Manila Standard - 2018 November 11 - Sunday

NEWS/A2

PINK DIAMOND

VOL. XXXII • NO. 269 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

P2-PUMP PRICE ROLLBACK SEEN

UP FOR AUCTION NEXT WEEK IN GENEVA

AN ACTING GEM ON LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT SCENE

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OOD news for motorists—and daily commuters may share in the same good news: The pump prices of petroleum products are expected to be rolled back again starting tomorrow.

“Expect fuel prices to roll back next week again,” independent oil player Unioil said Saturday in its weekly fuel forecast for Nov. 12 to 16.

This comes 11 days—and the fifth straight week of rollback in the prices of fuel products— after oil firms cut cooking gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices by a big P7.50 per kilo or P82.50 per 11-kilo LNG tank effective 12:01 am Nov. 1 to reflect the lower contract price of LPG in the world market for November.

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CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. With the holiday season fast approaching, towns and cities north and south of Metro Manila have started to have their festival of different lights and lanterns as these beacons along Aguinaldo Highway in Dasmariñas City in Cavite. PNA

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BIG MOMENT WITH THE BIGGEST IPHONES. Celebrities Sam YG, Debbie Then, Victor Basa and Almira Teng take a groupfie with PLDT-Smart FVP and Consumer Marketing Head Andrew L. Santos at Smart's launch of the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max. Smart welcomed the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max by surprising 15 lucky loyal Smart customers with a big upgrade to the 512GB iPhone Xs Max—the top-of-the-line iPhone variant today—plus a personalized MVP Rewards card with P10,000 worth of points at an exclusive event at the PLDT-Smart One Digital Store in BGC, Taguig City. Eighty-five other lucky loyal Smart customers all over the country will also get a surprise upgrade.

BONGBONG’S BOOST.

Former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., taking time out from the 5th anniversary of powerful Typhoon'Yolanda' in Eastern Visayas, endorses Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, who is seeking a Congress seat as 1st nominee of Tingog Party-list.

Ver Noveno

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DOTR: FARE HIKE NO CURE FOR MRT WOES

FOR Metro Rail Transit commuters, good news too.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Saturday gave assurances it had no plan to increase fares at the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) in the national capital in the calculable future.

In a statement released to media, Transport Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the agency was following instructions from Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to mothball any discussion on a fare increase until commuters experienced improvements on the rail system.

The announcement followed the precipitous increase in jeepney and bus fares even in the absence of a fare matrix made amid rising prices of basic commodities.

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HIGH COURT UPHOLDS K-12 TACK

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HE Kindergarten to Grade 12 education program is constitutional, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The high court denied the consolidated petitions against Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 and Republic Act No. 10157 or the Kindergarten Education Act, as well as the related issuances from the Commission on Higher Education and Department of Education.

“The Court, despite its vast powers, will not review the wisdom, merits, or propriety of gov-

ernmental policies, but will strike them down only on either of two grounds: (1) unconstitutionality or illegality and/or (2) grave abuse of discretion,” the SC ruling stated.

“For having failed to show any of the above in the passage of the assailed law and the department issuances, the petitioners’ remedy thus lies not with the Court, but with the executive and legislative branches of the government.”

RA 10533 paved the way for the Philippines to switch to the K to 12 program from the old 10-year basic education system.

It was signed into law in 2013 by President Benigno Aquino III. Kindergarten was institutionalized as part of the

basic education system under RA 10157.

The high court also lifted the temporary restraining order issued April 21, 2015 on the exclusion of Filipino and Panitikan as core college courses.

The petitioners earlier said the K-12 program “denied the school’s students the education they are entitled to as gifted and talented learners.”

They also said Congress violated the students’ rights to due process, to equal protection, and to select a course of study when it crafted RA 10533, “by unfairly and unreasonably requiring them to attend two additional years of senior high school as a pre-condition to entry to college.”

Dante Silverio

EX-COACH NABBED FOR FIRING GUN

By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE arrested former professional basketball coach Dante Silverio for indiscriminately firing a gun at Ecology Village in Barangay Magallanes, Makati City last Friday.

Southern Police District spokesperson Jenny Tecson said a joint team from the Special Weapons and Tactics and Makati City-Police Community Precinct (PCP-4) arrested Silverio inside his S Services Inc. office located at 2257 Don Chino Roces Extension, also in Makati City.

Citing a report submitted to the SPD by Insp. Arnel Perez, of Makati City-PCP 4, Tecson said the 81-year-old Silverio fired his gun at about 10:23 am Friday inside the village, causing “fear and disturbance among the residents.” It was not clear why he fired his weapon.

The report also showed that Silverio “escaped after the incident on board his private car white Fortuner with personal plate number DSS 33 but was arrested during follow-up operation.”

Silverio was charged with alarm and scandal before the City Prosecutors Office and is now detained at the Makati City Police jail.

In the Philippine Basketball Association, Silverio led the Toyota franchise to five championships in the 1970s. After Toyota, he became the head coach of Shell team.

In 2003, Silverio participated in the Crispa-Toyota rivalry reunion game during the PBA All Star Game, coaching the Toyota side.

Representative Datu Radin Igwas

HORSEBACK ONLY OPTION FOR IP DAD DAVAO CITY— Kidapawan City Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Datu Radin Igwas came to last week’s session of the city council some 6.4 km. away from his home in Barangay Perez the best way he knew how—on horseback.

Igwas said Saturday he was not trying to make a statement for being an IP leader, nor was it an antic.

He was forced to ride the horse because two weeks ago, kidapawan Mayor Joseph Evangelista issued a memorandum stripping him of his service vehicle.

Upon receiving the memo, Igwas said he was not seriously troubled because “I can still attend the session by other means.”

“We datus are used to using horses to move around,” he said.

But when the second memo came, also on Oct. 28, he started to worry. The second memo says he was also being stripped of his office.

Igwas said Evangelista reasoned out in the second memo that his office would be renovated for the use of the deputy mayor for the IP. In a statement, Igwas said he heard he was being stripped of his service vehicle and his office because he was supposedly supporting Evangelista’s rival in the May elections. PNA

‘KINILAW & BUKO’ TO WOW LONDON CHEAP THRILLS. Christmas decor at reasonable prices lure shoppers at a Manila arcade on Saturday. Prices are expected to climb to next week as more bargain hunters of Christmas ornaments flock to shopping centers. Ey Acasio

P25 WAGE HIKE ON NOV. 27 ‘NOT ENOUGH’

By Vito Barcelo THE P25 daily wage increase will take effect by Nov. 27, Labor Secretary Silvester Bello III said, but labor groups insisted the meager pay hike would not be enough to support the buying power of the ideal workers’ salary of P537 a day.

“The adjustment will take effect on Nov. 27, 15 days after the publication of the approval by the National Wages and Productivity Commission in a newspaper of general publication,” Bello said Saturday.

The P25 increase is way lower than the P334 the petitioners have proposed, and is closer to the P20 offer of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and Partido Manggagawa slammed the wage hike, saying it is too small to compensate for the erosion in workers’ wages due to inflation.

The groups said the current cost of living estimate for

a family of five in Metro Manila is P1,300 a day.

“The marked slowdown in household consumption on food and other basic products is a manifestation that wages and benefits workers are receiving are no longer enough to buy essential necessities and pay for basic services,” ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

“We call call this ongoing inflation crisis phenomenon as putol-putol na sinturon and punit-punit na kumot [cut-up belt and torn blanket],” he said in describing the state of “diminishing options” for poor workers.

“With more and more workers and their families experiencing poverty, the TUCP is looking at lower productivity of workers to create products and render services greatly affecting our high and competitive economic performance,” the group said.

Meanwhile, the PM said the P25 adjustment is the latest proof of how wages are fixed under the present administration “that deepens inequality rather than eradicate chronic poverty.”

CEBU PAC CANCELS 90 FLIGHTS FOR NAIA SYSTEM FIX

STREET DANCE. Performers from different schools in Mandaluyong City compete in street dancing during the 87th anniversary of the act changing the name of the municipality of San Felipe Neri in the province of Rizal to its present name at Barangay Hulo. Manny Palmero

CEBU Pacific Air (CEB) and its sister airline Cebgo on Saturday announced the cancellation of at least 90 domestic flights in Manila scheduled from Nov. 15 to 20 to give way for the improvement of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s navigational system.

In its Nov. 10 advisory, the CEB management stated that“this is to remind passengers on the following Cebu Pacific and Cebgo flights that these have been canceled in line with the government’s call for a reduction in flights to give way for the transition to the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system.”

Among those canceled are flights to and from Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Cotabato, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Naga, Tuguegarao, and Zamboanga.

The domestic flights in Zamboanga to and from Tawi-Tawi and Davao scheduled

on Nov. 19 were also suspended.

“These cancellations are a necessary as a precaution during the integration of a new system that will improve navigation and air traffic management within Philippine airspace,” CEB management said.

Legacy carrier Philippine Airlines is also suspending more than 120 flights.

At least 60 domestic flights and 68 international flights will be affected by the PAL cancellation.

Among the domestic PAL flights affected are to and from Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, Laoag, Kalibo, Tagbilaran, Davao, Cotabato and General Santos.

The international flights affected are to and from Hong Kong, Dubai, Pudong, Narita, Singapore, Dammam, Bangkok, Jakarta, Riyadh, Melbourne, Fukuoka, Denpasar, Doha and Xiamen. Joel E Zurbano

THERE’S a new Filipino restaurant poised to take over the London food scene, and it offers, among others, lechon ice cream.

Kinilaw & Buko, an intimate 42-cover restaurant and cocktail bar, opened on Oct. 23 at London’s trendy Hoxton Street, with a promise to bring to the table a revolutionary menu that will change the way Londoners will think about Filipino food.

Cooking up a storm at Kinilaw & Buko is Filipino Head Chef Francis ‘Ace’ Puyat, who was the mastermind of last year’s largest pop up in London, The Hallou-mi.

Originally from Mindoro, Chef Francis moved to London with his parents in 1997 and wasted no moment in spreading the word about Filipino cuisine one plate at a time. Fast forward two decades later, Chef Francis teamed up with his buddy, 100 Hoxton Founder Andrew Zilouf to transform what was once a tailors’ shop into a Filipino restaurant that masterfully sews together the diverse flavors of Southeast Asia’s biggest culinary secret.

DIABETES CENTER CREATION PUSHED

By Maricel V. Cruz A PRO-ADMINISTRATION lawmaker on Saturday pushed for the passage of his bill establishing the Philippine Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology as the primary institution in the treatment of millions of Filipino diabetics.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the enactment of his House Bill 7861 will enable the government to take a more decisive approach to fighting diabetes, a silent killer disease.

Citing the National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHS), Villafuerte said the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Philippines for the last 10 years has grown from 3.9 percent to 17.8 percent, or by nearly 20 percent.

“This means that one out of every five Filipinos could potentially have diabetes mellitus or pre-diabetes,” Villafuerte said.

“If nothing is done to stem the alarming trend, the prevalence of diabetes is expected to soar to 20 percent by the year 2045, and more than 100,000 Filipinos would be dying every year arising from its complications,” Villafuerte added.

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PINK DIAMOND UP FOR AUCTION IN GENEVA GENEVA—The Pink Legacy, an exceptionally large pink diamond, is set to go under the hammer at Christie’s in Geneva next week, when it is expected to bring in up to $50 million.

At nearly 19 carats, the vividly colored gem is extraordinary, Jean-Marc Lunel, an international jewelry specialist at Christie’s, told AFP. “If you consider that most pink diamonds weigh less than a carat, it is really something,” he said.

The gem, which on Nov. 13 will be offered at auction for the first time, has been estimated at between $30 million and $50 million (26.5-44.1 million euros), and Lunel suggested it could hit the high end of that range.

“It is probably the most beautiful [specimen] ever presented at public auction,” he said, insisting there was good reason to expect the rock to snatch an extraordinary price.

The rectangular-cut diamond has been graded “fancy vivid”—the highest possible grade of color intensity.

Christie’s pointed out that in the salesroom, fancy vivid pink diamonds over 10 carats were “virtually unheard of” and that only four vivid pink diamonds or over 10 carats had ever been offered for sale at auction.

One of them, the nearly 15-carat Pink Promise, was sold last November at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong for $32.5 million.

That amounts to $2.176 million per carat, which remains the world auction record price per carat for any pink diamond.

And in 2013, a huge pink diamond weighing 59.60 carats, meanwhile, went under the hammer at Sotheby’s for $83 million, or $1.39 million per carat.

The Pink Legacy, set to headline Christie’s annual Magnificent Jewels auction on Tuesday, used to belong to the Oppenheimer family, which for decades ran the De Beers diamond mining company, but Christie’s refused to say who the current owner was.

It was discovered in a South African mine around a century ago, Lunel said.

“It was probably cut in the 1920s,” he said, adding it had not been altered since.

The classic rectangular cut is traditionally used for white stones, but is rare for pink diamonds.

“Imagine a domino that you have cut the corners off of,” Lunel said, pointing out the cut was a “classical so-called emerald cut,” which stands out from the typical, more rounded, multi-faceted cuts used today.

Rahul Kadakia, Christie’s international head of jewelry, meanwhile said in a statement in September he expected The Pink Legacy to “cause immense excitement with collectors and connoisseurs of diamonds around the world.”

“Its exceptional provenance will no doubt propel it into a class of its own as one of the world’s greatest diamonds.”

AFP

CATHAY PACIFIC DATA BREACH HITS 102K PINOY PASSPORTS

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HE National Privacy Commission, in an order made public during the weekend, said data from 102,000 Filipino passports and credit cards were among those affected in the sweeping data breach that hit Cathay Pacific in 2018.

A total 35,700 passports, 144 credit card numbers, and 66,000 other personal data from the airline’s Philippine customers were exposed when Cathay’s network suffered from unauthorized access in March, the NPC said in an order dated Oct. 29.

The NPC is an independent body created under Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, mandated to administer and implement the provisions of the Act, and to monitor

and ensure compliance of the country with international standards set for data protection.

It is attached to the Philippine Department of Information and Communications Technology for purposes of policy coordination, but remains independent in the performance of its functions.

Under the law, the Commission safeguards the fundamental human right of every individual to privacy,

particularly information privacy while ensuring free flow of information for innovation, growth, and national development.

Among the data items exposed were nationalities, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, credit card numbers, frequent flyer membership numbers, customer service remarks, and historical travel information, the NPC said.

The Commission gave Cathay five days to submit “further information on the measures taken to address the breach.”

Cathay was also given 10 days to explain in writing why the government should “overcome the presumption” that the airline deliberately hid the breach from the NPC, the Commission said.

“There appears to be a failure on

the part of Cathay to report to this Commission what it knew about the data breach at the time it confirmed unauthorized access and what the affected data fields are,”the NPC added.

“Philippine law imposes criminal liability on persons who, after having knowledge of a security breach and of the obligation to notify the Commission under Philippine law, intentionally or by omission conceals the fact of such security breach,” the order read.

In October, Cathay Pacific confirmed it suffered from a data breach that affected 9.4 million passengers worldwide.

The airline first noticed “suspicious activity on its network and called for an internal investigation” in March 2018, and confirmed the “unauthorized access” in May.

DOTR:...

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Batan said Tugade had precise instructions that the government would not increase fares in the MRT while commuters were still beyond the improvements implemented in the system.

The MRT-3 last increased its fees in January 2015 to P11 as base fare plus an additional P1 per kilometer.

It has since been plagued by issues traced to poor maintenance, with coaches breaking down every once in a while.

A daily average of 350,000 commuters use the 16.9-kilometer rail line, which traverses the stretch of Edsa from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City.

On Thursday, the government, through the Department of Finance, and the Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, signed an P18-billion loan agreement for the MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project.

The project, which has a life span until 2022, will cover rehabilitation and maintenance of all sub-components of the train line, including its electro-mechanical systems, power supply, and rail tracks, among others, according to officials.

CHRISTMAS CAROUSAL. SM City Taytay on Friday launched its Christmas Carnival featuring aerobics and gymnastics where children and those children-at-heart will experience in the next few days during the season the spirit of Christmas with Santa Claus and Yuletide bunnies. Norman Cruz

P2-PUMP PRICE...

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Diesel is expected to decrease by P2.00 to P2.10 per liter, while gasoline should decrease by P2.20 to P2.30 per liter, according to the forecast.

“Since Oct. 15, 2018 the price of diesel has decreased by a total P3.10 and the price of gasoline has decreased by a total of P5.55,” Unioil said.

Latest data from the Department of Energy showed diesel costs P43.55 to P48.79 per liter while gasoline prices range from P48.75 to P59.07 per liter.

Phoenix Petroleum Philippines led the latest price rollback of as much as P1.10 per liter effective 6 am Sunday.

“For the 4th straight week and for motorists to enjoy lower pump prices for the long weekend, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines will decrease the prices of gasoline

by P1.10 per liter and diesel by P1 per liter effective 6 am of 04 November 2018,”the company said in its advisory.

Other oil companies are expected to be on the chase.

The oil firms also cut auto LPG prices

by P4.20 per liter.

The big rollback for LPG followed the major rollback implemented by the oil companies early in the week of as much as P1.50 to P1.65 per liter for gasoline, P0.60 per liter for diesel and P0.65 per liter for kerosene.

Year-to-date adjustments prior to the rollback implemented by Phoenix are now at a net increase of P8.70 per liter for gasoline, P10.60 per liter for diesel and P9.60 per liter for kerosene.

Meanwhile, oil companies hope the Department of Finance will not change its mind and reimpose higher excise taxes in January so that consumers can get a break from the effects of higher inflation.

“That’s the beauty of deregulation.

To gain competitive advantage some companies make price differentiation.

In the bigger picture, we’re positive that these price rollbacks and the availability of NFA rice and reduction in price of commercial rice will certainly reduce inflation for the last quarter of the year,” Eastern Petroleum president Fernando Martinez said.

“Nonetheless , the oil price rollbacks should not encourage DOF (Finance Department) to reimpose the P2.50 per liter specific tax which was officially deferred... to give consumers breathing room from inflationary pressure,” Martinez said.

Year-to-date adjustments prior to the latest rollback implemented are a net increase of P8.70 per liter for gasoline, P10.60 per liter for diesel and P9.60 per liter for kerosene.

The Philippines imports more than

90 percent of its fuel requirements thus it is exposed to price volatilities in the world market.

World oil prices have declined recently but the market remains positive on the supply security due to the several developments, the Department of Energy said in its monitoring report.

It said oil prices continued the downward trend after reports of a strong build-up in US crude stockpiles and increased confidence about the availability of supplies towards the end of the year and into early 2019.

Swelling US inventories and concern that trade wars were curbing economic activity also pushed oil prices down.

Traders also noted that Iran’s exports have not declined as much as predicted a couple of months ago and it is now clear they will not fall to zero, even after US sanctions are imposed against Iran.

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MMDA RESUMES CLEANUP DRIVE AT MANILA BAY

By Joel E. Zurbano

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HE Metro Manila Development Authority on Saturday resumed its Manila Bay cleanup operation and collected at least seven truckloads or 34 tons of garbage.

Two hundred street sweepers coming from different areas of assignment gathered as early as 7 a.m. at the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard near the US Embassy and started

cleaning the bay.

The activity, an initiative of MMDA chairman Danilo Lim, aims to promote environmental consciousness, with agency employees leading the way as eco-warriors.

“The Manila Bay cleanup activity is part of the MMDA’s 43rd anniversary celebration and we intend to continue this for the remaining Saturdays of the month,” said Francis Martinez, head of the MMDA Metro Parkways Clearing Group.

Among those collected were bamboo poles and driftwood which had been carried by currents from nearby fish pens; water hyacinths, plastics, household waste, and all sorts of garbage thrown indiscriminately into esteros and creeks.

Martinez described the floating garbage as eyesores in Manila Bay, which is among the popular places in the city known for leisure walk and for viewing the sunset.

“We keep on reminding the public to dispose their garbage properly because like here in Manila Bay, our trash will just be thrown back by big waves during heavy rains,” he said.

The cleanup was joined by workers of the Manila City Government, which also provided the dump trucks.

The collected garbage was hauled to Pier 18 for delivery to the sanitary landfill.

On Nov. 3, MMDA workers collected eight small dump trucks of garbage equivalent to 27 tons during the first Manila Bay cleanup activity.

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PALACE DEFENDS PROCLAMATION VS TRILLANES AMNESTY

By Vito Barcelo

MALACAÑANG on Saturday defended the legality of President Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of Proclamation No. 572, saying it did not violate Senator Antonio. Trillanes’ constitutional right to due process in response to the senator’s lawyers claim that the order was illegal and unconstitutional.

“We stand with the decision of Makati RTC Branch 148, in so far as it upheld the legality of Presidential Proclamation No. 572 (s. 2018),” Palace Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Trillanes has filed a motion before the Makati Regional Trial branch 148 to reconsider its decision upholding the validity of President Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572 that revoked his amnesty last September.

The lawmaker’s camp raised a number of arguments including the claim that such proclamation violated his right to due process and equal protection when it was used by authorities in trying to arrest him.

However, Panelo claimed that the proclamation was “a valid exercise of executive power.”

He said the President has the constitutional mandate to ensure the enforcement of all laws, including the lawful prosecution of those who violate such laws.

“The proclamation is by no means an intrusion or usurpation into the powers of the other independent branches of government” Panelo said, saying it was Trillanes who continues to violate the concept of amnesty and seeks to subvert it.

INSURANCE FIRM GOES HIGH-TECH TO TAP MARKET

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MASSIVE CLEANUP. Workers from the Metro Manila Development Authority and DPS Manila lead a massive cleanup operation at the Manila Bay area along Roxas Boulevard on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. The activity aims to remove trash clogging the waterways along the bay. Norman Cruz

ARROYO LAUDS CSFI’S KABUHAYAN 2018 TRADE FAIR

By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has commended the officers and members of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. for their hard work in bringing to reality the Kabuhayan 2018 National Livelihood Trade Fair which showcases the best products from around the country in support of the small, micro and medium entrepreneurs in the different congressional districts.

The Kabuhayan 2018 is being held from Nov. 8 to 11, 2018 at the Megatrade Hall 1, 5th level, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

In a taped video message aired during the Kabuhayan 2018 opening program on Thursday, Arroyo said because of the CSFI initiative, the different products of the country’s provinces and regions are given the opportunity to reach a wider market.

“Let me congratulate the CSFI [officers and members] for all their

hard work in bringing these products from where they all started and give our entrepreneurs an opportunity for a wider market to sell their wares,” said Arroyo.

The trade fair is an important traditional event that allows everyone to see the best products from around the country, she said.

“Ito ay isang importanteng proyekto taon-taon dahil kayo ay may mga produkto na ipapakita na mula sa lahat ng distrito sa Pilipinas. Para na rin kayong namamasyal sa iba’t ibang probinsiya ng Pilipinas kapag nalibot ninyo ang mga tindahan at bilihin,” Arroyo said.

She vowed that as she serves her term as Speaker, she will give her all out support for the CSFI endeavors for the benefit and success of each congressional district in the country.

The Speaker lauded Kabuhayan 2018’s chosen beneficiary, the World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines, in particular its program geared toward

3000 tuna fisherfolk in Mindoro Strait and Lagonoy Gulf.

“The CSFI’s generosity as well as that of the sponsors ensures the success of the trade fair and to be able to make a significant donation to WWF,” Arroyo said.

The Speaker wished the success of all MSMEs in the congressional districts. She also encouraged Filipinos to participate and support the Kabuhayan 2018 by buying local products in the trade fair.

“Maraming salamat sa inyong pagtangkilik,” she said.

Meanwhile, event guest speaker Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat thanked the CSFI for once again holding the livelihood trade fair for the benefit of the country’s MSMEs. “It is not only an avenue to showcase our products, thereby giving exposure to our entrepreneurs, and creating new possibilities for businessmen, but it also serves as a space where we can

provide consumers a glimpse of the uniquely creative and vibrant culture we foster each of our provinces,” said Puyat.

Puyat said one of the many ways the Department of Tourism can assist the different provinces is by selling their products in duty-free stores.

“It’s only in the Philippines that our Duty Free stores are full of Cadbury, Kisses [chocolates]... We’re now starting to sell local products, they happen to have beautiful packaging now. We should promote local and now is the time for local because everybody is very local,” said Puyat.

She urged the people to always highlight their unique identity as Filipinos in the products that they promote.

Puyat commended and thanked the CSFI for “being our country’s partners as we continue to make the Philippines one of the most fun and must be experienced destinations in the world.”

ECO GROUP SLAMS ENTRY OF GARBAGE FROM S. KOREA

PARK DUMPSITE. Piles of garbage mar the view of the newly-renovated and modernized National Museum of Natural History which opened recently to the public.

In direct violation of R.A. 9003, or the Ecological Waste Management Act, this part of the Luneta Park, just right behind the museum, is being used as an open dumpsite.

Photo shows a garbage truck dumping trash, while a scavenger looks on expectantly.

A NATIONAL environmental health and justice organization denounced the entry of misdeclared plastic trash from South Korea, a highly developed economy, to a country like the Philippines, which is struggling to address its own garbage woes.

Fearing a repeat of the still unresolved Canadian garbage dumping scandal, the Quezon City-based EcoWaste Coalition called on authorities to reject the illegal garbage imports from South Korea and to return them at once to their origin.

Bandila, the late night news broadcast of ABS CBN, reported about the garbage importation controversy on Nov. 10. “We find this latest incident of plastic waste dumping outrageous and unacceptable. Why do we keep on accepting garbage from other countries when we know that our country’s plastic waste, which is literally everywhere, is spilling to the oceans and

endangering marine life?,” said Aileen Lucero, national coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

“We also find it ironic that while South Korea is taking action to control its plastic waste, including banning plastic bags in supermarkets starting October this year, and yet its unwanted plastics are being sent abroad,” she said.

“It’s high time for the Philippines to disallow garbage imports and to demand that developed countries, as well as manufacturers of plastics and other disposable goods, take full responsibility for their products throughout their whole life cycle,” she said.

“The illegal garbage shipments from Canada misrepresented as recyclable plastic scraps, which are still in our country, are a stinking reminder of how disadvantageous and unjust global waste trade is,” she added.

STORMS and natural disasters visit often throughout the year yet significant portion of the population does not have any insurance and an insurance firm is taking the opportunity to invest in new technologies to tap the market.

According to the Insurance Commission, insurance penetration in the Philippines is very low at only 1.64 percent.

MAPFRE Insular says that with a major number of properties either uninsured or underinsured, there is a significant threat of financial loss if, and when, disaster strikes.

“We believe that the Filipino market still has aversions to insurance because there is an impression that it’s difficult to acquire,” said Tirso Abad, president and CEO of MAPFRE Insular.

“To address this problem, MAPFRE Insular has invested in new technologies to make insurance easier to acquire and to simplify its concepts for the customer,” he continued.

One of MAPFRE Insular’s latest innovations is the use of the QR code for all their clients.

“The QR Codes make it faster to verify and process claims. Each unique QR code is also secure, so the customers are protected from counterfeit claims on their policies,” Abad said.

BILL RECALLING YAMASHITA’S SURRENDER PUSHED RESIDENTS of Ifugao province are waiting for President Rodrigo Duterte to sign an enrolled bill that declares Sept. 2 as a non-working holiday in the province.

On Sept. 2, 1945, General Tomoyuki Yamashita surrendered to the US military in Kiangan town, ending Japanese resistance to the allied forces that came to liberate the Philippines.

Yamashita was the commander of all Japanese Imperial army forces in the Philippines.

Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. of Ifugao, principal author of House Bill 5553, underscored the significance of Yamashita’s surrender in 1945 that paved the way to the liberation of the country from its colonizer.

Prior to the congressional adjournment on Oct. 12, the bill was transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his approval and signature, after both the House and the Senate passed the measure.

“The 2nd day of September 1945 is a significant date in the history, not only of Ifugao but also of the country,” Baguilat said, in seeking to declare Sept. 2 of every year as a special nonworking holiday in Ifugao province to commemorate the surrender of Yamashita. Maricel V. Cruz

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News

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

HIGH COURT UPHOLDS K-12 TACK

T

HE Kindergarten to Grade 12 education program is constitutional, the Supreme Court has ruled.

The high court denied the consolidated petitions against Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 and Republic Act No. 10157 or the Kindergarten Education Act, as well as the related issuances from the Commission on Higher Education and Department of Education.

“The Court, despite its vast powers, will not review the wisdom, merits, or propriety of gov-

ernmental policies, but will strike them down only on either of two grounds: (1) unconstitutionality or illegality and/or (2) grave abuse of discretion,” the SC ruling stated.

“For having failed to show any of the above in the passage of the assailed law and the department issuances, the petitioners’ remedy thus lies not with the Court, but with the executive and legislative branches of the government.”

RA 10533 paved the way for the Philippines to switch to the K to 12 program from the old 10-year basic education system.

It was signed into law in 2013 by President Benigno Aquino III. Kindergarten was institutionalized as part of the

basic education system under RA 10157.

The high court also lifted the temporary restraining order issued April 21, 2015 on the exclusion of Filipino and Panitikan as core college courses.

The petitioners earlier said the K-12 program “denied the school’s students the education they are entitled to as gifted and talented learners.”

They also said Congress violated the students’ rights to due process, to equal protection, and to select a course of study when it crafted RA 10533, “by unfairly and unreasonably requiring them to attend two additional years of senior high school as a pre-condition to entry to college.”

Dante Silverio

EX-COACH NABBED FOR FIRING GUN

By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE arrested former professional basketball coach Dante Silverio for indiscriminately firing a gun at Ecology Village in Barangay Magallanes, Makati City last Friday.

Southern Police District spokesperson Jenny Tecson said a joint team from the Special Weapons and Tactics and Makati City-Police Community Precinct (PCP-4) arrested Silverio inside his S Services Inc. office located at 2257 Don Chino Roces Extension, also in Makati City.

Citing a report submitted to the SPD by Insp. Arnel Perez, of Makati City-PCP 4, Tecson said the 81-year-old Silverio fired his gun at about 10:23 am Friday inside the village, causing “fear and disturbance among the residents.” It was not clear why he fired his weapon.

The report also showed that Silverio “escaped after the incident on board his private car white Fortuner with personal plate number DSS 33 but was arrested during follow-up operation.”

Silverio was charged with alarm and scandal before the City Prosecutors Office and is now detained at the Makati City Police jail.

In the Philippine Basketball Association, Silverio led the Toyota franchise to five championships in the 1970s. After Toyota, he became the head coach of Shell team.

In 2003, Silverio participated in the Crispa-Toyota rivalry reunion game during the PBA All Star Game, coaching the Toyota side.

Representative Datu Radin Igwas

HORSEBACK ONLY OPTION FOR IP DAD DAVAO CITY— Kidapawan City Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Datu Radin Igwas came to last week’s session of the city council some 6.4 km. away from his home in Barangay Perez the best way he knew how—on horseback.

Igwas said Saturday he was not trying to make a statement for being an IP leader, nor was it an antic.

He was forced to ride the horse because two weeks ago, kidapawan Mayor Joseph Evangelista issued a memorandum stripping him of his service vehicle.

Upon receiving the memo, Igwas said he was not seriously troubled because “I can still attend the session by other means.”

“We datus are used to using horses to move around,” he said.

But when the second memo came, also on Oct. 28, he started to worry. The second memo says he was also being stripped of his office.

Igwas said Evangelista reasoned out in the second memo that his office would be renovated for the use of the deputy mayor for the IP. In a statement, Igwas said he heard he was being stripped of his service vehicle and his office because he was supposedly supporting Evangelista’s rival in the May elections. PNA

‘KINILAW & BUKO’ TO WOW LONDON CHEAP THRILLS. Christmas decor at reasonable prices lure shoppers at a Manila arcade on Saturday. Prices are expected to climb to next week as more bargain hunters of Christmas ornaments flock to shopping centers. Ey Acasio

P25 WAGE HIKE ON NOV. 27 ‘NOT ENOUGH’

By Vito Barcelo THE P25 daily wage increase will take effect by Nov. 27, Labor Secretary Silvester Bello III said, but labor groups insisted the meager pay hike would not be enough to support the buying power of the ideal workers’ salary of P537 a day.

“The adjustment will take effect on Nov. 27, 15 days after the publication of the approval by the National Wages and Productivity Commission in a newspaper of general publication,” Bello said Saturday.

The P25 increase is way lower than the P334 the petitioners have proposed, and is closer to the P20 offer of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines.

The Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and Partido Manggagawa slammed the wage hike, saying it is too small to compensate for the erosion in workers’ wages due to inflation.

The groups said the current cost of living estimate for

a family of five in Metro Manila is P1,300 a day.

“The marked slowdown in household consumption on food and other basic products is a manifestation that wages and benefits workers are receiving are no longer enough to buy essential necessities and pay for basic services,” ALU-TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said.

“We call call this ongoing inflation crisis phenomenon as putol-putol na sinturon and punit-punit na kumot [cut-up belt and torn blanket],” he said in describing the state of “diminishing options” for poor workers.

“With more and more workers and their families experiencing poverty, the TUCP is looking at lower productivity of workers to create products and render services greatly affecting our high and competitive economic performance,” the group said.

Meanwhile, the PM said the P25 adjustment is the latest proof of how wages are fixed under the present administration “that deepens inequality rather than eradicate chronic poverty.”

CEBU PAC CANCELS 90 FLIGHTS FOR NAIA SYSTEM FIX

STREET DANCE. Performers from different schools in Mandaluyong City compete in street dancing during the 87th anniversary of the act changing the name of the municipality of San Felipe Neri in the province of Rizal to its present name at Barangay Hulo. Manny Palmero

CEBU Pacific Air (CEB) and its sister airline Cebgo on Saturday announced the cancellation of at least 90 domestic flights in Manila scheduled from Nov. 15 to 20 to give way for the improvement of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s navigational system.

In its Nov. 10 advisory, the CEB management stated that“this is to remind passengers on the following Cebu Pacific and Cebgo flights that these have been canceled in line with the government’s call for a reduction in flights to give way for the transition to the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system.”

Among those canceled are flights to and from Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Cotabato, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Naga, Tuguegarao, and Zamboanga.

The domestic flights in Zamboanga to and from Tawi-Tawi and Davao scheduled

on Nov. 19 were also suspended.

“These cancellations are a necessary as a precaution during the integration of a new system that will improve navigation and air traffic management within Philippine airspace,” CEB management said.

Legacy carrier Philippine Airlines is also suspending more than 120 flights.

At least 60 domestic flights and 68 international flights will be affected by the PAL cancellation.

Among the domestic PAL flights affected are to and from Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, Laoag, Kalibo, Tagbilaran, Davao, Cotabato and General Santos.

The international flights affected are to and from Hong Kong, Dubai, Pudong, Narita, Singapore, Dammam, Bangkok, Jakarta, Riyadh, Melbourne, Fukuoka, Denpasar, Doha and Xiamen. Joel E Zurbano

THERE’S a new Filipino restaurant poised to take over the London food scene, and it offers, among others, lechon ice cream.

Kinilaw & Buko, an intimate 42-cover restaurant and cocktail bar, opened on Oct. 23 at London’s trendy Hoxton Street, with a promise to bring to the table a revolutionary menu that will change the way Londoners will think about Filipino food.

Cooking up a storm at Kinilaw & Buko is Filipino Head Chef Francis ‘Ace’ Puyat, who was the mastermind of last year’s largest pop up in London, The Hallou-mi.

Originally from Mindoro, Chef Francis moved to London with his parents in 1997 and wasted no moment in spreading the word about Filipino cuisine one plate at a time. Fast forward two decades later, Chef Francis teamed up with his buddy, 100 Hoxton Founder Andrew Zilouf to transform what was once a tailors’ shop into a Filipino restaurant that masterfully sews together the diverse flavors of Southeast Asia’s biggest culinary secret.

DIABETES CENTER CREATION PUSHED

By Maricel V. Cruz A PRO-ADMINISTRATION lawmaker on Saturday pushed for the passage of his bill establishing the Philippine Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology as the primary institution in the treatment of millions of Filipino diabetics.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said the enactment of his House Bill 7861 will enable the government to take a more decisive approach to fighting diabetes, a silent killer disease.

Citing the National Nutrition and Health Survey (NNHS), Villafuerte said the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Philippines for the last 10 years has grown from 3.9 percent to 17.8 percent, or by nearly 20 percent.

“This means that one out of every five Filipinos could potentially have diabetes mellitus or pre-diabetes,” Villafuerte said.

“If nothing is done to stem the alarming trend, the prevalence of diabetes is expected to soar to 20 percent by the year 2045, and more than 100,000 Filipinos would be dying every year arising from its complications,” Villafuerte added.

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Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Opinion

EDITORIAL

I

SOUNDS OF SCIENCE

REHABILITATION EFFORTS

T HAS been five years since Typhoon “Yolanda” swept Eastern Visayas with a thumping nightmare from which disaster officials and political leaders were traumatized, cut to the quick with a lesson beyond full resolution.

Officials, looking back, admit Yolanda, has taught them, in the lens of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, “a hard lesson in public service, particularly on the need to respond to our people’s plight with more compassion and urgency.”

It matters not if an area devastated is in the political map of incumbent leaders.

Essential is that the political leaders and disaster officials have a template to address similar situations in years ahead, particularly since the Philippines, its location near the equator, is prone to tropical cyclones.

The Yolanda experience, with its 314-kilometers-per-hour winds—the

PECIER DECIERDO

SCIENCE AS A HUMAN RIGHT

strongest to make landfall in recorded history up to then—has shown how vital it is to know disasters and their effects.

We agree with observers that potential victims, those hacking out a living in disaster zones, rescue teams and those directly and indirectly involved must be equipped with the basic knowledge to respond with the speed of light when disasters jab a community.

It is good that government officials commend Filipinos’ exemplary resilience, but they must gear up on victims’ resettlement needs while remembering the selflessness of volunteers and organizations that participated in the recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

At least 10,000 have been estimated to have died, 22,000 missing with damage estimated at P571.1 billion, economic growth hampered by about 0.9 percent in 2013, and another 0.3 percent in 2014.Beyond all this, Yolanda has shown the need for coordination at all levels, aid transparency and accountability, systems and protocols for donations and aid, conduct of post disaster needs assessment, as well as recovery planning, implementation, monitoring and communications.

ON NOV. 10 of every year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization celebrates World Science Day for Peace and Development. This year, UNESCO celebrates World Science Day with the theme “Science, a Human Right.”

What does it mean for science to be a human right? And how do we know that science is a human right in the first place?

To answer the first question, we need to know what it means for something to be a human right. We also need to know what science is in the first place. That makes it a bit more challenging to answer. To make it easier, let us start with the latter question.

On Dec. 10, 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This year marks its 70th anniversary.

The UDHR was adopted by the countries of the world to aid in setting out, for the first time, “fundamental human rights to be universally protected.” In its preamble, the Declaration recognizes “the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family” as the “foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.”

Many of the rights in the UDHR are known to many. Examples are the right to freedom of conscience and religion, the right to not be enslaved, and the right to not be tortured. These well-known rights are guaranteed by Articles 18, 4, and 5 of the UDHR, respectively.

What is less known is that in Article 27, the Declaration guarantees that everyone has the right to “share in scientific advancements and its benefits.” In addition to this, Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) also requires governments to “recognize the right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications” and even to “conserve, develop, and diffuse science.”

In other words, under these Declarations and Covenants agreed to by the nations of the world, science is indeed a human right.

So, what does it mean for science to be a human right? What is a human right, anyway?

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines human rights as “norms that help to protect people everywhere from severe political, legal, and social abuses.” These norms are sometimes enshrined in law, such as in the Philippine Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

What all this means is that sharing in the advancements and benefits of science must be a norm to everyone in the world.

Better yet, sharing in the benefits of science must be strengthened by laws that are then enacted by governments.

Sadly, as with many human rights, many people do not have access to the benefits of scientific advancements. This means that the norms of our society or the actions of our government does not always ensure that everyone can have access to products of science.

One does not have to look very deep into the Philippine context to see how so many of our fellow Filipinos do not have access to the benefits of science.

First of all, the Philippines has a lot of room for improvement in terms of scientific literacy. According to official data, only around 60 percent of Filipinos 20 and older have a functional literacy of a high school graduate. If we combine the fact that functional literacy is a minimal measure with the facts about most Filipinos’ media diet and the number of available avenues for popularizing science in the Philippines, we come to a worrying conclusion.

What should make us worry even more is that we live in an age when scientific literacy is a very important tool for survival.

Scientific literacy helps one decide whether to vaccinate one’s children or not, how to distinguish experts from charlatans, and how to distinguish reputable sources of information from unreputable ones or worse, from so-called “fake news.” The response of many members of the public from the Dengvaxia debacle shows how crucial improving our scientific literacy is.

This problem is not unique to the Philippines. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “[Governments] have largely ignored their Article 15 obligations and neither the human rights nor the scientific communities have brought their skills and influential voices to bear on the promotion and application of this rights in practice.”

Seeing how central science and its products are to the modern world, we must assert, more than ever before, our right to share in the products and process of science. In other words, we must insist that our government protect our human right to the benefits of scientific advancement through passing and enforcing laws that allow us to access these benefits that are the shared heritage of all of us.

‘GOOD MEN DO BAD THINGS’: CHERYL STRAYED ON HEALING, TRUTH AND #METOO

By Ammu Kannampilly HONG KONG—Bestselling author Cheryl Strayed, whose memoir “Wild” was turned into an Oscar-nominated film about her recovery from trauma, says listening more is key to healing wounds between men and women in the age of #MeToo. Published in 2012, “Wild”—which recounted Strayed’s grueling 1,100mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail in America at the age of 26—was a smash hit that prompted Oprah Winfrey to resurrect her book club.

Two years later, the film starring Reese Witherspoon catapulted the US author to fame.

The three-month long hike emerged out of Strayed’s struggle to recover from her mother’s untimely death, a loss which sparked the breakdown of her marriage and sent her into a selfdestructive spiral of sex and drugs.

Now 50, Strayed says that while she is no stranger to trauma—she has told of suffering sexual abuse at the hands of her paternal grandfather when she was just three years old—the #MeToo movement has made her “rethink the meaning of consent.”

Speaking to AFP on the sidelines of

the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Strayed—long a campaigner for women’s rights—recounts how her high-school boyfriend once ripped off her top and exposed her breasts in front of a male classmate before both boys ran away laughing.

“What kills me is that as upset as I was, I just brushed it off and I didn’t break up with him,” she says.

“There was no place to say: ‘This is wrong and he should be held to account.’”

Yet, even as Strayed applauds the way in which the #MeToo movement has helped dissolve a culture of silence concerning sexual harassment, she says it is vital for men to join the conversation.

Any prospects for lasting change depend on whether people are able to accept the fact that “a lot of good men have done very bad things” and been allowed to get away with it because of social norms that have traditionally blamed victims rather than perpetrators of harassment, she says.

“I don’t blame men for learning the lessons, I blame them for failing to unlearn the lessons,” that encourage them to mistreat women, she says.

“Healing is absolutely possible, but

it’s only possible if we are willing...to listen and to speak.”

‘Born ambitious’ Strayed says she was “born ambitious” and first encountered gender discrimination as a child at home when her maternal grandfather made a dismissive comment saying it was a shame that she, not her brother, was the brainy one.

“I was crushed by that,” she says of the incident which found its way into her debut novel “Torch,” published in 2006 when she was still a little-known author.

Describing herself as a feminist since the age of six, Strayed has organized protests, lobbied politicians to back feminist policies and contributed funds towards tackling issues ranging from reproductive rights to aiding incarcerated women.

But even as she devotes time and money to supporting feminist causes, she says storytelling has been her strongest weapon in the fight for gender equality.

“My furthest and most radical reach is via the books I have written,” she says, describing writing as “a deeply political ac t”.

“Reading with an open mind and an

open heart is transformative.”

‘Outside the comfort zone’ Although fiction remains her first love, it was non-fiction that vaulted Strayed into the ranks of literary superstardom.

Her memoir inspired hordes of women to strap on their backpacks and follow in her footsteps, in a trend nicknamed “The Wild Effect.”

Her third and fourth books—a compilation of advice columns from her time as an anonymous agony aunt “Dear Sugar” and a collection of inspirational quotes—have burnished her reputation as a writer who many of her readers see as a mentor of sorts.

A fifth book is on the way, she says—a memoir about travel.

There are no clues as to what it will be titled, though she has previously joked about simply calling it: “Mild.”

Looking back to the book that changed her life and won her an enduring readership, Strayed says its title reflects “that wild place that we all have within, where anything is possible, where any thought can roam within our bodies and minds.”

“I love the wonder inherent in that word.” AFP

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Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

‘FB’ FOLLOWS GOOGLE’S LEAD ON HARASSMENT SAN FRANCISCO—Facebook on Friday said it will no longer require employees to resolve sexual harassment claims via arbitration, mirroring a move by Google.

The change of workplace rules at the world’s leading social network will allow complaints of such improprieties to be aired openly in court.

“Today, we are publishing our updated Workplace Relationships policy and amending our arbitration agreements to make arbitration a choice rather than a requirement in sexual harassment claims,” Facebook corporate media relations director Anthony Harrison told AFP. “Sexual harassment is something that we take very seriously and there is no place for it at Facebook.”

The Silicon Valley-based internet firm’s policy about workers dating one another was also modified to require executives of director level or higher to tell the human resources department when they are dating another employee at the company.

Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week.

Arbitration of harassment claims at Google will be optional instead of obligatory, according to chief executive Sundar Pichai, a move that could end anonymous settlements that fail to identify those accused of harassment.

“Google has never required confidentiality in the arbitration process and it still may be the best path for a number of reasons (e.g. personal privacy, predictability of process), but, we recognize that the choice should be up to you,” Pichai said in a memo shared with AFP. Pichai promised that Google will be more transparent with how concerns are handled, and provide better support and care to those who raise such issues with the company.

A section of an internal “Investigations Report” will show numbers of substantiated sexual harassment concerns as well as trends and disciplinary actions, according to the Californiabased company.

He also said Google is consolidating the complaint system and that the process for handling concerns will include providing support personnel and counselors. AFP

EX-GOLDMAN SACHS CEO MET KEY 1MDB SCANDAL FIGURE

NEW YORK—Former Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein met with a man at the center of the 1MDB corruption scandal involving former Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak, a person close to the matter confirmed to Agence France-Presse.

The US Justice Department charged three people in the case last week, two of them former Goldman bankers, and said a “high-ranking executive” of the bank was present at a November 2009 meeting with Low Taek Jho -- an alleged mastermind and intermediary to the Malaysian fund.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed news reports that Blankfein, who stepped down as CEO last month after 12 years, is the executive named in the court documents. A Goldman Sachs spokesman declined an AFP request for comment.

The source told AFP that Blankfein and Low attended a meeting in November 2009 hosted by Najib at his hotel in New York while visiting the United States.

The private reception, which was described as an outreach effort, was held a few weeks after Najib created Malaysian public investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) to modernize Malaysia.

That meeting laid the foundation for a commercial relationship between the prestigious investment bank and Kuala Lumpur, the source said.

The United States charged Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, with working with two former Goldman bankers —Tim Leissner and Ng Chong Hwa— to launder billions of dollars allegedly skimmed from 1MDB. Low remains at large.

Leissner and Ng are charged with conspiring to launder billions of dollars from the sovereign wealth fund and for conspiring to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi to hire Goldman for lucrative consulting contracts. AFP

SRI LANKA CRISIS DEEPENS, SNAP ELECTION CALLED

GIMME, MASTER. Mary, a drug-sniffing shepherd, gets a treat from her owner at an inspection station at the Port of Entry along the United States-Mexico border in San Ysidro, California on Friday. AFP

US GROWS NUMB TO SHOOTINGS

W

ASHINGTON When a gunman entered a California music bar this week and started firing, some of the patrons ran out of back doors, they smashed windows to escape, they hid.

Unlike some mass shooting victims, they were not paralyzed by fear. But their quick action was not necessarily instinctive.

Several of those at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday had been through a mass shooting before—when a gunman opened fire on a crowd of country music fans in Las Vegas last year, killing 58.

“Unfortunately, these young people have learned that this may happen,” Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said following Wednesday’s shooting by a Marine combat veteran that left 12 dead in Thousand Oaks.

Even in a country that has become accustomed to gun massacres, the idea that some Americans have lived through not one, but two attacks is startling.

“It’s insane is the only way to describe it,” California’s Democratic Governor-elect Gavin Newsom said.

“The normalization, that’s the only I can describe it. It’s become normalized.”

The southern California slaughter came on the heels of another massacre, when Robert Bowers, who openly spewed extreme anti-Semitic invective, allegedly burst into a Pittsburgh synagogue and killed 11 Jewish worshippers.

The Gun Violence Archive, which tracks mass shootings in which at least four people were shot or killed, said the Thousand Oaks assault was the 307th mass shooting this year.

In other words, a mass shooting takes place somewhere in America almost daily.

Back-to-back shootings have left

many Americans feeling jaded to the horror, said Gregg Carter, a sociology professor at Bryant University in Rhode Island.

“A constant bombardment of bad news is unhealthy for us both mentally and physically,” he told AFP. “Americans are turning themselves off emotionally to mass shootings as a self-protection mechanism.”

A sort of switch-off can be seen in the media too.

Whereas a mass shooting used to dominate the news cycle for a week or more and garner saturation cable news coverage, such incidents nowadays are receiving much less air time.

This “public fatigue or fatalism” is partly due to a barrage of other big events crowding out the story, and partly it’s because political debate about how to address the problem is stuck, noted Robert Spitzer, political science professor at the State University of New York, College at Cortland.

Guns rights are enshrined in the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution and Republicans are loathe to discuss any sort of gun control, often reacting to gun violence by offering “thoughts and prayers” to the victims but little else. AFP

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—Sri Lanka plunged deeper into crisis Saturday after President Maithripala Sirisena called a snap election, leaving the country facing a further two months of damaging political paralysis with a pair of bitter rivals claiming to run his government.

In what opponents condemned as an illegal move, Sirisena dissolved parliament on Friday and announced a January election after it became clear his designated prime minister— former president Mahinda Rajapakse—would not be able to command a majority in the current legislature.

Rakapakse and ousted premier Ranil Wikremesinghe, who has refused to leave his post, have been battling for power for two weeks as international concern grows over the mounting turmoil in the strategically important island nation.

The power struggle on the island of 21 million people has paralyzed much of the administration, according to legislators on both sides of the dispute.

Sirisena signed a decree dismissing the island’s 225-member assembly and scheduled parliamentary elections for January 5, nearly two years ahead of schedule.

In a bid to head off any revolt against his action he also suspended parliament.

There was no immediate comment from Wickremesinghe, but his United National Party (UNP) said it will challenge Sirisena’s sacking of the legislature.

“This dissolution by the President is illegal and goes against the constitution,” the UNP said on Twitter. “We will be fighting this to ensure that democracy reigns supreme in the country.”

“He has robbed the people of their rights and the democracy that we have enjoyed,” the UNP said.

Sirisena had come under increased international pressure from the United States, the United Nations and the European Union to allow parliament to vote on which prime minister should form a government. AFP

CALIFORNIA FIRES CLAIM 5; 150,000 FORCED TO FLEE PARADISE, California—Five people were declared dead and 150,000 evacuated Friday as fierce wildfires raged across the western US state of California, with one rapidly spreading blaze threatening the famed resort of Malibu.

The victims died in their vehicles trying to escape a massive lateseason inferno in the northern California town of Paradise, where the entire population of 26,000 was ordered to leave, officials said.

“The preliminary investigation revealed that the victims were located in vehicles that were overcome by the Camp Fire,” said a statement by the Butte County Sheriff’s Department, adding that they had yet to be identified.

Dozens of other people were reported missing.

Residents who managed to escape Paradise posted harrowing videos to social media as they drove through tunnels of swirling smoke and orange flames to outrun the wildfire in the Butte County town, north of Sacramento.

The fast-moving Camp Fire has been fanned by strong winds to scorch 70,000 acres (28,300 hectares) and has not been contained, the California Fire Department (Cal Fire) said.

The flames destroyed hundreds of homes, a hospital, a gas station, several restaurants and numerous vehicles in Paradise, officials said.

An AFP photographer on the scene saw houses enveloped in flames, while others had already been reduced to ashes and cars burned to husks.

Authorities issued mandatory

evacuation orders for more than 50,000 people in the scenic area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, including some residents of Chico, population 93,000, near Paradise.

“The magnitude of destruction we have seen is really unbelievable and heartbreaking and our hearts go to everybody who has been affected by this,” said Mark Ghilarducci, the director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to provide assistance to the fire-hit areas.

A Cal Fire spokesman said around 2,000 buildings were believed to have been razed in Paradise.

Among those evacuated were all of the patients at the Feather River

Hospital in Paradise.

More than 2,200 firefighters were battling the blaze, backed up by helicopters and water tankers.

“This was a rapidly moving fire,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told the Chico Enterprise-Record. “And it moved very, very quickly from a rather remote area to populated areas.”

“The whole lower side of Paradise is totally engulfed in flames right now,” Kevin Winstead, a resident of nearby Magalia, told KIEM TV. “All of it is engulfed in flames right now.

“Not one home will be left standing,” he said. “I’m devastated.”

“We’re just hoping that our brand new home that we were hoping to move into tomorrow is not burned to the ground,” Winstead said. “We’re kind of all shaking right now.” AFP

EVEN FROM JAIL, ‘EL CHAPO’ LOOMS LARGE AT HOME CULIACÁN, Mexico—He has lost weight in his New York jail cell, and some of his larger-than-life aura, but Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman still looms large over Mexico’s Sinaloa, where he launched his narcotics empire.

With his head and trademark mustache shaved, held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day when he is not in court, Guzman is a far cry from the brazen billionaire capo whose Sinaloa cartel brought this lawless western state to world fame.

But even as he goes on trial Tuesday in US federal court, charged with smuggling 155 tons of cocaine into the United States, “El Chapo” remains a constant presence on the streets of Sinaloa’s capital, Culiacan, where he was feared and beloved in equal measure during his days as the world’s most-wanted drug lord.

Street vendors still sell figurines of a gun-toting Guzman, and hats stamped with the number 701—the spot he once held on Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s richest people, with an estimated fortune of $1 billion.

There is an avid fan base here for the different movies and television series inspired by his life, surely one of the most colorful to come from this region known for its outlaws.

Guzman, 61—whose nickname means “Shorty”— grew up dirt-poor in the town of Badiraguato, where he sold fruit on the street as a boy and started growing marijuana and opium poppies at age 15.

Recruited into the powerful Guadalajara cartel, he then struck out on MISSING POINTS. A man points at a map of Culiacan showing the points where his own, eventually turning his home- missing persons are searched for, in Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico, on Oct. 22. In spite of grown cartel into a multi-billion-dollar being in New York, where he awaits trial, Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is still present in the Mexican northwestern state of Sinaloa, where he was born. AFP empire with ruthless efficiency. AFP

Images

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

FAIREST OF THEM ALL. Miss Philippines Maria Ahtisa Manalo competes wearing her national costume during the Miss International Beauty Pageant final in Tokyo on Nov. 9. AFP

FESTIVE MOOD. Manila City Hall workers put up giant lanterns at the center island along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Lino Santos

THREADS OF LIFE. Saadera Basmara weaves vibrant designs that are sewn as accents into traditional Maranao dresses. Basmara is a member of the Maranao Collectibles, a social enterprise that helps survivors of the Marawi siege. Revoli Cortez

HARVEST. A kangkong farmer loads his produce into his wooden boat along Laguna de Bay. Manny Palmero

RESTING AREA. Migratory birds flock to an abandoned fishing boat in Manila Bay. Lino Santos

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Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

PEREZ: FROM STREETBALL GAMES TO NCAA STARDOM

BELINGON CROWNED NEW ONE CHAMPIONSHIP KING SINGAPORE--Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the Philippines ended the near-five year reign of now former belt holder Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes of Brazil to successfully unify the bantamweight titles during the ONE Championship at the Singapore Indoor Stadium here Friday night.

Belingon employed a terrific game plan, attacking Fernandes’ body with thudding spinning back kicks while connecting on fiery boxing combinations. Fernandes did his best to take the action to the ground, but Belingon showed much improved grappling skills. After five rounds of action, Belingon took home the victory via split decision and was crowned the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion.

Sweet revenge for Kevin Belingon

CJ Perez in action for the Lyceum Pirates in the PBA D-League.

By Peter Atencio

W

HEN the Lyceum Pirates went back to the finals for a second straight season, one of their key players CJ Perez said he cherished the trust of his teammates.

During the Final Four, coach Topex Robinson intentionally did not let Perez become a starter.

That’s when Perez realized his importance to the team.

“Hindi ako pinag-istart. At iyung iba kong teammates iyung nag-start. Kaya nu’ng napunta na ako sa court, talagang binigay ko ang best ko,” said Perez.

Perez spoke of his thoughts after the Pirates pulled off a 109-85 smashing of the Letran Knights last Oct. 26 at the Arena in San Juan.

This allowed the Pirates to claim their second consecutive finals appearance in the 94th National Collegiate Association men’s basketball tournament.

The Pirates, led by Mike Nzeusseu with 23 points and 17 rebounds, went on to post the season’s biggest winning margin this season at 24.

Perez, who averages 18 points per game, fired 19 points, with and the duo of Jaycee Marcelino and Spencer Pretta contributing 15 each, as the Pirates enjoyed a 51-47 lead at the start of third period.

Nzeusseu and Marcelino combined for 17 points in leading the Pirates to an 81-64 spread at the end of the third.

This put the Pirates against the defending champion San Beda Red Lions, who turned back the University of Perpetual Help Altas, 83-72, to forge another finals showdown with the Lyceum.

Sadly, the Pirates missed Perez in the finals’opener after he was suspended for a game for his failure to inform the NCAA management committee of his intention to join 2018 Philippine Basketball Association rookie draft.

Perez is expected to be back to lead the Pirates to a needed win in Game 2 which could force a deciding Game 3.

Perez said he feels the support of LPU fans, who want him to play.

“I look forward to the inspiration that I get from them. This is not only for me, but for me to inspire them as well with my game,” said Perez, Robinson said they have high hopes of bouncing back with Perez back in action as they fight to even things up in Game 2 on Monday.

When he was still a transferee at Ateneo de Manila two years ago, Perez was considered as a talented a player very passionate in his game.

Back then, Perez was trying to make an impression with his game when he transferred from San Sebastian College.

But a stint with the Ateneo didn’t materialize, and so he moved on to the camp of the Lyceum Pirates.

He didn’t even think of playing when when he was starting out in his hometown in the province of Pangasinan.

That’s because he was just contented playing the game at streetside courts.

And he only started playing competitive basketball around the time he graduated high school.

In Game 2, Perez’s journey for basketball stardom continues.

37 PCA OPEN 2018 SLATED TH

ALL the best tennis players in the country will see action once again in the The 37th edition of the PCA OPEN will be held this month from Nov. 16 to Dec. 9.

Considered as the most prestigious tournament in the local tennis calendar, this Group 1 level event will be held at the Philippine Columbian Association Tennis Courts in Plaza Dilao, Paco, Manila.

Expected to defend his crown in the Mens’Open event is defending Champion Bryan Otico, while last year’s runner up and two-time champion John Patrick Tierro and the legendary 8-time champion Johnny Arcilla still pose as favorites to regain the crown. Others expected to participate are

reigning RP’s top ranked player Francis Casey Alcantara, no. 2 Jeson Patrombon, and no. 3 and 2015 Champion Alberto Lim. Reigning Ladie’s Open and five-time Champion Marian Jade Capadocia will be tested once again and will be up against the likes of last year’s runner up and two time champ Clarice Patrimonio and doubles specialists veteran Bambi Zoleta and Akiko de Guzman.

Events this year will be the Mens and Ladie’s Open Singles and doubles (Qualifying Nov 2629: Main Draw Nov.30-Dec 9); Juniors 10under and 12 under (Nov. 16-18) ; Juniors 14,16,18under (Nov 23-26), and the Seniors Doubles Mens 40above and 55above and Senior Womens Dou-

bles 40above and 55above.

This Group 1 event is supported by PHILTA, Dunlop (official ball), Longmarch Roadlux, HEAD, Mary Grace, Stronghold Insurance, Coca Cola, Mr. Freeze and the Members and Directors of PCA. Participants may register thu text to Tournament Referee Ilyn Hupano at 0917-794-1354 or via email to philippineten@yahoo.com.ph , or register at Philippine Columbian tel 563-8501 loc 116 look for Chris Cometa. Deadline of Entries for the Open and Juniors is Nov. 10, while the Senior doubles is Nov. 20.

Log in to Facebook page PCAOpen 2018 for updates.

“Bibiano [Fernandes] is a very tough opponent, I really had a hard time beating him tonight. I respect him very much, and it is an honor to fight such a tough fighter. I know Bibiano is very tough, but I think I deserve this victory. The game plan was to knock him out. We saw [a weakness] in his previous fight. I kept on giving him everything, but he has good defense,” said Belingon.

In the co-main event of the evening, former ONE World Title challenger Christian “The Warrior” Lee gave fans at the Singapore Indoor Stadium a reason to celebrate after defeating Japan’s Kazuki Tokudome via technical knockout in the first round. Lee weathered Tokudome’s takedown efforts in the opening moments of the bout before landing a solid right straight that dropped his Japanese opponent to the canvas. Lee finished the task at hand by raining down piston-like ground shots, forcing the referee to step in and wave it off.

The legendary Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan once again showcased his exceptional kickboxing pedigree on the global stage, putting on a striking masterclass to defeat Muay Thai star Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy via unanimous decision. Petrosyan overwhelmed Sorgraw with his world-class boxing skills, unloading a barrage of thunderous punches while also displaying impeccable defense. After three rounds of action, Petrosyan was declared the winner, further extending his remarkable streak of victories.

Female strawweight contenders Tiffany “No Chill” Teo of Singapore and Michelle Nicolini of Brazil put on an absolute show to the delight of a packed Singapore Indoor Stadium crowd. For 15 minutes, Teo and Nicolini gave everything they had and left it all inside the cage. While Nicolini showcased her world-class grappling, it was Teo who kept her opponent on the end of some powerful striking combinations. After three rounds of gruelling action, Teo took home the hard-earned victory by unanimous decision.

ILAS SIBLINGS POISED FOR RIVIERA MVPSF SWEEP

Bernice Olivarez-Ilas

SILANG, Cavite—Siblings Miguel and Bernice Olivarez-Ilas churned out a pair of gutsy rounds in another punishing day at Langer course and edged closer to posting a rare feat in the Riviera MVPSF Amateur Championship here yesterday.

The field battled through strong winds for the second straight day and had to endure intermittent rains with Miguel, 14, toughening up in the last four holes to produce a 75 spiked by a final-hole birdie and surging from joint fourth to the top of the heap at 152, two ahead of Kristoffer Arevalo and Josh Jorge.

Bernice, on the other hand, kept her game in check from start to finish, rebounding from miscues with clutch birdies and submitting a tough 73 card that shoved her past erstwhile leader Junia Gabasa at 147 in the women’s side of the Championship Division of the event presented by MVP Sports Foundation.

Gabasa, who led Bernice by two Friday,

blew it early with a 40 start but the Cebuana bet battled back with a 36 to salvage a 76 for a 148, just one stroke off the new leader.

Rianne Malixi also squandered a 36 start with a 42, her 78 dropping her eight strokes off Bernice at 155.

“I’m happy with my short game and enjoyed most of it,” said Miguel, a Grade 9 De La Salle-Zobel student who topped the Pradera World Qualifying Amateur Championship recently. “I had some troubles but I somehow managed it.”

The same could not be said of his rivals as Arevalo bogeyed the 17th for a 74 and Jorge fumbled with a closing 40 for a 75 for a pair 154s as the gusts continued to bedevil the games of the contenders, including opening day leader Sean Ramos.

The back-to-back winner in Cangolf Am Open and NGAP Northern Luzon Regional held sway with a 36 but fell apart in severe

conditions at the back, limping with a 45 for an 81. He slipped to joint fifth at 156 with Koreans Jung Jae Hyun and Kim Tae Soo, who made a 78 and 80, respectively, and Aidric Chan, who turned in a 79.

Lanz Uy also struggled with a backside 40 for a 78 for solo fourth at 155 heading to what promises to be a wild final 18 holes of the event held as part of the PLDT National Amateur Tour and sponsored by Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments.

“I played well today and came up with a number of good pars,” said Bernice, who will try to lead a family sweep in the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Winner of a pro tournament at Beverly Place in 2016, Bernice said she would opt for conservative play in the last round to boost her title bid. “I’ll just try to enjoy my game but will do the best that I can.”

Miguel Olivarez-Ilas

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Business

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

MILLENNIAL OPENS OWN PRIVATE RESORT

NURSE who graduated cum laude but could not immediately find a job in 2010 chose to join a network marketing company and sold affordable contact lenses to fellow millennials online.

While Leo Ortiz eventually got a job offer from St. Luke’s Medical Center a year later, he decided that he could earn more outside the hospital. His experience at the network marketing company nurtured his interest in entrepreneurship. He ventured into selling products online with the help of Facebook and Instagram.

Today, the 32-year-old millennial employs more than 30 individuals and recently opened a P15-million private resort in Calamba, Laguna.

“Without the help of social media, I won’t be able to achieve this kind of success in decades,” says Ortiz, who earned his first million by selling contact lenses online in just 10 months.

“By being a millennial and yuppie, my knowledge on technology and social media helped a lot in my business,” he says in an interview in Makati City.

Ortiz is the founder and owner of Elite Contact Lens which distributes optical lenses from Korea; The Gluta Spa, a chain of skincare clinics in Luzon; and The Oia – Santorini of the South private resort in Laguna.

With billionaires Edgar ‘Injap’ Sia and Tony Tan Caktiong as his role models and his mother as his inspiration, Ortiz established Rising Dragon Trading Corp. as the holding company for his growing ventures.

His plans include putting up optical lens shops at different shopping malls and diversifying into food and restaurant business.

It was not an easy climb to the top for Ortiz. He graduated with a nursing degree from Perpetual Help College in Biñan City, but found the job market tight. “I had a difficult time finding a regular job. I waited for a year to work as a nurse at St. Luke’s,” he says.

Ortiz, without a steady source of income, decided to work for Nu Skin, a network marketing company that sells personal care products.

“It was where I transformed to become an entrepreneur. After several months of selling products, my ambition to become a nurse waned. What I learned from marketing is priceless.”

He also developed his business acumen from watching his mother—a money lender and jeweller in Laguna. His father stays at home, taking care of the family. Ortiz has two siblings.

After borrowing P10,000 from his mother, Ortiz initially sold affordable lenses to employees of shopping malls and used Facebook to create awareness. He sold 25 pairs a week and in ten months became a millionaire.

“After 10 months, I was able to save P1 million. I am frugal,” he says.

He discovered that he could earn more if he had his own brand of contact lenses. Ortiz searched Google for a foreign supplier and found one from South Korea. A communication via email resulted in a longstanding partnership for the popular brand of Elite contact lenses, with well-known celebrities now endorsing the brand.

“It was also through online distribution. A pair cost P450 then. My market was mostly yuppies,” he says. At the peak of the business, Elite was grossing P1 million to P1.5 million a month in 2013 to 2015, until more competition entered the market. “Prices went down because of the competition,” he says.

That’s when he explored another opportunity, created by the growing number of Filipinos who desire a fair complexion. “My next business is Gluta Spa. Because of my background as a nurse, I know how to administer gluta injection,” he says.

Ortiz now has seven shops of Gluta Spa in Metro Manila, Pampanga and Laguna. His gluta-related products now account for about half of his total revenues.

With enough savings, Ortiz bought a property in Calamba, which is known for hot springs. “I grew up in Calamba and I love swimming,” he says, to explain why he built a private resort in 2017. It opened in September this year, after Ortiz invested a total of P15 million.

The Oia – Santorini of the South is now one of the most sought-after private resorts in Laguna because of its Greek architecture and design.

“We have five big rooms that could accommodate 45 individuals. We have two hot spring pools,” he says.

Ortiz says he also experienced failure, such as when his other skincare venture failed to take off. “What is important is I learned from it. I wasn’t afraid to fail,” he says.

“Although I still miss being a nurse, I have no regrets because I was able to achieve the dreams that I have for my family and

The Oia – Santorini of the South owner Leo Ortiz

myself,” says Ortiz.

On how he manages his finances, Ortiz says he has an accountant and bookkeepers who help him. “I don’t spend a lot. I don’t go for branded clothes or shoes. Travel is what I spend for. I bring my family overseas,” he says.

Ortiz advises other millennials who want to succeed in business to identify their goals. “You have to know what you want for yourself and for your family. What is your dream? If you want to do business, you can do everything already. Secondly, taking a risk is a part of the game. You have to have faith in the Lord and take some action. Then, everything will follow. Don’t stop until you achieve your dream,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

KAPIHAN FORUM DISSECTS FILIPINO HERBAL INDUSTRY T WO healthcare industry experts vouched for the impor tance of herbal against traditional medicine in promoting health.

Gemiliano Aligui, chairman of the institutional research ethics committee of Food and Nutrition Research Institute at the Department of Science and Technology and Evenson Sian, founder and chief executive of Nattural Quality Corp. were guests at the recent Kapihan sa Manila Hotel where Aligui said universal health should not be contingent to medicine but rather on

food itself.

Aligui said food has ingredients considered essential for sustaining life and maintaining health like protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

He said herbal medicine and food supplements create a synergy that can combat diseases and help improve health in general.

“Herbal medicine, or herbs in general, are safe,” he said, while food can help heal by building stamina and Turn to C2

Nattural Quality Corp. founder and CEO Evenson Sian (left) and Food and Nutrition Research Institute institutional research ethics committee chairman Gemiliano Aligui show a plate of ginger and eggplant.

TOURISM SECTOR SEEN PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE IN CENTRAL LUZON THE physical and socioeconomic benefits of tourism will form part of the exhibits of Central Luzon at the North Philippines (NorthPhil) Tourism and Travel Expo slated at the SM City Clark on Nov. 16 to 18.

The exhibits will highlight tourism worthiness as the ultimate manifestation of good governance, which all the local government units in NorthPhil can aspire for, according to the Association of Tour Officers of Central Luzon, which is anticipating the rise of new Clark and Subic cities on the tide of massive infrastructure development on the back of the government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program alongside private investments.

Atocel president Michael Palispis said LGUs in Central Luzon would have to level up to keep astride with and cash in on the benefits of such developments. “ To u r i s m w o r t h i n e s s encompasses, not just infrastructure and tourist attractions, but also all the qualities of good governance that includes safety and security, economic productivity, cultural values, social behavior and attitudes, a healthy business and natural environment, a welleducated populace, transport and telecommunications connectivity, and many other factors that define a CL visitor’s experience,” Palispis said.

“The goal for the LGUs in CL and the rest of NorthPhil is to attain a level of certainty that they won’t miss out on the benefits and opportunities from tourism, whose uptrend is projected to continue despite all the fuel price hikes,” Palispis said.

Constituting Central Luzon are the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales, with an aggregate 2017 tourist volume of 3.42 million comprising 2.91 million domestic, 481,436 foreign, and 14,254 overseas Filipino workers, according to the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc. The inbound tourist volume in Central Luzon, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority, grew by 9.3 percent in 2017 when tourism contributed 12.2 percent to the economy from 8.6 percent in 2016 as measured by the share of tourism direct gross value added in the gross domestic product.

“The TDGVA amounted to P1,929 .3 billion [P1.93 trillion] at current prices in 2017. This is higher by 24.2 percent than the previous year’s P1,553.7 billion [P1.55 trillion],” the PSA report stated, citing a 43.9-percent rise in 2017 inbound tourist spend.

Also on the upsurge was domestic tourist spend, up by 25.5 percent to P2.645 trillion in 2017 from P2.1 trillion in 2016.

The share of tourism in total national employment in 2017 was placed by the PSA at 13.1 percent.

On the other hand, total contribution to GDP is projected by the World Travel & Tourism Council to rise by 5.3 percent yearly to $108.2 billion (P5.134 trillion) at 20.7 percent of the GDP in 2027.

“Thus, our LGUs shouldn’t miss out on that golden opportunity from tourism, which we strive to showcase at the NorthPhil Expo in Clark,” Palispis said of Central Luzon’s unique exhibits and the presentation of the new digital and official website of the DOT office in the region.

Central Luzon lies in the immediate north of Metro Manila and spans the full breadth of this part of the archipelago from the coastal provinces of Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan at the West Philippine Sea to Aurora province at the Pacific Ocean The Central Luzon exhibits are among those displayed in 104 booths featuring all tourism sectors in North Philippines and other parts of the archipelago, including Asia.

Co-organized by the Association of Travel Operators of Central Luzon and managed by the Philippine Exhibits and Trade Corp., the expo is supported by the Department of Tourism, the Angeles Cit y government, the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales, Clark Development Corp., Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Tourism Infrastructure & Enterprise Zone Authority, and Cebu Pacific Air as sponsors.

Business

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 business@manilastandard.net

TECHNOLUX HOLDS YEAR-END SALE OF BIGGEST COMBI-OVEN

COUPLE GROWS MAX’S FRANCHISE IN PAMPANGA

BUSINESSMEN, aspiring entrepreneurs and those involved in the food and beverage industry now have the chance to own a Convotherm combioven at a much lower price. Technolux, the brand’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines, is holding a year-end sale of Convotherm 4 easyDial 6.10 gas, the price of which is now only P399,000, down from P450,000. The sale is ongoing until supply lasts.

Ideal for chefs and restaurant owners who specialize in roasting, Convotherm cuts cooking time by half compared to standard local rotisserie that cooks for 90 minutes. About 28 whole chickens can be cooked all at once in a Convotherm oven.

That means bigger production in less time and more profit for one’s business.

Convotherm, favored by more hotels and restaurants than other brands, is equipped with world-class technology and the latest innovation with a user-friendly, ergonomic design and an intuitive system of operation.

Tess Laus (third from left) grows Max’s franchise in Central Luzon.

T

Its easyDial 6.10 model sets new standards in manual operation. All settings and extra functions can be selected and adjusted in one operating level and are visible at all times, making it easy to operate.

Moreover, its advanced closed system guarantees steam saturation, the combi-steam has humidity adjustment while its convection feature assures optimized heat transfer.

The ACS’s extra functions include 5 levels of dehumidification that makes food crispy and tasty; 5 levels for traditional baking function; 5 levels of humidification and 5 levels of fan speed.

KAPIHAN... From C1 maintain health and well-being.

Aligui pushed for a designated subject in schools focusing on herbal medicine and its properties; or at least lessons on herbal medicine added in the academic curriculum to empower consumers.

Meanwhile, Sian discussed the herbal medicine industry from a legal standpoint, expressing dismay on the local regulatory issues regarding legal therapeutic claims of herbal medicines; that brands can’t announce certain claims even though the products actually do what they are supposed to do.

Sian said the Philippines is one of the most bio-diverse locations in the world with the long use of natural and herbal plants as source of traditional medicine. “ We s h o u l d r e c o g n i z e t h e indigenous know-hows,” he said, by promoting the use of herbs as natural remedy and first-aid use due to the lack of health centers and clinics at many barangays.

He cited Thailand’s herbal industry where they adopt all forms of alternative (mostly herbal) medicine including Chinese medicine. It’s called “Thai traditional medicine.” Sian is urging the Philippine government to do the same by opening opportunities for the herbal industry to provide o p t i o n s a g a i n s t c o nve n t i o n a l medicine.

Aligui is a medical doctor with a Master of Public Health and a PhD in Biology from Brown University.

Sian is the founder of Nattural Quality Corp., a 100-percent Filipinoowned corporation established in 2002 that aims to be a leader in the “natural food supplement industry” and bring about a consciousness for better health and improved quality of life.

The Kapihan sa Manila Hotel is a local media forum relaunched on Oct. 26, 2015 by the Association of Philippine Journalists, also known as Samahang Plaridel—composed of media practitioners and communications specialists founded in 2003 by veteran journalists with at least 20 years of experience.

ESS Laus of San Fernando, Pampanga felt a sense of responsibility to help her province recover after it was devastated by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo more than 20 years ago, leaving thousands homeless and hundreds of businesses destroyed.

The opportunity to do so came when her husband Levy met with the father of Robert Trota, president and chief executive of Max’s Group Inc. to discuss the company’s plans to expand through franchising.

It was an easy decision for the couple as they saw that there was much potential in working with MGI, especially in helping them achieve their goals of rehabilitating Pampanga.

“When Robert’s father said that they were opening Max’s to franchising, we jumped on the opportunity. The first location we had in mind was the old Villa del Sol branch in San Fernando, and it took us about two months to rehabilitate the store since it was destroyed by lahar,” Laus says.

“We really wanted the Kapampangans to get excited again with the opening of Max’s Restaurant, as we want them to have a place where they can all feel at home and enjoy delicious, real food with loved ones,” she says.

Laus and her husband truly appreciated how Max’s and MGI have always placed tremendous importance on quality assurance for both food and service, and the commitment they have in ensuring that franchisees did the same.

As their store reached greater success, the Lauses opened three more Max’s Restaurant branches: one in Cabanatuan, another in Clark, and one more branch in San Fernando, this time in SM City Pampanga.

When MGI expanded its portfolio with the

acquisition of the Pancake House Group, the Lauses did not hesitate to get on board, opening two Pancake House branches, one Yellow Cab, and one Dencio’s all within the span of eight months, from October 2017 to June 2018.

This year, MGI is focusing on a franchising-led business model to drive expansion and improve accessibility. By franchising its core brands with partners such as the Lauses, the move will leverage on Max’s Group’s brand equity, operational expertise, and scale to propel store network expansion and bring its loved brands closer to more customers.

MGI is the Philippines’ largest operator in the casual dining segment. It has a network of over 600 stores in the country and more than 50 international stores in the US, Canada, China, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Its family of restaurants include Max’s Restaurant, Max’s Corner Bakery, Pancake House, Yellow Cab Pizza, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice Teriyaki Boy, Dencio’s, Kabisera, Sizzlin’ Steak, Le Coeur de France, Maple and Singkit.

THE FUTURE OF FLIGHT: A NEW AGE IN TRANSPORT SINCE its rise in the 1950s, so much has changed in the aerospace industry.

Gone are the days where pressurization issues, engines requiring frequent maintenance, and impeding weather would disrupt air transport.

In 2015, Boeing reported that the world’s freight and commercial fleet totaled 21,6001 aircraft units, and this is projected to double in number by 2034.

M u c h o f re ce nt grow t h i n commercial aviation can be attributed to globalization, powered by emerging markets, according to Chris Buono, the managing director of UPS Philippines.

Asia is expected to become the world’s largest travel market in the next 20 years, accounting for nearly half of the world’s air passenger traffic. This exponential growth of the industry will require expanded capacity to support the maintenance of existing fleets and the delivery of new aircraft orders.

“Today, many Filipino aerospace companies are involved in manufacturing and assembling

components and sub-assemblies for interiors and flight control systems, and in maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities. These components and sub-assemblies are then distributed to the biggest export destinations, the US and Europe,” Buono said.

The industry supports about 8,600 employees, of which 3,000 are in aerospace activities, another 3,000 in supplier operations; and 2,600 in aircraft MRO. While this accounts for less than 1 percent of the Philippines’ overall workforce, employment within the industry grew 300 percent from 2007 to 2014, resulting from 25-percent growth in global trade in components and sub-assemblies for the same period. “ The increased demand for industry-specific skills makes it critical to equip Filipinos with varied engineering backgrounds that would enable them to effectively contribute to the existing workforce,” Buono said.

With a compounded annual growth

rate of 42 percent from 2012 to 2016, among the fastest in the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippine aerospace industry is being groomed by the Department of Trade and Industry to become the region’s next aerospace manufacturing and MRO hub. Beyond offering international aerospace players another potential hub in the region, the sector’s success also creates high-quality and sustainable jobs for Filipinos.

The manufacturing sector of the Philippine aerospace industry only began its expansion in the past five to ten years, with substantial earnings of $604 million recorded in 2014 due to aerospace manufacturing exports.

This shows that even as this sector is still relatively new, it has the potential to become a significant player in the global marketplace, Buono said.

At present, there are four aerospace original equipment manufacturers, eight repair stations certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, and 19 supporting tier suppliers for aerospace in the country.

The question is: what’s stopping the Philippines from increasing these numbers and making a bigger impact on the global aerospace and aviation community?

Deficiencies in regional aviation infrastructure, inadequate facilities, safety management issues, high taxation, and limited investments in air transport are some of the challenges that local aerospace players struggle with.

“To facilitate growth, we need to adopt capacity building policies that future-proof the aerospace industry and the supply chains they contribute to,” he said.

“Technology will continue to drive evolution in the manufacturing industry, the same way it’s changed consumer behavior. The challenge is to remain future-forward by prioritizing innovation. This will assure that the Philippine aerospace industry will fulfill its potential to be a major player in aerospace manufacturing, MRO, and aircraft maintenance in Asia Pacific,” he said.

HARD ROCK CAFE SET TO REOPEN IN METRO MANILA

From left: Anibal Fernandez, Hard Rock vice-president for franchise operations and development; Jean Paul Manuud, president and COO of The Bistro Group; and Steve Yang, Hard Rock area vice president, Asia-Pacific franchise development and operations.

HARD Rock International, in partnership with The Bistro Group, is bringing the brand’s one one-of-a-kind blend of music, entertainment, iconic merchandise and authentic, American fare back to the Philippines.

The opening was announced by both companies following a signed agreement appointing The Bistro Group as the brand’s exclusive franchisee in

the country. Hard Rock Cafe at Conrad S Maison in Pasay City is slated to open in December 2018.

“The Bistro Group is a strong industry player and with its robust portfolio of brands, as well as its track record for more than 20 years, we are confident that they will be a strong partner to help us take Hard Rock to the next level in the Philippines,” said Steve Yang, area vice-president,

Asia-Pacific franchise development and operations of Hard Rock.

“Hard Rock has been in the market for 48 years and we are thrilled to continue to grow our business in the Philippines,” said Anibal Fernandez, Hard Rock’s vicepresident, franchise operations and development.

“Exciting things are happening at Hard Rock Cafe and we want to expand our presence in high-growth markets frequented by locals and tourists. In 2017 alone, we launched cafes in Spain, Austria, South Africa, Andorra, Bolivia, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Argentina and Nicaragua. In 2018, we are developing in Africa, Middle East, Europe, North and South America, South Asia and China, among others,” Fernandez said.

Yang and Fernandez visited Manila recently to check the site and meet with The Bistro Group executives.

Jean-Paul Manuud, president and chief operating officer of The Bistro Group, said: “We believe that this collaboration will

spark growth for both The Bistro Group and Hard Rock Cafe. Having the brand in our family is indeed an achievement for us and Hard Rock is an iconic institution that is recognized widely. Its logo alone is easily the most recognizable the world, so we are very optimistic and excited over its forthcoming opening.”

The Bistro Group is a trailblazer in the local casual dining segment, developing and managing local and global restaurants for over two decades. It is a collection of international hospitality casual dining brands and home-grown concepts unified by a people-focused philosophy that is the backbone of their success.

With venues in 74 countries, including 185 cafes, 27 hotels and 12 casinos, Hard Rock International is one of the most globally recognized companies.

Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s most valuable collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe.

Tech & Gadgets

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Standard

TODAY

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

MEDIXSERVE PIONEERS IN BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

11 DEALS TO GRAB AT LAZADA’S 11.11 SHOPFEST

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HIS year's highly anticipated annual shopping event finally returns!

Dubbed as the biggest one-day sale, Lazada 11.11 Shopping Festival will be creating a full customer shopping experience on Nov. 11 with bigger and better deals.

Shoppers can look forward to more than 50 million deals, including items up to 99 cents during the 24hour shopping spree!

Here are some of the products to delight customers on Lazada's 11.11 Shopping Festival: Are you into power-draining apps? Recharge your tech on the go with Pineng PN-969 20000mAh Lithium Polymer w/ Intelligent Identifica-

tion System Powerbank discounted from P2,699 to P749!

Keep an eye on your house with Xiaomi Mi XiaoFang Xiaofang 1080P CCTV Camera for only P949 from the original price of P2,999!

The Avision 43" Full HD Digital LED TV will be on sale for only P10,999 from P29,999!

Want the most cost-effective fitness tracker in the market? Grab the

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 Smart Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Tracker for only P3,388 from the original price of P1,415!

The Ace 32" Slim LED TV is only P5,487 instead of P13,000!

Buy 1 Take 1! This Fukuda SF164XS 16" Banana Blade Plastic Stand Fan will be sold at P1,185 instead of P2,399!

Enjoy a sleek, lightweight tablet with Nextbook 10.1" Intel Atom 2in1 2Gb RAM Quad Core Windows 10 Tablet PC for only P8,229 instead of P14,999!

Pump up the jam anywhere with JBL Go Portable Bluetooth Speaker for only P999 instead of P1,599!

Looking for an all-purpose oven? Grab the American Heritage 43L Electric Oven priced for only P3,790 instead of P5,998!

The Philips 32" Slim LED TV will be sold at P6,499 from the original price of P9,999!

Looking for a trusty companion in the kitchen? Get the Kyowa KW-3639 Induction Stove for only P1,470 instead of P2,100!

Shoppers can also expect exciting games while collecting discount and promotion vouchers in addition to shopping for their favourite brands. With previously endorsed Shake It and Slash It, Lazada is also introducing a brand-new game called Wonderland an interactive map that allows shoppers to discover 11.11 deals from various brands as well as win special Lazada or store vouchers for their purchases!

But wait, there's more! Lazada is also raffling off a brand new Avida condo from GCash, a brand-new car from PayMaya, trip for two to Hong Kong and Taiwan care of Klook and roundtrip tickets for two to New York in partnership with Philippine Airlines!

For more information, shoppers can stay tuned to Lazada Philippines official social media accounts, on Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/LazadaPH, and Instagram: @Lazada_PH. They could also log on to www. lazada.com.ph/ or download the Lazada Mobile app via App Store or Google Play!

EPSON LAUNCHES T-SERIES PRINTERS

EPSON has announced the launch of the new highspeed T-series large-format printers available as desktop or floor-standing models, marking Epson’s entry into the low-to-mid range CAD plotter market.

Offering one of the smallest footprints in its class, the wireless plotters feature a new minimalist, ergonomic and compact design suitable for the office.

From printing of blueprints, line drawings to signages or classroom posters, the SureColour T-series offers reliable printing performance professionals across a wide range of sectors including architecture, engineering, CAD, GIS, education, corporate, home and small offices.

The SureColor T-series are driven by Epson’s PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead technology and Nozzle Verification technology to automatically detect and adjust nozzle condition, delivering precise detail and commercial-grade reliability.

The high performance range consists of the 36-inch SC-T5430 and 24-inch SC-T3430 printers that produce at high-speeds of 22 seconds and 25 seconds for A1 prints. The entry-model SC-T5130, SC-T3130 and SCT3130N series prints A1 in 31 and 34 seconds respectively, and can fit in well in a small office environment.

Specifically, the SC-Tx130 series come with the unique auto-switching functionality enabling the Dr. Park printers to conveniently swap between large format

SC-T5430

roll paper and A4/A3 size paper, without users having to touch the printer, ideal for small companies that have multi-purpose print requirements in a limited workspace. Printouts are held in place until next printout for ease of use.

“The new SureColor T-series printers are designed for innovators—engineers, designers and architects, who are looking for a compact large format printer that can fit neatly into their workspace. The T-series printers build on Epson’s latest technology to deliver high quality prints, enabling users to wirelessly produce accurate and vibrant large format prints from their mobile devices directly,” said Eduardo Bonoan, Marketing Director for Epson Philippines.

Featuring integrated wireless and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity, architects and designers can seamlessly print

from tablets and smartphones or use the new 4.3-inch colour LCD touchscreen with simple and intuitive menu control and navigation. The advanced printer driver enables users to make last minute changes before printing, reducing the risk of misprint.

Next-generation high-capacity UltraChrome XD2 pigment inks deliver durable archival prints with brilliant colour and crisp lines on virtually any paper type.

Easy to set up and designed for ease of use, the T-series printers come with the option to connect to Epson document scanners for seamless scanning of smaller documents to print enlarged copies.

More about the SureColor T-Series PrintersThe T-series plotters deliver a range of features designed to help industry professionals increase productivity, including: • Fast print speeds—The SC-T5130 and SCT3130 produce accurate A1 prints in 31 and 34 seconds, respectively. The SC-T5430 and SCT3430 prints A1 at high-speeds in 22 seconds and 25 seconds respectively.

• Easy to operate— A large, intuitive 4.3-inch LCD color touchscreen simplifies print tasks.

• Compact, clean design—Ultra small footprint and sleek, minimal design enhances workspace.

• Replace ink less often—High-capacity cartridges, up to 50ml colour and 80ml black for the SC-Tx130 series and up to 350ml for the SC-Tx430 series.

NOKIA 6.1, 6.1 PLUS GET ANDROID 9 PIE HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, announced that both Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 6.1 users are getting the upgraded Android 9 Pie. Packed with Google’s newest software and building on the features of Android 8.0 Oreo™, Android 9 Pie features artificial intelligence and machine learning to give owners a more customised and tailored experience.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 6.1, reinforced with Android One, are the most-recent Nokia smartphones in the last month to receive Android 9 Pie after the Nokia 7 Plus. The Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 6.1 upgrade is part of HMD Global’s promise to continue to deliver a pure, secure and up-to-date Android experience.

The latest upgrades come with a clean, fast UI delivering the latest innovation from Google. Furthermore, each Android™ One Nokia smartphone will receive monthly security updates for a period of three years and OS updates for two years.

Per Ekman, Vice President, Asia Pacific, HMD Global, said: “We are excited to announce the upgrade of the Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 6.1 to Android 9 Pie, in addition to the Nokia 7 Plus which received the upgrade in October. Nokia smartphones are future-proof, as seen in our commitment to

This comes with the goal of creating phones as long-term companions that have positive impact on our customers’ way of living. For the Filipino Nokia fans, we will continue to offer the best-in-class Android experience, ultimate design and craftsmanship across all price points.”

Nokia 6.1 Plus The Nokia 6.1 Plus has enjoyed unprecedented success since its launch, selling out at record speed and receiving huge praise for its all-screen design with a full HD+ 19:9 screen ratio, which allows an impressive immersive content experience. Now, with the added Android™ 9 Pie update, fans can try out a whole new set of features, including App Actions, an exclusive feature on Android One devices and Google Pixel phones.

Powered by a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 636 processor, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is faster than ever.

Nokia 6.1 Plus Its impressive 3060mAh battery providing our fans with new OS is given an added boost with the updates and pure, secure and up- introduction of Adaptive Battery, to-date Android. With Android 9 which uses deep learning to Pie, we are also proud to deliver an understand usage patterns and experience where our fans get the prioritizes battery power on the most out of their android phones.” most-important apps.

Nokia smartphones that have Shannon Mead, Country Manager, Philippines, HMD Global, received the Android 9 Pie update said: “At HMD Global, we focus on are also among the first non-Pixel mobile innovation that is reliable. devices to receive a taste of the

Digital Wellbeing Beta Preview, which is now available for testing via Google Play for devices running on Android 9 Pie. The new Digital Wellbeing features will help encourage breaks from screen time. New functionalities include highlighting device time on the phone’s dashboard, setting time limits for app usage, and Wind Down Mode, which fades the phone to grayscale and activates Do Not Disturb at a predetermined time in the evening.

Nokia 6.1 Powered by a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 630 Mobile Platform, the Nokia 6.1 is more than 60 percent faster than its predecessor. The Nokia 6.1 is also equipped with enhanced Dual-Sight, ZEISS optics, USB-C fast-charging, Nokia spatial audio, and pure, secure and up-to-date Android.

Selected to join Google’s Android One family, Nokia 6.1 users can get exclusive access to App Actions, a feature available only to Android One and Google Pixel devices. App Actions helps users get things done faster by predicting their next move and displaying the right action right away.

Just like the Nokia 6.1 Plus, the Nokia 6.1’s already impressive battery life is further complemented by the Adaptive Battery on Android 9 Pie.

By Charles Dantes AS TECHNOLOGY continues to move into a paperless society, different institutions are slowly adapting the idea of digital records' storage. Instead of having a stack of paper-based information of the consumer, a new way of storing one's data on the internet shows up, called blockchain.

A technology known for its distributed and shared ledger approach, blockchain has the potential to solve even some issues regarding electronic health records.

Blockchain has the characteristics of interoperability, unlike existing EHR software and systems that are proprietary assets as it is built on the principle of interoperability. That is, it welcomes interaction among different groups or enterprises and institutions (consortiums, in short) to collaborate in a secured ecosystem.

Another good thing about using blockchain is the empowerment of the patient. Some traditional EHR systems only confine their products to health service providers. Patients do not have access rights to all their records within the facility.

Adding to the possible solutions blockchain can provide is creating an ecosystem, wherein members of different institutions, businesses, healthcare professionals and patients have the ability to transact with one another but with the requirements of agreeing on one record of truth.

That's is why MediXserve, the country's pioneer in using blockchain, is creating streamlined, personalized and cost-effective healthcare ecosystems for much easier transactions of physical examination and consultation for Filipino patients.

As of now, MediXserve is aiming to fully integrate the universal medical records for better healthcare system by having different partners from the public and private health sectors.

LOWER SERVICE...

From C4

evaluation. They will then be notified once the unit is ready for pick up from the original drop-off point.

For more information about this new service offering, call the Power Mac Center Hotline at 725-4762 (4PMC) or email serviceupdate@ powermaccenter.com (for inquiries) and mailinservice@ powermaccenter.com (for Mail-In services). Clients can also book an appointment by downloading the PMC Service App or through the Power Mac Center Facebook account at https://bit. ly/2H8MmEC

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE InvItatIon to BId for the Procurement of desIgn and BuIld for the constructIon of four (4) storey hosPItal BuIldIng (or comPlex and nursIng servIces) for south cotaBato ProvIncIal hosPItal IB no. cW - 2018-002 1.

The Department of Health (DOH), through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program General Appropriations Act of 2018 intends to apply the sum of One Hundred Ninety Eight Million Philippine Pesos (PhP198,000,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of Design and Build for the Construction of Four (4) Storey Hospital Building (OR Complex and Nursing Services) for South Cotabato Provincial Hospital under IB No. CW- 2018-002. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DOH now invites bids for the procurement of the above-captioned project. Delivery of the Goods is required within the period specified under SECTION VI. Schedule of Requirements. Bidders should have completed, within two (2) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project, equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

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

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

4.

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

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 12 November – 04 December 2018 from the address above and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Fifty Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP50,000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

The DOH will hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 20 November 2018, 10:00 A.M. at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the COBAC-C Secretariat at the address below on or before 04 December 2018, 9:00 A.M. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on 04 December 2018, 9:00 A.M. at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

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

9.

For further information, please refer to: COBAC-C Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830 (SGD) LYNDON L. LEE SUY, MD, MPH Assistant Secretary of Health COBAC – C Chairperson

(MS-NOV. 11, 2018)

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TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

OPPO R17 PRO TAKES KILLER NIGHT SHOTS

By MJ Blancaflor

I

LOWER SERVICE RATES AT POWER MAC CENTER

N A bid to strengthen its artistic and innovative smartphone line, OPPO unveiled the revolutionary R17 Pro—a premium phone especially designed for nighttime photography.

The newest model in the R series captures outstanding photos even in low-light situations, which would surely delight selfie enthusiasts and budding photographers.

R17 Pro features A.I. Ultra-clear engine, OPPO’s unique image-enhancing technology, to break all hardware limitations and maximize photo quality.

The camera undergoes A.I. scene recognition, targeted optimization scheme, and pixel-level color reconstruction for every photo.

It also deals with noise reduction and high gloss halo restoration which makes R17 Pro arguably the best selfie camera at night.

R17 Pro is equipped with F1.5/F2.4 smart aperture which automatically adjusts to the lighting conditions and produces sharper images in either bright or low-light situations.

This feature is combined with Optical Image Stabilization that employs longer exposure time to brighten nighttime photography, especially with a 7P lens module.

The Chinese company also introduced triple OPPO R17 Pro features camera in R17 Pro to further heighten nighttime a beautiful, sleek design photography on the hardware level. with uniquely blue and R17 Pro uses a Sony IMX362 as its main camera purple gradient colors, equipped with 12 MP and dual-pixel for quick and adhering to OPPO's brand precise focusing. It has also 1.4 micron pixel size philosophy of combining and 1/2.55 sensor size reducing noise level. artistic design and Furthermore, it deployed a rear camera with innovative technology. time-of-flight technology and a front camera with 3D structured technology.

This makes OPPO the first company to use Through adding a light-condensing layer, the both structured light and TOF technology in a R17 Pro’s misted glass casing allows light to flow smartphone. on the surface of the device, making the colors 3D photos R17 Pro also enhances user experience through come alive.

OPPO competes with other companies in proits TOF 3D camera which enables 3D photos, soviding a better viewing experience as R17 Pro matosensory games, AR ruler, and more.

3D photo mode scans objects at 360 degrees boasts 6.4 inches of screen, 91.5% screen-to-body to generate 3D models of the objects photo- ratio, and a droplet-shaped notch.

It also adopts Corning Gorilla Glass 6 for the first graphed.

In the phone’s album, users can add other 3D time, enabling the phone to withstand a drop from a one-meter height to a rough surface for an avereffects to the photos.

Moreover, the TOF 3D camera gives R17 Pro age of 15 times, doubled that of the Gorilla Glass 5 the ability to measure distance, length, area performance.

Super VOOC technology and more.

Smartphone manufacturers are in a tough race Fashionable aesthetics Aside from its technological innovation, OPPO in developing their own fast charging technology continues to produce quality phones with attrac- to suit the lifestyle of digitally-driven consumers.

Like OPPO’s futuristic flagship Find X Lambotive design suited for the millennial generation.

OPPO invented a brand-new three color and rghini Edition, the R17 Pro also carries SuperVOOC flash charging technology, allowing users to enjoy bi-quad direction gradient design for R17 Pro.

safe and efficient charging.

The phone can safely charge up to 40 percent in only 10 minutes.

Each node, including the charger, charging line, mobile phone, and battery, has a chip protection to ensure charging safety.

OPPO has customized a VCU intelligent control chip to control voltage, current, and temperature to provide all-round protection.

Featuring the latest 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon, the OPPO R17 Pro will be available in the country on Nov. 24 for P38,999.

With the launch of R17 Pro, OPPO establishes itself as a tech giant offering a full range of product portfolios: mid-range A and F Series to the more expensive Find Series.

“R17 Pro signifies OPPO’s transformation of fully expanding in the high-end smartphone market,” said Jane Wan, OPPO Philippines’ Vice President for Marketing.

HP INK TANK 115: MOST PRACTICAL BUSINESS INVESTMENT WITH all the marketing opportunities that micro and small business owners can take advantage of every day, HP knows they need all the help they could get.

That is why the world’s #1 printer vendor is offering the most practical investment for any small business, the HP Ink Tank 115.

Available for only P4,990 at select authorized HP resellers, the HP Ink Tank 115 boasts of extremely low cost yet high-volume and high-quality Easily print at high volumes for an extremely low cost per page, with a reliable, printing, giving micro and small entrespill-free, ink system. Reinvent your business now with HP Ink Tank 115. preneurs the best reasons to get the printer—more pages for their money. graphics and darker, crisper text cour- ink. This translates to thousands of busiWith the HP Ink Tank 115, users tesy of Original HP pigment black ink. ness and presentation materials that can are assured of consistent best-in-class It can print up to 8,000 pages using all be printed from the office: borderless, print quality with vibrantly-colored colored ink or 6,000 pages using black fade-resistant brochures, flyers, and

photos that can last 22 times longer.

A high-capacity ink tank system enables users to continuously print thousands of pages or basically print all they want. The transparent ink tank system also allows for convenient ink monitoring and refill when the inks are running low. Unique spill-free, flip-top bottles and an innovative refill system make refilling easy. Simply plug the bottle into the ink tank and let it drain. There is no need to squeeze the bottles, so there are no spills, no mess and no waste.

So, get ahead of the competition and get the HP Ink Tank 115, the most reliable business investment for your business today. For more details, please visit www8.hp.com.

LG B8 OLED TV: ENJOYING QUALITY TV TIME

FOR most Filipino families, family bonding time means sharing a great meal together while watching TV. It’s almost a nightly tradition, when everybody’s home from work or school and it’s time to catch up on their favorite TV show or movie.

With tech giant LG leading the race in state-of-theart entertainment technology, it’s only a matter of time until they come up with a new way to enjoy television.

Meet the B8, LG’s latest OLED TV, the smarter and better way to enjoy TV. Dubbed as LG’s 30th Anniversary OLED TV model, the B8 boasts a roster of impressive features— starting with its top-of-the-line 55” 4K Cinema HDR display giving off sharp contrast, livelier and more vibrant colors, and the truest blacks you’ve ever seen on screen. The 4K OLED display delivers the filmmaker’s stunning vision the way it’s meant to

be seen, making every show or movie an immersive viewing experience.

LG, one of the pioneers and leaders in artificial intelligence (AI) in the world, decided to combine the strengths of the 4K OLED display with the powerhouse capabilities of the Smart Brain α7 Intelligent Processor to make sure all TV functions and features are working well together for a seamless user experience (UX). Users can effortlessly switch from watching their favorite show on cable TV to catching the latest episode of their favorite Netflix series to connecting their mobile devices to surf the Internet.

Even the elderly or users who are differently abled in terms of mobility can easily use the LG B8 OLED TV by using the voice command feature to control the TV. The Smart Brain α7 Intelligent Processor is the definition of a smart TV experience.

Together with its stunning visuals and latest smart TV technology, LG has equipped the B8 OLED TV with a Dolby Atmos® sound system for a true cinematic experience in the comfort of your own home.

The B8’s sleek design is also perfect for any home as it easily blend with your decor.

With its list of amazing features, it’s no wonder why online streaming pioneer Netflix has chosen the LG B8 OLED TV as its recommended television to enjoy your favorite Netflix shows. To know more about Netflix’s standards for televisions, please visit https://devices.netflix.com/en/recommendedtv/2018/.

Revolutionize your home and make it smarter with the LG B8 OLED TV for P89,991 (cash price), making it the most competitively priced high quality OLED TV in the market today. It’s the perfect holiday gift for the entire family.

IN its commitment to provide genuine and hassle-free premium services to its customers, Power Mac Center’s Apple Authorized Service Provider is introducing lowered service repair rates and enhanced service offerings.

Customers with Apple devices for repair can take advantage of the lowered fees for both initial diagnosis and software repair services, and save up to Php 500.00.

Customers who need to get their iPhone or iPad (iOS) devices fixed can avail of the Software Repair Services for only Php 800.00, with the fee for initial diagnosis at a minimum of Php 1,000. Meanwhile, users with Mac and portable devices can have the software fixed for only Php 2,000.00, with a minimum of Php 2,500 for the initial diagnosis fee.

The new rates will be available in all Power Mac Center Service Providers nationwide.

“Power Mac Center is committed to provide customer-focused service across all channels, be it our retail, training, and especially our service centers. We value our customers’ trust and always strive to provide them the best quality of repair from our experienced service team,” said Joey Alvarez, Power Mac Center Director of Product Management and Marketing.

Additionally, the premier Apple partner also now offers enhanced Mail-In Service with its door-to-door option. This means that customers can have their Apple devices conveniently picked up at their preferred location and delivered after being repaired.

Customers just have to call the Power Mac Center Customer Service Hotline at (02) 725-4762 (4PMC) to be guided on the service process, fees, and documents to settle. Once validated, an accredited courier will pick up the device and send it to a Service Center. After the repair process, the accredited courier will deliver the Apple product back to the customer’s location. This enhanced service offering is available at all their Service Centers excluding Cagayan de Oro and Iloilo City.

The Drop Off Option is also still available. Customers have the option to drop off their Apple devices at the nearest accredited courier branch after proper phone Turn to C3

Destinations D1

sunday, november 11, 2018

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

Christmas is bright and magiCal at ayala triangle gardens FIND THE HUGE MICKEY. This year’s Ayala Festival of Lights reimagines well-loved Disney soundtracks, bringing a bright and magical Christmas to visitors.

By Bernadette Lunas

F

AmILIeS and friends can find a largerthan-life mickey at Ayala Triangle Gardens as Ayala Land, Inc. teams up with The Walt Disney Company for its 10th Festival of Lights, which opened on nov. 9, dubbed “Reimagine The magic: A Festival of Lights.”

The now much-anticipated Christmas show reimagines well-loved Disney soundtracks, such as “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinnochio (1940), “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), and “Let It Go” from Frozen (2013) in orchestral rendition by seasoned composer and former musical director of Hong Kong Disneyland, Rony Fortich.

Fortich created three medleys: Disney Princesses, Frozen, and mickey Classics, running for about six minutes each. every Disneythemed medley is followed by a Filipino Christmas medley, featuring classic songs such as “Kumukutikutitap” and “Pasko Na Naman,” among others, which plays for about one minute and 30 seconds.

Complementing the medley is the spectacular lighting effects by Voltaire de Jesus, who has been arranging the lighting of the show since its launch in 2008.

During a press conference prior to the Festival of Lights launch, De Jesus Families and friends trooped to the opening of the 10th Festival of Lights at Ayala Triangle Gardens on nov. 9. Photos by Lino Santos

Hong Kong Disneyland’s former musical director Rony Fortich arranged the three Disneythemed medleys, complemented by Voltaire de Jesus’ lighting effects.

shared, “Right before I arrange the lights for the festival, I usually go to Hong Kong Disney Disneyland to get inspiration.”

ALI corporate marketing head Cathy Bengzon told Manila Standard that this year’s partnership between ALI and Disney has aligned with their plan to make the 10th lights and sound show special.

“It’s the 10th year of the lights and sound show and the 30th anniversary of Ayala Land; to celebrate those two anniversaries, we wanted to do something special, to take reit to a higher level. One thing to make it re ally special is to tie up with a global brand,” related Bengzon.

As if by pure serendipity, The Walt Disney, a global brand, approached ALI. “Hong Kong Disneyland came to us and they partnersaid they wanted to explore possible partner

ships. We said it was almost serendipity because we thought of them [while conceptualizing this year’s show],” shared Bengzon.

Last year, Bengzon said, about 1.2 million visitors trooped to Ayala Triangle Gardens to watch the show, while 2 million watched nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna’s version of the light and sound show.

“Overall, we got about 5 million [visitors] in all Ayala estates (Ayala Triangle, nuvali, Centrio in Cagayan de Oro, Ayala Center Cebu, Bonifacio High Street, and Vertis north),” said the ALI official, adding they expect to get the same number of visitors this year.

Reimagine the Magic starts at Ayala Triangle Gardens and Centrio on Nov. 9; at Ayala Center Cebu on Nov. 10; at Bonifacio High Street on Nov. 15; at Nuvali on Nov. 24; and at Vertis North on Nov. 29.

Cuban aromas One of the things cruise pashaving a spouse. On hindsight, sengers have to do to enter should I have applauded him for Cuba is to sign up for some having a terrific sense of humor shore excursions for the days or for telling the truth? they spend in the city. Our The five-hour tour gave us group of 24 family members a chance to enjoy the worldchose “The Best Of Havana” for famous Cuban cigar, rum, and our first day’s tour. This took us coffee. It was a most enjoyable mercury rising experience. It made me apto all the important natural and

By BoB zozoBrado historical attractions of the city. preciate cigar-smoking. Cigar We were breaking our heads smoke, as it swirls inside my over which shore excursion to take for the sec- mouth, is quite pleasurable, after all. In fact, ond day of our visit. After much deliberation, we since I came back from my Cuban holiday, every decided on “Havana’s Aromas” simply because chance I get, I stay outside my front door, and its “come on” assured us that it would be the puff on a Cuban cigar, a good supply of which I best way to experience what “guilty pleasures” brought home from my trip.

Havana is known for. now, who wouldn’t be We were brought to the biggest tobacco faclured by an invitation like that? tory in the city where an expert tabaquero (cigar Right at the start, our tour leader immediately dealer) walked us around the different manushared with us something interesting: In Cuba, facturing sections while explaining to us how “marriage” is what a person has when he holds a they grow, harvest, and process tobacco for jigger of Havana Club Rum, a Cohiba cigar, and a Cuba’s famous cigars. The best tobacco leaves demitasse of Cafe Serrano, the best brands of each. come from Pinar del Rio in Western Cuba which I asked our tour leader why these items put one has the most ideal weather and soil conditions into that “status,” and he casually replied that one for tobacco farming.

Turn to D2 is better off having these three items at hand than

Cohiba is the best brand among Cuban cigars.

destinations

D2

sunday, november 11, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

BUsiNess hotel

iN the heArt oF DowNtowN CeBU

A VIEW OF CEBU. The newly opened one Central Hotel in downtown Cebu offers great views of the city.

By Jimbo Gulle

d

oWnToWn Cebu, which has the country’s oldest street (Colon), has another landmark of note.

one Central Hotel is Cebu’s newest premier business hotel, which offers affordable luxury accommodations and a panoramic view of the Queen City of the south. managed by top-flight resort brand bluewater Hospitality, one Central is conveniently located at the corner of Leon Kilat and sanciangko streets—and a brisk two-minute walk away from Colon street. This makes it the perfect starting point for travelers and businessmen, being near the south bus Terminal and port area.

The three-star hotel is part of the 16-story one Central Tower, a mixed-use development that also houses one Central mall. one Central Tower was designed in the art deco style by arch. James G. Jao, a pioneer of eco-architecture and sustainable development in the Philippines. It’s built on a 1,200-square meter property once occupied by the 70-year-old Luzon Lumber store, which was near the prewar Cebu Central Train station. being managed by the wholly Filipinoowned bluewater Hospitality (under its president Julie alegrado-vergara), one Central offers its distinctive brand of Filipino service centered on providing the “best of Filipino culture.”

The hotel has 157 elegantly furnished and fully air-conditioned non-smoking rooms arranged over seven floors: 24 deluxe single, 24 deluxe double, 101 deluxe Twin, six Junior suites, and two executive suites. all rooms have antibacterial inverter airconditioners; magnetic door locks; a large Full Hd cable Tv, Idd phone, a minibar, work

desk with vanity mirror and studio lights, a private ensuite bathroom, tea/coffee-making facility, in-room safe, black-out drapes, and full-length mirror.

The Junior suites come with bathtubs and a living and dining area.

Free Wi-Fi is available in the rooms as well as in public areas.

The cozy Café Tartanilla on the 9th floor offers an international and à la carte menu.

Great views of the city can be had from the viewing balcony next to the bar and restaurant, which opens its curtains at night for guests to enjoy the sights while dining. beside Café Tartanilla is the 186.41-square meter molave Grand ballroom. aside from the grand ballroom, one Central has five function rooms. The air-conditioned fitness gym is on the 19th floor, while at its roof deck is the infinity swimming pool and Jacuzzi, which has a breathtaking, 360-degree view of beautiful Cebu City landscape, along with a poolside bar and sun loungers.

The hotel also has a 24-hour front desk, on-site car park (self-parking), business center, and two elevators. It is very accessible by public transportation, as the Cebu north bus Terminal is just four kilometers away and numerous taxis and public utility jeepneys ply the streets in front of the hotel.

To cap it off, one Central Hotel is just a stone’s throw away from abellana sports Complex, a perfect location to be during the annual sinulog Festival in January. That’s why it will be a can’t-miss landmark for locals and tourists alike for years to come.

The molave Grand ballroom can sit up to 300 guests.

tries worldwide. It is the most popular souvenir purchase by americans returning from Cuba. I liked the smoky oak flavor of the smooth liquid as it rolled over my tongue so, just like other tourists, I also brought home some bottles with me to We watched up close how a cigar is made. Five differ- give as gifts to friends. ent dried and fermented tobacco leaves are hand-rolled to Cafe serrano’s pleasant aroma and exquisite flavor make it make one cigar. The four inner leaves—three fillers and one the finest and most sought after coffee in the world. It is 100 binder—must be of the highest grade, as they determine percent organic, grown from arabica beans of sierra maestra in the quality of the cigar, while the fifth outer leaf must be southwest Cuba, and is known for its intense, full bodied, and the best looking and the smoothest, for aesthetic reasons. aromatic flavor. It also has double the strength of regular stanTo ensure its quality, each cigar-maker must do the cigar dard coffee, that is why it is usually served in a demitasse. from start to finish, then it is placed inside a wooden press How did we get to try out these Cuban “guilty pleasures?” for 30 minutes, after which it our day tour was capped by a is trimmed in both ends then visit to the Palacio de la Familia packed for sale. The factory Pedroso, a 238-year-old castle workers are paid for every that has been turned into a cigar they make, and each of commercial establishment YOUR weekend CHUCkLe them can produce anywhere with an al fresco restaurant in WIFe: Honey, what will you give me for our from 100 to 150 cigars per the courtyard and some souve25th anniversary? day. In the factory we visited, nir shops on the ground floor.

Husband: a trip to scandinavia. as their bonus, each worker is There, we were treated WIFe: oh, how sweet! Finally, I can watch the allowed to take home a maxito a taste of these “Cuban awesome northern Lights. and, what about for mum of five cigars per day, aromas,” the elements of a our 50th anniversary? theirs to smoke or to sell in happy “marriage” that our Husband: Then I’ll pick you up from there. the blackmarket. tour guide explained to us at The husband is now on his third month of realthough it is not the only the start of the day. everyone hab for shoulder, hip, and leg replacement. cigar-producing country enjoyed the treat, even the in the world, Cuba exports ladies in our family who also worldwide 80 million cigars gulped down the shot of Haannually. We also discovered vana Club rum, puffed on the something interesting: all the Cohiba cigar, and finished the cigar brands produced in Cuba are made by this same cigar Cafe serrano in a demitasse. factory we visited. The tabaquero clarified that the factory now, that’s living it up, the Cuban way. so, if you want just follows each cigar brand’s respective grade specifica- to partake of and enjoy some pleasures in life, guilty pleations of the tobacco leaves, thus resulting in the quality and sures they may be, I suggest you head off to autentica pricing difference.

Cuba (the country’s new tourism tagline) and treat yourHavana Club rum, more popularly known as el ron de self to a perfect “marriage.”

Cuba (The rum of Cuba), is the fifth largest rum brand in the world and sells about five million cases annually in 120 counFor feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

CUBAN...

From D1

my ‘marriage’—a shot of Havana Club rum, a Cohiba cigar, and Cafe serrano in a demitasse

all of the hotel's room categories are equipped with facilities and amenities that ensure a relaxing stay.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2018

ANGEL AND TONY PLUNGE INTO

Teen actress and singer Kyline Alcantara

KYLINE ALCANTARA

SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER WITH DIGITAL SINGLE GMA Artist Center star Kyline Alcantara brings an early Christmas present to her Kapuso fans.

Kyline has just released an original holiday single, under GMA Records, entitled “Handa Na Ba Kayo? (Merry Christmas)” with Kapuso leading man Jeric Gonzales.

She revealed that the song will surely bring joy and inspiration to everyone, “It’s all about how we Filipinos prepare for Christmas. As they say, we Filipinos spend the longest Christmas in the world, that’s why in the song, I’m telling a story about how we celebrate Christmas to add more joy and good vibes sa pagsalubong natin ng Pasko. Sana magustuhan ninyo ang munting regalo namin.”

Jeric, who performed a rap verse, shared that the catchy beat of the song will hook the listeners, “I think this song will make your Christmas even much happier. Pwede ninyo itong gamitin pang-karoling or sa Christmas parties ninyo.”

“Handa Na Ba Kayo? (Merry Christmas)” is now available for downloading and streaming on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify and other digital stores worldwide.

SCORCHING MAY-DECEMBER LOVE AFFAIR

INTERNATIONAL

In 'Glorious,' Glory (Angel) meets the enthusiastic and adventurous 22-year-old Niko (Tony), and the two have an instant connection.

INDIE ROCK BAND INTERPOL FIND GROOVE WITH TENSE NEW ALBUM

A

NGEL Aquino and Tony Labrusca take on the sexiest and most daring roles in their careers as they play lovers in a sizzling MayDecember love affair in Glorious, an original movie produced by Dreamscape Digital for streaming exclusively on TFC Online and iWant, ABS-CBN’s new content-on-demand digital app.

The movie, which will be available on the new iWant and TFC.tv starting Nov. 17, has caught the imagination and piqued the interest of millions of netizens. Memes abound on social media, as its full trailer has earned more than 13.6 million views in less than a week.

More than the viral trailer’s

steamy scenes that enticed and thrilled netizens, it has also spurred conversations online about age gap in relationships and the stigma attached to them.

Written and directed by Concepcion Macatuno, Glorious tells the story of Glory (Angel), a 52-yearold brain tumor survivor who falls in

The movie will be available on the new iWant and TFC.tv starting Nov.17

love with Niko (Tony), a guy 30 years her junior.

Separated from her husband whom she is financially dependent on, Glory finds herself at the crossroads in her life – unhappy and riddled with selfdoubt – left alone by her children who are already building their own lives.

She then meets the enthusiastic

Tony Labrusca and Angel Aquino with director Concepcion Macatuno

and adventurous 22-year-old Niko, and the two have an instant connection.

While physical attraction will initially draw them together, they will nurture their relationship and turn it into a kind of love that will help them overcome the challenges in their relationship, including their opposing perspectives, age gap, and disapproval and judgment from their loved ones and community.

Will Glory and Niko be courageous enough to fight for their relationship? How will she learn to stand by her convictions and pursue her own happiness?

The film’s subject has triggered netizens to share their thoughts on social media, and even Broadway diva Lea Salonga said that she hopes the movie becomes successful not just for its love scenes, but also its potential to “begin a conversation about seeing older women and younger men on screen.”

“Given how utterly beautiful both Angel Aquino and Tony Labrusca are, I am all for it, and wish for their movie Glorious to be a massive hit,” she added.

Volleyball star and TV host Gretchen Ho also praised the film, tweeting, “Great move by #IWant and #DreamscapeDigital for making #Glorious their first exclusive film! Digital doesn’t have boundaries the way TV has.”

NEW BREED OF TALENTS IN ‘TOPPSTAR TV’ KAPUSO viewers are set to experience exciting Saturday mornings like no other as GMA Network and Rebisco Topp Sarap feature a new roster of talented kids in its newest musical-variety program Toppstar TV The 30-minute program showcases the talents of the ToppStar kids as they show off their singing, dancing, hosting and acting skills.

These kids were chosen from Rebisco’s on-ground talent search all over the Philippines, which started in 2016 as part of the brand’s commitment to celebrating the “topps” in each kid.

Every episode features segments such as “Toppstar Performance” where the kids sing/dance to latest craze; “Toppstar Spotlight” where they interact with celebrity guests via fun interviews, unboxing videos and showdown; and “Toppstar Laughs” where they can show their comedic talent as they deliver Topp Topp jokes. In some episodes, the kids will also play Pinoy-inspired games.

There will also be interactive activity bumpers in select segments and Topps Sarap product review by the kids to highlight the values that they will learn at the end of the show.

Toppstar TV premiered on Nov. 10. Episode replay is every Sunday at 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. on GMA News TV.

D3

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

The boys of Toppstar TV

ONCE suffocated by their early success, members of New York indie rocker Interpol insist the shackles are off with a new record that sees them looking forward rather than casting furtive glances in the rear-view mirror.

After touching the hearts of a grieving city following the 2001 terror attacks with game-changing debut album Turn on the Bright Lights, Interpol have largely struggled to replicate that post-punk exuberance since follow-up Antics.

But with their tension-filled sixth album Marauder, the New York nihilists finally look to have broken free of the past.

“We’re evolving, we’re still moving forward,” guitarist Daniel Kessler told AFP in an interview before a rare Tokyo performance.

“Ultimately the reason why we’re still a band now is because Marauder is as good as anything we’ve done.”

Known for their dark, guitar-stabbing sound, Interpol brought panache to a hedonistic New York music scene that included the likes of The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, shunning tight jeans and tatty Converse sneakers for dark suits and silk ties.

New York-based rock indie band Interpol And 16 years after the release of Bright Lights, the brooding rockers are virtually the last men standing.

“Time has flown by,” sighed drummer Sam Fogarino. “I still think about me and Daniel sharing a hotel room after getting out of a tiny van in England back in the day.

“On the one hand that doesn’t seem that long ago,” he added. “But on the other hand I have two kids now and I’m not sharing a hotel room with anybody!”

Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann brings a fresh energy, and plenty of reverb, to Interpol’s latest work.

Singles “The Rover” and “Number 10” rock out as Kessler’s spiky guitar riffs race with Fogarino’s galloping drums, while the catchy “Flight of Fancy” sounds like The Killers on Valium.

In the doleful album-closer “It Probably Matters”, singer Paul Banks laments past failures, his voice trembling as he confesses: “I didn’t have the grace, or the brains.”

As relationships within the band fractured, Interpol were hit by bassist Carlos Dengler’s acrimonious departure in 2010 after he bizarrely blamed Brit-rockers Coldplay for turning him off music.

“It was a shame we lost a friend,” said Fogarino. “It was a big transition on a personal and emotional level.

“I’ll cry about it at home, but not in a rehearsal space—there’s music to write.” AFP

D4

Desiree Carlos, Editor

sunday, november 11, 2018

Pets

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

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

For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

This was how Save ALL found Mama Bea with her pups Smiley, Dooby and Happy.

Smiley and his family were finally rescued!

Adopting A sMiley

I

N SEpTEMBER 2014, she decided to adopt a rescued puppy.

pet tales

By desiree carlos

Since then, Ana Katrina Co says Ana says Smiley is “very friendhe “has been putting a ‘Smiley’ in ly with other dogs, specially his our hearts.” housemate, Evo who is a senior How time flies, Ana says, as the shih tzu.” dog named Smiley is now four Ana adds, “He is protective and years old. always barks The pup was when there's a named Smiley stranger at the by admins of gate (those who the animal weldeliver goods).” fare group Save Smiley is also Animals of Love very sweet and and Light (Save always asks for ALL) because attention, Ana he always looks says. like he is smilShe says, ing. He is one of “Ang hilig those rare dogs sumiksik when with that “smil- Smiley always looks as if he is smiling. you're sitting ing face” that down.

Gusto makes everyone niya nakasiksik loves him and smile too. siya sa tabi mo. He always wants Smiley is one of three pups of to play. He is full of energy. He can Bea who was rescued from a baran- be so makulit and playful.” gay pound in Montalban, Rizal a few But Smiley also follows commands days after she gave birth in 2014. and stops when told to do so.

The barangay said they were He is also a very healthy dog. asked for assistance by a homeown- “Hindi siya sakitin,” Ana says. er who saw Bea inside his house afTo show Smiley’s story—his ter coming home from a vacation. growth, his blessed life—here are The homeowner saw one of photos of this bubbly, handsome, the windows broken and pieces loving doggy. of food scraps beside Bea and To help other rescued dogs and her puppies. cats through adoption and donaIt appeared Bea "broke" into the tion, please message Save ALL house, stayed there to give birth, at https://www.facebook.com/ then would come out to look for Save-Animals-of-Love-and-Lightfood, and then go back to breast- Save-ALL-1436948669914501/ or feed her puppies. What a resource- contact admins Maricel Mondejar, ful dog and a very good mother!

Joanne Zamora or Julie Rodriguez.

Smiley and his brothers Dooby You can also “rescue” an animal and Happy have also been adopt- in need by helping an animal weled. Bea is still in the Save ALL fos- fare group to continue its work. ter home and is now a senior dog.

Namaste!

Smiley, the one at the background, behind the brown pup with his brother Dooby (brown) and Happy on rescue day in 2014.

Smiley is blessed with the good life! Here, he sleeps with Ana's son, Alexander, who was only 4 years old then.

understAnding And loving your senior pet (Part 1 of 2)

NOvEMBER is Senior pet Month.

Thanks to improved veterinary care and dietary habits, pets live longer now.

But there is a consequence. The pets, their owners and veterinarians have to deal with a new set of age-related conditions.

“In recent years there has been extensive research on the problems facing older pets and how their owners and veterinarians can best handle their special needs, “ AvMA said.

When is our pet considered old?

Cats and small dogs are usually considered a senior at the age of 7.

Larger breed dogs usually have a shorter life span and are considered old at about 6 years old.

“Owners tend to want to think of their pet’s age in human terms. While it is not as simple as ‘1 human year = X cat/dog years,’ there are calculations that can help put a pet’s age in human terms, “ AvMA said. (See table) What are the health problems among older pets?

AvMA said senior dogs can develop almost the same illnesses that senior humans can suffer from. They are: 1. cancer 2. heart disease 3. kidney/urinary tract disease 4. liver disease 5. diabetes 6. joint or bone disease 7. senility 8. weakness (To be continued next week)

Smiley really loves his Mommy Ana and reaches for a kiss.

Smiley's first pasyal or day out at The Fort.

Smiley playing with his treat at their home.

Smiley on the day Ana adopted her in September, 2014.

Getting bigger and more handsome, the smiling Smiley at home.

Smiley with playmate and senior dog "sibling" Evo.

Caught in the act! Smiley chewing Mommy Ana's slipper.

SALEM had blood and scorched skin when he arrived at the home of Ann Galang four years ago.

“He must have been scavenging for food that night. It's a miracle how he survived. I guess it's prayers, love, care and patience that did it all,” says Ann. Salem is a “beautiful black creature with rare green golden eyes and pure black coat,” adds Ann. She shares: “He still enjoys his freedom, goes around the village which often leaves me worried that he might be hit again or someone might pour boiling water over him again. But this is what Salem wants and what makes him happy.”

“One good thing about him though: He never fails to come back.. meows as soon as he enters our gate to let me know he's home. A yummy meal always awaits our Salem!” says Ann.

Smiley's doggy mom, Bea, is now a senior dog and lives in the Save ALL foster home. She needs help for her supplements as a senior dog such as CoQ 10 30 milligrams for the heart, milk thistle for the liver, and special food for senior dogs, among others. Save ALL hopes you can donate for the needs of rescued senior dogs. please contact Save ALL admins

Age: Human Equivalents for Older Pets

Cat years

Human years

7

45

10

58

15

75

20

98

Dog years

Human years (*dog size lbs)

7

Small – Medium: 44-47 Large – very large: 50-56

10

Small – Medium: 56-60 Large – very large: 66-78

15

Small – Medium: 76-83 Large – very large: 93-115

20

Small – Medium: 96-105 Large: 120

*Small: 0-20 lbs; Medium: 21-50 lbs; Large: 51-90 lbs; very large: >90 lbs The oldest recorded age of a cat is 34 years. The oldest recorded age of a dog is 29 years.

ZOEY was a pup when she was sold to Eleanor Agulto.

“Zoey was sold to me for lunch money by an acquaintance. The acquaintance needed cash so badly, “ Eleanor recalls.

“I chose Zoey from a litter of three (3 pups), and she's the lucky one because I heard that her brothers became strays and didn't survive, “ Eleanor shares.

Zoey is now a senior at nine (9) years old.

She “can be aloof with others, but very loving with her human family,” says Eleanor.

Editor's note: These stories were compiled by admin Miks Lim of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), a SEC-registered animal welfare group that helps animals in need, and encourages and promotes responsible pet ownership, adoption of rescued dogs and cats from fosters, shelters and pounds, and spaying and neutering of pets to control animal population in the country, among others.