 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) in September 2018, up by 10 points from +52 (69 percent satisfied, 17 percent dissatisfied) in June 2018. On the other hand, urban net satisfaction stayed good, at +42 (65 percent satisfied, 23 percent dissatisfied) in September, up by 4 points from +38 (61 percent satisfied, 23 percent dissatisfied) in June.

'ONLY SIN' A JOKE, PALACE MEN INSIST By Vito Barcelo

ALACAÑANG on Saturday insisted anew that the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte on extrajudicial killings being his “only sin” was not an admission of guilt that he ordered the killings attributed to the government’s war on drugs. This after critics said Duterte’s re- tion’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. mark could help a preliminary exami“First, there is no admission on nation initiated by the International the part of the President. He merely Criminal Court into the administra- wants to underscore the point that

he has not been accused of corruption nor has he engaged in political vendetta,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said. “All the critics and detractors can allege are killings attributed to his drug war,” he added. Roque said the President shares the sentiment that the drug-related killings were “unfortunate.” “However, we must emphasize that most of the killings, although drugrelated, did not result as part of any police operation. As for those which resulted as a consequence of such, we maintain that police authorities also

have the right to protect themselves from violent resistance,” Roque said. On Friday, Roque said Duterte was merely “being playful” and that his statement should not be taken seriously nor literally. In his speech on Thursday, Duterte slammed his critics for being hypocrites as he insisted that the spate of extrajudicial killings was his only sin. “What are your sins? Me? I told the military ‘what are my sins?’ Did I steal money? Even just one peso? Did I prosecute somebody I sent to jail? My only sin is extrajudicial killings,” the President said.

TRILLANES RETREATS, VOWS REVENGE By Joel E. Zurbano SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV, who stayed in the custody of the Senate for 25 days after President Rodrigo Duterte revoked the amnesty granted to him by the previous administration in connection with the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny and 2007 Hotel Peninsula Siege, finally came home Saturday. But he immediately said he would return to the Senate on Monday and would follow up on his pending resolutions against Solicitor General Jose Calida, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go and Duterte’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs. Trillanes was leading a Senate investigation into a Calida familyowned security agency which had landed several lucrative government contracts. The senator had also filed a resolution seeking a Senate probe on possible conflict of interest arising from government contracts obtained by the kin of government employees and officials, particularly that of Go. At the same time, Trillanes continued to criticize the “double-standard”

TEACHERS'... From A1 Eds holds classes inside chapels, in barangay halls, under the bridges, and even in cemeteries. Since 2003, she has already helped 527 learners pass the Accreditation & Equivalency (A&E) Test, while a total of 6,947 has already been under her tutelage in informal education (InfEd). Humble beginnings Teacher Eds’ father was a taho vendor, and she herself has worked as a housekeeper and a babysitter. She also served as a canteen helper and a messenger while she was studying, and this did not deter her from finishing her two Bachelor of Science degrees in elementary and secondary education. She is also a Master of Arts graduate. Her humble beginnings molded her to become the devoted, caring, and selfless teacher adored and revered by her students. This is also why she goes out of her way to perform speakership, trainer, and assessor duties at the various

Duterte’s war on drugs. Trillanes left the Senate at 10 am and arrived at his home in Antipolo City around 11:30 am, a day after a Makati City regional trial court judge deferred ruling on the issuance of arrest and hold departure order in connection with his non-bailable case of coup d’etat. “This journey has been up and down, like a rollercoaster. It’s a huge relief that I got to see my family and our house,” Trillanes told members of the media who tailed his service vehicle all the way from the Senate in Pasay City to Antipolo. The senator also showed to reporters a laminated copy of his certificate of amnesty issued to him by former President Benigno Aquino III in January 2011. “This was laminated and yet they are asking for my application form. That’s crazy. This will not be given if I did not apply [for amnesty], It’s common sense but the administration of President Duterte has no common sense,” said Trillanes, who was welcomed by his family, close friend Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, and his pet dog Bruno. The military-man turned polititrainings spearheaded by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). These include massage therapy, food and beverage services, housekeeping, and carpentry, so that the OSYAs – even the reformists in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Guagua and in Central Luzon Rehabilitation Center (CLRDC) – can acquire the skills and competencies that can help improve their lives. Going the extra mile With 34 years in service, Teacher Eds says ALS has a special place in her heart. She has embraced the program, as well as the many faces, stories, and struggles of her learners with all her life and soul. This is why she deserves all the titles and accolades bestowed upon her including being the Regional Outstanding ALS Coordinator in 2008; a national semi-finalist in the Search for Most Outstanding District ALS Coordinator in 2010; District Most Outstanding Teacher in 2011 and 2015; the Division Most Outstanding InfEd Trainer for the Youth in 2012; a Regional finalist in the Metrobank Foundation Search for

cian and known critic of Duterte also expressed relief upon arrival at his house, saying it was the completion of what he called a “political miracle.” “I attribute that to all those who prayed for my welfare and safety. I thanked (sic) all of you,” said Trillanes who had bared threats to his family while he was staying at the Senate for nearly one month. Makati RTC branch 150 Judge Elmo Alameda recently issued a warrant of arrest and a hold departure order against Trillanes for the rebellion case filed against him for his involvement in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny. Trillanes posted P200,000 bail. On Friday, Makati RTC branch 148 Judge Andres Bartolome Soriano deferred ruling on the issuance of arrest and hold departure order, and set a Friday (Oct. 5) hearing on the separate case of coup d’etat relative to his participation in the 2007 Hotel Peninsula Siege which is non-bailable. Trillanes said he would make the most out of his temporary victory. Alameda gave the orders, 21 days after Duterte signed Proclamation No. 572, which stated that Trillanes had no pending application for amnesty. Soriano, on the other hand, or-

dered government prosecutors and the camp of Trillanes’ to submit evidence and set a hearing for 9 am on Oct. 5. “Without necessarily reopening the case or giving due course” to the prosecution’s motion, Soriano said, the parties were given a chance to present evidence on: • Whether or not Trillanes filed the requisite application for amnesty under Proclamation 75 before he was granted amnesty in 2011, and • Whether or not there was an admission of guilt on his part at the time he applied for and was granted amnesty. Malacañang, for its part, said it respected the Makati court’s deferment of the ruling on the bid for the issuance of an arrest warrant and hold departure order against Trillanes. “That is [a] court decision which we respect and defer to,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a text message to reporters. State prosecutors earlier asked the court to order Trillanes’ arrest and prevent him from leaving the country, saying the nullification of his amnesty meant that the case against the senator must be pursued.

TAKING CARE. For Ednalyn Estrella Fajardo, teaching is taking care not only of grades choolers but also of out-of-school youth, adults, PWDs and jail inmates. PNA

Outstanding Teachers in 2014; Division and Regional Most Outstanding ALS Teacher in 2015; the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee for Youth Service in 2016; a Regional awardee of the Civil Service Lingkod Bayan (group category); and just recently, a National Awardee in the Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Gintong Parangal Para sa Edukasyon— Guro 2018. Teacher Eds is likewise engaged in

co-curricular endeavors. She served as a coaching staff for the Pampanga Little League Softball Youth which represented the Philippines in Michigan, U.S.A. some years back, where the team won silver medal. She is also musically inclined, and even composed the official hymn of ALS Pampanga. She teaches her learners how to play drum and lyre, and perform Ati-Atihan numbers for extra income. PNA

OIL FIRMS...

From A1

Diesel also experienced limited supply as demand continues to rise especially in Malaysia and Australia while Japanese refiners saw a decrease in production. Prices was also influenced by anticipation of the meeting of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC major oil producers in Algeria next month to discuss scenarios for oil output. According to data from the Department of Energy, year-to-date total adjustments stand at a net increase of P9.40 per liter for gasoline, P9.35 per liter for diesel and P8.25 per liter for kerosene. Data also showed that gasoline currently range from P51.55 to P65.35 per liter, diesel sells from P44.30 to P53.55 per liter while kerosene is sold from P48.72 to P58.85 per liter. Casilao said inflation was a red flag to economic health. “It means the market is shrinking via low purchase power, naturally, foreign capital will be driven out of the country. This exposes that the reliance on foreign investment is unsustainable

and vulnerable,” he said. Brosas noted those who listed controlling inflation as top national concern posted a double-digit growth or by 12 percentage points from June to July 2018, indicating there was indeed a price shock affecting Filipino families across socioeconomic classes. This means that three out of five Filipinos want the government to effectively control prices, she added. According to Brosas, the same survey also indicated more Filipinos were dissatisfied over the Duterte administration’s efforts to supposedly keep prices in control, with disapproval of government on this concern growing from 29 percent in June to 51 percent last July or a 22 percenrt-point increase. “These figures dispute Malacañang’s position that price increases are just normal and that inflation is in control,” Brosas said. Apart from junking the TRAIN Law, Brosas said it’s about time Congress considered a review and approved the proposed House Bill 7787 which

proposes increase minimum wage across regions to a uniform P750 national minimum wage. “Since late last year, we warned against the economic impact of the TRAIN Law being deliberated then, especially price shocks via oil price hikes,” Casilao said. The other day, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the rate of inflation could go as high as 7.1 percent in September, driven by higher prices of rice, fuel and some agricultural products as well as the weakening peso. “Higher domestic petroleum prices, higher prices of rice and other agricultural commodities due to Typhoon 'Ompong,' and the peso depreciation contributed to the upside price pressures for the month,” the BSP Department of Economic Research said in a statement Friday, projecting inflation would settle within a range of 6.3 to 7.1 percent. On the high end of the department’s estimate, this would be faster than the 6.4-percent inflation recorded in August, which was a nine-year high. The last time the inflation rate breached 7 percent was in February 2009 at 7.2 percent.

But the Department of Finance said it expected the inflation rate to be unchanged at 6.4 percent in September, as lower power rates could offset higher food prices. Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran, also the DoF’s chief economist, said in an economic bulletin on Friday that month-on-month price increases in September likely decelerated from 0.9 percent in August to 0.6 percent. As a result, he said “September year-on-year inflation is seen at 6.4 percent, unchanged from August.” “Price increases in food items are the main drivers of inflation. The decline in power rates, however, moderated the inflationary pressure from non-food items,” Beltran said. Beltran added that strong monetary action by the BSP backed by two successive 50-basis-point policy rate hikes and the President’s support for administrative measures proposed by the Economic Development Cluster to remove non-tariff barriers on major food items would moderate food inflation in the short run.

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NPC PROBES NUMBER OF PINOY FB USERS AFFECTED BY BREACH

HE National Privacy Commission on Saturday said it was still determining how many Filipino users of social networking site Facebook were affected by the massive data breach by the social media giant. In a statement, NPC Commissioner Raymund Liboro said that according to the company’s (Facebook) representatives, the investigation is still in its early stages. They have not determined yet how many Filipinos are affected and whether misuse of personal information had resulted from this breach.” This after Facebook reported on Friday that up to 50 million accounts were breached by hackers, which dealt a blow to the social network’s effort to convince users to trust it with their data.

Zuckerberg said the company is investigating the extent of harm done when hackers exploited a trio of software flaws to steal “access tokens,” the equivalent of digital keys that enable people to automatically log back into the social network. Zuckerberg said engineers discovered the breach on Tuesday, and patched it on Thursday night. “We don’t know if any accounts were actually misused,” Zuckerberg said. “This is a serious issue.” As a precaution, Facebook is temporarily taking down the “view as” feature—privacy tool that let users see how their profiles look to other people. “It’s clear that attackers exploited a vulnerability in Facebook’s code,” said vice president of product management Guy Rosen. “We’ve fixed the vulnerability and informed law enforcement.” Facebook reset the 50 million breached accounts, meaning users will need to sign back in using passwords. But Democratic US Senator Mark Warner said the breach is further proof of the privacy danger

of companies such as Facebook and Equifax not adequately protecting the massive amounts of information they gather about people. “This is another sobering indicator that Congress needs to step up and take action to protect the privacy and security of social media users,” Warner said in a statement. “As I’ve said before—the era of the Wild West in social media is over.” The breach is the latest privacy embarrassment for Facebook, which earlier this year acknowledged that tens of millions of users had personal data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, a political firm working for Donald Trump in 2016. “We face constant attacks from people who want to take over accounts or steal information around the world,” Zuckerberg said on his own Facebook page. “While I’m glad we found this, fixed the vulnerability, and secured the accounts that may be at risk, the reality is we need to continue developing new tools to prevent this from happening in the first place.” With AFP

LANDSLIDE VICTIMS IN NAGA CITY, CEBU TO BE GIVEN JOBS THE Department of Labor and Employment and the local government of Naga City are finalizing mechanisms for the provision of emergency employment for workers affected by the massive landslide last week. DoLE-Cebu Provincial Field Office head, Maria Grace Diaz, said details are being laid out with representatives of the City’s Public Employment Service Office and City Social Welfare and Development Office for the assistance to be given to the workers under the Emergency Employment Program or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers. “We are now actively coordinating with the PESO and the CSWDO in the City for the profiling of affected workers in the six barangays declared under the state of calamity,” Diaz said. The profiling, she added, is expected to cover individuals and families residing in barangays Tina-an, Naalad, Mainit, Pangdan, Cabungahan, and Inoburan. Tina-an and Naalad, the barangays hardest-hit by the landslide registered dozens of homes buried killing more than 60 people while dozens remained missing. DOLE-7 Regional Director Atty. Johnson G. Cañete said the two barangays will be prioritized for assistance. “We will be sourcing out the profile of affected individuals and families from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office to avoid duplication of entries or names. From there, we will be identifying affected workers, of course with the help of the PESO of the City of Naga,” said Cañete.

HOME AGAIN.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Saturday returned to his home for the first time since being forced to stay in his office at the Senate after President Rodrigo Duterte voided his amnesty. Trillanes reached his house past 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 and was welcomed by his pet dog. Ey Acasio

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FAKE LAND TITLES SCAM VICTIMS TOLD TO ‘COME OUT’ THE Philippine National Police Region 4 has urged the victims of fake land titles in Tagaytay and Batangas to come out following the arrest of a former DENR employee and his cohorts involved in the scam. Chief Supt. Edward Carranza, Police Regional Office 4 chief, said the victims should coordinate with the Tagaytay City Police to file cases against those involved in selling fake titles in the region. Authorities earlier arrested the alleged mastermind Gerardo Trinidad, former employee of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; his cohorts Aireen Tan, Rochel Alcantara, Michael Sarabosing, and William Pineda. They are now facing charges of largescale estafa and falsification of public documents before the Tagaytay City Regional Trial Court. Supt. Elmer Decena, Tagaytay City Police chief, said the five were arrested based on the complaint filed by Japanese investor Yoshihisa Tsujimoto and its Filipino business partner Ester Mariano Rosales. The two found out about the scheme of the suspects when they verified with the Land Registration Authority and found out that the titles of the lands being sold to them were fake. The victims have already shelled out P80 million as advance payment to the suspects. When the suspects tried to collect the P70-million balance, the victims complained to the police which eventually conducted an entrapment operation in a coffee shop in Tagaytay. Recovered from the suspect were two luxury cars and several fake land titles.

MAYOR ABBY LAUDS CITY COPS FOR OPERATIONS STASHED CASH. Members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Manila Police District and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency discovered bulk of cash amounting to P790,000 stashed inside a secret room while conducting Oplan Linis Piitan, (formerly Operation Greyhound) and Oplan Galugad, for illegal contrabands inside the dormitory of inmates of the Manila City Jail on Sept. 29, 2018. Norman Cruz

EXPANDED 20% STUDENT FARE DISCOUNT PUSHED By Joel E. Zurbano SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara on Saturday expressed optimism that the Senate bill seeking to institutionalize the grant of 20-percent fare discount to students will be approved on third and final reading next week. Senate Bill 1597, principally authored and sponsored by Angara, aims to institutionalize and expand the coverage of student fare discount to include land, air, water and rail transport all-year round. Following its approval on second reading last Tuesday, all senators were made co-authors of the measure. “We thank our colleagues for their overwhelming support. We hope the counterpart bill will also soon be passed by the House of Representatives. Even with the free tuition, we need to help families with daily school expenses,” said Angara, vice chairman of the Senate education committee.

Under the bill, all elementary, high school, college and tech-voc students will be entitled to a 20 percent discount on regular domestic travel fares—including jeepneys, buses, UV Express vans, taxis and transport network vehicle services like Grab, MRT, LRT, passenger ships and ferries, and airplanes--upon presentation of their duly issued school ID or current validated enrollment forms. Such discount will be effective throughout the year including weekends, summer breaks and holidays. Additionally, Filipino students who will travel abroad for education, training and competition will be exempt from payment of travel tax upon proper showing of proof or documentation of intended purpose. Availment of double discounts or combination of the student fare discount with other discount programs will not be allowed. At present, the student fare dis-

count is only based on a circular issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, which can always be subject to change. Land, water, air and rail transportation utilities that refuse to grant student discount will be penalized with a fine ranging from P5,000 to P200,000. Laws that granted fare discount to senior citizens and persons with disabilities were authored by his late father, former Senate President Edgardo Angara. The younger Angara expanded such discount by giving seniors and PWDs 12 percent VAT exemption. Aside from fare discount, Angara is also pushing for the passage of Senate Bill 134 which seeks to grant underprivileged students a 5-percent discount on books and school supplies, food establishments, medicines, and on museums, theaters and cultural events.

PORT OF SUBIC EXCEEDS SEPT. COLLECTION TARGET THE Port of Subic announced on Saturday it has exceeded its P2.09-billion revenue goal for the month of September by more than P92 million. According to Subic district collector lawyer Rhea Gregorio, her port collected more than P2.18 billion in revenue from Sept. 3 to 28, two days before the month end. Gregorio said last Thursday or three days before the end of September, Port of Subic already surpassed its monthly collection target by generating a total revenue of P2.114 billion. “This despite the adjustment of target from P1.87 billion to P2.095 billion. It is also an increase of 88 percent from last year’s collection for the same period,” she said. Gregorio said the positive and “laudable performance of the Port of Subic in ensuring that proper and correct duties and taxes are assessed and collected from import shipments is essential in meeting the collection target.” “The port’s achievement is likewise at-

tributed to the concerted effort of the men and women of Port of Subic to continuously adhere to the Stop Corruption campaign of the Commissioner,” she added. In February, Commissioner Isidro Lapeña Jr. came up with a memorandum stating that all district collectors, deputy collectors for assessment, chief of Formal Entry Division, examiners, appraisers and all personnel in charge of assessment of the collection districts who failed to meet the target will be relieved. Lapeña designated Gregorio early this month in Port of Subic, replacing district collector Segundo Barte Jr. who failed to meet the revenue goal for the month of August. In attaining the monthly revenue goal, Gregorio initiated a reform and impose new policy in Subic and pursued a strategic partnership with its stakeholders through constant dialogue and communication, which resulted to an increase in volume of importation by 50.52 percent compared last year. Joel E. Zurbano

MAYOR Abigail Binay on Saturday commended the Makati City Police Department for the arrest of 302 individuals in simultaneous anti-criminality and law enforcement operations over the past weekend. SACLEO is an all-out police operation simultaneously conducted in identified areas against illegal drug personalities, most wanted persons, bearers of loose firearms, illegal gamblers, and city ordinance violators. “The city government and all Makatizens are deeply grateful for your untiring dedication to maintain peace and order on our streets and communities at all hours, rain or shine,” said Binay. The city chief executive noted that as increased police visibility has made residents feel safer, the day and night operations of the city police force have also resulted in the apprehension of law offenders and wanted suspects. In a report to the Office of the Mayor, Makati Police chief Senior Supt. Rogelio Simon said that from Sept. 21 to 22 alone, Makati cops arrested 26 crime suspects and 87 ordinance violators. The suspects nabbed include nine individuals with outstanding warrants of arrest, four caught violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, and eight for violating the Anti-Illegal Gambling Act. Individuals caught violating city ordinances during the two-day period included 51 for smoking in public, six for drinking in public places, and 30 minors violating the city-imposed curfew. Meanwhile, a total of 189 traffic violators were also apprehended in its Oplan Sita and Oplan Bulabog operations. Joel E. Zurbano

TEACHERS’ THOUGHTS “My most memorable experience as a teacher is to have the privilege and time to teach children different life lessons out of the educational books. I teach them lessons that they can’t get from books, like facing problems that I’m sure they will encounter in their life. What’s important is that I played a part in their lives, even though they might not remember me in the future.”

URICA DIMAISIP PADLAN, Teacher III, 16 years of service (since June 2002)

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TSUNAMI KILLS 400 IN INDONESIA

ALU, Indonesia—Nearly 400 people were killed when a powerful quake sent a tsunami barrelling into the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, officials said Saturday, as hospitals struggled to cope with hundreds of injured and rescuers scrambled to reach the stricken region. The national disaster agency put the official death toll so far at 384, all of them in the tsunamistruck city of Palu, but warned the toll was likely to rise. In the city—home to around 350,000 people—partially covered bodies lay on the ground near the shore, the day after tsunami waves 1.5 meters (five feet) came ashore. There were also concerns over the whereabouts of hundreds of people preparing for a beach festival due to start Friday evening, the disaster agency said. Hospitals were overwhelmed by the influx of injured, with many people being treated in the open air, while other survivors helped to retrieve the remains of those who died. One man was seen carrying the muddy corpse of a small child. The tsunami was triggered by a strong quake that brought down buildings and sent locals

fleeing for higher ground as a churning wall of water crashed into Palu, where there were widespread power blackouts. Dramatic video footage captured from the top floor of a parking ramp in Palu, nearly 80 kilometers from the quake’s epicenter, showed waves of water bring down several buildings and inundate a large mosque. “I just ran when I saw the waves hitting homes on the coastline,” said Palu resident Rusidanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. The shallow 7.5-magnitude tremor was more powerful than a series of quakes that killed hundreds on the Indonesian island of Lombok in July and August. Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the military was being called in to the disaster-struck region to help search-and-rescue teams get to victims and find bodies. AFP

A man carries the body of a child after an earthquake and tsunami hit Palu, on Sulawesi island on Sept. 29, 2018. Rescuers scrambled to reach tsunamihit central Indonesia and assess the damage after a strong quake brought down several buildings and sent locals fleeing their homes for higher ground. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE InvItatIon to BId for the procurement of Brand new moBIle dental vehIcle IB no. 2018-300 1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to apply the sum of One Hundred Forty Seven Million Philippine Pesos (PhP147,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Brand New Mobile Dental Vehicle under IB No. 2018-300. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

The DOH now invites bids for the procurement of the above-captioned package. Delivery of the Goods is required within period specified under Section VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed, within the past five (5) years: a.

At least two (2) similar contracts for local and/or international contracts and the aggregate contract amounts should be equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC); and

The largest of these similar contracts must be equivalent to at least half of the fifty percent (50%) of the (ABC) as required above.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from theCOBAC Secretariat, G/F, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given above during 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on October 1, 2018 to October 23, 2018 from the address above and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Fifty Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP50,000.00). It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The DOH will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on October 9, 2018, 10:00 A.M. at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila, which shall beopen to prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the COBAC-D Secretariat at the address below on or before October 23, 2018, 9:00 A.M. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause Error! Reference source not found.. Bid opening shall be on October 23, 2018, 9:00 A.M. at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The DOHreserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC-D Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830 (SGD) MARIO C. VILLAVERDE, MD, MPH, MPM, CESO I Undersecretary of Health Chairperson, COBAC-D

(MS-SEPT. 30, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Opinion

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

EDITORIAL

NOT JUST HEROES BUT BUILDERS

HEY may well be in the homes. In the extra-solar or urbanized grade and secondary schools. In the colleges and universities. They can be off campus, those who have their lesson plans and modules committed to memory. They will all be celebrated on Friday, the end this year of the month-long celebration and thanksgiving and remembrance. But the celebration should not inadvertently put out of celebrators’ minds

the daily efforts of those in the homes, verily the first rung, if front line, in the education of any person who would eventually become effective units of society. Many have said the teachers, wherever they are, are heroes since they are admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities, among imperative virtues. They play an essential role in people’s lives to become, among others, successful in career and business and help them become good human beings of society and good citizens of the country. Which makes the teachers under contract for the social behavior before long of their students.

ASTEROIDS WITH MOONS AND OTHER SOLAR SYSTEM CURIOSITIES

These teachers have at least five roles to fill —a resource specialist, a coach or counselor, a mentor, an extra hand, and a learner growing in life. They are thus challenged every day with new tasks that will help them grow into better persons. That changeover, by any definition, will be seen by the students and younger teachers who look up to them as role models and persuade them to go down the line in their respective fields and disciplines. This is one celebration for the teacher where we must not forget the teacher’s mantle as a source of enlightenment, where the student gets to feel worthy of his life. Teachers are not just heroes but builders of the nation.

By Pecier Decierdo

THE universe is vast and full of wonders. Sometimes, however, this vastness places many of the wonders very far from the reach of humanity’s curious eyes. While we have made great strides in understanding what goes on in the farthest reaches of the cosmos, we have only ever looked closely in our cosmic neighborhood. That is not such a bad thing, however. After all, our neighborhood in space, the Solar System, is chock full of mind-boggling details for us to feast our minds on. Take, for example, the planet Saturn. The image of this ringed planet is so familiar that we often forget how amazing it is. Saturn has a ring system made of billions of tiny shards of ice glistening in the light of the Sun. Recent evidence suggests that these rings are relatively young—around a few million years old. If the Solar System’s history were compressed into 24 hours, with the formation of the planets happening at midnight, Saturn got its rings only around 11 in the evening. These rings hold other delights for the curious. For example, they are probably the remains of a moon that strayed too close and got ripped the planet’s strong gravity. And if you look closely enough, there are small moons called “shepherd moons” that make their haunt in the gaps between the rings. These shepherd moons even create ripples in the rings as they zip along their lanes. Of course, talking about Saturn would not be complete without mentioning the strange hexagonal storm around its north pole. And speaking of storms, the planet Jupiter has a storm hundreds of years old and many times the size of Earth. The Solar System is also home to some strange kinds of rain. Some scientists suggest that on at least two planets, Uranus and Neptune, it rains diamonds. Other scientists suggest that Jupiter and Saturn should be added to the list. Diamonds are nothing but carbon compressed by very high pressure, and these planets have carbon and pressure aplenty. Speaking of rain, on Venus it rains corrosive sulfuric acid. However, it can get so hot on Venus that the rains can evaporate even before they hit the ground. Mars has two small, irregularly shaped moons that are probably captured asteroids from the nearby Asteroid Belt. The farther of the two moons, Deimos, takes 66 hours to move across the sky when viewed from the Martian surface. The nearer moon, Phobos, orbits Mars so fast it appears to rise in the west and set in the east. In the Asteroid Belt nearby, asteroid Ida goes around the Sun attended by its very own moon, the smaller asteroid Dactyl. Meanwhile, the asteroid Chariklo, which haunts the region between the gas giants instead of staying in the Asteroid Belt, boasts of being an asteroid with rings. Since we are talking about the Solar System’s smaller members, it would be a shame not to mention the dwarf planet Pluto and its now famous heart-shaped depression, a large valley covered with carbon monoxide ice. Pluto is a resident of another, colder belt of objects beyond Neptune called the Kuiper Belt. Another resident of the Kuiper Belt, the dwarf planet Haumea, spins at a dizzying 1 rotation in 4 hours. Because of how fast it spins, Haumea is deformed into the shape of an egg. Only slightly smaller than Pluto, Haumea is twice as long as it is wide. Speaking of small, Mercury, the smallest of the planets, actually has a thin tail made up of a stream of particles sloughing off its surface. Even the Solar System’s moons are quite a menagerie. Io orbits so close to Jupiter that the giant planet’s gravity squeezes the moon’s insides, melting the rock into magma and making Io the most volcanic place in the Solar System. Saturn’s Titan, meanwhile, has lakes of liquid methane, while nearby Iapetus looks like a walnut because of the mountain range tracing most of its equator. This list barely scratches the surface of the Solar System’s abundant treasure trove of curiosities, a trove that only grows bigger as scientists discover more. In all of this, perhaps the biggest curiosity is our own home planet. The Earth seems, at least for now, to be the only one in this menagerie of worlds to host life. Are we living in a strange neighborhood? If so, is it strange because it is so devoid of life, or because it has life in the first place? It may take us some time before we can have a close took at other cosmic neighborhoods, so in the meantime we have to make do with closely studying our own. Good thing our Solar System is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to cosmic curiosities.

1,001 WAYS TO LOSE A NOBEL PRIZE By Pierre-Henry Deshayes IT’S easier to lose a Nobel Prize than to win one. Smuggled out to impress girls in a bar, or dissolved to prevent the Nazis from getting their hands on one, the precious gold medals have gone missing in crazy, tragic or spectacular ways over the more than hundred-year history of the Nobel Prize. Here are some of them: Dissolved in acid When the Nazis invaded Denmark in April 1940, scientists at Niels Bohr’s Institute for Theoretical Physics began to worry about the 1914 and 1925 Nobel Physics Prize gold medals that two German laureates—Max von Laue and James Frank—had placed there for safekeeping. “In Hitler’s empire it was almost a capital offense to send gold out of the country, and, Laue’s name being engraved into the medal, the discovery of this by the invading forces would have had very serious consequences for him,” Hungarian chemist George de Hevesy, who was working at the Institute, wrote in 1962. After being persuaded not to bury the medals as they could be unearthed, de Hevesy decided to dissolve the two 23-carat-gold discs with aqua regia acid mixture, the only solution able to do so. Stored high up on a shelf in his laboratory, the orangecolored liquid went unnoticed by the Nazis. After the war was over, de Hevesy—who won the Nobel Prize himself in 1943—turned the gold back into a precipitate in 1950. He gave it to the Nobel Foundation so it could be recast into two medals which were presented to the men in 1952. In a less triumphant moment, Norwegian writer Knut

Hamsun gave his Nobel Literature Prize medal to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels in 1943. A strong supporter of the Nazis, Hamsun was convicted of treason in 1947 and spent the rest of his life in mental institutions. It is not known what became of his medal. Under the hammer Sometimes, because of acts of charity, inheritance disputes or just because life can take odd turns, the Nobel medals end up for sale at auctions. With varying results. The Nobel Peace Prize won by Frenchman Aristide Briand in 1926 for his role in France and Germany’s short-lived post-war reconciliation was sold for the modest sum of just 12,200 euros ($14,000) in 2008. Six years later, US scientist James Watson, who won the 1962 award for his co-discovery of the structure of DNA and who has made controversial remarks about Africans, sold his medal for a record $4.1 million excluding taxes. A bonanza for the US biologist—especially after the buyer, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, returned the medal to him. Stop, thief There have also been times when medals have just disappeared. France’s Heritage Museum Ecomusee of Saint-Nazaire only had Aristide Briand’s medal in its possession for a few years after buying it so cheaply: it was stolen in 2015 and has yet to be recovered. And in India in 2017, robbers made off with the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize medal won by Kailash Satyarthi. Or so they thought. The medal was a replica—the real one is on display in a museum—and it was quickly recovered. No such luck for the 1913 Nobel literature medal awarded to Rabindranath Tagore, whose medal was snatched in 2004

and has not been found. Iranian lawyer and human rights champion Shirin Ebadi in 2009 accused Tehran of confiscating her assets over unpaid taxes. A bank deposit box containing her 2003 Nobel Peace Prize medal and her Legion d’Honneur medal were seized to pay $410,000 in back taxes, she said. Iranian authorities denied the claim. After an international outcry, Ebadi’s Nobel medal was returned to her. Gold war Nobel laureates’ names are engraved on the reverse side of their medal, except for the prizes for Peace and Economics, where the names are written on the edge. So it’s perhaps not so strange to get your gold mixed up: 1975 Nobel Economics Prize co-laureates Leonid Kantorovich of Russia and Tjalling Koopmans of the US returned home with each other’s medals, according to the official Nobel website www.nobelprize.org. Because of the Cold War, it took four years of diplomatic efforts for each medal to be returned to its owner. Showing off to girls Panic erupted in December 1999 at a suite in Oslo’s Grand Hotel. The Nobel medal, just awarded to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), had disappeared. The next day, the medal was back where it belonged. Members of the French MSF delegation had borrowed it to impress girls in Oslo’s bars. “You could see the traces of the teeth of everyone who wanted to see if the medal really was made of pure gold,” Morten Rostrup, a member of the Norwegian MSF delegation, revealed in a 2006 book. “But they would have needed more than a Nobel medal to hook up,” he told AFP in an email. AFP

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

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FREE REPORTERS, AMAL CLOONEY ASKS SUU KYI UNITED NATIONS—Prominent human rights lawyer Amal Clooney appealed to Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday over a pardon for two Reuters journalists imprisoned in Myanmar, saying the Nobel laureate held the key to their release. The two fathers, accused of breaching Myanmar’s state secrets law while reporting on a massacre of Rohingya Muslims, were jailed for seven years earlier this month, fueling international outrage. Clooney said the journalists’ families had already submitted a request for their pardon, adding that the president can grant a pardon following consultation with Suu Kyi. “The government can, if it wants to, end it today,” the British-Lebanese lawyer told an event dedicated to press freedom on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. She held de facto leader Suu Kyi to her stated priority of releasing prisoners of conscience and of having spoken of the need for a free press if the country is to transition to a full democracy. “She knows that mass murder is not a state secret and that exposing it doesn’t turn a journalist into a spy,” Clooney said. Earlier this month, Suu Kyi defended the jailing of Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, hitting back at global criticism of a trial widely seen as an attempt to muzzle the free press. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

17 HURT AS ‘TRAMI’ BATTERS OKINAWA

HIBUSHI, Japan—A powerful typhoon pummeled Japan’s southern island of Okinawa Saturday, injuring at least 17, as weather officials warned the storm would rip through the Japanese archipelago over the weekend.

Typhoon Trami (named “Paeng” in the Philippines), packing maximum gusts of 216 kilometers (134 miles) per hour near its centre, was forecast to hit the mainland early Sunday and cause extreme weather across the country into Monday. Television footage showed branches ripped from trees by strong winds blocking a main street in the regional capital Naha, as well as torrential horizontal rain and massive waves splashing over breakwaters on a remote island in the area. Local policemen in rain jackets wielding chainsaws were battling the furious wind to remove fallen trees. The gusts were strong enough to overturn a truck and smash the glass windows of

a bank. Some 700 people were evacuated to shelters in Okinawa and electricity was cut to nearly 200,000 homes, public broadcaster NHK said. At least 386 flights were cancelled, mainly in western Japan, according to NHK. West Japan Railway said it would suspend all services in the Osaka region and cancel some Shinkansen bullet trains by noon on Sunday. Seventeen people suffered minor injuries in storm-related accidents in Okinawa and several houses suffered some damage but no one was feared dead, local officials said. “The number may rise further as we are in the middle of sorting out figures,” said Masatsune Miyazato, an official at the island’s disaster-management office. “People in Okinawa are used to typhoons but we are strongly urging them to stay vigilant,” he told AFP. The weather agency warned people across Japan to be on alert for strong winds, high waves and heavy rain. “The typhoon is feared to bring record rainfalls and violent winds over large areas,” agency official Yasushi Kajiwara told reporters.

“Please stay on alert, evacuate early and ensure your safety,” the official said. After raking the outlying islands, the typhoon is forecast to pick up speed and approach western Japan on Sunday “with a very strong force” as it barrels over the mainland, he added. There have already been heavy downpours in large areas of western and eastern Japan, including the capital, as the storm spurred a seasonal rain front. The weather agency issued a warning of landslides in Wakayama, western Japan, where local authorities separately announced that a local river had reached “dangerous levels.” Fishermen in Kagoshima bay, where the typhoon is expected to make landfall, were already making preparations, tying down their boats as Trami approached -- even as forecasters warned that another typhoon was following in its course. Angler Masakazu Hirase told AFP: “It’s dreadful because we already know there’s another typhoon after this one but you cannot compete with nature. We do what we can to limit the damage.” If the forecast holds, it will be the latest in a series of extreme natural events to strike Japan. AFP

ANWAR FACES SODOMY ACCUSER IN MALAYSIA POLL PORT DICKSON, Malaysia—Malaysian leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim started campaigning Saturday for a poll set to return him to frontline politics -- but faced a surprise challenge from an exaide whose sodomy allegations landed the political heavyweight in prison. Anwar is expected to easily win the local election on October 13 and reenter parliament as an MP, just months after being released from jail following his alliance’s shock win at national polls. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 93, has pledged to step aside within two years to hand power to Anwar, his former nemesis with whom he teamed up to oust scandal-plagued Najib Razak and his long-ruling coalition at the May election. Following the vote, Anwar, 71, received a royal pardon releasing him from prison where he was serving a sentence for sodomy in a case that his supporters said was politically motivated. He needs to be elected as an MP to qualify to take over from Mahathir, and earlier this month a lawmaker from his party vacated his seat in the coastal town of Port Dickson to make way for Anwar, a former deputy premier. On Saturday, hundreds of flag-waving supporters of the ruling Pact of Hope alliance marched to a hall in the town as Anwar and the other candidates formally registered for the poll. But there was shock when it emerged that one of his six rivals in the election is Mohamad Saiful Bukhari Azlan, a former volunteer in his office whose accusations of sodomy led to him being jailed in 2015. AFP

CAMEROON HOLDS ITS BREATH ON KEY ANNIVERSARY LIMBE, Cameroon—Cameroon is nervously awaiting the first anniversary on Monday of a declaration of independence by its English-speaking minority less than a week before the country plunges into presidential elections. Attacks are occurring daily in the two regions that are home to this Frenchspeaking country’s anglophones, and many say they are afraid. In the worst-affected areas, some people have fled with whatever possessions they can carry. Others say they rarely venture out of their homes, fearing separatists as well as the security forces. On October 1 2017, radicals declared the creation of the “Republic of Ambazonia,” covering two English-speaking regions incorporated into francophone Cameroon in 1961. The declaration went largely unnoticed outside Cameroon, and “Ambazonia”— named after a bay at the mouth of the Douala River— has been recognized by no-one. But the move marked the start of a crisis that has cast a shadow over the October 7 elections, in which 85-yearold president Paul Biya, who has ruled the country for 35 years, is seeking a seventh straight term in office. “The army killed lots of people on October 1,” Monsignor Emmanuel Bushu, bishop of the Buea, capital of Southwest Region, said at the time. AFP

TEEMING. An aerial picture taken on Thursday shows the Jalousie neighborhood in the commune of Petion Ville during the sunset, in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. AFP

TRUMP ORDERS FBI PROBE OF KAVANAUGH WASHINGTON—United States President Donald Trump on Friday ordered a new FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against his Supreme Court pick, as the Senate delayed a vote on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to make way for the probe. After a dramatic day-long hearing at which a university professor accused Kavanaugh of pinning her down and assaulting her at a party in the 1980s, the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier Friday approved his nomination in a preliminary vote along party lines. But committee chair Chuck

Grassley, a Republican, then bowed to intense pressure from inside and outside Congress and announced he was asking Trump to order the new background review that “must be completed no later than one week from today.” The Kavanaugh nomination has turned into a political firestorm ahead of November congressional elections—in which Republicans will battle to keep control of Congress—and is threatening to derail Trump’s push to get a conservativeminded majority on the top court ahead of the vote. Trump, who repeatedly blasted

Democratic opposition to Kavanaugh as a political “con-job,” agreed to the investigation. “I’ve ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Kavanaugh’s file. As the Senate has requested, this update must be limited in scope and completed in less than one week,” the president said in a statement. He later tweeted support for Kavanaugh, saying “Just started, tonight, our 7th FBI investigation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. He will someday be recognized as a truly great Justice of The United States Supreme Court!”

Trump’s order and the decision to put off a final vote came after a key Republican senator, Jeff Flake, threatened to break ranks with his party because of the clouds hanging over Kavanaugh. At least three women have now accused the 53-year-old conservative judge of sexual misconduct while drunk, as a high school and later a university student. Democrats have repeatedly demanded those charges be assessed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine if he is suitable for the lifetime high court appointment. AFP

EX-IVORY COAST PRESIDENT TO ASK ICC FOR FREEDOM

PERISHED. A large whale carcass is seen on Wattamola Beach at the Royal National Park in Sydney on Tuesday. AFP

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo will Monday ask the International Criminal Court to acquit him on all charges of crimes against humanity and release him after seven years in detention. On trial since 2016, Gbagbo is the first-ever head of state to be handed over to the Hague-based ICC. Now 73, he faces four counts of crimes against humanity for his role in fomenting a wave of post-electoral violence eight years ago in the west African nation. After more than two years on trial, Gbagbo’s lawyers believe the prosecution failed to prove the charges and are demanding a “full dismissal, an acquittal on all charges” and Gbagbo’s immediate release. “We are confident that president Laurent Gbagbo will be acquitted, released and will be able to return to his

country,” said Justin Koua, the youth chairman of a coalition of political parties including Gbagbo’s own Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) as well as civil society groups. “Mr Gbagbo is suffering an injustice,” he told AFP. Defence lawyers also want the same for Gbagbo’s right-hand man Charles Ble Goude, 46, leader of the “Young Patriots” group which allegedly murdered and raped hundreds of people in order to keep Gbagbo in charge. Judges joined the two men’s cases before trial started and both pleaded not guilty. Unrest wracked the Ivory Coast for five months from December 2010 until early 2011, after Gbagbo refused to accept his internationally-recognized defeat by bitter rival Alassane Ouattara. AFP

Images

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

OUTSTANDING TEACHER. Windel Alvarez (standing, right) raises his trophy beside President Rodrigo Duterte after being named one of the 2018 Outstanding Government Workers Dangal ng Bayan on Thursday at the Rizal Hall of Malacanang Palace. With Alvarez, a Master Teacher 1 at the Tabgon Elementary School in Caramoan, Camarines Sur, and the President are Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (to Duterte’s right) and other government officials and awardees. Presidential Photo

Plaza ntain in eing u fo e t th , se tures a of time e sculp and the test y Espiritu h T . S S st nn AGELrEuz, Manila withal cleaning. So n C io . s a t a S e occ only th

LOTTO QUEUE. Hopeful Filipinos line up to place their bets on the massive P774million 6/58 Ultra Lotto jackpot at a PCSO outlet in Quiapo, Manila on Friday. Nobody won in Friday’s draw, which gives bettors another chance today (Sunday), and if not, on Tuesday next week. Norman Cruz

TRYING THEIR LUCK. Men cast their fishing rods along the seawall at Manila Bay early on Thursday morning, hoping they don’t reel in the trash that often washes up the famed waterway. Sonny Espiritu

REFUELING. Dock workers help lift pipes leading to the JS Akebono (DD-108), the Japanese Marine Self-Defense Force’s Murasame-class destroyer, which arrived Thursday at Pier 15 of Manila’s South Harbor for a three-day goodwill visit to the country. The ship, headed by Captain Josuke Nakamura, has about 200 officers and crew on board with two SH-60K patrol helicopters on deck. Norman Cruz

BACOOR’S GUEST. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio speaks during the ceremonial opening of the new Hall of Justice in Bacoor, Cavite, coinciding with the city’s 347th foundation anniversary on Friday. Assisting her were Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado-Revilla and Rep. Strike Revilla. Norman Cruz

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Reira U Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

UP DILIMAN PITCH RECEIVES FIFA QUALITY CERTIFICATION

METRO LEAGUE OPEN BEGINS Games today (Caloocan Sports Complex) 10 a.m. -- Paranaque vs. Pateros 12 noon -- Opening ceremony 1:30 p.m. -- Caloocan vs.Valenzuela 3 p.m. -- Manila vs. Marikina

University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Football Field. Inset shows a test engineers from Acousto-Scan conducting the FIFA Quality field test.

HE Fédération Internationale de Football Association recently awarded the University of the Philippines Diliman Football Field with the FIFA Quality Certification seal. Installed by E-Sports International, the first local company to have a field tested for FIFA Certification in the Philippines, the UP Diliman’s newlyminted football grounds is the newest pitch that now holds the international standard label for FIFA Quality. The Quality Certification, under the FIFA Quality Program, is awarded to pitches that meet stringent and globally-recognized criteria for safety, durability, and performance. “We at E-Sports International are committed to create facilities that provide the ultimate sporting experience,” said Audris Romualdez, Managing Director of E-Sports International. “For UP to receive this certification means that it is capable of holding matches of premier caliber, providing opportunities for more homegrown football players see the global stage. This only shows how serious we are in providing world-class sports facilities.” E-Sports International, in coordination with FIFA-Preferred Producer and manufacturer Limonta Sport, used Duo Shape P+ 45mm turf with a Shockdrain system for the football pitch. Test engineers from Acousto-

Scan visited the football grounds to conduct the FIFA Quality field test, a two-phase procedure that carefully evaluates the turf’s surface composition, ball bounce, player interaction, weather resistance, among others. “Our longstanding promise is to give athletes exceptional pitches so they can train to be the best they can be. High-quality turf systems should be properly installed and be well maintained to prevent rapid pitch deterioration,” explains Romualdez. “Paying close attention to these factors will guarantee a field’s safety, superior performance, playability, and pitch longevity.”

New Home for the Maroons

E-Sports International started base preparations for the UP Diliman field in May 2018 and finished the project in August. The UP Men’s Football Team, which secured its 18th UAAP championship title in Season 80, is setting its sights on a stronger performance for the 81st season. The UPMFT is now hard at work to bag another title as it trains at the brand new UP Diliman Football Field. The university plans to complete the entire facility housing in time for

FIFA experts conduct tests on the pitch.

UAAP Men’s Football Season 81.

Quality is the Norm

Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, home of the Philippines’ National Football Team, was the first football stadium installed by E-Sports to be accredited with the FIFA Quality Certification. E-Sports has also successfully provided FIFA certification to the Biñan Football Stadium. The company is currently building six additional football fields around the Philippines, two of which will un-

dergo testing by the FIFA Quality Program by the end of the year. “It is our hope that the football community will see the value of the FIFA Certification. E-Sports believes that good facilities stimulate harmonious and enjoyable sporting experience for players and athletes. We encourage everyone to have fields certified,” Romualdez said. For more information on E-Sports, visit www.esports.ph or follow E-Sports International, Inc. on Facebook.

PH BASEBALL TEAM TRAINING CAMPS ANNOUNCED THE Philippine Amateur Baseball Association is pleased to confirm that the training camps for the Men’s and Women’s National Teams will be held on Oct. 13 and 14, from 7 a.m. to 12 noon at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Manila. Next year will be one of the busiest years ever for Philippine Baseball, highlighted by the launch of the Women’s National Team program and the return of

Baseball to the South East Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting from Nov. 30 to Dec. 10. Players aged 18 and above are required to bring photocopies of their birth certificate and passport, as well as two 2x2 ID photos when they arrive at the venue to register. Training camp for the Men’s Team will be held on Oct. 13, while the first-ever Women’s camp

happens on Oct. 14. While selections will focus on identifying players ready to make an impact on the international stage, the PABA will also be on the lookout for the stars of tomorrow. For more information, please e-mail PABA Communications Head Maya Montecillo at maya.montecillo@philippinebaseball.org.

EXPECT exciting action as the Metro League Open presented by the Metro Manila Development Authority, in partnership with the Philippine Basketball Association, unwraps today at the Caloocan City Sports Complex. Three games and a colorful opening ceremony highlighted by the traditional parade of teams with their respective muses will kick off the prestigious tournament previously known as the Metro Basketball Tournament. Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan, MMDA chairman Danny Lim and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial have been invited to grace the opening ceremony, along with MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia, MMDA Chief of Staff Michael Salalima, and M-League officials and organizers, led by tournament director Bonnie Tan, finance officer Waiyip Chong, deputy tournament director Fidel Mangonon III and Commissioner Glen Capacio. Opening-day games will pit Parañaque against Pateros at 10 a.m., Caloocan against Valenzuela at 1:30 p.m. and Manila against Marikina at 3 p.m. In all, a total of 10 cities divided into the North and South Divisions are seeing action in the one-and-ahalf month tournament which has Spalding as the official ball, Team Rebel Sports as the official outfitter and Synergy 88, San Miguel Corp., World Balance, Frabelle Foods, Summit Mineral Water, AlcoPlus, Gerry’s Grill, Excellent Noodles, SM Supermalls and Nature’s Spring as sponsors. The teams are: North—Caloocan, Manila, Marikina, Quezon City, Valenzuela. South—Las Piñas, Parañaque, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig. Spicing up the one-and-a-half month long competition is the presence of six ex-PBA players and nine PBA D-League veterans in the lineups of the participating teams. The former PBA stars in the list are Joseph Yeo of Manila, John Ferriols of Taguig, MC Caceres and Philip Butel of Marikina, Ariel Capus of Pateros and Arnold Gamboa of Valenzuela. The PBA D-League veterans hoping to reboot their careers are Kenneth Acibar (Manila), Kojak Melegrito (Quezon City), Reneford Ruaya (Valenzuela), John Tayongtong (Valezuela) and Gwayne Capacio (Parañaque). PBA operations director Eric Castro said the PBA will provide the necessary assistance to the MMDA and the organizing committee to ensure the success of the competition. As such, the M-League will be officiated by PBA D-League referees, along with its table officials and statisticians. The launching of the M-League comes on the heels of the successful staging of the 16-under and 24-under boys and men’s basketball and women’s volleyball tournaments under the supervision of the MMDA through the Metro Manila Sportsfest.

PINAY ACES FACE UPHILL BATTLE

Princess Superal

FIVE of the country’s top pros brace for three days of grueling battle of shotmaking against the best of Taiwan LPGA Tour and a host of aces from Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore in the Party Golfer Ladies Open firing off Oct. 3 at the National Golf Country Club in Miaoli County in Taiwan. With the top six players in the current Taiwan LPGA Tour ranking and a slew of Thai aces bannering the elite international cast, Mia Piccio, Princess Superal, Cyna Rodriguez, Daniella Uy and Marvin Monsalve will have their work cut out for them in the $100,000 event cosanctioned by the TLPGA and the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. “It’s going to be tough but we’ll do our very best,” said Superal, the current Order of Merit leader on the LPGT. Piccio is actually taking time out from her

Symetra Tour campaign to join Superal and former three-time LPGT OOM winner Rodriguez in the 54-hole tournament that marks the first time that the local circuit will be co-staging a tournament abroad as part of Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.’s effort to advance the growth of local ladies pro golf. “Our local pros have been competing with the TLPGA ladies through the TLPGA-sanctioned LPGT tournaments that we’ve been holding twice each year the last three seasons. This time I am hoping our ladies will do well outside the Philippines,” said PGTI general manager Colo Ventosa. But Piccio, Superal and company face a set of rivals so deep in talent, headed by current TLPGA OOM leader Yu-Ju Chen, No. 2, Hsin Lee, third ranked Szu-Han Chen, No. 4 Min-Jou Chen, fifth ranked Yi-Chen Lio and No. 6 China Huang.

Mia Piccio

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

Business

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

UNIONBANK HEAD NAMED BANKING CEO OF THE YEAR

UnionBank CEO Edwin Bautista

Davis & G Blackseed Anti-Aging Collection founders Davis Pagayon (right) and Gigi Moya

OFW BRINGS ANCIENT BEAUTY SECRET TO PH

DUBAI-BASED health insurance executive teamed up with her former high school classmate to build a line of health and beauty products containing black seed oil which is said to be Cleopatra’s secret for ageless skin.

Gigi Moya, who has been working in Dubai for 17 years now, attests to the anti-aging and skin rejuvenation efficacy of black seed or black cumin oil. “Sometime in 2016, I saw a Dubai local resident buying boxes of oil. Intrigued, I asked the sales lady what it was, and she said it was black seed oil which the locals were taking every morning as food supplement. I bought a box, tried it and found it effective,” she says in an interview in Quezon City. “I take one teaspoon in the morning. It has the effect of making me energetic. It is also antioxidant. At night, I also take a teaspoon for good sleep. It is a food supplement and an ancient cure for many illnesses,” she says. Moya, 46, also applied the oil as topical ointment on her face. “They called it ‘blessed oil’. In ancient Egypt, Cleopatra used it in her beauty regimen. It comes from black cumin, or Nigella sativa plant which grows in the Middle East and South Asia. When I tried it, it helped my skin. After a few days, I referred it to my friends, and they had the same positive experience, like their pimples

quickly disappeared,” says Moya, who looks younger than her age. She is a granddaughter of the late actress Chichay, or Amparo Robles Custodio in real life. The Nigella sativa plant is known for its restorative powers. The oil is used in the Middle East as a remedy for various diseases. The active ingredients in black seed are reportedly rich with vitamins, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and other trace elements. When Moya returned to the Philippines to attend a high school reunion of Roosevelt College Marikina, she was reunited with Davis Pagayon, a son of inventor/entrepreneur Francisco ‘Popoy’ Pagayon and a board director of Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative Inc. “When I met Davis who is into invention, I asked him to take black seed oil which is good for health,” she says. Moya gave Pagayon a bottle of black seed oil and suggested the idea of using it as an active ingredient in soaps. “This is how Davis & G Blackseed Anti-Aging Collection was conceptualized,” she says. Pagayon, whose group consists of inventors and entrepreneurs, asked CRD Herbal Products Inc., a toll manufacturer of natural beauty products, to make soap samples from what was left in the bottle of black seed oil given by Moya. “We produced a dozen anti-aging bath soaps out of that bottle, which we also infused with other natural ingredients sourced locally. We asked the members and officers of FISPC to test it which also served as an initial consumer test. The feedback and testimonies were all positive. That’s how it started,” says Pagayon, who also serves as the operations manager of the family-owned Oral Educational Distributor.

“We are confident about the product because I use it personally,” says Moya, who avoids applying chemical products on her body. Moya purchased more black seed oil and powder in Dubai and sent it to Pagayon to develop other products such as body scrub, lotion and shampoo. “After the consumer test and good feedback, we applied for licenses with the Food and Drug Administration,” says Pagayon. “We are the first in the Philippines to use black seed in cosmetics,” says Pagayon. “We also applied for patent [utility model] for black seed soap, black seed lotion and black seed shampoo with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.” “After complying with the regulation, we decided on commercial production in 2017. The products are now distributed by Oral Educational Distributor, our family business,” says Pagayon. “We have a toll manufacturing contract with CRD Herbal of Mr. Bimbo Duran. We tapped the services of other members of FISPC for cooperation and techno pooling. We now have 10 products, and we are developing more,” says Pagayon. Moya says while the black seed beauty products have skin whitening effect, they choose to focus the marketing campaign on the antiaging and skin rejuvenation benefits. “Black seed oil can tighten skin pores. Because of Dubai’s hot temperature, it can provide protection against the sun. That’s why we also developed a lotion with sunscreen [SPF 15],” says Moya. The business partners also introduced coffee with black seed powder and date seeds. “The Turn to C2

UNION Bank of the Philippines has received two awards from the prestigious London-based International Banker. The first of these awards is the Best Innovation in Retail Banking in the Philippines 2018 – a repeat of the same accolade that the bank received in 2016 – amid its relentless pursuit to deliver best-inclass banking platforms to address changing customer needs and deliver outstanding customer experiences. Since the bank was first featured on the cover of the International Banker’s Spring 2017 issue where it promised “Digital Transformation, With No One Left Behind” to the global financial world, the International Banker has closely kept track of UnionBank’s transformation journey. This promise was made by UnionBank president and now chief executive Edwin Bautista in 2016, at the start of his presidency. Even then, Bautista already made clear his plans to “future-proof” UnionBankers by retooling them, so they can move seamlessly from a job that may be impacted by digitization to the many new jobs that are and will continue emerging. According to the magazine’s editors, they have featured numerous stories on digital transformation by other banks and financial institutions, but what made UnionBank special was its battlecr y to “not leave any employee behind” plus the consistently solid business results and “tech” milestones that it has achieved thus far. Today, less than three years since this pivot, UnionBank has established itself as a leader in digital banking – winning multiple, diverse and prestigious awards both in the Philippines and abroad. Importantly, management and employees have all worked hard together to consistently deliver “digital firsts” and “best-inclass” products and platforms (e.g. robotics process automation, chatbots and the state-of-the-art Integrated Operations Center, and most recently, blockchain applications). This has also shown that total digital transformation is first about getting people to embrace technology and use this in so many innovative ways, to be more productive and thus provide best customer service for all, on the journey to inclusive prosperity. I n recognition of Bautista’s clear vision, excellent strategy and exemplary leadership skills and the passion, agility and innovativeness that the entire UnionBank team has shown, the International Banker also awarded Bautista as the Banking CEO of the Year Asia – an honor that Bautista wholeheartedly shares with all UnionBankers.

SAN MIGUEL CELEBRATES FOOD AND BEVERAGE ROOTS SAN Miguel Corp. is marking its 128th year by celebrating its beginnings as a food and beverage company, and leveraging on its decades of experience to broaden its sustainability goals. “SMC has thrived for more than a century by providing quality food and beverage products to generations of Filipinos. While the company has gone through different transformations, the Filipino consumer has always been our focus,” SMC president Ramon Ang said. “Today, we’re looking to give back by way of committing to much larger sustainability goals,” he said. Following the launch of its water sustainability project two year ago—where

SMC aims to cut group-wide water use by 50 percent by 2025—Ang said the company is now moving to address another critical issue: solid waste pollution. “It’s in our food and beverage businesses where we honed our expertise in serving people, working with communities, and protecting the environment. So it’s only fitting that on their 128th anniversary, we’re starting this initiative which will benefit many,” he said. Founded in Manila’s San Miguel district on Sept. 29, 1890, La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel is the precursor of present-day diversified conglomerate SMC. Recently, SMC folded its food and beverage units into San Miguel Food

and Beverage Inc., placing some of its most iconic and enduring brands under one roof. These include: San Miguel Pale Pilsen, the original product from 1890; Ginebra San Miguel, acquired much later but was originally from 1835, and Magnolia, its first foray in dairy products, from 1925. “We owe whatever success we’ve had to the Filipino people. Our food and beverage products, which are the foundation of our growth, are successful because of the trust of our customers, partners, and stakeholders. We know we have a shared responsibility to help address critical challenges that impact people’s lives and our future,” Ang said.

“We’re leveraging on our years of experience, our scale, know-how, and applying the value of malasakit that has run so strong in our food and beverage business for generations. Today we have a wider platform when it comes to addressing important social issues,” he said. NEXT LEG OF SUSTAINABILITY “Like water scarcity, solid waste pollution is an issue that is relevant to all of us, and demands more action from everyone— especially companies,” he said. To kick off its campaign, SMC announced that subsidiary San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corp., is looking to partner with a local technology provider and social enterprise, to build a materials recovery,

recycling center, and collection hub. The facility will be able to turn garbage— largely flexibles and single-use plastics collected from partner local governments-into eco-bricks and pavers. These will then be used in the construction of homes for low-income families and for small-scale projects like public toilets or more materials recovery facilities. “This is the first project of its kind that we are doing. We want to make small-scale plastic recycling accessible to communities. We’re going to replicate this in other areas. It’s a small effort, but it will have an exponential effect on the amount of plastic recycled and educate consumer on plastic recycling,” Ang said

Business

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 business@manilastandard.net

OFW... From C1 coffee, Arabica robusta, is from Kalinga province. It is a fusion of the Middle Eastern and Filipino ingredients. We just want to show that our natural ingredients in soap are also compatible with food and beverage,” Pagayon says. Davis & G Blackseed products are available at OneStore hub, the one-stop shop of the Department of Science and Technology; FISPC Showroom in Quezon City; and online stores such as Beauty Manila and Shopee. “The reviews have been positive. Some of our satisfied customers asked to become distributors. That’s how it spread online,” says Pagayon. Davis & G Collection Blackseed shampoo with conditioner, which retails for P220 a bottle, was recognized as one of the 15 best hair products of 2017 by Beauty Manila, an online retailer of beauty products. The products with black seed are said to be ideal to address skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. Moya and Pagayon are now concentrating on expanding their distribution network and are in talks with major retail chains to carry their products. Their participation in the recent Manila Fame trade show has caught the eye of several foreign businessmen during the business matching session. “We are now talking to an Australian businessman who loves our packaging,” says Pagayon. Pagayon says while their products are more expensive than what are available in the mass market, their customers are assured of natural, safe and premium Filipino products that are considered world-class. “Apart from black seed oil, we use high-quality essential oils and local ingredients such as coconut oil, ilangilang [cananga], gumamela [hibiscus] and avocado which are all natural,” says Pagayon. The business partners hope that once the products penetrate the mainstream domestic market, they can also export the products to the Middle East and other regions. “Hopefully, once our sales further pick up, I can return home for good,” says Moya. Roderick T. dela Cruz

LAWYERS FEAR PECO MAY BE DEPRIVED OF POWER ASSETS L AW Y E R S o f Pa n ay E l e c t r i c Co. disclosed an alleged plan to deprive the Iloilo City-based company of its power distribution facility through congressional expropriation of a private property. In a letter to House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Carpio & Bello Law Offices of Davao City in behalf of Peco cited an admission by More Minerals Corp. that it has no electric power distribution assets, and merely intends to buy the existing system owned by Peco, as well as simply absorb the company’s workers who already possess the technical know-how and expertise to run the business. “In other words, MORE will acquire electric power distribution assets and get expertise and personnel for the purpose of riding on the power of Congress to expropriate which HB 8132 appears to gladly hand over to it, in gross violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the prohibition against the undue delegation of legislative powers,” the letter stated. According to the lawyers, MMC has not submitted a “comprehensive, yearto-year roll-out plan” as required by the government. The Peco lawyers said HB 8132 which was originally submitted by MMC was substituted by House Bill 8032 which could pave the way for expropriation proceedings. The counsels asked the speaker to stop the committee “from committing a travesty of justice and causing undue damage and prejudice” to Peco, citing as proof the alleged attempt to rush the approval of the measure seeking the grant of a new franchise to MMC, a relatively small mining firm based in Metro Manila with a capitalization of P2.5 million, which was later adjusted to P10 million. The lawyers described the committee’s actions as a “brazen attempt to circumvent the well-established rules of the House of Representatives” by switching measures embodying the MMC’s franchise bid. Representatives of the Energy Regulatory Commission attested during Wednesday’s committee hearing that the regulatory body recommended the renewal of Peco’s franchise as early as November 22, 2017. The House committee, however, did not follow ERC’s recommendation and expedited instead the approval of the MMC bill in only 45 days, the lawyers said.

HOW TO PROTECT MONEY FROM INFLATION, WEAK PESO T

HE country’s largest mutual fund company advises individual investors to be more prudent this year amid the challenging environment of high inflation and weak peso.

“What we advise you to do is to have a diversified portfolio. Participate in the dollar bonds and have a little bit of defensive position in the money market space. Then you have a portfolio that can weather various economic changes over the medium to long term. We encourage you to participate in pooled investment funds,” says Roberto Martin Enrile, president of BPI Investment Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank of the Philippines Islands. “I think that what an investor needs to have in mind is diversification. That has always been reliable. It is just a matter of tweaking the components of your diversified portfolio to see where the over and underweight should be, and maybe reviewing it on a regular basis to do the necessarily rebalancing,” he says. BPI Investment manages various fund types such as peso bond fund, dollar bond fund, euro bond fund, money market fund, medium-term bonds and stock index fund. “Typically, you get the lowest volatility and return from the money market fund. The highest volatility, and the highest return historically is pure equity fund. We also have a balanced fund. It is a diversified portfolio that has both equities and bonds. Depending on the market condition, we tweak the proportion. But typically, it is 50:50,” he says. Most fund investors lost money this year, after the peso depreciated more than 8 percent since January and the Philippine Stock Exchange index fell 15 percent. Inflation rate hit a nine-year peak of 6.4 percent in August 2018, while the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas raised the benchmark borrowing rate by 150 basis points since the start of the year to 4.5 percent. “We don’t encourage you to look short-term. Things can change at the end of the year, which is more than three months from now. Things can even change over a span of 12 months, but our returns have shown us that the longer-term investors are the ones who make the most,” Enrile says in an interview. “One of the key factors of a successful investor is patience and an overriding belief in the fundamentals of the economy you are investing in. We would like to focus a little bit more on patience nowadays. It easy to be jumpy or jittery. If you know you don’t have a long-term investment horizon or you need to pay something by yearend, stay defensive. Stick to money market. If you know you have a longer term window for your money, expose yourself to a little more risk,” says Enrile who has a BS Management degree from Ateneo de Manila University and a Master’s Degree from Babson College in the US. Enrile says the mutual fund industry which is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission provides individual investors with an opportunity to take advantage of the country’s economic growth story. “You can have an initial investment of P5,000, and top it up every month,” he says. “Mutual fund is a pooled investment in principle. It makes use of a team of professional fund managers to manage the risks. That’s one key difference from going directly to the bank. There are various products that have their own specific risks and return profiles. So starting from money market funds all the way to the equity funds, there will be something that will suit your return needs or risk appetite,” he says. “Your age, your means, your needs—all of these things go into what we think is the best strategy.

BPI Investment Management Inc. president Roberto Martin Enrile

These are all being evaluated property at the front desk,” he says. Enrile says 2018 is a challenging year, because “we are coming to the environment of rising interest rate, and rising inflation principally because the cost of goods is going up.” “As a result, the Central Bank deemed it necessary to start to raise rates and try to slow inflation. With that combination of economic

circumstances, the peso weakened. As a result, stock investors particularly those offshore saw it fit to unload Philippine stocks, mostly in view of the currency, not because of fundamentals of listed companies being particularly weaker. It is mostly because they are losing on the currency,” he says. Enrile says BPI expects the peso to end 2018 at 54.50 against the US dollar and the PSE index to settle within a range of 7,900 and 8,100 by December. He says it could reach the 10,000-point mark within the next two to three years. “We are not expecting a very sharp recovery in the market. We think that the currency weakness will persist through next year. We think that the rising interest rate will persist. We think that inflation will probably peak around September this year at 6.7 percent,” he says. “The growth fundamentals will prevail still, notwithstanding some erosion in the current account balance, currency and inflation picture. We are still going to be one of the more robust growing economies in the region, maybe even globally. I think it is going to be a mild recovery,” he says. Enrile, who worked in the stock market for 20 years before joining the banking sector, says BPI Investment plans to offer more products in the market to provide investors with greater opportunities. We are set to launch a new product in September. This is gonna be an income paying product. That is an innovation in the market that we would like to think we are first to introduce,” he says. “We continue to explore other products moving to next two or three years. We will see what investors’ appetite is. If they have appetite for China product, we are happy to launch that. If there is an appetite for product that is based on energy or some thematic investment product, we can launch something like that,” he says. “We are also looking at offshore distribution for the next one or two years. We want to have our Philippine products distributed in the region. We are targeting those who believe in the Philippine growth story wherever they are. We have been told by some of our partners offshore that there is a demand for Philippines-based products that are not being launched or manufactured offshore. In the same token that we can distribute offshore products, we also like to explore distributing our products offshore,” he says. Enrile advises first-time investors, especially the millennials, to work with professional fund managers. “Go with somebody who can look at your funds. It is challenging enough for those who have been in the industry for over 20 years. Invest in funds. Look for the right manager that you can build relationship with. Look for the right products for you,” he says. “Start with what you want to accomplish. Don’t start with what you think will make the most money. More often than not, that entails the most risk. Start with the end in mind. Then work your way backwards to what your portfolio should look like. Look for the right partners. Look for the right managers. Do your homework. Look at the historical figures of the funds,” he says. “If you are new to investing or new to the capital market, don’t go at it on your own. I have seen a lot of disappointments with those who have done that, especially in the stock market. Stick with professionals with track records. Stick with reputable institutions,” he says. Enrile says despite the 7-percent contraction of the general mutual fund industry this year, BPI Investment posted a 2.3-percent growth in assets under management as of August 2018. “To some extent, we have been very prudent about taking risks this year. We have done okay,” he says. “We offer very competitive returns this year relative to the industry in a challenging market, which is a testament to having a professional management.” “We are happy to see the business still grow amid a very challenging environment,” says Enrile. Roderick T. dela Cruz

PAYPAL: MILLENNIALS SET TO DOMINATE GLOBAL WORKFORCE By Othel V. Campos

PayPal general manager for Southeast Asia cross-border trade Nagesh Devata

MILLENNIALS are set to dominate the global workforce in three years, according to global finance transfer and digital payment platform PayPal. “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. They like working from home and value autonomy. That’s why freelancing comes so naturally to them,” said PayPal general manager for Southeast Asia cross-border trade Nagesh Devata during the first G-Economy Media Summit in Manila. The “emergence of millennials” will introduce a new reality to the workforce, he said. PayPal said in the Philippines alone, there are 1.5 million freelancers who are mostly below 40 years old. “One of the key challenges are payment issues. Freelancers are always at risk of not being paid. This is a

prevailing attitude in the freelancers community,” said Nagesh. Nagesh said PayPal is the most popular payment method across Southeast Asia across the freelancer community. “This is something we are committed to in terms of providing them with services they need—ability to pack services freelancers need, the ability to a safe and secure platform from which they can transact,” he said. Among Filipino freelancers, 70 percent of the payments are from international clients that use PayPal. The platform is preferred for its ability to provide speed and security. “The flexibility to choose the work they want to do. A freelancer does not want to do a job or a role but this is an opportunity, a career choice, a lifestyle choice and to be aligned to their career interest,” he said. The company launched a series of discussions that aim to help Filipino freelancers on how to better use and

maximize diverse digital platforms. According to multiple pieces of research, one in five Filipino workers will be working as a freelancer by 2020. The Global Freelancer Research by PayPal also indicated that international clients typically account for over half of the freelancers’ businesses. “Digital platforms have made the gig economy a global ecosystem. In this context, Filipinos need to be competitive at the international level,” 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,” Nagesh said. PayPal said majority of the global workforce would undergo continued transformation to activities that suit the preference of the increasing millennial labor pool.

Tech & Gadgets

TAIWAN EXCELLENCE GAMING RIGS: UNLEASH CHAMP IN YOU

F YOU have ever imagined a gamer’s dream room, it would possibly look like a hub full of enormous action figures, dramatic led lights, and multiple wide gaming monitors. There are no rules on how cyber athletes should decorate their corner, but setting up a comfortable and modern playground helps you sharpen your competitive edge further. If you haven’t had the chance to remodel your gaming space into its best version, Taiwan Excellence brings the most advanced devices that can help you unleash your inner champion within. Take gaming experience to the extreme. The Acer Predator X27 monitor is equipped with HDR ultra technology, which gives the darkest blacks and brightest lights for a more realistic game. Whether you are inside a cave or atop a mountain, the monitor’s stunning pictures help you clearly see the gaming terrains for a more immersive battlestation. Couple your premium monitor with Gigabyte’s TOP Gaming Motherboard. With Smart Fan 5, you can seamlessly juggle three games at a time, or play while listening to the music without overheating the processor. Bring the adventure outside. MSI introduces its GE63VR Raider, a high performance gaming notebook you can use anywhere. It has 120Hz panel with ultra-fast 3ms response time

Gigabyte’s TOP Gaming Motherboard

that allows the device to keep up with rapid movements. Moreover, it has enormous surround sound speakers that provide a wraparound feel as the action starts. On top of these, MSI also crafted the VR One—the Virtual Reality (VR) back-

Acer Predator X27

pack PC. This helps gamers avoid tangled cables, and distract them for their battles. Approved by NVIDIA, a market leader in the design of graphics processing units, this equipment is exceptionally suitable for gaming scenarios such as theme parks, cockpit simulations, and military trainings. Due to its unmatched performance, it has been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a training equipment for astronauts, and by Sony and Bandai as the go-to option for their VR projects. Redesign your gaming station with Thermaltake’s View 31 Tempered Glass Edition Mid Tower Chassis. This processor house features a dual durable 4 mm

thick tempered glass window with colorful led lights to set your mood. Aside from its stylish front, it has a powerful dual graphics processing unit (GPU) that ensures crisp visuals. Channel your inner beast and conquer your enemies with these Taiwan Excellence-approved gadgets. These innovations are carefully evaluated and sealed by TAITRA with the guidance from the Bureau of Foreign Trade to promote Taiwan’s revolutionary products. For more information about its accredited products, visit taiwanexcellence.org, or like Taiwan Excellence on Facebook.

Thermaltake’s View 31 Tempered Glass Edition Mid Tower Chassis

NEW HP INNOVATIONS FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY By Ram Christian Agustin, Paul David Gelario HP RECENTLY launched its new PC, print, and services innovations for the working Filipinos in small and medium businesses (SMBs) to provide a seamless fusion of work and personal life for maximum efficiency wherever and whenever. The new solutions include the HP Elitebook x360, HP ENVY x360, HP Z2 Mini G3 Workstation, HP LaserJet Multifunction Printer, HP Ink Advantage Printer and the HP Ink Tank 415 Printer, all primed for increased mobility and connectivity both inside and outside the office. “As work and play become intertwined, working Pinoys from SMBs need to seamlessly switch between their personal and work per-

HP Ink Tank 415 Printer

sonas while still making the most of their busy day,” said HP Philippines’ Managing Director Pallasena Viswanath. The HP Elitebook x360, selling at P79,000 boasts of a silver, aluminum unibody build, while

its 360-degree hinges allow it to be used in several modes, including as a laptop, a tablet, a tent (an upside-down “V”) and a display (with the keyboard facing down). The HP Envy x360, on the other hand, has a compact aluminum chassis with a slender bezel surrounding the 13.3-inch display and is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7 2700U chipset running at 2GHz and is supported by 8GB of DDR4 memory for only P62,990. “Our innovations will help them align to the digital transformation needs of businesses with their personal lives while working and playing anytime, anywhere,” said Viswanath. The printers are built for varying project demands ranging from business printing and Managed Print Services (MPS) to mobile printing and are available through HP Authorized Premier Resellers.

OPPO NAMED AS LEADER IN PREMIUM SMARTPHONES OPPO has been named as the leading smartphone brand by market research firm Counterpoint in the lower premium segment. This impressive result proves that the brand is thriving amongst fierce competition in a largely saturated market. Furthermore, with more than 95% of flagship sales coming from the domestic China market, OPPO has ample opportunity to grow its share and thus bring more beautiful smartphone products to young consumers around the world. The Counterpoint report concluded that the global high-end smartphone market grew by 7% in the second quarter of 2018, with excellent performance in high-end product shipments. OPPO accounted for 24% of the overall premium smartphone market and in the $400-600 price segment, OPPO ranked first with 22% market share, followed by Apple, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and others. Within the hugely important China high-end smartphone market, the world’s largest, Apple ranked first and OPPO ranked second. Chinese smartphone manufacturers have

“upgraded” their flagship products this year and OPPO has been at the forefront. The newly launched Find X has won unanimous praise from consumers and the media after a highly successful Paris launch. Of course, there is also the company’s R series, which reinvigorated the industry at large with metallic colors and glass gradients. In 2018 alone, OPPO has introduced several innovative technologies including the panoramic arc screen, AI-enhanced 3D Camera, SuperVOOC flash charging, TOF and 3D structured light technology. OPPO has also inked partnerships with Stanford University on AI and internally, successfully tested 5G for use in the future development of 5G smartphones. There are many more reasons beyond product features that contribute to OPPO’s fast growth. In recent years, OPPO has put tremendous effort into manufacturing and hardware development with investment in R&D and Design centers around the world. In software, the company’s ColorOS continues to offer users a fast, smooth and intuitive experience. Both are exemplified

OPPO Find X

by our number of applied technology patents, which has reached more than 32,000 globally. In marketing and retail, OPPO continues to speak to its target audience of young consumers. So far, it has entered more than 30 countries and regions and operate more than 400,000 stores. OPPO is committed to being the favorite smartphone brand of “young

people” around the world and being closer to the interests of these users. In sports, fashion, movies, gaming and other popular culture, OPPO has already partnered with FC Barcelona, India’s Cricket Team, and America’s Next Top Model. In each of these, its goal is to reach out to young users and show how its phones can complement their lives.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

AXA PH RECEIVES VISIONARY AWARD FOR MyAXA CAFE AXA Philippines, one of the leading insurance companies in the country, recently received the Visionary Award from Vision Critical, an international firm that provides continuous customer intelligence to power companies with the collective wisdom of the people that matter to them. The winning entry was MyAXA Café, a branded online insight community that provides secure, ongoing, and real-time feedback from customers. Created in partnership with global service providers ABN Impact and Vision Critical, MyAXA Café is designed to generate faster, research-driven insight to help improve customer service and enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. It also helps AXA create new and better products that are responsive to the needs of customers, while supporting an ongoing, two-way dialogue with them. MyAXA Café has now become a vital tool to guide customer-centric decisionmaking processes within AXA Philippines, across multiple departments and stakeholders that may use it as a first step to making business decisions. “By understanding our customers better through MyAXA Café, we are then able to design even better solutions to improve constantly the delivery of a frictionless customer experience,” says Rahul Hora, AXA Philippines president and CEO. MyAXA Café has already made a difference in customer engagement. Through messages from customers left on MyAXA Café, AXA Philippines launched an engaging and simplified online financial needs analysis tool called Coach Finn that can support customers with their financial game plan. Customers helped AXA Philippines identify the approach, tone, and persona that will solicit their engagement. By iterating feedback from MyAXA Cafe, Coach Finn was a guaranteed success. MyAXA Café received earlier the Silver Award from the prestigious Efma-Accenture Innovation in Insurance Awards 2018. For more information, visit www.axa.com.ph.

GET FREE GLOBE HOME WIFI WITH PURCHASE OF LENOVO DEVICES AS we gear up for the holidays, leading PC developer Lenovo and Globe Telecom team up for an alwaysconnected “Ber” season in a promo. Customers now purchasing selected Lenovo products (YOGA, IdeaCentre, IdeaPad, and Legion) will receive a free Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi kit worth P1999. Each WiFi kit also comes, with 7 days data out-ofthe box. Purchase of selected Lenovo products with Intel® Core™ i3 processors will get a Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi with free 7 days data, while purchases with Intel® Core™ i5 processors will get an additional Homesurf Php 349 for extra 10 GB data valid for 10 days. Meanwhile, purchase of products with Intel® Core™ i7 processors will get an additional Homesurf Php599 for extra 15 GB data valid for 30 days. “With this new promotion, everyone can stay connected especially this coming holiday season. Globe’s reliable Internet connection will surely elevate their Lenovo experience,” said Lenovo Philippines Country General Manager Michael Ngan. A cost-effective plug-in LTE WiFi solution, Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi is two times faster, with 50% stronger coverage, compared to regular pocket WiFi devices. Customers who buy qualifying products can claim the Globe at Home Prepaid WiFi upon purchase, in-store. Customers who buy Intel® Core™ i5 and i7 products can claim their free data add-ons through the promo’s website by providing their invoice number and the product’s serial number. Each customer may only have a maximum of five (5) selected products per transaction, and purchases must be made at engaged retailers only. The promo is until Sept. 30, 2018 only. For the full list of selected Lenovo products and the engaged retailers, please visit https://www.lenovoredemptions.com/.

TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

MATIGSALUGS EMBRACE DIGITAL WAY OF LEARNING

EMBERS of Davao City’s Matigsalug tribe now have a smart and innovative way of preserving their culture and enhancing their next generation’s literacy—the Matigsalug app. A first of its kind in the Philippines, the recently launched mobile application that promotes basic literacy in the Matigsalug language, is a project of PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications. The mobile app has interactive features that teach users to read, write and recite the tribal alphabet. It also teaches word association and how to count in Matigsalug. Moreover, it lets users sing along to Matigsalug songs for children. It also features tribal dances and chants. The app is now available for free download on Android devices. Datu Robert Siawan of the Matigsalug tribe in Sitio Contract expressed gratitude to the people behind the project as it helps in addressing their problem of keeping their culture and traditions alive. “We are more than thankful that we are chosen as the tribe beneficiary of this project. It is also a way of enhancing learning and promoting our tribe’s culture to the rest of the world,” he said in vernacular during the app’s launching at Datu Salumay, Marilog District, Davao City. Traditionally, elders write down their history and traditions in a logbook, and then let their young tribe members read it. Siawan shared that the app is an effective way of capturing today’s generation’s attention to learning, as the

HACKUNA: MOBILE SECURITY APP LAUNCHED By Ram Christian Agustin and Denniel Nicole Dioneo

Young members of the tribe watch videos and learn word associations though the Matigsalug app.

traditional way is becoming less appealing to the youth. “There is really a need to put extra effort in promoting our culture so that it can be passed on to the next generation. This app can be very helpful to our tribe members, especially to the youth, to appreciate their heritage. People who want to learn our culture can also use this app,” Siawan added. To provide access to the newly launched app, Smart also donated tablets for use of the community. Among the Matigsalugs who tested the app is Peter A. Gulam, a grade six pupil at the Pamulaan Center for

Indigenous People’s (IP) Education. Peter sees the app as a more fun yet informative way of learning. “Nalingaw ko sa app, daghan koy matun-an didto, naenjoy nako ang mga videos labi na tong gapakita sa among tribu (The app is fun. I can learn a lot from it. I enjoyed most those videos featuring our tribe),” the young Matigsalug shared. “Importante na mismo makabalo ta sa atongkultura og mugamit ta sa atong pinulungan, para bisan asa ka maabot dili nimo malimtan imong gigikanan, dapat imong ipasigarbo bisan asa ka muadto (As a Matigsalug, it is important that we under-

stand our culture and we speak our language. By knowing and practicing your own culture, you can always remember your roots and be proud of it, no matter where fate will take you),” he added. Studies show that children learn better when they are taught using their mother tongue, and when they are given access to digital learning tools and content. It is for this reason that Smart has partnered with local communities, government units, schools, advocacy and developers to create literacy apps that aid in the improvement of literacy and interest in learning.

GLOBE myBUSINESS BACKS EMERGING INDUSTRIES GLOBE myBusiness, the micro, small, and medium enterprise arm of Globe Telecom, affirmed its commitment to support the development of more businesses in emerging industries like the fashion industry. The affirmation was made in the sidelights of the announcement of winners of stylefestph, a platform created by Globe together with SAGA Events. It was designed to serve the needs of fashion and beauty enthusiasts who want to create and bring their creative entrepreneurial projects to life. The Top 8 stylefestph winners are Benj Rogando, Marc Blanco, Junnie Gambaloza, DC de Castro, Ron Xavier Santos, Viña Romero, Dino Bancoro, and Nicolo Perez. Some of the winning inspirations were based on trendsetting and unique music, “incompleteness” or about questioning of life itself, “Alpas” or “break free” which is a reinvention of the Barong Tagalog, and “Diffusion,” while two were based on a popular science fiction TV series (“Westworld”) and a classic movie (“Singing in the Rain”). Each winner was awarded with a basic Globe

Globe myBusiness partners showcase their products at stylefestph

myBusiness starter package which includes postpaid mobile and broadband plans as well as the myWebsite solution for website creation. The starter package can be availed of as soon as the

winners register their business with the Department of Trade and Industry. “Our goal is to be the preferred partner of every business in the Philippines. We provided the stylefestph winners with solutions that could help jumpstart their business because we see their potential to succeed. Fashion is a growing industry in terms of revenue opportunities since next to food, it is where online shoppers spend most on,” said Anne David, Globe myBusiness Director for Supply Chain Segment Marketing. Globe myBusiness, she said, wants to be the partner of business owners in the pursuit of their passion “because we understand their needs, and because we can provide them with digital tools and solutions for hassle-free business operations so that they can concentrate on their passion. We can proudly say that our solutions are tailor-fit for every industry, including fashion or retail.” For more about Globe myBusiness solutions and other information on how to start a business, visit https://mybusiness.globe.com.ph.

TWO-TIME Philippine Hacker Games champion and “Cyber Defender: The Power of Hacking” author Alexis Lingad claimed that the mobile application his company, Cryptors, produced may have changed the game in the defense against mobile hackers. After the 21-year-old founded Cryptors at the age of 18 and won a six-month incubation program from KMC Solutions this year, Lingad developed the Hackuna app. where users can detect any anomalies compromising personal security such as malware as well as public wi-fi hackers. Hackuna was derived from the famous Lion King movie statement, “Hakuna Matata,” which means no worries. “Those companies (that are just focusing on anti-virus apps) are not really stopping the hackers and that’s the truth. I want you to realize that you are not being protected by just having an anti-virus because there’s a lot of strategies (to hack your gadgets). In Hackuna, what we’re trying to do is to block the hackers’ strategies because if you want to block the hackers, you must block their strategies in order for you to be protected,” said Lingad. “In Hackuna, we’re blocking the social engineering, WiFi hack, malicious app, hacker tool and virus,” he added. After downloading, users can use the WiFi Blocker function which gives them the ability to track the whereabouts of the hacker including information necessary to identify them which includes the kind of device they are operating and it also boasts its capability to block hackers within the network from hacking the user. “Before, we have to be extra careful in connecting to free WIFI on public areas such as train stations, coffee shops, malls, and government offices because these are the places where WIFI hackers mostly catch their victims. But because Hackuna app is already here to protect your mobile phones against these threats, you don’t need to worry anymore,” Lingad said. Additionally, its Malware Buster has the ability to detect the hidden spy apps and the trojans that hackers use in controlling users’ phone remotely, while clicking the Permission Analyzer button in the Hackuna app will detect the apps that have unreasonable permission to access the user’s private data, camera, mic, SMS, GPS, call logs and contacts without the user knowing.

JG SUMMIT UPGRADES EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE THROUGH MICROSOFT WITH a vision to become the leading digital conglomerate in the Philippines, JG Summit Holdings Inc. aims to achieve this goal through a digital transformation journey that will embed digitalization in its core business strategies to meet the evolving needs and lifestyle not just of its customers, but also of its employees. “Our vision is to be the leading digital conglomerate in the Philippines. To achieve that goal, multiple groups within the JG Summit Business Units, Subsidiaries, and Affiliates have been working behind the scenes to bring about this transformation,” said JG Summit President and CEO Lance Y. Gokongwei. Among the initiatives will be to upgrade the employee experience across the entire conglomerate through the use of Microsoft Office 365 and the cloud platform. JG Summit is transitioning from on-premise systems to Microsoft’s cloud services.

Office 365 is a set of Microsoft applications that allows users belonging to the same network to store files and share information. Compared to earlier versions of Microsoft applications, Office 365 uses the cloud platform, which offers agility, greater efficiency and security benefits. JG Summit’s move to the cloud platform will further enable its employees to transform their environment into a digital workplace. With this project, the conglomerate envisions a New Culture of Work where employees will be introduced to the Modern Digital Workplace which will empower people across the organization to achieve more by enabling better communication, collaboration, and sharing of information from computers to mobile phones in a single cohesive platform. The first step is to migrate everyone away from current e-mail platform and put everyone up unto the cloud platform accessible from any-

where in the world and enable collaboration on any device. Ricky Kapur, General Manager, Enterprise Operating Unit, Microsoft Asia Pacifi c, reiterated how JG Summit’s initiatives closely aligns with Microsoft’s mission. “At Microsoft, we empower every person and every organization to do more. The fourth industrial revolution is here, and organizations must digitally transform not just to optimize operations, but to enable their people. We’re very excited to work with JG Summit and be part of their digital transformation journey.” JG Summit is one of the largest and most diversified Filipino conglomerates, engaged primarily in businesses that serve a growing middle class with rising disposable incomes in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and Australasia. These businesses include branded snack foods and beverages, commoditie s, agro-industrial businesses, air transportation, banking, real estate, and petrochemicals.

(L to R): Jackie Buenviaje, Account Executive, Microsoft Philippines, Carlos Santos, Group Chief Information Officer, JGSHI, Lance Y. Gokongwei, President and Chief Operating Officer of JGSHI, Andrea Della Mattea, President, Microsoft Asia Pacific, Alberto Granados, Vice President, Microsoft Asia Pacific, Ricky Kapur, General Manager, Enterprise Operations Unit, Microsoft Asia Pacific, Tanya Aguila–Loo, Specialist Technology Unit Lead, Microsoft Philippines

Destinations D1

sunday, september 30, 2018

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

Bangkok has been named the top destination in the Asia Pacific in 2017.

Which is the

top

the charm of havana

oLD WoRLD. havana's old buildings, vintage cars, and cobblestone streets exude an old world charm, transporting travelers back to the 1950s.

FteR what seemed like years of preparation, my family and i finally arrived in havana. immediately, i asked myself—why does this city continue to mesmerize curious tourists from all over the world? havana’s old world charm—vin- to record his artistic development. tage cars of which there are 60,000 these “works of art” eventually atall over the country, old buildings tracted 80 of his neighbors who that date back then allowed the several centuartist to do the ries, cobblestone same thing to streets that have their respective withstood many residences, and tumultuous pothis unique area litical events, etc., of gaily decorated bring any visitor homes is collecback to the 1950s, tively known as when the pace mercury rising Fusterlandia. of life was much our next stop By BoB zozoBrado slower and less was the fivecomplicated than square-mile Plaza it is now. in fact, de la Revolucion, some seasoned travelers have havana’s most important landgiven havana the tag, “a city un- mark. it is where Fidel Castro held touched by time.” many of his political rallies, the Fusterlandia was our city tour’s same square where the late Pope first stop. located in the north- John Paul ii and Pope Francis celwestern edge of havana is this ebrated holy Mass for the Cubans neighborhood filled with brightly during their respective visits. colored mosaics and sculptures, Standing 109 meters tall and considered masterpieces of visual dominating the square artist Jose Rodriguez Fuster. is the Jose Marti MeAfter spending time in europe, morial, a tribute to and influenced by Gaudi’s archi- Cuba’s national tecture in Barcelona, Brancusi in hero: a prolific Romania, and Picasso in Spain, writer, who led the Fuster decided to use the roof, revolution against walls, doorways, and benches of Spain. his residence and studio in havana Turn to D2

in the

asia Pacific? With roughly 20 million international overnight visitors in 2017, Bangkok remains the top destination in Asia Pacific; it also placed first in 2016. the data is according the MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities index, which ranks the top travel destinations based on volume and spend. According to the report, visitors tend to stay in thailand’s capital for 4.7 nights and spend $173 per day, on average.

MBK Shopping Center (Wikimedia)

A colorful mosaic mural on a wall in Fusterlandia.

el Capitolio, or national Capitol Building in havana, Cuba, was the organization of government in Cuba until after the Cuban Revolution.

train to china

Hong Kong launcHes firsT HigH-speeD rail service changing trains, making the city an ideal starting point for multi-destination journeys through China. With frequent direct high-speed trains linking hong Kong to Shenzhen and Guangzhou in as little as 48 minutes, traveling within the Greater Bay Area will be faster and more convenient than ever before. Turn to D2

Bangkok’s varied sights and attractions appeal to a diverse group of tourists. it is home to major historical and cultural attractions, such as the Grand Palace and Buddhist temples Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaew, at Wat Arun, among a couple more others. Shoppers also flock to the city for

one of the many vintage cars plying the streets of havana which may be rented by tourists.

the 103-year old Gran teatro de la habana, home of the Cuban national Ballet. (By Gerry Zambonini/Wikimedia)

FiliPino tourists in hong Kong now have a chance to travel quickly and conveniently across Mainland China with the launch of hK’s first high-speed railway—the GuangzhouShenzhen-hong Kong high Speed Rail (hong Kong Section). the 26-km rail link connects hong Kong for the first time to Mainland China’s vast highspeed rail network, the world’s most extensive. travelers will be able to ride from hong Kong to 44 destinations in Mainland China without

destination

Yaowarat Road at night (Wikimedia)

its shopping centers and department stores in Siam and Ratchaprasong as well as to get the best deals at the sprawling Chatuchak Weekend Market. Bangkok is also a favorite among foodies with its roads lined with street-side food stalls. Bangkok is also one of the most popular Southeast cities among Chinese tourists, and second to Singapore in attracting some of the highest spending visitors—raking in US$16.36 billion last year.

the 26-km high Speed Rail connects hong Kong to 44 destinations in Mainland China. (Photo by MtR)

destinations

sunday, september 30, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

train...

From D1

the Hong Kong section of the High speed rail network runs from West Kowloon station, one of the world’s largest underground high-speed railway stations and a new must-see landmark for visitors to the city. Visitors can enjoy views of iconic Victoria Harbour by walking along the sky Corridor on the station’s rooftop. a three-hectare green area outside the station, meanwhile, provides a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city for residents and tourists alike. meanwhile, outside the station, there is a wealth of entertainment and attractions for visitors who want to enjoy shopping, dining, or a taste of traditional Hong Kong.

Game on, Dine in City of dreams manila brings together millennials' love of virtual reality and food park with the opening of the Garage, a Vr zone and food park. the Hong Kong section of the High speed rail network runs from the West Kowloon station.

the tourism hub of tsim sha tsui with its world-renowned restaurants and shopping malls is a short walk away. the station is also connected by public transport to fascinating neighborhoods including sham shui po in Kowloon where visitors can experience authentic Hong Kong life, or Old town Central on Hong Kong Island where visitors can enjoy history, arts, food, and culture in one of the city’s oldest and most idiosyncratic districts. directly outside the station is Hong Kong’s new arts and cultural hub, the West Kowloon Cultural district. It will soon offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy a sumptuous array of exhibitions, performances, and cultural events as soon as they step off the High speed rail network.

the West Kowloon station is one of the world’s largest underground high-speed railway stations.

the charm... From D1 among the many important buildings around the plaza is the palace of the revolution, which is Cuba’s seat of government and the Communist party. another building, which houses the ministry of Information and Communication, has its facade displaying the giant image of a revered Cuban rebel, Camilo Cienfuegos, with the quote written below the image, “Vas bien, Fidel” (you are doing well, Fidel). this was his response to Fidel Castro who asked if converting a military barracks into a school was the right thing to do. the quote eventually became the slogan for the Cuban revolution. On the opposite side of the square is the ministry of the Interior. Its facade displays the giant likeness of Che Guevara, the argentine marxist revolutionary, who is hailed as a hero in Cuba for his role in the Cuban revolution. the quote, “Hasta la Victoria siempre” (towards Victory always) is scribbled

aranaque-based City of dreams manila will soon introduce a new thrilling attraction that brings together millennials’ love of virtual reality and food park.

the Garage, a Vr zone and food park, will bring top of class Vr technology operated by bandai namco—a renowned and leading video game development company hailing from Japan—and a curated selection of food and beverage trucks and trailers.

situated in a 2,714-square meter air-conditioned space marked with striking graffiti artworks and modern industrial interiors, the Garage is designed by award-winning paris-based creative design agency, malherbe design. It seats 563 diners.

the Vr Zone featurew an exhilarating lineup of activities including mario Kart arcade Gp, Hospital escape terrors, and ski rodeo.

diners can enjoy their food at the main dining area.

the new facility will feature an exhilarating lineup of activities, including mario Kart arcade Gp Vr, Hospital escape terror, and ski rodeo alongside enticing gastronomic delights which have been carefully curated to redefine casual dining, consisting of Japanese, Filipino, american, Vietnamese, mexican, and Italian fare; a chocolate shop; and separate bars for coffee, juices and spirits.

Food tenants set to whet the crowd’s appetite are Hokkaido ramen santouka, pink’s Hotdog, Little Flour, Farmacy, Katsusora, el Chupacabra, pizza Grigliata, Chocol8, Juiced, and the roaster. the Garage, situated on the upper ground toward the end of the shops at the boulevard, will be the latest unique entertainment facility at the luxury integrated resort after dreamplay. Visit cityofdreamsmanila.com for more information.

below his image—the face that has become a global symbol of rebellion. I didn’t realize Guevara played a very important role in Cuba’s history as all I knew about him were his being an argentine national, and of the things attributed to him by argentina’s First Couple, eva and Juan peron, when I watched the musical, Evita. these dealings with the perons later turned out to be false because history will prove that eva was already dead and Juan was already in exile in spain long before Guevara rose to popularity. the Cubans loved Guevara so much for his role in helping them win the guerrilla war against the dictator, Fulgencio batista. after the war, Guevara was given ministerial functions and designated as Cuba’s ambassador to the world. He was eventually executed by the bolivian army when he tried to foment revolution in that country. the Cubans retrieved his body from bolivia and buried him in a the ministry of the Interior building, with the image of beautiful mausoleum in sta Clara, a city the ministry of Information and Communication building banners on its facade the image of Camilo Cienfuegos, another revered hero of the Cuban revolution. Che Guevara, honored as a hero in the Cuban revolution. right in the heart of Cuba. another noteworthy landmark in Havana is the imposing Hotel nacional de Cuba, perched on top of a hill, look- cility. they have to fly or sail to the us the building was originally known as the Galician Center of Havana. ing majestic with its architectural mix of embassy in Guyana for that purpose. there are many other interesting right in the center of town is the neo-colonial and art deco designs, and museum of the revolution offering a breathtaking view of Havana beautiful, classic baroque Gran teatro things that endeared Havana to me and (tony Hisget/ Wikimedia) my family, but those will have to be Harbor, the seawall, and the city. discussed another day. until now, this hotel used to be the seat of several weeks after our Cuba visit, the Cuban mafia which had extenYOUR weekend CHUCkLe I continue to be mesmerized by its sive operations in the us mainland, WOman tO Her Husband WHILe maKLatin vibe, its mysterious allure, its Central and south america, the CaInG LOVe: say dirty things to me! magical charm that’s why I’m still ribbean, and even in europe. man: Our bathroom, Kitchen, Living room... on my “spanish mode” as I say— although Cuba has very strong the husband is reported to be recuperatLa Habana es, sin duda, una joya ties with russia and China, it ing well in an orthopedic hospital. de destino que me encantara’ por has allowed a united states emmucho tiempo, ademas de darme bassy to open in Havana. this is la oportunidad de practicar mi Eshoused in a large building along panol (Havana is, without doubt, a the malecon, the eight-kilometer esplanade and seawall that stretches de la Habana which has been in ex- jewel-of-a-destination which will charm along Havana’s coastline. but, what istence for the past 103 years, and is me for a long time, aside from giving me puzzles me about the operations of home of the Cuban national ballet. It the opportunity to practice my spanish). this us embassy is that, although it is was originally built from donations For feedback, I’m at open to the public, Cubans cannot ap- by immigrants from Galicia, spain, to bobzozobrado@gmail.com. ply for their us visitors’ visa in this fa- serve as their social center and, in fact,

Entertainment

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

GMA LIFE TV @ 10: Julie Anne San Jose sings a fresh rendition of GMA Life TV’s station ID “There’s More to Life”

GREAT THINGS ARE COMING TO LIFE G MA’s international lifestyle channel GMA Life TV marks another milestone as it celebrates its 10th anniversary this month by giving Kapuso abroad exciting new treats and programs.

(From left) GMA Artist Center talents Yasser Marta, Kelvin Miranda, Jazz Ocampo, Arra San Agustin, Julie Anne San Jose, Analyn Barro, Klea Pineda, Matthias Rhoads, Kevin Sagra, and Jay Arcilla

First up, GMA Life TV’s ambassador and Asia’s Pop Sweetheart Julie Anne San Jose sings a new rendition of the station ID, “There’s More to Life”, featuring GMA Artist Center stars Klea Pineda, Arra San Agustin, Matthias Rhoads, Jazz Ocampo, Analyn Barro, Kevin Sagra, Kelvin Miranda, Yasser Marta, Jay Arcilla, and Bruno Gabriel who bring in a splash of youth to the lively music video. A vibrant new mix of programs across all lifestyle genres are also coming to Life including favorites like Idol sa Kusina, MARS, Day-Off, Ang Pinaka, Biyahe ni Drew, Poptalk, Reel Life, and Taste Buddies; well-loved series The One That Got Away, My Korean Jagiya, Meant to Be, Legally Blind, and Sa Piling ni Nanay ; Life Tunes “Playlist” which showcases GMA artists’ music videos; cooking show Foodtrip Season 4 as well as GMA News TV International’s blocktimers Master Builders, and The Working Class Season 3. In addition, viewers may stay tuned for updates on free previews and their favorite shows by following GMA Life TV’s new Instagram page, @gmalifetv. Some of the subscribers shared what they love most about GMA Life TV and sent their well wishes to the channel for reaching this significant milestone. “I’ve been a subscriber of both GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV for 10 years now,” said Rizel Barrios, a subscriber from Illinois, USA. Their shows are very contemporary, very informative, and very entertaining! From cooking shows, to traveling shows, to re-runs of my favorite GMA teleseryes. Happy 10th year Anniversary GMA Life TV! Wishing you more years of worldwide and world class broadcasting.” Ronald Macapagal from Toronto, Canada also said that they have been a GMA subscriber since its launch in Toronto. “Their programs, especially the teleseryes both at Pinoy TV and Life TV, even replayed are amazing and we didn’t encounter much problems as to viewing and programming. Our TV channel is always tuned in to GMA Pinoy, GMA Life and GMA News TV because we don’t wanna miss any of their programs.” “Cheers to 10 years of successfully bringing Filipinos abroad the best of Filipino programs,” shared Nonette Cabrera from Sharjah, UAE. “Continue to spread the positivity and good vibes, GMA Life TV.” “We are bringing in an exciting new line-up of program varieties to give our viewers quality content that is refreshing to watch,” said GMA First Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia. “We continue serving our mission of not just bringing Pinoys abroad closer to home, but also giving them the best of Filipino lifestyle wherever they may be,” he added. Viewers from across the globe can watch their favorite Kapuso shows on GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, GMA News TV International, and GMA On Demand in over 60 countries across North America, Middle East & North Africa, Europe and the Asia Pacific via cable, direct-to-home (DTH), internet protocol TV (IPTV) and over-the-top (OTT)/mobile distribution platforms. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

TRAVELERS EXPLORE MYSTICAL CORDILLERAS IN NEW DIGITAL SERIES THE trailer for Discovering Routes travels with Diskubre opens with a mesmerizing incantation, a traditional prayer of an Ifugao shaman of indigenous people who live in the mountains of the Cordilleras, north of the Philippines. Right away, you’re transported to a different place of magical energy, ancient architectural wonders, and a utopic reality. The show’s new digital exclusive series features four young travelers who embark on some big adventures for a journey of self-discovery. New episodes were released on Thursday on DiscoveringRoutes.com. The new cast includes: Alex Brown, 22, a young professional and from Sydney, Australia; Calvin Santiago, 21, a junior in college from New Hampshire; Elaine Ficarra, 17, currently holds the title of Miss State Capitol’s Outstanding Teen 2018 of the Miss America organization from Pennsylvania; Feih Hidalgo, 14, a freshman high school student from the Bronx, New York. The cast went on an extraordinary 11-day tour around the Philippines that viewers will relive

through the series. According to Discovering Routes Executive Producer and Project Manager Keesa Ocampo, the Cordilleras is a magical place. “It’s a beautiful, rich, and complex part of Filipino culture that you won’t see anywhere else, and viewers get to experience it through the lens of our four adventurers.” Ocampo shares that, “Watching Elaine, Alex, Calvin and Feih was exactly like traveling with them - at times, it was crazy fun, then tear-jerking, then unrelentingly moving.” Join the quartet’s adventures as they explore the mountains of the Cordilleras, come face-toface with the hanging coffins of Sagada, and witness ancient rituals performed by local shamans. The series also presents a rare feature on an icon of Philippine independent cinema, legendary filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik. Discovering Routes travels with Diskubre is a partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in New York (PCGNY) and the Philippine Department of Tourism–New York (PDOTNY).

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

An all new cast for Discovering Routes: Follow the journey of Feih Hidalgo, Elaine Ficarra, Alex Brown, and Calvin Santiago.

THE SEASON OF NEW SERIES FROM Hollywood blockbusters, inspiring documentaries, live sports, and latest episodes of hit shows, video-streaming service FOX+ offers access to thousands of hours of HD content. This month, FOX+ offers a solid lineup of the same day as the U.S. TV shows for subscribers: The Walking Dead. The ninth promises a whole new ball game, especially with the Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes exiting midway in the season. While this may be a huge shock to fans who have been following the post zombie apocalypse drama since the beginning, it could also mean new storylines from other characters’ perspectives will arise. (Releases on Oct. 7 at 11: 30 a.m.) American Horror Story: Apocalypse. Season 8 of the groundbreaking horror series is set in the future, “18 months from today,” as creator Ryan Murphy said in April this year. There have been a lot of rumors that have built up about this season, but for sure, fans can look forward to seeing their favorite actors come back to play a part in the horror story. (New episodes every Wednesday at 12:00 nn) Modern Family. The 10th season has teased that there will be a death of a “significant character”, and it has its fans in a panic as speculations abound on who it will be. Of course, series creator Christopher Lloyd is not revealing anything including if it’ll be one of the main family members. (New episodes every Wednesday at 12:00 nn)

Fresh Off the Boat. The only running sitcom to star an Asian-American family is still going strong. Season 5 will see a new Asian-American family moving into the neighborhood featuring MingNa Wen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as the matriarch of the family. (Releases on Oct. 6 at 12:00 nn)

The Resident and The Good Doctor. The two medical dramas are returning for their second season as well. The Resident peels back the curtain and reveals what happens behind-thescenes in a hospital, be it good or bad. (New episodes every Tuesday at 12:00 nn). Meanwhile, in The Good Doctor, Freddie Highmore returns as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a brilliant surgeon with autism for a second season after a record-breaking freshman year. (New episodes every Monday at 12:00 nn) 9-1-1. The hit procedural drama starring Angela Basset as patrol sergeant Athena Grant, follows the lives of Los Angeles first responders—the police, paramedics, firefighters and dispatchers—as they face various kinds of emergencies. The season 2 trailer teases a huge earthquake that will set off a series of emergencies for the first responders to face. (New episodes every Monday at 12:00 nn) The Gifted. Based on Marvel Comics X-Men universe, is back for its second season as the stakes are raised and more is revealed about the 7/15 incident that led to the anti-mutant policy and sentiment. Expect new characters as the world gets bigger for the mutants. (New episodes every Wednesday at 12:00 nn) It’s not all just returning shows on FOX+, there are three new series to stream: New Amsterdam, A Million Little Things, and A Discovery of Witches. Available on mobile devices, computers, Apple TV and Android TVs, you can stream all new episodes and previous seasons of these shows on FOX+. New users can now download FOX+ from the App Store and Google Play store for a free 30-Day trial.

sunday, september 30, 2018

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Pets

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

pet tales

By desiree carlos

ometimeS you wish you can sleep as much as a cat, don’t you? And sometimes, you worry that your cat may be sick because he or she seems to be asleep all the time. And then you hear your cat walking--running actually-- on the roof or playing with other cats at the terrace. Do not worry too much. it is normal for cats to sleep a lot and to play and roam at night. Cats sleep an average of 15 hours every day, says Yahaira Cespedes in Why Do Cats Sleep So much in PetmD. there are cats who even sleep 20 hours a day, says Cespedes.

Cat naps and kitty evening aCtivities

My Furry Bestie 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.

The ‘catnap’

Cespedes explains that cats are most active between dusk and dawn. this means they sleep most of the time during the day, and are active around twilight. “this can come as quite a shock if you're bringing a new kitty home for the first time. Your cat will waste no time investigating and getting into trouble -- usually while you’re fast asleep! But as soon your cat is done with breakfast, as the rest of the world winds up for action, you'll find him winding down for a long day of slumber, “ Cespedes says.

Energy Conservation

Cats are predators, thus, they are wired to chase and hunt, mainly at night. “Large cats such as lions have a similar pattern of sleeping during the day and hunting at night. Although they have been domesticated for the most part, housecats still retain that wild streak. even cats at play will display the feline primal instincts of creeping about in the shadows and, without a whisper of warning, pouncing on their target prey, “ Cespedes explains. Hunting requires a lot of energy.

Angel, 5, sleeps in the morning and stays up all night at the terrace, seemingly guarding the house. (Photo taken by Joey Salgado) to be able to hunt well, the cat needs to sleep and rest. “Whether your kitty is hunting for outdoor prey or tackling a catnip toy, all that sleep he gets is reserve energy for running, pouncing, climbing and stalking, “ Cespedes says.

One eye open

Similar to humans, “cats either doze in a light sleep or sleep very deeply. When your cat dozes (which lasts about fifteen minutes to a half hour), he will position his body so that he can spring up and into action at a moment’s notice, “ Cespedes says. When in a deep sleep, cats experience rapid (or quick) brain movement. this lasts for about five minutes, then the cat goes back to light sleep. “this dozing-deep

sleep pattern goes on until the cat wakes up,” Cespedes says. Cespedes adds: “Kittens and older cats tend to sleep more than the average-aged adult cat.”

Rainy day

Cats are also affected by the weather. When it rains, a cat usually prefers to sleep. “Cat behavior can vary greatly, depending on their breed, age, temperament and overall health. But, whatever your kitty’s usual disposition, it has been observed that cats sleep more when the weather calls for it. Yes, even if your kitty is an exclusive indoor-dweller, a rainy or cold day will have him (and probably you) yawning and looking for some shut-eye, “ Cespedes says.

Time and cats

Cespedes adds: “Cats are crepuscular—which means that they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. they tend to lay low in the darker night-time and daytime hours, when other

predators may be hanging about.” most kittens and some cats are more active at night. “But, cats are also sociable and highly adaptable. this means that a cat is apt to adjust his sleeping habits so he can spend more time with his loved ones -- meaning you. Cats will also adjust their sleep patterns to their feeding schedules, which is why an indoor cat sleeps more than a cat that roams outdoors, “ Cespedes reveals. “Whether your cat is a spry kitten or a mature feline, his level of interaction and activity depends a lot on whether he's constantly recharging his kitty battery, “ Cespedes says. even if cats sleep a lot, they do lots of stuff when they are awake, usually those that make you smile and want to hug them more: play with toys and other cats, go up the tree, “talk” to you, and yes, even massage you. Garfield, 5, wakes up when there are visitors. everyone calls him a one-cat welcome committee. He entertains visitors at the garage (the receiving area) by sitting next to them and asking for petting and hugs. Yes, he also "talks" or "meows" to guests. He is one good receptionist. But of course, he immediately goes back to sleep when a human is already entertaining the guest. (Photo taken by Joey Salgado)

PoGGi, a six-year-old male shih tzu, loves to play and walk at the park, says owner irish Apuyan. irish adds: “He loves it when we sleep together.” “He just turned six last week. Happy Birthday to my baby poggi!” says irish.

YoKo is a male shih tzu who is only two years and seven months old. “He loves running around the house and playing fetch,” says owner Gloria Dee. She adds: “ Yoko's best part of the day is breakfast!! He loves pandesal!!!” Yoko also loves to travel with his furparent, Gloria.

Caring for a senior dog: preventing and addressing hair loss Part 2

Senior Hair Care

the first defense of a dog against her environment is her hair. the dog’s hair protects her from a very cold weather condition. So it is very important to take care of your dog’s hair. “Groom her gently, removing dead and matted hair, and massage her skin to improve circulation to hair follicles, “ Benson said. “Use round-tooth grooming tools that do not pull or tangle in hair, “ he added. “Wash with hypoallergenic or medicated shampoos, rinsing thoroughly to remove residue, and pat or blot dry instead of rubbing wet hair, “ Benson also suggested. “Provide her with a therapeutic or orthopedic bed that cushions her body and minimizes sores that cause balding spots,” Benson added. though your dog may not regain her young dog coat, she can be comfortable and happy with your help. She will also have that healthy senior look, Benson added. Save ALL has handled dogs with different kinds of skin diseases. it is always best to have a vet do a skin test first before

treating your dog with any medicated or herbal soap or shampoo. A dog with fungal infection will need a different soap. A dog with mange will require a different kind of treatment, soap or shampoo. A dog with hotspot will also need a different kind of medical and bathing regimen, and his food may have to be changed. Here are tips from Save ALL which have been effective in managing mange of rescued dogs: 1. Use natural, homemade madre de cacao-VCo mixture. Get a few leaves of madre de cacao or kakawate, pound the leaves, and mix with virgin coconut oil. Rub the mixture on the body of the dog or on the bald spots. Put an e-collar on your dog if you have to rub some mixture on parts which the dog can reach and lick. Leave the mixture on the dog's body for 5-10 minutes depending on the dog's "patience." Rinse with water. You can bathe your dog after with an anti-tick and flea shampoo. Save ALL recommends Sentry, the blue one. 2. if you do not have a source of fresh madre de cacao leaves, you can buy madre de cacao soap. A word of caution: not all madre de cacao soap in the market works. Consult your vet or look for

testimonials or check out testimonies of owners who have used the product. Whichever you choose-- tip number 1 or tip number 2---do this twice a week. if it is raining, use warm water and bathe your dog inside the bathroom. Dry the dog inside the bathroom too. or skip the bath for this one time if it is too cold. 3. Save ALL gives vitamin e once a week to all senior dogs, and to dogs with a history of mange flare-ups. on managing hotspots, Save ALL, as advised by the vet, bathes the dog with micocide shampoo, lets it stay for 5 minutes, then rinses the body. then the dog is bathe with Vetnoderm with madre de cacao, then rinses the dog's body. this is also done twice a week if the weather is not too cold. Save ALL noticed that dogs with hotspots are dogs who can not tolerate turmeric . As the word implies, hotspots are usually due to too much heat in the body. thus, you can not bring in more heat by giving turmeric to a dog with a body type that generates more heat than a dog whose body type generates more cold or has a normal/ regular temperature. For a dog with fungal infection as diagnosed by the vet, Save ALL was advised to use a soap called VCo with sulfur. it

Summer, now 13 years old, is brought to the groomer every week. When it is cold, her hair is long to keep her warm. During the hot months, her hair or fur is short to help cool her body.

has worked on a dog prone to fungal infection. this dog tips her bowl always and plays with the water. if your household is a multi-dog home or has many dogs, it is advised that

the dog who likes to play with water be monitored always, specially the fur which should always be dried to prevent fungal infection. it is best to keep the hair short too. DC

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 advertise@manilastandard.net

BUDGETFRIENDLY SMARTPHONES LAPTOPS: STILL THRIVING IN THE SMARTPHONE ERA

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 advertise@manilastandard.net

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The rise of digital banking and cryptocurrency in the Philippines BY CARMELA MARTINEZ AND ZHASKIA DELA CRUZ

VER the years, Filipinos have settled with the good old-fashioned, over-the-counter type of transactions when it comes to shopping, paying bills and monthly dues.

Even though many Filipinos own smartphones and have access to the internet, they seem to be skeptical to use digital banking and would rather go to an automated teller machine as well as drop by the nearest bayad center to conduct their financial transactions. According to Finastra, this reluctance of Filipinos is due to the lack of a compelling digital user experience, making the Philippines the lowest digital banking penetration in Asia. But not anymore. The tides are turning and the era of digital banking has finally arrived. With the help of these digital banking apps, more and more are ditching the traditional style of shopping and paying bills.

PAYPAL

With Paypal, users can now send payments to almost anywhere in the world within seconds and connect all the ways they pay, then shop with a tap. It has three mobile apps that are available for both Apple and Android users: PayPal App - Send and receive money. Sending and requesting money, managing credit, pooling cash from peers, and creating savings, goals have never been simpler with the new improved Paypal App. And by using their bank account or PayPal balance, they can send money to their friends and family in the US for free. Users can now choose to set up a one-time investment by linking their Paypal account to Acorns. Lastly, users can now also support the causes their care about as they can easily donate to charities with the Paypal app. Paypal Business App - Manage your business on the go. Created for businessmen and women, this app makes it easy for users to stay on top of their account activity, send invoices and view their customer information. With the help of this app, they can easily create and send invoices for their customers to pay right away. They can even track unpaid invoices and send reminders with just a few taps. Transferring funds, viewing transaction details, issue refunds and checking account balance are also right at their fingertips. Paypal Here App - Mobile point of sale. This is a mobile payment solution that lets users accept multiple forms of payment simply and securely. With that flexibility, PayPal Here can help their users increase their customer bases and make more sales. They can easily pay as they sell with no monthly fees, setup fees, cancelation fees, or processing minimums. With the PayPal Here app and their choice of card readers, they can get paid on-the-go or in their store -- for just 2.7% per US swipe transaction.

GCASH

to introduce the capability to transfer funds to an un-enrolled BPI account Made by Globe Telecommunications for their subscribers, in the country. Using the app, users can guarantee that their transactions GCASH is one of the most popular digital banks in the coun- are safe and secure with the 2-factor authentication system which protry. It promises a faster and more secure way of sending and tects their accounts from unauthorized access. receiving money. With GCASH, users can also pay their bills and buy prepaid credits anytime, anywhere! On top of that, users SECURITY BANK With the Security Bank mobile app, users never have to worry about don’t even need to memorize keywords and access numbers. All due dates as they can schedule their payments ahead of time. Users can they need is their mobile pin and enough GCASH credits to start also view balances and transaction history of their enrolled deposit, eSa transaction. ecureSavings, and credit card accounts. Aside from that, they can easily transfer funds to other SBC bank accounts without the need to enroll. The PAY MAYA In 2002, Smart Communications developed a short messaging app also has a branch and ATM locator feature to help their users locate system (SMS)-based fund transfer service named Smart Money un- the nearest Security Bank in the area. der Smart Money Inc. In January 2016, the company was rebranded as PayMaya Philippines with a digital financial innovations’ unit CRYPTOCURRENCY Another revolutionary act that humanity has made is the new curcalled Voyager. rency that does not have any physical form but has a value that outshines It mainly serves as a virtual prepaid card for shopping online, bookmost currencies. Cryptocurrency started off when Satoshi Nakamoto creing flights, and more. Depending on the user’s mobile network, they ated a digital currency called, Bitcoin. either get a virtual Visa or Mastercard. With PayMaya, paying bills and This currency can be used like a normal money, people can use it to sending money have also never been easier. Users can add money buy clothes, shoes, even exchange stocks or basically almost anything to their PayMaya virtual cards at 7-Eleven, Palawan Pawnshop, Smart except every transaction is done digitally. It was considered a stroke of Padala Centers, SM Store Business Services, and Robinsons Departgenius because it is completely decentralized and is protected by crypment Store Business Centers. tography, meaning it is coded. It is decentralized in a way that it uses the peer-to-peer network, a person or a peer can check the international ledCOINS.PH Coins.ph is the first ger that keeps a list of all the transactions ever made and everyone from digital wallet and first all countries keeps it updated of any new transaction. So, imagine this ledvirtual currency pro- ger is a block and there’s a continuous number of blocks being added to it vider in the Philippines and you have a chain of blocks. This is called the Blockchain, or the ledgers to be licensed by the that everyone keeps. This way, no discrepancy happens and it does not Bangko Sentral ng Pili- have a centralized body to check what happens because everyone does. The whole cryptocurrency system works with wallets and keys. The pinas. It is an app where wallet is where they digitally store their bitcoins. The key is not an actual Filipinos can send monkey, but keys that are a series of codes. Each person has two keys, a private ey and pay their bills or key, and a public key. When a transaction is made, a person signs it with buy his private key and sends it with his public key. The private key works like digital currency such an announcement that it is really them that sent that message and the as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, public key is the way other people can check it. and Ethereum. With just There are people who take blockchain to another level, called ‘miners’. a few taps, users can Bitcoin has a reward system that whoever puts a new block to the chain also buy fi rst will get a certain amount of Bitcoins. It’s why they are called miners, load from Globe, L-R: Cris Sanchez, EPC Sales Director; Julia Avila, Product because it’ s like they are digging at the earth with the hopes of being the Smart, Sun, TNT, and Manager for Projectors; Thea Austria, Product Manager for fi rst one to add a block to the chain. TM. Coins.ph is also the EcoTank Inkjet Printers; Toshimitsu Tanaka, ESP Managing The way they swing this figurative pickaxe is by solving math probperfect app for gamDirector and EPC President and Country Manager; Chu lems. Cryptography is the art of solving and creating codes after all. They ers where they can Bascal, Product Manager for Technical Printers and Eduardo Bonoan, EPC Marketing Director solve cryptic math problems in order to add a block to the chain and thus enhance their gaming rewarded by Bitcoins that is created out of thin air. Currently, the reward is experience and buy 12.5 Bitcoin which will go down every four years. gaming credits. Monochrome series printers, namely M1100, M1120, and M2140. Today, One Bitcoin is worth $2,000 dollars and the value would only The ﬂagship M2140 printer now incorporates the PrecisionCore continue to increase because of the demand. print head, bringing improved nozzle technology with increased BDO print resolutions at 1200 x 2400 dpi and water-resistant printouts Bitcoin is the pioneer of cryptocurrency but as times progressed, The BDO mobile with sharper texts. These printers boast of their pigment ink, suitmany other cryptocurrencies appeared with better or enhanced systems. banking app promises able for printing business-quality documents. They are called Altcoins or ‘alternative to Bitcoin’. One such currency is the their users to enjoy a The new Monochrome series printers also have a print speed LiteCoin (LTC), which like Bitcoin, uses a decentralized system but makes hassle-free banking exranging from 15ipm and 20ipm, which is on par with entry laser printevery transaction faster. Another is DASH, which enhances the feature of er models. As compared to laser printer models that use heat techperience. With it, they nology, the Monochrome series produces lower power consumption, anonymity and the transactions are almost untraceable. Monero (XMR) can monitor their dewhich translates to a lower electricity bill and less carbon footprint. not only promises anonymity but also a fast exchange of transactions. posit accounts, credit Other key specs of the new models include integrated ink tank card, and loans. They There are other cryptocurrencies or altcoins that are in circulation today design; shorter initialization time; easy, spill-proof, and error-free can also pay their util- and many more are still developing a better altcoin. design; and Barcode Printing Mode, which allows them to print In the Philippines, the cryptocurrency haze has started to settle with using a barcode. ity (electric, water, more people joining in trading with their bitcoins. Recently, the Philipcable, postpaid phone, SureColor T-Series Technical Printers pines has allowed 10 cryptocurrency operators in the Philippines. etc.) bills and other freLastly, Epson also expands its Technical Printer product line, the Organizations like the Blockchain Association of the Philippines hope quently paid services. SureColor T-Series, to the entry-to-mid-range printer market with four to spread information about this tricky subject. Transferring funds and new models all under a 3-year warranty. While the Philippines has yet to develop their own cryptocurrency, The new printers – Surecolor T3130 / T3130N 24”, SureColor reloading their prepaid T5130 36”, SureColor T3430 24”, and SureColor T5430 36” – feature they have made steps with it. Which is where the Philippine-based wallet mobile has also been PrecisionCore Micro TFP Print, along with the UltraChrome XD2, a and coin exchanges come in. A lot of cryptocurrency wallet sites sproutmade more convenient. four-color all pigment ink that deliver prints with vibrant colors and ed to accommodate the growing interest of cryptocurrency. The app also features lines for corporate product and CAD/GIS print. Coin.ph is a Southeast Asian digital wallet and digital currency exa branch locator and In this series of printers, users will see a combination of feachange based in the Philippines and Thailand. It could be used as a digital tures, including 4.3” LCD Color touchscreen, versatile media users can view their 90handling, and anti-dust design. The new printer models also wallet and a cryptocurrency exchange. Trading and exchanging bitcoins/ day transaction history. have integrated connectivity (WiFi Connect, AirPrint, USB dialtcoins are much easier as they not only do they have a website, they also rect print), allowing users to be virtually connected anywhere have a mobile which adds to the convenience. BPI with the capability of connecting to any of Epson’s A3 scanners Bitbit.cash is another Philippine-based digital wallet that allows peoThe BPI mobile app for a more seamless printing. ple to be at ease. It has a mobile app that allows the users to take it every“Innovation has always been at the forefront of everything we encourages their users do. With our obsession with ‘verticality’ and details, we ensure to where they go. to save money and save bring cutting-edge technologies to our customers. We hope that The Philippine Digital Asset Exchange (PDAX) allows people to trade and time by experiencing this launch will prove to be memorable to everyone as we turn our exchange without the need to go to foreign exchanges. It has the ordera faster and more conbig ideas into reality,” said Toshimitsu Tanaka, Managing Director matching technology used in most trading sites to match buyers and sellers. venient banking trans(SE Asia), Epson Singapore and President and Country Manager, With technologies like these, who knows what technological breakEpson Philippines. action anytime, anythrough will happen next? where! It is the first bank

Epson PH unveils Innovations that Dominate S

EPTEMBER 25, 2018—Taguig City, Philippines—Epson Philippines unveiled today its latest innovations to its trade partners and the media as it holds this year’s ‘Grand Launch: Innovations that Dominate’ at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC, Taguig City. The introduction of the new models of Epson’s business laser projectors, SureColor T-series of technical printers, as well as EcoTank printers, the new brand name for Epson Ink Tank printers, marks the company’s full force commitment into penetrating the corporate market while maintaining its consumer base presence. “As a tech company, we are dedicated to delivering the precision and performance that companies need to achieve their business goals. The launch of our new inkjet printers and projectors is our way of strengthening our efforts to further enable our customers in exceeding their vision,” said Christopher Sanchez, Sales Director, Epson Philippines. Business Laser Projectors Starting from the new business laser projectors, the EBL510U, EB-L610U, and EB-L610W deliver bright and true-to-life colors thanks to Epson’s 3LCD technology. This series of laser projectors have a brightness range of 5,000 to 6,000 lumens. They also come with the WUXGA feature, which has a display resolution of up to 1920x1200 pixels perfect for larger screens. The new projectors also have a laser light source technology of up to 20,000 hours and flexible lens shift with center lens position, providing virtually maintenance-freeexperience for the users. These new laser projectors are also compatible with a wide range of external devices. The additional ports, which now include HDMI and HDBaseT™ Connectivity, are ideal for large venues, may it be in large classrooms or meeting rooms. The HDBaseT™ can transmit Full HD video, audio, and control at low cost through a single cat 5e/6 cables or higher, up to 100 meters. These features provide a better and more efficient viewing experience for the users through its seamless connectivity and usability. Entry EcoTank L-Series Printers Meanwhile, the newest additions to Epson’s Entry EcoTank LSeries printers are the L3110 and L3150, which feature key specs improvements. These printers are also among the first set of units that were unveiled after the recent branding of Epson Ink Tank printers as EcoTank printers, featuring the revolutionary ultra-high-capacity ink tank system, which replaces cartridges. The Epson L3110 and L3150 printers have an integrated ink tank design that comes with a spill and error-free ink refilling process and produces a smaller carbon footprint compared to its predecessors, L405, L360and L80 models. They are also more compact while boasting an ultra-high page yield of up to 7,500 pages of color printouts, as well as up to 4,500 pages of black printouts. The L3110 and L3150 printers also have borderless printing of photos of up to 4R size. Furthermore, the new L3150 can connect to up to eight devices, making it easier for users to print and scan directly from their mobile devices. Mono EcoTank M-Series Printers Meanwhile, Epson brings three new models to its EcoTank

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Budget-friendly smartphones to buy this Christmas BY MJ BLANCAFLOR AND DEXTER TILO

HE best and the most innovative features in the smartphone industry once evasive to the middle class market has made their way to the budget territory.

The Yuletide season is fast-approaching and you deserve to be delighted with a new smartphone from your hard-earned savings—or 13th month pay. We know, we know. Finding the best smartphone at an affordable price is like fixing one’s life at three o’ clock in the morning. Don’t fret; Manila Standard got you covered. Keep on reading because all we want for Christmas is a new smartphone so we listed the finest phones (below P16,000) with sensational features. 1. Capture fun moments with Vivo Y71 (Price: P6,699) Grasp the world in one hand with Vivo’s new 18:9 display with super narrow bezels. Its immersive full view screen achieves an 84.4% screen-to-body ratio, pushing mobile viewing experience to the limits. The phone displays 12.5% more content than other phones while still being compact and lightweight. Its 6.0 inch phone boasts the new polymer nanoblasting technique, offering a smoother hold for users. Vivo Y71 has a 13MP Rear Camera, featuring the PDAF technology that allows one to capture fleeting moments with ease. It makes use of a lighting through backlight HDR. Its camera is further equipped with technology capable of scanning facial features that helps in activating the screen instantly. It runs with the advanced Android 8.1 OS optimization with a 3360mAH battery that extends battery life to a larger capacity. 2. Bigger battery and dual camera with OPPO A3s (Price: P6,990) With A3s, get a stunning cover shot portrait photo with one simple click. Like your personal beauty artist, AI selfie can recognize your features and then beautify them using its powerful algorithm. Oppo A3s is equipped with a 4230mAh Long-Lasting Battery,

4. Multi-level mobile security with Samsung Galaxy J8 (Price: P15,990) Keep data safe without the added hassle. Galaxy J8 features fingerprint scanning and facial recognition authentication to provide seamless mobile access. What’s more, it allows users to unlock their devices or access applications in one simple step rather than having to enter lengthy passwords. Knox 3.1 provides defense-grade mobile protection to avoid potentially harmful privacy breaches. It also allows IT administrators to easily deploy and manage mobile devices remotely. To keep your business safe from prying eyes, Galaxy J8 enables users to create and manage a 3. ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M1) is the unbeatable performer fully encrypted space (Price: P 14,995). through Secure Folder ZenFone Max Pro (M1) provides extraordinary performance and to store confidential comendurance with pany data which only they Snapdragon 636 platform. It has all the stamina and power can access. needed in a nonstop lifestyle with its magnificent 6” Full HD+ (2160x1080), 18:9 FullView display, and ultra-long-lasting 5000mAh 5. Huawei Nova 3i is the photography master (Price: P15, 990) battery. ZenFone Max Pro is your enduring companion, always With the specialized four AI cameras solution of 24 MP + 2 MP on ready to capture every special moment with its dual bokeh cam- the front and 16 MP + 2 MP on the back, HUAWEI Nova 3i ensures imera system. pressive photos with high clarity and bokeh effects. ZenFone Max Pro is built to last using solid metal, with a Based on the rich details and accurate environment depth informaslim and light body that’s precition provided by the 24 MP + 2 MP dual front cameras, HUAWEI Nova 3i sion-crafted to give it a luxurican beautify you with the advanced algoous feel without being bulky. rithm to be natural and appealing. For rapid unlocking, there’s Moreover, the powerful AI scenery a fingerprint sensor clevrecognition can adjust the surerly located at the back for roundings to match the true easy access, just one of the beauty in your selfie. It is ofmany thoughtful details fered in three color models that make ZenFone Max for you to choose from: Pearl Pro anything but ordinary. White, Black, and Iris Purple. And to match your unique With these superb smartstyle, two stunning finishes phones, give yourself and are your choices: Deepsea Black your loved ones a delightful and Meteor Silver. treat and a merry Christmas! A3s can easily last up to 18 hours. Smoother UI transitions, multitasking, and switching between apps are all supported by the enhanced 64-bit Snapdragon Octa-Core CPU. With 14nm processing, it brings a faster, fluid, and energy-saved operating experience. The new ColosOS 5.1 brings forth a brand new UI system and operation interface. The 6.2-inch Super Full Screen stimulates the sense across all your everyday mobile experiences. Also with a new 19:9 aspect ratio, the A3s gives you an all-round superior view. Its glossy unique design has an elegant back cover in either classic red and fashionable dark purple colors.

Globe, Amazon Prime Video raise bar in bringing high-voltage entertainment BY PETER PAUL DURAN

LOBE Telecom, together with global video streaming service Amazon Prime Video, gives us yet another remarkable offering in entertainment content. The partnership between one of the leading telecommunications providers in the Philippines and APV, a paid subscription service offered by Amazon, raised the bar in bringing high-voltage entertainment to its customers, who now can have access to unlimited streaming of select movies and TV shows made easier with subscription billing-- a neat feature for customers without a credit card. And soon, eligible Globe patrons can get a premium offer of six months Amazon Prime Video access with a postpaid plan to watch content such as critically acclaimed and award-winning Prime Original series like Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,The Grand Tour, Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, all new seasons of The Man in the High Castle and many more. “Globe has always led the pack when it comes to the digital lifestyle,” said Ernest Cu, President & CEO of Globe Telecom during the partnership's launch at the Glorietta Activity Center recently. “We have redeﬁned how Filipinos enjoy their entertainment—from music and movies to eSports and live shows. Teaming up with global content brands brings a wide array of content to our customers, giving them more wonderful entertainment choices," he added. But the amiable Globe exec noted, with great content comes great responsibility. "As we continue to innovate and develop more content to Filipinos, we want to make sure that that experience is great and also, that experience is well protected," he said. "So we've also been working with a lot of agencies here and overseas and advocate 'Play it Right' to protect the IP of many of our content partners.” In truth, for the third straight year, Globe has won the Kidlat Awards for its unique execution of #PlayItRight’s 'Piracy vs. Piracy'-- the company’s homegrown advocacy to encourage Filipinos to download or stream content from legitimate sources. "All of this is part of Globe's advocacy against illegal streaming of video and I would like to make the appeal out to everyone, we have given you

Ernest Cu (6th from left) together with Amazon Director Krishan Patel (fifth from right) lead the partnership and media launch of the upcoming collaboration between Globe and APV to bring high-voltage entertainment to Filipinos. Peter Paul Duran many affordable options now to watch video content in the legal form," Cu said. Cu also stressed that streaming legal content is important because companies like Amazon which invests billions in dollars to bring the public these amazing content, are able to monetize these investments and enable the "great train" of great content continue to come our way. All new and existing Globe Postpaid customers will be eligible for a six-month subscription (up to P150/ month value), to Amazon Prime Video, which comes with Twitch Prime. Following this, select Globe at Home plans will include the six-month offer to Amazon Prime Video and Twitch Prime by Globe. To activate, text APV to 8080 and follow the steps in the confirmation message you will receive. After the promo period, customers can continue to enjoy Amazon Prime Video for P150 per month. Twitch Prime, included in the six-month offer, is a

premium experience on Twitch, the live streaming video service that’s popular among gamers. Twitch Prime includes free games every month, in-game content for some of the most popular games, a Twitch channel subscription every 30 days at no additional cost, exclusive emotes, and chat badge. "With this subscription, you'll be able to access videos and content that was once not accessible to the Filipino public. It's always been Globe's objective to broaden the amount of content available to Filipinos," said Cu, who thanked Amazon Prime Video, represented by Amazon Director for Mobile Business Development-APAC Krishan Patel during the event. "The ability for anyone to subscribe has been made easier with this partnership as not all Filipinos own a credit card, but with carrier billing we've done, it's something that's made it easier for us to deliver content for everyone when they want it and wherever they want it," Cu said.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 advertise@manilastandard.net

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Some of 2018’s best gadgets; What’s in store in 2019? Huawei P30 Huawei remains among the top 5 leading brands to hold the highest market shares in the Philippines. With the success of their flagship P20 series, the release of the P30 in the market is highly anticipated. It is rumored that the P30 series will have a Kirin 980 Chipset with 7nm processor that will improve the overall speed and performance of the mobile phone while at the same time improve the battery life. The Chinese manufacturer confirmed that they will be releasing 5G units by 2019, but made no remarks whether the P30 series would be the first units to have the baseband.

BY ELOISA MAE ORTILLO AND LISA MARIE DAVID

HE high demand for technology and gadgets has prompted numerous innovations through the years. While today’s technology seems to provide almost everything we need, nothing is stopping its rapid growth. These innovations have reached and helped millions of people from different walks of life – and undoubtedly have become an integral part of our everyday lives.

In this article, we bring you some of the that can monitor the 24/7 heart rate of best gadgets of 2018 and other cool things the consumer and send notifications you should look forward to in 2019. right directly into your smartphone. It is packed with goal-based exercises -Huawei Matebook X Pro helpful for gym-goers. The battery lasts The ideal laptop with a resolution of for 7 days and creators added the sleep 3000 x 2000 and 10-point touchscreen. It tracking and stages, powered by an acis also convenient for any type of environ- celerometer and heart rate sensor. It is ment because it is portable -- weighing also swimproof. just 1.33 kg. Also ideal for faster image processing, smoother video editing and more Jaybird Run stable gaming. Huawei and Dolby collaboThe new jaybird run headphones is rated for a better quality of speakers to pro- wireless -- ideal and useful for people vide crisp and rich sound from all angles. A who love to go to the gym. It is designed recessed camera located in the keyboard for working out since it handles water or safeguards user’s privacy. Plus a one-touch sweat and it has a good sound isolation power button when logging in takes 7.8 to help you concentrate on your workseconds only. It has a USB-A port and USB- out. This product is also a good investC port for a more inclusive experience. ment for business, school, or everywhere because it is compatible both with Siri Apple IPad 9.7 and Google Assistant. This year, Apple came up with its newest version of the IPad. It has an A10 LG C8 OLED 4K TV fusion chip that is good for graphicsThe new lineup of LG television exceeds intensive games and for video editing. everybody’s expectations. The new line The product is built for multitasking and up is powered by OLED (Organic Lightan apple pencil is added for pixel-perfect Emitting Diode), considered as one of the precision and responsiveness. best screen technologies. Every part of the screen lights up individually, automatically Fitbit Charge 3 giving richer colors, sharpness, and depth For health-conscious consumers out to the picture quality. In addition, the there, this is the product for you! lineup uses Artificial Intelligence, wherein Fitbit Charge 3 has a new feature Google assistant is already built in.

Hero 7 Black If you have seen the new GoPro Hero 7 Black, you definitely know how much of a game changer it is. The highly improved stabilization with the Hypersmooth prevents all the unwanted shakiness in your videos. While little has changed on its hardware and appearance, the image quality and user interface have been enhanced. This small action camera can record 4k video at 60 frames per second and now has the live streaming feature. Shinola Bookshelf Speakers This innovation changed how speakers work. Their collaboration with Barefoot Sound has brought the Shinola Bookshelf Speakers in the market. The traditional use of a speaker plus the sophisticated yet utilitarian function of a bookshelf is combined in just one product. The speaker produces a neutral sound with a frequency of 40Hz to 22kHz, which is also good for vocals.

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2019 Samsung S10 The coming 2019 is a big year for Samsung. Significant jumps are expected with the upcoming flagship phone which also marks the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy S series. The Samsung Galaxy S10 (or X) will come in three models: 5.8” flat display, 5.8” edge display, and 6.44” edge display. It is set to hit the market in the first quarter of 2019, while some believe that it may be released and open for pre-order as early as January or February. Samsung has yet to confirm any specification on the flagship series, but famous twitter user Ice Universe (@ UniverseIce) posted a bezel-less phone (hyperlink: https://twitter.com/UniverseIce/status/1009341170571341824) believed to be the Galaxy S10. It is also rumored that a 5G version of S10 will be released.

Airpods 2 Almost two years after Apple first introduced AirPods, the second-gen version has been highly anticipated ever since. The wireless AirPods are rumored to be water resistant to withstand rain and perspiration. Rumors have it that the high-end version will have the wireless charging feature and the ability to activate Siri through voice command. The AirPods 2 are expected to be released around March 2019. PANASONIC LUMIX S SERIES Panasonic was the first to release Mirco Four Thirds format mirrorless cameras back in 2008. After 10 years, it is rumored that the company will introduce their first full frame mirrorless cameras with superb video recording features (probably 4k@60p) in the first half of 2019. No photos have yet to circulate online but it is assumed that it will have similar design as the Panasonic G9 but with a different mount (L-mount).

HP ENVY 13 Empowers Philippine Consumers with Performance and Mobility D

O great things with HP and Microsoft with the latest HP ENVY 13 featuring 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 percent 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, all-metal 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-go multitasker. 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, all-aluminum design that syncs beautifully 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 PHP 60,990. For more information, please visit the HP Official Store in Lazada.com.ph.

GINORMOUS INVISIBLE MALL? With Lazada’s LazMall, that’s possible Over 70 million items from about 10,000 brands – all fitted inside this ‘new’ mall. The internet just went crazy when rumors circulated that it will be built overnight. But how is that even possible? Will it have underground passageways? Will it be 70 stories tall? Will it be in Metro Manila? Just how? Lazada ended everyone’s wait on August 31 after unveiling what could be the world’s first ever invisible mall – the LazMall. And it did not disappoint. It was without any physical building structure, making it not only invisible but also the biggest and smallest mall to ever exist. So how could you enjoy such a unique mall? Well… just by opening your phone. All you ever wanted could become yours with just one tap on the Lazada app. The launch is over and done but the clamor for LazMall has just begun as shoppers scramble to enjoy amazing deals and discounts from wellloved brands such as Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Maybelline and rayBan, just among others. Do not expect the excitement to disappear any time soon. The record-breaking, world-changing mall is set to launch 11.11 and 12.12 Sale! And because it’s Lazada, it’s sure to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Download the Lazada app today. Available on both Google Play and App Store.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 advertise@manilastandard.net

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Laptops: Still thriving in the smartphone era

BY CHARLES ARVIN DANTES

LICK in style, convenient to the user and always ready-onthe-go--this has been the very concept of why laptops are still dominating the tech market for more than a decade and the reason why these handy lifesavers continue thriving in this smartphone era.

This is also the reason why laptops’ feaDesigned to do the basic work of the much bigger desktop computers before, tures never seize to amaze its audience with laptops have already equaled the process- their innovations that keep us gadget fiends wanting for more. ing power of its desk counterparts.

Now, let’s do a quick recap of the best laptops’ parts and inno- RAM/Ranvative design. dom-Access Memory Touchscreen/2-in-1 No, it is not laptops the award-winIt may sound weird, but the com- ning album from the bination of the intuitive control of French electronic duo Daft a touchscreen monitor and the use Punk. Random-access memory or of mouse and keyboard is and will RAM is your computer’s memory. always be satisfying. You can eas- The higher your RAM is, the more ily change the way you navigate and programs you can operate at the test your laptops. same time. In a much simpler explaWith the touchscreen-friendly in- nation, if you have a Processor with terface of Microsoft Windows operat- a high spec, you will be in need of ing system making it easier for new having a RAM that can match the owners to feel like an expert in just a operating power of your laptop. few minutes, 2-in-1 computers literThe more complex tasks that you ally put the power on your fingertips. will be doing, the higher the RAM that you will need. Now, you can Hard drive capacity buy laptops with up to 32 GB DDR5Remember the times you need to Double Data Rate Synchronous Dyconstantly manage your saved files namic Random Access Memory-- to and application in laptops just to make make sure you can multi-task any job sure you can fit in all the notes in the without sacrificing your performance 30 – 100 Gigabytes storage of your new speed and the frame-rate of your laptops? Fear not, as of 2018, there are computer. laptops that can use up to 500 GigaDisplay and Graphics bytes- 2 Terabytes storage, yes a whopThere are two types of graphics ping 2TB to store anything you want. cards, the ‘built-in’ and dedicated type. The built-in or integrated Processor types are the ones inside the unit The heart, the brain, the soul of your laptop, used for much basic and anything you want to call this use of laptops, like internet surfing, bad boy. One thing is for sure, the writing a document or watching processor is the indicator of the video on YouTube about a cat that performance capability of your plays the piano. laptop as a whole. No matter how While, on the other hand, dedigigantic your storage size is, if you cated type graphics card, is more have a lower spec laptop, you’re often used in much complex tasks going to have a hard time pro- like photo editing, video editing cessing your data. and gaming. If you are in need of a The more powerful the proces- heavy usage of your screen, going sor is, the faster your computer will for a dedicated graphics card is the be able to run applications and pro- best choice. grams. The good news is Intel and In today’s norm of breathtaking viAMD provide a wide range of proces- suals from games and videos, graphics sors that you can handpick to your card manufacturers like ASUS, NVIDIA own accord. and Micro-Star International/MSI al-

ways deliver with the latest and best display cards we will ever have. Imagine playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey on a high-end graphics with ultra-high graphics settings, I won’t blame you if you are already drooling with all the possibilities and the tiny details. Portability Lastly, laptops already transform into a much lighter and slimmer design compare to the first model of laptops before. You can fit some of these netbooks and computers in your backpack without having a problem about the weight and bulk in your bag. Portability is a crucial element to make sure that you can always go on the move. Latest models of laptops have a much longer battery life span, while others have a much better form. One of the best examples of laptop with good portability is the convertible or the 2-in-1. It boasts of a smaller built, without giving away its processing power. It also gives you the best of both worlds as it is a laptop and tablet in one. Just remember that there’s a lot of things to consider when checking the latest features in a laptop. Focusing on the main understanding of the features you need and the ones you don’t will both help you decide the best laptop that will serve you and save you a ton of money. Whether you want to casually surf the net, play your favorite triple-A games or plan your next business trips, there’s always an ideal laptop just for you.

Robotics: Empowering people BY PETER PAUL DURAN WE live in a world where another passing day means another sublime invention is created and one more innovator is bound to have his eureka moment. The possibilities for innovation are endless and in one aspect of technological development are robots and artificial intelligence (AI)--which is seen to play a huge role in the future of humanity. In truth, each unique invention in robotics is one step towards realizing all those Star Trek-level tech we only see in movies and in TV. Yep, not long before Scotty beams you up. But if we just go back to the fundamental aspect of innovation, robots and AI are important in one aspect of assuaging the human condition, healthcare. In fact, robots are now designed, built and pivotal in aiding children with special needs, which compared to a couple of years before, is a giant leap in rehabilitative pediatrics. Dr. Ayanna Howard, a professor, researcher and innovator at Georgia Institute of Technology in Georgia, USA has taken this area of study another step forward. Her work focuses on robot home assistance, therapy gaming apps and remote robotic exploration of extreme environments usually used in NASA. “The robot home assistant can act as something that children with disabilities can work with as another help aside from clinicians,” said Dr. Howard during SM Cares and the US Embassy’s “Robots for Helping the Human World” confab at the SM MAAX Building in Pasay. “These assistants can also be something the child can play with themselves or other children. The robot assistants have artificial intelligence and are smart but not too smart with the ability to learn with the children. They are programmed to have frustrations but not actual emotions,” Dr. Howard said. When asked why robotics and healthcare, the approachable American academician said that she was always into joining outreach programs for children and started interacting in her camps with visually-impaired children. “After that, I thought how can we create technology that is accessible for all and how can we use these technology for rehabilitation and therapy,” she said. Apart from the robot assistants, therapy game apps are now rolled out and available for downloading, and are designed to “gamify and to make therapy session into a fun, engaging aspect.” These therapy apps range widely to suit different kinds of needs and are often tablet-based. Dr. Howard said these can be a speech therapy gaming app or reading therapy gaming app and many more to really make the therapy session, well, therapeutic for children in a way that they don’t even

realize they’re in a session already. So far, Howard revealed that 400,000 therapy-based gamers to date have experienced the free and easy to download apps in any device, but for their robots, the cost speaks for another concern. “The parts for such robots are often expensive, but the team remains vigilant and we try to lower the cost. Because lowering the cost would make it possible for the parents of children with disabilities to utilize it,” she said. “There is no training required for parents or guardians for having the robot home assistant, the AI adopt and learns to its users based on the ability of the child and the people around them.” Moreover, Dr. Howard said that institutions and universities have made contact to collaborate with the team to make this possible in the country which earlier in the day, led them to visit Mapua University to check out the robotics’ department of one of the top IT schools in the Philippines. “The Philippine General Hospital, as well, has shown great interest and would like to work on to do the same thing. Obtaining this tech for hospitals with limited therapy nurses or practitioners can help ease the burden of having too many patients but little hospital staff,” said Howard. Aside from working with robots and therapy gaming apps, Dr. Howard is also focused on showing the beauty of computing to girls, underrepresented minorities and people with disabilities through programs related to robotics. With these as her focus, she founded Zyrobotics LLC-- a company that addresses the diverse needs of children ages 3 to 12 years old with differing abilities. Their products focus on the child’s capabilities by promoting the stimulation of social cognitive and motor skills development. Meanwhile, Dr. Howard and her team, who get funding from the National Science Foundation, and other foundations focused on helping children with disabilities, look to share the product to a wider audience and a niche market. “Depending on whether we can get a manufacturer, I would say another year and a half for us to really see our robots in homes,” she said, but added that the software and the blueprint are open sources, so anyone that has a 3D printer can replicate the robots. The robots maybe a plug and play learning machine, which uses artificial intelligence, but the question then is how to address over adaptation? “One of the things it learns is to adapt to the child, but our system is tied into human parent and the clinician. If by some chance the system adapts incorrectly, there’s a human factor in parents and therapists. We always keep the human in the loop,” Howard explained. “If we do robotics right, robotics will allow people to be empowered.”

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Gadget hunting? Follow these tips

BY ANGELICA VILLANUEVA

HRISTMAS is fast-approaching and in just 87 days, it is that time of the year again (aside from your birthday) when you can already open your gifts.

But you do not need to wait for Christmas to receive and open a gift. After all your perseverance throughout the year, whether if it is at work or in school, it is time to reward all the hard work. Why don’t you give yourself a little treat or something that you have always been wishing to have? How does “dream gadget” sound to you? We all have our own “dream gadget.” It can be an additional accessory to your PS4 for an adventurous gaming experience, a smartphone that fits your lifestyle, a netbook you can use on your work, a DSLR camera to hone your photography skills, or a simple pair of headphones as your daily companion. It can be anything that you think you deserve to and should have. But here is the thing, before you take the leap of buying your dream gadget, there are things you should know first before purchasing it. To help you out a bit, we have listed some things you may consider. 1. A great branding Of course, the first thing you should know or consider is the brand of the gadget that you are buying. It is not about how wellknown the brand is, but how legit this brand is. Ask yourself: Is there any past issues with this brand? How did they handle these issues? Are their products safe? Can I trust this brand when it comes to buying my dream gadget? It is important to know that the money you have worked hard for will be all worth it. You may also try researching about the brand’s products and search for the reviews of your chosen and picked product. Reading evaluations and assessments from the buyers themselves is important since most of the these testimonials are the best source of information. 2. A good companion Most of the tips and guidelines about gadgethunting suggest that this dream gadget should suit your lifestyle. Can it go along with your daily routines and lifestyle? For an example, if your job needs a regular high-speed of internet, of course, you should go for a

smartphone that is supported with LTE Advanced. If you are a photographer, you should know what kind of DSLR or SLR you should look for. Can this camera be used in any kind of situation? Does it come with good lens? Can I use it on my job? Will it help me manage my job regularly? These are just some basic questions, but the thing here is make sure that this dream gadget can complement your lifestyle. 3. Maintenance is not a problem Remember that when you have purchased your dream gadget, it also comes with the responsibility to maintain its good condition. There’s no turning back. Of course, there’s the warranty, but you also need to buy accessories so you may maintain its good condition. Going back to the smart-

phone as an example. In this case, you need to buy a screen protector to prevent scratches — it can be plastic or tempered glass, a protective case for shock proof, and yes, your sim card, so you’re always connected and updated with the news. A warranty is a must, too. 4. Happiness fulfilled Don’t be ashamed if it is just a local brand of gadget or that it comes from a too high-end tech company. What matters most about choosing your dream gadget is that it fulfilled the excitement, the perseverance and the happiness you have when you worked hard to afford it. This is the product of your hardships, so being contented of what you will buy is the most important thing you should know before buying what you want. Ask yourself these questions: Is this what I really want? Can it satisfy my happiness and also my

needs? Can I use this for my person- Rewarding yourself with a highend gadget is fine, but not to the al life and work/school routines? point that you need to borrow a big amount of money that you will have 5. Satisfies the need “Know the difference between a difficulty paying back. There are lots of ways to get that what you want and what you need.” Make sure that the features and dream gadget of yours. There are telecoms that prospecs of your dream gadget meet what you really need. Do not settle vide postpaid plans that come with a phone. You can also buy with what you just want. Try to make a research of gadgets it on their flagship stores that that will satisfy your need, not just allow installment. You can also one aspect that it fulfills. Think of it check out the financing schemes as your daily companion. Check all offered by several consumer fithe features of what you want to nancing companies. Before you lose your mind on have on your dream gadget. Do you need a high-definition phone cam- what to choose, consider these tips. era or you just need a stable con- At the end of the day, it is you who nection of internet? Before buying makes the decision. Just make sure that your purchase it, ensure that all features you are suits your lifestyle, can be looking for are in that product. maintained easily and satisfies 6. Money is also not a problem your happiness Money should not be and needs. If it’s your number one affordable, then problem. that’s a bonus.

Go for these Cherry Mobile Android Go Devices IT’S four times the fun this rainy season! Cherry Mobile brings fun and cool mobile experience to more of always-on-the-go individuals as it introduces two more Android Go-powered devices. If you’re looking for a smartphone that can keep up with your busy schedules, check out these phones from Cherry Mobile! Cherry Mobile Omega Lite 4: Lite Up Your Day Lite up your day this rainy season with Cherry Mobile’s newest Android Go-powered smartphone in the guise of the Omega Lite 4! It sports a 5-inch 18:9 TrueView display and specifications perfect for first time smartphone users. Perfect for individuals who loves to run from point A to B, the Omega Lite 4 offers mobile lite experience with heavy features for just Php2,999SRP! It runs on Android Oreo Go with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal memory which you can expand up to 64GB via SD card. Snap decent photos with its 8MP main camera with auto-focus and LED flash and 5MP selfie shooter. Armed with performance all day and night! Cherry Mobile Flare HD 4: Accelerate your HD Experience Fond of online mobile streaming? Go for Cherry Mobile’s Flare HD 4. Sporting a 5-inch HD display screen, you can now enjoy a richer mobile viewing for just Php3,299SRP! Plus, it runs on the latest Android Oreo Go OS, giving you full-access to enjoy Go apps which minimizes memory usage for a seamless experience. The Cherry Mobile Flare HD 4.0 surely allows busy mobile us-

ers to juggle many tasks at hand! Surf the net, play games, indulge in a variety of mobile entertainment, and snap photos while saving battery with its special power saver key! As more and more Filipinos feel the need to be always on the go, their mobile device need to keep up with their demands. The two newest offerings from Cherry Mobile, ensure affordability yet provide the quality the consumer has come to expect from their mobile devices. Learn more about Cherry Mobile Omega Lite 4, Flare HD4, as well as the latest news and promos through: CM Website: www.cherrymobile.com.ph F B : w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / cherrymobile Instagram: @cherrymobileph Youtube: https://www.youtube. com/user/CherryMobilePH Twitter: @CherryMobilePH Cherry Mobile is a Philippinebased company which aims to deliver products that value Filipino lifestyle. Established in 2009, it brings a wide array of choices from feature phones to smartphones. Cherry Mobile continues to develop partnership with trusted phone developers to further strengthen its stance in the local mobile telecommunications industry.