Manila Standard - 2018 April 22 - Sunday by Manila Standard

VOL. XXXII • NO. 66 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

MICHAEL DASMARIÑAS

PH SENSATION WINS WORLD BOXING CROWN SINGAPORE—Rising Filipino sensation Michael Dasmariñas knocked out his French opponent Karim Guerfi just seconds into the fourth round Friday to win the vacant International Boxing Organization bantamweight world title in Singapore. Dasmariñas, a southpaw, unleashed a powerful left hook to the jaw of Guerfi, sending the French fighter to a hard landing on the canvass as medics rushed in with a stretcher. Eyes dazed, he tried in vain to get up and then rolled to the side as medics checked his face. He later left the ring on his own. Turn to A2

PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION. Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade receives a Plaque of Appreciation fron Chairman Emeritus Lucio Tan (in barong) after the former addressed delegates to the recent Mid-Term Regional Members Association Conference in Manila of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. Also in the picture are FFCCCII officials Domingo Yap (leftmost) and Angel Ngu (rightmost). Ey Acasio

ANTI-GRAFT AGENCY TAGS 4 CABINET MEN T

HE Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission on Saturday confirmed it had recommended investigations against four members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet. “It was a confidential report we gave the President. Whatever we received, we worked on them and submitted directly to the President. The President’s instructions is no holy cow, just evidence,” PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica told GMA News Online in an exclusive interview. Belgica, however, declined to

provide the names of the four Cabinet secretaries. In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified it was still up to Duterte whether to adopt the PACC’s findings. Roque said Belgica did not speak for the Office of the President and that Duterte did not mention it yet

with him. “It’s up to the President if he will adopt the PACC’s findings,” Roque said. The President earlier said he would fire four Cabinet members due to alleged corruption but did not name names. Roque reiterated that he had not seen the information with regard to the PACC recommendatiom but would announce it as soon as he met with the President. “Let me be very clear: He [Belgica] doesn’t speak for the Office of the President. What he has is a list of names that they apparently submitted to the President to be acted upon,” Roque said.

He said he did not have details of the PACC’s investigations. “I have no information on [the names of the four Cabinet members]. That is their recommendation. That is not a decision already of the President,” he added. Last Wednesday, Roque revealed that Duterte was scheduled to fire an undersecretary. This followed the resignations of Vitaliano Aguirre II as Justice secretary and Labor Undersecretary Dominador Say. Duterte had repeatedly said that a “whiff of corruption” was reason enough for him to fire an official even though they may be close to him. Vito Barcelo

THE alleged extrajudicial killings and the rise of police impunity from President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody campai gn against illegal drugs remained a “chief human rights” concern in the Philippines, the United States State Department reported. Based from its latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the US government said that even after the surge of the alleged extrajudicial killing among suspected drug users and dealers in 2016, the incident of impunity had continued in 2017. “Extrajudicial killings have been the chief human rights concern in the country for many years and, after a sharp rise with the onset of the antidrug campaign in 2016, they continued in 2017,” said the report, released in Washington on Friday (Saturday, Manila time).

The report said it also posed some concern because the Philippine government had investigated a limited number of reported human rights abuses, among others. “The government investigated a limited number of reported human rights abuses, including abuses by its own forces, paramilitaries, and insurgent and terrorist groups. Concerns about police impunity increased significantly following the sharp increase in police killings,” it added. In a press conference in Washington, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor acting principal deputy assistant Michael Kozak clarified the reason they conducted such reports was not to pass judgment on other countries mentioned in the study. “So the reason we do the reports is not to be passing judgment on other countries, or the old word of name and shame; it’s not with that in mind,” Kozak said. Turn to A2 twitter.com/ MlaStandard

STAR DJ PASSES ON AT AGE 28 NEW YORK, United States—Avicii, one of the world’s most successful DJs who helped usher in the global boom in electronic music but struggled to cope with the hard-partying lifestyle, died Friday in Oman, his representative said. He was 28. Two years after his unusually early retirement from touring amid recurring health scares, the Swedish DJ was found dead in the Gulf sultanate’s capital Muscat. “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii,” his management said in a statement, without specifying the cause of death. Turn to A2

100 WORKERS COME HOME FROM KUWAIT

EJK MAIN HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERN IN MANILA—US By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

TIM BERGLING aka AVICII

NUKE HALT. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says he would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches, in a Saturday announcement welcomed by US President Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit between the two men. Pyongyang’s declaration, long sought by Washington, will be seen as a crucial step in the fast diplomatic dance on and around the Korean Peninsula.

NOKOR'S KIM VOWS END TO NUKE BOMB TESTS SEOUL, South Korea—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental missile launches, in a Saturday announcement welcomed by US President Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit between the two men. Pyongyang’s declaration, long sought by Washington, will

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be seen as a crucial step in the fast diplomatic dance on and around the Korean Peninsula. It comes less than a week before the North Korean leader meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a summit in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, ahead of the eagerly-awaited encounter with Trump himself.

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But Kim gave no indication Pyongyang might be willing to give up its nuclear weapons, or the missiles with which it can reach the mainland United States. The North had successfully developed its arsenal, including miniaturizing warheads to fit them on to missiles, Kim said, Turn to A2

KUWAIT—The Philippine government on Saturday repatriated at least 100 undocumented Filipino workers from Kuwait under the amnesty program granted by the Kuwaiti government. A total 4,494 overseas Filipino workers were already brought home through the Assistance to Nationals Fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs, under the amnesty program extended by the Kuwaiti government. According to DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola, the government had spent at least P66.1 million for plane tickets, with some 300 no-shows worth about P5 million. On the other hand, P22.5 million was allotted for cash assistance. Meanwhile, the DFA said the Philippine and Kuwaiti governments were still working on a common date for the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to the Gulf state. “We’re working on a date this June, right after Ramadan and, hopefully, they’ll come up with a common date,” DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said. Turn to A2

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SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MOCK ELECTIONS SHOW TV SERIES CAST WINNING CHARACTERS of the ABS-CBN series “Ang Probinsyano” were declared winners of the 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan mock elections on Saturday. The Commission on Elections, the government’s elections watchdog, made use of characters from the actiondrama series for the simulation of the May 14 polls to be conducted in 42,029 barangays throughout the country. Ricardo Dalisay, the character of actor Coco Martin, was declared winner for the position of barangay chairman in Tondo, in the waterfront district of Manila. Dalisay was listed as a candidate for the said position along with other characters from the show, Lucas Cabrera and Delfin Borja. In the show, Cabrera and Borja are played by actors Edu Manzano, and Jaime Fabregas, respectively. Another character, Brandon Cabrera, played by actor Mark Anthony Fernandez, was declared winner of the elections for SK chairman. Actress Angel Aquino’s character, Diana Olegario, on the other hand, led the race for barangay councilor. Simulations of the manual counting and tallying of votes were also conducted by the Comelec. Acting Comelec chairman Al Parreño said another simulation would be held before the May 14 elections to ensure that facilitators and voters are informed.

100... From A1 “There’s no exact date yet because the Emir should also be available,” she said, adding that once a date had been mutually agreed upon, the Kuwaiti government would then extend a formal invitation. Asked if the upcoming trip would be an official or state visit, Arriola said the country was hoping for the latter. “We’re hoping it’s a state visit because there had been an invitation like that but the date couldn’t be settled,” she said. Arriola extended her gratitude to the Kuwaiti government for being “very cooperative” with the Philippine government. The weekend flight, carrying more than 100 Filipinos on Saturday, was the third to the last flight the DFA was shouldering under the context of the Kuwaiti amnesty. While the amnesty is set to lapse on April 22, Arriola said the DFA would still assist Filipinos seeking help after the program’s expiration. “If they get arrested, you know because of the crackdown, we will assist them and bring them home, because we don’t turn our backs on our nationals,” she said. “We asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs already, if there are Filipinos arrested, tell us, so that we can bring them home,” she added. Arriola said the Philippine government would still cover the plane tickets of Filipinos who would be deported once their papers were complete. “Yes [we will shoulder], regardless of how long the process would take. Under the amnesty there’s no arrest (but) there really is the danger of arrest after 22, and they will be forever banned by then, that’s already deportation,” she said. Of the more than 10,000 illegal Filipino workers in Kuwait, the DFA, through its Assistance to Nationals Fund had repatriated 4,494 persons, with about 400 more expected by Sunday. “We’re very thankful for (sic) the State of Kuwait for giving the amnesty program, for being cooperative with us,” Arriola said. PNA

PH...

From A1

A teary-eyed Dasmariñas raised his hands in jubilation as Filipinos in the crowd of about 4,000 spectators at the Singapore Indoor Stadium roared in approval. Dasmariñas, 25, increased his record to 28 wins, 19 of them via the short route. The 31-year-old Guerfi’s record fell to four losses. Guerfi was more aggressive throughout, while the Filipino was cautious, choosing to absorb some punches while waiting for a chance to unleash his deadly left hand. In the main event, Singaporean fighter Muhamad Ridhwan, 30, won over Filipino fighter Jeson Umbal, 23, via a split decision following a brutal final 12th round to retain the IBO intercontinental featherweight title. AFP

POLL WATCHDOG WARNS VS EARLY CAMPAIGNING By Joel E. Zurbano

HE National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has asked candidates for the barangay and youth council elections not to engage in early or premature campaigning in the runup to the May 14, 2018 polls. Namfrel urged the public to report violators of the law against premature campaigning. Elections authorities set the campaign period from May 4 to May 12. “There is a campaign period set by the Commission on Elections so that it will be a fair fight. If you cannot follow it, what do you think the residents in your barangay will say regarding your character,” the group said in a statement. Namfrel described those engaged in early campaigning as “epal”, a

street slang for the Filipino term “mapapel” or one who craves attention, takes credit for other people’s work, or needlessly meddles in their affairs. It advised voters to remember the names and faces of the epal and forget them on May 14 synchronized elections. Comelec spokesperson James Arthur Jimenez reminded all candidates that the official campaign period is different from the election period, which began on April 14,

2018 for the simultaneous barangay and SK polls. Namfrel said those who cannot follow the guidelines set by the Comelec will only be seen as not being good examples of how to be a public official. “People will probably say they should be the ones at the forefront in following the rules. How come the race has not yet started but they are already running,” the group added. Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code states that “It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not a voter or candidate, or for any party, or association of persons, to engage in an election campaign or partisan political activity except during the campaign period...” Section 264 of the same code also states that any person found guilty of any election offense shall be punished with one to six years’ imprison-

ment, disqualification to hold public office, and deprivation of the right to vote. In Laguna, campaign materials of barangay candidates sprouted all over the city of Cabuyao even before the start of the campaign period. Residents also observed the presence of illegal posters in public places, on trees and electric posts along Mamatid Road in Barangay Mamatid and streets of Barangays Pulo, San Isidro and Banlic. Last April 14, the Comelec declared the start of the election period with the filing of Certificate of Candidacy of aspirants and reelectionists, and the implementation of the nationwide gun ban and other prohibitions. The poll body, in coordination with the National Police and the Armed Forces, also put up checkpoints in all cities and towns.

SERENO SUPPORTERS HOLD PRAYER WALK THE Coalition for Justice held a prayer walk Saturday in front of the alleged mansion of Associate Justice Teresita Leonard-de Castro in Paranaque. Led by the publicly described running priest Fr. Robert Reyes, the members of CFJ from different groups supporting Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno held more than a 30-minute prayer in front of the house of De Castro in Merville, Parañaque City. “Don’t let the devil use you. Get the person out of Satan,” prayed

EJK...

From A1

The report, he said, was meant for the US Congress to use the result to come up to a sound decision making. “It’s to fulfill a statutory responsibility to our Congress to try to produce the most accurate description of what we find is going on in other countries so that they can use that in making decisions,” Kozak added. Aside from the fact that Congress can utilize it, Kozak also said the report could also used it in its judicial system and executive branch. “And frankly, it gets used then also by our judicial system. For example, when our immigration officers or our immigration judges are assessing asylum claims or refugee claims, they’re matching the person’s story against what they know of country conditions, and they

STAR... From A1 “The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given.” Maitrai Joshi, a DJ at the Muscat Hills Resort, said he had spotted Avicii and understood the dance superstar was on vacation in Oman for the first time and had extended his stay. “I saw him again the next day and again he was friendly, humble and took some photos,” Joshi told AFP by email. Avicii was among the first DJs to break through in the mainstream as electronic dance music grew over the past decade from nightclubs to Top 40 radio. He created a global hit out of Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars,” to which he added a layer of energetic electronica. He also helped produce Madonna’s last album. On Instagram, the pop icon posted a picture of herself in the DJ booth with Avicii and wrote: “So Tragic. Goodbye Dear Sweet Tim. Gone Too Soon.” His biggest individual hits included “Wake Me Up,” which went to number one across Europe in 2013 and featured the soul singer Aloe Blacc. In 2015, he DJ-ed the wedding

Reyes in Tagalog. The Prayer Walk, according to Reyes in a statement, is for De Castro to be enlightened on the quo warranto case against Sereno. There was no immediately available comment from De Castro. The alleged three-story house of De Castro was believed to be more than 1,000 square meters in lot area, which according to some neighbors, was pegged at P18 million up to P30 million. The resort opposite the house was also said to be owned by De Castro.

use these reports as a factual baseline for that,” he said. “We use it in the Executive Branch as well when we’re meeting with foreign officials. It’s the basis on which we can brief the President or the Secretary of State on the human rights situation in that country,” he added. He also clarified that the whole effort in coming up a report was to “make it as factual, as clinical as possible” and not draw any conclusion or recommendation. “We’re reporting what’s out there, and often you’re getting contradictory information. You’ll have a credible source—media in another country, a respectable newspaper, or a nongovernment organization or something—saying, ‘This happened,’ and then you have somebody else saying, ‘No, it didn’t,’ or, ‘It didn’t happen that way.’ And we try to reflect both of those things,” he explained.

reception of Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and his bride Sofia. The couple mourned him in a statement, saying: “We had the honor to have known him and admired him both as an artist and the beautiful person that he was.” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven called Avicii “one of the greatest names of music in Sweden in modern times.” Scene ‘not for me’ Avicii has spoken publicly in recent years about his health problems, including pancreatitis, triggered in part by excessive drinking. The condition forced him to cancel shows in 2014 as he had to have his gallbladder and appendix removed. In 2016, Avicii stunned fans by retiring from touring when he was just 26. “The scene was not for me,” he told music magazine Billboard after his decision. “It was not the shows and not the music. It was always the other stuff surrounding it that never came naturally to me. All the other parts of being an artist,” he added. “I’m more of an introverted person in general. It was always very hard for me. I took on board too much negative energy, I think.” Avicii later returned to the more quiet life of a studio artist. Last year, he put out a six-song EP that featured British pop singer Rita Ora. AFP

One of the protesters, Nona Andaya-Castillo of UP Samasa Alumni Association, said she voluntarily joined the Prayer Walk to denounce De Castro and four other justices for their refusal to inhibit despite “obvious bias and prejudice” against the Chief Justice. “We saw De Castro’s house on about 1,000 square meters and the resort fronting it is allegedly also owned by her. The house is three stories, she is the one who should submit her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth,” said Castillo, whose husband she said was a po-

litical prisoner. “Our prayer is for De Castro to be sober in thought and heart and listen to the call of the public for her to inhibit or to resign in the Sereno case before the Supreme Court,” she said in Tagalog. Castillo even expressed fear that dictatorship will reign once Sereno is ousted from Supreme Court. After the prayer, the group chanted “De Castro, Inhibit or Resign” and “Quo Warranto, Ibasura” as they lighted candles in front of De Castro’s house.

“We don’t try to resolve and say this is the—this is the true facts (sic) here,” he added. The report is the latest expression of alarm by the US government against Duterte’s deadly war on drugs and other related issues despite his better relations with President Donald Trump. Former US President Barack Obama has raised his concern over the antidrug campaign that killed thousands of civilians who were allegedly involved in illegal drug use and trade. The concern of Obama then angered Duterte and told him to “go to hell.” Asked when countries should look at the US for leadership on human rights, and should they be looking at this report, or should they be looking at Trump’s embrace of Duterte, Kozak said the report was just primarily an assessment to what was happening in other countries. “I think this is showing what we as-

NOKOR'S... From A1 and so “no nuclear test and intermediate-range and inter-continental ballistic rocket test-fire are necessary for the DPRK now.” As such the North’s nuclear testing site was no longer needed, he told the central committee of the ruling Workers’ Party, according to the official KCNA news agency. The party decided that nuclear blasts and ICBM launches will cease as of Saturday—the North has not carried any out since November—and the atomic test site at Punggye-ri will be dismantled to “transparently guarantee” the end of testing. Within minutes of the report being issued, Trump tweeted: “This is very good news for North Korea and the World—big progress! Look forward to our Summit.” Seoul too welcomed the announcement, calling it “meaningful progress” towards the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. But Kim offered no sign he might be willing to give up what he called the North’s “treasured sword”, saying its possession of nuclear weapons was “the firm guarantee by which our descendants can enjoy the most dignified and happiest life in the world”. Pyongyang has made rapid technological progress in its weapons programs under Kim, which has seen it subjected to increasingly strict sanctions by the UN Security Council, the United States, the European Union, South Korea and others. Last year, it carried out its sixth nuclear blast, by far its most powerful to date, while Kim and Trump traded threats of war and per-

sess to be the human rights situation in all of the countries you’ve just mentioned, including—now even more so—the responsibility of the government for the abuses that are occurring there,” he explained. “They’re not—we’re not just saying there are these societal problems in the country; we’re saying the government either has done these bad deeds or not,” he added. Although police claimed to have begun investigations of all reports of extrajudicial killings, the US said there had been no criminal complaints filed against police officers accused of unlawful murders. The report stated that from January to the end of September 2017, Philippine-based and foreign media had reported more than 900 fatalities in police operations suspected to be connected with the violent illegal drugs crackdown.

sonal insults as tensions ramped up. Even when there was an extended pause in testing, US officials said that it could not be interpreted as a halt without an explicit statement from Pyongyang. South Korean envoys have previously cited Kim as promising no more tests, but Saturday’s news is the first such announcement directly by Pyongyang. ‘Devil in the details’ Analysts cautioned that the declaration was promising but limited. “Certainly this is a positive development,” said Daniel Pinkston of Troy University. “It’s a necessary but not sufficient step in North Korea returning to its past non-proliferation commitments.” And Christopher Green of the International Crisis Group added on Twitter: “I don’t see how North Korean statement constitutes a step toward denuclearization. It is a moratorium on testing, but recommits North Korea to nuclear weapons status.” Japan—which has seen missiles fly over its territory—gave a mixed response, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offering a cautious welcome but his defense minister saying North Korea did not mention the shortor medium-range missiles that put Tokyo within reach. Beijing reacted positively to the statement from its traditional ally, saying it believed the move would “help to promote the process of denuclearization and attempts to find a political settlement” on the peninsula. The formal declaration of an end to testing comes after Kim reiterated the North’s nuclear status in his New Year speech and said he had a nuclear button on his desk—prompting Trump to tweet that he had a bigger one of his own. AFP

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AFP CONDEMNS NPA FOR ATTACK

HE Armed Forces of the Philippines strongly condemned the New People’s Army for the unprovoked attack that left a Jehova’s Witnesses pastor dead and two of his companions injured in Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte last April 18.

his two companions is totally unacceptable, appalling and downright an act of terrorism. This exemplifies the NPA’s contempt and total disrespect for human rights and the International Humanitarian Law,” AFP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bienvenido Datuin said in a statement released late Friday. Datuin said the entire AFP commiserates with the families of Acedo while praying for the quick recovery of his two companions who were wounded in the NPA attack. “The continued impunity and mass murder “The killing of Jepti Acedo, an innocent civilian and a pastor, and the wounding of of human beings in the hands of NPA terrorists

in Mindanao cements the national perception on the inhuman and evil character of their murderous organization as it strengthens their worldwide reputation as harbinger of disaster and omen of death,” he added. “The AFP is firm on its stand to fully support the primacy of the peace process but our soldiers will do everything necessary when the safety and security of our people are threatened,” Datuin warned, as he urged the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front to stop all atrocities against the people and be sincere in the peace process. PNA

BONG GO WEIGHS IN ON DETAINED PH FISHERS IN INDONESIA By Vito Barcelo SPECIAL Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go said he would suggest to President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss the issue of detained Filipinos in Indonesia when the Chief Executive meets Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the sideline of the 32nd Asean Summit in Singapore this month. The Indonesian Navy turned over the Filipino repatriates on April 13, three days after the conduct of boarder patrol exercises (Corpat Philindo 18) in Indonesia. They were detained in Indonesia for illegal entry, fishing and overstaying. Go, who welcomed the Filipino repatriates, said there are still a number of Filipino fishermen languishing in Indonesian jails after they were arrested for intruding into Indonesian waters. “The government will address the matter at the Asean meeting to speed up the process of repatriation for the remaining Filipino fishermen detained in Indonesia,” Go said. He said many Filipino fishermen did not know they were already intruding into foreign territories and they need to learn the territorial border to avoid being arrested. Go also said that President Duterte wants to establish an office that will prioritize the concerns and needs of fishermen to prevent similar incidents from happening again. Duterte’s close aide said he was also talking with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano to expedite the repatriation process of other Filipinos in Indonesia.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DU30 STANDS AS GODFATHER TO FAELDON’S SON HOW close really is former Bureau of Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon to President Rodrigo Duterte? Well, not only was he appointed as Office of Civilian Defense deputy administrator while still in detention at the height of the controversy he faced at the Senate, the President even consented to be one of the godfathers of Faeldon’s months-old son Abram from Jelina Magsuci during the child’s baptism last April 18 at the Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City. Aside from the President, Cabinet members who stood as Abram’s godfathers are Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, Presidential Adviser for Sports Dennis Uy, and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ricardo Jalad. Abram was born at the height of the Senate hearing on the entry of P6.4 billion worth of shabu through the Manila port. The former Customs chief was detained at the Senate for refusing to answer the senators’ questions, and even bickered with blue ribbon committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon and was eventually transferred to the Pasay City jail. While still in detention in December, Faeldon was appointed by Duterte to the Office of Civil Defense. Faeldon was released in March after he made amends with Gordon.

EU ENVOYS JOIN PALAWAN BIKE TOUR WALK FOR BORACAY. On the eve of Earth Day 2018 and days before the start of the six-month closure of

Boracay Island, green groups, Nilad and Earth Island Institute hold a Green Walk at the Arroceros Park in Manila as opposition to the closure of Boracay and Arroceros Park, and called for the conservation and preservation of green spaces and Philippine wetlands. Norman Cruz

ALBAYALDE ORDERS RETRAINING OF OFFICERS By Francisco Tuyay ON HIS first day as chief of the 195,000-strong police force, Police Director General Oscar Albayalde emphasized the important virtues of discipline, respect, honesty and honor among his lieutenants as he mandated all police recruits to undergo extensive training in honing them the proper traits necessary for a lawmen to fulfill his mission to country and people. In a press briefing a day after his assumption of office as PNP chief, Albayalde directed all policemen to reject complacency and instead become pro-active regardless which area one is assigned, as he threatened to punish those who would fail to comply with PNP orders. “How I wish na darating ang panahon na yung pulis natin hindi natiin kailangan utusan, pukpukin sa paglabas niya, pagpasok niya sa kanyang duty, opisina, alam na niya kung ano ang gagawin; kung siya ay beat patroller, kailangan lumabas siya para mag beat patrol. Hindi yung kailangan mag text siya sa isang sulok or nandun lang siya sa isang convenience store na nakiki-wifi,” Albayalde pointed out. He also encouraged policemen

to refrain from acting like robots, or acts only when ordered by a superior, which the new PNP chier said is a betrayal of the internal policies. “Hindi tayo parang kabayo na kapag hindi pinalo, hindi tatakbo, hindi tayo parang jukebox kapag hindi hinulugan ng piso hindi tutugtog. Yan ang gusto natin mangyari,” Albayalde said. In his first policy directive, Albayalde directed all police recruits who completed the basic recruitment process, to undergo another six-month intensive training with the Special Action Force for them to develop the right attitude and discipline and the will to fight before they can be declared as a full-pledge police officers. Albayalde, however, said that he sees no reason for falling short, “because this is just a question of attitude.” “We are in the uniformed service. We have still rules and regulations and policies that must be complied with. You can not avoid to have military training because we operate outside. We have concerns in internal security, we have insurgency problem, problems of terrorism, seccessionist movement, so there’s really a need for a military

training. I think this will be able to developed discipline of our policemen and their will to fight,” Albayalde explained. He recalled having to undergo mandatory ranger training in the Philippine Army at the home base of the the Army’s jungle fighters in Tanay, Rizal shortly after graduating at the Philippine Military Academy which helped hone him and taught him correct morals, proper attitude, discipline, honor, honesty and integrity, that an officer must possess. “Compared today, although he is a commando trained, but he’s just a driver of a regional director and there’s lot of them and we will remove it. This cannot be,” said Albayalde. On the aspect of loyalty, Albayalde had emphasized obedience to the organization instead of loyalty to an officer which he said as “the fastest ticket to failure.” “Loyalty is a question of personal attachment, but we are in a uniformed organization who we expect obedience here. We expect everybody to toe the line and expect everybody to follow the rules and regulations and policies of the organization,” Albayalde said.

MARIKINA POLICE RAID SHABU LAB OWNED BY CHINESE NATIONAL

STRONG MESSAGE. Leyte (1st District) Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez delivers her meesage during the Inauguration of the DFA Regional Consular Office in Robinsons North, Tacloban City. Romualdez stresses that primary mission of all those in government is to serve better, because the people deserves nothing less. Romualdez is also one of the co-authors on House Bill creating the passport validity from five years to 10 years. Ver Noveno

AS IF to welcome its new PNP chief, Police Director General Oscar Albayalde, the Marikina Police scored a big hit against illegal drug peddlers and drug manufacturers in the country. Marikina police chief Police Senior Superintendent Roger Quezada said that his men raided a suspected shabu laboratory in a home in Saint Mary Subdivision in Barangay Nangka through a tip from a concerned citizen last week. Quezada said the laboratory is owned by the same Chinese national suspected of operating an ecstasy lab in Malabon. Quezada said the house reportedly belongs to “John Ming Shen,” who was arrested in Malabon City last week when the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency raided the suspected

ecstasy lab. The PDEA earlier referred to the Chinese national as “Jiang Minshan” of Fujian, China, an alleged member of the Dragon Wu International Drug Syndicate operating in Asia. Quezada said that the police team secured a warrant and raided the house on Friday, April 20 and subsequently found equipment and chemicals used in manufacturing shabu. Others who were at home at the time of the raid were the suspect’s wife, Lulu Wong, their grandmother Zheng Chonglo, and helpers Eva Piyang and Maria Christine Baquiller Locsin. The Marikina police chief said that they are conducting an inventory of the evidence collected following the raid.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Rio N. Araja EUROPEAN Union Ambassador Franz Jessen and other ambassadors of several EU member states will join the group of bikers to cycle throughout half of Palawan to promote cycling to promote a healthy and climatefriendly lifestyle. In an interview, Jessen admitted that he was very much excited to go on a bike tour dubbed as “Sikad Palawan” from El Nido traveling through Taytay, Roxas, and finally to Puerto Princesa spanning 200 kilometers from April 28 to 30, 2018. “Next week, ambassadors from Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, Romania, and myself will go on a bike tour...to promote the curbing of greenhouse gas emissions and to promote biking as a healthy and climate-friendly lifestyle,” Jessen said in a press conference this week. Aside from Jessen and his family, personalities who will participate in the biking tour include Belgian Ambassador Michel Goffin and his family, German Ambassador Gordon Kricke, the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of France Laurent Legodec and the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Romania Mihai Sion. Sikad Palawan is an offshoot of Padyak para sa Kalikasan, a yearly bike tour to Irawan watershed in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which was shown on the sidelines of the Cine Europa.

‘JOBSTREET POLL GOOD FOR SHS GRADS’ AN OFFICIAL of the Department of Education sees the survey conducted by recruitment site, Jobstreet Philippines, as a positive source for checking the employability of K to 12 or Senior High School graduates. DepEd Undersecretary Jesus Mateo, in a statement Friday, said the poll is a “welcome opportunity for DepEd to have a baseline data on the employers’ willingness to hire K to 12 graduates.” Early this week, Jobstreet Philippines released a report showing 24 percent of employers in the country are willing to hire K to 12 or SHS graduates. “[The] 24 percent is about two in 10 of company employees, a good enough percentage to take in K to 12 grads in entry level positions doing administrative and support work to technical, supervisory and managerial levels,” it said. Companies willing to hire K to 12 graduates include business process outsourcing industry, manufacturing, professional services, retail and, machinery and equipment. According to Jobstreet’s report, 35 percent of employers who participated in the survey said they are not yet ready to hire K to 12 completers, while 41 percent said they are looking into hiring the completers but have not yet set a definite timeline. PNA

Opinion

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

GRABBED BY THE NECK NOT too long ago, riders usually had both the Uber and Grab apps on their mobile devices. While they were willing to pay a premium for convenience, they still wanted value for their money. Thus, the practice was to key in your destination and then find out which of the two offered a better rate. This month, all that changed. Uber is no longer around. Its Southeast Asian operations have been bought by Grab. And because Grab has gotten rid of the competition by buying it, its prices have been unconscionable of late. Passengers have been left with very few choices. Now we hear that Grab has been charging P2 per minute to its riders beginning June last year. While some sectors slammed this practice as illegal, Grab insisted it could set its own fees and that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had been informed of this scheme. The LTFRB denied knowledge of this. The head of Grab Philippines, Brian Cu, said the money actually went to the drivers, and wondered how they could refund it at all. This week, the LTFRB suspended the charging practice “pending extensive review and resolution,” and the company said it would comply. While desperate to figure out how the LTFRB could be so blissfully unaware of a practice going on for months, the public is still waiting to feel the effects of the order. *** One could always take the bus, or the train, or a taxi. But hailing a taxi in itself is also an exercise in patience. Sometimes it’s a struggle for sanity. Imagine standing on the street waiting for a cab, eager to cap a long day. An empty taxi comes along. But if you see the window on the side rolled down, be prepared. This is a driver who’s choosy. The reasons vary—he will pick up somebody at a certain time, he will eat, he does not go in that direction, he doesn’t want to go outside the vicinity of where he is. Sometimes he actually scoffs at you when you tell him your destination, as if you were less of a person, worthy to be rejected. These days perhaps these cabbies know all too well that people are considering them again because of the surge in Grab prices. Some actually work up the nerve to ask how much the estimated price was, and then not-sosubtly point out that you are able to save a lot more riding with them. Case in point. I was standing on Dela Rosa street one Monday night when I flagged down a cab. The driver slowed down but didn’t stop in front of me. He stopped in front of two Western-looking men. The men must have seen I had been there awhile, so they said I should go ahead. Good for them, I thought. When I sat down the driver was surprised to see a girl, not the men. When I told him I was going to Quezon City, he shook his head vigorously. “This was why I didn’t stop in front of you,” he said with a scowl. “I’ll just be driving around Makati.” Wow, he had ESP! He knew where I was going even before talking to me! When I alighted, visibly irked, the two foreigners asked me why. “Go on. Take him, he’s an a**hole,” I said. Later I regretted what I said. I should have also warned them that the driver might charge them excessively, and that they should be careful.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

UST months ago, United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un traded insults like schoolyard adversaries over the latter’s nuclear tests and missile launches. The world was on edge, wondering if a showdown was imminent given the temperaments—and capabilities—of the two leaders. But now North Korea has announced it would suspend nuclear tests and even shut down a major site. The president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, also said Kim had embraced denuclearizing without demanding the withdrawal of US troops from the Korean Peninsula. Moon and Kim will meet next week at the Demilitarized Zone. Mr. Trump is elated. He was quick to take to Twitter, where he said: “This is very good news for North Korea and the World— big progress! Look forward to our Summit.” His own meeting with Kim has been set for May. The tide began to turn sometime during the Winter Olympics held in South Korea, when North Korean athletes, accompanied by no less than Kim’s sister, traveled across the border to participate. The two nations spoke and South Korean officials relayed the message to the US. Soon, CIA director Mike Pompeo went to Korea to lay the groundwork for the talks. It’s a promising development, indeed—“meaningful progress,” if we are to use Moon’s words. Nonetheless, Japan—over whose territory the missiles passed during testing—through its defense minister said it was not satisfied with North Korea’s promise because it did not mention the abandonment of its short-range and mediumrange ballistic missiles. Kim himself also said they were abandoning the testing because they had already achieved their goal of developing a functional nuclear arsenal—whether this is a bluff, a facesaving statement, or the truth, nobody can say. The rest of the world should view this turn of events with cautious optimism and a healthy dose of skepticism. Warming relations between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the US, will certainly make people feel safe. But Moon, hoping for an end to the war between the Koreas, himself acknowledged that “the devil is in the details.” Achieving peace and stability in the region will take more than a statement from one party and a gleeful reaction by the other. There will be a lot to talk about—North Korea’s complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization, for instance, or the security guarantees it wants. The parties must tread carefully, because it will only take a flash of temper or a thoughtless provocative comment to throw out all these promising initiatives and bring the world back to the edge all over again.

Turn to A5

THE RETURN OF KOJI KABUTO SELECT movie theaters in the metro are screening “Mazinger Z: Infinity” and I’m surprised the film isn’t getting more love from Gen X’ers. That generation will recall what a huge phenomenon it was for television back in the ‘80s, when Japanese mecha anime shows burst on the scene—Voltes V, Daimos, Mazinger Z, Grendaizer, and Mekanda, just to name some coming from one blocktimer, Telesuccess Productions. Among the mechas, Mazinger seems to

have retained the affection of Japanese fans, even starring in a TV commercial about retirement. Now, Toei Animation brings the narrative alive again in a fulllength film that sees the characters all grown up. Koji Kabuto and Sayaka Yumi are now respected scientists, the latter in charge of the country’s photon energy agency. The other characters are just as gainfully employed, with Shiro and Tetsuya still piloting giant robots. This era of peace is shattered by the reappearance of arch-villains Doctor Hell and the original ‘Ma’am-Sir’ Baron Ashura. The film suffers somewhat from jerky

scene transitions, deus ex machinae, and trite panderings to masculinity (the ‘Mazingirls’? ugh), but is otherwise an interesting nod to nostalgia. One excellent aspect of production was the English dub. The voice actors’ dynamism and dedication to giving the narrative life gave depth to the characters and continuity to the storyline. *** The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the longest-running and most prestigious literary contest in the country now on its 68th year, is now accepting entries to its regular categories as follows: English Division—Short Story, Short

Story for Children, Essay, Poetry, Poetry Written for Children, One-Act Play, and Full-Length Play; Filipino Division—Maikling Kuwento, Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Sanaysay, Tula, Tula Para sa mga Bata, Dulang May Isang Yugto, Dulang Ganap ang Haba, and Dulang Pampelikula; and Regional Languages Division—Short Story-Cebuano, Short Story-Hiligaynon, and Short Story-Ilokano. The Kabataan Division, open to persons below 18 years of age as of May 31, 2018, has for its theme this year, “How will you encourage the Filipino youth to read more books?” (Kabataan Essay) and “Paano mo

hihikayatin ang mga kabataang Pilipino na magbasa pa ng mga aklat?” (Kabataan Sanaysay). All submissions must be printed copies and on CD/USB. The Carlos Palanca Foundation Inc. will not accept online or email submissions for all categories. Contestants may submit only one entry per category. Published/produced works, which were first published or first produced between May 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018, and/or unpublished/unproduced works may be entered in the contest. Only unproduced works may be entered in the Dulang Pampelikula category. A Turn to A5

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Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Ofﬁce, Manila. Website: www.thestandard. com.ph; e-mail: contact@thestandard.com.ph

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From A4

work which has been awarded a prize in another contest before 12:00 midnight of May 31, 2018 is not qualified for the awards. The deadline for submission of entries is on May 31, 2018. For official contest rules and forms, visit the Palanca Foundation office at G/F Greenbelt Excelsior Bldg., 105 C. Palanca Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, or email cpmawards@gmail.com. For details call (632) 843-8277. *** Congratulations to the National Book Development Board for its successful 9th Philippine International Literary Festival held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Dubbed “(AUTHOR)ities,” the event showcased many talks, fora, and activities, including the launch of 75 new titles by Ateneo de Naga University Press and a plenary talk by Fil-American author Elaine Castillo about her debut novel “America is Not the Heart.” *** Kudos as well to the Spanish Embassy’s cultural arm, Instituto Cervantes, and other organizers of the 2018 Día del Libro festival held at the Ayala Triangle yesterday. Booksellers and publishing houses offered 20 percent discounts and a free rose for each purchase, drawing from a Día del Libro tradition in Spain of people exchanging roses and books. There were also displays of street art, book presentations, poetry recitals, free Spanish classes, and activities for children, as well as a free ‘concierto en el parque’ by the Manila Symphony Orchestra. A commenter on Twitter asked, “Why isn’t there a Día del Libro in Cebu?” and that’s a very good question. The same is asked about other events including the recent Big Bad Wolf Booksale. Understandably it is a matter of resource allocation and logistics, but hopefully organizers will include other Philippine cities when planning such festivals. There is interest, there is demand, and if we are talking about promoting books and reading, let’s not neglect the writers and readers outside Manila. Dr. Ortuoste is a writer and communication consultant. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

GRABBED...

From A4

It was the seventh cab I flagged down that took me to my destination. The feeling is in no way unique. There are plenty of similar episodes. I wonder if there was a way the riding public could be protected from this behavior. You know it is wrong to generalize, of course, and that there are many decent taxi drivers around. Still, how can you make the indecent ones shape up? You can’t legislate it. You can’t require their operators to keep an eye on them 24/7. You can’t even complain to the government because the process might aggravate your experience. What, then, can you do? Go to the next option. But I stopped taking the train when it crossed the line from “inconvenient” to “dangerous.” Good for me, I can make that choice. Good too, that up to a certain time of the day, a point-to-point bus service is available near my area. But what about the others who do not have the same options, and must choose between enduring these daily, unnecessary horrors and quitting their jobs? It’s not asking much. People just want to be able to focus on their jobs so they could attain some measure of comfort in their lives. With the abominable state of public transportation here, though, going to the job is as difficult as, if not more difficult than, the job itself.

EVERYMAN

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

RISK AND RISQUÉ IN DEMOCRACY

By Joel Vega IT IS often said that the hallmark of a truly democratic society is its ability to tolerate dissenting opinion. What is problematic with this statement is the assumption that all voices are equal and informed, and that all opinions are motivated by the speaker’s good will and claim to a higher moral ground. When a transgendered blogger recently and publicly castigated a BBC program director for giving airtime to a competing opinionmaker, her assumption was that her own opinion was note-worthier since, to use her own words, she is “a major-major blogger,” a bigger duck with a higher rank in the pecking order. Her illusion is laughable in the same way that a donkey’s delusion is laughable and pathetic if the poor donkey sincerely believes he has the speed and stamina of a cougar. This is precisely the crux of the matter. Given the benefit of a doubt, the transgendered blogger and the disillusioned donkey seemed both oblivious that they operate within their fisheyed view of the world. Their own press releases have persuaded them of their infallibility. The fallacy of the Me-and-You-Against-the-World is older than Shakespeare—nay, older than Noah himself when he locked himself and his family in a flat-bottomed wooden ark. And yet we cannot excuse a hysterical major-

major blogger or a delusional donkey, enabling them to dictate the terms in a democratic world. To allow them to call the shots is to allow that same democratic space to degrade itself, diminish its importance and role in a community that aims and works for more humane and principled conditions. In other words, democracy is an attractive, catch-all label in the same way that the platitudes of love and justice are cushy catch-phrases that are easy to bandy around but harder to realize or imbue with authentic meaning. In fact, lofty ideals, being difficult and elusive targets, demand hard work if not ascetic persistence. Ask the monks who plant their own wheat and bean supply in the mountain-top monasteries of the French Alps. In the era of Lorraine Badoy, Mocha Uson and other Hallelujah Duterte singers who are cheerleading the Golden Age of Grandstanding, democracy is a breeding ground for their own brand of mental contamination. By its very nature, democracy provides opportunistic space not only to sublime ideas but also to twisted, degenerate thought. Indeed, truffles thrive side by side with the poisoned fungus. Freedom of information inadvertently carries with it the dangers of misinformation. Seasoned journalists know this. You need a slant in the news you’re dishing out. It is only at the end of their working day that they ask whether their choices can be justified by the potential consequences

their stories trigger. In a democratic world, risk and risqué go hand in hand. Mocha and Kim Kardashian exploit this dynamic, practicing consummate skill in plunging the dagger of invented lies when the moment is ripe. In a way, Mocha possessed better timing than her master who unravels and acts like an unhinged, rusty lawn mower. Governments and other institutions with infinite clout and resources and who claim for themselves the power of language are traditionally held more accountable when they speak, unlike the corner street barber with his meager, captured audience. That explains our frustration and resentment when Lorraine Badoy spits out malice with careful calculation, and directly empowered by the combined apparatus of political elitism and taxpayer’s money. So when a balding, barong-clad public factotum sweats himself out justifying the subtle disinformation campaign of state TV or a PCCO press release, that same public servant is acting within the gray areas and darker underbelly of democracy. We can condemn him as the Hannibal Lecter of the political world—calculating and cannibalistic. But we cannot condemn him for the democratic space that we help create with our own ideals and delusions. Joel Vega lives and works in Arnhem, The Netherlands, as publications editor for an international medical association.

CINEMA MAKES RETURN TO SAUDI ARABIA By Anuj Chopra RIYADH—Saudi Arabia hosted its first public film screening in over 35 years on Friday, two days after US movie giant AMC unveiled the kingdom’s debut theater in Riyadh. Clutching prized tickets for what AMC said was a sold-out showing of Hollywood blockbuster action film “Black Panther,” men and women walked into the movie hall with tubs of popcorn and fizzy drinks. Families huddled around movie posters to take selfies, soaking up an experience that is mundane in most parts of the world but a novelty in the ultra-conservative desert kingdom. Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas last year as part of a farreaching modernization drive, with AMC Entertainment granted the first license to operate movie theaters. AMC chief executive Adam Aron said its multiplex theater at Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District will for now operate one screen with a seating capacity of around 250. He said plans were afoot for three more screens in the coming months. Access to the tightly guarded cinema complex, although open to moviegoers is highly restricted. An AFP reporter was invited to Friday’s opening but was not allowed by AMC and Saudi authorities to talk to audience members or attend the screening. Next up: Avengers? Religious hardliners, who have long vilified movie theaters as vulgar and sinful, were instrumental in shutting down cinemas in the 1980s. Reopening movie theaters is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious reform drive as he seeks to balance unpopular subsidy cuts in an era of low oil prices with more entertainment options—despite the risk of riling hardliners. The choice of “Black Panther,” a film about a young monarch of a fictional resource-rich African kingdom, has drawn parallels with

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows Saudi Information Minister Awwad Alawwad (left) and AMC Entertainment’s chief executive Adam Aron posing for a photograph with small popcorn buckets at the AMC cinema in Riyadh. AFP

the Saudi prince. An AMC official said the movie chain could possibly release the much-anticipated thriller “Avengers: Infinity War” at the cinema next week, around the same time as its global release. On social media, many Saudis complained that the ticket price of 75 Saudi riyals ($20), which included a new entertainment tax and value-added tax introduced this year, was too exorbitant in an age of austerity. “If we go as a family we will need a loan,” one Saudi quipped on Twitter. Saudis currently splurge billions of dollars annually to see films and visit amusement parks in neighbouring tourist hubs like Dubai

and Bahrain. “Welcome to the era when movies can be watched by Saudis not in Bahrain, not in Dubai, not in London... but inside the kingdom,” Aron said. International theater chains have long eyed Saudi Arabia with its more than 30 million people as the Middle East’s last untapped mass market, the majority of whom are under 25. AMC will face stiff competition from heavyweights such as Dubai-based VOX Cinemas, which on Thursday announced it had also secured a government license to operate in Saudi Arabia and would open the kingdom’s first IMAX theater in the coming days. AFP

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NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR DECLARATION: WHAT IT DOES AND DOES NOT MEAN SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jongun has declared an end to the nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests that sent tensions soaring on the peninsula, in the region, and beyond. The move, enshrined in a decision by the ruling Workers’ Party, comes ahead of a summit with the South’s President Moon Jae-in next week, and with a much-anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump due later. But it is only one step in a complicated sequence of moves that has a long way to play out. Here are some questions and answers on the latest developments. Does this mean Kim will give up his arsenal? Not in the slightest. Kim explicitly said that the possession of nuclear weapons was “the firm guarantee by which our descendants can enjoy the most dignified and happiest life in the world.” The North also reserved itself the right to use atomic weapons if there were “nuclear threats and nuclear provocations” against it—a threshold

that falls short of an attack. “I don’t see how North Korean statement constitutes a step toward denuclearisation,” tweeted Christopher Green of the International Crisis Group. “It is a moratorium on testing, but recommits North Korea to nuclear weapons status.” Why is this announcement being made now? Pyongyang’s declaration comes less than a week before the inter-Korean summit, and it has been on a charm offensive for months with the South’s Winter Olympics triggering a diplomatic rapprochement on the peninsula. Kim first declared the completion of the country’s nuclear force at the beginning of this year, and the North appears to believe last year’s technological advances put it into a position of strength from which to negotiate. At the same time, analysts say it has been rattled by the belligerent rhetoric of the Trump administration, and according to diplomats sanctions

are having an increasing impact on the economy. The declaration of an end to testing has long been demanded by Washington, and will be seen as a confidence-building measure ahead of the talks. Jon Wolfsthal, director of the Nuclear Crisis Group, said: “The DPRK is really eager both to ensure the summit happens and, if it fails, to build the case now that they bent over backwards to be reasonable.” Will there be a deal? Trump warned last week that he would call off the Kim summit if it was unlikely to prove “fruitful.” But what an ultimate deal over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons might look like, and what it will demand in the form of security guarantees, remains deeply unclear. And we have been here before— there have been declarations of a moratorium on testing, negotiations and even agreements in the past, but they have ultimately foundered sooner

or later. How significant is closing Punggye-ri? All but one of the North’s nuclear blasts have been carried out under Mount Mantap at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in the northwest of the country, with landslides and earthquakes after the last blast leading to speculation it was suffering from “tired mountain syndrome.” Closing Punggye-ri does not preclude the use of other locations, or even atmospheric nuclear tests, MIT political scientist Vipin Narang pointed out. But David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security said the declared intention to “transparently guarantee” the end of testing was highly significant, opening the way to the US seeking access to the site. “Transparency is critical and a key concession, if sincere.” How powerful is Pyongyang’s arsenal? Monitoring groups put the size of

Pyongyang’s sixth and last atomic blast in September at 250 kilotons—16 times the size of the US bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945 and the kind of yield generated by a hydrogen bomb. In a 2016 defense white paper, Seoul estimated the North had 50 kilograms of plutonium—reportedly enough for about 10 bombs, and US estimates of its bomb numbers are said to be significantly higher. The Hwasong-15 ICBM Pyongyang tested in November has an estimated range of more than 13,000 kilometers, analysts say, bringing the whole of the US mainland within range. There are still questions over its capabilities—it has not demonstrated targeting abilities, miniaturization of a warhead, or the reentry technology needed to survive coming back into the Earth’s atmosphere. But it claims to have mastered all three. And whenever it holds a military parade, it puts scores of missiles and giant launchers on show rolling through Kim Il Sung square. AFP

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SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NEO-NAZIS MARK HITLER’S BIRTHDAY OSTRITZ, Germany—Hundreds of neoNazis were massing Friday on Adolf Hitler’s birthday for a two-day festival in a remote eastern German town where citizens and anti-fascist groups staged spirited counter-protests. Many of the mostly male right-wing extremists wore T-shirts with slogans such as “Keepers of the Race”, “White is my favorite color” and “Adolf was the best” while the event was guarded by a group called “Aryan Brotherhood”. Hundreds of armored police ringed the site of the “Schild und Schwert” (Shield and Sword, or SS) festival near the Polish and Czech borders that was expected to also attract eastern European extremists. Organizers argue that the “Reconquista Europa” festival -- featuring far-right music, speeches, martial arts, a tattoo convention and merchandise stalls -- is a political event, granting it legal protection under the German constitution. They said they expected about 1,000 participants. The event comes as Germany, after a mass influx of asylum seekers since 2015, is witnessing a revival of far-right and ultra-nationalist groups and has seen the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) enter parliament. AFP

NICARAGUAVIOLENCE KILLS 10 PROTESTERS MANAGUA, Nicaragua—Violent protests against a proposed change to Nicaragua’s pension system have left at least 10 people dead over two days, the government said Friday. In the biggest protests in President Daniel Ortega’s 11 years in office in this poor Central American country, people are angry over the plan because workers and employers would have to chip in more toward the retirement system. The government is willing to hold a dialogue and Ortega will issue a formal call on Saturday, Vice President Rosario Murillo said, adding: “At least 10 compatriots have died.” Demonstrations rocked the capital Managua and nearby cities for a third day. The new law, besides increasing employer and employee contributions, would cut the overall pension amount by five percent. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

DEMS SUE TRUMP FOR ‘CONSPIRACY’

ASHINGTON—The Democratic Party filed a lawsuit Friday alleging that Russia, WikiLeaks and top officials from Donald Trump’s campaign conspired to tilt the 2016 US presidential election in the Republican’s favor. The civil complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan by the Democratic National Committee alleges that Russia informed Trump’s campaign that it had conducted a cyber-attack on the DNC, leading to the release of information damaging to Trump’s rival Hillary Clinton. It also says a close Trump advisor, Roger Stone, appeared to have “advance knowledge” of plans by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks to disseminate some of the stolen information -- as part of what the suit alleges was a wide-ranging illegal conspiracy to influence the election. Republican Party chair Ronna McDaniel called the lawsuit “a last-ditch effort by a bankrupt party still trying

to cope with the fact that their candidate lost the 2016 election.” Trump tweeted that the lawsuit “can be good news in that we will now counter.” The Democrats allege that in a series of meetings and communications, Russian officials or representatives coordinated with Trump campaign personnel or associates for more than a year as they sought to lay the groundwork for a Trump upset. “The Trump campaign and its agents gleefully welcomed Russia’s help,” according to the 66-page complaint, which demands monetary damages and a declaration that the defendants conspired illegally.

“The conspiracy constituted an act of previously unimaginable treachery: the campaign of the presidential nominee of a major party in league with a hostile foreign power to bolster its own chance to win the presidency,” it added. The lawsuit targets Trump’s campaign, his son Donald Trump Jr, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and numerous campaign officials such as Paul Manafort, as well as the Russian government, including its foreign military intelligence agency, and WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange. “During the 2016 presidential campaign, Russia launched an allout assault on our democracy, and it found a willing and active partner in Donald Trump’s campaign,” DNC chairman Tom Perez said in a statement. The Democratic move comes at a time of legal turmoil for the president, marked by a raid on the offices of his personal lawyer, and the release of a book by James Comey that

alleges Trump was obsessed with the Russia meddling probe when he sacked the former FBI chief. Special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional investigators are probing possible Trump campaign links to what US intelligence has concluded was a sweeping effort to tilt the 2016 vote in Trump’s favor. Trump has consistently rejected charges that he or his campaign colluded with Russia -- tweeting earlier this week about “the phony Russia investigation where, by the way, there was NO COLLUSION (except by the Dems).” The complaint lays out a detailed chronology of activity largely in the public sphere, thanks to news reports and previous court proceedings. The events include a June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower between members of Trump’s team and a Russian lawyer, and a series of emails and messages that Democrats say confirm coordination between Russia and Trump’s campaign. AFP

DOG KEEPS LOST AUSSIE CHILD SAFE SYDNEY—A deaf and partially blind dog that kept a lost three-year-old girl safe in Australian bushland overnight was awarded police honors Saturday after leading rescuers to the child. Emergency services began a search on foot and from the air for Aurora Friday after the young girl wandered off into bushland on a rural property in Queensland state. Seventeen-year-old blue heeler Max stayed with the child through a rainy night before leading family and rescuers to her Saturday morning after more than 15 hours in the wild. “Leisa (the child’s grandmother) heard Aurora’s voice, found Max first, and then Max led her to Aurora,” Leisa’s partner Kelly Benston said, adding the dog was partially blind and deaf. Police were quick to make the hero pooch one of their own. “SUCH A GOOD BOY, MAX!” Queensland Police posted on Facebook. “For keeping her safe until she was found, you’re now an honorary police dog!” police posted alongside a picture of family pet. AFP

HEADING HEADING HEADING HEADING HEADING

BABY AND SHARKS. A customer pulls a pram carrying a baby outside a Maxim’s restaurant as activists wearing shark costumes take part in a protest against the use of shark’s fins in food in Hong Kong on Saturday. About 50 activists took part in the protest, organized by animal conservation group WildAid, urging restaurants operated by the Maxim’s Group to stop offering dishes made with shark’s fin. AFP

REMOTE SWEDISH FARMHOUSE HOSTS UN LEADERS BACKÅKRA, Sweden—The United Nations Security Council is meeting in a secluded farmhouse on the southern tip of Sweden on Saturday in a bid to overcome deep divisions over how to end the war in Syria.

In a first for the council, which normally holds its annual brainstorming session in upstate New York, the 15 ambassadors and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have this year been invited to hold its informal meeting in Backakra by Sweden,

a non-permanent member of the body. The presence of the UN’s special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, was not yet confirmed. The farmhouse is the summer residence of Dag Hammarskjold, the United

CANADIAN POT FANS MARK 4/20 ‘WEED’ DAY MONTREAL—Hundreds of young Canadians smoked weed on Friday, or day 4/20, to call for the legalization of marijuana. In Montreal, 300-400 people gathered Friday at 4:20 pm to fire up joints. 420, 4:20, or 4/20 is a code term in cannabis culture that refers to the consumption of weed, especially around the time of 4:20 pm, as well as smoking cannabis in celebration on the date April 20, which is 4/20 in US form. Similar scenes played out in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa outside parliament, where lawmakers are to vote this summer on legalizing pot. It is a campaign promise of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 46, who has acknowledged smoking weed. The bill was originally supposed to have been ready for the national holiday of July 1. But it has been delayed by work in legislative commissions. If it goes through, marijuana would be legalized in Canada this summer. AFP

Security personnel patrol ahead of the arrival of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Ystad, southern Sweden on Saturday, to attend a meeting with the UN Security Council on Syria. The meeting will take place at Backakra, the estate of former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. AFP

Nations’ second secretary-general who died in a plane crash in Africa in 1961. Situated in the heart of a nature reserve, just a stone’s throw from the Baltic Sea, the farmhouse consists of four buildings around a courtyard and has been completely renovated in recent years. The southern wing serves as the summer residence for the Swedish Academy which awards the Nobel Literature Prize. With both New York and Damascus thousands of kilometers away, the council will explore “the means to strengthen and make more effective United Nations peacekeeping missions,” the Swedish government said. Swedish foreign minister, Margot Wallstrom, welcomed the decision to hold the meeting in Sweden, “where there is a long tradition of peaceful conflict prevention and resolution”. The country’s deputy UN Ambassador Carl Skau said the idea was “to recreate dialogue” and “relaunch momentum” with “humility and patience”, a week after the air strikes by France, Britain and the US against the Syrian regime. “It’s important for the council’s credibility,” Skau told reporters in New York. While the war in Syria was not the main topic of the deliberations, it would figure high up on the agenda, because it was an issue that divided council members deeply in recent months. Skau said Backakra was a “fitting and inspiring venue” to reconnect with the power of diplomacy. AFP

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COCOLIFE READY TO TAKE NEXT STEP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

Manila

Cocolife Asset Managers team captain Sarah Klisura (right) avoids the blocking hands of a pair of Petron blockers as she spikes the volleyball across the net.

HILE previous conferences of the Philippine Superliga have been dominated by Foton, Petron and F2 Logistics, the Cocolife Assets Managers are ready to take the next step.

Cocolife takes on Petron in the bestof-three semifinals of the Chooks to Go —Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix which starts Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. Reigning champion F2 Logistics clashes with Foton. Formed only last year Cocolife is dead serious in making its first finals appearance in the league. Head coach Moro Branislav said new import Marta Drpa is already getting familiar to the Filipino brand of game and could be a big help to key players like Royse Tubino, Tina Salak, Denden Lazaro and fellow Serbian Sara Klisura on both ends of the floor. In fact, in their previous match against Cignal, Drpa displayed versatility as she delivered 11 digs and four blocks on top of 15 kills to finish with 19 points to tow the Asset Managers to the semifinals. “She is coming along very well. I’m sure she will be ready for the semifinals against Petron,” said Branislav, admitting that the Blaze Spikers have the most fluid roster in the tournament. “Petron is the best team this season. I must admit that. But it still lost a match. It still has some flaws. We have to put our best foot forward to expose those flaws and convert it to a victory in the semifinals.” The Asset Managers will have their work cut out for them if they hope to advance to the finals for the first time in the history of the franchise. The Cargo Movers and the Blaze Spikers are marching into the series with slight advantage. After clashing in a memorable finals showdown last year, both F2 Logistics and Petron shut down their classification round campaign on top with 9-1 win-loss marks, making them the teams to beat in this battle that also has Senoh, Mikasa, Grand Sport, LGR

of the Philippines. “Although we want her team (NU) to make it all the way to the UAAP finals, having Jaja back in the team will still be a big boost to us,” said Foton head coach Rommel Abella following a straight sets victory over Sta. Lucia in the quarterfinals. Abella added that F2 Logistics is such a strong team and the semifinals would not longer be a match of talent or strategy but of desire and character. “We should want it more than them,” he said. “F2 Logistics is very strong and disciplined team. But of course, it still has some lapses. And we should be ready to pounce on those lapses.”

PACERS RALLY FROM 17 POINTS DOWN TO BEAT CAVS The Pacers outscored CleveIT ain’t over till it’s over. land 13-4 to cut the Cavaliers’ American baseball lead to 61-53 with 6:24 left. legend Yogi Berra first utCleveland led 69-63 after tered the phrase when his three quarters. The team fell behind and Cavaliers were 5 on the brink of losing of 19 from the during the 1973 Nafield in the third tional League penquarter while nant race. His team the Pacers were did eventually rally 9 of 19. to win the division A triple by title. Bogdanovic cut The same the Cavaliers’ could be said aflead to 75-73. ter Indiana forOladipo then hit two ward Bojan Bogdafree throws with 8:38 to novic scored 30 points to lift go to tie it at 75-all. With the Pacers to 92-90 comethe scored tied at 77-all, from-behind victory over the Bogdanovic converted Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday a four-point play afnight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse ter being fouled on a in Indianapolis. 3-pointer to give Bogdanovic scattered 15 in the Indiana its first fourth quarter as the Pacers came lead at 81-77 with back rom 17 points down at half6:01 left in the time to post a 2-1 lead in the firstfourth quarter. round playoff series. Game 4 will be After Cleveland Sunday (Monday mornthrew the ball ing in the Philippines) Cleveland Cavaliers away, Bogdanight in Indianapolis. forward LeBron James Bogdanovic hit 11 of handles the basketball novic sank another 3-pointer. 15 shots, including 7 of against the Indiana Back-to-back 9 three-point attempts. Pacers. AFP 3-pointers by Victor Oladipo scored 18 for the Pacers, hitting 5 of 15 shots James closed the gap to 84-83. After James hit one of two free and 7 of 8 free throws. LeBron James played another throws, the Pacers went on a 7-0 monster game but it was not run, started by Bogdanovic’s drivenough. He scored 28 points on ing layup and followed by his 3010-of-22 shooting and also posted foot 3-pointer. Love, who is reportedly nursgame highs of 12 rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Love added 19 ing a partially torn ligament in his left thumb, scored 16 as Cleveland points on 7-of-13 shooting. After 3-pointers by James and dominated with a 57-40 advantage Love cut the Pacers’ edge to 91- at halftime. Love sank a 3-pointer 90 with 7.7 seconds to go, Pac- with 39 seconds remaining in the ers guard Darren Collison hit the half to give the Cavs the 17-point first of two free throws with five margin, their largest of the half. seconds to go. JR Smith missed a Cleveland shot 53.8 percent in the game-winning 3-point attempt at first half while the Pacers hit 45.7 percent. the buzzer.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS In Classified Ads section must be brought to our attention the very day the advertisement is published. We will not be responsible for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

Alaska Aces import Antonio Campbell (30) glides to the hoop against a pair of NLEX Road Warriors defenders.

(MS-APR. & 23,2,2018) (MS–MAR. 18, 2522 & APR 2018)

(MS-MAR.16, 23 & APR. 2, 2018) Cluster I --------Approved Budget for the Contract ----Php15,285,000.00 (MS-MAR. 19,26 & APR. 2, 2018) Gr. 7 English Teachers ----1,019 pax x 1,500.00 x 10 days Cluster II ------Approved Budget for the Contract -----Php10,125,000.00 NOTICE OF LOSSx l0 days Gr. 7 Filipino Teachers -----675 pax x 1,500.00 Cluster III ------Approved Budget for the Contract -----Php24,624,000.00 Gr.given 4 & Gr. Science Teachers ---1,368 x 1,500.00 x 12 days Notice is to8the public that Sta. Elenapax Golf and Country Estate Stock Cluster [V ----Approved for share the Contract Certificate No. M315A forBudget one (1) issued----Php24,516,000.00 in favor of Mr. David Wuson Gr. 4 & Gr. 8 Mathematics Teachers x 1,362 pax x 1,500.00 x 12 days was declared lost in the Affidavit of Loss executed by him and recorded in

notarial register Atty. Betsy T. Arvesu of Manila December 2017 2.theThe DepED RegionofIV-A CALABARZON,now invites, bidson for6the Procurement of as Document No. forr 70 on No. 15 of Book 1, of 2017.of the dffirent Board & Lodging K toPage 10 Training of Teachers on Series Criticnl Content Learnmg Areas. Delivery of the Services is expected for the Contract duration. Bidders should have completed, within five certificate (5) years from the date submission If no adverse claim regarding the above of stock is of represented and Corporate receipt of bids, a contractofsimilar the Project. The description of an eligible to the Secretary Sta. to Elena Golf and Country Club, Inc at bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly in Section II. Instructions Level 21, Tower 2, The Enterprise Center, 6766 Ayala Ave, Cor. Paseo to Bidders. Interested bidders shall bid on a per Cluster basis. de Roxas, Makati City, within one (1) year from the last publication of

10.

Notice,will the be right to make through such claim be forever barred and the 3.thisBidding conducted openshall competitive bidding procedures Corporation shall cancel in its books the above certificate stock and using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the of 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and issue a new certificate in Regulations lieu thereof.(IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. (MS-APR. 2, 2018)

(i)

Petron Blaze spiker Ces Molina spikes the volleyball unopposed.

Ironically, Campbell played his best game thus far in an Alaska uniform during his first practice game when he exploded 29 points to power his team to a decisive 106-97 victory over TNT last April 11. Campbell, who arrived less than two days before the practice game, was phenomenal as he needed to play only three quarters to lead the Aces to an insurmountable lead. Coach Alex Compton expressed his satisfaction at the performance of the 23-year-old big man. Campbell, a former Ohio Bobcat, stamped his class early and helped Alaska erect a 16-point lead, 70-54, midway through the third quarter. “The big thing for us was just trying to get Tony used to how the game will be officiated, facing another import, seeing really quick, good guards in Terrence (Romeo) and Jayson (Castro) on the floor, having to guard the ball screen and get back, and just know sort of what it looks like,” Compton said. Campbell is already scary good and threatens to become even better which the Aces hope will be enough to take them deep into the playoffs and hopefully get the chance to compete for their 15th PBA title.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%,) 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.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DepED Region lV-A CALABARZON (BAC Secretariat) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hour at 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on April 20, 2018 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of

ACES HAVE GEM OF AN IMPORT IN CAMPBELL AFTER making it back into the playoffs of the Philippine Basketball Association when they made a run in the past All-Filipino the Alaska Aces are poised to go even further this coming PBA Commissioner’s Cup. The Aces brought in talented big man Antonio Campbell with no less than former Alaska resident import Sean Chambers accompanying him. “Antonio is an extremely skilled player with a high basketball IQ. With continued development he has a chance to have a career in the NBA. Add to his height is the fact that he can dribble the ball like a guard. He can shoot the three ball and has high-level post up skills,” said Chambers. The former Alaska import has plenty of experience about leading his team to the playoffs and to championships. After all he is the import with the most number of PBA championships won. Campbell was quick to show his capabilities leading the team to three consecutive victories —over Talk N Text KaTropa, Barangay Ginebra and NLEX Road Warriors—in tuneup games before the start of the conference.

NOTICE OF SALE OF SERVICE VAN OF VENTECH PHILS.INC. Pujeda Trucking and Towing Services Notice is hereby given that in accordance to Section 13.3 of (D) (PTTS), accredited towing contractor of the Contract of Lease with Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd., SMC, willproperty be transferring all impounded the personal of VENTECH PHILS., INC. in Insular Life Corporateat Centre, Drive, Filinvest Corporate City, vehicles the Insular SLEX and Star Tollway Alabang, Muntinlupa City will be placed in public bidding. All Storagebidders Areas All interested may in call the Lestercoming or Carol atweeks. 582-1818 local 2331, Monday-Friday, 7:00 am – more 4:00 pm, or email mljacinto@ vehicles impounded than six (6) insular.com.ph for the walkthrough, registration procedures and requirements. months from this date shall be auctioned Schedules of Walkthrough: off. Owners who wish to claim their vehicles March 22, 23 & 28,to 2018, 8am to 4pmoriginal Certificate are advised bring the April 2 – 5, 2018, 8am to 4pm of Registration and valid IDs. For inquiries, Sealed bids will be accepted on or before April 6, 2018, Friday until 4:00 pm. please call the SLEX Storage Area at 0932Service Van: and Star Tollway Storage Area at 3321189, 2007 TOYOTA HI-ACE GRANDIA GL (Manual transmission): 0932-5772663. Minimum Bid Price is P450,000.00 (as-is where-is basis).

NOTICE is hereby given “LEGAL NOTICE” that the Intestate Estate Republic of the Philippines Notice is hereby given to the public that an Extra-Judicial Department of Education of Spouses WILFREDO Settlement Estate has been executed by the heirs of S. ENCOMIENDA AND REGION IV-A of CALABARZON SUSAN M. ENCOMIENDA the late PACITA JHOCSON OCAMPO, namely: BENIGNO Gate 2 Karangalan Village, Cainta. RizalJ. OCAMPO, ENRICO who died in Las Vegas, OCAMPO, JOSE ELIGIO TEODORO Nevada, USA on March JHOCSON OCAMPO, MARIA MICHELINE ESTELA O. INVITATION TO BID 22, 2015 and Medical City, DUQUE, JOSE NILO J. OCAMPO and JOSE LUIS J. Ortigas on December 9, OCAMPO, all of legal age and residents of Malate, Manila; 2015,BOARD respectively, is the AND LODGING FoR THE KSan TO Juan; 10 TRAINING TEACHERS Greenhills, Kaunlaran,OF Cubao, Quezon ON City, Las subject of EXTRA-JUDICIAL CRITICAL CONTENTPiñas OF THE DIFFERENT LEARNING AREASadjudicating City; and Mandaluyong City, respectively, by and among themselves the parcels of land consisting of Two.SETTLEMENT among their sale heirs, Hundred Ninety-Three Square Meters and funds Eighty intends Square 1. TheWilson DepED Region through the 2018 HRTD namely: Anthony M. IV-A CALABARZON. Decimeters (293.80 sq.m.), more or less, located in City to applyand the Kathleen sum of Seventy Four Million Five Hundred Fifty Thousand the Pesos Encomienda of Manila and coveredBudget by No. for TCT 74470; and (ABC) consisting M. Encomienda, as per Doc. Only (Php74,550.000.00) being the Approved the Contract to of Six Hundred and Ninety-Six Square Meters (696 sq.m.), No. 123; Page No. 26; Book payments under the contract Board & ofLodging K to morefor or the less,Procurement located in the of Municipality Cavinti, for Province No. I; Series of 2018 of the 10 Training of Teachers onofCritical Content of the by different Learning Areas. Laguna, and covered TCT No. T-100945 per Bids deed Notarial Register/Book of received in excess of the ABC per February Cluster shall be automatically rejected bid executed 26, 2018, before Notary Public Atty.at Henry HENSON M. MONTALVO, Notary Public for and in the D. Adasa, per Doc. No. 51; Page No. 12; Book No. II; Series opening. City of Makati. of 2018.”

Cocolife Asset Manager Denden Lazaro easily handles the ball as she executes a dig pass for her teammate.

and Asics as technical partners. In the quarterfinals, the Cargo Movers had an easy time dominating Smart while Petron clobbered Generika-Ayala to march into the semifinals oozing with confidence. But the semifinals will be entirely different battles. Foton is tipped to give F2 Logistics a hard time as it parades a pair of promising collegiate players in Diana Mae Carlos and Isa Molde, while its new import in Channon Thompson is starting to develop chemistry with mainstays Dindin Manabat, CJ Rosario, Maika Ortiz, Gyselle Sy and Canadian reinforcement Elizabeth Wendel. There’s also a good chance for former Most Valuable Player Jaja Santiago to suit up pending the outcome of the Final Four battle between National University and De La Salle University in the University Athletic Association

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Cluster I ----------------------Php13,500.00 Cluster II----------------------Php6,000.00 Cluster III---------------------Php13,500.00 Cluster IV---------------------Php13,500.00 Note: (For lot procurement the maximum fee for the Bidding Dacuments for each lot shall be based on its ABC, in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the GPPB; provided that the total fees for the Bidding Documents of all lots shall not exceed the maximum fee prescribed in the Guidelines for the sum of the ABC of all lots]. 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. 5.

The DepED Region lV-A CALABARZON will hold a Pre-Bid Conference2 on April 27, 2018 at 10:00 am to be held at the Director’s Office Conference Room, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before May 10, 2018 at 10:00 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 May 10, 2018 at the Director’s Office Conference Room. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The DepED Region lV-A CALABARZON 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.

For further information, please refer to: Ann Geralyn T. Pelias DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal 6477487 & 6474914 www.depedcalabarzon.ph (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS BAC Chairman

Mav be deleted ill case the ABC is less than One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000.00) where the Procuring Entity may not hold a Pre-Bid Conference. (MS-APR. 22, 2018)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

(MS-A

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 Riera U. Mallari, Editor

Sports

Reuel Vidal, Issue Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

MANNY PACQUIAO

WHEN THE DISTRACTION IS SPORT OF BOXING ITSELF

This file photo taken on October 22, 2009 shows Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao (R) sharing a light moment with his US trainer Freddie Roach (L) after a training session at a gym in Manila. Manny Pacquiao said on April 16, 2018 he had not yet chosen a trainer for his July world title fight with Lucas Matthysse, dismissing reports he has cut ties with long-standing mentor Freddie Roach. AFP

By Peter Paul Duran

HIS Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthyse bout on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur is a fight no one is seemingly asking for.

Save of course for those curious to see what outcome a bout between a reigning world champion who has a 92 percent knockout percentage, and a singing, fighting Senator from the Philippines who is at the twilight of his career. Lately, Pacquiao’s plate is full. He has stately duties as a lawmaker, a newly formed commercial basketball league and a quest for a diving life in the more “peaceful” ways of his religion. Controversial or not, his defeat over Australian Jeff Horn last year may be a clear indication of the People’s Champ’s flickering star inside the squared circle. Put bluntly, there isn’t much fan-

fare in the buildup to his fight unlike the many exciting bouts that came before. The reason? People are starting to lose interest in another Pacquiao prizefight, with a likelihood of another losing outcome. But then again, people have always pointed out to his other “distractions” as the primary suspects for his slumping performance. They do have a case, as his last bout in the ring a year ago produced his fourth loss in five years, owing to the many “Manny Things” the future Hall of Famer does outside the ring. And they won’t treat this upcoming fight for the World Boxing

Association World Welterweight title any different, though of course many a time, the eight-division world champion has proven doubters otherwise. We’re just hoping he does it again once more in July and maybe consider hanging up the gloves for good then for a fitting exit. Although nobody’s sure when will that come to fruition, but it’s not anytime soon as the 39-year-old General Santos native was quoted as saying that he wants his last fight be held at the Philippine Arena in front of his countrymen. That’s quite noble in face value. However, a loss to the 35-year-old Argentinian knockout artist, who kayoed all but three of his opponents and holds a record of 39 wins and four losses (36 KOs), in a way similar to his 2012 knockout defeat at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez is not the tune we want

our champ’s swan song to be in. It was Pacquiao himself who said in an interview that this fight is a “big challenge” for him, but sees it can “create more action in the ring” to give fight fans ceaseless and explosive action—something that’s lacking in Pacquiao’s recent bouts and something that could reinvigorate disrelished fans of late. Then maybe, just maybe, if an all-out slugfest goes Pacquiao’s way against Matthyse, people might reconsider seeing just want one more final Pacquiao fight at the Philippine Arena. But if the contrary transpires three months from now in Malaysia, then Pacquiao, who should be enjoying his fame and fortune now as a businessman, family man, senator and basketball organizer, must contemplate whether boxing has turned out to be the real “distraction” in his career.

WEISS, WASLE UPBEAT AS XTERRA DANAO BLASTS OFF DANAO, Cebu—Bradley Weiss and Carina Wasle insist they’re ready and raring for a repeat, so do the rest of the elite pro field, guaranteeing a fierce showdown from the swim-to-mountain bike-to-trail run events of XTERRA Danao Asia-Pacific Championship firing off today (Sunday) here.“After winning this amazing race last year, it set me up so well for the rest of the season, ultimately winning the XTERRA World Championships,” said Weiss, referring to his first world crown in Kapalua, Maui late last year.“ I hope to have similar fortunes this year and cannot wait to be back out on the XTERRA Danao trails,”added Weiss, 29.T The South African ace and Wasle actually started the season in big fashion, ruling the Fedhealth XTERRA South African Championship, considered as the world’s biggest, in ElginGrabouw last February, making them the athletes to beat in the grueling 1.5k swim, 28k bike on fire roads and rocky terrain and 8k trail run event presented by the City of Danao for the second straight year and produced and organized by Sunrise Events Inc. The host city, spearheaded by Rep. Ramon Durano IV, has impeccably set up another challenging course from the Coco Palm Beach Resort (swim) to the punishing mountain bike leg to the closing run winding up at the Cebu Technological University. “It’s a super hard course but I love it, specially the run par. I can’t wait to be again part of this great event and soak up the atmosphere when running through the finish,” said Wasle, who snapped a pair of disappointing finishes in XTERRA Phl by dominating the women’s side by almost 30 minutes last year. But ranged a power-packed cast, Weiss and Wasle will have their hands full from start to finish with Aussie Ben Allen, a former XTERRA As-Pac Tour champion, heading the talent-laden roster of challengers that includes last year’s runner-up Sam Osborne and Kieran McPherson of New Zealand, Japanese Takahiro Ogasawara, a former XTERRA Saipan winner, Aussie Brodie Gardner, Frenchmen Fabien Combaluzier and Jacky Boisset, Kiwi Alex Roberts, American Will Ross and the Phl’s Joseph Miller.

Defending men’s and women’s pro champions Bradley Weiss (right) of South Africa and Austrian Carina Wasle pose during a break in yesterday’s press conference for the XTERRA Danao Asia-Pacific Championship in Cebu.

PARENTS’ SUPPORT KEY TO SUCCESS OF CEBUANO IRONKIDS SOME young athletes thrive on their own, while others take pride in having been nurtured by their doting parents. For Cebuano siblings, Earol and Rhexiel Belonguil, their fast, steady rise to success in triathlon is anchored on the love and care of their family. Their accomplishments have been remarkable considering they just began to train seriously in the sport for less than a year. Competing in only their second triathlon competition, they were able to achi eve podium finishes in the recent Alaska Ironkids at Azuela Cove in Davao City. Earol, the elder Belonguil at 11, topped the 11-12 category of the swim-bike-run competition, which was a vast improvement from his seventh-place finish when he joined an IronKids’ event for the first time in Cebu in August last year. Earol said the motivation they get from her mother, Clarice, and the full support from his father Harold, an Overseas Filipino Worker, inspire him to set lofty goals and train hard to achieve them. “My parents just want us to have fun and I have learned to discipline myself and train hard. Their support is enough motivation for me to succeed,” said Earol, who

is eyeing to join the national team. Shy and soft-spoken, Rhexiel doesn’t look like the typical warrior athlete. The eight-year old cutie is the family’s baby when not in competition but shy and soft-spoken Rhexiel transforms into an active player when the game is on. Rhexiel finished behind top winner Eleora Avanzado to bag the silver medal in the girls’ 6-8 years’ category of the competition that aims to promote a healthy lifestyle for kids and serves as a venue for family bonding. “I’m very thankful to my mom for his support. This medal is for her and daddy,” said Rhexiel, who reached the finish crying and complaining of stomach ache. “It was painful but I continued because I was determined to finish the race.” Just like her elder brother, Rhexiel’s secondplace finish was a big leap in performance from her triathlon debut in Cebu, where she finished 11th. Clarice was with the relatives of his husband in Davao, to cheer for their two children. “It’s really very important that the parents and whole family are in full support of their children, in whatever they pursue. Just letting them know that we are here for them

Earol and Rhexiel Belonguil with their parents right after their podium finish in the recent Alaska Ironkids in Davao.

is enough to motivate them,” she said. “My advice to the parents, just let your kids have fun in their chosen sport. They will learn to push their limits without us pushing them hard.” Harold, who had been a seafarer for 20 years, extended his vacation in the country to cheer his two kids. “Hopefully, they will continue with what they love to do and the discipline that is very important when they grow up,” said Harold. Two days after his kids’ competition, he boarded his cargo ship again. Leading the winners in the annual event organized by Sunrise Events and sponsored by Alaska Milk, were Clifford Pusing and Moira Erediano who topped the boys’ and girls’ 13-14 divisions, respectively. Pusing beat eventual second placer Adrian Dionisio and third finisher Irienold Reig Jr. Erediano, on the other hand, nipped Marielle Estreba for the gold. Other winners were Asia May Araneta in the girls’ 11-12 years old category; Carron Canas and Chloie Dairo (910); and Al Dustin Bersabal and Eleora Avanzado (6-8).

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018

Business

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

IS2CP BRINGS THE ‘UPSIDE’ TO PH, ASIA

First Circle co-founders Patrick Lynch (right) and Tony Ennis (left) flank Securities and Exchange Commission chairperson Teresita Herbosa.

TWO IRISH MILLENNIALS BUILD APP FOR FAST, COLLATERAL-FREE SME LOANS

WO young Irelanders are now making a difference in the Philippines by using technology to provide bridge financing of up to P3.5 million to small businesses without collateral as a requirement in as fast as two to five days.

Patrick Lynch, a 28-year-old economics and finance degree holder from Dublin and a former investment banker in London, came to the Philippines without knowing anyone here in 2014. He previously worked for CompareAsia Group and Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong before establishing First Circle as chief executive in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City in March 2015. “In the fourth quarter of 2014, I came here from Hong Kong where I was working for a startup. I was asked to build the emerging market business for this company and the company is now very large. It was either coming to here, Jakarta or Bangkok. I chose Manila, because the economy here is very strong and the people speak English,” Lynch says in an interview in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. “When I got to the Philippines, I was absolutely blown away by the size of the opportunity, by the energy in Manila, by the growth in the economy, by the real sense of hope for a better future,” he says. After a few months in Manila, Lynch realized the growth opportunities in short-term trade financing as many small businesses struggled to get loans to support expansion or meet clients’ demand. He then decided to go into bridge financing and tapped fellow Irishman Tony Ennis

are enough to qualify for a loan. “I kinda looked around for a while at different business opportunities and realized that small businesses have enormous opportunity to grow, because the country is expanding. The biggest challenge that small businesses face is they can’t get access to short-term trade financing,” he says. “If you imagine a small business who has very strong clients, and maybe they sell to big, big corporations on 60, 90 or 120-day payment terms. In some ways, it is a great thing because it is a big order. In some ways, it is very, very hard because then they have to go and realize that the cash they need to buy that stuff, they are not gonna have that for 90 days. So we help them by giving them bridge financing,” Lynch says. Lynch and Ennis rented a two-bedroom apartment in Fort Bonifacio to start First Circle. “When we were first writing the code and trying to build the website and everything, my co-founder and I were in this two-bedroom apartment. That was the very early days when we were trying to speak to the first clients to understand their pain points, their problems, developing the first product and while we were still waiting for the license from SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission],” he says. “Once we got the license, we started the company I guess. We moved into our first office which was a shared co-working space [Regus]. Then the rest is history. Our office is now in Trade & Financial Tower and our team is 65 people now. And we are moving to a new floor for bigger First Circle co-founder and CEO Patrick Lynch space,” Lynch says. Lynch is now the chief executive of First to establish First Circle. Circle, while co-founder Ennis serves as the chief Lynch believes that SMEs should be given technology officer. Lynch says while they created a chance to borrow capital despite the lack of the First Circle website as early as 2015, the team collateral. For Lynch, invoice or purchase orders Turn to B2

THE global financial environment is changing faster and more significantly than at any other time in recent history. Amid this financial evolution, there are organizations that claim to provide the best “disruptive” services but only one company holds the highest credibility and is trusted by clients globally. IS2CP Inc. (Ideal Solutions 2 Complex Problems) is a multifaceted company providing services throughout the industry and a string of US government entities and huge multinationals. As it continue to grow, IS2CP says it now looks forward to working with select clients in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. IS2CP Inc. began as a closely-held family corporation in 1975 when it was engaged in tourism development and regional commodities trading. In the wake of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, new investors brought in new capital and restructured the company (but retained all key staff ). All accumulated debts were converted into equity. Utilizing its clean balance sheet, substantial asset base, regional and global expertise and contact network, IS2CP emerged as structured finance company and has had significant success in this space since then. Now, the company services leading organizations worldwide which include private industry such as but are not limited to structured finance, investment management, real estate development. It is also a registered US government contractor. IS2CP claims to have the highest credit rating available from Dun and Bradstreet. The company says it aims to be the preferred partner in structured finance programs for emerging markets that offer complex and innovative financial structures through the conventional funding sources that are not readily available to developing countries. IS2CP says it also seeks to create innovative financial products and tools that redefine the risk/reward profile to the client. Certain of these products are expected to be disruptive in the days to come. These products are straightforward, understandable by the client, supported by the major rating agencies, contained in terms of risk and exposure, and global in scope. IS2CP products offer relatively lower level investors (less than $50 million) the opportunity to invest in programs commensurate with those typically available only to the largest players, and to do so on a global scale. The IS2CP family of products is targeted to the well-defined investor, and there is a concerted effort to respond to specific pain-points that a given customer may have. These pain points will often be different for different customers leading to a customizable set of features for a given financial program. Led by senior staffs who have deep expertise in the financial space, and possess a track record of creating innovative tools and products optimized for inject fresh capital into specific financial markets, the team provides solid risk/return profiles for the investor.

GOVERNOR GETS HALL OF FAME AWARD FOR HELPING PREGNANT WOMEN A 41-YEAR-OLD politician, who promoted the welfare of pregnant women and their children under “Quezon’s First 1,000 Days” or Q1K program, received the Outstanding Governor–Hall of Fame Award for social services and development from the country’s largest group of social workers. Quezon Governor David Suarez, the youngest son of Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez and former Rep. Aleta Suarez, received the award for outstanding comprehensive social services, exemplary provincial governance and leadership from the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines Inc. at Crown Legacy Hotel in Baguio City on April 18, 2018. Suarez, who is married to Alona Party-list Rep. Anna Villaraza-Suarez, was recognized for implementing comprehensive social provinces in the province, particularly the Q1K program which promotes the welfare of pregnant women and their children.

Suarez described the formative years or the first 1,000 days of a child’s life as the “golden window of opportunity” to address health and nutrition and the general welfare of the people. Under the Q1K program, pregnant women are provided free prenatal checkups, lab tests, ultrasound services and health supplements to make sure that the mothers and their children are healthy. The United Nations Children’s Fund identifies the first 1,000 days of a child’s life—from the womb of the pregnant mother through the child’s second birthday—as a critical period of development that will affect a person’s intellectual development and lifelong health. Suarez became the first local champion of the First 1,000 Days program and implemented it across Quezon province by providing pregnant women with adequate information and health interventions, so that their children will become healthy individuals contributing

Quezon Governor David Suarez to national development. The Department of Health and the National Nutrition Council also both recognized the provincial government of Quezon for leading the implementation of the program in the country. Suarez was elevated to the ALSWDOPI

Hall of Fame after being awarded the outstanding social protection development service awards for three years. “This award (Gawad Parangal) is one of the most important awards that we received because it was given by the people who know and understand what service really means,” Suarez said. Suarez said the social workers in Quezon province should be credited for making the Q1K program successful, which earned for the province its first award in 2014. Quezon province was also awarded in 2017 for the full implementation of Magna Carta for Social Workers and hazard pay for non-social workers, a health coupon program called“Lingap Kalusugan Para sa Barangay”, a wider scholarship program and financial subsidy for senior citizens, daycare workers and non-government organizations. The province was also recognized for 2 in 1 environment program, which involved the planting of 2 million

mangrove seedlings. Quezon province was again recognized this year for the sustainable implementation of these projects as well as new award-winning programs in agriculture, nutrition, healthcare and nutrition. Among the new projects is the establishment of the first science high school in the province and the expansion of scholarship programs for College and Master’s Degree students. Suarez said these programs are complemented by peace and order initiatives undertaken with the help of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines as well as “Yakap Bayan”, a community-based rehabilitation program for drug dependents who have surrendered to authorities. Suarez said the awards and recognition given to the province would not be possible without the gallant efforts of local social workers who are the true force behind the successful implementation of programs that are designed to help those who are in need.

Business

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 business@manilastandard.net

PH TO HOST ASIAN DENTAL CONVENTION ABOUT 14,000 delegates are expected to attend the 40th Asia Pacific Dental Congress and the Philippine Dental Association’s 109th Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting on May 7 to 11 at SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. The event, which will feature topnotch and seasoned international and local lecturers, is expected to draw local and foreign dental practitioners, dental hygienists, dental technologists, deans and members of the academe. Dr. Fernando Fernandez, general chairman of the 40th APDC, said the congress’ theme is ‘Intensifying Professionalism in Synergy with Dental Science & Technology’. “Ethics and professionalism play very important roles in the fast-changing world of dental technology and we would like to integrate these in the various lectures and researches of our speakers from various fields of dental practice to enable us to become better clinicians towards an improved dental practice,” Fernandez said. PDA president-elect and 109th PDA Annual Convention & Scientific Meeting general chairman Dr. Arleen Reyes said this year’s PDA convention theme is ‘Driven for Excellence’ which she said “appropriately describes how we as dental professionals, continually strive for excellence in whatever specialty we may be into as we acquire new learnings from renowned local and foreign speakers from every specialty field who will bring in their expertise through noteworthy lectures that are relevant and timely to our dental practice.” The heart of the convention—the five-day scientific sessions organized by the specialty affiliates of the PDA–will feature over 100 topics. Other highlights of the convention are the opening ceremonies, welcome reception, PDA President’s Night, APDC delegates’ meeting, APDC commission meeting, APDC workshop, APDC council meeting, APDC gala night and e -posters presentation. The Trade Exhibits will have more than 500 exhibitors showcasing the latest in the science and technology of dentistry and addressing the dental professionals’ requirements. As a prelude to the convention, there will be a pre-convention seminar on May 6 featuring two international experts— Dr. Joseph Choukroun who will tackle ‘Platelet Rich Fibrin: Improvements in soft and hard tissue surgeries (biological and pharmacological factors in implantology)’ and Prof. Juan Yepes who will tackle ‘Clinical Applications of Radiation Safety (including CBCT)’ and ‘Management of Orofacial Pain & Temporomandibular Joint Disorders’ under the Primo Gonzales Memorial Lecture.

TWO... From B1 started lending only in March 2016. “Because it is a financing company, the filing of the papers and everything took quite some time. The day that we got the license [from SEC] was actually on the 17th of March 2016 which is Saint Patrick’s Day. The two founders were from Ireland and Saint Patrick was our patron saint, so we thought it was a sign of good luck,” he says. Lynch says First Circle refers to the immediate circle of supporters. “We were speaking to a lot of small business owners back in 2015. And we were speaking to them about the pain points in their business and a lot of them mentioned that bridge financing was the pain point in their business. We were asking how they got financing, and people said sometimes they go to banks, but it takes quite a long time. Sometimes they go to loan sharks but the rates are very high [5-6 scheme]. Then one lady mentioned that she goes to her first circle, and we were like what does that mean? But everybody else in the room knew what first circle was. It is their friends and family. We thought that was exactly the type of relationship that we want to build with our clients,” he says. “We become a part of the first circle for small business or medium-sized business who wants to grow. Our relationship in their first circle can give them all the opportunities that they

200-HECTARE TOWNSHIP RISES IN TRECE MARTIRES Top executives of HG-III Construction and Development Corp. break ground for Manors single-attached homes and Acropolis singledetached units which are the newest product offer in Golden Horizon, a multibillion township development in Trece Martires City, Cavite. Shown are (from left) Bernadette Villarez, vice president for real estate development; Howard Guinto, chief operating officer; Elmer Ceguerra, president; Leilani Panesa, vice president for infrastructure development and engineering; and Harold Guinto, chief finance officer.

MAJOR construction company and property developer is investing P5 billion in the initial phases of a 200-hectare master planned township in Cavite province. HG-III Construction and Development Corp., a Triple A contractor with a 33-year history of developing ports, water supply, infrastructure and residential projects around the country, said the amount will go to the development of Golden Horizon—the new township in Trece Martires City, Cavite. Golden Horizon is expected to host 15,000 families upon completion. The township is located just 45 kilometers south of Manila and 23 kilometers from Tagaytay City. HG-III has already acquired neighboring land properties for the expansion that reached boundaries of General Trias. Phase 1 of Golden Horizon is a 86-hectare property comprising of 9,800 units, 7,000 of which are already built and occupied. It is a mix of rowhouses, lofted units (Villas), townhouses (Courtyards).

need in order to become much, much bigger and to make more money, and to make more profits and to expand their business if they want, but more importantly, just to do better and make business much easier for them,” he says. Lynch describes First Circle’s lending process as very simple. “A customer goes to the app store [both Android and iOS] or to our website [www. firstcircle.ph] and they download the application. They are prompted on the screen to submit some personal KYC [know your customer] information. Basically, it includes simple ID, business registration and proof of address. It only takes a few pictures of their invoice or their purchase orders and we commit to go back to people within a couple of days,” he says. Approval means First Circle depositing the loan for up to P3.5 million to the bank account of the borrower. “So imagine having an order from a big company, take a picture and send it to us. We aim to approve it within a couple of days. And that’s it. No trip to the branch, no long queues, no lack of clarity as to whether they are in the process of approval. It is all very obvious. It says this is where you are, this is how long you have to wait and customers can be approved within a couple of days for up to P3.5 million,” says Lynch. “Rates are very competitive from 2 percent per month. When people are taking funding for two or three months, the absolute cost is actually very low at 4 to 6 percent in interest. Maybe they are making like 20-percent, 30-percent

Payment terms are very ideal and convenient for first-time homebuyers. Available units can be acquired through Pag-IBIG Fund for as low as P3,000 in monthly amortization with a reservation fee of as low as P5,000. “We were surprised how the growing market of homebuyers embraced our product offer so well despite being a new player in the market,” Howard Guintu, HG-III’s chief operating officer, said in a statement. “That’s when we decided to expand our initial phase to introduce new housing options convenient for a flourishing Filipino family,” said Guintu. HG-III broke ground on April 18 to formally introduce single -attached units (Manors) a n d s i n g l e - d e t a c h e d h o m e s (Ac ro p o l i s ) which are the t wo newest communities within Phase 1. These units have bigger lots and floor area and are priced from P2.5 million to P4 million targeting young families and overseas Filipino workers. “We are investing P5 billion for the completion of Phase 1 and to jumpstart the development of Phase 2. We are targeting the completion of Phase 1 by 2022,” Guintu said. Future developments include Phase 3 which will cover 32 hectares and Phase 4 which will span 36 hectares of Golden Horizon.

margins. So the cost is actually very small compared to the margins that they make. And we will commit to the customers from the moment they first complete their application with the photos through the app, to having funding in their bank account, within five days,” he says. Lynch says their first borrowers were merchants working with the e-commerce platforms Lazada and Zalora who needed capital to fulfill the increasing orders. “Our typical clients are businesses, with 20 employees up to probably 100 or 150 employees. What they lack is the financial capital to just do more business. A lot of orders are coming in and they just need help to fill more of those orders and maybe to add new clients,” he says. Lynch says First Circle, which has international and local investors, has granted loans totaling tens of millions of dollars to businesses. “At the moment, we are only in Metro Manila, but we are expanding outside Metro Manila nationwide over the course of one month, particularly in the major metropolitan areas such as Cebu,” he says. On what makes First Circle different f ro m b a n k s a n d o t h e r l e n d i n g companies, Lynch mentions customer experience. “It is very simple for a customer to interact with us, as you would expect when you are interacting with an app on your phone. It works very easily. It is straightforward. It communicates and prompts you when you need to do something else,” he says.

The master plan of Golden Horizon Communities is structured for convenience and comfort of every dweller. It features hassle-free access to a range of amenities and facilities such as a gated community with 24/7 security, parks and playgrounds, basketball courts, wet and dry market, four school buildings (elementary and high school) and a chapel. Future facilities include transport terminals, private schools, and commercial spaces that cater to the basic necessities of a household. “Our company is committed to provide our buyers with affordable but masterfully-built homes in an all-in-one community that will serve their family for generations. We would like to promote the idea that better living starts at Golden Horizon,” Guintu said. “With our three-decade existence in the construction and development industry, HG-III is continuously growing and expanding, making room for more opportunities for our business partners, clients and employees. We will constantly innovate to provide reliable and sustainable communities for the Filipino people,” Guintu said. HG-III began its venture in private housing development in 2015. Golden Horizon, its flagship housing project, gained recognition for the company as one of Pag-IBIG’s Top 10 NCR Developers for the year 2017.

“It is just a few clicks. It takes only five minutes to apply. You get a response within a couple of days. There is no lengthy paperwork. Everything and all the contracts are signed through the application. The customer can nominate a bank account and we deposit funds directly to their bank account,” he says. Lynch, who obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Economics from Trinity College in Dublin in 2012, envisions First Circle as a driving force for how wealth is distributed in the economy. “In the next 10 years, the economy is gonna grow. Who earns that? That depends on the opportunities that are given. And we think that the key opportunity that is missing is finance. That’s why we started First Circle,” he says. “Any business who wants to grow and who wants to improve their trading position or do more orders, and they are trading with big or small companies, they should log on to firstcircle.ph, or they should go to iOS or Android app stores, download the app and it can’t be easier. It only takes five minutes to try and they will be blown away by how easy it is,” says Lynch. Among First Circle’s clients are medical supplies distributors, homeware distributors, supply chain providers, coconut shell dealers and electronics distributors. Loans allow these SMEs to meet the orders of their customers. First Circle offers two loan products to SMEs —purchase order financing

and invoice financing. First Circle teams up with banks and is supported by venture capital firms Deep Blue Ventures, 500 Startups, Spiral Ventures, Key Capital and Accion. It is recognized by the SEC which regulates lending companies in the Philippines. Lynch says First Circle also regularly interacts with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Forbes magazine included Lynch in “30 Under 30 Asia 2018” list of 300 young entrepreneurs and innovators. “With the aim of providing finance to small to medium enterprises who find it difficult to secure capital, First Circle uses available information such as social media, credit, network and cell-phone data to create credit scores to determine the feasibility of a loan,” Forbes says. Five Filipinos also made it to the prestigious list, including Stephanie Sy, founder of data science startup Thinking Machines; pastry chef Miko Aspiras; 19-year-old video blogger B re t m a n S a c ay a n a n ; a n d Ca r l o Delantar, country director of nonprofit group Waves for Water; and artist Archie Oclos. Lynch hopes to expand to other Asean countries, particularly Thailand and Indonesia. He says the goal is to create a market size in excess of $50 billion by empowering hundreds of thousands of business owners. “What we are is a very strong friend and partner of small and medium-sized businesses. And we are gonna be the ones to make them big businesses,” he says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Tech & Gadgets

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

6 THINGS YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT LAZADA LifeProof S9 Plus NEXT Pebble Beach

LIFEPROOF REVEALS SLAM, NEXT, FRE FOR GALAXY S9, S9+

ELEASE the inner Lazaddict in you! Having parcels delivered to your doorstep almost everyday is not the only test. Listed below are six things you should know about Lazada as it soon turns 6. Shakinn’ Deals

you can get yourself prepaid load, a Birthday parties aren’t complete tour in Cebu, Enchanted Kingdom without games! Lazada adds more fun online passes or the latest Microsoft to online shopping through its Shakin’ software. You also get to buy vouchers Deals. Just log-on to your Lazada from your favorite restaurants, beauty mobile app, stay on the homepage and wellness shops. Lazadagram and shake, shake, shake away! You There is no such thing but you can get yourself a chance to win up to Php 1,500 that you can use to shop. Don’t now follow the official stores of your forget to invite your family and friends favorite brands the same way you follow your favorite influencers on to have some shakin’ fun! No ghosts, only intangible Instagram. Just click the follow button in the brand’s official store and items! Most likely you have bought every- stay updated with special offers and thing on Lazada—the foundation on discounts from your favorites. Cashless? Get Cashback! your cheeks, the earing dangling from No credit card, no problem! Lazada your ear and the watch on your wrist. recently launched its e-wallet. Now, Do you know Lazada also sellsintangible items? Go to the e-store and you can pay for your Lazada order

easily by topping up through BPI, BDO, Metrobank or any 7-11 branch near you. Also enjoy cashbacks up to 25% for Lazada’s big birthday sale if you load your e-wallet from today until April 23.

Chat Now

Avid user of Viber, WhatsApp or Telegram? Want to know if the makeup you plan to buy matches your skin tone or if the shirt comes in XL? Ask the seller through Lazada’s new instant messaging feature called Chat Now. Talk to the seller directly through live chat so you are more confident about your purchase! Who knows, your next BFF could just be your favorite seller.

Six Eventful Years

Lazada’s biggest online shopping party is coming soon. Join its 6th Birthday Festival Sale happening from April 25 to 27, 2018 and celebrate great finds from your favoritebrands, trusted sellers and the Taobao Col-

lection. Discounts will be up to 90% off with daily flash sales, social media games and special partner vouchers. The countdown to the biggest birthday bash starts now! You know you’re a true Lazaddict if you have the latest version of the Lazada App. Download the latest version of the Lazada mobile app today and join millions of shoppers to celebrate Lazada’s 6th year. Launched in 2012, Lazada is the number one online shopping and selling destination in Southeast Asia —present in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. As the pioneer of the eCommerce ecosystem in Southeast Asia, Lazada helps more than 135,000 local and international sellers as well as 3,000 brands serving the 560 million consumers in the region through its marketplace platform, supported by a wide range of tailored marketing, data, and service solutions.

LIFE’S BEST MOMENTS WITH HUAWEI P20 SERIES WE all have a fair share of life’s greatest moments. Think about the first day you went to school. Your parents are as excited as you are preparing your uniform and snacks and you see them taking random snaps before you leave the house. For first time moms, think about that first night in the hospital. During those quiet hours of the morning when it was just you and your baby. Proud and as emotional as you are, you take photos of your baby’s first few yawns, cries, and even smiles. Whenever you travel with friends, you encapsulate the memories by taking lots of photos of food, sceneries, and group photographs that define your friendship. Photography comes naturally to a lot of us. Many of the quick snaps we share online are of fleeting yet authentic candid moments. But how many of us are printing these memories, framing them and even hanging them on the wall to see every day? Over time that which now seems mundane and routine will slip quietly away. These days of now will be over, but through the beauty and story of each printed photograph, will always be remembered and cherished. The P20’s camera wizardry lends itself to capturing and preserving the moments that matter to you the most, letting you cherish treasured memories the way you want, with the people you love. To complement the release of the new Huawei P20 in the Philippines, it is only fitting for Huawei to include a Canon Selphy CP1300 portable printer with every pre-order of the world’s top smartphone camera. The Selphy printer is the perfect partner to one of the P20’s most defining features—the state-of-the-art Leica Triple Camera System.

First-Rate Cameras, Fine Prints

In the era of digital photos, social media and cloud storage, people with gigabytes of smartphone storage rarely see the need for an actual physical photo album. However, the new Huawei P20’s advanced dual

cameras produce such crisp and lifelike images that look the best on a finely-printed photo. The P20’s Leica Dual Cameras consist of a 12MP RGB lens paired with a 20MP monochrome lens that’s capable of 5X hybrid zoom (digital and mechanical) and 4D predictive focus, while the P20 Pro is powered with revolutionary Leica Triple Camera system with 40MP RGB (f/1.8) + 20MP monochrome (f/1.6) + 8MP telephoto (f/2.4) and 4D predictive focus as well. These features mean that capturing great memories is just a matter of pointing the P20 at your subject, and tapping the shutter. Using AI technology to recognize over 500 scenarios to tweak camera settings accordingly, it’s ridiculously easy to snap all those picture-perfect moments in life. Portrait mode on the P20 is also better than ever, thanks to the dual lens system and the software’s AI magic creating natural bokeh effects for those artistic shots. Moreover, the P20 Pro is a game changer in low light photography, capturing photos with a sensitivity of up to ISO 102400. Also for the first time, Huawei integrates a Master AI with AI-driven professional photography and HUAWEI AIS (AI Image Stabilization), a powerful AI stabilization technology to the P20 series.

Print Special Memories on a Whim

The Huawei P20’s shooting prowess is valuable when creating and preserving special moments— whether its baby’s first laugh, a long-awaited reunion between old friends, or a selfie at a dream destination, having a camera as capable as the P20 cannot be understated. While it’s almost second nature to share those images straight to social media, it’s not quite comparable to collecting those precious moments in a hardbound album you can keep around the house. As a reward for early birds who pre-order the P20, Huawei is including a Canon Selphy CP1300 printer with every device. The Selphy CP1300 is a compact Wi-FI printer that can connect up to eight smart devices and feature custom layouts for photobooth-style printouts.

Photos taken by Houcheng using Huawei P20 Pro

The Selphy is an excellent device to showcase the amazing imaging quality of the P20, especially when you just want to keep a few special memories for your personal collection. This bundle is perfect for printing the photos you’d be taking on the smartphone with the highest DxOMark camera rating. Huawei boasts a record breaking 109 and 102 DxOMark ratings for Huawei P20 Pro and P20 respectively. Pricing and Availability The Huawei P20 series will be available starting April 28, 2018 via Huawei Experience stores and partner retailers nationwide. The Huawei P20 Lite comes at P15,990, while the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro retails at P34,990 and P44,990 respectively. Pre-order promotion of the Huawei P20 and P20 Pro will be on April 21 to 27, 2018. For more information you may check out: https://consumer.huawei. com/ph/press/news/2018/news-180408/

ASIA IS NEXT FRONTIER FOR AI DEVELOPMENT

Xuedong Huang, technical fellow in charge of Microsoft’s speech, natural language and machine translation efforts. (Photo by Scott Eklund/Red Box Pictures)

IN A few short years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been thrust into the limelight —elevating itself from a far-fetched, science-fiction topic to one that is currently dominating many conversations between customers, partners and industry leaders across Asia. The convergence of big data, ubiquitous and powerful cloud computing, along with breakthroughs in software algorithms and machine learning, have made exciting new scenarios in AI deployment a possibility. Today, AI is at the center of the digital transformation of organizations and even nations. By 2019, IDC predicts that 40% of digital transformation initiatives in the region will be supported by AI. With imagination and plenty of data, AI can create vast benefits at scale. In Japan for example, where Miko, an AI-power chatbot and the star of new mobile travel app Japan Trip Navigator, is helping tourists in Japan navigate its streets. Created by Microsoft in partnership with travel agency JTB Corp. and navigation firm NAVITIME Co, Miko provides travelers in Japan with real-time

information from official sources as well as insights from other users of the apps. Miko can also help with hotel and other bookings on the app. What’s more, one of the more advanced and interesting capabilities of Miko is that it is imbued with image recognition functions using Microsoft’s Cognitive Services AI platform, enabling her to provide information to users through the photos that they have taken.

Asia will be key to AI development globally

There are three reasons why Asia is uniquely placed to play a leading role in the development of AI at scale. 1. AI needs data: AI is dependent on data to perform; the more data that is fed into an AI system, the better it gets. Not only does Asia have the world’s largest population, it continues to be a region that is more digitallyconnected than other parts of the globe and hence can provide the massive amounts of data that AI systems need to grow. 2. AI needs talent: Whilst we anticipate the mass adoption of AI this year, there is

still a long way to go for more powerful and sophisticated AI programs to be developed. To do that will require a large and strong pool of science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM) talents that technology companies and research bodies can tap into to advance AI capabilities. And this talent is increasingly likely to originate from Asia. According to UBS, by 2025 the combined AI talent pool of China and India alone will exceed that of the US. 3. AI needs adoption: As stated, the more data that is fed into an AI system, the better it gets. One of the unique aspects of Asia is its large youth population, that have been born into a digital world. The UN estimates that 60% of the world’s youth population is in Asia Pacific. These “digital natives” are more receptive to digital technologies enhancing their lives. Not only that, but many Asian countries are, historically, late adopters of legacy technology, enabling them to leapfrog other nations dependent on old infrastructure and embrace new ways of living and working.

THE new Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are packed with new immersive photography capabilities and interactive technology that have Android fans clamoring to get their hands on the latest Samsung devices. Ready Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ for action with LifeProof’s most complete Samsung case lineup ever, including fan-favorite FRĒ and newcomers NËXT and SLAM, available in a variety of colors. SLAM and NËXT are available now in selected colours at lifeproof. asia, while FRĒ will be coming soon. All LifeProof cases carry the ‘Designed for Samsung’ logo, which indicates that they have been designed specifically for Samsung mobile devices as part of the Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program. “LifeProof cases have evolved so that our fans can cover their devices from day one,” LifeProof CEO Jim Parke said. “SLAM and NËXT are cutting-edge and have redefined the LifeProof lineup. They bring Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ fans a full array of options when selecting their next LifeProof, even if they don’t need waterproof protection.” SLAM is a thin Galaxy case designed for drop protection without sacrificing style. It’s drop-tested to 6.6 feet (2 meters) and a raised front bevel protects from face-down impact. The two-piece design has a clear back to show off Galaxy, while the rubberized front allows direct touchscreen access and features a splash of color around the edges of the case. Open ports leave headphone and charging access uninterrupted and the speakers free to deliver on Galaxy’s incredible audio quality. NËXT boasts six layers of protection in a sleek, tough package to keep Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ safe from drops, dirt and snow. The twopiece outer shell wraps securely around each device while a raised bevel around the touchscreen teams up to deliver maximum durability and drop defense. In true LifeProof fashion, NËXT protects from drops up to 6.6 feet (2 meters), carries an IP-5X rating for blocking dirt and dust and keeps snow out. FRĒ carries on the LifeProof tradition of true four-proof protection. The two-piece shell envelopes Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ in 360-degrees of protection. A built-in screen guard helps keep the display free of scratches while the phone is fully sealed from water to 6.6 feet for up to an hour. FRĒ for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are drop tested to 6.6 feet and block out dirt and snow. SLAM and NËXT for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ are available for PP2,490 and PP3,490, respectively. FRĒ is coming soon for PP4490. For more information and product availability, visit www.moduvi.com.ph After disrupting the consumer electronics industry with award-winning waterproof smartphone cases, LifeProof® continues to innovate and inspire. In its unapologetic quest to reimagine, reinvent and use technologies in extraordinary ways, LifeProof empowers athletes, explorers and adventurers to live life without limits. From its lineup of action-ready phone cases and accessories to the selection of waterproof, drop-proof, Bluetooth speakers, LifeProof is the gear you grab to go get living. For more information, visit www. lifeproof.asia . #LiveLifeProof

LifeProof S9 Plus SLAM Aloha Sunset

TECH & Gadgets

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

NOKIA ANNOUNCES 4 NEW PHONES HMD revealed the new Nokia 7 Plus to the members of the press recently. Below, Shannon Mead, Country Manager of HMD Global, announces Nokia's other models scheduled for released soon. Charles Dantes

By Charles Dantes

HE biggest mobile phone brand in during the 90s up to the new millennium is back again, bringing four new phones to be released to the Philippine market this summer season. And so expect a reliable and affordable new line of phones from Nokia, the first to set the benchmark for quality, durability and budgetfriendly phones to Filipinos. HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, confirmed to the press the availability of the latest Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 1, New Nokia 6 and the return of Nokia 8110, with 4G capabilities for the Philippine market.

Introduced first at the Mobile World Congress in February earlier this year, these new Nokia phones will be ready for sale in mid-April and May. Nokia 7 Plus will be the flagship phone of the tech giant in the country, boasting of an amazing combination of screen, power, design and features, making it the star of the Nokia smartphone range. Another innovation of Nokia 7 Plus is the

#Bothie that simultaneously captures moments from the front and rear camera at the same time. The Nokia 7 Plus will be available in Black/Copper and White/Copper starting April 27 and will retail for P21,990. Pre-sale is already open since April 13 through Abenson.com, Agromall, Lazada and MemoXpress. You can also avail of 0% interest via Home Credit, when you apply online through argomall.com Another breakthrough for Nokia is its Nokia 1 smartphone. Created for the masses, the Nokia 1 boasts of a nostalgic design that fans around the world are familiar with. Another addition is the Xpress-on

covers that can give the Nokia 1 a quick makeover with range of vibrant colors. Nokia 1 is already available in retail for P4,290. Shannon Mead, Country manager of HMD Global, led the primer for Nokia’s NewSeum media launch at the Green Sun Hotel. “HMD Global is committed to continue the story of Nokia mobile, through the qualities that we first loved such as durability and innovation, designed to suit every need and style,” said Mead. Mead also claimed that the muchanticipated evolution of the successful Nokia 6 and the transformation of the classic Nokia 8110 4G will be coming to the Philippines in May.

IT’S OFFICIAL: LG IS WORLD’S BEST-SELLING OLED TV LG Electronics continues to establish its strong foothold in the OLED TV market with impressive, industry-topping sales in 2017. Global sales and shipments prove that LG is, once again, the world’s best-selling brand for OLED TVs, according to the TV Sets Market Tracker, a report that surveyed manufacturers in Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, North America and Western Europe. The survey was conducted by leading third-party research agency IHS Markit, a provider of next-generation information, analytics and solutions to customers in business, finance and government. Of this triumphant achievement, Inkwun Heo, LG Philippines Managing Director, said: “It’s an achievement for us at LG to be named the world’s best-selling OLED TV brand, proving that we have the trust of consumers and distributors not just in the Philippines but

across the globe. Consumers are looking for home entertainment solutions that give them the most options, best picture, and best sound quality, and LG, which has been the

world’s best-selling OLED brand since 2013, constantly endeavors to provide products that meet these requirements.” LG represents the pinnacle of OLED TV technology, offering astounding digital enhancements that flaunt uncompromised image clarity, intense colors, powerful cinema-quality sound, clear viewing from every angle, and a simple and fast webOS smart TV platform—all in an ultra-slim, blade-thin design. Innovative and energy-efficient, LG’s OLED TVs confirm the brand’s commitment to providing maximum technology for maximum immersion. For more details on LG OLED TVs, log on to lg.com/ph, like @LGTVPhilippines on Facebook and check out www.facebook.com/LGTVPhilippines/videos/1591968760858574/, and follow @LGPhilippines on Instagram, or see for yourself just how amazing the world’s bestselling OLED TV is by visiting the appliance store nearest to you.

KATH-NIEL AT SM MOA FOR VIVO V9 MALL TOUR VIVO, one of the top 5 International smartphone brands, brought one of their local endorsers at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay on Saturday. Celebrity royalties Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla—together famously known as KathNiel to their thousands of fans—graced the Vivo Mall Tour at the Mall of Asia to represent the top smartphone brand to fans, specifically the latest Vivo flagship phone—the V9. It was KathhNiel’s first Vivo mall tour. Since their reveal at the Vivo V7+ launch in September last year, the duo has been busy championing the brand actively through social media and print. The love birds were picked by Vivo Philippines to endorse their brand not only because of their huge following on and off social media but because of their youth, charisma, hip personality and impact to the young demographic. KathNiel’s mall tour is just one of Vivo Philippines’ efforts to bring its latest flagship smartphone, the Vivo V9 closer to the audience. The Vivo V9 is an artificial intelligence (AI) selfie camera with a 16 MP+5 MP dual-camera setup. Much like its predecessors, the V7 and V7+, the V9 also rocks a 24 MP selfie camera that comes with features like AI Face Beauty Natural Light, Studio Light, and Monochrome background which brings selfie-taking with the new Vivo smartphone several notches higher in the quality scale. Selfie-fans will also benefit from the ample phone display of the Vivo V9 as it could improve the overall composition of every photograph taken, with enhanced clarity and definition. This handset is powered by an octacore Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 SoC and boasts of a full view 6.3-inch screen with a 19:9 aspect ratio. The V9 also has reduced side bezels to a mere 1.75mm, giving users great viewing experience because of its higher screen-to-body ratio of almost 90%. A global smartphone brand focused on introducing perfect sound quality and ultimate photography with cutting-edge technology, Vivo develops innovative and stylish products for young people. We now have over two hundred million users and are one of the preferred brands of young people around the world. As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, Vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle. In the Philippines, Vivo is the Top 3 smartphone brand in terms of market share with 1.5 million users nationwide. For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivophil), Instagram (https:// www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines /), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/ vivo_phil) accounts.

SMART CITED FOR HAVING PH'S FASTEST LTE NETWORK MOBILE analytics firm OpenSignal has recognized PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. for having the country’s fastest LTE network, bestowing the company four citations including best in 4G LTE download speed; best in overall download speed; best 4G latency performance; and best 3G latency performance in its March 2018 report. The OpenSignal State of Mobile Networks: Philippines report, which covers the months of November 2017 to January 2018, noted Smart LTE speeds outpaced its competition’s with download speeds of 12.5MBps—significantly faster than its rival’s 7.69MBps. “With tested speeds of 12.5 Mbps, Smart won the OpenSignal award for 4G download speeds, making it the third time it has done so. The operator is pulling away from its sole competitor in this category,” OpenSignal noted in its report. “As their trusted digital partner, we understand how speed makes a huge difference in the life of our customers, whether it’s for their increasingly mobile careers and businesses or for their entertainment needs,” said Eric R. Alberto, PLDT Group Chief Revenue Officer. “These OpenSignal citations are proof that we

are making great strides toward our goal of giving Filipinos a world-class mobile internet experience that keeps up with their fast-paced lifestyle.

Fastest LTE network for seamless video streaming

The latest OpenSignal report found Smart LTE speeds superior across all measured areas, such as in the National Capital Region (13.04 Mbps vs competition’s 8.57 Mbps), North Central Luzon (11.59 Mbps vs 6.34 Mbps), South Luzon (11.66 Mbps vs 7.03 Mbps), Visayas (13.49 Mbps vs 7.37 Mbps), and Mindanao (14.42 Mbps vs 7.38 Mbps). To put things into perspective, top streaming apps like iflix and Netflix recommend download speeds of at least 5Mbps for watching on HighDefinition or HD resolution seamlessly—way within the performance of Smart LTE. Moreover, a 2017 OpenSignal blog post also noted that top mobile games like Clash Royale, Critical Ops, Mobile Legends, and Super Mario Run require download speeds of at least 2Mbps for an awesome gaming experience. After taking into consideration both its 4G and 3G download performance, OpenSignal also cited Smart for best overall download

speed average in the country at 5.8Mbps versus competition’s 4.4Mbps.

Most responsive network for lag-free gaming

The firm also evaluated the network’s latency, or the amount of time a data is exchanged through the network, determining its responsiveness. Measured in milliseconds (ms), a lower latency score is a sign of a more responsive network, which is critical for lag-free mobile gaming. Smart came ahead in 4G latency, rating at 47.21ms, quicker than the competition’s 60.7ms. The abovementioned 2017 OpenSignal blog post noted that a maximum latency of 50ms is required for an ‘awesome experience’ in playing top mobile games like Clash Royale, Critical Ops, Mobile Legends, and Super Mario Run. On the other hand, Smart’s 3G latency also fared better at 154.64ms, compared to its rival’s 174.98ms.

Aggressive LTE network expansion

Smart is ramping up its LTE roll-out across the country, and is accelerating the deployment of LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) to deliver bigger bandwidth and much faster data speeds to mobile phone users.

FASTEST LTE NETWORK IN PH. Mobile Analytics firm OpenSignal awards PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. for dominating in four metrics, including 4G LTE download speed; overall download speed; 4G latency performance; and 3G latency performance, in its latest State of Mobile Network: Philippines report. In the photo are: (from left) Andy Burns, OpenSignal Chief Operating Officer; Ralph Brunner, PLDT and Smart Chief Customer Experience and Data Analytics Advisor; Eric R. Alberto, PLDT Group Chief Revenue Officer; Joachim Horn, PLDT and Smart Chief Technology and Information Advisor; and Brendan Gil, OpenSignal Chief Executive Officer.

Young Life sunday, april 22, 2018

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

this millennial loves a regular drinK

@MStandardLIFE

common

travel mishaps

of Kaffea coffee

and how to avoid them TRAVELING helps you appreciate different cultures and teaches you so many lessons that aren’t taught in the classroom. These lessons could be from discovering your destination and its people or from facing a travel obstacle that may come your way. Even seasoned travelers run into unforeseen setbacks. Here is a list of common travel fails and what to do in case you find yourself in one.

1. Missed flight or other modes of transportation

MORNING BOOSTER. Medical student JV Dupaya always starts his day with a hot cup of Kaffea while going over his lessons ahead.

NIVERSITY of Santo Tomas student JV Dupaya is just your typical millennial. After graduating cum laude from UST with a BS in Medical Technology in 2017, he is now taking up Doctor of Medicine. The study of medicine entails tremendous academic demands. But JV has plenty of time for other pursuits. Just like his peers, he is adventurous and has tried most of what life has to offer even at a young age. He has traveled here and abroad, experienced different cultures, tried new foods, and made memories that will last a lifetime. JV said that what gives him energy is Kaffea, which he drinks regularly just before meal three times every day. Kaffea leaves him energetic, alert, and focused for work or play. Just like other millennials, JV is tech-savvy and adaptable to the

newest technology, gadgets, and apps like Snapchat, Viber, and Instagram. Because of this he is often misunderstood as inattentive but is actually just able to multitask. He can communicate with friends over social media, hold a face-to-face conversation, and even enjoy a movie or TV show all at the same time. Just like all other Kaffea drinkers JV is helped by Kaffea’s 10 beneficial ingredients rich in antioxidants and essential minerals, which include coffee, non-dairy creamer, coconut sugar, agaricus mushroom, ganoderma, grape seed, collagen, COq10, gluthathione and L-Carnitine.

JV (center) enjoys the company of fellow students as they while the time away during a holiday

Every cup of Kaffea contains 10 beneficial ingredients rich in antioxidants and essential minerals

The interaction of the 10 essential ingredients produces a beneficial effect which ensures health and wellness while encouraging a healthy lifestyle. These special ingredients, especially coconut sugar, also help manage weight and prevent obesity. JV has always been a hard-working student. He graduated with honors in grade school and high school. He was the Science Quiz Bee champion in 2011. He joined the Math Olympiad in 2012. He was the NCR Quiz Bee champion in 2013. He remains a hard-working student and now benefits from a daily regimen of drinking Kaffea, the first coffee blend in the Philippines which features coconut sugar, the healthiest sweetener that helps regulate blood sugar level, promotes a healthy digestive system, and aids in weight management. Coconut sugar helps in regulating blood sugar level and weight management because it has the

lowest Glycemic Index among all types of sugar, according to a study by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute. Coconut sugar is not just beneficial but also delicious and makes every taste of Kaffea a sweet experience to be savored. It’s the right kind of sweet to keep your senses awake and your body healthy. JV is a typical millennial. He is adventurous, goal-oriented, confident in his abilities, collaborative, and works well with others. He is also well-educated, idealistic, independent, and motivated to succeed. And what helps him accomplish his daily tasks and achieve his longterm goals is a regular intake of his favorite coffee drink Kaffea. Kaffea is available at lazada.com. ph, beautymnl.com, SM Supermarket Market Street booths, SM Kultura outlets, Rustan’s, and CityMall GoLokal stores nationwide. Call (02) 477-9920 for inquiries.

Missing your flight or other transfers can be very stressful and costly as it can change your itinerary. But don’t panic. Find out your options, such as travel alternatives to your destination. It helps being flexible, too. Adjust your schedule to give yourself ample time to prepare and immediately adapt to any changes your unforeseen circumstances may bring.

2. Lost luggage

Make your luggage easily identifiable by adding some personal touches, like a luggage cover protector or bag tags with your name, address, and contact number. If the airline loses your luggage, report it immediately. But if the airline is unable to recover your bag, your travel insurance can help. Thus it is vital to make Turn to C2

‘Salangian’to ShowcaSe Kapampangan artworKS KAPAMPANGAN artists will come together for the group exhibit, dubbed “Salangian,” happening on April 27 at the Clark Museum. Noemi Julian, manager of Tourism and Promotions Division of Clark Development Corporation said that about 80 Kapampangan artists will join the event, and more than 100 of their artworks will be exhibited at the Gallery 2 of Clark Museum. Julian said a gala is scheduled on April 26 and the exhibit will be open to the public the following day. Andy Alviz, one of the featured artists and lead organizer, said the activity will serve as a platform to celebrate the creativity and artistry of Kapampangan painters, sculptors, and other artists. He also cited the suitability of Clark as the location for the event. “It’s high time we celebrate the artistry and

creativity of the artists,” enthused Alviz. “Clark is Part of the works to be displayed are the booming and there will be a lot of demands for art artworks of sculptor Willy Layug and painter Rapieces for hotels, condos, offices, and restaurants. fael Maniago, among others. Now is the time for artists to come to Clark.” The exhibit is also part of the 25th Anniversary Alviz also furthered that the “openness and of CDC and the creation of this Freeport. support to the Kapampangan art and culture” are factors which make Clark their ideal spot for the exhibit; he also cited the support of managers of this Freeport. “Clark was chosen for the exhibit because of its openness and support to the Kapampangan art and culture. Bases Conversion Development Authority president and chief executive Vivencio B. Dizon and Clark Development Corporation president and chief executive Noel F. Manankil are both excited and gave an all-out support for the biggest gathering of Kapam- Some sculptures in the art exhibit reflect cultural artistry and heritage of Kapampangans pangan artists,” he said.

Thelma Ocampo, CDC assistant vice president, dons a creation of Kapampangan fashion designer Philip Torres called Pidayit, which means putting together beadwork, fabrics, and embroidery to create a new one.

young life

sunday, april 22, 2018 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

5Fromcommon... c1 it part of your travel checklist. smart Traveller of Charter ping an offers a wide range of benefits, including 24hour medical assistance, personal accident coverage, liability and personal safety coverage, and even refunds for unexpected expenses. Visit www. axa.com.ph/charterpingan/smarttraveller to apply. and should you unfortunately lose your luggage, it’s best to have the basic necessities and at least one set of clothes in your carry on so you can change and tidy yourself while waiting for your bag.

3. Excess baggage

dogs are always excited, curious, and concerned about you and your choices (but they won't say it) that's why they are the perfect binge watching partners.

netFlix and wooF: new binge watching

‘paw-tner’ “n lugging heavy suitcases as you chase after a bus or train, or try to catch your flight makes travel more difficult, stressful, and even costly because it could mean paying extra for excess baggage. pack light by choosing clothes that are suitable for any situation and occasion. Bring only the essentials. Transfer your toiletries to mini containers, and carry your jacket and wear your heaviest clothes and shoes on board instead of putting them in your bag.

4. Lost or missing travel documents

Travelers who are rushing may misplace things like passports or other important documents. When that happens, remember to keep calm and immediately ask for assistance from the nearest embassy or consulate. Keep electronic and paper copies of your passport and other necessary documents with you, and constantly check your valuables wherever you go.

5. Cash shortage

Cash is the easiest way to pay for things when traveling, but if you’re not careful, you can easily deplete your funds before the end of your trip. To make your cash last long, bring a refillable water container so you don‘t have to buy bottled water, or shop at local stores for affordable and authentic local cuisines. Create a daily budget for your trip and stick to it. Have a credit card for emergencies.

eTFlix and chill” has become one of this generation’s favorite pastimes. We do it by ourselves, we do it with our favorite people, and, according to a new study, we love to do it with our pets.

according to a new survey released by netflix, when it comes to watching TV, most people, or 58 percent of over 50,000 respondents, find pets to be the best binge partner, or “paw-tner,” if you will. let’s face it, watching a show with someone else can sometimes have its downsides, like being spoiled or getting cheated on (them watching our shows without us). not only do pets not hog the remote or judge your entertainment tastes (well, maybe), they make the perfect partners for the company, the cuddles (one in three have turned to their furry friends for comfort during a sad or scary scene) and even the conversation (22 percent have talked to their pet about the show or movie they were watching). Though you should be warned that pet bingeing can also be ruff. More than a third of respondents (37 percent) have moved where they were sitting so their pet would be more comfortable, 22 percent have bribed them with treats to watch longer, and some (12 percent) have even gone so far as turning off a show because their pet didn’t appear to like it. The “snuggle” is real. so what are the shows everyone is barking, meowing, and chirping about? dog owners are more likely to choose action like Narcos and Marvel’s Daredevil. Cat owners “purr-fer” sci-fi series like Black Mirror and Star Trek Discovery. Meanwhile, bird lovers are egged on by comedies like Orange is the New Black. The one show that brings all streaming species together—Stranger Things (#justiceformews).

your cat loves you and won't judge your entertainment taste—or maybe it will.

netflix releases data on pet owners' TV show preferences

How to win Half a million in 100 seconds THey say one-half of life is luck, but it looks like some people are blessed with more. Jamie lirazan, the first lucky racer of Bank of the philippine islands’ sip & Grab Challenge, grabbed appliances and gadgets worth p456,000 at sM appliance Center in Makati. she was picked in the raffle to be the first lucky racer for the promo. she went home with a 55” samsung Curve television, a ps4, laptops, and cellphone units in a span of 100 seconds. Her experience was indeed nervewrecking yet exciting as she considers this a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity. prior to the race, she planned on getting a television, which was a request from her family. “i felt nervous because there was only 12 seconds left and yet the items were still not in the Bpi red box.” all items in the red box after 100 seconds were hers to bring home. “We are beyond thankful for this wonderful experience. We did not expect that we will win among the thousands of participants. Thank you Bpi for this opportunity,” she said. Be the next lucky racer to take home appliances. you can grab blenders, hair dryers, microwave ovens, rice cookers, and electronics such as mobile phones, laptops, TVs, and even items as big as a washing machine. Who knows, you might be the next lucky winner for the second leg, or even the third leg of the promo. Bpi Credit Cardholders earn a raffle entry for every Bpi special installment plan (sip) transaction, with a minimum single-receipt of p20,000, with a

Jason lirazan, brother of Jamie, the first Bpi sip & Grab winner, reacts as the 100-second timer ends.

12-month term or longer. aside from Jaime, two more lucky racers will be drawn. The Bpi sip & Grab Challenge is open nationwide to all active Bpi Credit Cardholders in good credit standing. These cards include Bpi Blue MasterCard, Bpi Fam-

ily MasterCard, Bpi amore Visa, Bpi Gold MasterCard, Bpi skymiles MasterCard, Bpi amore Visa platinum, Bpi petron MasterCard, Bpi skymiles platinum MasterCard, Bpi edge MasterCard, and Bpi Visa signature. This promo runs until May 31. Joyce Babe Pañares

Showbiz

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018

BARBIE FORTEZA

RENEWS CONTRACT WITH MOTHER NETWORK Y

OUNG actress Barbie Forteza remains a loyal Kapuso as she renewed an exclusive contract with GMA Network on April 17.

Young actress and GMA Network prized talent Barbie Forteza

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

During the contract signing, Barbie, who is now on her eighth year in the business, looked back on her humble beginnings and expressed her gratitude for the support that GMA Network has given her. “GMA has helped me discover the things that I can do as an actor, and I’m glad to say that sila lang ang nakapagbigay sa akin ng ganoong opportunities. Ever since naman hindi nila ako pinabayaan at lagi nila akong tsina-challenge as an artist, that’s why I’m always motivated to do my best,” Barbie said. Present during the contract signing were Senior Vice President for Entertainment Content Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, GMA Artist Center Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun S. Ferrer, and GMA Artist Center Senior Talent Manager Joy Marcelo. GMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Felipe L. Gozon, who was also present during the contact signing, acknowledged Barbie’s dedication to her craft. I’m very proud to have Barbie as our homegrown artist at ngayon ay napakagaling nang aktres na siguradong malayo pa talaga ang mararating. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa kanya because she keeps on improving,“ Gozon remarked. Meanwhile, Rasonable shared that she is looking forward to doing more projects with Barbie, “Masarap bigyan at isipan ng roles si Barbie dahil she’s a versatile actress, and we are very proud to have her in the Network.” Following the huge success of Meant To Be, Barbie will be back on primetime with Derrick Monasterio and Juancho Trivino in the upcoming series Inday Will Always Love You, which will premiere this May on GMA.

Ronnie Alonte and Loisa Andalio in today's episode of 'Wansapanataym.'

RONNIE USES LOVE TO FIND LOISA IN ‘WANSAPANATAYM’ LOVE will prevail in Robin’s (Ronnie Alonte) heart as he does everything in his power to find Gelli (Loisa Andalio) and finally break the curse in order to set the genie free in Wansapanataym Presents: Gelli in a Bottle today. No ocean is vast and deep enough for Robin as he goes on a vigorous search for Gelli, who is still locked inside the magical bottle floating in the middle of the sea. This happened after Gelli requested that Robin’s last wish be that her parents’ lives go back to being normal, instead of her desired freedom. But as her hope of breaking the curse starts to dwindle, Hubert (Anjo Damiles), the man who also has feelings for her, finds the magical bottle and becomes her new master. How will Hubert interfere with the budding romance between Gelli and Robin? Airing for almost two decades, Wansapanataym is the sole Filipino program to be nominated in the prestigious International Emmy Kids Awards held recently under the best TV movie/mini-series. It battled against shows from Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Australia. Catch the magical stories filled with valuable lessons in Wansapanataym Presents: Gelli in A Bottle this Sunday on ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

JOSHLIA

VERSUS ONLINE BASHING IN

NEW TVC

Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia in the latest OPPO TVC. Barbie with the cast of the upcoming series, 'Inday Will Always Love You.'

KMJS TALKS TO ‘ROAD‘ COUPLE, GOES '70S WITH LOLAS OF ANGONO The mommies and lola of Angono grooving to 'Sweet Sixteen.'

Viral couple Jenny and Larry and their "road" to forever.

TODAY, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) travels back to the '70s with the mommies and grannies of Angono who went viral after grooving to the tune of Vilma Santos’ “Sweet Sixteen." Meanwhile, take a bite of ‘ant egg’ dishes. Find out why this exotic delicacy is worth all the pain. Join the KMJS for a nature trip in Negros Oriental and try their natural water slide, hike on an active volcano and relax in a natural pool located at the foot of the mountain. Prepare to be moved by Lola Teresita’s story as she fights through life despite the giant tumor growing on her face. Get to know Jenny and Larry, the viral couple from an American reality TV show and learn more about their love story and their "road" to forever. And make way for the guy who beat Allan Caidic’s and Kobe Bryant’s basketball record—the newest hardcourt idol, Mac-Mac. Catch these stories and more in Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, after Lip Sync Battle Philippines on GMA 7.

IF THERE’S anyone who has had more than their fair share of online hate, it would be popular celebrities who came of age in the social media generation, just like Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia. “Bashers,” or individuals who seem to gain pleasure in leaving unsavory commentaries on social media, often flock to high-profile accounts like those of Barretto, Garcia, and other showbiz personalities. Barretto, who belongs to an oft-controversial celebrity clan, is used to seeing nasty messages and comments disparaging her looks, talents, and personality online. She has had countless bashers tell her that she might have had work done on her face, that there is no talent behind her pretty face, and that she’s another vain artista. Barretto confronts these negative statements in her new commercial for the OPPO F7, where she is joined by Garcia to convey an uplifting message. “This project with OPPO is so timely,” she said. “Standing up against online bashing is something that Joshua and I feel is relevant because the audience will be able to relate to it. I think a lot of them are curious about how celebrities deal with negativity directed at us online. I’m so glad that OPPO has allowed us to share this story with more people.” The teen love team, who have made fans swoon over their romantic films Vince & Kath & James, Love You to the Stars and Back, and Unexpectedly Yours, are part of OPPO Philippines’ roster of endorsers. Apart from the impressive features of this new flagship smartphone, OPPO got Barretto and Garcia on board with the line “Capture the Real you”—a message that the two young celebrities related to.

sunday, april 22, 2018

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

Preventing

Heat stroke in Dogs pet tales

By desiree carlos

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.

EAT stroke can be fatal. As with other illnesses, it is best to prevent a heat stroke. here are reminders and tips from Dr. Anthony Prado Basa, Dr. Cerdy Deloso, and Wikihow. Please provide extra care for dogs most susceptible to heat stroke because they have a lower tolerance for increased heat. They are: 1. senior dogs 2. overweight dogs 3. dogs with a history of heart disease 4. dogs with a history of seizures There are breeds of dogs who can not also tolerate increased heat: 1. pugs or bulldogs or dogs with shorter snouts have a hard time releasing or panting out body heat 2. saint Bernards, shih Tzus, Boxers, English and French bulldogs and pugs can not tolerate heat and should not be put in hot areas or places with a hot climate like the beach.

Tips to prevent heat stroke

1. Keep water available at all times. 2. Change the water every two hours. The water will get warm due to the hot weather and when your dog drinks warm, it will add heat to the body. We do not give water with ice as the dog tends to develop cough, especially senior dogs. 3. Keep dogs in cool places like areas near trees and plants. You can keep potted plants beside cages if you do not have a garden. 4. Keep you dog away from direct sunlight. 5. Bathe your dogs regularly. Dogs kept outside the house can be bathe twice a week. Big dogs are sometimes bathe three times a week, depending on the breed. Please ask your vet. Make sure to dry them well after bath with a towel. 6. have your dogs groomed. During hot months, dogs with long and thick hair need trimming. The vet and the groomer know what kind of grooming is appropriate for the hot and cold months. 7. Wet the areas surrounding your dog like grass or cemented areas before it becomes very hot. For example, we wet the ground at 10 a.m. Why? Because if you wet the ground when it is very hot already, the water will evaporate and with it, the heat from the ground will go up and make the place hotter. Thus, wet the ground at 10 a.m., then again at 12 noon, then at 2 p.m. This will keep the place less hot for your dogs. 8. Never leave your dog inside the car during hot days. Temperature inside the car will increase faster and will likely kill your dog. 9. For dogs with short snouts and who can not tolerate hot weather like pugs, shih tzus,

Ally, rescued pup of save ALL, stays on cooling grassy areas iand drinks lots of water during hot days. Ally is looking for a loving, lifetime family/home. For adoption inquiries, please contact Maricel Mondejar of save ALL in Facebook.

bulldogs, among others, please keep them in cool places and iNsiDE YOUR hOUsE. if you can afford an aircon, please switch it on this during the very hot hours or from 12 noon to 3 p.m. 10. Our group, save Animals of Love and Light (save ALL), gives singkamas to rescued dogs at around 1 to 2 p.m. humans and dogs retain the water from singkamas in the body longer than water. 11. save ALL also gives cooling food or treats like a leaf or two of romaine lettuce (raw, the number of leaves depends on the size of the dog, carrots (do not cook, cut into sizes that your dog can won’t choke on, this depends on the kind and size of dog), and sweet potato or kamote (boiled), among others. Watermelon is good but make sure you remove all the seeds and give this fruit only after a meal. This fruit is a very cooling fruit. On an empty stomach, you dog (like you) can develop gas or kabag. 12. save ALL also gives natural food or wet canned food aside from dry dog food to hydrate the dogs. some dogs do not drink too much water. Observe your dog. Natural food is boiled meat (lean and just a few slices) with vegetables like pumpkin (kalabasa), or carrots, or brocolli, or sweet potato. if you will buy canned dog food, please make sure it has no flavoring and coloring, and no salt or very low salt content. Please consult your vet on this if your dog has a special medical condition.

13. if you have a big basin or a sturdy plastic kiddie pool, allow your dog to soak in them. But please, do not leave them alone. And dry them well after. 14. Do not allow your dog to drink water or swim in water with algae. This is toxic to dogs. 15. Walk your dogs when it is already cold (late afternoon) or very early in the morning when it is not yet hot. Feel the ground or pavement. is it hot? if it is hot for you, it is more hot for your dog. 16. Use an electric fan but do not place it directly at the dog or the cage. You just need to cool the place where your dog is located. Your dog might develop cough and colds. 17. if you plan to use a mist fan, again, it is not advisable to put it directly where the dog or cage is located. We point the fan away from the dog and at the areas around the dog to cool the place. The mist can cause phlegm buildup which is of course very bad for your dog. 18. Do feel your dog’s chest and tummy. is it hot? if it is hot, put a bottle with cold water or ice and place in the armpit and chest until the body cools down. 19. Take the dog’s temperature. if 41c degrees up, please bring to a vet asap. 20. Observe your dog. if panting heavily or drooling, bring to a vet asap. 21. Talk to your vet about your dog’s overall physical health or condition. Please ask what you need to do, particularly if a dog has a special medical concern or condition.

shih tzus summer, Putzi, Nacho and shakti, like all dogs, love singkamas, specially when grated. This cools them down. (Left) singkamas, the cheapest, natural cooling treat.

MiNGMiNG was adopted by Monic Alavarado on Aug. 26, 2017. “she brings so much happiness and joy. All my stress and problems will suddenly fade away just by seeing her beside me. And i would want nothing more than to be with her forever, “ Monic says.

sEBAsTiAN or sEBsEB was posted in Facebook and Jandi Amer fell in love with him immediately. she decided to adopt him. “he is very playful, and he wants to ride tricycles and jeepneys, “Jandi says. Jandi adds that the now 2-yearold cat loves to go out but “hindi siya namamansin sa mga taong natutuwa sa kanya. May pagka masungit po kasi.”

WALKER is a nine-month-old husky-Corgi mix who adds color and much joy to the new family of isa and ix Cepeda.