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Cop linked to Sinaloa drug ops Police: Seized cocaine may indicate local infiltration by Mexican cartel

POLICE spokesman said Friday that the arrest of a policeman using cocaine in Taguig City was a sign that the Sinaloa Mexican drug cartel is operating in the Philippines.

VOL. XXXII • NO. 261 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

WHERE HAVE ALL THE MOURNERS GONE?

Six layers of apartment tombs at the crowded Bagbag Cemetery near Quirino Highway in Novaliches are silent and helpless witnesses to the heaps of garbage left by outrageously senseless mourning kin after the celebration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day earlier in the week.

“I think this is indicative of the fact that the Sinaloa cartel have probably infiltrated the drug industry in our country,” said Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Supt. Benigno Durana, in an interview with the ANC news channel. “That’s why the President said we must be relentless and chilling in our campaign, the war on drugs... it’s far from over.” In a separate phone interview with Manila Standard, Durana said: “Our drug enforcement agencies are still validating this. But multiple sources point to efforts of the Sinaloa cartel trying to infiltrate the Philippine drug market through the Triad.” “There are indicators that there may have already formed partnerships. Drug trafficking is a global problem, and cocaine is the specialty of the Sinaloa cartel. There will always be continuous attempts to maximize the market,” he added. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier said the Mexican drug syndicate was active in the Philippines. “I think this dope situation in South-

Jailed ‘El Chapo,’ kingpin of Sinaloa cartel

east Asia is being run by the Triad of Asia. And [Sinaloa] it’s doing its thing, the Medellin Cartel, using the network of containers,” the President said in a speech Next page last month.

Pardoned OFW now home after Abu Dhabi ordeal By Joel E. Zurbano THE overseas Filipino worker who was sentenced to death and later acquitted for killing her employer in United Arab Emirates in 2015 ﬁnally returned home Friday. Jennifer Dalquez, a native of General Santos City, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Friday morning on board Philippine Airlines ﬂight PR657 from Abu Dhabi. Dalquez reunited with her parents Rajima

JOY AT BEING HOME.

OFW Jennifer Dalquez has tears of joy on arrival at NAIA on Friday on a PAL flight from Abu Dhabi–after she was acquitted for killing her employer at the United Arab Emirates four years ago. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw her parents Rajima and Abdul Hamid, together with DFA officials inside the arrival area of Terminal 2. Norman Cruz

Cheesy music for great chunk BERTHOUD, Switzerland--When searching a fromagerie for the perfect chunk of cheddar or parmesan, cheese aficionados have probably never grilled vendors over what kind of music was played to their cheeses. To many, the question itself might sound crackers. Next page

‘Dawn’ is dead as fuel runs out WASHINGTON--Dawn, a NASA spacecraft that launched 11 years ago and studied two of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, has ended its mission after running out of fuel, officials said Thursday. Scientists have known for about a month that Dawn was essentially out of hydrazine, the fuel that kept the spacecraft’s antennae

Rody to Catholics: Don’t get lost, shun stupid drunkards, go for St. Rodrigo

Big labor group demands P100 pay hike, pleads for Du30’s push

By Nat Mariano

By Vito Barcelo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte mocked the Catholic belief in saints at a briefing on the effects of Typhoon “Rosita” Thursday in Cauayan, Isabela. As the briefing drew to a close, the President wished everyone a “Happy All Saints’ Day”--then questioned the holiday. “Happy All Saints… Catholics are really stupid. Why do we have All Souls’ Day and then also have All Saints’ Day? We don’t even know who these saints are,” he said in Filipino, punctuating his remarks with curses. “Who are these stupid drunkards? I’ll give you one patron so you won’t get lost. Get a hold of a picture of mine and put it on the altar–Saint Rodrigo,” A SON’S AGONY. President Rodrigo Duterte, silent and deferential in his thoughts, he said, drawing laughter from the says a prayer for the eternal rest of his parents—Vicente and Soledad—at their Davao Cabinet members and local officials graveyard during All Saints’ Day, a special non-working holiday throughout predominantly Next page Catholic Philippines. present at the briefing.

THE Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Friday appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene and raise the suggested 25-peso increase in the minimum wage to P100. “In behalf of all the poorly paid four million minimum-wage workers and their families in Metro Manila who are suffering due to the high inflation rate, we are appealing to President Duterte to raise the minimum wage to at least P100 a day,” ALU-TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said in a statement. The labor group said the workers and their families had been longing to taste the fruit of genuine change. “Now is the time to make the businesses’ profits and the country’s economic wealth to truly trickle down to the troubled workers,” Tanjusay said. The ALU-TUCP says P100 a day will change the current daily minimum wage of P512 to P612 a day―an amount that would enable workers and their families to get by. “We urge you Mr. President, not to totally believe what all your economic managers are saying. Your economic managers are just lip-servicing you and are not telling you the whole truth,” Tanjusay said. “What they are telling you are halftruths to artificially make you feel good, but in reality the masses are drifting in poverty made worse by the implementaNext page tion of TRAIN.”

ASEAN govts pressed to stop assault on press freedom JAKARTA―Southeast Asian governments must end the growing assault on press freedom across the region and hold to account those responsible for killing media workers, Asean Parliamentarians for Human Rights said Friday on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. In Manila, Senator Francis Pangilinan said journalists around the world work at great personal risk to report on issues that affect people’s lives.

“They bring to the fore abuses, corruption and inefﬁciency and in return face threats, harassment, legal cases and even death,” he said. “But we cannot imagine a world without journalists. They play an indispensable role in the healthy functioning of our democracy,” said Pangilinan who is also president of the Liberal Party. The regional lawmakers warned that a culture of impunity for killings would

only embolden more attacks on journalists, who play crucial roles in holding power to account and bringing information to the public. “Media is under increasing threat across Southeast Asia. It is abhorrent that brave journalists should have to put their personal freedom or even lives on the line when they are simply trying to do their jobs,” said APHR board member Teddy Baguilat, a member of the Philippines’ House of Representatives. Next page

News

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte wants 3 police cadets in oral sex scandal expelled By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says he has ordered the dismissal of three Philippine National Police Academy cadets who had been involved in an oral sex scandal, adding such form of hazing will not be tolerated as it will only lead to psychological trauma. “I was reading a report in my office about that incident and I’m warning you, I will never tolerate that kind of hazing,” he said during a briefing on Typhoon “Rosita” in Cauayan, Isabela. Duterte was exasperated by the incident in which someone puts his penis in someone else’s mouth and then pees. “He will go out of that academy almost robbed of his humanity and he will always remember that. I’m just trying to tell you that I really do not like this kind of s**t,” Duterte said. “You do not train a soldier or a policeman who goes out of the academy with a trauma. It’s a deep psychological insult and it stays in the head.” “So whatever decision, when it comes to me, it’s actually dismissal. I don’t need that kind of s**t. I don’t want my policemen dehumanized.” Duterte reiterated his warning to the men in uniform not to do such acts. “In my time, we were two from Davao and they wanted us to kiss. They told us, ‘Go on, kiss.’ I said, ‘Master, I cannot do it. I would vomit.’ They said, ‘then quit’,” Duterte recalled. But he said he refused to quit, saying he would rather accept 300 slaps from fraternity members, which resulted in his hospitalization. Duterte said he brought the matter during a situation briefing with several Cabinet members for the men in uniform to be conscious of “intolerable” cases.

Cop... From A1

Police Officer 1 Redentor Bautista was caught using cocaine inside a comfort room of a bar during a Halloween party. Authorities seized .04 grams of cocaine from Bautista. Durana said Bautista would face criminal and administrative charges. “We have to state this clearly that the Philippine National Police, while we’re tough on crimes, we are far tougher against our erring personnel. This, I would say, is a fluke... he doesn’t represent the entire service personnel who are professional, honest and dedicated,” Durana said. Durana said the cocaine taken from Bautista was not produced locally and may have come from a Latin American source with ties to Asian drug cartels. The Sinaloa Cartel is often described as the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere. While its former head, drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is set to face trial on Nov. 5 in Brooklyn’s federal court, a new analysis shows the crime group still dominates Mexican crime. The cartel El Chapo created will not crumble by just taking away its leaders, said Mike Vigil, a former Chief of International Operations at the US Drug Enforcement Administration. “El Chapo created an extraordinary criminal organization that was designed to carry on even in his absence. It’s a global organization that operates in more than 40 countries,” Vigil said. The cartel never lost its top position in the Mexican underworld because of the way it is organized, according to Amalia Pulido Gómez, a post-doctoral fellow at the College of Mexico. “The Sinaloa Cartel is very good in terms of its organizational capacity,” she said. “They have a huge capacity to renew their organization even without El Chapo. They have other regional leaders with the capacity to adapt, reduce uncertainty and solve internal disputes.”

Cheesy... From A1

But a Swiss cheesemaker has embarked on an experiment to test the impact of music on Emmental, one of the most famous cheeses in Switzerland, even if it prompts pundits to write such grating remarks as: you gouda brie kidding! Marching through his 19th century cellar in Burgdorf, a town also known as Berthoud, on the edge of the Emmental region in central Switzerland, Beat Wampfler shows off hundreds of perfectly formed circles of the holey classic maturing in neat rows. A veterinarian by day but consumate apron-wearing cheese enthusiast at night,

NSC open to martial law extension amid threats T HE possibility of extending martial law in Mindanao was discussed when President Rodrigo Duterte convened the Executive Committee of the National Security Council, Malacañang announced on Thursday night.

“Taking into account the lingering terrorist and communist threats, the ECNSC committed to put into study the possible further extension of martial law therein,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. He said among the factors initially considered during the meeting was the outlook of the people of Mindanao, an overwhelming majority of whom supported martial law “in view of the present situation they are in.” He said the facilitation that martial law extension would bring to Marawi’s reha-

bilitation was also considered by the panel. Duterte placed Mindanao under martial in May last year when the Islamic State-inspired Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups occupied Marawi City, resulting in nearly five months of heavy fighting that left much of the city in ruins. Congress granted Duterte’s request for martial law extension in December 2017. Panelo said the recent “anarchical activities” of the communist rebels was tackled during the meeting that was led by Duterte. “The President was unwavering with

regard to the issue as a result of the communist group’s efforts in infiltrating and overthrowing the government,” Panelo said. He said Duterte had ordered the Justice department to pursue the proscription case against the CPP-NPA-NDF as a terrorist organization. He said Duterte had also ordered the Justice department to investigate the shooting incident in Sagay that resulted in the death of nine farmers. “The Chief Executive likewise announced the creation of the National Task Force in order to address the armed conflict occasioned by the local communists,” Panelo said. “The President is very much involved in various matters concerning our country but considers national security as one of the most vital concerns that must always be overseen by the government.” PNA

ASEAN...

Pardoned... From A1

Hamid and Abdul Hamid who were escorted by personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs. She expressed her gratitude to the government, especially to President Rodrigo Duterte for her release from jail. Dalquez killed her employer in self defense when he tried to rape her in December 2014. Reports said the Court of First Instance heard her case in March 2015. The Philippine Embassy in UAE appealed her conviction and successfully had it overturned by a local court in 2017. DFA Undersecretary for Office of Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Arriola said the department has exhausted all legal remedies to see to it that Dalquez would be able to return home and be reunited with her loved ones. Arriola said Dalquez received assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and financial assistance from the DFA, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Labor and Employment, and got a scholarship for her child as well. Dalquez and her parents will briefly stay at OWWA headquarters in Pasay City before flying to her hometown in General Santos City.

From A1

NEVER FORGOTTEN. Families of desaparecidos who have nowhere to offer candles or flowers to their disappeared loved ones gather at the Quiapo Church in Manila on All Souls' Day to call for justice for all victims of enforced disappearances . Norman Cruz In Laoag City, the government’s war on drugs took another hit when the Supreme Court acquitted a convicted shabu supplier when if found that police failed to strictly follow the guidelines on the custody of seized drugs in a buy-bust operation. In a decision penned by Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo, the SC ordered the release from detention, unless being lawfully held for another cause, of accused Jerome A. Pascua, alias “Ogie,” of Barangay 40 in Nalbo, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for selling shabu in 2011. After a review of the evidence presented before the trial court, the Court ruled that there was lapse in the custody of the seized illegal drug, particularly during the inventory of the seized items. The Court said the law requires that “the apprehending team having initial custody and control of the drugs shall, immediately after seizure and confiscation, physically inventory and photograph the same in the presence of the accused or the person/s from whom such items were confiscated and/or seized, or his/her representative or counsel, a representative from the media and the Department of Justice [DOJ], and any elected public official who shall be required to sign the copies of the inventory and be given a copy thereof.” In Pascua’s case, the Court said that the three witnesses required by law in the inventory of the seized items were not present. Only a media person and a chief barangay watchman, who is not even an elected official, were present and there was no DOJ representative. The Court also said that “in case the presence of the necessary witnesses was not obtained, the prosecution must allege and prove not only the reasons for their absence, but also the fact that earnest efforts were made to secure their attendance. Here, the prosecution failed to prove both.” “In view of the foregoing, the Court is constrained to reverse the conviction of the appellant (Pascua) due to the failure of the prosecution to provide a justifiable reason for the non-compliance with the

Chain of Custody Rule, which creates doubt as to the integrity and evidentiary value of the seized plastic sachet of shabu,” the Court said. Court records showed that the provincial anti-illegal drugs task force, acting on a tip from an informant, organized a buybust operation on March 31, 2011 to arrest Pascua who was identified as a supplier of shabu in his village. A police officer pretended to be the buyer and gave P1,000 to Pascua in exchange for a sachet of shabu weighing 0.0154 grams. On a pre-arranged signal, the members of the buy-bust team arrested Pascua inside his house. When searched, one of the rooms yielded illegal drugs paraphernalia. Thus Pascua and one Manilyn Pompa, alleged girlfriend of Pascua, were also charged with violation of Section 12 of Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. Only Pascua was charged with violation of Section 5 of Article II of RA 9165 on the illegal sale of dangerous drugs before the Laoag City Regional Trial Court. On Dec. 4, 2012, the RTC handed down its decision acquitting Pascua and Pompa of violating Section 12. However, the trial court found Pascua guilty of violating Section 5, selling illegal drugs, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of P2 million. The Court of Appeals sustained the ruling handed down by the RTC in its decision dated Oct. 9, 2015. The appellate court held that there was a valid buy-bust operation. It also held that the chain of custody rule was complied with and the elements of the crime of illegal sale of shabu were established by evidence. This prompted Pascua to elevate the CA decision to the Supreme Court. In September, the Court laid down the mandatory guidelines in the custody and disposition of confiscated, seized or surrendered illegal drugs to avoid poorly built-up cases that clog court dockets. Pascua’s case was not yet covered by the new guidelines. Francisco Tuyay and Rey E. Requejo

Wampfler’s love for Emmental has aged well over the years like the finest stock he cultivates. In one corner of his impeccably clean cellar, nine open wooden crates sit with wheels of Emmental inside and small music speakers directly below. Since September, the cheeses have each been blasted with sonic masterpieces from the likes of rock gods Led Zeppelin to hip hop legends A Tribe Called Quest. The project—“Sonic cheese: experience between sound and gastronomy” hopes to show that the power of music can influence the development, characteristics and even flavour of the cheese. Mozart or flamenco? “Bacteria is responsible for the formation of the taste of cheese, with the en-

zymes that influence its maturity. I am convinced that humidity, temperature or nutrients are not the only things that influence taste,” Wampfler told AFP. “Sounds, ultrasounds or music can also have physical effects,” he insisted. The thought of playing rock ‘n’ roll music to influence the flavor of cheese may make some scientists cringe. But parts of the scientific community have spent years analyzing the effect of sound on plants, and some moms-to-be believe playing classical music to their unborn child makes them smarter. Music can create feelings, reaching inside people and stirring their senses into a fondue of emotions, in ways that can make people smile, cry or jump in elation. AFP

“Governments must do much more to protect journalists and ensure that those responsible for killing media workers are brought to justice. Anything less will simply send a signal that such crimes are acceptable.” According to Unesco, close to 1,010 journalists have been killed worldwide in the decade spanning 2006 to 2017, while in nine out of 10 cases the murderers had escaped without punishment. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines remains one of the most dangerous countries for media workers. There have been at least 47 unsolved killings of journalists there since 2008, placing the Philippines among the five states in the world with the poorest accountability records, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The other four states are Somalia, Syria, Iraq and South Sudan. In one of the most recent incidents, local publisher Dennis Denora was shot down by unknown gunmen while driving his car through Panabo City, Davao del Norte, on June 7. The Philippines is also home to one of the deadliest single attacks against journalists in history―the 2009 “Maguindanao massacre” when at least 34 journalists lost their lives for which no one has yet been held to account. While President Rodrigo Duterte established a Task Force on Media Security in 2016, his administration has also stepped up a harsh rhetoric against media houses. The government has launched politically motivated tax evasion and libel cases against the independent news website Rappler and threatened other outlets with similar action. “President Duterte’s angry tirades against the media outlets who dare stand up to his murderous regime must end immediately,” said Charles Santiago, APHR chairman and a Member of Parliament from Malaysia. “The Philippines has a shameful record of holding killers of journalists to account. Authorities should focus on seeking justice for these attacks and not trying to silence legitimate criticism.” Other countries in Southeast Asia where the murders of journalists have gone unpunished in the last decade include Myanmar, Indonesia and Cambodia. In Cambodia, at least 13 journalists have been murdered since 1994, many of whom were investigating and reporting on allegations of corruption by highlevel individuals in the government and military. But the threats to journalists in the region are not limited to killings. Authoritarian governments are increasingly relying on harassment and repressive laws to silence and imprison media workers who carry out critical reporting. In Myanmar, two Reuters journalists―Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo― were sentenced to seven years in jail in September this year for violating the archaic Official Secrets Act. Their only “crime” was helping to uncover the massacre of Rohingya villagers by the Myanmar security forces. In Cambodia, what little remained of the independent media was silenced by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People’s Party in the build-up to the widely discredited general election on July 29 this year. Across the border in Thailand, media has operated under heavy restrictions since the military government seized power in a coup in 2014. In Vietnam and Laos, the governments control all mainstream media, and independent expression is often met with harsh punishments. Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Dawn’... From A1

oriented toward Earth and helped turn its solar panels to the Sun to recharge. When the spacecraft missed scheduled communications with NASA’s Deep Space Network on Wednesday and Thursday, the space agency formally declared it dead. “The fact that my car’s license plate frame proclaims, ‘My other vehicle is in the main asteroid belt,’ shows how much pride I take in Dawn,” said mission director and chief engineer Marc Rayman at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “The demands we put on Dawn were tremendous, but it met the challenge every time. It’s hard to say goodbye to this amazing spaceship, but it’s time.” - “Astounding images” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the NASA science mission directorate in Washington, hailed Dawn’s “vital science” and “incredible technical achievements.” Dawn became the only spacecraft ever to orbit a cosmic body in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in 2011 when it began circling the asteroid Vesta. Then it moved on to the dwarf planet Ceres in 2015, becoming the first spacecraft to visit a dwarf planet and the only spacecraft to orbit one, NASA said. The unmanned spacecraft has traveled 4.3 billion miles (6.9 billion kilometers) since launching in 2007. It is expected to remain in orbit around Ceres for decades, but will no longer be able to communicate with Earth. Zurbuchen said the scientific learning from Dawn’s mission will go on. “The astounding images and data that Dawn collected from Vesta and Ceres are critical to understanding the history and evolution of our solar system,” he said. Dawn’s demise is the latest in a series of spacecraft troubles for NASA. The Kepler space telescope ran out of fuel earlier this week, as expected, ending its nine and a half year mission of hunting for planets outside our solar system. AFP

Rody... From A1

Duterte later visited his family’s mausoleum where his father, Gov. Vicente Duterte, and mother Soledad Duterte were laid to rest. Before that, he conducted an aerial inspection of Northern Luzon and led a situation briefing to assess the aftermath of Typhoon Rosita. In his remarks in Isabela, Duterte said everyone has “obligations to the dead,” emphasizing his need to visit his parents’ tomb. “It’s practically part of the culture but more than that, it’s something that’s very important for us to commune with our ancestors,” he said. In an official statement earlier in the day, Duterte called on Filipinos to “emulate our saints.” “I call on the entire nation to honor those who have gone before us in the grace of God. Their legacy remains an important part of who were are today and we have much to gain from their virtuous example,” Duterte’s message read.

Big... From A1

The ALU-TUCP is blaming the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines for allegedly announcing prematurely the decision of the wage boards to keep wages at the barest minimum.

News

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Rescue halted, retrieval starts in Mt. Province landslide By Joel E. Zurbano

TYPHOON DAMAGE. Aerial photo shows the damage caused by Typhoon ‘Rosita’ in some parts of Region 2 and the Cordillera Administrative Region following the typhoon’s landfall on Oct. 30, 2018. Presidential Photo

DOJ allows Garin to file appeal on pathologist’s testimony By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has allowed former Health Secretary Janette Garin to file her appeal for a reconsideration of the investigators’ resolution denying her motion to accept the supporting affidavit of pathologist, Dr. Raymundo Lo, in a bid to beef up her defense on the criminal charges filed against her arising from deaths of those who had been inoculated by the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine. This developed after Garin continued to insist on the admission of the testimony of a pathologist who would refute her liability in the deaths of persons who were inoculated with the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine. The DOJ’s panel of prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Emilia Victorio granted Garin’s request to appeal for the reversal of its Oct. 10 resolution, which denied her motion asking to accept the supporting affidavit of the pathologist. “In addition, counsel for Garin will submit a Memorandum as well as a Motion for Reconsideration to the Order of the panel denying motion to admit affidavit of expert witness,” the investigating fiscals said, in the minutes of the panel’s last hearing held on Tuesday. The DOJ panel held preliminary investigation hearing last Tuesday on the complaints filed against Garin and her co-accused by the families of the nine children who received shots of Dengvaxia, namely, Aejay Bautista, Anjielica Pestillos, Lenard Baldonado, Zandro Colite, Abbie Hedia, Jansyn Art Bataa, Mark Axel Ebonia, Reijazztine Justin Alimagno, and Alexander Jaime.

Tax-free death benefits for ‘poll teachers’ pushed ON ALL Souls’ Day, 1-Ang Edukasyon Party-list Rep. Salvador Belaro Jr. urged the House Ways and Means Committee to expedite the passage of House Bill 7732 which seeks to grant 100 percent tax exemption on death benefits, honoraria, and travel allowances of teachers and other civil servants who render election service. Election-related death benefit is P500,000 according to Republic Act No. 10756, or the Election Service Reform Act. Belaro said the cost of the tax exemption “pales in comparison to the sacrifices of the teachers, soldiers, and other government employees called to duty for the elections.” The education solon said the revenue cost of HB 7732 will not hurt national government operations. “Isinasakripisyo ng mga kasapi ng board of election inspectors ang kanilang buhay, oras, at lakas para lamang matiyak ang malinis at maayos na halalan,” Belaro said. He is hoping the bill can cover taxable year 2018 and the future elections starting with May 2019.

UN warns of huge human loss due to malnutrition B ANGKOK, Thailand—Four specialized agencies of the United Nations on Friday warned of a colossal human loss to Asia and the Paciﬁc and its economies if countries in the region do not recommit themselves to ending all forms of malnutrition and achieving zero hunger by 2030.

The warning came during the launch of a new regional report revealing that the reduction in the number of hungry and malnourished people—including children—has come to a virtual standstill in many parts of Asia and the Pacific. The Asia and Pacific region accounts for well over half of the world’s undernourished—nearly half a billion people (486 million). While recently released global figures indicate an overall rise in the prevalence of hunger worldwide, returning to levels from a decade ago, this regional report points out that stagnation in combating hunger and malnutrition in Asia and the Pacific is also a major concern due to the large numbers of people involved. The report, Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, published on Friday by

the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Children’s Fund, World Food Programme and the World Health Organization, highlights a number of converging challenges that threaten to undermine the Sustainable Development Goal to end all forms of malnutrition by 2030 (SDG 2). “Progress in reducing undernourishment has slowed tremendously. The report’s estimates show that the number of hungry people has barely changed during the past two years, making it increasingly difﬁcult to achieve the Zero Hunger target of SDG 2,” the regional heads of the four UN agencies wrote in their joint foreword. The Asia-Paciﬁc region is home to more than half of the world’s malnourished children. Malnutrition covers a broad spectrum and affects

people of all ages —ranging from severe undernutrition to overweight and obesity—but children in particular, continue to bear the burden. In this region, 79 million children, or one child in every four below the age of five, suffers from stunting and 34 million children are wasting, 12 million of whom suffer from severe acute malnutrition with drastically increased risk of death. While some significant progress has been made towards a reduction of stunting, there has been little improvement in wasting during the past decade. “The sad reality is that an unacceptably large number of children in the region continue to face the multiple burden of malnutrition despite decades of economic growth. This is a colossal human loss given the association between undernutrition and poor cognitive development, with severe lifelong consequences for the future of these children,” the regional UN heads said, noting this also results in economic losses to a nation’s economy due to missed opportunities of human potential. The report points out that, from a cost-benefit perspective, many nutrition interventions can result in a return of USD 16 for every dollar invested.

JV pushes for an integrated cancer control program By Macon Ramos-Araneta SIGNIFICANT steps have been taken in the fight against cancer with the passage of a bill seeking to institutionalize a national integrated cancer control program in the country. Senate Bill No. 1850, sponsored by Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, is expected to pass on third and ﬁnal reading when Senate resumes session on Nov. 12. Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said the bill seeks to address various gaps in cancer care and integrate policies and programs for its prevention, detection, correct diagnosis, treatment and palliative care, pain management and survivorship

or end of life. “Through the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, we can give cancer patients a choice, we can give them hope—hope that they will have an equitable and affordable cancer treatment and care especially for the underprivileged and marginalized Filipinos,” Ejercito said. According to Ejercito, cancer is the third leading cause of adult death in the Philippines and fourth in child morbidity. The Department of Health estimated up to eight deaths per day for childhood cancer and up to 11 new cases and seven deaths every hour for adult cancer. This computes to a ﬁgure of approximately 110,000 new cancer cases and over 66,000 cancer deaths each year.

A recent study conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) showed that mortality ratio among the poor was quite high. The study attributed the high number of deaths among patients with cancer to weak health systems, limited access to quality cancer care and partly to the late diagnosis of common cancers. “Undoubtedly, cancer has become a global health and incidence rates are rising,” Ejercito said. “The study estimates that in 2012 more than 6.7 million people developed the disease and that this will rise by almost 60 percent translating to over 10.8 million people who will be diagnosed with cancer in the next 14 years,” he added.

NATONIN, Mountain Province Mayor Mateo Chiyawan said on Friday that they decided to stop rescue operations and instead started retrieval operations of those buried in the landslide that struck three buildings of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the area. “We have already declared na wala nang rescue, it’s more on retrieval,” said Chiyawan in a radio interview over DZMM. The rescue operations were stopped three days after the landslide caused by Typhoon ‘Rosita’ last Tuesday, as rescuers couldn’t find any more survivors. “Ang concentration namin sa first floor sana, pero noong nag-umpisa na magtrabaho, wala na palang first floor. Pati yung first floor natangay,” (We were concentrating on the first floor, but when the rescue started, we found out that there was no first floor, because the landslide washed away the first floor.) said Chiyawan. Eight people died in the incident, while responders continue to look for the remains of 17 more, most of whom are DPWH workers who were inside one of the buildings when the landslide happened. Meanwhile, the military said that three members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit were among the eight fatalities so far in the landslide, According to Captain Jefferson Somera, spokesperson of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, the fatalities were Leobel Orchilion, Linang Pallichang and Jonanthan Ngilin, all members of the CAFGU Active Auxillary under Alpha Company of the Army’s 77th Infantry Battalion. The CAFGUs were assigned to Ubao Patrol Base, Barangay Ubao, Aguinaldo, Ifugao prior to the incident. According to Lieutenant Colonel Rembert Baylosis, commanding officer of the 77IB, the three who died and their two other missing companions were on leave when the incident happened.

Ex-Samal mayor faces bribery, graft charges By Maricel V. Cruz A DAVAO del Norte mayor is facing graft charges at the Sandiganbayan owing to his alleged illegal receipt of funds from a multi-purpose cooperative. Former Mayor Aniano Paraiso Antalan of the Island Garden City of Samal is charged with one count of violation of Section 3(b) of the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act and two counts of indirect bribery, according to the Ombudsman. Antalan reportedly received P100,000 from the Samal Island Multi-Purpose Cooperative for the purchase of fuel, oil, and lubricants in 2014 and allegedly intervened in his ofﬁcial capacity for the transaction to materialize, based on the charge sheets signed by Ombudsman Samuel Martires last Oct. 11. The charge sheets also said that Antalan “willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously” accepted P200,000 from the same cooperative in December 2012 in his capacity as city mayor. A P54,000 bail has been recommended in the case of Antalan.

S. Leyte Gov. Mercado ‘back in office’ By Ronald O. Reyes SOUTHERN Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado is back at the Provincial Capitol Office following a Court of Appeals decision reversing the previous dismissal order of the Office of the Ombudsman. Lawyer Cyril Blanco, the regional legal officer of Department of Interior and Local Government, personally served the order to Mercado on Oct. 31. “Wherefore, the petition in CA-GR. SP No. 152064 is GRANTED. The Joint Resolution dated June 1, 2017 and Joint Order dated October 20, 2017 of the Office of the Ombudsman are hereby SET ASIDE with respect to petitioner Damian G. Mercado, who is hereby ABSOLVED from any administrative liability. “The Petition in CA-G.R. No. 153659 is DENIED. Insofar as petitioners Crispin Mendoza Arong, Jr., Feorillo Abiera Demeterio, Jr., Aniceto Felicilda Narit, Benjase Quirong Lumen and

Segun Ladrera are concerned said Joint Resolution dated June 17, 2017, and Joint Order dated Oct. 12, 2017 of the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman are AFFIRMED. SO ORDERED,” read the DILG’s two-page memorandum order dated Oct. 31, 2018. “With this order, there is no more doubt that I am back into ofﬁce. We will continue to give service to our people,” Mercado told reporters while thanking Vice Governor Christopher “Coco” Yap, the provincial board members, and his supporters. On Aug. 10 last year, the Ombudsman found Mercado liable for grave misconduct in the alleged anomalous procurement of vehicles amounting to P2.3 million when he was still Maasin City mayor in 2007. The Ombudsman suspended him in September 2017. However, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision on May 22 this year.

BRIEFING THE PRESIDENT. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte discusses matters with

Interior and Local Government Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año during the situation briefing at Hotel Andrea in Cauayan City, Isabela on Nov. 1, 2018. Presidential Photo

Opinion

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte and sainthood

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Through Jesus Christ, eternal life has become our final destiny. That is why we implore the aid of the Saints in Heaven and the souls in purgatory for then to intercede for us so that we, the living, could also attain our heavenly THE first two days of November, i.e. inheritance. In return, we pray for the 1 and 2, are the calendar dates when souls who are suffering in purgatory to we celebrate All Saints’ Day and help them reach their heavenly reward. All Souls’ Day. It is the feast when As Saint Paul wrote the ThessaloniChristians commemorate the saints in ans, “If we believe that Jesus died and Heaven who pray and intercede for the rose, God will bring forth with him living and for the latter to pray for the from the dead those also who have falldearly departed. en asleep believing in him.” In the local dialect, this commemoIt is often tragic that many persons ration takes on different names. In comport themselves in this life as if it the Visayas, it’s called kalag-kalag, is the end-all and be-all of existence; in parts of Luzon, its either undas or always unmindful that earthly existnangaluluwa. But by whatever name, ence is but a passage, a pilgrimage of for Filipinos, this is the time for alms sort, or a passing journey towards etergiving and praying for the dead, par- nity. After a short stint on earth, we die ticularly for the suffering souls in pur- never to return. gatory. On this day, all roads lead to the We are reminded in these holy days cemetery where the living undertake that human beings should always keep different activities like sprucing up their sight on mortality; that we prethe graves of their pare for the time beloved departwhen we enters ed, pray for their the afterlife and souls, and attend come face to face mass for their inwith God, our Such conversion is a tentions. It is also creator. Life is but the time when special intention I make a preparation for relatives from in these holy days. what is to come faraway places go after death. Jesus home to the provdied for our sins inces for some reso that we can union. have life eternal. A wise person Beyond custom, these are days steep in religious heeds the call of Jesus Christ to make significance. Thus, St. Matthew’s ver- the most rigorous preparation for death sion of the Beatitudes is the Gospel as if there is no tomorrow. reading on All Saints’ Day. In that In another letter, this time to the PhiGospel, Jesus is telling us the precepts lippians, St. Paul tells us how to live that one must abide by in order to enter out our salvation in terms that are sothe Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, after bering and startling. He said, “So then, all is said and done, we are bound to my beloved, obedient as you have aldie and be judged for whatever things ways been, not only when I am present we have done in this lifetime. As the but all the more now when I am absent, Biblical passage goes—“Remember work out your salvation with fear and man that you are dust, and unto dust trembling. For God is the one who, for you will return.” his good purpose, works in you both to As Christians, we believe that desire and to work.” Christ, by his death and resurrection, As for President Duterte’s making has triumph over death; and human be- fun on Thursday of these holy days ings, for all our imperfections and sins, and especially the saints, it would be have been made the heir to the King- good for him to reflect on how Saint dom which he has prepared for us. Turn to A5

No easy task

HE Philippines slipped from 113th to 124th place in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report 2019—a survey topped by New Zealand, Singapore and Denmark. To be sure, the country’s score to 57.68 this year from 56.32 last year. The problem is that other countries improved by a lot more. This slip in ranking despite marginal improvement in the aggregate indicators of ease of doing business should provide our leaders and economic managers with something to think about during the long weekend break. First, success is relative. Progress is never in isolation. Improvements, while measured in absolute terms, is most effectively deter-

mined by how well a nation develops in relation to others. Economies compete for investments, and it is performance vis-a-vis other that determines who gets a fair share of available resources. Second, there are many indicators of success, in this case starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. It helps to know in which areas we did well and where we did poorly. For instance, higher tax registration costs and more difficult trade across borders proved a disadvantage to the Philippines’ ranking. How curious it is, too, to find out that the number of inspection steps for importing has been increased, when we here

talk ceaselessly about the Bureau of Customs’ failure to stem the entry of unauthorized material, specifically illegal drugs. Finally, success in not won on rhetoric, or tough talk, or populism. Rather, it is numbers that tell a story. In this case, the Philippines did poorly in getting credit (184th, with a score of 5), starting a business (166th, with a score of 71.97) and enforcing contracts (151st, with a score of 45.96). These statistics will tell our decision makers that it is in these areas where we need to work harder, institute reforms and implement them better. What political leader does not want to improve the lot of his or her constituents? The answers, however differ in how they intend to do it, and what metrics they use to assess their success or progress.

RH redux engaging other netizens and slowly, a group of online advocates was formed. Live-tweeting and live-FB posting during RH activities and HOR and Senate hearings and plenary sessions kept netizens updated on the discussions happening in Congress real time. This (Part 2) was one of the most effective online LAST week, I highlighted the par- tactics that we employed as interest of ticipation of community women in the socmed users was sustained and online successful advocacy for the passage of debates were kept alive. Anti-RH legislators were strongly lambasted online. the RH bill into law. The DSWP initiated a meeting of Another noteworthy initiative was the first-ever signature campaign for online RH warriors so the campaign is the passage of the bill. This was spear- more focused and coordinated. Thus, headed by the DSWP with little sup- Tweet-ups (Twitter meet-ups) were port from other groups. Perhaps they done and meetings held. In some of did not believe in the tactic. However, I these meetings, Rep. Kimi Cojuangco, remember that former DOH Secretary Sec. Espie Cabral, Rep. Miro Quimbo, Espie Cabral fully supported this ini- Rep. Erin Tañada, and Rep. Edcel Lagman were present to further inspire the tiative. For the DSWP, the campaign was online advocates. Ev e n t u a l l y, a means to show netizens were alpublic support for ready engaging the bill. anti-RH legislaThe signators and other ture campaign The crucial role netizens on their was done in two own. The onways, online, and played by netizens line debates were community-based and community strongest at this gathering of sig- groups cannot be time. natures. While When advopromoting the underestimated. cates were strongcampaign only calling for the line was easy, the vote on the bill, community-based netizens were enstrategy was difficult. It needed warm bodies to go gaged to let them know how their reparound communities, talk to people, resentatives stood on the bill. Armed and convince them to support the peti- with the political mapping of the PLtion. It was the DSWP’s local leaders CPD, we urged people online to engage in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and their district representatives. Netizens told us who their reps were and we Mindanao who did this. This campaign gathered more than would tell them if their rep was pro or 120,000 signatures. The DSWP led in anti-RH. Someone asked me for the pothe turnover of the signatures to then sition of one Rep and I answered matter Speaker of the House of Representa- of factly that he was rabidly anti-RH. This conversation was used against tives Feliciano Belmonte and Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales II. me by the said representative on the Both promised that they were working floor of the HOR. When he was interpellating Rep. Edcel Lagman, the rep., towards the bill’s passage into law. Using social media for the RH bill without naming me said that he was bewas another tactic we used. This was ing maligned online by one RH advostarted by Carlos Celdran who enjoys cate. He quoted my exchange with the a huge Twitter and Facebook. We were Turn to A5

POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO

Thwarting shabu smuggling military personnel have been called to aid him, it is still he, Guerrero, a civilian, who will be calling the shots at the BOC. Infuriated by rampant corruption that enabled P11 billion of the illegal drugs I FIND it weird that some senatorial to slip through, President Rodrigo Ducandidates identified with the militant terte last week ordered the “military Left are condemning the deployment takeover” of the BOC. of military personnel at the Bureau of Customs to aid newly-appointed Commissioner, retired General Rey Leonardo Guerrero in the fight against smugIs there a system that gling, particularly that of illegal drugs. They describe it as the militarization of can eradicate the entry the BOC. of illegal drugs? First, while Guerrero may have come from the ranks of the military, he is now retired, effectively bringing him back to civilian ranks. Second, while

Malacañang, however, has since clarified that soldiers would merely be deployed to the country’s ports to help deter crooked BOC officials and employees. But what I find really odd is that while these candidates identified with the Left and running under the banner of the opposition are so paranoid with regard to former members of the military (I would have to reiterate, now civilian) taking over some government posts, they do not in any way condemn the program of the underground Left, which is currently waging an armed revolution against the State. History would tell us that in all countries where the Left had successfully staged an armed revolution, the governments Turn to A5

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Opinion A creeping militarization BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO THE plan of President Rodrigo Duterte to place Bureau of Customs operations under military control ran into constitutional barriers. This was after smuggled shabu shipment valued at P11 billion slipped through the graft-ridden bureau. In a fit of rage, Duterte replaced Customs chief Isidro Lapeña with Marina head Ray Leonardo Guerrero, former Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff. The President on Thursday admitted that his government is indeed militarizing the civilian offices. Guerrero’s appointment as Customs chief and Duterte’s statement have confirmed our suspicion that indeed he has militarized the civilian bureaucracy, Call it bragging if you will but sometimes I get scared by own prescience. Perhaps it’s all a matter of reading the straws in the wind. But because it was a holiday when most people were either in the cemetery honoring the dead while some took the occasion to take a four- day vacation in nearby Hong Kong, Taiwan or other visa-free Asean countries and even Japan, many missed this major news story. My fellow columnist in this paper Antonio La Vina cited provisions in the Constitution that prohibit military men from assuming functions of a civilian office. “Unless they resign or retire from the service, a military man cannot even be appointed as janitor in the customs bureau,” said Lavina who stressed the supremacy of civilian authority over the military. There are at present several officials, retired or resigned from military service, who are occupying positions

Thwarting... From A4

installed were all heavily-militarized. So, why apply a different set of tenets for those situations? The proliferation of illegal drugs, I believe, is the most evil thing that ever happened to civilized world. It should be stopped at all costs. And we should entertain all proposals which could help eradicate illegal drugs. This is just like the proposal of Senior Minority Leader, Buhay Representative Lito Atienza who is urging President Rodrigo Duterte to order the compulsory pre-shipment inspection of all “containerized imports” to thwart the large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs through the Port of Manila. Atienza notes that the President is in a position to administratively direct the mandatory PSI at the country of origin of all containerized cargoes destined for the Philippines.

RH... From A4

netizen from his district, and said that he was contemplating on filing charges against this RH advocate. He said that that person was in the HOR at that very moment. Indeed, I was, because I was in the technical team of Rep. Lagman. The online advocacy gave birth to the ‘Abortionistas’. The anti-RH Twitter account @antiRHofficial labeled pro-RH as “Abortionistas” to malign RH advocates online. S/He numbered us and posted online why we were abortionists. More than sixty advocates were called abortionists. The pro-RH netizens had a field day because of his/her ridiculous reasons for calling us such – one was gay, another a lesbian, one did not look good, one worked with a pharmaceutical company, one was my daughter so she must also be an abortionist, etc. From then on, these netizens proudly called themselves “Abortionistas” and continued with the advocacy for the RH bill. This was the group that DSWP had tweet-ups with. To celebrate the passage of the RH law, the DSWP had a victory party

Duterte... From A4

Thérèse of the Child Jesus explains the communion of saints. In her Last Conversations, published in 1897, The Little Flower recalls: “Sister Marie of the Eucharist wanted to light the candles for a procession; she had no matches; however, seeing the little lamp which was burning in front of the relics, she approached it.

in the Cabinet and other government agencies. Aside from Lapeña who was transferred from the BoC to Tesda. the former soldiers include Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu (former AFP chiefs), National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Alexander Balutan, National Food Authority Administrator Brig, Gen. (ret) Jason Aquino and retired Brig, Gen. Ricardo Jalad who is the current head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

We do not see anything wrong with Lorenzana as DND secretary nor Esperon as National Security Adviser. I think they are perfect choices for these positions. But eyebrows are raised with the other generals and former military men. It’s like having an unofficial military junta. This creeping militarization gives me the creeps more than those Halloween masks. I’m quite sure others feel the same. But they missed this major story as they were busy having fun at Halloween parties. Today Saturday, Filipinos must have been jolted by Digong’s confession. Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigating the smuggled shabu shipment and the conspiracy of BOC examiners, has also voiced his concern about the government’s creeping militariza-

tion of civilian offices. With Mindanao under an extended martial law because of the ISIS terrorist siege of Marawi, the citizens are wary about the whole country being placed under martial law without presidential proclamation. They look back at martial law declared by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos who did it openly based on legal and constitutional bounds. On the other hand, the people are beginning to fear the Duterte administration is placing the entire country under martial law surreptitiously on a piecemeal basis. The Filipino people could be wrong but we cannot blame the citizenry for being apprehensive about another decades-long military rule. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo clarified Duterte’s order was merely military presence to deter corruption at Customs. Panelo said military men working in tandem with BOC officials was to put fear on corrupt personnel. No sooner had Panelo said these words did President Duterte make him lose credibility by admitting he is indeed militarizing the government. Job openings for nurses The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency announced job openings for 1,000 Filipino nurses in Saudi Arabia. The POEA said there will no need for applicants to pay placement fees as the hiring is on a government to government basis. The Saudi Ministry of Health, according to the POEA, will provide living accommodations, P50,000 monthly salary and annual vacation paid leave. Requirements are a valid six-month validity passport. a nursing graduate certificate and a two-year working experience in a hospital. This is good news coming after 10 Filipino workers were arrested by Saudi police for attending a noisy Halloween party in the capital Riyadh. The Philippine embassy has provided legal counsel for the detained Filipinos.

And this, according to the congressman, is not entirely new as the BOC already requires all “bulk and break-bulk imports” to undergo PSI. Hence, Atienza says containerized imports can also be required to go through PSI. The solon says that all of the estimated P21 billion worth of methamphetamine or shabu smuggled through the Port of Manila in three batches between May 2017 and July 2018 arrived in 20foot shipping containers from China, Malaysia and Taiwan. PSI is the practice used by governments, mostly in developing countries, of requiring importers to engage accredited third-party surveyors to verify shipment details, such as the price, quantity and quality of goods, before cargoes depart the exporting country. PSI is used to prevent the undervaluation of taxable imports and to compensate for the inadequacies in the importing country’s customs and other administrative structures, according to

the World Trade Organization. Atienza said PSI would also put an end to chronic corruption at the BOC that costs the National Treasury tens of billions of pesos in lost import taxes every year. Of course, there are some quarters within the BOC who are opposed to the PSI. Atienza describes them as those engaged in smuggling as well as rotten officials within the agency. And not only could it help combat the entry of illegal drugs. Atienza also estimates that the BOC could easily increase its annual collection of import taxes by 50 percent, or by P350 billion, once PSI is in place for containerized cargoes, more than P662 billion the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee expects the BOC to collect in 2019. It would be welcome news for the BOC to increase its collection by another 50 percent. But what is deemed more important is to place a system that would totally eradicate the scourge of illegal drugs.

with the “Abortionistas” which was graced with the presence of Sec. Espie Cabral, Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Rep. Erin Tanada. Even then, everybody knew that the fight was not over. Up to the present, the “Abortionistas” remain actively engaged on RH when issues on the law surface. The online advocacy for the RH bill no doubt contributed to the sustained clamor for the bill’s passage into law. It can be claimed as one of the first, if not the first successful online advocacy initiative that led to the passage of a propeople bill into law. Daily community mobilizations were done at the HOR as proof of support for the bill. HOR became a battleground between the pro- and anti-RH groups. It was a battle of numbers. Pro-RH groups made sure that communities would witness the important proceedings on the bill, and on the other hand, show members of the HOR that they are being watched by the Filipino people. Many of these mobilizations happened when DSWP was the RHAN Secretariat and was thus, the lead organizer alongside Likhaan. Planning sessions for these mobilizations were

done in various places right after the sessions. It should be emphasized that many of the DSWP-organized mobilizations were financed by the CSOs themselves. Whichever group had money to share, contributed to the mob. The following organizations were the major community mobilizers: DSWP, Likhaan, Zone One Tondo (ZOTO), DAMPA, KAKAMMPI, FPOP, and Akbayan. Other groups regularly sent representatives like Filipino Freethinkers, WomanHealth, etc. The conducted mobilizations showed the strong resolve of community women and allies to see through the passage of the RH bill into law and demonstrated to lawmakers community support for the bill. Again, these are but some of the advocacy initiatives conducted during the struggle for the passage of the RH bill into law. The crucial role played by netizens and community groups cannot be underestimated. The concluding part next week.

Alas, it was half out; there remained only a feeble glimmer on its blackened wick. She succeeded in lighting her candle from it, and with this candle, she lighted those of the whole community. It was, therefore, the half-extinguished little lamp which had produced all these beautiful flames which, in their turn, could produce an infinity of others and even light the whole universe. Nevertheless, it would always be the little lamp which would be first cause of all this light. How could the beautiful

flames boast of having produced this fire, when they themselves were lighted with such a small spark? It is the same with the Communion of Saints. Very often, without our knowing it, the graces and lights that we receive are due to a hidden soul, for God wills that the saints communicate grace to each other through prayer with great love, with a love much greater than that of a family, and even the most perfect family on earth. How often have I thought that I may

No less than the President has admitted this.

@bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

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RP-US bilateral trade agreement 2. United States: $9.2 billion (14.6%); 3. Hong Kong: $8.6 billion (13.7%); 4. China: $7 billion (11.1%); 5. Singapore: $3.9 billion (6.1%); 6. Thailand: $2.6 billion (4.2%); 7. Germany: $2.6 billion (4.1%); 8. South Korea: $2.5 bilAS THE Philippines is about to renew lion (4%); 9. Netherlands: $2.5 billion its bilateral trade agreement with the (3.9%); 10. Taiwan: $2.3 billion (3.6%); US, President Duterte has expressed 11. Malaysia: $1.6 billion (2.5%); 12. concern that concluding a free trade Vietnam: $867.2 million (1.4%); 13. agreement with the US might jeopard- France: $791.5 million (1.3%); 14. Inize our bilateral relations with China donesia: $702.1 million (1.1%); and, 15. and with the Asean where we currently Malta: $685.6 million (1.1%). If we are to combine our trade with enjoy robust trade relations. President Duterte’s apprehension is Hong Kong and China, which should based on the country’s past experience be the case that would represent $15.6 in trading with the US, and could see billion or 24.8%, and that could make that the trade war initiated by President China on top of the US. The only adTrump against China is likely to have a vantage in our trade relations with the fallout on our trade ties which is crucial US is we enjoy a trade surplus of $1.3 at a period when the two countries is billion as against China of US$10.8 bilabout to review the Trade and Invest- lion trade deficit as of 2017. Nonetheless, we can console ourment Framework Agreement (TIFA) selves with a variety of manufactured that began in 1989. Compared to other countries in the and semi-manufactured goods we have region, our economy has been assessed been exporting, indicative that we have to have performed fairly. We were the succeeded in diversifying our exports. last to escape from the cocoon of eco- They are as follows: Electrical machinnomic colonization. Many economists ery, equipment: US$28.4 billion (44.8% failed to see that it was only in 1974 of total exports); Machinery including when the country began the process computers: $9.4 billion (14.8%); Opof decolonization to unshackle our tical, technical, medical apparatus: economy from our dependency on se- $2.6 billion (4.1%); Copper: $2.1 billected agricultural exports like sugar. lion (3.2%); Ships, boats: $1.7 billion Other economists look in our economic (2.7%); Animal/vegetable fats, oils, transition as one of double time effort waxes: $1.6 billion (2.6%); Wood: $1.4 to diversify our economy while racing billion (2.2%); Gems, precious metals: to achieve a degree of industrialization. $1.4 billion (2.1%); Fruits, nuts: $1.2 billion (1.9%); It was an unand, Vehicles: $1.2 recognized ecobillion (1.8%). nomic heroism we With modest diachieved that most versified exports We were the last Filipinos never and with our sugar realized or much to escape from the now completely more appreciated. eliminated, maybe Our economic cocoon of economic the US is likely to managers through colonization. put pressure and the years naviinfluence to redigated the country rect our export to from the storm of adjust to its curuncertainty that rent protectionblocked our way. First, we were prevented from cutting the umbilical cord ist policy vis-à-vis President Trump’s that tied us with our former colonizers, attempt to single out China. The US and second, hampered by the numerous has raised many issues detrimental to stringent economic measures imposed the image of China that so far have not for us to remain under the yoke of pov- been verified and proven. Currently, the US is insisting that Chinese exports erty and economic dependency. The TIFA is a remnant of that desper- be “curtailed,” it being a non-market ate effort to keep the economy within economy, a euphemism of that Cold the US orbit. The period of the so-called War classification of a socialist econo“democratic renaissance” saw untold my that is controlled by the state. Another is the outdated gambit of sufferings to our people. The budding industries that bloomed during the ini- giving exports to developing countial pace of the post-parity rights period tries’ preferential treatment under the and considered the harbinger of our general system of preference (GSP) quest to become a manufacturing state which is a non-reciprocal conceswere easily wiped out. The dreamers sion under which developed countries of that democratic nostalgia, however, are allowed entry at low or duty-free failed to fill in the vacuum left by those based on quota. But GSP has proven industries that could have served as mi- to be a failure. The economic miracle that happened in Asia, more particucrocosm to our quest to industrialize. Admittedly, the economy suffered larly in China, was the result of import during that interlude of economic substitution carried through a system vandalism of wanting to replace the of maintaining the value of the yuan so-called cronies of Marcos with the to provide them the magic of competipresent oligarchs whose wealth was tiveness. Capital accumulation through generated by the system of economic colonialism. But the economic transi- successive trade surplus, not unfair tion moved on to crunch that attempt competition, was the magic that to restore the old glory of US economic allowed China to recycle its capital hegemonism coming from other coun- to build newer and more modern industries. It is this pattern that now tries in Asia led by China. The region was soon awakened to threatens the US and is making the the reality that they were producing an GSP an outmoded way to induce trade avalanche of manufactured goods at from developing countries like the much cheaper price which the US could Philippines. The same can be said of the never compete. TIFA was in place but acted more as a watchdog against our “Multifiber” Arrangement (MFA) we exports. Foreign investment concen- entered into with the US. Under that trated on capital investment rather than arrangement, the US and the European in creating industries. They focused on Union (EU) restricted imports from interest rate, usury and currency ma- developing countries on textile and nipulation with specialty of engaging garments in an effort to protect their domestic industries. Signatory in capital market investment. President Duterte is right because countries were given quotas of the Philippine-US bilateral trade pact specified items. The GSP did not work would no longer work under the pre- because both refused to lift the subsidy sent set-up. The country is now pre- on most of its agricultural exports and occupied with wanting to cushion the the MFA arrangement was overtaken economy from vicissitudes of boom by the consignment of production to and bust and from the whims of po- countries in Southeast Asia and Latin litical arbitrariness that could derail America, thereby forcing the US to our roadmap to economic independ- abandon its export quota that only earned marginal profit for developing ence in an instant. In 2017, the Philippines had 15 trad- exporting countries and even loss due ing partners that imported the most of to whimsical cutback on imports. our goods as follows: 1. Japan: US$10.2 rpkapunan@gmail.com billion (16.2% of total Filipino exports);

BACKBENCHER ROD P. KAPUNAN

owe all the graces I’ve received to the prayers of a person who begged them from God for me, and whom I shall know only in heaven. Yes, a very little spark will be capable of giving birth to great lights in the Church, like the Doctors and Martyrs, who will undoubtedly be higher in heaven that the spark; but how could anyone think that their glory will not become his? In heaven, we shall not meet with indifferent glances, because all the elect will discover that they owe to each other the graces that

merited the crown for them.” I pray that President Dutere will be given the grace of understanding this jewels of wisdom from Therese. He would understand why he is not a saint now and that there will never be a Santo Rodrigo and can never be one until he converts and becomes a force of good and not evil, a protector and not destroyer of life, a spark that brings us together and not tear us apart. Such conversion is a special intention I make in these holy days.

News

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Landowners told to join cooperatives

EARLY SIGN. Manila City Hall workers start Friday to build a giant Christmas tree in front of the capital city’s administrative and legislative building in the runup to the Christmas holidays. Lino Santos

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Friday told new landowners to join farmers’ cooperatives or agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations so they could receive more government assistance. Speaking before 1,006 farmers from Mindanao who received certificates of land ownership award in Zamboanga City, he called on the farmer-beneficiaries to avail of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s support services. He led the distribution of CLOAs, saying the work of DAR does not end in the distribution of lands alone. The agency also provides support services to enable farmer beneficiaries to manage their lands better, he said. Some of the beneficiaries who waited for over two decades to own the land, including the 68-year-old Cesario Cielo, lauded the agrarian reform agency “for finding ways to distribute the land to us.” Castriciones said the Land Bank of the Philippines is offering an accessible and sustainable lending program to enable farmers to avail of a loan up to P50,000 to buy farm inputs with annual interest of only at 6 percent. He, however, warned the beneficiaries not to sell or mortgage the lands awarded by the government or risk losing the land being charged according to law.

2 E-gates launched in Davao, Mactan By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration launched two electronic E-gates at the Davao International Airport and three at Mactan International Airport which are expected to cut the processing time of passengers from the present 45 seconds to just 8 to 15 seconds. BI Port Operations Division chief Grifton Medina said similar E-Gates would be installed in the airports of Clark and Kalibo before the year ends, so that with the onset of the peak travel season the project would be operational in all of the country’s ﬁve major ports of entry. “We are targeting to make the EGates operational in these major ports before the Christmas and New Year, when we expect to process a huge influx of traveling passengers,” Medina said. During its initial stages, only Filipino passengers with machine-readable passports may use the E-Gates. Children, senior citizens, and handicapped travelers, on the other hand, will be processed at a separate priority lane. The E-Gates project was initially launched and pilot-tested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport three months ago as part of the BI’s continuous effort to facilitate the expeditious processing and reduce the long queues of travelers at the airports. Aside from faster processing, the EGate project also aims to bolster the BI’s ability to pinpoint or detect travelers with derogatory records, wanted fugitives, and those who are subjects of blacklists and hold departure orders. The E-Gates are equipped with modern security features, including facial recognition, biometric scanning, bar code reading, and smart card recognition all rolled into one. Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente welcomed the launching of the E-Gate project in Mactan and Davao, saying it will help the BI address the perennial problem of long passenger queues at the airports especially during the Yuletide season.

House hopes for Senate OK renaming Panglao

‘PSI of containers can also hike Customs collections by 50%’ By Maricel V. Cruz

N OPPOSITION leader in the House of Representatives on Friday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to order the compulsory pre-shipment inspection of all “containerized imports” to thwart the large-scale smuggling of illegal drugs through the Port of Manila.

“The President is in a position to administratively direct the mandatory PSI at the country of origin of all containerized cargoes destined for the Philippines,” Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza, House senior deputy minority leader, said. The Bureau of Customs already requires all “bulk and break-bulk imports” to undergo PSI. “Containerized imports should also be required to go through PSI,” Atienza, former Manila mayor, said. All the estimated P21 billion worth of methamphetamine or shabu smuggled through the Port of Manila in three

batches between May 2017 and July 2018 arrived in 20-foot shipping containers from China, Malaysia and Taiwan. PSI is the practice used by governments, mostly in developing countries, of requiring importers to engage accredited third-party surveyors to verify shipment details, such as the price, quantity and quality of goods, before cargoes depart the exporting country. PSI is used to prevent the undervaluation of taxable imports and to compensate for the inadequacies in the importing country’s customs and other administrative structures, according to

the World Trade Organization. Infuriated by rampant corruption that enabled P11 billion of the illegal drugs to slip through, Duterte last week ordered the “military takeover” of the BoC. Malacañang has since clarified that soldiers would merely be deployed to the country’s ports to help deter crooked BoC officials and employees. Atienza said PSI would also put an end to chronic corruption at the BoC that costs the National Treasury tens of billions of pesos in lost import taxes every year. “Only those engaged in smuggling as well as rotten officials are opposed to PSI, because they stand to lose a lot of money from their rackets at the BoC,” Atienza said. Atienza estimates the BoC could easily increase its annual collection of import taxes by 50 percent, or by P350 billion, once PSI is in place for containerized cargoes.

IMAGINATIVE BOY. A young

member of Tzu Chi Foundation collects plastic bottles Friday for recycling purposes after All Saints‘ Day celebration at the Manila North Cemetery. Lino Santos

THE House of Representatives hopes for Senate action on House Bill 8231 which renames the famous Panglao Island in Bohol to Dauis-Panglao Island. The bill, principally authored by Rep. Rene Relampagos of Bohol and was already approved on third and ﬁnal reading, aims to correct the geographical misrepresentation, avoid confusion and give due recognition to the municipality of Dauis. Relampagos, member for the majority bloc of the House Committee on Tourism, said that Panglao Island has two municipalities namely, Dauis and Panglao. The island has a total land area of 94.53 square kilometers. He said the municipality of Dauis has 12 barangays and is home to tourist destinations such as the Assumption of Our Lady Shrine Parish and Hinagdanan cave. It is also one of the oldest towns in Bohol. On the other hand, the municipality of Panglao is a major tourism destination in the province. It has 10 barangays and hosts several beautiful beaches. For the longest time, the island, where the two municipalities Dauis and Panglao are found, has been referred to as Panglao Island, according to Relampagos, chairman of the House agrarian reform committee. “Hence, in order to correct the geographical misrepresentation, avoid confusion and give due recognition to the municipality of Dauis, this bill seeks to rename Panglao Island to Dauis-Panglao Island in the first district of the province of Bohol,” said Relampagos. Section 1 of the bill thereby renames Panglao Island to DauisPanglao Island. Maricel V. Cruz

Commuters assert rights sans matrix A GROUP of commuters on Friday asserted their rights that without the fare matrix, there would be no P10 minimum jeepney fare increase. Even a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board source said “no fare guide, no fare increase.” Ariel Inton, Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection founder and a former Quezon City councilor, told the riding public that public utility jeepney drivers should not charge them the fare hike due to the absence of a fare guide or matrix. “We need to have this fare matrix before the implementation of the fare increase. To the commuters, there is no hike if there is no matrix,” he said. The LTFRB approved a P10 jeepney minimum fare in Metro Manila, and Regions 3 and 4, and a provisional fare increase of P1 to commuter buses in Metro Manila, and an additional P0.15 per kilometer charge for provincial buses. Rio N. Araja

BI says Korean fugitive escapes, companion nabbed Save The Children Philippines pushes positive discipline bill amid violence

A KOREAN fugitive escaped while his companion was captured while being escorted for a medical checkup in Pasay last Oct. 29, the Bureau of Immigration said. The fugitive, Choi Yougseop, is now the object of nationwide manhunt. He is wanted in his own county for fraud, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said. The other Korean fugitive, Jeon Taeksang, was caught by his escort, after having lunch in a restaurant in Pasay City, together with Choi who managed to elude his BI escorts. The two foreign fugitives were allowed for a medical and dental procedure in a Pasay hospital. According to BI Spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval, Choi, the two were escorted by ofﬁcers from the

BI’s Warden Facility Protection Unit while eating after a dental check up when one of the guards used the restroom. The two Koreans took advantage of the situation and attacked their guard before making their break. “The guards were able to recapture Jeon, but Choi was able to board a getaway vehicle which was waiting for them outside,” said Sandoval. Both are fugitives in Korea for cases involving fraud, and have been in the Bureau’s blacklist since 2014. Morente announced that a factﬁnding committee was formed to investigate the incident. “We will ensure that all personnel who may have had a hand on the escape will face appropriate sanctions. We are conducting a thorough probe

on the guards assigned to Jeon and Choi,” said Morente. He said that “heads will roll,” and mentioned that he ordered the immediate relief of WFPU Chief Edward Mabborang pending the results of the investigation. Morente said that tracker teams were likewise formed to effect the immediate re-arrest of Choi, and that they are in close coordination with the Korean Embassy to gather as much information to assist in locating Choi’s wheareabouts. We will review our procedures in implementing medical passes, as this may be abused by wards planning to escape,” Morente said. “The BI will be relentless in this manhunt operation to immediately capture Jeon,” he added. Vito Barcelo

SAVE The Children Philippines is calling on parents and caregivers to help build a safe environment for children amid the spike in cases of violence against children at home. Lawyer Albert Muyot, CEO of Save The Children Philippines, said in a statement the National Children’s Month celebration in November highlighted the campaign to pass the Positive Discipline bill that eliminates corporal punishment against children. Three out of ﬁve children in the Philippines suffer one or two forms of violence at home and often, parents, siblings and relatives are the perpetrators, according to the 2015 National Baseline Study on Violence against Children of the Council for the Welfare of Children. “Parents should realize that children are not their possessions, thus, hitting them is wrong and is never acceptable,” said Muyot. He said parents are usually outraged when

other people hurt their children, but many believe that when they hit their own child, it’s a proof that they care for them. He said physical and verbal punishments on children left lifelong scars. “Violence begets violence,” said Muyot. “Young children who experience corporal punishment are left with feelings of fear, shame, rage, revenge and hostility.” The group joins the 26th year of the National Children’s Month celebration every November with the Council for the Welfare of Children, Department of Social Welfare and Development and National Youth Commission as the lead agencies. This year’s theme “Isulong: Tamang Pagaaruga Para Sa Lahat Ng Bata” highlights positive parenting- a non-violent approach to child rearing with focus on respect of the rights of children to live in a healthy and protected environment from infancy to adulthood.

Sports

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Local bets aim high in Asian Elite 5150 meet JOHN Leerams Chicano gears up for a fierce battle against some of the region’s top racers as he banners the local cast in the men’s Asian Elite category of the first Black Arrow Express 5150 set tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 4) in Subic. Chicano clocked 2:03:06 in topping the division in last year’s 5150 event, also in the country’s premier triathlon capital, with the national team mainstay confident of pulling off another romp with a better time in the Olympic distance of 1.5k swim, 40K-bike and 10K run. Also vying in the Asian Elite are August Benedicto, Raymond Torii, Jorry Ycong, Paul Jumamil and Leonard Rondina, all eyeing a podium finish in one of the events featured in Black Arrow Express’ first triathlon organized and produced by Sunrise Events, Inc. Chicano, who also scored a rare 5150 three-peat in 2013, actually placed fourth in the overall ranking last year, even besting the times of a number of bets in the men’s pro side topped by Sam Betten of Australia. The event, backed by venue hosts Subic Bay and ACEA Subic Bay and major sponsors David’s Salon, Pioneer Insurance and Wicked Active Gear, has also drawn participants from Great Britain, Japan, France, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Guatemala, India, Italy, New Zealand, Malaysia, Norway, Russia, Portugal and Vietnam. Betten, meanwhile, goes for a fourth straight 5150 crown but expects a tougher challenge this time from compatriots Mitch Robins and Dan Brown, Jakub Langhammer of the Czech Republic and American Tim Linn. Dimity Lee Duke, who snapped a pair of heartbreakers with a big victory last year, is also in for a rough outing against Guam’s Manami Iijima and Leanne Szeto of Hong Kong in the women’s pro side.

Cignal, Cocolife try to bounce back in PSL tilt

NHA Builders attempt to remain hot vs Palace five Games Tomorrow

(Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. – PhilHealth vs Judiciary 3:30p.m. – DOJ vs PNP 5p.m. – NHA vs Malacañang-PSC

Martin Lloyd Antonio (No. 2) is expected to play a key role when Malacañang-Philippine Sports Commission battles NHA in the UNTV Cup on Sunday at the Pasig City Sports Center.

Elite horse cast disputes Cojuangco Jr. Cup crown D

EFENDING champion Hitting Spree puts her crown on the line in the 2018 Ambassador Eduardo M. Cojuangco Jr. Cup on Sunday at the Saddle & Clubs Leisure Park Racetrack in Naic, Cavite. The SC Stockfarm-owned Hitting Spree, which led from start to finish in ruling last year’s edition of the Cojuangco Cup, will be ridden again by jockey Kelvin Abobo in the the prestigious 2000-meter race offering a total purse of P2 million and held in honor of the San Miguel Corp. Chairman, a stalwart in the horseracing industry. Seven other thoroughbreds, led by Hitting Spree’s stablemate Brilliance (jockey JB Hernandez) and last year’s third placer She’s Incredible (jockey OP Cortez) of owner Joseph Dyhengco, will be crowding the reigning titlist for the top purse of P1.2 million in the rich racing weekend put up by the Philippine Racing Commission, the Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners and the Philippine Racing Club, Others standing in their way are Pan-

galusian Island (jockey JP Guce, owner Wilbert Tan), Sky Dancer (AP Asuncion, Cool Summer Farm), Tin Drum (RG Fernandez, Cool Summer Farm), Truly Ponti (JA Guce, Narciso Morales) and UND Kantar (RO Niu Jr., Melanie Habla). Brilliance and Tin Drum are the youngest in the field at four years, with the rest veterans at five years old. A fitting supporting stakes race to the Cojuangco Cup is the 2018 Philracom 3YO Open Challenge Series, featuring the country’s best three-year-old horses. Entered in the 3YO Open offering a guaranteed total prize of P1.5 million are Brown Sister (Jockey RD Raquel Jr., owner Joy Raymundo), Bingson Tecson’s coupled entries Certain to Win (JP Guce) and Garantisado (MM Gonzales), Dragon Butterfly (OP Cortez, Narciso

Altas tracksters rule PH Unigames

Games today (Ynares Sports Arena) 4 p.m. Opening ceremonies 5 p.m. Foton vs. Generika-Ayala 7 p.m. Cignal vs. Cocolife

AFTER a straight-sets loss to their respective foes, Cignal and Cocolife will try to bounce back when they collide today in the Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City. The HD Spikers and the Asset Managers will clash at 7 p.m., each hoping to set their bids on track after their initial setbacks. Cignal, which bowed to F2 Logistics, and Cocolife, which surrendered to Petron, wasted no time reassessing their weaknesses as they need to gear up for the prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled by Isuzu, Sogo, Senoh, Asics, Mikasa, Mueller, UCPB Gen and Bizooku. Opposite spiker Mylene Paat—a revelation for the national team during her stint in the Asian Games—ed the way for the HD Spikers with 12 points. Also to be counted on is FilipinoAmerican recruit Kalei Mau, who left a good impression after her PSL debut where she hammered 13 points and 11 digs for the Asset Managers. They will be the focus of today’s clash between their teams. Meanwhile, Foton and GenerikaAyala will raise the curtain at 4 p.m. in this tourney that also has ESPN5, Hyper HD and Aksyon TV as broadcast partners. Playing without the towering Santiago sisters Dindin and Jaja, who are both currently playing in Japan, the Blue Tornadoes are aware of the big voids they have to fill. Dindin is with Toray Arrows, while Jaja is with Ageo Medics in the Japan V League. “It’s a big challenge for us not having the Santiago sisters around for this conference. But we are confident our coaches will help us to adjust with the new system,” Foton setter Gyzelle Sy said. Hungry for a title, Generika-Ayala will lean on veterans Patty Orendain, April Hingit and Ria Meneses to deliver the goods for the squad. In the PSL Collegiate Grand Slam, University of the Philippines will face University of the East at 12 noon, while Colegio San Agustin will clash with University of Santo Tomas at 2 p.m.

Morales), Helushka (JB Hernandez, Juanito Tionloc), Pride of Laguna (JD Juco, Emmanuel Santos) and Viva Morena (Dan Camanero, Bienvenido Pierre M. Niles III). On the other hand, the MARHO (Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners) Breeders Classic Championship, on the other hand, is one of the biggest racing events in the Philippine horse racing industry and is a culmination of a three-leg series of high-powered events held simultaneously with the MARHO Invitational Races leading to the big race. Meanwhile, several prominent stakes races are still coming in the final two months of the racing season, the 3rd Legs of the Juvenile Fillies Stakes Race and Juvenile Colts Stakes Race on Nov. 18, the Grand Sprint Championship on Dec. 2, the Chairman’s Cup, Philtobo Racing Event and the 2nd Leg of the 3YO Open Challenge Series on Dec. 16 and the Juvenile Championship, KDJM Racing Event, and the 3rd leg of the 3YO Open Challenge Series on Dec. 31.

NATIONAL Housing Authority hope s t o re mai n hot de spit e a mont h-long brea k whe n it fa ce s d a nge rou s Mala ca ñangPhilippine Sports Commission tomorrow in Group B elims of the 7th UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center. The NHA Builders and the Palace Kamao collide in the featured match at 5 p.m. with the former targeting a fourth straight win in the annual tournament for public servants, with UNTV through its president and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon as organizer. The last time they played was on Oct. 7 that saw them survive the Department of Agriculture Food Masters, 75-73, thanks to the valiant efforts of Antonio Lustestica and Marvin Mercado. The loss dropped the Kamao to third place with the Food Masters grabbing second place at 3-1 in the event offering P4 million to the chosen charity of the champion team. Both NHA and DA are already assured of second round berths— same thing for AFP and Senate in Group A . In the other Group B match, the Judiciary Magis shoot for their second straight win when they tackle the PhilHealth Plus at 2 p.m., while the Philippine National Police Responders take on the Department of Justice Boosters in the lone Group A match at 3:30 p.m. The Magis, starring Chester Tolomia and Edu Mustre, ended a three-game losing run by overpowering the Ombudsman Graft Busters, 104-65. Judiciary and PNP need to win their final first round matchdes to have better chances of making it to the second round since only the top four teams in each six-team group will advance.

The 14-man team of Perpetual Altas Track and Field Team tallied 10 golds, 6 silvers and 3 bronze medals to capture the Unigames’ 2018 Championship in Dumaguete City. Dennis Abrina

23rd MARHO Breeders Championship slated THE Metropolitan Association of Race Horse Owners will stage the MARHO Breeders Championships on Nov. 3 and 4 at Sta. Ana Saddle and Clubs Leisure Park in Naic, Cavite. This year’s event will see champion horses like Salt & Pepper, Hitting Spree, Tin Drum, Pride of Laguna, Song of Songs and Shadow of the Sun competing over the weekend. For the coveted MARHO—San Miguel Beer Classic race, the cast is composed of Kanlaon, Bull Session, Stand in Awe, Salt and Pepper, Lucky Toni and Mandatum. MARHO will have four stakes races on Sunday plus the annual Ambassador Danding Cojuangco Jr. Cup and the 2nd Leg of the 3YO Open Series Championships, sponsored by the Philippine Racing Commission. The six stakes races on Sunday offer a total pot of P6.5 million in prize money. This year’s MARHO Racing Festival is another milestone for its members.

DUMAGUETE CITY—Fourteen members of Perpetual Altas track and field team collected 10 golds, 6 silvers and three bronze medals to rule the 23rd Philippine University Games 2018 here recently. Head coach Trece Academia, assistant coach Larick Panes and Philip Silloco were impressed by the showing of the team and its determination to win in preparation for the coming National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 94 Track and Field Championship in March 2019. Bryan Niño Dumaguit won golds in the 110m hurdles and 4x100 relay; Jansen Jim Montecina captured a gold in the triple jump; while Edwin Bajo clinched golds in the 800m and 4x400 relay and a silver in the 400m and classic relay. Jerick ‘Toto’ Arzaga bagged golds in the 4x100 relay and 4x400 relay, a silver in the classic relay and a bronze in the 400m, while Sherwin Barsalote picked up a silver in javelin. Michael Batuto collected a gold in

the 4x400 relay and silvers in the 1500m, 3000m; Prince John de los Santos had a bronze in the long jump, while John Michael Urgel secured a bronze in the 5000m. Thrower Ian Ofalia won a gold in javelin throw; Jerwin Calupit got a bronze in the discus throw; Alfredo Dadivas clinched golds in the 400m hurdle, 4x100 relay and 4x400 relay and silvers in 100m and relay; while Warren Villarosa tallied golds in the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100 relay and a silver in the classical relay. “Magandang exposure ito ng team for the coming NCAA Season 94 track and field in March next year. Maganda po ng ipinakita ng mga players ko, kahit na first time po naming sumali dito sa Unigames,” said coach Academia. “Maraming maraming salamat po kay Sir Tony Tamayo, Sir Anthony Tamayo and the rest of Tamayo family, and also to the Altas Sports Department sa walang sawang suporta po sa team.” Dennis Abrina

UP Maroons take on Bulldogs; Green Archers fight Growling Tigers By Peter Atencio THE dream of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons continues. And making it past the National University Bulldogs in their 4 p.m. game today at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo will help in the Fighting Maroons’ cause in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament. “This is the time we need to do something so that we will have a chance at the Final Four. Whether we are immature or mature, we need to do something to win the next game and the next and the next,” said Fighting Maroons’ coach Bo Perasol. Getting past the Bulldogs will put UP in a share of fifth with the Tams. The Bulldogs have a 3-7 card after they took a 64-79 setback to the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles. For Perasol, UP has a great chance of reaching the Final Four since they last made it 1997. “I’m really positive about our chances. How we played was a sign of our immaturity as a group but I told them, this is not the time to think about that,” opined Perasol.

Games Today

(Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo) 2 p.m. La Salle vs UST 4 p.m. NU vs UP

Earlier, the La Salle Green Archers, who are in third at 6-4, meet the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (5-5) at 2 p.m. The last time around, the Green Archers got big numbers from Justine Baltazar, Santi Santillan and Brandon Bates as they fought off struggling Far Eastern University, 65-57, Their efforts allowed La Salle to keep their place at solo third, with Baltazar hitting 15 points and hauling in six rebounds and two blocks. Santillan had 12 points and 14 rebounds while Bates had his best game of the season with seven points and 10 rebounds. Green Archers’ coach Louie Gonzalez said the the trio are now playing the way he expects them to. “This is what I really want from the start.’Yung team na pini-picture ko is kahit sino sa mga players ko, makakatulong sa amin,” said Gonzalez.

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

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

Sports

PH lady booters test mettle of Singapore By Peter Atencio

Eric Bledsoe of the Milwaukee Bucks tries to deflect the pass of Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. AFP

Celts send Bucks back to Earth L

OS ANGELES—The Boston Celtics drained a franchise record 24 three pointers en route to knocking off the last undefeated team in the NBA on Thursday with a 117-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kyrie Irving scored 28 points and Gordon Hayward tallied a season high 18 for the Celtics, who snapped the Bucks seven-game win streak to start the season. “We stayed resilient and won the game,” said Boston’s Marcus Morris, who finished with 17 points. “We knew we could take their best shot and ended up winning the game. We let ‘em have it.” The Celtics, whose previous record for three-pointers was 19, finished one short of tying the NBA record of 25, set by the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 4. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup after missing one game

and led Milwaukee with 33 points and 11 rebounds. Khris Middleton and Malcom Brogdon scored 16 apiece and Eric Bledsoe had 13 points and seven assists for the Bucks. The Celtics held off the Bucks down the stretch for their fourth consecutive win. Milwaukee went on a 12-0 run to begin the final quarter and cut the Boston lead to three. Milwaukee stormed back making it 113-112 when Bledsoe made a free throw with 13 seconds left. But that was as close as the Bucks would get as the Celtics iced the victory from the foul line.

There was an extended time out midway through the first quarter, when World Series winning Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora carried the championship trophy onto the basketball court. Fans roared when Cora led the players out of the tunnel continuing a celebration that started Sunday with a series-clinching victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Elsewhere, Joel Embiid had 41 points and 13 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers improved to 5-0 at home with a 122-113 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. “It’s great,” Embiid said. “It’s just about being aggressive and staying within the concepts of the system.” Embiid now has six games with a least 30 points and 10 rebounds. Australia’s Ben Simmons added 14 points and 11 assists and Markelle Fultz provided a spark late in the third quarter and finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

“He’s tough, he’s skilled, he can shoot, he basically can do everything,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of Embiid. Embiid scored an emphatic dunk over Boban Marjanovic with 99 seconds remaining that gave Philadelphia a 117109 lead. “He was just dominant,” Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. Lou Williams scored 26 points for the Clippers, and Danilo Gallinari had 25. Tobias Harris finished with 24 points. In Atlanta, De’Aaron Fox set career highs with 31 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career triple-double, and the Sacramento Kings beat the Atlanta Hawks 146-115 for their fifth consecutive win. Buddy Hield scored 27 points and Nemanja Bjelica had 19 for the Kings. After leading by only five points at halftime, the Kings outscored the Hawks 46-23 in the third. Fox had 21 points in the period.

THE Philippines national women’s football team will meet Singapore in their first game today when they compete in the 2020 Olympic Football Tournament Asian Qualifiers Round 1 in Tajikistan. Action is slated at 4 p.m. at the Hisor Central Stadium, according to Philippine Football Federation General Secretary Ed Gastanes. The Philippines is in Group A with Tajikistan, Mongolia, and Chinese Taipei. Games will be held from Nov. 4 to 13. Goalkeeper Ina Palacios will be among the veterans making up the 20-member national team in the qualifiers, which will be the third tournament that the national squad will take part this year. Palacios, who plays for the Green Archers United FC, will be joined by University of Santo Tomas booters Nicole Reyes, Ivy Lopez and Hannah Pacheco. Their stint comes after the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 last April and the AFF Women’s Championship 2018 in Palembang last July. The head coach is Marnelli Dimzon, who will be assisted by coaches Gerald Orcullo and Melo Sabacan with Prescila Rubio as team trainer They will also have Halli Long, Annalou Amita and Katyleen Rodriguez in the squad, which will be accompanied by team manager Jefferson Cheng, along with Head of Delegation Lalaine Bautista, who is PFF Women’s Football Committee chairperson and general secretary of Quezon-Batangas RFA. “This is the second time that the team will travel to Tajikistan for a qualifier. We hope that they perform well for them to advance to the second round,” said Gastanes. Majority of the players come from teams playing in the PFF Women’s League 2018 and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

Shin strikes with 2 eagles for 65, grabs 2-shot lead at Summit Point LIPA City, Batangas—Micah Shin unleashed his power early and hit two eagles then checked an impending skid with three closing birdies to rally from joint fourth to the top of the heap with a 65 in the pivotal third round of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia’s Summit Point World 18 Challenge here yesterday. Shin, whose lean frame defies his power off the tee, gunned down eagles on Nos. 3 and 9 off solid drives and long irons and birdied the three other par-5s, the last on No. 16 that spiked his fiery birdie-birdie-birdie windup that more than made up for his double bogey mishap on the par-4 15th of the Summit Point Golf Club. That propelled the 21-year-old KoreanAmerican, who scored his maiden win in 2016 in the Philippine Golf Tour’s CAT Open in Tarlac and became the first non-Filipino to win The Country Club Invitational last February, to the top with a 12-under 204, turning a six-stroke deficit to erstwhile leader Dino Villanueva to a two-shot lead over Janne Kaske of Finland and Elmer Salvador in an eventful third round that saw a number of bidders put up low scores in near-perfect conditions to stay in the mix. “My putting got better and I hope to keep this form tomorrow (today),” said Shin. But it was his power and iron game that keyed his comeback, coming away with a superb 5-iron second shot from 215 yards to

within five feet for his first eagle then knocking down his second from 15 feet on the ninth. Villanueva, hounded by poor putting, and Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia succumbed to pressure early with 40 and 39, respectively, after nine holes, enabling Salvador to take control with three birdies at the front and hold on to the lead until Shin came through with that explosive finish. In contrast, Salvador fumbled with a bogey on the 17th and finished with a 70, dropping to joint second at 206 with Kaske, who fired five birdies against two bogeys for a 69 while Taiwanese Wang Tsung-Chieh shot a 67 to wrest solo fourth at 207. Eight flights ahead, Keanu Jahns mounted his own rally with four straight birdies from No. 3 and bucked a bogey on No. 8 with three birdies at the back, finishing with a 66 and jumping to joint fifth at 208 with Clyde Mondilla (67), Aussie Nathan Park (69) and Stojanovski, who rallied with three birdies at the back to salvage a 72. Jobim Carlos, this year’s PGT Order of Merit winner, blew a three-under frontside card with three bogeys against two birdies in the last nine holes, ending up with a 70 for ninth at 209 while American John Michael O’Toole charged back with a 68 to join Nilo Salahog (70), Joenard Rates (71), American Jeremy Wendelken (71) and Villanueva, who skied to a 77, at 210.

Aside from his power, Micah Shin also leans on superb bunker shots to wrest control.

IN BRIEF

Air Asia adds flights to Kaohsiung, Taiwan

THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest airline said it is expanding flights from Manila to Taiwan. “AirAsia is thrilled to add Manila– Kaohsiung to our growing list of exciting places to visit in Taiwan. With AirAsia’s unparalleled low fares and visa-free access to Taiwan for Filipinos, now is the best time to explore this massive port city and home to skyscrapers, shopping malls, night markets, parks, historical and natural wonders,” AirAsia Philippines chief executive Dexter Comendador said. AirAsia also flies direct to Taipei from Manila, Clark and Cebu with several flights daily. Kaohsiung is famous for towering buildings and diverse parks, but the most notable is Love River, where cafes and cruise boats navigating its waters are the main attractions. Shoppers would be delighted with options from night markets to big malls offering luxurious products. AirAsia is the only local carrier in the Philippines that flies direct from Manila to Kaohsiung. Darwin G. Amojelar

AsBAA hosting first Safety Day in Manila

THE Asian Business Aviation Association, Asia’s non-profit representative body for the business and general aviation industry, will host industry stakeholders and VIPs, including government officials, at its upcoming inaugural AsBAA Safety Day and Pilots’ Day in the Philippines from November 13 to 14, 2018. “AsBAA recognizes the importance of the Philippines as a growth market. We have seen 6-7 percent GDP growth for the past five years and we expect continued forward growth over the medium-term. This will continue to attract foreign direct investment and businessrelated flights,” head of the AsBAA Philippines Chapter Benjamin Lopez said, “To ensure these opportunities are maximized, AsBAA will lead on cooperation and communications with the authorities. Our mission is to provide a bridge between industry and regulators to ensure a prosperous and safe industry ecosystem in the Philippines,” Lopez said. AsBAA actively advocates the implementation of international standards, such as the IS-BAO and IS-BAH training programs which have become the internationally recognized standard for safety in BA/GA.

Business ‘18 foreign investment flows likely to top $10b B By Julito G. Rada

UDGET Secretary Benjamin Diokno expressed optimism the net inﬂow of foreign direct investments this year will surpass the record $10-billion last year, given the country’s sustained strong macroeconomic fundamentals coupled with measures implemented by the government in attracting more investors.

“We will be much higher than the $10 billion last year. The global FDI is declining but the Philippines’ FDI is increasing... ,” Diokno said in a briefing Wednesday. He said the 52-percent growth in FDI net inflow in the first seven months of 2018 year-on-year was an indication that the numbers at the close of the year could be more robust. Diokno also said the bill redefining public service would help increase the

entry of more foreign direct investments in the country in the months ahead. President Rodrigo Duterte in late October signed Executive Order 65 that promulgated the Eleventh Regular Foreign Investment Negative List or RFINL. Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the latest development would help raise the country’s competitiveness, and allow the Philippines to be closer to parity with other member-

states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by opening up more areas for foreign investment into the country, especially those that will introduce new technology and stimulate innovation. Pernia noted during the recent Philippine Economic Briefing in London that the Philippines was one of the most restrictive countries in Asean in terms of foreign direct investments. The 11th RFINL reflects amendments in existing laws, such as the reciprocity provisions in certain laws on professions like pharmacy and forestry, limitations on foreign participation in investment areas provided in new laws, and exclusions from limitations on foreign participation in some investment areas identified that do not need legislative action. Net inflow of foreign direct investments in July rose 166 percent to $914 million from $344 million a year ago as investors continued to view the Philippines as one of the best places to invest in.

Customs gives 16,000 bags of rice to DSWD

THE Bureau of Customs has donated over 16,000 bags of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in a bid to augment the government’s disaster relief efforts for victims of destructive typhoons that struck the country recently. Customs said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III the bags of rice were equivalent to around 417,000 kilos. Customs turned over 9,000 bags of rice seized in the Port of Cebu to the DSWD on Sept. 14 in compliance with the directive of the Finance chief. Another 6,921 bags in the Port of Zamboanga and 748 bags in the custody of the bureau’s Enforcement and Security Service were also donated to the DSWD on Sept. 19 and 24, respectively. The Customs donated to the DSWD 5,040 pieces of canned goods, 109 packages of emergency survival blankets; 350 boxes of bedsheets, blankets and towels; 1,332 boxes of brand new clothes, and 153 packages of face masks from the Manila International Container Port on Sept. 21. Julito G. Rada

Japan seeking wider coverage of trade agreement By Othel V. Campos JAPAN plans to expand the coverage of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement to include the e-commerce sector and more concessions in agriculture. Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda said Tokyo might consider the inclusions in the general review to continue the agreement. “We would like to explore the possibility of adding new sectors and while those already with market access, we may include other produce. We are studying the details,” he said. The agreement aims to negotiate for the inclusion of e-commerce that could be patterned after the model drawn up by the Regional Cooperation and Economic Partnership. Japan noted a big trade trafﬁc through the e-commerce platform with the Philippines. Haneda said the real time presence of e-commerce had been farreaching and crossing international territories through trade, unlike 10 years ago when it was not being practiced yet. Japan and the Philippines submitted their respective proposals in July 2 in anticipation of the upcoming general review. The next meeting will be held in Tokyo after a previous dialogue in Manila. “We’re now at the ﬁnal stage of preparation. I am hoping we’ll have to start the negotiation by end of this year,” Haneda said.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

PH economy to grow faster than those in Southeast Asia GOVERNMENT officials told Hong Kong and US investors the Philippine economy will continue to grow faster compared with its peers in the region. A Philippine delegation led by National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo visited institutional investors in Hong Kong and the US cities of Los Angeles, Boston, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia to showcase the Philippines’ robust growth outlook. Guinigundo during a series of oneon-one investor meetings discussed economic updates and the country’s positive growth prospects supported by sound macroeconomic fundamentals and important policy reforms. He said the Philippines was expected to continue to outperform most emerging markets in terms of economic growth and resilience to external shocks in the years ahead. Guinigundo cited rising government and private-sector investments, as well as improving labor productivity as some growth drivers. He also stressed the country’s strong external payments position, supported by steady FX inflows and prudent external account management to maintain Philippine resilience to external shocks. Guinigundo discussed the inflation outlook, which this year accelerated due to supply side factors and rising global oil prices, saying it was expected to return to within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent starting in 2019. The Bangko Sentral took a series of policy rate hikes totaling 150 basis points from May to September this year to help anchor inflation expectations and address second-round effects. Meanwhile de Leon discussed the government’s fiscal program, under which tax reform generated additional revenues to fund vital and long overdue infrastructure projects launched under the government’s Build, Build, Build program. The infrastructure thrust is aimed at creating more jobs, improve connectivity, attract investments and increase the country’s productive capacity. Julito G. Rada

SEC drafts rules to protect firms vs money laundering SSS ANTIPOLO BRANCH. The Social Security System branch in Antipolo, Rizal transfers to a bigger office to meet the

need for more convenient access to SSS services and accommodate the growing number of members in the area. The SSS Antipolo branch (lower photo) is at the 2nd floor of Antipolo Triangle Mall in Sen. Lorenzo Sumulong Memorial Circle, Antipolo City. Leading the branch opening rites on October 12 (top photo, from left) are SSS NCR Operations Group senior vice president Jose Bautista, SSS president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Dooc, Antipolo Vice Mayor Josefina Gatlabayan, Social Security Commission chairperson Aurora Ignacio, SSS Antipolo branch head Berlita Fabrero, and (seen at the back) SSS NCR East Division VP Nelson Ibarra.

Smart leads in mobile video performance, at par with US INDEPENDENT mobile analytics company OpenSignal recently released its ﬁrst per-operator study for Asian telecom carriers, breaking down and detailing mobile video performance per carrier in Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines. OpenSignal’s per-operator report, which builds on its previous State of Mobile Video report, said local telecommunications company Smart Communications Inc. garnered a video experience score of 42.2, ahead competitor Globe Telecom Inc.’s 29.2, and well above the Philippines’ overall score of 34.98. In the same report, Open Signal said Smart’s performance was comparable

with video experience on US carriers. OpenSignal showed Smart’s score to be at par with that of international carriers, such as AT&T’s score of 40.88 and Sprint’s 41.1, concluding that Smart has been providing its customers the better video experience in the country. OpenSignal’s per-operator study included special reports on video experience in Europe, US. OpenSignal said as global demand for mobile video continued to rise, the demand for better video experience was also increasing. In its ﬁrst State of Mobile Video report, OpenSignal found that the best mobile video experience could be found in Europe, with Czech Republic topping the list of 69 covered

countries with a score of 68.52. The Philippines scored 34.98 in the study released in September. According to OpenSignal, the video experience metric measures exactly what consumers are experiencing when they watch videos. Built on an International Telecommunication Union-based approach for measuring video quality, it is derived from several underlying parameters based on real-world measurements of video streams from the world’s largest video content providers. This is aligned with a recent research report by content delivery ﬁrm Limelight Networks, which said Filipinos are also among the world’s most avid video consumers in the world.

DEVELOPMENT TALKS. The Board of Investments has lined up a series of discussions with local industries aimed at expanding them and enhancing their global competitiveness. Shown are key speakers in the Trade and Industry Development Talks for the Information Technology–Business Process Management led by (from left) Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo; Morgan McGilvray, senior director for Occupier Services & Commercial Agency, Santos Knight Frank; Trade Assistant Secretary Rafaelita Aldaba; Rey Untal, president and CEO, IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines; Paolo Mercado, president, Creative Economic Council of the Philippines; Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua; Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Monchito Ibrahim; and Anthony Rivera, Assistant Director of DTI-Export Marketing Bureau.

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission issued draft guidelines to protect companies as well as foundations, non-stock and non-profit organizations from money laundering and terrorist financing abuse. Non-profit organizations and foundations, under the draft guidelines, will be required to observe good governance and strong financial management by conducting a due diligence on individuals and groups that donate money or funds. Non-profit organizations and foundations will also be required to maintain for at least five years detailed records of domestic and international transactions to ensure funds were received and spent consistent with the purpose and objectives of the organization. Non-stock corporations, or those with no authorized capital stock and no part of income is distributable as dividends members, trustees, or officers, will be required to submit basic information, such as objectives of their activities, actual raising or disbursing of funds, fund balance, contribution and identity of the board members and officers of the group. Non-profit organizations are primarily engaged in raising or disbursing funds for purposes, such as charitable, religious, cultural, educational, social or fraternal. The SEC said non-profit organization and non-stock corporations found to be violating the guidelines would be subject to penalties, including a fine of up to P1 million, revocation of registration and other penalties. SEC-covered companies, including brokers and investment financing and lending firm, will be required to amend their respective Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Program to conform with the 2018 guidelines.

Business

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Japan cabinet approves bill to accept more foreign workers T

OKYO―Japan’s cabinet on Friday approved a draft bill to bring more blue-collar foreign workers into the country, in a controversial move to address chronic labor shortages. The draft legislation, now likely to be submitted to parliament as soon as Friday, has come under attack from both the opposition and members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s own party, but business leaders say it is desperately needed. The bill would allow foreign nationals with skills in sectors facing particularly severe shortages to obtain fiveyear visas, which would not allow them to bring their families. Foreign workers in those fields who hold stronger qualifications and pass a more difficult Japanese language test will be able to obtain a visa that can be extended indefinitely, eventually leading to residency, and will be able to bring over family. Abe has insisted the new policy does not represent a wholesale overhaul of the country’s strict immigration policy. Japan will only accept foreign workers “who have specific skills and can work immediately to address serious labor shortages, only in sectors that genuinely need them,” he told lawmakers Thursday. But the bill has nonetheless faced a raft of criticism, potentially jeopardizing government hopes to pass it before the end of the year and launch the visas from April. There have been questions about whether an influx of foreign workers will depress wages, how the workers will be incorporated into Japan’s social security system, and worries about exploitation of migrant labor. Among the sectors in most need are agriculture, construction, hospitality/ tourism and nursing. Many of Japan’s low-skilled foreign

workers are in the country under a socalled “technical training” program, which has repeatedly faced allegations of abuse. There have also been concerns about culture clashes in Japan, a relatively homogeneous society that prizes social harmony and order. Asked how his government plans to integrate migrants, Abe pushed back against the idea. “Please don’t misunderstand,” he told parliament. “We are not thinking about a so-called immigration policy,” he said, repeating that most of those coming in under the plan will stay for term-limited periods. “It is impermissible to force foreigners to accept your country’s values,” he added. “It’s important to prepare an environment for coexistence with mutual respect,” The bill has also been criticized as short on detail, with no word yet even on how many workers the government plans to bring in. While Japan has visas for highly skilled foreign workers, it has traditionally been cautious about accepting blue-collar foreign labor, though it opened its doors in the nineties to South Americans of Japanese descent. Businesses have long lobbied for looser immigration rules, saying they struggle to ﬁnd workers in a country where unemployment hovers around 2.5 percent and there are 165 job vacancies to every 100 job seekers. The chronic labor shortages are only worsening as Japan’s aging and shrinking population means a declining pool of workers. AFP

Google staff stage a walkout at the company’s UK headquarters in London on November 1, 2018 as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment. Hundreds of employees walked out of Google’s European headquarters in Dublin on Thursday as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment that saw similar protests in London and Singapore. AFP

Google employees walk out to protest harassment SAN FRANCISCO―Thousands of Google employees joined a coordinated worldwide walkout Thursday to protest the US tech giant’s handling of sexual harassment as the chief vowed “concrete steps are coming” in response to the concern. Google employees poured out of buildings at the company’s Silicon Valley “Googleplex,” filling courtyards and patios in solidarity with workers around the world who held similar protests over the company’s handling of sexual misconduct. Demonstrators streamed across the Mountain View campus, some waving signs bearing messages such as “Time’s Up Tech” and “Happy to quit for $90 million―no sexual harassment required.” The turnout in California was the final stage of a global walkout that began in Asia and spread to Google offices in Europe. Some protesters chalked statements such as “Not OK Google” in large letters on pavement as television news helicopters circled overhead.

York organizers. “I think leadership is listening.” The protest took shape after Google said last week that it had ﬁred 48 employees in the past two years―including 13 senior executives―as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct. That statement came after The New York Times reported that a senior Google employee, Android creator Andy Rubin, received an exit package worth $90 million as he faced allegations of misconduct, and that Google had covered up other claims of sexual harassment. Rubin has denied the allegations and claimed he was the victim of a “smear campaign.” Protesters pointed out that women make up only about 31 percent of the workforce and 25 percent of executives at Google. Demma Rodriguez, head of equity engineering and a seven-year Google employee, said the protest was an important part of bringing fairness to the technology colossus. AFP

Bank of England trims growth goal

CHINA THEFT. US

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announces the creation of a new initiative to crack down on Chinese intelligence officials pilfering intellectual property from US corporations through hacking and espionage during a press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, DC, on November 1, 2018. Sessions announced charges Thursday against Chinese and Taiwan companies for theft of business secrets from US chip giant Micron. Sessions said the case was the latest in a series that are part of a state-backed program by Beijing to steal US industrial and commercial secrets. AFP

LONDON―The Bank of England on Thursday trimmed its growth forecasts as Brexit approaches and froze interest rates―but warned it could alter monetary policy “in either direction” after Britain leaves the European Union. The central bank’s nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee voted unanimously at a regular policy meeting to keep its key rate at 0.75 percent and maintain its quantitative easing stimulus, it announced in a statement. The BoE predicted the economy will expand by 1.3 percent this year in a downgrade of prior guidance of 1.4 percent, blaming slowing global economic growth. It now expects gross domestic product to increase by 1.7 percent in 2019, the year in which Britain will leave the European Union. That was down from 1.8 percent forecast previously. The institution had last hiked rates in August by a quarter-point to help tame

Asian stock markets rally after positive China talks HONG KONG―Asian markets enjoyed another rally on Friday after Donald Trump hailed positive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and a report said he had asked ofﬁcials to draw† up a draft bill as he eyes a potential trade deal between the two. Hong Kong jumped almost four percent in the afternoon, while Shanghai and the yuan soared as dealers seized on the news, hoping for a breakthrough in a standoff that has rocked global equities and fueled warnings about global growth. The gains follow a third straight advance on Wall Street as a sense of optimism returns after a diabolical October, with riskier, higher-yielding currencies enjoying a bounce against the dollar, and the pound holding on to most gains. Hong Kong and Shanghai were already buoyant after Beijing said it would intro-

Pictures, videos and comments steadily ﬂooded a freshly-launched “Google Walkout For Real Change” account on Twitter as employees and contractors left their workplaces to rally. “There’s been anger and frustration within the company,” Google chief executive Sundar Pichai was quoted as saying at a New York Times Dealbook conference on Thursday. “At Google, we set a very high bar, and we clearly didn’t live up to our expectations.” Pichai was quoted as saying Google has “drawn a very hard line” on improper behavior in recent years but that “moments like this show we didn’t always do it right.” He reportedly added that “there are concrete steps coming up.” In New York, where Google has a large ofﬁce in the Chelsea neighborhood, hundreds of employees took to the streets. “I think we are a really powerful collective and we all want to see change,” said Claire Stapleton, one of the New

duce measures to kickstart the stuttering economy following a string of weak data, including growth at its slowest pace in nine years during the third quarter. The yuan also rallied to 6.9080 to the dollar, having hit 6.9302 earlier in the morning and is well off the 10-year lows around 6.97 on Thursday. The optimism spread across the region. Tokyo was up 2.7 percent in the afternoon, Singapore 1.3 percent and Seoul piled on three percent, while Sydney reversed early losses to sit 0.1 percent higher. Taipei, Bangkok, Mumbai and Jakarta also posted healthy gains. “Positive comments from President Trump over US-China trade tension are cheering the market in the short term,” said Tai Hui, chief market strategist for Asia Paciﬁc at JP Morgan Asset Management. AFP

Brexit-fueled UK inflation, and remains in wait-and-see mode. Sterling hit a fresh one-week peak at $1.2934 on the news, having rebounded on reports of a post-Brexit financial services deal. The forecasts are based on the assumption of a smooth transition period, but there is growing unease on markets about a chaotic no-deal Brexit amid stalled talks between Brussels and London. “The economic outlook will depend significantly on the nature of EU withdrawal, in particular the form of new trading arrangements, the smoothness of the transition to them and the responses of households, businesses and financial markets,” the BoE said, echoing its previous remarks. “The implications for the appropriate path of monetary policy will depend on the balance of the effects on demand, supply and the exchange rate. AFP

US sues ex-Goldman Sachs bankers in Malaysia scandal NEW YORK―US ofﬁcials have unveiled criminal charges against two former Goldman Sachs bankers over the scandal-plagued Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, raising fresh questions about corporate culture at the prestigious investment bank. The Justice Department arrested former Goldman Sachs banker Ng Chong Hwa in Malaysia on Thursday, and unsealed charges against Tim Leissner, another ex-Goldman banker, who has already pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $43.7 million in restitution of ill-gotten gains. Both men were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The Justice Department also announced criminal charges against Low Taek Jho, an alleged mastermind and an intermediary to the Malaysian fund. US ofﬁcials say he remains at large. Goldman Sachs itself was not charged.

These are the first US criminal charges in the case which spawned investigations around the world. The 1MDB scandal has had a major impact in Malaysia, with allegations of involvement of top officials contributing to the downfall of the long-ruling coalition at elections in May. Former prime minister Najib Razak has since been arrested and charged over the scandal. He denies any wrongdoing. The men were charged with conspiring to launder billions of dollars from 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, a sovereign wealth fund set up for development of the country, and conspiring to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Low, in a statement through his spokesman, maintained his innocence. “Mr. Low simply asks that the public keep an open mind regarding this case until all of the evidence comes to light, which he believes will vindicate him,” it said. Ng was also indicted for conspiring to

violate the internal controls at Goldman Sachs, which underwrote about $6.5 billion in bonds issued by 1MDB, the US government said. The funds were intended “for the benefit of the Malaysian people” but more than $2.7 billion went to kickbacks and bribes, according to the charges. Goldman Sachs, which garnered $600 million in fees and revenues from three 1MDB bond transactions detailed in the indictments, has said previously it has received subpoenas and requests for information on the case from various governments and regulatory bodies. Goldman Sachs, which said it is cooperating in the probe, was not named in the DOJ criminal documents, but was referred to as “financial institution #1.” The DOJ said Ng and Leissner repeatedly circumvented Goldman’s oversight tools for countering fraud, adding that the “business culture” at the firm, “particularly in Southeast Asia, was highly focused on consummating deals.” AFP

World

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Plane parts found on crash site J AKARTA―Seats, wheels and other parts of a crashed Indonesian Lion Air jet were hauled from the depths Friday, as authorities analyzed black box data that may explain why the new plane plummeted into the Java Sea, killing 189 people.

Search teams have been scouring the seabed for the fuselage of the Boeing-737 MAX 8, which plunged into the waters off Indonesia’s northern coast shortly after takeoff Monday despite only having been in service a few

months. “There is a lot of little debris, plane wheels, and seats―all totally destroyed and in pieces,” said Isswarto, commander of the Indonesian navy’s search-and-rescue division. Divers were searching an area about 25-35 meters deep, but have been ﬁnding fewer body parts than earlier in the week, he added. “They’re scattered everywhere and some may have been washed away by the current.” Dozens of body bags containing remains have been recovered from the crash site so far. Television images showed divers tying ropes to twisted plane parts scattered along the sea ﬂoor, as navy personnel hauled a pair of wheels from the jet aboard a ship.

Search teams have also determined the location of part of the plane’s engine, authorities said. On Thursday, one of the plane’s black boxes, which airlines are required to install in jets, was recovered as well as parts of its landing gear. The black box could offer investigators their best chance of discovering why such a new jet crashed. The devices help explain nearly 90 percent of all crashes, according to aviation experts. The devices record information about the speed, altitude and direction of the plane as well as ﬂight crew conversations. The single-aisle Boeing plane, en route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city, is one of the world’s newest and most advanced commercial passenger jets.

Boeing and US National Transportation Safety Board officials have joined the Indonesian team in sifting through twisted metal plane parts and piles of passengers’ torn clothing, shoes, wallets and phones. Passengers’ remains are being sent to hospital for DNA identification, with the first funeral for one of the passengers held on Thursday. Many other victims have yet to be found although there are hopes more can be recovered from the bulk of the wreckage, including those who may still be strapped to their seats. Lion Air’s admission that the jet had a technical issue on a previous flight -- as well its abrupt fatal dive―have raised questions about whether it had mechanical faults such as a speed-andaltitude system malfunction. AFP

IN BRIEF Jailed for assisting his wife’s suicide SYDNEY―An Australian man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday for helping his wife commit suicide so he could gain access to her life insurance, in what the judge called a precedent-setting case. Graham Morant, 69, was found guilty last month of counseling and aiding his wife Jennifer Morant to kill herself in 2014. She suffered from chronic back pain and depression and was found dead in her car by police alongside a note asking not to be resuscitated. A Queensland court heard that Morant helped his wife buy equipment from a hardware store to aid her suicide and had encouraged her to do so. In handing down the sentence on Friday, the judge said Morant was the sole beneﬁciary of his wife’s life insurance and stood to gain Aus$1.4 million (US$1.0 million) from her death. “You took advantage of her vulnerability as a sick and depressed woman,” Justice Peter Davis said. “You counseled and aided your wife to kill herself because you wanted to get your hands on the $1.4 million.” Davis added that there had previously been no conviction in Queensland state for counseling suicide, nor could he ﬁnd a similar conviction in any other jurisdiction. The court heard Morant had planned to build a religious commune with the money and had told his wife that God would not consider it a sin for her to take her own life. AFP

Trump, Xi eye meetings at G20 talks

WASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had “very good” talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the trade conﬂict between the two economic giants, and meetings were being planned at the G20 summit at the end of this month. The phone call comes as tensions between the world’s two biggest economies are rising on several fronts, including commerce and security. “Just had a long and very good conversation with President Xi Jinping of China. We talked about many subjects, with a heavy emphasis on Trade,” Trump tweeted. Trump said trade talks were “moving along nicely” and that meetings were “being scheduled” at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires. Xi said he was “very happy” to talk to Trump again and attaches “great importance to good relations with the president”, according to China’s ofﬁcial Xinhua news agency. The Chinese president also said he would like to meet Trump at the G20. Disagreements on trade have “adversely affected” industries from both countries as well as global trade, Xi said. “China does not want to see this,” he said, according to Xinhua. “The economic teams of the two countries should strengthen contact, conduct consultations on issues of mutual concern, and push for a mutually acceptable solution to China-US economic and trade issues,” Xi said. AFP

WOMEN’S MEDIA AWARDS. From left, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda and Maxine Waters attend the 2018 Women’s Media Awards at Capitale on November 1, 2018, in New York City. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Women’s Media Center/AFP

How jazz infected post-World War I Europe PARIS―Among the many novelties that crossed the Atlantic when the United States entered World War I in 1917, jazz was arguably the most upbeat―and infectious. Then known as ragtime, the new syncopated sound emanating from American military bands had an irresistible energy and newness that turned the European music scene upside down. “It was really striking,” said musicologist Laurent Cugny. “They performed at every railway station they passed through, something most French people had never heard before.” The genre was also set apart by the performers, who were all black, Cugny told AFP. “Beyond any racism, it was an extreme oddity for the time.” Historians pinpoint the jazz’s arrival in France to December 1917, with the 369th infantry’s Harlem Hellfighters under the baton of Lieutenant James Reese Europe. While the Harlem Hellfighters gave their first official jazz concert in Europe in the western French city of Nantes on February 12, 1918, the mu-

sic had already begun making inroads on the Old Continent. Sheet music from London started crossing the Channel in 1912, with British and French editors striking copyright agreements, according to popular music expert Bertrand Dicale. Piano sales boomed between 1900 and 1914, when some four million were sold in France alone, Dicale said. Inevitably, the new sound inﬁltrated classical music, inﬂuencing composers including Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky, Maurice Ravel and Darius Milhaud. Satie, for example, brought the curtain down on his ballet “Parade” with a ragtime number in the hope of drawing more punters, according to Russian choreographer Leonide Massine. Cugny said these avant-garde musicians were reacting to Wagner’s “sublime, grandiloquent side” as well as Debussy’s “impressionist, too ethereal” music. “What they liked was [jazz’s] rhythm, its vigor, even if they lost interest in it in the end.” On the other hand, France’s burgeoning music hall stars truly caught

the bug. The emblematic Maurice Chevalier first came across ragtime sheet music in 1914. Chevalier’s 1920 “Les Jazz Bands”, among his first recordings, was the first French song to mention jazz. “During this time, American brass bands were improvising with Parisian orchestra and bistro musicians,” Dicale told AFP. “The influence of jazz was growing, but there was an exchange.” For example, the 1920 song “Mon Homme” by Chevalier’s composer Maurice Yvain later turned up in the United States, sung by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, Dicale noted. Jazz bands ruled Paris cabarets, clustered in the shadow of Sacre Coeur in the district dubbed “Black Montmartre” at the time. Black American jazz chanteuse Josephine Baker burst onto the scene in 1925 with her sensational, risque performances at La Revue Negre. Duke Ellington’s first recordings began taking Europe by storm at the same time. AFP

Trump sanctions set to bite Iran, but doubts abound on their effectiveness WASHINGTON―Six months after President Donald Trump bolted from a nuclear deal on Iran, the United States from Monday will try to strangle the country’s economy with sweeping sanctions, but doubts abound on how effective the campaign will be. The United States has vowed to end all sales of Iranian oil, the country’s crucial export, as well as international banking transactions, snapping back sanctions lifted by Trump’s predecessor as US president, Barack Obama. But much has changed since the Obama administration targeted Iran’s economy in 2012. Obama won broad, if at times begrudging, international support as he set a goal of bringing Iran to the table to end its nuclear program. Iran―led by a more moderate president, Hassan Rouhani―has, according

to UN inspectors, abided by the 2015 agreement that is still supported by European powers and Russia and China, which all signed the nuclear deal. “This is not 2012 when the world was united behind sanctions against Iran. This is the Trump administration trying to force the rest of the world to go along with a policy that most countries do not accept,” said Barbara Slavin, an Iran expert at the Washington-based Atlantic Council. “The US has had some success in terms of frightening away major corporations. The sanctions hurt a lot. But Iran is still going to be able to sell oil,” especially to China, she said. The United States has accepted that it will need to issue waivers to countries that do not fully stop buying Iranian oil, with friends of the United States

such as India and South Korea looking for sanctions exemptions, and Tehran may keep up clandestine sales. The European Union has gone so far as to protect businesses that operate in Iran. It has announced plans for a legal framework through which ﬁrms can skirt US sanctions, although few major corporations have been eager to risk the wrath of penalties in the world’s largest economy. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued a list of demands for Iran that go well beyond the nuclear program that was the focus of Obama’s deal. He wants the Shiite clerical regime to withdraw from war-ravaged Syria, where it is a critical ally of President Bashar al-Assad, as well as to end longstanding support to regional mili-

tant movements Hezbollah and Hamas. Pompeo has also insisted Iran cut off backing for Yemen’s Huthi rebels who are facing a US-backed air campaign led by Saudi Arabia. In a recent tweet Pompeo crowed that the International Monetary Fund is predicting a 3.6 percent contraction of Iran’s economy next year. “That’s what happens when the ruling regime steals from its people and invests in Assad―instead of creating jobs for Iranians, they ruin the economy,” he said. But experts see no rapid turnaround from Iran’s leaders -- especially the military and clerical establishments, for whom resistance to the United States has been an article of faith since the 1979 Islamic revolution overthrew the pro-US shah. AFP

Japan Airlines pilot found almost 10 times over limit TOKYO―A Japan Airlines pilot who was arrested in Britain shortly before a flight for being drunk was almost 10 times over the legal blood alcohol limit for a pilot, London police said. The incident came a day after another Japanese carrier apologized for multiple delays after a hungover pilot called in sick. JAL executives told reporters in Japan that the co-pilot cleared an in-house breath test but aroused the suspicion of a bus driver taking him to the plane at Heathrow Airport on Sunday. The co-pilot, identified as Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, was arrested by British police and required to undergo a blood test that confirmed those results. He had reportedly consumed two bottles of wine and more than 1.8 liters (nearly four US pints) of beer over six hours on the night before the flight. “We are certain [the in-house breath test] wasn’t conducted properly,” JAL communications chief Muneaki Kitahara told reporters Thursday. A spokesman for the London police said a test on the co-pilot taken 50 minutes before the flight’s scheduled departure revealed 189 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood in his system―almost 10 times the 20-milligram limit for a pilot. The drink-drive limit in England is 80 milligrams. The pilot later pleaded guilty before a court to being over the legal limit, and is expected to be sentenced on November 29. The plane departed London after a delay of 69 minutes. “The company sincerely apologizes to the passengers and to all affected by the employee’s actions,” JAL said in a press release. The incident came just a day after All Nippon Airways revealed a hung-over pilot had caused multiple flight delays. The male pilot in his 40s called in sick after a night of drinking on the remote resort island of Ishigaki in southern Okinawa prefecture, the company said. The last-minute sickie forced the airline to delay five flights linking Okinawa island and smaller regional islands, affecting 619 passengers. Following the two incidents, the transport ministry urged airline companies to strictly comply with the rules on drinking. But under Japan’s current system, while plane crew members are banned from drinking within eight hours of working, there is no legal limit set and breath tests are not required. AFP REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 86 QUEZON CITY SHEKINAH SOBREDO LUIS, Petitioner, -versusCivil Case No. R-QZN-18-11000-CV Declaration of Nullity of Marriage RAYMOND ANDREW ZEPP, Respondent. x------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION (Declaration of Nullity of Marriage under Article 36 of the Family Code)

: RAYMOND ANDREW ZEPP Angkor Comfort Hotel Street No. 1 Cambodia

GREETINGS: WHEREAS, on September 10, 2018, the petitioner filed a petition for Declaration of Nullity of Marriage under Article 36 of the Family Code; WHEREAS, on October 3, 2018, petitioner filed an Ex-Parte Motion to Serve Summons by Publication in a Newspaper of general circulation to the respondent; WHEREAS, on October 4, 2018, this Court issued an Order granting the said motion and directing the petitioner to effect service of summons by publication upon respondent RAYMOND ANDREW ZEPP in “The Standard”, a daily newspaper of general circulation in this city, once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks as required under Section 6 (1) of A.M. No. 02-11-10 of the Supreme Court; WHEREAS, a petition for Declaration of Nullity of Marriage under Article 36 of the Family Code has been commenced by petitioner against respondent praying as follows: “WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that, after due notice and hearing, a declaration of ABSOLUTE NULLITY OF MARRIAGE between the Petitioner and Respondent be ORDERED on the ground of PSYCHOLOGICAL INCAPACITY and ABANDONMENT and ordering further that: 1. The Civil Register of San Guillermo, Isabela and the Philippine Statistics Authority Office (PSA), shall cancel their Marriage Certificate from their respective Books of Marriage; 2. Paulyn Jasmine Nur Luis Zepp shall retain her legitimate status; Petitioner prays for other reliefs and remedies, just and equitable under the premises. NOW THEREFORE, you respondent RAYMOND ANDREW ZEPP is hereby summoned and required to file with the Regional Trial Court, Branch 86, Quezon City, within thirty (30) days from the last date of publication of publication of this summons, your answer to the petition and for you to give a copy of the answer to the petitioner within the same period. You are reminded of IBP OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead alleged the grounds thereof as defenses in the answer. Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, October 23, 2018. (Sgd.) ATTY. MARY RAQUEL BERNADINE D. SABAS Branch Clerk of Court (MStandard-Oct. 27 & Nov. 3, 2018)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME, FOR GOOD

E’RE living in the most materially-rich society in global history, and, to put it bluntly, we have too much stuff. While it can be difficult to let go of possessions with sentimental meaning, collecting so many things that your home becomes disorderly and unmanageable means you need a clear-out. With a bit of luck, once you’ve dug out your stash of unused items, you’ll be able to sell, swap, up cycle or recycle some of your belongings. Here are some ways to get rid of the unnecessary clutter in your home for good. MAKE TIME TO CLEAR OUT Schedule time to declutter, and keep those declutter appointments. Just 15 minutes a day would set you off on the right track. Better still, schedule larger blocks of time, from two to four hours once or twice a week, for maximum declutter efficiency. Strengthen motivation by putting your declutter appointments in your diary, and sticking to them. Buy a storage trunk, drawers or bookshelves if you think you need extra places to put clutter you just can’t bear to get rid of. FOCUS ON SOLVABLE STUFF Zero in on one small, solvable clutter problem. Clear one counter, declutter one shelf, or bring order to a single drawer. Choose an area that bugs you daily. When you feel yourself starting to flag, return to that one clear space, shelf or drawer to remind yourself of your goal and give you the motivation for more decluttering. ‘FOUR-BOX METHOD’ Use the ‘Four-box method’ to speed up your decision-making and sort your clutter swiftly. Gather three boxes and a large drum, and label the boxes ‘put away’, ‘give away/sell’ and ‘store’. When you’ve sorted items from the area you want to declutter into a box,

or decided to throw them in the drum, reserve 10 to 15 minutes to empty the boxes. Put things away immediately. Give away/sell items should be stored outside the house if possible, in a garage or the car trunk to be dropped off at a charity shop. As each storage box is ﬁlled, make a brief inventory of the contents and put the box into a storage area, like the backyard. Finally, empty the drum quickly to prevent second thoughts. When you can’t decide whether to keep an item or not, don’t waste too much time deliberating. Instead, create a ‘maybe’ box for stuff you don’t use right now, but think you may in the future. Store the box out of sight, remind

yourself to look in it in six months, and if you don’t need any of the items you can throw out the whole box then. BE GONE, GUILT! Don’t let guilt or obligation make you hold on to things. There are ways you can keep your precious memories but clear out the material objects at the same time - for example, take pictures with gifts that mean something to you but which you don’t actually need. If your workspace is cluttered with important paperwork, create electronic copies by scanning them into your computer, and then throw away or ﬁle the paperwork. Try the ‘one in, one out rule’ - whenever you buy something, simply dispose of a comparable object. BUILD NEW HABITS Remember that just as clutter arises gradually over time, so it must be tackled gradually. Beating clutter requires building new habits, applying new organizational methods, and creating new household routines. Resist the temptation to go all-out in fevered, short-term sorties against clutter. Slow and steady wins the declutter race. Master your own clutter challenges before you get the rest of the family involved. Once you understand the decluttering difﬁculties and can demonstrate successful decluttering yourself, enlist the rest of the family, and help them using your own new-found organizational expertise. Let each family member organize their own clutter: children and their toys, adults and their paperwork, teenagers and their clothes. Everyone’s different and will like their possessions organized in different ways.

EDUCATION MILESTONE IN LAGUNA. Our Lady of Fatima University

(OLFU) takes its first foray to the south with the groundbreaking of a sixth campus set to rise in Santa Rosa, Laguna.The new campus is set on a four-hectare property in Macabling, and will initially house a five-story building for holistic student learning. Like in OLFU’s other locations, the Laguna campus will offer business courses together with the university’s healthcare programs to meet the demands of the Santa Rosa community. The Laguna campus adds to Our Lady of Fatima University’s roster of educational institutions in Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Antipolo City, City of San Fernando (Pampanga), and Cabanatuan City (Nueva Ecija). The university offers several courses including Hotel and Restaurant Management, information technology, accounting, education, civil engineering, criminology, psychology, and maritime education, as well as healthcare programs, namely medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, medical laboratory science, and dentistry. At the groundbreaking were (from left): Yvonne S. Guevara, chairman of the board of trustees; Enrico O. Santos, member of the board of trustees; Don August O. Santos, executive vice president and chief financial officer; Fr. Lito Caliwag, university chaplain; Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez, university president; Dr. Mylene S. Abad Santos, vice president for student Affairs; and Robert Bjorn O. Santos, alumni affairs director.

BOOMTOWN COMMUNITIES. PHirst Park Homes Inc., a new jointventure firm of Century Properties Group and Mitsubishi Corporation for first home buyers, is focusing is focusing its sights on areas where flagship infrastructure projects are being rolled out. “This is a top criterion in our area selection process as it ensures ease of access for our future residents,” said Ricky Celis, president of PHirst Park Homes. The company will launch 15 masterplanned communities in Calabarzon and Central Luzon with approximately 33,000 homes. Near-term launches will be concentrated in the booming provinces of Laguna, Bulacan and Cavite, where several major infrastructure projects of the government are in various stages of construction and development. PHirst Park Homes debuted in the market in 2017 with the successful PHirst Park Homes Tanza in Cavite. In June 2018, it also launched PHirst Park Homes Lipa, a 20-hectare development in Lipa City, Batangas with 1,867 homes (Shown here).

OGLING LUXURY CARS, CHECKING OUT HIGH VALUE PROPERTIES SQFT Global Properties Philippines recently unveiled the Global Investment Series (GIS), a platform created for international real estate opportunities, at the Autostrada Motore showroom—the ofﬁcial distributor of Maserati and Ferrari in the country. The event showcased residential properties and luxury cars aimed to cultivating a passion for compelling properties. It also included an opportunity to ride cars on display at the Autostrada Showroom in BGC. An exhibit of the Magic Village in Orlando, Florida, was also displayed. Illustrated by Pininfarina, the renowned designer of Maserati and Ferrari, Magic Village is a project that unites sophistication in design and excellence in hospitality. It also maintains the highest standard of luxury lifestyle for the investors

At the launch were (left to right) Xintong Li - SQFT USA; Jonathan Santiago, Magic Development regional director; Catherine Ocariz - SQFT global properties Philippines managing partner; Jessica Nieva - SQFT global properties Philippines managing partner, and Nico Arbo -SQFT global properties Philippines associate.

and homeowners. The GIS aims to international real estate trends, educate the local market with up to date international developments.

and

CONNECTED LIVING. Ortigas & Company recently launched its newest development Ortigas East (formerly Frontera Verde) as a fully integrated mixed-use property. The P50-billion redevelopment, which kicked off at the start of the year, will be done in three phases. The company is investing P18 billion for the first phase, which will introduce office, residential, and retail components. “Ortigas East is designed to bring connected living in a progressive urban neighborhood,” said Ortigas & Company President and CEO Jaime E. Ysmael said. Ortigas & Company partnered with local and international consultants to bring forward its vision for Ortigas East. The developer worked with Callison RTKL for master planning and Langan for seismic analysis. The company also harnessed the expertise of Meralco, Manila Water, and DCCD Engineering to further prepare and enhance the features of the property. Ortigas & Company will be launching The Glaston Tower, a 34-storey office building targeting spaces fit for traditional offices and start-up businesses.

Life The Hero for action camera newbies

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

young life

@mstandardLIFe saturday, november 3, 2018

GOPRO FOR BEGINNERS. The Hero 2018 is an entry-level action camera whose durable, compact body, straightforward functions, and easy-to-use features make it an ideal gear for first time GoPro users. By Rex Perzeus Fajardo Sardinia

ASuAl travelers, newbie vloggers, and first-time action camera users are most likely the people in mind of GoPro, Inc. when it launched Hero 2018 early this year. At first glance

Hero is GoPro’s entry-level camera for 2018, which looks exactly the same as its predecessors Hero5 and Hero6. It is rugged and compact with the same rubberized matte gray body that’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters) even without an underwater case. It also has the same connectivity features, with uSB-C port and HDMI output, as well as wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Hero5 and Hero6 users won’t be fumbling in operating Hero as it likewise has the s a m e

interface: the power button and shutter button, front lCD information display, and rear 2-inch touchscreen. But apart from the design, Hero, being entry-level and cheaper version of Hero5 and Hero6, lacks the high-end specifications of its more advanced siblings. limitations notwithstanding, its simplicity and ease-of-use, which, originally was the point of the unit, makes it worth consider- Sample stills taken using Hero, whose 10MP sensor enables it to take decent photos on the go. ing.

Features and functions

Hero captures Full HD 1080p and 1440p videos at either 30 or 60 frames per second (fps). However it does not offer 4K resolution recording which can be a bummer especially since there are other brands such as the first generation Yi 4K camera which has 4K shooting capability at almost the same price point. while the lack of 4K might bother experienced users, casual users and first-timers will find the 1080p just fine. Besides, the Full HD resolution is more than decent enough for viewing on a com- Like its more advanced siblings Hero5 and Hero 6, Hero 2018 has the same rubberized matte puter or smartphone screen. gray body that’s waterproof down to 33 feet even without an underwater case. In our review, we found the The absence of Slo-Mo feature might ing vehicle, and the recorded video had recorded videos captured natural-looking colors—not overex- also be frustrating especially for those barely any shaking and the transition posed or oversaturated—some- who want to capture slow-motion videos. was rather smooth. But what the unit lacks in advanced letting users operate a few features thing that cheap action cameras features it makes up for its excellent on the action camera through voice struggle with. image stabilization and nifty voice con- control is also a great addition. when trol feature, which are both useful for the unit is turned on, one can simply beginners. say “GoPro, start recording,” or “GoWhat’s in the box: GoPro Hero 2018 unit, silicon For instance, we used the Hero to Pro, stop recording” to take videos case with lanyard, mounting frame, curved and flat film animals in a safari onboard a movadhesive mounts, mounting buckle, and USB-C cable. Turn to C2

Wear Mickey Two giants—one in retail, the other in entertainment—have teamed up to launch a T-shirt collection featuring one of the world’s most enduring pop culture icons: Mickey Mouse. As part of their Share-A-Smile campaign, SM and Disney roll out 60 Mickey inspired tees that celebrate SM’s 60 th anniversary and Disney’s 90 years. “Mickey Mouse is an icon,” declared Yara Macalindong, director of Disney Consumer Products, The walt Disney Company Philippines. “Besides being the personification of everything Disney, Mickey is one of the most enduring personalities of our culture and times. Both SM and Disney have given, and continue to give their customers happy memories that last a lifetime, across all generations.” She added, “Both brands offer a legacy, a tradition, a way of life—a world that customers identify with and find attachment to. Through this partnership, SM will continue to create these experiences and bring the Disney magic closer to Filipinos.” The collection comes in the Mickey Mouse trademark colors of black, red, white, and muted yellow. It also includes various Mickey retro designs that tell the story of Mickey through years. The T-shirt collection is available at SM Youth and SM Accessories Kids Character Shop departments.

As part of their ShareA-Smile campaign, Disney and SM roll out a 60-piece tee collection for teens and kids featuring Mickey Mouse.

Life

saturday, november 3, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Campaign promotes

‘cyberwellness’ among youth Colgate Philippines president and general manager Arvind Sachdev (middle) and Colgate Philippines marketing director Emily Fong Mitchell (left) with 2018 Colgate Scholarship Promo scholars

Colgate awards P5-m scholarship to Filipino students

Globe Telecom’s #makeITsafePH campaign aims to promote online vigilance among the public and protect the youth from becoming victims of cyber crimes.

LocAL telecommunications firm and a global multiplatform entertainment company have teamed up to promote proper online behavior and responsible Internet usage among the younger generation. With more than seven million users from the Philippines, 80 percent of which are Millennials and Gen Z, Globe Telecom saw Wattpad as a promising platform to reach out to the sector most susceptible to negative aspects of the Internet for its #makeITsafePH cyberwellness campaign. The #makeITsafePH campaign takes off from earlier Globe efforts to promote online vigilance among the public and protect the youth from becoming victims of online hacking, identity theft, and other cybercrimes. “As we promote the benefits of digitalization, we also want to instill awareness among our customers especially the youth about new issues to understand and address. These include unethical data mining, fake news, weaponizing social media, and unethical online behavior among others,” said Yoly crisanto, Globe senior vice president for corporate communications. Various studies show that a significant number of Filipino youth have fallen victim to online abuse or crime which causes emotional, mental, or physical harm. For instance, the public-private civicacademic coalition DQ Institute said last year that 73 percent of young Filipinos were exposed to at least one cyber risk specifically cyber bullying, online sexual behavior, and meeting with cyber friends, among others. This corroborates a report from the Department of Justice that said many

Globe and Wattpad team up to promote cyberwellness among young Internet users.

teenagers and younger children are exploited by the growing cybersex trafficking trade, with at least 3,000 reports being received by the Philippines per month from other countries. Likewise, a 2015 survey by child care nonprofit organization Stairway Foundation Inc. said that 80 percent of teenagers aged 13-16 in the country have experienced social media cyberbullying such as photo editing, humiliation, threats, exposure of secret conversations, and impersonation, among other things. other cybercrimes that have to be addressed according to the Philippine National Police report in 2016 are online scams, online libel, identity theft, and violations of the anti-photo and video voyeurism act. cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab also ranked the Philippines ninth in the world in terms of volume of online attacks during the second quarter of the year, with 10.6 million malware infections taking control of computers and

capturing private information. over 34.6 percent of these attacks were targeted against home users. “For millions of people in the Philippines and around the world, Wattpad is a home away from home, where they can express their true selves in a safe, supportive environment. From anti-bullying to body-positivity, we see Wattpadders come together every day to promote and share positive, inspiring messages,” shared chris Stefanyk, head of brand partnerships for Wattpad. He continued, “We’re thrilled to be part of the #makeITsafePH campaign and work with Globe Telecom to help support the safety of young people online.” To know more about how to keep safe in cyberspace, Globe promotes the following Wattpad writers: Areyaysii, Aishiteruhachi, iamLoid, timmyme, iamQVEEN, greatfairy, cgthreena, heartlessnostalgia, PrincessThirteen00, and Princesscreamycake.

Educational institution highlights holistic learning AS oNE of the country’s largest network of schools, STI take pride in providing innovative learning and relevant education to its students. Holistic education is promoted through specialized co-curricular and extra-curricular programs that allow students to hone and exhibit their talents inside and outside of their respective courses. For instance, as part of its student development programs, the school holds its annual STI Talent Search, which brings together the best and brightest students across its network of campuses nationwide. This year, more than 20,000 senior high school and tertiary students gathered and competed in STI Singing Idol, Battle of the Bands, Hataw Sayaw dance competition, and the much-awaited Search for Mr. and Ms. STI 2018. This year’s program highlighted STI’s 35th anniversary with a whole day of festivity at Enchanted Kingdom in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. For the upcoming second semester, STI said students can look forward to a lineup of activities where they can continue to showcase their creativity and skills outside the classroom. other major events that students look forward to include the STI National Youth convention, the largest educational caravan in the country, and the STI Sports cup featuring the National Basketball Tournament and the National Volleyball League. STI offers a standardized curriculum with mirrored activities across its net-

coLGATE Philippines recently awarded P5 million worth of scholarship money to young students around the country as part of the colgate Scholarship Promo 2018. Drawn from May to July this year, the personal care brand awarded P100,000 to a total of 50 winners who each nominated a scholar who will benefit from the scholarship money. Among the colgate Scholarship Promo 2018 scholars are Noria, a 15-yearold student from Bulacan, Amari, a three-year-old child from cagayan, and Julianna, a 12-year-old student from Binangonan, Rizal. Meanwhile, Jojo calapuan, who lives in cebu city, and Sidney Lanete from Davao city were awarded the scholarship money for their children’s education. “The colgate Scholarship Promo is part of our company’s commitment to give everyone a ‘future they can smile about’ by providing financial support to Filipino families and assisting them in the educational needs of young students, who will become the future scientists, doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers of this country,” said Arvind Sachdev, general manager of colgatePalmolive Philippines Inc., who led the formal awarding of the prizes to the scholars.

GoPro Hero 2018 boasts ease-of-use features such as 2-inch rear touchscreen and voice command function.

the Hero... From C1

STI offers a standardized curriculum with mirrored activities across its network.

work. This guarantees that every student experiences the same developmental activities in each campus in its network. “Apart from the skills, the knowledge, and the competencies that they (students) learn in the classroom, they are also able to interact with others, collaborate, and communicate. So all of these are part of our developmental activities,” said STI assistant vice president for academic research Aisa Hipolito, In line with its continuing mandate to provide holistic education and to produce highly competent graduates, STI opens its institution for enrollment in the second semester of 2018. For students planning to shift courses or to transfer for the second semester, STI also provides hasslefree processing through the STI Priority Transfer Program. Visit www.sti.edu for more information.

STI promotes holistic education through specialized co-curricular and extracurricular programs.

In the culminating event, colgate gathered some of the winners from Luzon for an awarding ceremony and a day full of fun and exciting activities at The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global city. The scholars and their families explored the amazing exhibits at the museum and were treated to a spectacular Science Show to inspire the children to keep on learning and aim for a brighter future. Also present at the event were a few of the 2016 and 2017 winners of the colgate Scholarship Promo. “Masaya po ako na nanalo ako ng scholarship mula sa colgate (I am happy that I won a scholarship grant from colgate),” said 11-year-old Vince, colgate Scholarship Promo 2016 scholar. “Mas ginanahan po akong pumasok sa paaralan para abutin ang pangarap kong maging pulis balang-araw (I became more excited to go to school in order to achieve my dream of becoming a policeman someday).” This year’s colgate Scholarship Promo received approximately 174,000 entries, registering its highest number of entries per day in the promo’s threeyear run. Aside from the grand prize of P100,000, colgate also gave away P500 National Book Store gift certificates to 500 winners and P15 prepaid load to 5,000 winners.

hands-free. Taking photos, time-lapse video, and burst, as well as turning the unit off can also be controlled through the voice command feature. Hero’s excellent audio quality is also worth noting. It has the same threemicrophone array and smart audio processing capabilities as the Hero5 and Hero6 Black, which allow it to capture clear sound even from a few feet away. This is something we were able to prove when we heard a subject’s voice crisp and clear although we filmed from afar. When it comes to still photos, with 10MP sensor, the captured images are decent, although they look dull and somehow lack in details. But for quick snaps (thanks to voice command feature), especially those that require wide angle lens, the Hero does its job well. Another great thing that makes Hero a better choice than other brands’ entrylevel action cameras is GoPro’s Quik app, which automatically edits and combines all videos and photos into shareable videos. This means users can easily create clips and share them on social media— no need to remove the SD card or connect the camera into a computer.

User experience

We only have a few issues with the review unit we received—although this

could be an isolated case. For instance, the LED indicator sometimes doesn’t turn off after hours of charging, and the battery heats up easily when recording videos, and, sometimes, when charging. Also, the battery only lasts a couple of hours when on standby mode. We brought the unit to a theme park with 100 percent, and after about four hours of using and putting it on standby, we checked and found it only had 12 percent left. We recommend turning Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection off to extend battery life.

Verdict

GoPro knows exactly the specific type of users targeted for Hero. There may be advanced functions, such as 4K resolution recording, not available in the action camera, but ease-of-use features, such as touchscreen display, voice control, and straightforward options, ensure that novice users wouldn’t have a hard time operating the unit. Will I buy it? If I love traveling and I don’t have a budget for feature-packed Hero6 to take decent photos and videos, I’ll definitely get Hero. Sure, you can take better photos using your smartphone, but can you take it diving underwater or safely mount on a bicycle? That’s the point of GoPro Hero 2018. You can bring it anywhere, anytime, without worrying about the location or the weather. Photos by Rex Perzeus Fajardo Sardinia

Entertainment Simply... From C4

According to her, Aunor should have been proclaimed a National Artist but she understands that there is a process a candidate has to go through. She said she is biased when it comes to Nora because she was the star of Himala that she produced when she was head of the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines (ECP) that gave rise to a new wave of Philippine films paving the way for bolder and maverick filmmaking in the llater years of the Marcos regime. “Buwisit. Nabubuwisit ako na wala pa si Ate Guy. Nabubuwisit lalo ako na hindi pa rin si Dolphy. It’s long overdue, nakakapikon na. I meant to say, ano ba ang dahilan? What’s the problem? I don’t get it. I think they are really overdue and it’s about time,” she ended. Imee has loved the film industry since the time she was given the baton to wave and produce films as director general of the ECP in 1982, films like Peque Gallaga’s “Oro Plata Mata,” Ishmael Bernal’s Himala, Pio De Castro 3rd’s Soltero, Uro de la Cruz’s Misteryo Sa Tuwa, and Celso Ad Castillo’s Isla. With her passion for Filipino movies, it is no wonder she would still produce film until recently. In 2010, Marcos brought Donor to the big screen, starring Meryl Soriano and Baron Geisler; then Pinta Kasi, starring JM de Guzman and Erich Gonzales, which won Best Picture in the independent category of the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival. And she authored the bill that created the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). “I actually started my political career when I became the national chairman of Kabataang Barangay (now Sangguniang Kabataan). That time, the way to communicate with the youth was through TV or movies—not by speeches, meetings or fora because no one will give you attention,” Marcos explained to the entertainment press. “So I entered Kulit Bulilit and Kaluskos Musmos. That’s where Herbert Bautista and Maricel Soriano started. Joey de Leon also wrote scripts there. That’s why through those shows, I was able to get closer to the young people, and I became more interested to showbiz that time too,” she shared. According to Marcos, it was during their era when the Philippines was the second largest filmmaker in the world next to India, producing 140 movies in a year. She hopes Filipinos can do this again this time. “If we play this right, I really believe that this could be another golden age [of Philippine cinema]. We can really embark on another Golden Age of Filipino Films because there’s so much talent today, it’s so easy to produce, and I’ve always maintained that Filipinos have stories to tell the world,” Marcos said. Marcos then reminded that it was during their era when the government established the Optical Media Board (OMB) and the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). She pointed out that now is the best time to make the needed change especially that they are still using the laws they have made. “We see that our laws for the creative industry are very old. Until now, MTRCB is regulating the Presidential Decree 1985. I was the one who started the amendments of OMB. And we are the ones who made the laws of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in 2002 when I was a congresswoman. All of those laws are still the same. They need to be changed considering the development of our industry,” she explained. “If I will be able to have a national post, what I have to do is to help the Philippine cinema. My father believed in the power of films, while my mother always say that Filipinos are natural-born artists,” she mentioned, also hinting of a senatorial run in the 2019 elections. “In the ‘70s and ‘80s, the only problem was the production; there were lots of issues also because we had lesser equipment. But now, the issue is the distribution. There are a lot of films these days—from indie, to mainstream, to regional—but it’s not being shown to the public because our distribution network is just for the studio films,” she continued. *** More stories of these kinds at www.isah. red. Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred and Instagran (@isahvred.

Singer-composer Nar Cabico finds comfort in writing songs and considers it as his personal contribution to help OPM thrive.

MA Artist Center star Nar Cabico continues to push his way through the hearts of every Filipino through his emotionally raw and soulful music.

His original composition “GAGA” was recently hailed as Best Novelty Song in the 31st Awit Awards. The Kapuso star is also currently a finalist at the PhilPOP Top 30 with his entry entitled “LDR (Layong ‘Di Ramdam),” making him an inch away to popularizing his own brand of OPM. Nar has always lived his passion for music—starting young and trying his luck abroad as a hotel lounge singer, occupying the streets for busking, and a lot more adrenaline-filled adventures that added to his motivation to keep telling stories through his songs. After graduating in De La Salle College of Saint Benilde with a bachelor’s degree in Arts Management, Nar never faltered in believing in the power of music. He never put a stop at learning, and in fact, he recently joined the Elements Music Camp where he gathered with fellow young musicians, which he describes as “the magic of rediscovering one’s self through other people’s ears.” “Elements Music Camp is one of those life experiences that when I look back 10 years from now, I’d realize how pivotal it was for me. So many creative portals have opened within me not only as an artist, but as a person. It has definitely

DOWN 1 Boarding school 2 Solemn promise 3 Till 4 Brides-to-be 5 Spade of whodunits 6 Needlework craft 7 Pitched in 8 Luau souvenirs 9 PC button 10 Tough to outwit 11 Make steam 12 Small lump of goo 13 Sudden urges 19 Put up with 21 Merit 25 Briefcase 26 Moscow citadel 27 Weaving ma-

shifted the way I see life, and the way I hear music,” Nar describes. It was also humbling for him to be mentored by the one and only Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, “One of the many things I learned from Mr. C is to really dig deep into one’s own culture and history, so the artist will have a full understanding of why our music sound the way it does. Through that, it would be easier for the artist to expand their creativity.” With different experiences and his acquired knowledge, these things allowed him to have a vivid formula that is unique for his brand of music. He wishes that more people could get to experience his music, rather than just listen to it. His song for PhilPOP Top 30, “LDR (Layong ‘Di Ramdam),” is a song deeply rooted in his love for his beau who is currently living in the States. Through the lyrics that read, “Ngayong tayo’y magkalayo, pag-ibig ‘di magbabago. Maghihintay hanggang ang oras mo, ay oras ko,” Nar explains a love that never fails despite the distance. Nar, a ﬁrst timer in PhilPOP, is also the interpreter of his composition and he feels honored that he is able to show the color of the song through his own, soulful rendition.

TRENDING.

KMJS Halloween special became the Philippines’ top trending topic and even hit the worldwide Twitter trends, peaking at number three, just a few seconds after the program aired.

KAPUSO Mo, Jessica Soho’s Halloween Special “Gabi ng Lagim VI” was the most-watched program as well as the most-talked about topic on social media last Sunday (Oct. 28). Hosted by internationally-awarded broadcast journalist and GMA News pillar Jessica Soho, KMJS’s Halloween special recorded an overnight people audience rating of 14.4 percent in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement. It lorded over counterpart shows Rated K and I Can See Your Voice, which only managed to get 8.0 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively. A few days ahead of the show’s airing, the online community was abuzz with excitement as netizens anticipate what KMJS had prepared for its Halloween Special. The hashtag “KMJSGabiNgLagimVI” became

Saturday, November 3, 2018

50 Sultan’s menage 53 Apple computer 54 Salsa go-with 58 Enthusiastic vitality 61 Like most colleges 62 Swit co-star 63 Soothsayer 64 Northern Iraqi 65 Unisex wear 66 Wed in haste 67 Luxury resorts

nickie.standard@gmail.com

This generation’s champion for OPM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Upswept hairdo 5 Weighing device 10 Advice columnist 14 Rajah’s wife 15 March sign 16 — amandine 17 James or Kett 18 Anti-illness substance 20 Ring up 22 Mr. Craven 23 Tulips or daffodils 24 Sized up 26 Set of tools 27 Broad-minded 30 Severe tests 34 China and Japan 35 Turn loose 36 Pitcher — Maglie 37 Old masters 38 Billiards shot 40 Go on foot 41 Chow mein additive 42 “Wool” on clay sheep 43 Type of gasoline 45 Ballerina Moira — 47 Bat swingers 48 Thickness unit 49 Child

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

chines 28 Kind of stew 29 Worthless talk 30 Gonzalez’s gold 31 Actor’s whisper 32 Los Angeles cager 33 Toboggans 35 Brother’s title 39 Up in the — 40 Cafe amenities 42 Illegal act 44 Harrow rival 46 They have pseudopods (var.)

47 Impolite noise 49 Oblong fruit 50 Cooking direction 51 Wheel part 52 Ill-mannered 53 Sledgehammer 55 Takeover 56 Queen of Olympus 57 Likelihood 59 Funny Charlotte — 60 Poet’s before

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO

The Grim Reaper strikes three

THE mythical character that is the Grim Reaper must be in full frenzy mode these days. You see, this persona has caused so much shock and sadness to a multitude of people with the successive deaths of three beloved personalities in the entertainment industry. The biggest reap is definitely the performer once dubbed as the Total Entertainer, Rico J. Puno. My first recollection of Rico’s popularity happened during my wonder years. When his anthem “Kapalaran” became a mammoth hit, my youngest brother, Alfred, was barely five years old that time, could sing the ditty with much gusto complete with the swag and machismo that Rico employed as a charm offensive. Since that time, his songs have become a regular staple in my household as vinyl records of his singles were in constant play. Fast forward to the present, prior to his sudden demise, the original guapito addressed me as, “O, andiyan pala si Celeste.” He called me as such because my hair resembled that of Celeste Legaspi during their heydays. We usually meet for meetings and even mounted a press conference for a concert scheduled this November with Giselle and Marissa Sanchez, billed as Sana Tatlo Ang Puso Sanchez Ko. As of this writing, I have not received an official word from Grand Leisure Corporation, the producer of the concert, if they will give it a green light. From everywhere, most especially on social media, and even in the Palace, accolades and tributes are bestowed to the King of Original Pilipino Music. I am sending warm embraces and condolences to his family. Thank you Rico Puno for your music. Thank you for your songs that we are and we will always sing. Meanwhile, the two other Grim Reaper casualties were entertainment writing

OPM exponent Rico J. Puno was supposed to have a concert later this month.

colleagues Bayani San Diego of Philippine Daily Inquirer and Bong de Leon of People’s Journal. Tonton’s death came like a thief in the night, just like Puno’s. It shook me to my very core because someone from my demographic, my co-Generation X’er, is now in heaven. San Diego was a regular bus and taxi mate who became a friend. When we manage to be in the same press conference or event and we no longer had other businesses, we took rides together and as we braved the traffic prior to arriving in our respective Southern villages, we had freewheeling conversation about the entertainment industry in particular and its many denizens and gossip in general. We also talk about personal, political and a different kind of love stuff. As I write this, I remember his boisterous laughter, pouty lips, wit and his commitment to promote and support the Philippine Independent Cinema Movement. The other colleague was the seasoned Bong de Leon. I was still in my wonder years when I first read his by-line and watched him asked intriguing questions in English at that in the entertainment talk show of yore, See True, hosted then by the late, great Inday Badiday When I became an entertainment journalist as well, Tito Bong, was how he was called. He was one of the very few tabloid writers who had a column in English and come press conference time, inquired in the King’s language. He was always welcoming. He never made me feel a newbie. All Saint’s Day and All Souls Days have passed and the Grim Reaper had his fill, obviously. To these three fine men who are now in the loving embrace of our Heavenly Bother, you will all be missed. The world has become a better place because of your artistic contributions and writings.

KMJS’ ‘Gabi ng Lagim VI’

lords over Sunday programming, social media

the Philippines’ top trending topic on Twitter just a few seconds after the program aired. It even hit the worldwide Twitter trends, peaking at number three among the top trending topics. Since 2013, “Gabi ng Lagim” has become the most awaited horror anthology on Philippine TV. Going beyond the ordinary re-telling of spooky and mysterious stories, “Gabi ng Lagim” commissioned seasoned TV and ﬁlm directors to depict real-life accounts into documentaryﬁlms. Last Sunday’s special featured the works of esteemed GMA Public Affairs directors Rember Gelera, Adolfo Alix, Jr., Aaron Pappins Mendoza, and Zig Dulay. KMJS also tapped paranormal investigator Ed Caluag in investigating some of the featured strange incidents. KMJS’ “Gabi ng Lagim VI” featured stories on the various ghost encounters in Manila City Hall as told by

some of its employees; Aklan’s horror story of the undead or Amaranhig; the haunted hospital in Pampanga; and the unique premonitions and ability to predict future events of Jay Costura. The Halloween special also saw the special participation of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros lead actor Nathan Lopez who portrayed Jay, and Ika-5 Utos star Inah de Belen, who appeared in the Haunted Hospital docu-film. Inah is the daughter of veteran actress Janice de Belen, who starred in the ‘90s horror film Anak ni Janice. Eat Bulaga mainstay Maine Mendoza, meanwhile, joined in the fun online when a netizen pointed out that it was her who was one of the undead in the docufilm Amaranhig. Maine half-jokingly tweeted she had to do a cameo to earn extra money but later clarified that it was not her in the scene.

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

Entertainment

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2018

ISAH V. RED

‘Los Bastardos’

makes daytime TV even more exciting

WHAT to do on a hot humid afternoon and you’re not up to the traffic situation in the metro. Watching TV may be the best way to pass the afternoon. But what show? Surfing the cable brings me to (SKY HD 167) the Kapamilya channel where a new show with the network’s best looking guys is currently running. It premiered on Oct. 15 and is now on its third week. It seems the show has captivated the fans of Marco Gumabao, the goodlooking son of actor Dennis Roldan and former runway and commercial model Loli Imperial, stars along with Jake Cuenca, Diego Loyzaga, Albie Casiño, and Joshua Colet as brothers who are at odds with each other to seize power in the family. That’s their destiny in Los Bastardos, from the latest book in the Precious Hearts Romances Presents series. Gumabao plays Matteo, a bastard son of his mother’s (Joyce Ann Burton) affair with Don Roman Cardinal, Jr. (Ronaldo Valdez). His mother raised him as a Silverio to get back at his abusive husband Menandro (Lito Pimentel) The series based on the Cardinal Bastards series of Precious Hearts Romances tells the story of five brothers who must fight against each other for the right to the power and money of the Cardinal family, led by its patriarch, Don Roman Cardinal. Don Roman is leading a happy life with his small family but tragedy will strike that will urge him to look for true love from four other women. He will sire five sons from five different women. There is Isagani (Jake), Don Roman’s longlost son with his first love; Joaquin (Diego), the only son who’ll grow up under his care; Matteo (Marco), who will grow up with the rival family of the Cardinals; Connor, who will become a conman bent on destroying the Cardinal wealth; and Lucas (Albie), whill will grow up not knowing the man he serves is his own father. Although they come from different worlds, they are bound together by the same blood. The series shows how their lives are intertwined, especially when they find out the truth about their identities. In the early days of the series, I saw Geoff Eigenmann as the young Roman Cardinal. I am not sure if he has moved back to the Kapamilya lot, or was the scenes of the series with him shot before he did the Kapuso afternoon series Contessa with Glaiza de Castro. But, if he had decided to be a Kapamilya again, well and good for him, as he had been waiting to be given the right break to jumpstart his snoozing career. Los Bastardos airs right after Kadenang Ginto at approximately 4:15 p.m. and before Star Hunt. *** Imee impatient over Nora Aunor and Dolphy not named as national artists During a meet-the-press event, Imee Marcos openly said she would support a campaign to have Nora Aunor proclaimed as National Artist, same with the late Comedy King Dolphy. Continued on C3

Non-stop action in ‘Hunter Killer’ FROM the producers of Fast & Furious and London Has Fallen comes an action thriller set deep under the Arctic Ocean, Hunter Killer. Starring Gerard Butler, the movie opened on Wednesday, Oct. 31, in Philippine theaters, proudly presented by VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment. Hunter Killer refers to a naval vessel, especially a submarine, equipped to locate and destroy enemy vessels. The story begins with the sinking of a Russian submarine in the Arctic Ocean, which is immediately followed by the disappearance of the American sub that has been ghosting it. During the investigation, it is discovered that a rogue Russian admiral is attempting to carry out a bloodthirsty coup at a naval base in Russia which could dismantle the world order. Joe Glass (Butler), the captain of a Hunter Killer, must now assemble an elite group of Navy SEALs and cross waters that no American sub has ever crossed before. All this to rescue the kidnapped Russian president and prevent World War III. “A fictional event (that) could easily occur in today’s world” is how Director Donovan Marsh (awardwinning crime drama iNumber, Number) describes this film. “There have been many recent news articles about how Russian and American submarines are chasing each other under water in dangerous ways. Yet, because it’s happening under the ocean, the public never knows what’s going on,” he explains. “I think audiences will be thrilled, be moved and they’ll have a good deal of fun, all while watching a story highly significant to what’s happening in

Some of the highlights of 'Portraits by Andres Barrioquinto' are the paintings of Richard Gomez, his wife Lucy, and their daughter Julian.

Andres Barrioquinto unveils ‘Portraits’at National Museum EMBRACING the shared value of giving, outstanding artist Andres Barrioquinto unites with the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) as it celebrates its 55th anniversary this year through a special beneﬁt exhibition of portraits. Unveiling on Nov. 8 at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Portraits by Andres Barrioquinto highlights the artist’s creative progression as he expresses his personal take on contemporary portraiture. The show features a collection of eighteen (18) portraits, representing a cross-section of industry leaders, patrons, creatives, and connoisseurs, among them, Cecile Ang, Grace Ang, Grace Barbers–Baja, Abigail Binay-Campos, Ben Chan, Lita Cruz,Baby Fores-Araneta, Juliana Gomez, Richard Gomez, Lucy Torres-Gomez, Small Laude, Jessica KienleMaxwell, Josie Natori, Sheila Romero, Robert Bjork “Robbie” Santos, Audrey Tan-Zubiri, Bea Zobel, and Kevin Zonnenberg. Barrioquinto takes this privilege to give back by supporting young Filipino artists and future grantees of the ACC Philippine Fellowship. To date, over 400 Filipino artists, educators and scholars across arts disciplines have been supported by the ACC grants program since 1963, through the stewardship of ACC New

York and ACC Philippines Foundation. For 2018, recipients of the ACC Grant are Joseph Keith Anicoche (theater actor-director and performance curator), Marika Constantino (visual artist, curator, program director), Maria Joselina Anna G. Cruz (museum curator), Zeny May Recidoro (art writer, curator), Anna Margarita Reyes (dance artist, ﬁlmmaker), Elena Comendador and Elizabeth Roxas (Interdisciplinary artists, choreographers, educators), and Grace Nono (music performing artist, ethnomusicologist-scholar). They join the company of esteemed ACC fellowship alumni-National Artists Jose Joya, Ramon P. Santos, and Alice Reyes; multi-awarded artists and some of the most dynamic trailblazers in the arts scene--Gino Gonzales (Theater Design), Myra Beltran(Dance), Dr. Patrick Flores (Museum Studies), Delphine Buencamino (Theatre), Dexter dela Peña (Film), and Leeroy New(Visual Arts), to name a few. In partnership with the National Museum, Portraits by Andres Barrioquinto goes for a special week-long run until Nov. 15 at the Pres. Sergio Osmeña Hall, National Museum of Fine Arts, Padre Burgos Avenue, Manila.

Two dashing men in one-night only musical affair

Gerard Butler in a scene from the action thriller, 'Hunter Killer.'

2018,” he adds closing his statement on a positive light. The authenticity of Hunter Killer is due to its source material: the novel Firing Point, written by George Wallace, the Point highly experienced, retired commander of the nuclear attack submarine the USS Houston, along with the award-winning journalist and best-selling author Don Keith. Keith Bringing the book to life on screen started with the collaboration of screenwriters Arne L. Schmidt (Chain Reaction) and Jamie Moss (Ghost in a Reaction Shell), compressing the 700-plus-page Shell) novel into a taut exploration of the battle to stop a war both on land and below the water. “ I felt it was the best military thriller I’d ever read,” commends Marsh. “ The essence of any great thriller is that you can’t predict what’s going to happen next, and as I read this script, I was genuinely on edge all the way. Plus it had such great, tough characters facing huge dilemmas that are too real.” Early on, action icon Gerard Butler eyed the unusual role of Captain Joe Glass— who is more about daring strategy than physical derring-do. To prepare for the role, Butler not only took that initial trip out on a working nuclear sub, he also spent extensive time with a number of former U.S. Navy commanders to channel their inner cores. “The advisers I consulted with were indispensable,” he says. “These are people who can make the right moves like it’s in their sleep. Everything has to be automatic because when you’ve got freezing cold water coming in, the carbon dioxide is building, there’s a ﬁre going on…your sub is about to go down, you need to be able to act in half a second. Learning about that was very enlightening. You see that it takes certain kind of individual to be able to lead in this very hazardous narrow tube.” Oscar® winner Gary Oldman (Best Actor, Darkest Hour, 2017) plays the role of Admiral Charles Donnegan, the man leading the charge towards military action in the War Room in Washington D.C. to come up with the best response to the imminent global crisis for the United States.

ARLO AquiVERY no and Matteo WANG Guidicelli have a NICKIE great treat in store for their WANG fans on Nov. 17 at the Music Museum as the two of today’s most sought-after and talented Star Magic leading men are finally taking on the concert stage together. Carlo, who is making a music comeback, and Matteo, who’s been making rounds promoting his second album, are bringing their burning passion for music together for the first time during their one-night only show dubbed as MatteoXCarlo. “Most likely, I’m going to be singing songs from my latest album but we have yet to finalize the line-up. We’d like to tell the audience this early that we don’t have big surprises. The concert is just all about two different people having a great time onstage together while sharing good vibes with the audience,” Matteo said on what people can expect from the show. Known for being notable actors with opposite personalities and distinct brands of music, Carlo is quiet and mysterious, while Matteo is outgoing and friendly, the upcoming show is expected to marry their musical interests and preferences. “We will do medleys and solo performances. Our music fusion will be very exciting for both of them because we will mix up their songs in a way that it they will make it their own and at the same time sing it solo and together,” explained Hills & Dreams concert prod u c e r Ve rnice Soyangco. Both are expected to perform songs that would make all types of audiences, particularly the ladies, sing-a-long, gush dance and rock the night

away. In keeping with the festival vibe, Carlo and Matteo would be singing a couple of classic songs, some late ‘90s hits and a few other modern pop rock tunes. While they both didn’t expect that they would be working on a project together, especially a concert, they both welcomed the opportunity of tightening their brotherhood through something that they both love. Matteo, who is no stranger to the concert stage, after having staged three successful solo concerts and being part of an ensemble one, described that he is facing “Matteo x Carlo” with a “blank page. ” “Carlo’s a childstar and he’s born to this. He has a personality and he’s a rockstar himself. He’s good at what he does as a personality. We’re just gonna share off each other’s energies and we’ll see how it goes,” Matteo said. While this is his first huge musical endeavor since “G-Mik” days, Carlo fresh from the success of his film “Exes Baggage,” is poised return to the performing and music scene this year and this concert is his opening salvo for his supporters. “Siyempre happy gusto ko rin naman ang music pero, the usual, na kapag may bagay na inooffer sakin eh kinakabahan ako, p e ro e x c i t ed ako dahil gusto ko rin naman talaga ito,” Carlo shared. Apart from Carlo and Matteo, special guests can also be expected on their first show. But for

now, the two Kapamilya heartthrobs are hoping that the audience who will see their show can imbibe the same passion that they have for music. “Gusto ko lang maramdaman nila na malaking tulong ang nabibigay ng music sa buhay at malaking inspirasyon ang makukuha nila sa musika. Makikita nila na nag-e-enjoy ako na mag-perform,” Carlo said. “I think the people would have a good time and just love all around. There’s nothing really fancy, there’s just going to be the band and us,” Matteo ended. Produced by Hills & Dreams and OnQ, MatteoXCarlo will be directed by Frank Lloyd Mamaril and musical director Marvin Querido. For tickets please call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or Grace Nerona at 0926 063 5223. MatteoXCarlo is made possible by the following sponsors BoardWalk, BeautéDerm Corporation, Circulan, Chef & Brewer Café and Restaurant, Fernandos Bakery, FLM Creative and Production Inc., Gingerbon, Lungcaire Plus, Nature Spring, One Stop Soap, R20 Events Place, The Platinum Karaoke, Uratex Foam and Vitasoy.