Manila Standard - 2019 January 26 - Saturday

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

Maute still a terror threat Military chases new leader in 10-hour running battle

Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 345 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Four years on, justice eludes SAF 44; swift closure urged

By Nat Mariano

THE Palace on Friday called on the Office of the Ombudsman to swiftly conclude the case filed against those responsible for the deaths of 44 Special Action Force commandos who were killed in a botched clandestine operation in Mamasapano four years ago.

“Even as we continue to pray for the eternal repose of the souls of these gallant heroes and share in the grief of their bereaved families, we urge the Office of the Ombudsman to resolve with dispatch the case filed against those who recklessly placed them in mortal peril,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in Next page a statement.

IN THEIR MEMORY. Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde and NCRPO Chief Gullermo Eleazar (not in photo) lead the day Friday in remembering the Special Action Force 44 at their headquarters in Bicutan, Taguig. Norman Cruz

Senate performance rated ‘very good’

By Nat Mariano

MOST Filipinos polled in a survey viewed the Senate as the leading government institution with a “very good” public satisfaction rating in the last quarter of 2018, the latest

Social Weather Stations’ survey revealed on Friday.

SWS said 71 percent of the adult Filipinos it polled expressed satisfaction over the performance of the Senate and its lawmakers, while 13 percent were Next page dissatisfied.

PH to pay $30m for Monet painting THE Presidential Commission on Good Government has reached a deal with a British billionaire who bought a Monet painting that was once owned by former First Lady Imelda Marcos to drop a lawsuit still in litigation in New York in exchange for a $30-million (P1.579-billion) payment, ABSCBN News reported Friday. Next page

Comelec tally resolves BOL vote issues THE Commission on Elections, sitting as the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers, cleared the certificate of canvass of Cotabato City showing 36,682 “Yes” votes and 24,994 “No” votes for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic law.

The Comelec later also cleared the COC of Isabela City, Basilan, indicating the residents’ “No” vote on its inclusion in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

The Comelec also said more than 85 percent of the 2.1-million registered voters participated for the ratification of the BangsamNext page oro Organic Law.

MILITARY MOVE. Two Maute militants, including a child warrior, surrender to security forces following the seizure of a camp in Sultan Dumalondong in Lanao del Sur Thursday, when three bandits were killed and three soldiers wounded during a cutthroat 10-hour battle as troops chase the rebels alleged leader Abu Dar.

By Francisco Tuyay

T

HE Maute Group is still a top security threat, a top military commander said Friday, even as Army forces seized a camp of the Islamic State-inspired group in Lanao del Sur after a 10-hour battle that killed three terrorists and wounded three soldiers.

Col. Romeo Brawner, commander of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, called on Maute stragglers to surrender.

“We are giving them a chance to live a peaceful and meaningful life. We are calling on the remaining Maute-IS fighters to surrender peacefully to the

nearest military installations before the next combat operations,” Brawner said.

The commander also dismissed Maute efforts to disrupt the just-concluded referendum for the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which would expand the Next page

Agri gets boost; MILF camp eyed as banana land

By Nat Mariano THE government will strengthen the agricultural sector with “focused assistance” to farmers to improve their productivity, the Palace said Friday, after data showed that poor farm output contributed to slower rate of economic growth in 2018.

“We will strengthen agriculture through more focused assistance, with the end in view of addressing farmers’ livelihood concerns, increasing their productivity, and ensuring supply stability and food security for our people,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Next page in a Palace briefing Friday.

MINORS’ PROTEST. Members of Salinlahi Alliance for Children, a national alliance of child rights and welfare institutions, stage at the Senate gate a protest rally as they oppose the proposal to lower the minimum age of children in conflict with the law from 15 years old to 12 while the Justice and Rights Committee discusses the issue. Lino Santos

Du30: No jail for children, yes for parents

Presidential Spokesman Salvador PanBy Nat Mariano, Macon Ramoselo said Congress can introduce new proAraneta and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is in favor of making parents accountable for the criminal acts of their children, the Palace said on Thursday as the debate continued over efforts to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility.

Infowar endangers next gens

visions to a proposed bill solely to punish “neglectful parents” of children who have committed crimes.

“I think there should be some kind of punishment to the parents also if they are neglectful either deliberately or recklessNext page ly,” he added.

Jaywalking may soon be riskier

INFORMATION warfare is amplifying major worldwide threats like climate change and nuclear warfare, endangering the future of civilization, US experts said Thursday as the symbolic Doomsday Clock stayed at two minutes to midnight.

JAYWALK anywhere in Metro Manila and you risk smearing your record with the National Bureau of Investigation—which issues the clearance you need anytime you apply for a job or try to go abroad.

That’s the proposal of the Metro Manila Development

Next page

Next page

News

A2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

GMA to help Parola poor get land titles F ORMER president and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has vowed to help more than 5,000 urban poor families in Parola, Manila, get their land titles.

Speaking during the ceremonies for the awarding of Certificate of Land Awards to some 80 beneficiaries in Parola, Binondo, Arroyo said she will ask Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez to convene the Oversight Committee Housing which he heads to facilitate the awarding of titles to the urban poor beneficiaries in Parola, both in Binondo and Tondo.

“Magpapa-convene tayo ng Oversight sa Committee on Housing kay Congress-

Nur a no-show at Sandigan arraignment

By Maricel V. Cruz MORO National Liberation Front leader Nur Misuari on Friday failed to show up at his scheduled arraignment at the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division.

Instead, Misuari’s lawyer, Robert Callos, appeared before the anti-graft court on his behalf, prompting the court to defer the arraignment as it requires the accused to personally appear before the court.

The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division reset the arraignment on Feb. 27.

Misuari, the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor, is facing two counts each of graft and malversation by falsification owing to the alleged anomalous procurement of educational materials worth P115.2 million during his term.

Misuari and his co-accused allegedly conspired with one another to give “unwarranted benefits, advantage and privilege” to MBJ Learning Tools, CPR Publishing, and White Orchids Printing.

But Ombudsman investigators said “no such materials were delivered” by the three companies.

Misuari earlier posted P460,000 bail at the Davao City Regional Trial Court for his provisional liberty.

The anti-graft court’s Third Division earlier denied Misuari’s motion to dismiss. But he was able to avail of the remedy to appeal the denial of that motion.

Misuari said the allegedly anomalous transactions were “consummated” from 2003 to 2004, two years after he had already stepped down as ARMM governor.

PH...

From A1

An ABS-CBN source in New York privy to the initial talks between the PCGG and billionaire Alan Howard said the payment is part of what could be a compromise agreement to settle government claims to the painting.

The “Le Bassin aux Nympheas” (Water Lily Pond) by French painter Claude Monet was one of hundreds of artworks formerly owned by the widow of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos and allegedly amassed over their two-decade dictatorship.

The Duterte administration endorsed the plan for a compromise agreement in a memorandum dated Jan. 8, 2019. Signed

by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the memo authorized acting PCGG chief Reynold Munsayac to close the proposed agreement.

Howard bought the Le Bassin painting for $43 million (P2.26 billion) at Hazlitt, Gooden & Fox Gallery in London in 2010, unaware that the painting was still the subject of litigation in New York involving the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth.

“The Office of the President interposes no objection to the PCGG entering into a settlement agreement” involving Howard “for as long as it is not disadvantageous to the government,” Medialdea said.

ABS-CBN News said it has not gotten any word if Howard agreed to the proposal or made a counter-offer. The Standard could not reach Mrs. Marcos for comment at press time.

But the Briton’s counsel has reportedly begun reaching out to New York court executives and American human rights lawyer Robert Swift, counsel of Marcos’ martial law victims for the proposed agreement, according to the network’s source.

Philippine officials confirmed to ABSCBN News they were pursuing a settlement with Howard.

Comelec...

From A1

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the voters’ turnout showed that democracy continued to exist in the southern part of the country, adding 1,844,873 out of the 2,167,244 registered voters cast their votes, or 85.13 percent of all the voters.

Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said the conduct of the election was a sign of a vibrant democracy in the country.

“It’s a testimony of the strong institutions and the maturity of the citizens. The sovereign will is expressed through their ballot and not through the bullet,” Abas said.

The Comelec cleared the Isabela City COC despite questions over the plebiscite returns that had erasures and alleged tampering.

The NPBOC earlier declared that the discrepancy in the entry of the number of registered voters who cast their votes between

man Benitez para maayos natin ang mga titulo ninyo,” Arroyo told the residents.

She went to Parola on Friday to lead the awarding of the CELAs to the beneficiaries. It was the first time the first batch of CELAs were distributed to residents since 2004.

Arroyo first went to the house of Lucy Santos on Gate 15, Area D, to see the condition of the community. Santos was the resident who first talked to then President Arroyo in 2004 when she was asked for help to give housing security in their village.

As a result of her consultations with Santos and the homeowners’ organization in the area, she issued Presidential Proclamation 581 in March 2004, setting aside more than 5 hectares in Parola in Tondo and in Binondo for socialized housing for

the squatters in the area.

But since she issued the proclamation, the awarding of titles was delayed as several government agencies had laid their claims over the property. Arroyo was told that both the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine National Railways were claiming ownership of the Tondo side of Parola, which delayed the purchase of the lot areas by the residents.

“Nalaman ko na pinag-aagawan pala ng DENR at PNR kasi kapag nabayaran na ninyo ang inyong lupa sino raw ang tatanggap ng pera? DENR ba o PNR?,” Arroyo told the residents.

The Binondo side of Parola is also experiencing the same problem because a portion of the land is being claimed by the Government Service Insurance System.

Maute...

their leaders left them after an encounter with government troops.

Addressing the stragglers directly, Brawner said, “Take this offer now before it’s too late.”

“We will weaken their will to fight, either through lethal or non-lethal means. We will take them out of their comfort zones until they have no other option but to die or return to the fold of the law,” he said.

“We are a determined force. Together with our fellow Maranaos, we will serve justice to the people who destroyed Marawi City,” Brawner said.

The gun battle in Sultan Dumalondong was 50 kilometers away from Marawi City, the site of a five-month siege after Maute fighters overran the city.

In the overrun camp, soldiers found rockets, black flags with the ISIS sign and books and notebooks.

Abu Dar took control of the Maute Group, after the Maute brothers died in the Marawi siege.

From A1 current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“Is it a threat to BOL? The BOL [plebiscite] just ended, and they didn’t meddle because if they come down [from their hideouts], the people would point them out,” Brawner said. “So it’s either we arrest them or we kill them.”

Asked if the Maute soldiers were just waiting for the BOL to “cool down” before causing trouble in the region again, Brawner said the current standing force of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front―which has supported the plebiscite―is big enough to deter the terrorists.

Two members of the Maute Group, aged 34 and 17, surrendered, while troops pursued their leader, Abu Dar, said Lt. Edgar Allan Villanueva, commander of the 49th Infantry Battalion.

Villanueva said the two fighters said

Du30:...

From A1

He said, however, that it was up to Congress to either accept or reject the suggestion.

“The President is [just] expressing an idea… If they are open to that, then they can do something about it,” he said.

Panelo again assured the public that children in conflict with the law would not be imprisoned but will instead undergo rehabilitation.

“You cannot put these minors to jail. You have to correct them, rehabilitate them.

They can become more hardened if you jail them with hardened criminals,” he said.

The House of Representatives approved on second reading a bill seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12, triggering outrage among human rights groups and some senators.

“I think the opposition is based on the incarceration of children. Not many know this, in the previous law, the age of criminal liability was 9 years old for decades, but nobody really complained,” Panelo said.

“It was 9 years old before. But even under the previous law, there was no incarceration. It’s rehabilitation,” he said.

He added that the government is willing to allocate more funds for youth care facilities to rehabilitate children who have committed crimes.

“If it’s a matter of funding, then let’s put in some funds or more funds,” Panelo said.

Duterte said he was “comfortable” with lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12.

Agri...

From A1 Among the initiatives that the government has undertaken is the expansion of credit and loan facilities through the Land Bank of the Philippines, Nograles said.

“Last year, President [Rodrigo] Duterte directed the LBP, in close coordination with Departments of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, to reach out to farmers and provide them with financial assistance,” he said.

During congressional deliberations for the 2019 national budget, the LandBank reported a high 62 percent amortization payment compliance by agrarian reform beneficiaries because the state-owned bank’s financing schemes empowered farmers.

The DAR then launched a new lending facility called the Accessible and Sustainable Lending Program for Small Farmers, which sets a low 6 percent per annum interest rate.

“We’re assessing response to the program so that we can tweak and make improvements. The ASL Program has credit components to individual farmers, farmers cooperatives, and agri-based associations, so it’s really comprehensive,” Nograles said.

He also said the government closely monitors the country’s production targets for the Cotabato City’s certificate of canvass and summary of votes was a “formal error,” meaning the error was in filling out the form and as such would not affect the BOL plebiscite results.

Lawyer Consuelo Diola of the Comelec Secretariat said that, based on the findings of the Audit and Tabulation panel, the discrepancy was brought about by the Plebiscite Committee’s failure to enter the number of registered voters who actually voted during Day 1 of the BOL plebiscite on the SOV, thus resulting in an erroneous entry of the total number of registered voters who actually voted in Cotabato City’s COC. The correct number of the registered voters in Cotabato City that cast their votes was 61,676.

The national board of canvassers cleared the Isabela City Certificate of Canvass, which showed the “No” votes winning over the “Yes” votes at 22,441 as against 19,032.

Vito Barcelo

As a result, Arroyo said she had instructed Manila Rep. Yul Servo and Manuel Lopez to coordinate with Benitez to convene his Oversight Committee on Housing to summon the government offices and other attached agencies to thresh out the issues with respect to the land titling in Parola.

She said the Oversight Committee hearings will be held despite the start of the campaign period, but she was not seeking any post.

Joven Pajora, one of the beneficiaries of the CELA said they were forever grateful to Arroyo for giving them another chance to acquire their land. He said after she stepped down, no one paid them attention and it was only when she again stepped in as speaker that CELAs had finally been awarded to them.

Four years..

From A1

Duterte noted that parents should also be aware of their children’s criminal accountability.

“As early as that age, they should already be reminded because they will be ultimately responsible,” he said.

“Any violation of law committed by children, that shows that parents lack supervision and vigilance. They will face charges,” he added.

He also said children would not go to jail.

“They will not really be imprisoned.

They will only go to social workers to listen to lectures,” he said.

Senator Richard Gordon, meanwhile, said there was no global consensus on the age at which children should be held criminally responsible.

In some countries, it is even lower than 12, he said, citing the United Kingdom (8 years old) and Singapore (7 years old).

Gordon supports lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility from the current 15 under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 to 12.

In Senate hearings, however, Dr. Liane Alampay of the Psychological Association of the Philippines said a 12-year-old is more vulnerable and less mature than a 15-yearold.

She warned that lowering the age of criminal responsibility would just magnify the problems involving the youth.

“This would not solve the problems concerning out youth. Instead, the government should address the gaps like the lack of resources, political will and knowledge,” she said.

She also said stricter implementation of the existing law was crucial.

“The nation demands justice for them as well as the prosecution of those responsible for the botched police operation,” he added.

In January 2018, Solicitor General Jose Calida asked the Supreme Court to order the Ombudsman to charge former President Benigno Aquino III with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide for the death of the 44 SAF members.

Calida also sought the inclusion of former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima, and former Special Action Force director Getulio Napeñas Jr. among the accused of 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

The Ombudsman at the time, however, charged Aquino, Purisima and Napeñas only with usurpation of official functions and violation of the Anti-Graft Law, and dismissed the reckless imprudence complaint.

Panelo said even as the fallen SAF 44 were honored posthumously with the Philippine National Police Medal of Valor, the Duterte administration will not allow the same tragedy to befall the men in uniform.

“Never again will we allow a recurrence of such tragic event. Those in authority must learn from the mistakes of the past otherwise those valorous men in uniform would have died in vain,” he said.

On Jan. 25, 2015, under the top-secret military operation called “Oplan Exodus,” a 475-man SAF unit was sent to Barangay Tukanalipaoin Mamasapano, Maguindanao to neutralize international terrorists Zulkifli Bin-Hir alias “Marwan” and Bassit Usman.

The police commandos succeeded in killing Marwan, who was also wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States, but were ambushed by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and other armed groups.

The death of the 44 police commandos torpedoed efforts to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), a key component of peace talks with the MILF rebels.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared every Jan. 25 as the National Day of Remembrance to commemorate the bravery of the SAF 44.

Retired police Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, who was then the deputy SAF commander at that time, said the highly top-secret military operation named “Operation Exodus” was carefully planned before it was launched. Only a handful knew about the top-secret military operation. Among them were then President Aquino and his national police chief, Purisima. In fact, even then PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina was kept in the dark. With PNA

harvest seasons this year.

“Ongoing efforts are underway in closely coordinating with the DA, and the agency is examining our production targets for the coming harvest seasons. Of course, we’re already factoring in effects of weather disturbances, prices of farm inputs, and the like,” Nograles said.

“The government recognizes the importance of the sector and how vital a contributor it is to the Philippine economy. This is why the agencies involved are working hand in hand to ensure that government interventions have a positive impact on the agriculture sector and its stakeholders, especially our farmers and fisherfolk,” he said.

On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the economy only grew by 6.2 percent in 2018, the slowest rate of growth in three years.

The PSA attributed the slower growth last year to sluggish agricultural production and rising inflation.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in a statement the former stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front would be converted into a banana plantation, with Russian and Swiss companies committed to spend about P8 billion to develop the 7,000 hectares of land in and

around Camp Abubakar to grow bananas.

The plantation is expected to be the first and biggest investment in the Bangsamoro region after the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, he said.

“When fully operational, the project is expected to provide work for at least 10,000 people, many of whom [are] former cadres and combatants,” he said.

Irrigation mapping and assessment of the quality of the soil in the area will begin next week, he added.

Also on Friday, Senator Joel Villanueva said the slowdown in agricultural output in 2018 was a cause for concern.

“We should continue to help and provide technical support to LGUs so that our agricultural extension offices will be more effective in boosting the production and income of farmers,” he said. “We hope that the P43.6-billion budget we allocated to the Department of Agriculture be put to good use so that our farmers receive the most effective and necessary support to uplift the lives of their families.

“Our resolve must be stronger to improve the resilience of the agriculture sector to climate change while continuously improving farmers’ direct access to market,” he added.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Senate...

From A1

“The net satisfaction rating of the Senate rose by one grade from good to very good, up by 10 points from +48 in September 2018 to +58 in December 2018. This is the highest since the very good +67 in August 2012,” SWS said in its report.

But even as his Cabinet officials heaped praises from President Rodrigo Duterte himself for their efforts, his Cabinet remained at the bottom of the leading government institutions ranked by those polled by SWS. SWS said 52 percent of the adult Filipinos it polled expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Duterte Cabinet, while 17 percent were dissatisfied.

SWS said the 10-point rise in the overall net satisfaction of the Senate was due to the increases in all areas, especially in Metro Manila.

The Senate’s net satisfaction rating rose from good to very good in Metro Manila and the Visayas at +57 and +61 in December, respectively.

It also stayed very good in Balance Luzon and Mindanao, respectively, receiving +56 and +60 in December.

By class, the Senate’s net satisfaction rating was very good among the class E and class D at +62 and +58, respectively, and stayed among the class ABC at +42 in December.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives came next with a “good” public satisfaction rating.

SWS said 57 percent of those polled were satisfied with the affairs of the House, while 17 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

“The House of Representatives’ net satisfaction rating stayed good, up by 4 points from +36 in September to +40 in December. This is the highest since the good +42 in June 2016,” SWS said.

Green and go for Bay cleanup this Sunday THE Environment department said Friday it is all systems go for the start of the rehabilitation of Manila Bay on Jan. 27.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu called the rehabilitation the “Battle for Manila Bay,” which would bring together more than 5,000 participants.

Most of the participants will come from his department and from 12 other government agencies who will execute the Supreme Court’s order in 2008 to clean up the bay.

“This is a battle that will be won not with force or arms but with the firm resolve to bring Manila Bay back to life,” Cimatu said.

“Manila Bay and the environment in general is not a lost cause.”

The rehabilitation does not only involve cleaning up the bay but also relocating the illegal settlers around it and ensuring the establishments around the area observe the Clean Water Act of 2004 and other environmental laws.

Meanwhile, the Environment department is urging the participants of the Manila Bay rehabilitation launching at the Baywalk area on Sunday to use reusable containers in packing food and water.

“We’re encouraging them to bring their own reusable containers like bottles for water that they’ll drink during the launch,” the department’s Strategic Alliance and Environmental Partnership Division Chief Raymond Virgino said.

He said they were promoting reusable materials as the plastic and paper containers people discard after use might end up at the Manila Bay, polluting its water and increasing the volume of trash there.

The participants could request water and refill their containers at the drinking stations of private water concessionaire Manila Water Company Inc., which serves the Baywalk area, Virgino said.

The authorities continue to warn against diseases that could be contracted from Manila Bay’s waters as the department said the decades-long flow of solid waste and untreated discharge had raised the level of coliform bacteria there to more than 330 million most probable number per 100 milliliters.

The safe coliform level is 100 MPN per 100 milliliters only, according to the department. Rio N. Araja and PNA

Jaywalking...

From A1 Authority, as it wants to get tougher against jaywalkers, who the agency said cause 54 percent of road accidents in the big city.

MMDA spokesperson Celine Piolago told GMA’s “Unang Balita” program on Friday the agency would discuss its proposal with the Metro Manila Council for possible approval.

“It’s the MMDA’s plan that the jaywalkers we apprehend would have a ‘lamat’ [mark] on their NBI records. Unfortunately, the current penalties don’t seem to be enough [to deter them],” Piolago said.

At present, jaywalkers are slapped with a P500 fine or made to render community service.

It was unclear if the NBI, a separate agency under the Department of Justice, would be amenable to the proposal.

Infowar...

From A1 The manipulation of facts, fake news and information overload—along with global warming and flirting with nuclear war—are all factors that have brought humans as close to destroying the planet as ever, said the non-profit Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

“Humanity now faces two simultaneous existential threats, either of which would be cause for extreme concern and immediate attention,” the group said in a statement.

“These major threats—nuclear weapons and climate change—were exacerbated this past year by the increased use of information warfare to undermine democracy around the world, amplifying risk from these and other threats and putting the future of civilization in extraordinary danger.”

The clock did not budge from last year, but that “should not be taken as a sign of stability,” said Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the group of scholars and international experts in security, nuclear, environmental and science fields.

“It is a state as worrisome as the most dangerous times of the Cold War,” said Bronson at a press conference in the US capital, describing the current climate as “The New Abnormal.”

“The velocity of information has increased by orders of magnitude, allowing information warfare and fake news to flourish,” she said.

“It generates rage and polarization across the globe at a time when we need calm and unity to solve the globe’s greatest problems.”

This “New Abnormal” is “a state that features an unpredictable and shifting landscape of simmering disputes that multiply the chances for major conflict to erupt,” she added.

“We appear to be normalizing a very dangerous world in terms of the risks of nuclear warfare and climate change.”

‘Bad news indeed’ Robert Rosner, professor in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago, described this “New Abnormal” as “the disturbing reality in which things are not getting better.”

“The fact that the Doomsday Clock’s hands did not move is bad news indeed,” he said. AFP

News

A3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Batocabe son lauds police for Baldo arrest LEGAZPI CITY—Lawyer Justine Batocabe, son of slain Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe, lauded police operatives for the arrest of Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo for illegal possession of firearms, explosive and ammunition last Tuesday.

Batocabe, in a press conference late Wednesday, said, “We are very thankful to the Philippine National Police [PNP], National Bureau of Investigation [NBI], Criminal Investigation and Detection Group [CIDG], Army and various agencies of government for their help in bringing justice, peace and security in the good town of Daraga and for turning the wheels of justice.”

He said the arrest of Baldo “is a triumph of every Darageño who wishes nothing but peace and order and security for our good town. We have faith in the justice system.”

“We see justice, our faith in the justice system is being repaid and we have nothing but thanks. We thank God, we thank the President, the congressmen and everybody who helped,” Batocabe added. PNA

Overhaul EPIRA to lower cost, NGOs urge gov’t VARIOUS non-government organizations on Friday called for the “overhauling” of the Electric and Power Industry Reform Act to lower the cost of power, instead of passing the “Murang Kuryente” bill.

At a news conference in Quezon City, Manjette Lopez of Freedom from Debt Coalition, along with Gerry Arances of Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, said energy reforms are not enough without the removal of pass-on provisions in the EPIRA law.

Last Tuesday, the House committee on energy, chaired by Marinduque Rep. Lord Jay Velasco, unanimously passed the substitute bill on second reading seeking to allocate the net national government share from the Malampaya natural gas project to pay the stranded debts and the stranded contract costs of the National Power Corp. and other exploration projects to develop energy resources and lower electricity rates.

FDC, CEED, Sanlakas, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice and Oriang Women’s Movement belonged to the Power for People (P4P) Coalition.

Rio N. Araja

TransCo donates 7 computers to QC public school THE National Transmission Corp.

(TransCo) recently donated seven used but internet-capable desktop computers to the Corazon C. Aquino Elementary School along Batasan Road in Quezon City, in line with government efforts to improve the quality of public education in the country.

TransCo president and chief executive officer lawyer Melvin Matibag turned over the computers to Emilio Gundao Jr., CCAES property custodian, who represented school principal, Dr. Elvira DV Dumlao.

TransCo had previously donated four computers to the same school in March 2015.

“This is our small contribution to help expand the use of computers in public elementary schools. We plan to donate more internet-capable computers into public classrooms to help increase computer literacy in the country,” Matibag said.

With over 8,000 students, Aquino Elementary is one the biggest in the country in terms of population, but funds are inadequate to properly equip classrooms with new computers.

Last April 6, TransCo also donated four desktop computers and a colored printer to the Batasan Hills National High School, also in Quezon City.

MEET AND GREET. Philippine Constitution Association president and former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (right) delivers his message to more than 3,000 barangay kagawad,

treasurers and secretaries of Tacloban City during a meet-and-greet programs at Patio Victoria resort in Tacloban City. Romualdez vows to support the programs of every barangays of the city. Ver Noveno

10 NPA rebels yield to AFP brass in Iligan, Davao Occ.

By Francisco Tuyay

T

EN cadres of the New People’s Army waging war with government forces have surrendered, handing over high-powered firearms to military officials in Iligan City and Davao Occidental.

The 10 NPA rebels were part of Guerilla Front 71 operating in the outskirts of Malita town, Davao Occidental and in the hinterlands of Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur. They decided to return to the folds of the law separately to army officials Wednesday and Sunday.

In Iligan City, six NPA members voluntarily turned over an M4 carbine rifle, one Ingram sub-machine gun, a caliber .22 and caliber .45 pistols an acceptance rites presided by Lt. Col. Jasper Edward Obar, commander of the Army’s 51st Infantry Battalion.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Sedano, chief of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade which has jurisdiction over the 51st IB, said that the NPAs will be given appropriate economic benefits from the government.

“We will ensure for their enrollment

to the Enhance Comprehensive Local Integration Program of the government for them to return into the mainstream society,” Sedano said.

In Sarangani province, four NPAs from Guerilla Front 71 yielded to the troops of the 73rd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Upper Suyan, Malapatan and Barangay Little Baguio, Malita, Davao Occicdental.

Col. Marion Ancao, commander of the 73rd Infantry Battalion, identified the rebels a certain Klawag, and Rebred, both residents of Barangay Upper Suyan; Jason and Rusi of Barangay Kiham.

The four NPAs handed over an M16 rifle, a .38 pistol, one carbine and caliber .357mm pistol.

Ancao said the rebels decided to yield because they claimed that the NPA leadership failed to provide family support, coupled by the hardships they

had experienced.

“Suporta para sa pamilya was not there. All we experienced are hardship, hunger and fear,” said Ancao, quoting the rebels.

He said that the increasing number of NPA surrenderees brings hope that the NPA force will weaken soon.

“The continuous armed struggle will only bring death, misery, anger, and poverty. The people of Sarangani deserve to have a peaceful environment,” said Maj. Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., commander of 10th Infantry Division.

In other developments, the military, backed by police, has launched a manhunt against communist rebels who ambushed government forces in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat on Thursday morning.

According to Major. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID), two soldiers of the 2nd Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-2), were slightly injured in the 8:30 a.m. ambush in Sitio Ugangawon, Barangay Datu Ito Andong of Kalamansig town.

“The ambush displayed the New People’s Army’s [NPA] insincerity in talking peace with the Duterte administration,” Sobejana said. With PNA

DepEd sets early registration for kinder, Grade 1 A DEPARTMENT of Education official said on Friday that the department will start its national pre-registration period for incoming kindergarten, grade 1 and grade 11 public school students on Saturday.

According to DepEd spokesperson Analyn Sevilla, the early registration period is from Jan. 26 to Feb. 22.

The schedule is based on the Basic Education Enrollment Policy signed

by Secretary Leonor Briones in 2018.

The policy said that pupils from grades 2-6, 8-10, and 12 are considered “preregistered.”

It added that learners with no existing profile in DepEd’s Learner Information System should fill out the Basic Education Enrollment Form and submit their birth certificate.

Meanwhile, grades 1, 7, and 11 students who have an existing profile (with a Learner Reference Number) will be tagged as “pre-registered, but will need to update their information by filling out the same form.

Aside from the enrollees’ birth certificate, enrollees need to submit the following documents: • Incoming Grade 1 students who have completed kindergarten programs in DepEd accredited schools and centers: kindergarten certificate of completion • Incoming Grade 1 students who are 6 years old and above by Aug. 31 and have no completed kindergarten: result of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Assessment Checklist • Incoming Grade 1 students who have

completed any form of kindergarten program in non-DepEd accredited learning and day-care centers, or home-schooled learners: result of Philippine Educational Placement Test or Philippine Validating Test • Incoming Grade 7 students who graduated Grade 6: School Form 9 Grade 6 (formerly Form 138) • Incoming Grade 7 students who passed the Philippine Educational Placement Test or Accreditation and Equivalency Test: result of the exams • Incoming Grade 11 students who completed Grade 10: School Form 9 Grade 10 (formerly Form 138) • Incoming Grade 11 students who passed the Philippine Educational Placement Test or Accreditation and Equivalency Test: result of the exams.

Don’t increase car registration fees, gov’t told

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto asked the government on Friday not to increase the cost of car registration once the graft-ridden Road Board is abolished.

“The abolition of the Road Board should not tempt the administration to push through with its plan to raise motor vehicle registration fees,” Recto said. “’The end’ na ang Road Board. But raising car registration fees should not be its sequel. Hindi ito dapat ang next picture,” he added.

Recto said proposals to increase the rates of what is officially called the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge have been conveyed to the House and Senate by executive branch officials.

One proposal, he said, “indexes MVUC to inflation, meaning it will be raised based on the inflation rates through the years.”

He said it’s burdensome if it’s adjusted

to inflation, using 2004 as base year. He said the payment for registration of a bantam car and SUV would also increase by 72 percent.

“There is also another showing that there will be a 50 percent increase. There is a 100 percent ang increase,” he said.

These, however, have not moved through the legislative mill for lack of a determined push by the executive and a presidential certification that it is an urgent measure.

As early as two years ago, Recto had warned of a “three strike package” being prepared by the new government against motor vehicle owners.

These, he said, were the additional excise tax on fuel, higher taxes on motor vehicles and adjusting the MVUC. The first two have been effected through the TRAIN Law. “Baka pwede, huwag nang ituloy ‘yung strike 3, ‘yung sa MVUC. Kasi sapat na ang buwis sa gasolina bilang tax sa paggamit ng kalsada.

WAR ON DRUGS. Officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the

Presidential Communication Operations Office held a press conference at the PDEA office in Quezon City. The presscon was led by (from left) PDEA Spokesman Derrick Carreon, PCOO Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Rafael and PDEA Director Maharani Gadaoni Tosoc as they updated the public on the real situation and data of the government’s war against illegal drugs to give the public a better understanding of the current issues confronting the nation. Manny Palmero

DOJ junks libel raps filed by Garin vs. Ubial, 3 others

By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has sustained its earlier resolution dismissing the libel charges filed by former Health Secretary Janette Garin against her successor, former Secretary Paulyn Ubial, and other former health officials over their public allegations on her involvement in the Dengvaxia vaccine controversy.

In a six-page resolution, the DOJ dismissed for lack of merit the motions for reconsideration filed by Garin and other DOH officials against Ubial, former DOH consultant Dr. Francisco Cruz, former DOH executive Dr. Teodoro Herbosa and health reform advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon.

The DOJ instead upheld its resolution in October last year that junked for lack of probable cause the separate libel complaints filed by Garin before the prosecutor’s offices in Iloilo, Quezon City and Manila.

“A perusal of the foregoing motions shows no new matter which was taken not taken into consideration in assessing/evaluating the complaints.

Thus, there is no compelling reason to alter or modify our joint resolution,” read the ruling signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Lilian Doris Alejo and approved by Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon.

The resolution affirmed its finding that the public accusations made by respondents against Garin did not have malice, a key element in the crime of libel.

PCC fines Grab P6.5m for filing ‘deficient,’ incorrect data GRAB Philippines were fined a total of P6.5 million by the Philippine Competition Commission for submitting incorrect data on its voluntary commitments.

According to PCC Chairman Arsenio Balisacan, Grab’s submitted data were “inconsistent, incorrect and deficient.”

The data refers to Grab’s voluntary commitment to improve competition in the ride-hailing sector after it acquired Uber Technologies in 2018, antitrust chief said during a press conference held in Quezon City.

“To recall, when Grab acquired Uber—its biggest competitor—it offered to adhere to a set of price and service-quality commitments through quarterly monitoring conducted by an independent monitoring trustee,” Balisacan said.

On Aug. 10, the PCC approved Grab’s acquisition of Uber but on the condition that the buyer adheres to fair competition and consumer protection.

The PCC has since given the deal the thumbs up subject to a 12-month monitoring to ensure that concerns of “virtual monopoly” are addressed and Grab delivers on its commitments.

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Children are not criminals A DAY after the House Committee on Justice swiftly approved House Bill No. 8858, the House of Representatives began the plenary debates on the proposed measure lowering criminal liability to nine years old. Under the existing law, Republic Act 9344, as amended, also known as the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, a child 15 years of age or under at the time of the offense shall be exempt from criminal liability. However, the child shall be subjected to an “intervention program.”

As approved, H.B. No. 8858 eventually lowered the age of criminal responsibility (deceptively rephrased to “social responsibility”): from 15 years old to 12 years old. If a counter bill is approved by the Senate, children from 12 years old to 17 years old will be deemed criminally liable for an offense if they acted with discernment. 2. If found by authorities to be dependent, abandoned, neglected or abused by the parents, the child will be placed in a youth care facility. 3. Children from 12 years old to 15 years old who commit specified serious crimes are deemed a “neglected child” and will be placed in a special facility within a youth care facility. 4. A child above 12 years old up to 18 who commits an offense for the second time or more and has been previously deemed a “neglected child” shall undergo an “intensive intervention program” supervised by the local social welfare and development officer.

Understandably, the House move stirred a hornet’s nest of fear and disgust from various quarters. Opposition ranges from the argument that it is anti-poor to lack of relevant study that lowering the criminal age will prevent syndicates from exploiting children. Surely, any punitive measure that involves incarceration of

children in conflict with the law as young as 12 years old is reprehensible. In an ideal setting, putting these 12-year-old “criminals” in a youth care facility is a feasible measure at crime prevention and rehabilitation. But the reality is that our penal system is too dysfunctional to provide for a rehabilitative and safe environment to youthful offenders, let alone 12-15-year-old children.

Without a drastic improvement in our justice and penal system, chances are that these children will be subject to processes and criminal procedures that will most likely harm than improve their chances for reintegration into society. Given the chronic lack of facilities, these children will most likely be arrested, detained,

Legislators who approved this bill may not be monsters, but this is a monstrous act that they should be held accountable to.

tried, and finally incarcerated alongside adults—just imagine the psychological and physical impact on their young minds and bodies after being exposed to abuse and the harsh environment of incarceration. Note that the State cannot even properly provide a fitting and appropriate detention cells for adult detainees who are now languishing in the squalor of overly congested prison cells. How on earth can it now guarantee that these youthful offenders will be given proper housing, let alone effective intervention programs and not just simply lump them together with adult criminals?

It is curious that the proponents of

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

I

Hastening midnight

F DOOMSDAY were to happen at midnight, mankind is two minutes away from it, primarily because of climate change and the threat of nuclearization.

IF DOOMSDAY were to happen at midnight, mankind is two minutes away from it, primarily because of climate change and the threat of nuclearization.

The non-profit group Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said this week this is where we are on the Doomsday Clock, an indicator of the dangers faced by civilization, Agence France Presse reported.

Amplifying the dangers brought by these factors are information wars, which allow fake news to thrive and sow deep divisions among people.

"Humanity now faces two simultaneous existential threats, either of which would be cause for extreme concern and immediate attention," the group said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Rachel Bronson,

president and CEO of the group, said fake news “generates rage and polarization across the globe at a time when we need calm and unity to solve the globe's greatest problems."

Bronson added that information warfare and fake news have flourished because “the velocity of information has increased by orders of magnitude.”

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is a group of scholars and international experts in security, nuclear, environmental and science fields. It first unveiled the Doomsday Clock in 1947.

This is the closest the world has been to midnight since 1953, at the height of the Cold War. Most pertinent of this recent announcement is the role being played by the use and misuse of

information. Perhaps Filipinos could feel far removed from the issue of climate change— except when extraordinarily strong typhoons batter homes and flatten communities—and feel completely powerless about nuclearization. But every consumer of information has the power and the responsibility to ensure that he or she does not become a purveyor of lies, even unwittingly.

The speed with which information can travel is astounding now. We can only imagine how much faster and more powerful it can get in the next few years. The question is, will it facilitate goodwill and cooperation, or will it only fan mindless chatter, hysteria, intolerance, ignorance and hatred?

Technology provides boundless opportunities for its users.

The biggest challenge is ensuring it works for good more than for bad.

Turn to A5

#ChildrenNotCriminal JOSE Rizal once said, “The youth is the hope of the Motherland” because indeed, our children are the country’s future. The kind of kids we have now will shape the Philippine society of the future. From them will come the country’s leaders, judges, economists, businesspeople, workers, and most importantly, parents.

Thus, we take seriously the business of children’s well-being. No wonder, the ongoing Congress discussions on lowering the age of criminal liability from 15 to nine years old created online furor and strong opposition among netizens.

First, let us be clear on the levels of responsibilities. The family (primarily the parents) has the responsibility to nurture, provide for, educate and train kids to become decent persons. It is society’s respon-

Children need to grow up in a caring, loving, enabling environment.

They have the right to education, health, and their childhood.

sibility to provide a conducive environment for kids to develop into productive, responsible, and law-abiding citizens. Therefore, it is the family’s and society’s FAILURE if a good number of kids are lured into illegal activities. After all, kids learn from what they see in adults.

Second, children have human rights.

The country is a signatory to international covenants on this and as duty bearer, must fulfill responsibilities in protecting children’s rights. Treating kids as young as nine, or even 12, as criminals violates their rights. In fact, as the UNICEF said, lowering the age of criminal liability is “violence against children.”

Third, there is no evidence to show that a law on this is needed. There is no data proving that a substantial number of crimes

are committed by kids. Sen. Tito Sotto presented a table containing crimes committed by children covering the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. It showed the following: 1,929 were committed by kids aged nine to eleven; 13,320 by those aged twelve to fifteen; and 19,417 by others aged below eighteen.

A few crimes were committed by kids of undetermined age.

Sotto’s total for three years for crimes committed by children from nine years of age to below eighteen was 36, 177 or an average of 12,059 a year. Of the total, 32,142 were committed by boys, 3,985 by girls, and the rest by members of the LGBTQI+ community.

Compare these figures with the PNP reports that from July 2016 up to June 2018 (two years), a total of 1,325,789 crimes were reported. Clearly, only 0.027 percent of crimes were committed by children and these covers three years. Also, only 0.0014 percent of the total crimes were committed by children aged nine to 11 years. The numbers clearly show that there is absolutely no need to lower the age of criminal liability.

On the contrary, thousands of kids are abused and violated by adults in many ways and most abusers go scot-free.

There are also no studies proving that this measure can help address criminality in general, or can deter children from being in conflict with the law. Having served as resource person to Committee hearings both in the House of Representatives and Senate countless times, I know how they work. Resource persons are asked to prove their position by data. Legislators crunch numbers but I doubt if they are doing this on this issue.

Fourth, nine-year-olds, even 12-yearold are KIDS. They’re just in grade three or grade six and barely know things. It takes at least 16 years for them to complete their education and at nine or 12 years old, they’re only in year three or six of the sixteen years. How in good conscience can lawmakers consider them as criminals in the same level of adults? Reform yes, prison NO. Ironically, these children cannot even watch movies rated PG13 without their parents or guardians because they cannot yet be relied to have the discernment supposedly needed for such films. Yet, Congress wants to consider them as criminals!

Fifth, our penal system hardly prepares those convicted of having committed crimes to be reintegrated into society. Those who Turn to A5

Saving Eastern Samar provincial budget was approved by the provincial council.

Picardal is the subject of a Members of the provincial complaint filed by all of the memcouncil find something bers of the Eastern Samar SangIT SEEMS the longer Eastern Sawrong with the resolution guniang Panlalawigan who claim mar Acting Gov. Marcelo Ferdinand they found ‘congenital infirmities’ adopting the Annual Picardal stays in office, the more the in the Provincial Development Investment Plan. future of the province is put at risk.

Council Resolution adopting the While he is now the subject of Annual Investment Plan for 2018, the ire of the provincial employees amounting to P1,283,751,803. whom he reassigned to far-flung arPer DILG Rules, the AIP is eas in Eastern Samar just days before sonnel took effect, he was also dis disto serve as the legal basis for the election ban on hiring, dismissing covered to have allegedly falsified the approval of the CY2018 Approand reassigning of government per- documents to make it appear the 2018 priation Ordinance of Eastern Samar.

Turn to A5 Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

ManilaStandard

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. manilastandard.net

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Romel J. Mendez Art Director Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Not ‘Mission Impossible’ THE government has embarked on what seems to be an impossible mission of cleansing and rehabilitating Manila Bay. It’s a daunting task that many equate to reviving the dead.

Just like when President Duterte warned people of the closure of Boracay Island, not a few raised an eyebrow and laughed it off.

But Manong Digong was not be cowed by unscrupulous business operators who are directly responsible

Children are...

From A4

H.B. 8858 argue that lowering the criminal liability is protecting these children from being used by ruthless and unscrupulous criminal syndicates to evade prosecution and punishment. First, majority of the children in conflict with law commit petty crimes such as vagrancy, petty theft, and the like. These are mostly status offenses mostly attributed to economic and social neglect. Even assuming these children are being used by criminal syndicates, the way to go is to penalize these syndicates and rehabilitate the children.

The main argument why HB 8858 passed was supposedly because the current juvenile justice system is a dismal failure. R.A. 9344 may be a failure to many only because it was never given the chance to succeed. Like most laws in this country, there is no proper implementation of R.A. 9344. It must be emphasized that under the law, children under 15 who commit a crime do not go scot-free.

As amended through RA 10630 which strengthened the Philippine juvenile justice system, there are provisions in the law that provide for assistance to children at risk and children in conflict with the law through prevention, intervention, diversion, and rehabilitation programs and reintegration into the community.

Instead, of penalizing minor offenders,

#ChildrenNotCriminal...

From A4

commit even petty crimes usually spend years in jail especially if they are poor because of absence of money for their defense. Many turn into hardened criminals.

If they do not and are eventually released, they suffer stigma for being ex-convicts.

It becomes very hard for them to live normally. Do we really want kids to be like them? What about their chance at education, a good job in the future?

Lastly, almost everything in the bills being considered by Congress can be done under the present law. Well, except the lowering of the age of criminal liability.

Moreover, I see several major problems especially with the bill being discussed by the HOR, Committee Report 1071.

To begin, only children below nine years old are exempt from committing crimes. Therefore, as contained in Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the bill, those who are nine years old but below 18 can actually suffer imprisonment IF it is ascertained that they already had discernment when they became Children In Conflict with the Law. If they are not exempted from commission of crimes, then they are criminals, plain and simple.

A big problem here is the process of determination of discernment. The responsibility is given to the Local Social Welfare Officer who may or may not be a psychologist or psychiatrist as most are social workers. Also, they have to do this delicate and important job on top of their

Saving...

From A4

Allegedly to fast-track budget approval, the Sanggunian passed a resolution which approved in principle both the AIP and the Appropriation Ordinance, subject to the condition that the latter be deemed absolutely approved only upon submission of documents, within three days, that would have cured the said ‘congenital infirmities.’

The complainants allege Picardal, Acting Vice Governor Jonas Abuda and SP Secretary Franklin Robedizo surreptitiously disregarded the conditions and, on Feb. 23, 2018 submitted for review by the Department of Budget and Man-

for much of the island’s environmental degradation.

The restored original condition of Boracay Island and its coastal waters proved Manong Digong right in his decision to shut down tourism operations for six months, as recommended by the original members of the interagency task force.

Now here he is again taking on a Goliath in the form of a decades-old problem that no previous Malacañang tenant even imagined doing. Not one even took seriously rehabilitating the Pasig River that runs by the Palace.

Cleaning up Manila Bay is, to many, a gargantuan undertaking as intimidating as eliminating illegal drug dealers and widespread addiction in

the country.

But the Duterte leadership will not be intimidated and will stop at nothing to bring about change to alleviate the quality of people’s lives.

Manila Bay is not primarily a tourist spot like Boracay. Rather, it is one huge economic zone, more than three times the size of Metro Manila with a coastline that traverses four regions.

It is a scenic and historic gateway to Manila.

Saving Manila Bay means hope for better life for millions of people who live by this great expanse.

It is not a Mission:Impossible although it may take years beyond Manong Digong’s term of office. It is up to us, the whole village, to accomplish it.

the better approach is to enhance the rehabilitative mechanisms of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare law and adopt measures for its full implementation.

We must also bear in mind that the Philippines is a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and is bound by its letter and spirit that prohibits this approach to children in conflict with the law.

In addition, lowering criminal responsibility to 12 years old from the current 15 is unconstitutional because it contravenes the constitutional provisions in the Bill of Rights on due process and equal protection of the laws, as well as those provisions that provide particular protection to youth and children such as Article II, Section 13 which provides that “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.”

There is no scientific basis for saying that 12-year-old children are more mature than 10-year-old children. In fact, for me, the ideal age for criminal responsibility should be 18 years old when the child is fully emancipated. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, all persons under 18 are considered children and covered by the Convention. Fifteen years old is, for me, a compromise

and the maximum those who love children can support.

In sum, the approved Bill is still not acceptable. The lowering of the age is arbitrary and not based on scientific evidence; it is anti-children, anti-poor, heartless, and inhumane. I know personally many of the legislators who voted for HB 8858. Some of them are good people, certainly not the monsters that many have now been calling them. But they should know that this is a terrible decision they are making. They may not be monsters but this is a monstrous act that they should be held accountable to.

We must make sure the Senate says no and does not approve a counterpart bill. We must make sure that we do not elect new senators who will allow such a monstrous and cruel policy to become the law of the land. Because what is at stake is the future of our children which is the future of this country, let this be a litmus test for me on whom we should vote for this May. I teach in many universities, including undergraduate students, law, masteral, and doctoral classes. Meeting 400 plus students, mostly young, a week from Manila to Cagayan de Oro gives me hope that our country will be fine.

The young, and especially our children, are our greatest treasure. We must love them. We must protect them from all harm, and especially from a Congress who would turn them into criminals.

already heavy load. The possibility of human error is significant and a child’s life is at stake.

While under the bill, the maximum no. of years that CICL can be imprisoned is twelve years, those who reached eighteen while their cases are suspended may be imprisoned for a maximum of twenty-five years! Considering the state of our prisons and our penal system, what will become of them?

The bill speaks of Court proceedings.

We know how expensive and tedious these are. It is obvious that most of the children who will be apprehended are poor. Where will they, or their families get the money to sustain the process? Just like poor adult suspected of committing crimes, they will rot in wherever they get committed.

The Department of Social Welfare is given the heaviest responsibility by the bill. However, it is common knowledge that the DSWD acutely lacks professionals, facilities, other needed human resources, etc. Unless these deficiencies are adequately addressed, it is highly doubtful if the DSWD can handle the responsibilities judiciously.

The bill says that CICL may be committed to Bahay Pag-asa. Existing facilities according to reports, are worse than prison. Most do not have programs and children committed there are left with nothing to do. There are also those that are not operational. The bill also speaks of community-based programs for CICL. I work very closely with poor communities and I have yet to see a truly child-friendly,

efficient, & responsive community-based program for children.

If the bill passes and even if more Bahay Pag-asa are established, it is doubtful if they will be operated as envisioned. The thing to do is to implement the present law fully, efficiently, and effectively.

The biggest problem for me is the bill’s framework. It believes that children as young as nine can deliberately decide to be criminals. It is almost the same as saying that children may be predisposed to committing crimes. This is most absurd.

Children need to grow up in a caring, loving, enabling environment. They have the right to education, health, and their childhood. Take these rights away, and worse, criminalize them, and they cease to be children.

President Duterte said that children are being used by syndicates in criminal activities. If this is so and given the small number of crimes committed by children, government should go after the syndicates, not the children. Lowering the age for criminal liability is a misguided and WRONG measure to address criminality.

Government should address the factors that make kids go astray. Address deficiencies in education, economic, social, and other conditions that make children break laws. After all, they are #ChildrenNotCriminals.

As Jose Rizal said, the country’s future is in the hands of our children. It is our responsibility to bring them up well.

agement Regional Office-VIII a falsified Appropriation Ordinance, with attached Certification issued through Fraud, Deceit and Misrepresentations.

The said Appropriation Ordinance was allegedly submitted without the signatures of complainants, which should have been affixed in accordance with the procedures, practice and tradition of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

With this, the complainants accuse Picardal, Abuda and Robedizo of “taking advantage of their positions, and committing the offense in relation to their office, in collusion and in conspiracy with each other, by means of fraud deceit, and misrepresentation,” in unlawfully and feloniously preparing, issuing and falsifying the Appropriation Ordi-

@bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

nance No. 18-30, series of 2018.

Moreover, Picardal, Abuda and Robedizo allegedly made untruthful statements in the Certification they issued in support of the allegedly falsified Appropriation Ordinance.

The Certification allegedly indicates the submitted appropriation ordinance is a true and accurate copy duly approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in Jan. 5, 2018, “when in truth and in fact it was approved subject or conditioned upon the submission by the Acting Governor Picardal through the Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the lacking documents and requirements for the adoption and approval of the Annual Investment Plan for 2018.”

To make matters worse, the com-

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Noynoy’s record of corruption IT IS most regrettable. All of a sudden, the hypocritical clerics have become deaf-mute about the surprisingly wholesale graft and corruption committed by their most faithful but equally hypocritical surrogate, B.S. Aquino. This fellow who became President in our seemingly God-forsaken republic has surpassed the record to consummate graft and corruption to a point of destroying the state which he, for a period in our history, stood as Chief Executive. Even if we take it that neoliberalism is now the new ideological mantra of the West and is blindly observed here by their local hirelings, they should have known that, in substance, their advocacy for privatization is not without any limitations.

Privatization need not be defined or pointed out one by one or identified which social activity in our society should not be allocated to the private sector and which should be preserved as belonging to the people. Nonetheless, instinct tells us that aspects such as national security, welfare and taxation can never be subjugated to private persons or corporations. They form part of and stand as rationale for why this country exists as an independent Republic. Every citizen who proudly calls himself a Filipino knows that the Republic can never privatize its Armed Forces because wars are fought in the name of Motherland and not in the interest of private persons or corporations.

Likewise, the State cannot relegate to private individuals and corporations the printing of our money, passports, land titles, documentary stands, enacted laws and other important documents without endangering our economy and security. To deprive the States of this rule is to deny it of its basic right to promote and maintain the welfare of our people, and to maintain social stability and order. The State is obligated to vigorously pursue economic development not just to achieve progress but to justify why it must continually collect taxes from the people and to maintain an economic equilibrium to bring about harmony in our society.

But alas, the past administration the country elected a President who seemingly could not delineate the rights of individuals which essentially include their right to property, from the right of the state which is more concerned in promoting the commonweal. The Noynoy administration, it seems, could not distinguish what sphere in our government could be privatized and what should be maintained as state-owned to justify the existence of the Republic upon which he resides as President. Unfortunately, even people who claim to be in constant communication with the Divine Providence appear to be ignorant about this demarcation.

I am writing this because I am deeply disturbed at the decision of former President Noynoy Aquino to nonchalantly award to a private corporation the printing of our passport, a security-risk function of the government that determines who, as its face value, are Filipino citizens and who are not. Even a student who has the consciousness of identifying himself as Filipino knows that it is totally absurd to consign the task of printing our passport to a private corporation; that if we cannot print our own passport, we might as well stop calling ourselves Filipinos and forget all about our status as an independent republic. I say this because Filipino passport holders are accorded and enjoy certain rights and privileges not otherwise accorded to aliens or non-Filipino passport holders. The awarding by the recklessly incompetent Noynoy Aquino government the printing of our passport to United Graphic Expression Corp. owned by a person, many of whom suspect is not even a Filipino, is telling of just how irresponsible the man who served as our

plainants allege that in the April 6, 2018 hearing on the 2018 Budget, they found a fake Resolution, supposedly to help “cure the congenital infirmities” in the AIP, prompting the body to withdraw the prior Resolution which approved in principle both the AIP and the proposed 2018 Appropriation Ordinance.

The complainants further allege that the presiding officer during the April 6, 2018 hearing, Abuda and Robedizo, failed to inform the body that Picardal already submitted a copy, allegedly falsified, of the proposed 2018 Appropriation Ordinance for review by the DBM RO-8, without complying with the conditions.

Thus, the complainants also accuse Picardal, Abuda and Robedizo for Dishonesty, Grave Misconduct, Conduct Prejudicial to the Best In-

President.

Those who committed themselves to consummate the syndicated contract of consigning the printing of passport were well aware of that prohibition but nonetheless tried to sidestep that by insisting that UGEC has the edge over APO-Production Unit Incorporated, a company under the Presidential Communications Operations Office. Even if there was bidding, still that would not have validated the contract to make it legal. Rather, they insisted on it because they already zeroed in on the enormous profit that that will be generated from a captive market operating on a virtual monopoly. Presidential Communications Operations Officer head Herminio Coloma, Jr. had no authority to give his subaltern Milagros Alora, the head of the APUI, the go-signal to enter into contract with UGEC as it was beyond the scope of what they are supposed to do.

If that can be proven, aside from the liability of illegally consigning the printing of our passport to a private corporation, that could equally make the former President liable. That includes the officers of UGEC headed by Inigo Zobel for conspiring to secure the awarding of the contract, which at the outset, is considered patently illegal. As described by hard-hitting columnist Rigoberto Tiglao, “it was the biggest corruption ever committed in this country.” “The JV (joint venture) is farce. APU is a token partner with just 10 percent of its ownership, with 90 percent held by UGEC and then 70 percent of its profits under the terms of its agreement with APU would go to UGEC, even as

Why did he allow a private corporation to print our passports?

UGEC charges the JV for the use of its machines, for 700 million annually.” As a result, he said, this shadowy private firm generated P3 billion in income from 2015 to 2016, and if it continues this scheme, will get another P8 billion.

Noynoy tried to put some veneer to an already askew contract. According to Tiglao, “When Noynoy Aquino inaugurated what he and his officials called as the APU High Security Printing Plant at the Lima Technology Park in Batangas which started production en masse the epassport on July 2016, he did not mention that the plant was almost entirely owned through the JV by UGEC and would get 70 percent of its net income for 10 years.

APU’s equity in the JV was in the form of the one-tenth of the valuation of the land it has leased from the export processing zone. Ninety percent of the JV’s managers and workers were employees of UGEC, with the APU’s employees being there merely as fixtures to portray it as a joint venture.”

Clearly, it appears to be a syndicated operation to capture the contract that could generate for them so much money without a sweat so to speak. For as long as UGEC remains the holder of that highly questionable subcontracting arrangement, it would be progressively increasing its profit. This one could surmise because the number of passport applicants will progressively increase alongside the increase in our population and number of Filipinos traveling abroad. This is expected because every five years, Filipinos seeking to travel abroad will have to renew their passports, notwithstanding that every year, the cost to secure a passport increases due to production cost. It would be generating profit of about P11 billion for the expected 45-million needing passports. rpkapunan@gmail.com

terest of the Service, Conduct Unbecoming of a Public Official characterized by betrayal of public trust in public service.

The complainants included as respondent DBM RO-8 Official Annabelle Echavez in their suit before the Ombudsman after the latter declared valid in part the allegedly falsified Appropriation Ordinance.

While it’s a good thing cases have been filed against Picardal and his cohorts, talking from experience, we could only expect these cases to drag for years.

Now it seems there is only one way to save Eastern Samar from the machinations of this man to the detriment not only of the provincial employees but to the whole province as well— kick him out office on May 13.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

News

Manila

Standard

A6

TODAY SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Makati LGU pays P39.5m to 5 partner cinemas

IN BRIEF Metro reblocking to continue THE weekend road reblocking and road repair in the metropolis will continue following the three month moratorium imposed by the Metro Manila Development Authority last holiday season.

The MMDA gave the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region the go signal to proceed with the road works beginning Jan. 25.

The road works will be along the southbound lanes of Circumferential Road 5 (C-5 Road) before Julia Vargas Street, C-5 Road fronting SM Aura, Epifanio de los Santos Avenue fronting Home Depot to Kaingin Road and EDSA after Lagarian Creek to Ermin Garcia; and northbound land of Pureza Street and Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard Bridge.

The MMDA also announced that Maynilad and Globe Telecoms would be conducting restoration and concreting works along Mindanao Avenue from Socorro Street to Mindanao Avenue, West Avenue Baler Street to Examiner Street, and Commonwealth Avenue corner Soliven.

MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. assured that all affected roads would be fully passable by 5 a.m. on Monday.

The DPWH-NCR is conducting the road works and repair in the metropolis for maintenance purposes.

In November, the MMDA imposed a three-month moratorium on road diggings and excavations in the National Capital Region in anticipation of the heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the holiday travel rush.

The MMDA has annually been imposing the moratorium since 2008. Joel Zurbano

By Joel E. Zurbano

HIGH-GRADE MARIJUANA. Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Northern Police District and Valenzuela City Station Drug Enforcement Unit arrests Friday the couple, alias Peter and Leslie, during a buy bust operation in Gen T. De Leon in Valenzuela City. Operatives seized a million pesos worth of high-grade marijuana from the suspects. Andrew Rabulan

Maynilad invests P26.4b THE west zone concessionaire of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System—Maynilad Water Services Inc.—is investing P26.4 billion in the next five years to build new sewage treatment plants and lay sewer lines in Metro Manila’s Caloocan City, Las Piñas City and Muntinlupa City, and Cavite’s Kawit town.

Maynilad president and chief executive officer Ramoncito Fernandez said the new facilities with a combined treatment capacity of 320 million liters per day would remove harmful substances from the wastewater generated by over two million Maynilad customers, thus helping to reduce pollution loading into water bodies.

Of the P26.4-billion budget allocation, at least P16.3 billion would be spent for the laying of 241 kilometers of new sewer lines to convey wastewater from households to the new facilities for treatment.

Once completed in 2021, the new facilities would expand Maynilad’s sewerage coverage to 47 percent or up from only 6 percent in 2006 before Maynilad was reprivatized.

Fernandez said they want to attain a 100-percent sewerage coverage by the end of the concession period in 2037.

“So far, we have invested P23.3 billion to improve the wastewater infrastructure and expand coverage in the west zone since 2007. By sustaining investments in wastewater projects, we do our part in the cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay, per the Supreme Court mandamus,” he cited.

The water firm is investing P11.4 billion for wastewater projects this year. Rio Araja

2 bodies retrieved from Agusan Norte landslide

By Francisco Tuyay

S

OLDIERS and police rushed to a village landslide site in Agusan del Norte and retrieved two of three miners, part of 11 who went to the area last week for what authorities called a treasure hunting activity.

The bodies of seven who died from the landslide in Mount Manhupao in Jabonga have since been identified by rescue officials.

Police identified the fatalities as Rene Gan-ungunIligan, Ramil Naño Iligan, Casiano Tagunsulod Iligan, Rex Penig, Tata Salasay, Jay-ay Matanog, and a certain Gang-gang, all residents of Surigao del Sur. Two have remained missing, according to officials.

Maj. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., Commander of the Eastern Mindanao Com-

mand, directed military units in Agusan del Norte to assist provincial disaster workers recover the bodies of two reported missing believed underneath thick mud at the slope of Mt. Manhupao.

“Provide search and retrieval capability and other humanitarian assistance to the Agusan del Norte Provincial Disaster Rick Reduction Management Office without compromising the safety and security of our responding troops and other search and rescue groups,” said Santos.

The victims were in their bunkhouse and

about to sleep when rocks and mud from the mountain cascaded onto them, burying the victims. One survived.

Reports said all the victims were involved in treasure hunting in the rugged terrain in the tri-boundaries of Santiago and Jabonga towns, 25 kilometers from Brgy Santiago of Santiago town, mainly accessible by foot lasting 8 to 10 hours of walking and river crossing.

The two missing victims were a certain Jay-ay of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur and one Gang-gang of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur. The lone survivor, identified only as a certain Allan, was brought to the Cabadbaran City District Hospital for treatment.

The landslide was reported by Emma Suyod, Chief of the ADNPDRRMO citing that the mudslide was caused by torrential rains.

Pasay mayor, congresswoman sister brush aside complaint

By Joel E. Zurbano PASAY City Mayor Antonino Calixto and his sister Congresswoman Imelda Calixto-Rubiano on Friday brushed aside the case filed against them with the Office of the Ombudsman, saying the complaint was baseless, absurd and politically motivated.

Pablito Zabala Jr., a resident of Maricaban, Pasay City, last Thursday filed a com-

plaint against Calixto, Rubiano, city treasurer Manuel Leycano, and city accountant Alegria Casugay.

Zabala’s affidavit alleged that the four top Pasay officials committed violations of the Revised Administrative Code, and Republic Acts 3019 and 3815 and made unliquidated cash advances and understated expenses in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“The sweeping and baseless accusations against me and some officials of the City

Government are trumped up and baseless.

The timing of these charges is questionable since these are filed before the 2019 midterm elections,” Mayor Calixto said.

Calixto added that since the city government was given the Seal of Good Local Governance by the Department of the Interior and Local Government for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018, it had efficiently and wisely used its funds for public purpose.

Du30 to use P46-b road users’ fund

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that BALAR HOTEL AND SPA, with office address at Brgy. Balaring, Boac, Marinduque, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a New Operator of Tourist Accomodation Facility (Balar Hotel and Spa) on a Non-Pioneer status with project site at Brgy. Balaring, Boac, Marinduque.

Any person with valid objections on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOl within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-JAN. 26, 2019)

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that ALLIED CARE EXPERTS (ACE) MEDICAL CENTER - TACLOBAN INC. with office address at Brgy. 78 Marasbaras, Tacloban City, Leyte is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as New Operator of General Hospital- level 2 under the Preferred listHealthcare Services including Drug Rehabilitation Centers [Allied Care Experts (ACE) Medical Center - Tacloban] with a capacity of 152 beds on a NonPioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. 78 Marasbaras, Tacloban City, Leyte.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOl within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

(MS-JAN. 26, 2019)

The City Government of Pasay also received a qualified opinion from the Commission on Audit, which is a prerequisite of the SGLG, he said.

“The SGLG award is enough proof that the City Government, its officials, and all departments, have followed the rules and regulations set forth by the law and other government agencies. If we had adverse findings from the COA, then we would not have received this award,” Calixto added.

MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING. 1Pacman party-list Rep. Mike Romero (second from left) and Rep. Eric Pineda (third) raise the mood of residents in Bingawan, Iloilo Friday while they inspect the building, a project of the party-list. Also in photo is Bingawan Mayor Mark and Vice Mayor Palabrica.

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF IRENEO S. YIM AMONG HEIRS Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late IRENEO S. YIM who died intestate and without any Will or Testament and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity on 1 September 1994 in Antipolo City, Rizal, and whom at the time of his death left real estate property situated in Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City, Rizal, Philippines, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. 1429, has been extrajudicially settled among heirs as per Doc. No. 92; Page 20; Book 1; Series of 2018, before Notary Public.

(Sgd) ATTY. KIM L. RANCES (MS-JAN. 12,19 & 26, 2019)

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to revive the Bicol River Basin Development Program to solve the perennial flooding in the Bicol River Basin area is an example of a Disaster Risk Reduction-led sustainable development initiative, according to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.

During his recent visit to Bicol, the President pledged to fund a massive flood control program with some P46 billion from the road user’s tax to solve the frequent disastrous floods that destroy huge agricultural crops in the Bicol River Basin area comprising 317,103 hectares straddling Albay, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte.

The area has abundant resources and provides the ecological services support of communities in the area, with about 77 percent or 243,800 hectares of it cultivated as agricultural lands. Close to 81 percent of the areas within the BRB are relatively flat and prone to flooding.

After 40 years of neglect, Salceda said, Bicolanos are glad the BRB—a most central economic pillar of Bicol’s development—is finally getting serious government attention.

He proposed that instead of focusing only on solving the flooding alone, “the government should focus on its comprehensive integrated area development, which has received little national funding despite robust lobbying by the Regional Development Council.”

This development, Salceda noted, has turned the adversity of Usman into an opportunity to fix national attention and funding on a long-term development program for Bicol.

The lawmaker is a member of the House Committee on Bicol Recovery and Economic Development, He chaired and steered the Bicol Regional Development Council from 2007 to 2016 when he was Albay governor.

THE Makati City government paid a total P39.5 million to its five-partner cinemas for the free movie tickets given last year to 82,035 senior citizens and 9,896 persons with disability in the city.

“We have sustained this program since 1997 because of the joy it has given to thousands of senior Makatizens, which is priceless. Watching free movies has become a favorite hobby among them, keeping them in touch with friends and making them feel young at heart,” Mayor Abigail Binay said.

The elderly and PWD residents can watch free movies at any of the cinemapartners in Glorietta and Greenbelt, Century Mall, Power Plant Mall, Cash and Carry, and Waltermart.

City chief accountant William Dayrit said of the P39.5 million paid to five cinema partners, P36 million went to movie tickets of senior citizens and almost P3.5 million to movie tickets of PWDs. The amounts constitute the 25-percent share of the city government in the cost of movie tickets used under the program, which is being implemented in partnership with cinema owners in the city.

The free movies benefit for the elderly started in 1997 with the passage of City Ordinance No. 97-085, appropriating P500,000 as the 25-percent share of the city in cinema admission costs for senior citizens.

The program was institutionalized three years later through City Ordinance No. 2001-035 granting the inclusion of appropriations in the annual City Executive Budget for its continuous implementation in succeeding years.

In 2006, the perk was also granted to registered PWDs of Makati through the enactment of City Ordinance No. 2006-066.

Meanwhile, senior citizens also receive cash gift, free birthday and golden wedding anniversary cakes, and free medicines under the BLU Card Program.

In November last year, Binay proposed to grant an annual P10,000 cash gift to elderly Makatizens aged 90-99 years old.

The cash gift will continue to be given to them when they reach their 101st birthday, and onward for as long as they live.

The proposal is still awaiting the approval of the City Council.

In 2018, six centenarians were awarded with P100,000 cash gift bringing the total to 51 awardees since 2012.

Solons told: Customs exceeded ‘18 target

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Bureau of Customs reported to a committee in the House of Representatives that it exceeded its target collection last year by P7.9 billion or 1.4 percent although three major ports failed to meet their target.

Customs officials reported this to the House Committee on Ways and Means chaired by Rep. Estrellita Suansing when they discussed with legislators the agency’s collections for 2018 and its direction under a new leadership.

BOC spokesman Erastus Sandino Austria told the committee that only 14 of the BOC’s 17 ports met their respective targets in 2018.

The three ports that missed their target are the Port of Manila, the Manila International Container Port and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Despite failure of the three major ports to meet their targets, preliminary collection reports show that the agency posted a total collection of P598.2 billion for 2018, the highest ever for the last two decades of the Bureau of Customs’ performance.

This exceeds the P584 billion target

by P7.9 billion or 1.4 percent above the target and achieved a growth rate of 29.4 percent versus the target assigned for the preceding year. Austria said.

Suansing said that the data of the BOC was vital to the committee’s assessment of the revenue collection performance of the agency.

“This is a significant matter as the collection data the committee will be receiving shall provide quite a clear and actual picture of how far the Bureau has gone in terms of improving its collection revenue efforts and how much it has contributed to the national coffers especially in line with financing the Build Build Build program of the Duterte administration,” Suansing said during the Committee hearing.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

5 PH boxers display wares at Ringstar’s The Rematch FIVE Filipinos are set to show their wares at Ringstar Boxing’s “Ridhwan Ambunda II - The Rematch,” to be held on March 29 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The event is led by IBO World Bantamweight champion Michael “Gloves on Fire” Dasmarinas (28-2-1), whose fight will be the co-main event.

Dasmarinas faces fellow Pinoy Kenny “Big Heart” Demecillo (14-4-2), who hails from Cebu City, for an IBF World Title Eleminator fight. This will also be Dasmarinas’ fourth fight under Ringstar’s banner.

The pride of Camarines Sur, whose gloves were burned when he was 9 years old by a relative, in an attempt to dissuade him from boxing, has come a long way, grabbing headlines in recent months, more so, when he won the IBO World Bantamweight title belt last April, also in Singapore.

Demecillo, on the other hand, was formerly a WBF Intercontinental Bantamweight champion and a former 2-time WBF Asia Pacific Bantamweight Champion.

Ringstar’s Founder and CEO Scott Farrell, said: “The world is starting to know that Michael “Gloves on Fire” Dasmarinas does have a lot of power, and a good chin. As a fighter, Michael has shown that he is vulnerable against a busy fighter. But that’s the only real hard criticism I have about him. In the past, he hasn’t been recognized or celebrated as much as the other world champions from the Philippines, and often overlooked. But now, that he is with Ringstar, this is changing rapidly, and Michael and his fights are receiving global interest. I truly believe Michael has the talent to go all the way, but he needs to focus more on his craft, and improve another 1000%, if he is truly going to be a world-renowned great fighter.”

As for the upcoming fight, Farrell said: “The first word that springs to mind is: Tough. This fight for the IBF number one spot, and a chance to face the IBF world champion is going to be one very tough fight, for both Michael and Kenny. Michael will need to hurt Kenny early in my opinion, or it could be a very painful night for the “Gloves on Fire” power puncher.”

“However, Michael is in this position for a reason. He needs to prove to everyone that he belongs in the top world rankings and that he deserves a shot at the title. As for Kenny, from what I have researched, he is absolutely brave, relentless, and can take plenty of hard shots. He has some great combinations, and if he sticks to his game plan and doesn’t get caught, he could end up winning the fight,” said Farrell.

Other Filipinos who are set to figure in the fight card are, 25-year-old Reymond Yanong (9-4-1), who is set to face New Zealand’s Cairo George (16-1-0), for the WBC Asia Silver Super Lightweight Title; 32-year old Rey “The Future” Caitom (7-0-1), who will face India’s Hans Raj Takur (3-1-0) for the Light Flyweight Division; and 26-year old Lorenz Michael “Magic Mike” Romarante, (11-1-1), who will face Japan’s 28-year old Yuya “The Problem” Nakamura (9-2-1), for the Super Flyweight division.

A7

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

PHILRACOM AWARDEES. Honorees during the 2019 Philracom Awards display their trophies. They are (from left) Atty. Peter Sagala, COO, Manila Jockey Club, Inc., Racing Club of the Year; Oliver Velasquez, SC Stockfarm, Inc., Philracom Stakes Races Horse Owner of the Year and Stakes Races Horse of the Year (Smart Candy); Antonio Alcasid Jr., Racing Manager, PRCI, Racing Club of the Year (Based on Total Gross Sales of the Day); Ferdie Eusebio, 11th Manila Horse Power Organization, Inc. Anniversary Racing Festival, Most Successful Racing Festival of the Year; Leonardo M. Javier Jr., Horse Breeder of the Year; Ruben Tupases Racer Trainer of the Year and Top Earning Trainer of the Year; O’Neal Cortez, Top Earning Jockey of the Year; Jessie B. Guce, Stakes Races Jockey of the Year; Emmanuel A. Santos, Stakes Races Horse of the Year (Pride of Laguna) and Narciso Morales, Top Earning Horse Owner of the Year.

Stunning run a surprise for Nadal after surgery

M

ELBOURNE—Rafael Nadal said he has surprised himself with his outstanding level of tennis at this year’s Australian Open after crushing Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final on Thursday.

The Spanish world number two handed the rising star a ruthless tennis lesson 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 in just 106 minutes.

Greek 14th seed Tsitsipas had enjoyed a fairytale run to his first Grand Slam last four, including a win over Roger Federer, but found Nadal in ruthless form in the Spaniard’s first tournament since the US Open in September “Is not easy to be back after four months, five months, and play the way I am playing,” he said after undergoing ankle surgery in his extended off-season.

“Of course, I didn’t expect that at all,” Nadal told reporters after setting up a final Sunday against either top seed Novak Djokovic or Lucas Pouille.

“I believe that when you are older, you lose less the tennis when you are playing less.

“You don’t need that many matches to play well. That’s something that happened for the last two years for me.”

The Spanish second seed has not dropped his serve for an astonishing 63 straight games and has not lost a set.

“I played well, of course. Have been playing well during the whole event. Every match more or less I think I did a lot of things well. Tonight was another one,” he said after a breathtaking display of almost perfect tennis.

“Probably the backhand was better today than the rest of the days.

“That’s important for me, too, because the forehand was working fantastic during the whole week, week-and-a-half, but the backhand was improving during the tournament.

“Tonight was even better than the pre-

vious rounds, no?”

Tsitsipas, 20, had been hailed as a new young Greek god of tennis after beating Federer, but his ascent to the summit of his personal Olympus was comprehensively halted by the colossus called Nadal.

- Shellshocked Tsitsipas “I have no idea what I can take from that match,” said a despondent Tsitsipas.

“I wasn’t even close to getting something.

I only got six games.”

Nadal’s win put him into his fifth Australian Open final and keeps him on course to become the first man to win all four Grand Slams twice in the Open era if he can add to his sole Melbourne Park crown in 2009.

Tsitsipas, in just his second Australian Open and seventh appearance at a Grand Slam, was looking to become the first Greek player—man or woman—to reach a final in a major.

“He has everything to become a multiGrand Slam champion,” Nadal said graciously of the young Greek, who enjoyed a breakthrough 2018, winning the ATP Tour NextGen Finals. AFP

Eriksson ends brief reign a PH Azkals’ coach EX-ENGLAND manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has ended his short tenure as the Philippines manager, officials said Friday, on the heels of the Azkals’ winless Asian Cup debut.

The well-travelled Swede, 70, was hired in October to guide the squad following the abrupt departure of Three Lions great Terry Butcher, who quit as head coach before taking charge of a single game.

“He (Eriksson) was really on a shortterm engagement as previously announced last year,” Philippine Football Federation general secretary Edwin Gastanes told AFP. He said Eriksson was not fired, adding the Swede was hired primarily for the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup and the 2019 Asian Cup. “He is available for consultation still,” Gastanes added.

Eriksson could not be reached for immediate comment.

He led the Philippines in their fourth semifinals appearance at the Suzuki Cup, Southeast Asia’s premier tournament, where they fell to eventual champions Vietnam.

After a strong, but ultimately unsuccessful performance against South Korea earlier this month in the Asian Cup, the Azkals went on to lose to China and Kyrgyzstan. AFP

THE Table Tennis Association of North District-Joola captured the men’s and women’s team titles recently of the 2019 Philippine National Police Cup National Invitational Table Tennis Championships at the PNP Gymnasium in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

TATAND-Joola, composed of exnational player Julius Esposo, John Russel Misal, Charlie Lim and Philip Uy, blasted Hua Ching Mandaue of Bill Yap, Handel Yap, Zoren Mendiola, Val Stephen Jaca and Francis Bendebel, 3-2, to win the men’s team plum.

University of Perpetual Help DALTA System and TATAND Philippine Army settled both for third place, also in the men’s category of the tournament sanctioned by the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines and Philippine Sports Commission.

Keith Rhynne Cruz and Kaela Aguilar of TATAND-Joola dominated TATAND’s Crisanta Abas and Lovely Gabisay, 3-2, to win the women’s title of the tournament supported by San Miguel Corporation, PNP, PSSLAI, AIMM Builder and Construction Supply.

College of Saint Benilde and UCPNP ALTRUIST settled for third place.

PNP FEO Team of PSSUPT Michael John Dubria, Arch. Emon Anonitalia and Ervin Bomban won the executive team division by beating PNP NHQ of PSSUPT Conrado Gongon, PSUPT Romeo Panal and PO3 Vicente Supil, 3-2, to secure the title.

“Winners in this tournament are medal potentials in the upcoming 30th SEA Games if given a chance to represent our country,” said TATAP President Jose Ortalla Jr. “We are also thankful to the PSC for supporting us in our endeavors.”

SKY brings back NBA Premium TV with new promo PBA PARTNERS WITH MILCU. Philippine Basketball Association commissioner

Willie O. Marcial (second from left) presents to the media the owners of the league’s latest partner, Milcu, on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. A proud Filipino company that manufactures hygienic and cosmetic products, Milcu celebrates its 60th anniversary as the official deodorant of the PBA. Joining Marcialare (extreme left) Teresita Cusi, President and COO; (third from left) Victor Cusi, Chairman and CEO and (Extreme right) Paolo Matias, marketing director.

La Salle Alumni of Pampanga launches 10th Clark Animo Marathon

By Carmela Martinez

Proponents of the 10th TCS Clark Animo Marathon link hands. They are (from left) Michelle Bautista (Marketing & Communications Manager TCS PH), Shiju Varghese (Country Head TCS Philippines), Noel Mananakil (President CEO, Clark Development Corporation), Atty. Melvin Panlilio (President, DLSAA Pampanga), Wilfredo Placino (Vice Chairman and President of Global Gateway Employment) and Jumbo Tayag (Race Director). Carmela Martinez]

TATAND-Joola rules PNP Cup table tennis

THE De La Salle Alumni Association Pampanga Chapter (DLSAA-P) announced the holding of the 10th TCS Clark Animo International Marathon on March 10 in a press conference recently at the Clark Global City.

“Every year, we try to include something new to surpass the expectations of our runners,” said De La Salle alumnus Wilfredo Placino, Vice Chairman and President of Global Gateway Employment.

What started in 2009 as a fun run in the former military base, Clark Field with 600 runners, has now garnered 10,000 runners with its internationally certified courses and special activities. They also partnered with Tata Consultancy Services to create apps that supplement their runners with maps of the running track, regulation of their heartbeats, tips when running a marathon and many more.

“We’re likewise proud to announce that for 2019, our courses have been given certification by the International Association of Athletics Federations and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races,” said Atty. Melvin Panlilo, President of DLSAA-P. Deadline for online registration is on Feb. 10.

The entire scope of the running course was measured to be exactly 42.2km so that anyone competing in international marathons can qualify to other marathons because their run would be recorded.

There are different categories, namely 42km, 21km, 10km, 5km and 2.5km.

Gun start and prices vary per category. Fee for the 42km is P1, 600, with gun start at 2:30 a.m., while the 21km or the half marathon is worth P1,300, with a 4:30 a.m. gun start. The 10km is P850, starting at 5:30 a.m; 5km is P550 (5:45 a.m. and 2.5km is P440 (6:00 a.m.) Participants are expected to be at the event 30 minutes before their respective runs.

SKY is starting the year bright as the NBA playoffs near—the return of NBA Premium TV with promos in store for subscribers.

New SKYcable subscribers can enjoy a free 15-day trial of NBA Premium TV. This promo is available until April 25.

Meanwhile, existing subscribers who pay three months in advance for NBA Premium TV via SKYcable Select will get an additional one month access for free. This offer is up for grabs until Feb. 15.

Don’t miss the chance to see the ensuing developments in the Eastern conference where the Toronto Raptors are still in command with their five-game winning streak after a big win over the Boston, and in the Western conference where the while the top spot is still up for grabs with Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors tied with 29 wins.

Apart from the games, tune-in to all the commentaries, specials and documentaries the channel offers plus a little bit news about the lives of individual basketball players.

Call 418 0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com/ nbafreeaccess for the 15-day trial or www.mysky.com/nbapromo for the 3+1 promo to subscribe.

Sports

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

A8

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

NorthPort’s Stanley Pringle is challenged by the tough defensive effort of Columbian Dyip’s Jackson Corpuz in a PBA Philippine Cup game at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Columbian routs NorthPort

By Jeric Lopez

A

SPLENDID second-half surge propelled Columbian to a rousing 110-100 rout of erstwhile unbeaten NorthPort for its second win in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City last night.

Batang Pier, 35-24, in the game-turning third frame.

With momentum on its side, Columbian continued its onslaught in the fourth, establishing several double-digit leads to put NorthPort away.

JP Calvo’s lay-up with 3:08 remaining sealed the win for Columbian as it took a safe 103-91 lead.

Stanley Pringle had a game-high 29 points for NorthPort in a losing effort.

After a hot start in his first two games, No. 3 pick Robert Bolick significantly slowed down, only scoring three points in 35 minutes of play for the Batang Pier.

Meanwhile, Jeff Cariaso is set to replace Alex Compton as Alaska’s head coach, according to multiple sources.

Compton has been the Aces’ tactician for the last five years and now, Cariaso will get another crack at a head coaching stint to take the place of the former.

After coaching Barangay Ginebra briefly in 2015, Cariaso will now call the shots for the team where he spent most of his PBA career.

The scores: Columbian 110—Faundo 15, Corpuz 15, Celda 15, McCarthy 14, Calvo 12, Perez 12, Camson 12, Reyes 8, Escoto 4, Khobuntin 3, Cahilig 0, Agovida 0.

NorthPort 100—Pringle 29, Tautuaa 23, Anthony 19, Grey 11, Elorde 5, Guinto 4, Taha 4, Bolick 3, Gabayni 2, Flores 0, Arana 0, Lanete 0, Sollano 0.

Quarters: 24-28, 51-55, 86-79, 110100.

Seven Columbian chargers scored in double-figures to lead a balanced Dyip attack.

Reden Celda, Jackson Corpuz and Jeepy Faundo each scored 15 points for the Dyip, while top rookie pick CJ Perez and Rashawn McCarthy each added 14 markers.

The victory enabled the Dyip to tie the Batang Pier in the standings as they

now have identical 2-1 slates for shared second place.

Columbian flipped the switch in the third to erase NorthPort’s four-point halftime lead and take the driver’s seat without looking back.

A 10-2 blitz to end the third gave Columbian an 86-79 headway going to the payoff period.

Overall, the Dyip outscored the

Vargas delivers report to POC general assembly

Ardina bags Beverly title ahead of LPGA stint

THE Philippine Olympic Committee held its first General Assembly for the year 2019 yesterday morning at the Meralco Mini Theatre.

Highlight of the event attended by representatives of 33 of the 44 voting members of the association, was the 2018 Report by president Ricky Vargas.

Also the head of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, Vargas said he was particularly proud of the performance of Philippine athletes in the 2018 Asian Games, where the 4-gold, 2-silver and 15-bronze haul gave the country its best performance in 12 years.

Vargas referred to his campaign pledge anchored on the acronym PRIDE as the cornerstone of his programs in the POC. P stands for improved partnerships with PSC and the private sector, R is for rewards for performing NSAs and athletes, I is for improved relationships with POC, Olympic Solidarity, ANOC, OCA and the SEA Games Federation, D is differentiating Good Governance as opposed to patronage and political partisanship and E is for empowerment of the NSAs. He enumerated the courses of action, which were implemented last year in furtherance of the said program.

Secretary General Patrick Gregorio reported on the POC Financials of 2018.

Membership Committee chairman Robert Bachmann presented the new members of the POC. Karen Caballero, POC Deputy Secretary General, announced several programs of the Women in Sports Commission and International Olympic Committee vice president Anita de Frantz has indicated her interest in coming to the Philippines to deliver a talk of gender equality.

PHISGOC chief operating officer Tats Suzara gave the assembly a briefing on the preparations for the SEA Games, which the Philippines is

MEXICO, Pampanga—Dottie Ardina gave her upcoming LPGA Tour campaign a big morale boost, claiming the ICTSI Beverly Place Ladies Classic crown in emphatic fashion on a closing 67 for a six-stroke romp over Pauline del Rosario at the Beverly Place Golf Club here yesterday.

Two-up over a pair of Thai rivals after 36 holes, Ardina hiked her lead to four over Chonlada Chayanun with back-to-back birdies from No. 2 and though she slipped with a bogey on the par-3 No. 8, no one failed to cash in, enabling the 25-year-old Canlubang ace to scoot home to victory on a 32-35 card she spiked with three birdies in the last six holes.

“This victory means so much to me,” said Ardina after capping her domination with a second straight four-under card for a 54-hole total of seven-under 206 worth P150,000.

More importantly, the win primed Ardina up for her return to the LPGA Tour as a full-card holder starting in the Handa Vic Open on Feb. 7-10 in Victoria, Australia and the Australian Open on Feb. 14-17 in Grange.

“I needed to build on my confidence since I am facing the

best golfers in these two tournaments. I have to be in top form, mentally and physically,” she added.

Ardina’s triumph also broke the foreign bets’ strong start in the seventh season of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour put up by ICTSI after then Korean amateur Lee Ji Hyeon topped the kickoff leg in Baguio last October and Thai veteran dominated the Pradera Verde field last December, while providing some push for the locals’ bid when the tour resumes at Splendido on Jan. 29-31.

Four shots off Ardina at the start of the final round, del Rosario pressed her bid in a flight ahead with birdies on Nos. 6 and 14 but the 2017 LPGT Order of Merit champion could only come closest at four as Ardina put the outcome beyond doubt with birdies on Nos. 13, 14 and 16 before opting to settle for pars in the closing par-5 holes.

Del Rosario, who racked up four victories in her imposing rookie LPGT season two years ago, shot the day’s only other two-under par card of 69 for a 212 as she took runner-up honors worth P95,000 in the event organized by Pilipinas Dottie Ardina holds her trophy after dominating the ICTSI Beverly Place field.

Golf Tournaments Inc.

LeBron, Giannis named All-Star captains LOS ANGELES— Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks big man Giannis Ante- James t okou n m p o were named captains of their teams after leading their respective conferences in voting, the NBA announced on Thursday.

Joining James as a Western Con ference all-star are Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George, Golden State Warriors for- Antetokounmpo ward Kevin Durant, Golden State guard Stephen Curry and Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

Antetokounmpo is joined in the East by Toronto Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard and Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid in the frontcourt and two guards, Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets and Kyrie Irving of the Boston Celtics.

Walker is the lone first time starter among the 10 starters.

This marks James’ 15th all-star game start, tying him with Kobe Bryant for the most of all-time. He has not played since injuring his groin in a Christmas Day victory over the Warriors.

The starters were chosen by a vote that included ballots from mainly fans, but also players and the media.

Each of the West’s starters have been named an all-star at least six times.

Irving leads the East starters with a half dozen selections. Antetokounmpo is making his third all-star appearance.

As the captains, James—who earned 4.6 million fan votes—and Antetokounmpo will fill out their teams for the game with a draft on February 7.

James, who was also the top overall vote receiver in 2018, will select first from a pool of players voted as starters and reserves to fill out Team James.

Reserves will be announced next Thursday, and the all-star game will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 17.

Referee McTavish now a Filipino VETERAN international boxing referee Bruce Donald McTavish is now a Filipino citizen.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law which granted Filipino citizenship to McTavish.

McTavish, who is now in his 70s, applied for Filipino citizenship as early as 2010.

This is after previous bills in support of his application failed to reach the plenary for approval.

The New Zealand-born McTavish settled in Clark, Pampanga in 1967 and became field office manager in an American car manufacturing company before he pursued a career as a boxing referee.

McTavish called some of the fights of eight-division world champion and Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Duterte approved Republic Act 11161 on Dec. 14 last year. Peter Atencio

Asean Para Games begin one-year countdown

By Ram Christian Agustin and Paul Gelario

Adeline Ancheta

Photo by Lorraine Alberto

THE 10th ASEAN Para Games, spearheaded by the Philippine Paralympic Committee, officially commenced its a one-year countdown ceremony recently at the Novotel Manila, Quezon City.

The ASEAN Para Games will take place in 2020 and will be under the authority of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation, whose representatives performed an ocular inspection at the official venues of the event in Clark, Subic, and Manila prior to the ceremony.

“We have decided and confirmed 14 sports and we’re looking at an addition

of maybe four more, hoping that we’ll be able to decide on this come end of February before we release the first entry forms first of March,” said PPC President Michael Barredo.

“Back in 2000, we had the first national games in the Philippines for persons with disabilities in Cebu. Twenty years later, we will be doing our 10th ASEAN Para Games here. Twenty years ago as well, we were able to win our first Paralympic medal in the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games,“ he added.

Adeline Ancheta, Paralympic Powerlifter and the country’s first female bronze medalist at the 2000 Summer Paralympics, was present in the cere-

mony and even shared her experiences on her career journey in sports despite being afflicted with polio when she was just three years of age.

“As early as then, I knew that I wanted to compete and represent the Philippines. However, I was told to forget about it because there was no way it would happen. During that time, support for para sports was almost nonexistent. There was no proper training equipment for para powerlifting.

Slowly but surely, one difficult step at a time, with the persistent effort of our NPC, we began to receive trickles of support from private entities and the government,” said Ancheta.

IN BRIEF Maynilad earmarks P26.4b in five years MAYNILAD Water Services Inc. has earmarked P26.4 billion in capital expenditures in the next five years to build new sewage treatment plants and lay sewer lines in Caloocan, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Kawit, Cavite.

The new facilities, which will have a combined treatment capacity of 320 million liters per day, will remove harmful substances from the wastewater generated by more than 2 million Maynilad customers in the western zone of Metro Manila, thus helping to reduce pollution loading into water bodies.

“So far, we have invested P23.3 billion to improve the wastewater infrastructure and expand coverage in the West Zone since 2007. By sustaining investments in wastewater projects, we do our part in the clean-up and rehabilitation of Manila Bay, per the Supreme Court Mandamus,” said Maynilad president and chief executive Ramoncito Fernandez.

The company is allotting as much as P11.4 billion for wastewater projects in 2019.

Of the P26.4-billion budget, about P16.3 billion will be spent for the laying of some 241 kilometers of new sewer lines, which will convey wastewater from households to Maynilad’s new STPs for treatment. Othel V. Campos

Business

SEC okays P15-b debt paper of BDO Leasing THE Securities and Exchange Commission gave BDO Leasing and Finance Inc. the go-signal to raise P15 billion from the issuance of debt paper.

Documents filed with SEC showed that BDO Leasing would issue P15 billon in commercial paper and use the proceeds to finance maturing obligations and shortterm notes as well as for re-lending.

BDO Leasing as of end August 2018 has P8.8 billion worth of maturing commercial paper and P5.4 billion worth of maturing promissory notes.

BDO Leasing is the leasing and financing entity of BDO Unibank Inc., which provides customers with direct leases, real estate leases, sale and leaseback arrangements as well as receivables factoring.

It also provides operating leases through its wholly-owned subsidiary BDO Rental Inc. BDO Leasing is among the industry’s dominant players in terms of total assets, capitalization and profitability. It is 85.09-percent owned by BDO Unibank.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Yao’s PBB seeks P20-b capital base to fund expansion PHILIPPINE Business Bank of Zest-O Corp. owner Alfredo Yao is increasing its capital base to P20 billion from P10 billion in a bid to fund future growth and expansion programs.

The bank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday the increase in capital stock was in preparation for an enlarged shareholders’ equity base.

It said the increase would be subject to the approval of shareholders, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“PBB is increasing its authorized capital stock in preparation for an enlarged shareholders’ equity base. This will greatly expand the bank’s capability to develop more businesses and harness opportunities in the financial services space,” the bank said.

“The increase will enable PBB to meet the growing demands of the banking business,” it said.

PBB is one of the leading savings banks in the country.

PBB posted a P262.09-million net income in the third quarter of 2018, up 162 percent from P99.99 million in the same quarter a year ago. Thp rofit brought PBB’s year-to-date net income to P610.25 million, up 38.6 percent from last year’s P440.31 million.

PBB president and chief executive Rolando Avante said the 38.6-percent growth in net profit in the first nine months underscored the bank’s transformation from a treasury-focused institution to a full service thrift bank.

The bank’s net interest income in the third quarter stood at P928.99 million, up 17.7 percent from P789.05 million a year ago. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

B1

Grab fined P6.5m by PCC for violating commitment

Agriculture prepares to cushion El Niño THE Agriculture Department has drafted a series of measures to cushion the impact of an impending dry spell prompted by reports of El Nino hitting Region 2.

The El Niño Mitigation and Adaptation Plan aims to lessen the impact of El Niño to the agriculture sector and restore agricultural productive capacity for the next cropping season in areas that may be affected by drought, the department said Friday.

The department also created the National El Niño Task Force to monitor and coordinate various programs with its regional field offices, concerned bureaus, attached agencies and corporations and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to ensure proper actions are taken.

The department urged affected farmers to report damages and losses on their crops to municipal, city and provincial agriculturists, who will relay and coordinate the information to their respective Agriculture Regional Office for provision of assistance. Othel V. Campos

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

INSULAR LIFE LICENSE. The Insurance Commission renews Insular Life’s certificate of authority after the company complied with all the regulatory requirements to continue to operate as a life insurance company. The certificate of authority starts from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. Receiving the certificate from Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa (second from right) is Insular Life executive chairman Nina Aguas. With them are Insular Life president and CEO Mona Lisa de la Cruz (leftmost) and corporate secretary and senior vice president for legal and corporate services Renato de Jesus.

Tourist arrivals hit record 7.1m but fall short of goal

By Othel V. Campos

F

OREIGN tourist arrivals hit a record 7.12 million in 2018, up 7.6 percent from 6.62 million in 2017, despite the six-month closure of popular Boracay Island.

The government, however, missed the target to attract at least 7.4 million foreign tourists last year as the Boracay closure capped visitor arrivals.

“The challenging act of closing down Boracay—a flagship destination—has evidently become a blessing in disguise for secondary tourism spots to have a share of the limelight and attention they truly deserve,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“It shows that turning off the faucet when the water is unclear can bring a fresher flow in just an unexpected period of time,” she added.

Siargao, Iloilo, Palawan, La Union, Romblon and Siquijor were some of the sites frequented by tourists while Boracay was resolving its environmental issues.

South Korea was still the top tourist market for the Philippines with 1.58 million arrivals, followed by China with 1.25 million.

In third place was the US with 1.03 million, followed by Japan with 631,801 and Australia with 279,821 visitors.

The department said it was bullish in developing “high-value tourism” to attract environmentally-aware travelers and sustain the environment at the same time.

“We are now in a time in need of vigilance—a dedication to the principle of a sustainable and inclusive tourism industry,” she said.

Boracay officially reopened for business on Oct. 26, with limits on the number of tourists visiting the island to 19,000 per day.

In 2017, around 6.6 million foreign tourists visited the Philippines.

“Although [the number of tourist arrivals] is increasing, we have to admit

that the closure of Boracay affected arrivals. It was a top tourist destination and it was closed for six months,” Puyat earlier said.

Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon noted around 500,000 potential foreign visitors dropped their plans of visiting the island resort during Boracay’s six-month closure.

“People have to understand that while we are able to divert some of the traffic to Cebu, Bohol, and Palawan there might be some who canceled... altogether,” Bengzon said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has stressed the importance of limiting the tourist destination’s carrying capacity.

“Not all Filipinos and all tourists can go to Boracay. It cannot accommodate everyone,” Duterte said earlier.

“If it’s a house, it would be similar to having just one comfort room for a thousand people,” he added.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has said Boracay’s carrying capacity for tourists would be limited to 19,215 a day. The figure includes 6,405 tourist arrivals a day.

SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING.

SM Investments Corp. clinches the Gold Rank for sustainability reporting in the 2018 Asia Sustainability Reporting Rating Award in Indonesia. Sustainability reporting is communication on the economic, environmental and social policies, impacts and performance of an organization in the context of sustainable development.

Receiving the award on behalf of SM is (second from left) Koleen Davila-Palaganas, vice president for sustainability at SM Investments Corp. With her are (leftmost) Eko Ganis Sukoharsono, chairman of the Institute of Certified Sustainability Practitioners; and Taufik Hidayat, Deputy to the Governor of Lampung Province (handing the award).

Fitch Solutions sees PH economy growing 6.1% in 2019

By Julito G. Rada FITCH Solutions, the primary distributor of Fitch Ratings content, on Friday kept its lower GDP growth forecast for the Philippines this year at 6.1 percent from 6.2 percent in 2018 as domestic and external headwinds are seen to impact the economy in the months ahead.

“We expect a further tightening of monetary conditions, the likelihood of a re-escalation of global trade tensions, and a deteriorating business environment to weigh on the Philippines’s economic growth momentum,” Fitch Solutions said a day after the release of the 2018 GDP report that showed the economy growing 6.2 percent last year, missing the official target range of 6.5 to 6.9 percent.

Fitch said the strong public invest-

ment drive would be insufficient to offset growing external headwinds and weak private investment.

“We at Fitch Solutions reiterate our view that the Philippine economy will struggle to reverse its weakening growth momentum over the coming quarters... ,” Fitch said. “... We expect overall growth to continue to be negatively impacted by headwinds to private consumption as domestic monetary conditions tighten further over the coming quarters, alongside global rising interest rates,” it said.

It cited the latest consumer expectations survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in the fourth quarter of 2018, showing the leading consumer confidence index for the next three months (first quarter of 2019) dipping to -0.8 percent, and the next 12 months

index declining to 10.7 percent.

Fitch further said that a re-escalation of trade tensions would not only disrupt global supply chains and investor confidence, but also weigh directly on China’s economic growth and hence export demand from the Philippines.

“Risks to our growth forecasts in the near-term are evenly balanced. On the upside, the Philippine government could ramp up government spending further and breach the non-statutory budget deficit limit of 3 percent of GDP to achieve its economic objectives,” it said.

On the downside, it said external and geopolitical risks remain pertinent. A significant deterioration in US-China trade tensions and a faster-than-expected rate hiking cycle in the US could trigger a flight to safety, weighing on investment further, it said.

THE Philippine Competition Commission fined ride-hailing app Grab Philippines again for violation of commitments, such as the lack of and insufficient submission of data including their possible manipulation.

The commission imposed on January 22 an additional P6.5-million penalty to Grab for submitting deficient, inconsistent and incorrect data for monitoring its compliance with with voluntary commitments, “These commitments were designed to address the Commission’s concerns regarding Grab’s prcing behavior, as well as its incentives to maintain service quality, in the absence of a significant competitive pressure in the market,” said PCC chairman Arsenio Balisacan.

Balisacan said the commission could not effectively enforce the commitments without the submission of correct, sufficient, consistent and timely data by Grab.

Commissioner Johannes Bernabe said the submission of inaccurate data had “held the Commission from acting out its responsibility in an effective way to should result to an unbiased credible outcome.”

“We don’t want to presume that this will be indicative of an ongoing trend towards violating their undertaking,” he added.

Grab was supposed to provide information on a quarterly basis for one year to determine if it was adhering to its voluntary commitments.

Earlier, the company was fined P16 million for non-adherence to interim commitments prior to the monitoring period, which had nothing to do with its pricing behavior.

“We remain steadfast in binding Grab to its commitments, as these are meant to address the concerns of market competition and the ride-hailing public,” said Bernabe.

Meanwhile, the commission authorized the start of a preliminary inquiry into a possible bid-rigging of a government projects awarded in 2017.

Balisacan said the commission was aware of the urgency and significance of ensuring fairness in the competitive process of bidding, with the takeoff of the Build, Build, Build program.

Othel V. Campos

AC Energy prices inaugural dollar green bond issue AC ENERGY Inc., Ayala Corp.’s energy platform, set the terms of its inaugural US dollar-denominated senior green bond issuance amounting to $225 million.

The bonds carries a five-year tenor and a coupon of 4.75 percent per annum, priced at 99.451.

The bonds will be issued by AC Energy Finance International Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of AC Energy, and will be guaranteed by AC Energy.

It is a drawdown off a recently established $1-billion medium term note program. The bonds will be listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd. The bonds have received pre-issuance certification as Climate Bonds under the Climate Bonds Standard.

The Climate Bonds Standard Board of the Climate Bonds Initiative approved the certification of the bonds on January 14, 2019. The issue will be the first publicly syndicated CBIcertified US dollar-denominated green bond in Southeast Asia.

The CBS certification provides assurance that proceeds from any issuance of bonds will be used to finance projects and assets that are consistent with delivering a low-carbon and climate resilient economy.

AC Energy’s Green Bond Framework sets out well-defined guidelines for use of proceeds for renewable energy projects, with comprehensive monitoring and reporting commitments.

“We are very pleased to see the success of our maiden Green Bond. This will enable AC Energy to scale up its renewable energy investments in the region,” said AC Energy chairman Fernando Zobel de Ayala said in a statement. Alena Mae S. Flores

B2

Business

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks drop; Aboitiz, Meralco slip T HE stock market slightly fell Friday on mild profit taking as investors start digesting the gross domestic product figures released by the government Thursday.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 11.70 points, or 0.1 percent, to 8,053.20 on a value turnover of P7.9 billion. Gainers, however, beat losers, 101 to 87, with 50 issues unchanged.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which is into power generation and distribution, banking, infrastructure and consumer goods, declined 4.2 percent to P62.30, while Manila Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, lost 2.1 percent to P372.

Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp., which is into property development and mining, surged 16.7 percent to P1.05, while PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications company, rose 3.3 percent to P1,328.

The government reported Thursday that the economy grew 6.2 percent in 2018, slower than 6.7 percent a year ago and missing the government’s official target range of 6.5 percent to 6.9 percent for the year, pulled down by the sluggish agriculture sector and higher inflation rate.

The rest of Asian markets, meanwhile, rose Friday putting them on course to end a shaky week on a positive note as investors look ahead to crucial trade talks between China and the United States at the end of the month.

Hong Kong jumped 1.7 percent and Shanghai ended up 0.4 percent while Tokyo closed one percent higher.

Sydney jumped 0.7 percent, Singa-

“miles and miles” from resolving their trade war.

However, he still offered some hope, saying: “I believe China would like to make a deal. I believe we would like to make a deal but it has to be a deal that works for both parties.

“I’m trying to say people shouldn’t think the events of next week will be the solution to all of the issues between the United States and China.”

Edward Moya, a market analyst at OANDA, pointed out that US markets were niggled by the “miles away” comment, but said that “many failed to focus on the rest of his comments that there is a fair chance a deal will get done, just not this week.”

In Washington, two bills to end the shutdown were thrown out by the senate but the president signaled he could back a “reasonable” proposal that includes border security. With AFP

pore gained 0.5 percent and Seoul was 1.5 percent higher. Taipei was 0.9 percent up, while Wellington and Jakarta also made healthy advances.

Small signs of a break in the impasse on Capitol Hill also provided some hope, with Democrats and Republicans meeting to end the monthlong government shutdown that is taking its toll on the economy and has left hundreds of thousands of workers unpaid.

Wall Street provided a mixed lead, though the technology sector was supported by strong earnings from US semiconductor firms such as Texas Instruments, while energy firms tracked healthy gains in oil prices.

There are hopes that next week’s meeting in Washington between top Chinese and US officials will see some progress, but Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross looked to temper expectations Thursday by saying the two sides are

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK

58.2 92.95 2.15 135.2 1.54 28 16.48 12.5 4.7 7.58 0.445 84 1.06 12.42 23 44 185 59.75 27 178.4 1,800 64.55

59.6 93.6 2.17 137.9 1.54 28 16.5 12.68 4.88 8 0.45 84.3 1.08 12.7 23 44.5 186 60.3 27 178.4 1,800 64.55

58.2 91.05 2.13 135.1 1.41 27.85 16.2 12.44 4.65 7.58 0.445 82.7 1.02 12.42 21 43.9 180 59.75 26.75 174.2 1,800 64.35

FINANCIALS 59.6 15,000 91.15 1,959,530 2.17 53,000 136.5 3,289,600 1.5 489,000 27.95 62,300 16.5 156,700 12.56 832,000 4.86 202,000 8 800 0.45 150,000 83.35 1,530,920 1.07 2,141,000 12.5 72,200 21 1,900 44.5 175,000 184.5 2,980 60.25 12,870 26.8 5,300 174.2 156,920 1,800 1,250 64.5 34,200

880,000 179,995,914.50 113,790 449,168,188 711,910 1,743,365 2,584,482 10,462,580 968,900 6,148 67,000 127,594,347.50 2,265,640 909,556 43,080 7,702,150 545,595 772,961.50 141,950 27,618,739 2,250,000 2,203,752.50

-59,600 -33,756,591 106,638,319 -543,205 -2,870,460 93,500 6,980,235.50 5,374,340 -286,918 9,276,392 -900,016.50

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CONCEPCION CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PH RESORTS GRP PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL ROXAS AND CO SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

37.25 16.16 1.02 1.4 0.245 2.38 15.92 133.1 30.75 41.5 1.78 6.24 6.4 11.66 15.8 8.35 7.5 20.55 75 27 2.25 6.37 12.04 1.79 315.8 53 3.14 10.98 27.3 12.52 17.9 380 0.18 6.14 1.4 3.72 7.85 7.5 9.3 1.29 10.86 47.4 1.91 1.36 12.06 92 6.4 0.126 0.96 149 2.4 2.09 1.59

38.1 16.3 1.05 1.4 0.246 2.43 15.94 140 30.9 41.5 1.79 6.24 6.42 11.76 15.8 8.35 7.51 20.75 75.5 27.95 2.26 6.45 12.12 1.79 325 53 3.14 10.98 27.5 12.66 18.38 380 0.18 6.14 1.42 3.72 7.86 7.93 9.3 1.31 10.9 47.45 1.91 1.48 12.06 94.5 6.4 0.126 0.97 149.8 2.4 2.12 1.6

37.25 16.02 1.01 1.36 0.245 2.32 15.88 133.1 30.1 41.4 1.72 6.11 6.4 11.54 15.58 8 7.4 20.5 74.4 27 2.18 6.32 11.7 1.68 315.8 53 3.1 10 27.1 12.36 17.72 370.2 0.18 6.13 1.38 3.63 7.78 6.8 9.1 1.27 10.7 47 1.85 1.35 12 92 6.22 0.126 0.92 147.8 2.36 2.09 1.55

INDUSTRIAL 38 1,615,300 16.2 631,600 1.02 5,827,000 1.4 40,000 0.246 140,000 2.32 15,457,000 15.9 463,100 140 260 30.9 170,000 41.4 1,400,900 1.79 158,000 6.12 42,300 6.4 44,200 11.68 5,477,900 15.8 177,100 8.18 400,100 7.43 1,680,200 20.5 1,800,600 74.45 30,550 27.85 1,699,800 2.18 5,229,000 6.34 473,300 11.8 1,555,500 1.74 296,000 323.6 383,120 53 1,430 3.1 13,000 10 22,100 27.1 633,300 12.36 379,600 18.1 7,704,000 372 219,380 0.18 80,000 6.13 10,400 1.4 7,150,000 3.63 210,000 7.8 3,576,100 6.8 10,829,200 9.1 3,200 1.3 22,260,000 10.7 7,000,800 47.1 348,200 1.89 227,000 1.47 251,000 12.02 40,900 94.45 611,420 6.4 78,000 0.126 10,000 0.97 1,175,000 149.3 2,186,330 2.36 30,000 2.12 8,925,000 1.55 4,942,000

61,234,230 10,235,422 5,995,200 54,520 34,410 36,506,900 7,365,896 35,296 5,191,360 57,997,370 276,270 258,716 283,695 63,684,668 2,784,918 3,268,450 12,583,466 37,021,210 2,284,819 46,741,615 11,585,780 3,004,603 18,468,894 504,800 123,568,078 75,790 40,670 221,298 17,366,135 4,736,592 139,024,312 81,980,892 14,400 63,842 9,985,540 767,250 27,947,681 79,384,130 29,180 28,819,430 74,918,250 16,427,325 426,440 343,360 491,254 57,543,440 494,564 1,260 1,112,860 326,410,452 71,200 18,854,900 7,772,240

34,663,355 1,117,298 42,000 -7,877,270 3,262,106 -1,323,280 -256,680 66,110 279,215 -13,235,680 928,650 -33,400 7,993,247 20,065,275 -164,628.50 46,372,980 1,007,070 1,375,102 1,899,184 74,894,874 -21,980 -468,270 -1,587,004 4,078,692.00 -11,351,664 -558,280 18,250 -2,518,478 -2,162,838 919.9999 -13,382,150 -73,900,100 -1,350,720 24,120 33,417,652 -8,946 -57,600 96,752,945 471,350 -90,060

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.66 67 14.24 0.8 6.55 26.45 1.48 1.47 917 7.49 12 12.34 0.217 1,040 5.98 66.5 5.6 0.64 5.5 15.5 0.6 5.01 0.041 1.24 2.5 2.6 170.5 990 0.81 1.38 465 275 0.247 0.227

0.68 67 14.4 0.8 6.55 26.55 1.48 1.47 926.5 7.49 12.12 12.62 0.227 1,049 5.98 66.7 5.83 0.64 5.6 15.66 0.61 5.02 0.042 1.24 2.5 2.6 172 995 0.82 1.38 465 277 0.255 0.228

0.65 62.3 14.2 0.8 6.55 25.9 1.44 1.44 915.5 7.46 12 12.2 0.213 1,020 5.93 64 5.6 0.6 5.47 15.48 0.58 4.93 0.04 1.16 2.42 2.56 168 978 0.81 1.33 465 275 0.245 0.227

HOLDING FIRMS 0.66 14,797,000 62.3 2,428,360 14.38 6,339,900 0.8 1,000 6.55 3,000 26.45 68,400 1.45 6,139,000 1.44 3,735,000 921.5 818,100 7.46 1,088,700 12 2,095,900 12.48 534,200 0.227 210,000 1,020 42,745 5.95 4,800 64.65 1,303,080 5.8 44,600 0.63 108,000 5.49 747,400 15.66 1,951,700 0.59 1,107,000 4.95 11,079,000 0.041 36,400,000 1.16 69,000 2.43 398,000 2.56 17,000 168.5 519,830 989 419,830 0.82 35,000 1.35 681,000 465 300 277 3,710 0.25 1,890,000 0.228 60,000

9,809,030 157,080,978 90,965,098 800 19,650 1,786,870 8,877,740 5,416,270 752,709,625 8,128,180 25,234,840 6,688,874 45,220 44,066,250 28,628 84,470,481 259,360 66,570 4,121,448 30,487,200 651,640 54,941,600 1,491,800 81,280 978,050 43,640 87,791,228 415,741,655 28,400 922,710 139,500 1,020,290 465,030 13,660

-341,010 5,059,262.50 12,009,168 -31,800 3,177,300 -16,878,365 2,529,865 2,751,902 -5,363,130 7,866,505 38,844,111 1,052,491 -4,526,668 -600 7,509,710 -41,000 -14,865,483 212,989,985 10,560 -137,500 -

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY

8.7 0.81 1.67 0.88 44.35 2.5 4.23 6 0.455 0.8 0.87 0.234 0.375 8.84 20.45 0.52 0.119 1.54 1.17 5.29 0.42 0.465 2.45 0.41

8.78 0.82 1.67 0.98 44.9 2.52 4.28 6.3 0.485 0.8 0.89 0.242 0.395 8.88 20.95 0.52 0.119 1.57 1.19 5.29 0.43 0.465 2.52 0.425

8.55 0.81 1.66 0.88 44.2 2.41 4.2 6 0.45 0.8 0.86 0.234 0.375 8.67 20.45 0.5 0.118 1.52 1.17 5.2 0.42 0.465 2.36 0.41

5,375,250 698,620 31,650 7,462,600 361,233,315 8,316,600 2,057,480 128,530 22,149,000 58,400 62,220 1,020,680 295,150 949,238 7,096,005 108,750 19,030 16,892,680 507,770 54,177,376 5,537,450 27,900 63,755,750 86,250

68,501 -16,660 54,263,845 -467,830.00 -1,367,960 -1,484,100 -3,950 -304,567 1,665,305 -3,598,970 11,412,932 21,300 4,353,150 -

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

3.19 43.75 22.95 1.99 3.12 39.65 1.37 6.1 0.73 5.97

3.3 55 23.4 2 3.12 39.9 1.37 6.1 0.73 5.97

3.19 43.75 22.75 1.95 3.1 39.5 1.34 5.89 0.73 5.86

3.3 50 23 2 3.1 39.9 1.37 5.94 0.73 5.9

233,000 13,000 1,466,500 316,000 188,000 8,382,300 383,000 401,200 1,000 5,257,200

757,000 654,585 33,773,410 621,980 584,510 333,068,035 520,110 2,382,409 730 31,019,779

12,161,460 9,930 197,248,625 -15,316,989

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

13.5 24.9 1.39 0.44 0.04 3.08 10.8 0.053 84.05 7.65 6.58 7.1 15.88 893 2,100 5.76 344 2.99 106 11.16 7.22 0.121 6.12 3.36 0.8 17.94 2.66 2.48 2.2 3.8 9.51 16 3.56 121.5 3.12 1,286 0.88 0.89 45.5 85.5 8.41 2.37 0.75 0.445 5.5 0.69 13.18

14 25.15 1.39 0.455 0.04 3.1 10.8 0.055 85.8 8 6.6 7.4 17.98 893 2,130 5.76 355 3.05 108 11.16 7.23 0.125 6.15 3.38 0.81 18.14 2.7 2.48 2.5 3.84 9.51 16.38 3.67 121.5 3.16 1,329 0.9 1.08 45.8 86 8.55 2.5 0.76 0.46 5.84 0.71 13.36

13.5 24.75 1.39 0.44 0.04 3 10.4 0.052 84.05 7.65 6.4 7 15.88 893 2,092 5.72 332 2.99 106 10.64 7.22 0.12 5.65 3.26 0.8 17.9 2.65 2.15 2.08 3.63 9.47 13.94 3.38 117 3.06 1,285 0.87 0.86 44.9 84.05 8.12 2.37 0.75 0.44 5.49 0.69 12.96

SERVICES 13.9 24.95 1.39 0.455 0.04 3.01 10.4 0.053 85.7 8 6.52 7.39 16.6 893 2,120 5.73 349 3.03 107.5 10.64 7.23 0.125 5.98 3.26 0.81 18 2.7 2.19 2.08 3.63 9.5 13.94 3.67 117 3.11 1,328 0.9 1.05 44.9 85 8.19 2.43 0.75 0.455 5.81 0.7 13.2

70,300 190,300 1,000 1,010,000 3,100,000 1,623,000 5,728,200 22,040,000 391,320 300 1,064,300 50,400 1,044,800 600 43,830 137,600 6,820 699,000 2,336,400 200 7,900 5,780,000 11,894,600 307,000 45,000 1,022,200 1,580,000 2,222,000 42,000 2,986,000 17,100 1,611,900 37,000 930 1,244,000 254,160 13,970,000 387,522,000 2,097,500 690,360 1,556,200 10,623,000 3,135,000 38,870,000 1,452,200 3,252,000 1,580,800

970,558 4,748,400 1,390 446,650 124,000 4,901,860 60,260,906 1,192,580 33,386,124.50 2,365 6,924,651 353,920 17,652,292 535,800 92,760,250 790,101 2,380,566 2,097,900 251,038,317 2,180 57,078 698,020 70,490,740 1,020,640 36,330 18,444,438 4,214,980 4,963,210 94,740 11,144,220 162,317 23,404,738 126,220 110,790 3,843,010 335,327,540 12,435,010 382,778,140 95,422,705 58,682,226 12,767,191 25,911,990 2,359,050 17,635,150 8,107,854 2,277,130 20,928,336

128,800 8,920 -37,434,708 540 15,256,814.50 460,560 18,876,900 -183,720 10,453,980 -3,129,684 6,620 3,942,306 -906,910 3,792 32,696 -59,200 -1,652,040 160,897,885 -339,530 -1,515,230 -15,177,715 24,503,420 1,497,920 -84,670 -2,266,100 -3,367,379 -6,601,172

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING CENTURY PEAK DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0021 1.57 2.82 2.03 7.8 1.46 0.22 0.125 0.129 0.0075 1.19 2.42 1.17 0.67 0.96 0.013 0.013 0.013 3.77 3.9 14.92 23.15 0.0069

0.0022 1.61 2.87 2.03 7.91 1.51 0.221 0.125 0.129 0.0076 1.2 2.52 1.17 0.67 0.99 0.013 0.013 0.013 3.77 3.98 15.1 23.5 0.0075

0.0021 1.56 2.8 2.03 7.77 1.43 0.218 0.118 0.129 0.0075 1.18 2.41 1.1 0.67 0.96 0.012 0.013 0.012 3.74 3.83 14.88 23.05 0.0069

MINING & OIL 0.0021 198,000,000 1.59 1,878,000 2.85 338,000 2.03 117,000 7.91 500 1.49 3,874,000 0.221 70,000 0.119 2,780,000 0.129 10,000 0.0076 8,000,000 1.19 83,000 2.52 2,906,000 1.15 656,000 0.67 1,000 0.98 310,000 0.012 27,900,000 0.013 30,000,000 0.013 74,500,000 3.74 3,000 3.9 1,736,000 15.06 349,600 23.05 1,357,700 0.0075 13,000,000

416,600 2,961,820 958,110 237,510 3,905 5,729,460 15,390 338,190 1,290 60,300 99,100 7,230,190 744,810 670 300,200 351,300 390,000 964,500 11,250 6,766,370 5,241,484 31,422,820 95,600

-67,180 -816,600 2,207,830 -387,400 1,080,540 -838,530 -7,249,110 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

20.1 472 498 101 98 102.5 480.4 900 95.2 1.01 100.6 1,010 100 980 75.25 76.3 72.55 73.5 73.75 73.35

21.15 474.8 498 101 98.5 102.5 480.4 900 95.2 1.01 101.2 1,020 100 980 75.25 76.3 72.55 73.5 73.75 73.35

20.1 472 498 101 98 102 480.4 900 95 1 100.6 1,010 100 980 75.2 75.5 72.5 73 73.75 73.3

PREFERRED 21.1 592,200 472 130 498 1,000 101 1,000 98.5 430 102 9,000 480.4 500 900 80 95 4,420 1 204,000 101.2 2,750 1,020 280 100 4,800 980 1,200 75.2 1,010 75.5 20,200 72.5 1,000 73 52,790 73.75 10,000 73.3 20,800

12,329,565 61,416 498,000 101,000 42,301 918,340 240,200 72,000 419,942 204,140 278,074 283,000 480,000 1,176,000 75,952.50 1,528,041 72,510 3,862,733 737,500 1,525,145

-2,335,385.00 -4,720 -3,936 20,500 -240,200 29,000 30,000 -1,512,781 -

LR WARRANT

1.91

1.96

1.9

WARRANTS 1.96 149,000

285,180

MS

PROPERTY 8.78 0.81 1.67 0.97 44.6 2.48 4.26 6.3 0.475 0.8 0.89 0.24 0.395 8.67 20.8 0.5 0.118 1.52 1.18 5.26 0.43 0.465 2.44 0.425

616,800 857,000 19,000 7,907,000 8,118,100 3,372,000 484,000 21,100 46,760,000 73,000 72,000 4,260,000 770,000 108,800 341,700 216,000 160,000 10,997,000 433,000 10,302,500 13,040,000 60,000 26,018,000 210,000

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.86 1.45

4.88 1.48

4.78 1.31

FIRST METRO ETF

119.9

120

119.5

USD DMPL A2

10.2

10.2

10.2

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

14,628,138

INDUSTRIAL

125,377,783

HOLDING FIRMS

122,168,022

PROPERTY

156,894,984

SERVICES

536,863,181

MINING & OIL

368,032,760

GRAND TOTAL

1,352,622,533

4.82 1.31

SME

435,000 28,204,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.5 14,360 10.2

DDS

4,830

-

2,101,300 38,546,360

1,082,110

1,722,381

714,520

49,266

-

VALUE 1,824.74 (down) 5.30 1,103,075,579.10 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,778.46 (up) 19.30 1,437,508,337.77 HOLDING FIRMS 7,927.59 (down) 64.04 2,397,071,133.22 PROPERTY 4,013.20 (up) 18.69 1,581.00 (up) 13.66 1,173,492,883.24 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,456.36 (up) 55.06 1,657,153,133.995 PSEI 8,053.20 (down) 11.70 64,364,266.187 All Shares Index 4,853.62 (down) 7.61 7,875,053,287.09 Gainers: 101; Losers: 87; Unchanged: 50; Total: 238

Meralco vows to finish Clark electric lines late this year

By Alena Mae S. Flores MANILA Electric Co. is committed to put up the distribution system of New Clark City in time for the 30th Southeast Asian Games late this year.

Meralco, along with Japan’s Marubeni Corp., submitted the lowest power distribution rate for the New Clark City at P0.6188 per kilowatt-hour.

“We’re forming a team but officially they have not yet awarded it, but we’re getting ready. We are working ahead because we know the timelines are very tight,” Meralco senior vice president and head of customer retail services and corporate communication Al Panlilio said.

Panlilio said Meralco must start construction by June to support the SEA Games.

He said Meralco’s offer was low because “our partners really wanted to win it.”

“It’s a good franchise to have... we know the development will happen, not immediately but in time. Like BGC (Bonifacio Global City),” Panlilio said.

The Meralco-Marubeni consortium is composed of Meralco, Marubeni, Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc. The New Clark City managed by the Bases Conversion Development Authority is envisioned to be the first smart, green and sustainable metropolis in the country where locators and residents will enjoy low utility rates.

BCDA earlier said New Clark City will have the first completely smart power grid in the country. Supported by state-of-the-art facilities comparable with other smart cities throughout the world. The New Clark City smart grid also has better reliability standards.

MPIC logistics unit purchases lots in Bulacan

By Jenniffer B. Austria METROPAC Movers Inc., a logistics company owned by conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is expanding its warehouse operations with the acquisition of 277,857 square meters of land in Bulacan.

MMI said in a statement it recently bought parcels of land equivalent to 277,857 sqm in the town of San Rafael, Bulacan at a total cost of P204.78 million.

The properties, purchased from several individuals, will be used by MMI for the construction of a mega distribution center that serving as the company’s current and potential clients in fast-moving consumer goods, consumer durables and other industries.

The purchase of the Bulacan properties follows the acquisition of a 202,000 sqm land in General Trias, Cavite worth P1.2 billion that will also be used for the construction of another large distribution center.

MMI earlier said it would allocate P8 billion to develop the General Trias property into 141,000 square meters of covered warehouse space and purchase the equipment to serve clients.

MMI said the land acquisitions would complement the 522 brand new trucks acquired by MMI in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the existing leased warehouse spaces totaling 207,000 sqm. scattered in strategic locations across Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Along with investments in information technology, equipment and training, the assets seek to further MMI’s goal of becoming the leading player in the logistics space in the country.

MMI’s core business is end-to-end logistics services. The company offers transport and freight forwarding through its three trucking components—Premier Logistics, Metropac Trucking Company Inc. and Trucking Pro. MMI’s facilities are capable of handling warehousing, distribution and cross-docking requirements of local and international clients.

MMI, to date, operates 19 warehouses situated in strategic locations across Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Metro Pacific has been expanding its investments in the logistics industry, with plans to buy two to three logistics companies.

World

B3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Soros calls Xi most perilous enemy of all free societies

D

AVOS―Billionaire investor George Soros on Thursday said Chinese President Xi Jinping was “the most dangerous enemy” of free societies for presiding over a high-tech surveillance regime.

MARAUDING MONEKYS. In this file photo taken on November 13, 2018, macaques monkeys gather near the Taj Mahal

monument in Agra in India’s Uttar Pradesh state. Indian authorities have deployed slingshot-armed police-guards to protect tourists from being attacked by hordes of marauding monkeys at the Taj Mahal, an official said on January 25, 2019. AFP

IN BRIEF Power outages as Australia swelters

SYDNEY―Hundreds of thousands of people sweltering through a brutal heatwave in southern Australia were left without power Friday, as the grid struggled with surging demand.

Authorities said more than 200,000 customers were experiencing blackouts after it ordered forced outages to reduce the risk of the entire grid failing.

“We have asked for 100 megawatts of involuntary load reduction, we have notified the networks, they’re in the process of doing that,” Australian Energy Market Operator chief executive Audrey Zibelman told reporters.

The disruption comes as temperatures in Melbourne soared to 42.8 Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) just after lunch, before a cool change saw the mercury drop 12 degrees in just seven minutes in the city in the early afternoon.

There were reports of up to 100 traffic lights without power in Melbourne, and some shops and cafes were forced to close.

The extreme heat did not deter tennis fans however, who flocked to Melbourne park for the Australian Open tennis semi-finals―although many did make use of mist tunnels and fans to keep cool.

In other parts of Victoria state authorities had issued fire warnings—with hundreds of emergency services personnel and dozens of planes and helicopters on standby -as temperatures in some areas were expected to reach up to 47 Celsius.

Australia is reeling from a heat wave that peaked in South Australia Thursday when the state capital Adelaide topped 47.7 Celsius, breaking a record that had stood since 1939.

Meanwhile, authorities further south on the island state of Tasmania continued to battle bush fires.

AFP

Mexico fuel explosion death toll rises to 107

MEXICO CITY―The death toll from a fiery pipeline explosion in central Mexico reached 107 Thursday, the government announced, with 40 people also injured in the blast last week.

Last Friday, the fuel-line in Hidalgo state was deliberately punctured, drawing hundreds of people looking to gather gasoline before it ignited.

The disaster occurred as the government wages a huge effort to clamp down on fuel theft, which cost Mexico an estimated $3 billion in 2017.

The so-called “huachicol”―as the stolen fuel is known in Mexico―costs about half of the market price.

Mexico is regularly rocked by deadly explosions at illegal pipeline taps, a dangerous but lucrative business whose players include powerful drug cartels and corrupt Pemex insiders. AFP

Rich Russians flock to Florida to deliver American babies SUNNY ISLES BEACH―In southern Florida’s Sunny Isles Beach, Russian tourists Anna and Helen sip coffee with their husbands and newborn babies: a common scene in what has become a prized destination for well-off foreigners looking to secure US citizenship for their children.

Under the shadow of luxury skyscrapers―among them Trump Towers―exists an army of well-dressed women, either pregnant or pushing topof-the-line strollers. Most are Russian or from former Soviet Union countries.

The weather, white-sand beaches and dazzling turquoise waters are common reasons given for traveling to give birth in this city of 20,000 people, north of Miami.

But one 34-year-old, who gave her name only as Anna, was more direct.

“For the American passport!” she told AFP, smiling. She arrived in the US while expecting now two-monthold Melania.

Both she and compatriot Helen,

Floods death toll up to 59 in Indonesia

MAKASAR, Indonesia—Floods and landslides in Indonesia have killed at least 59 people, the government said Friday, after heavy rain pounded Sulawesi island and forced thousands to flee their homes.

“I’ve never seen something this bad―this is the worst,” Syamsibar, head of South Sulawesi’s disaster mitigation agency, told AFP, adding that 25 people were still missing.

Lashed by the heavy rain, rivers swelled and burst their banks, inundating dozens of communities in 11 districts of southern Sulawesi. Parts of the provincial capital Makassar have also been affected.

Gowa district suffered the heaviest casualties, with 44 people found dead, said Syamsibar, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

Some 3,400 people were evacuated from their homes and given refuge in schools, mosques and tents.

Rescuers and residents waded through streets filled with waist-deep water, some carrying their possessions above their heads.

“I couldn’t save all my belongings, my house was swept away,” Makassar resident Ayu Fiskarina told AFP. Authorities say floodwaters are receding but the impact of the disaster has ranged far and wide, damaging houses, government buildings, schools and bridges.

“All the locals in this area have been evacuated to the mosque, except for [a] woman who refuses to leave her house because she’s scared her belongings could be looted,” said Makassar police officer Ardal. AFP

mother to a three-month-old, said tens of thousands of dollars and months of planning went into their trips.

The attraction is clear. President Donald Trump does not like it, but according to the US constitution, children born on American soil automatically gain citizenship, opening up highly sought-after opportunities to study and work.

And why Sunny Isles specifically?

“Feel home, lot of Russian,” Anna said.

Upon turning 21, baby Melania will also be able to sponsor visas for her parents to come to the US―another policy that has disgruntled Trump.

The trend is big business: Miami Mama, a company in neighboring Hallandale Beach, has been organizing travel packages for Russian mothers since 2009.

Charging between $6,900 and $49,000, they will coordinate everything from interpreters and apartments to medical care and citizenship documents, according to the firm’s website. AFP

“China is not the only authoritarian regime in the world but it is the wealthiest, strongest and technologically most advanced,” he said, noting concerns too about Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

“This makes Xi Jinping the most dangerous opponent of open societies,” Soros told a dinner audience on the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The Hungarian-born philanthropist said US tech giants such as Facebook must be reined in by authorities for the good of democracy.

He pointed “to the mortal danger facing open societies from the instruments of control that machine learning and artificial intelligence can put in the hands of repressive regimes”.

Soros dwelt on concerns in the West about Chinese tech giants ZTE and Huawei, as countries roll out nextgeneration 5G wireless networks.

He said US President Donald Trump should crack down hard on the companies as part of a more focused effort on China instead of taking on “practically the whole world” in trade conflicts.

“If these companies came to dominate the 5G market, they would present an unacceptable security risk for the rest of the world,” Soros said in a speech, copies of which were distributed in Chinese.

Communist China under Xi has been building a cutting-edge system including facial recognition to keep tabs on its citizens, and Soros said algorithms would calculate how dangerous a threat individuals might pose to the regime.

“The ‘social credit’ system, if it became operational, would give Xi

total control over the people,” he said at the dinner, which was open to media.

“Since Xi is the most dangerous enemy of the open society, we must pin our hopes on the Chinese people, and especially on the business community and a political elite willing to uphold the Confucian tradition,” he said, referencing the ancient history of Chinese officials speaking truth to power, on pain of imprisonment or death.

“This doesn’t mean that those of us who believe in the open society should remain passive,” Soros added.

“The reality is that we are in a Cold War that threatens to turn into a hot one.

“On the other hand, if Xi and Trump were no longer in power, an opportunity would present itself to develop greater cooperation between the two cyber-superpowers.”

Soros’s dinner speeches are an annual tradition at the elite business forum in Davos, and this year it came after a particularly difficult period for his Open Society Foundations.

Last month, the Soros-funded Central European University said it had been “forced” to move its most prestigious study programs to Vienna after a bitter legal battle with the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban in his native Hungary.

Soros did not touch on the issue in his Davos speech, but did say: “Those of us who want to preserve the open society must work together and form an effective alliance. We have a task that can’t be left to governments.” AFP

PREMIERE. A

view of the artist painting at the ‘I Am The Night’ Los Angeles Premiere on January 24, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Liberia wrestles with poverty to protect sharks MONROVIA―George Toe reflects on the good old days, when catching a couple of sharks helped fill a fisherman’s pocket and feed a hungry family.

Fifteen years or so ago, local fishermen who ventured off the coast of Liberia could expect to come back with 200, maybe 300, of the fish in their boats, the 45-year-old recalls.

“Now it is difficult to get even 10,” he said. “Now you have to go 72 kilometers in the water before you meet up with any.”

Toe’s worry encapsulates the dilemma facing Liberia, one of the world’s poorest countries, as it seeks to protect these beautiful, endangered but often under-estimated species.

Each year, tens of millions of sharks

and rays are hauled from the sea, typically to meet a voracious demand in East and Southeast Asia for shark fin soup or products used in traditional medicine.

Experts say the plunder is having a devastating effect on the health of the sea— but protecting the species often meets resistance from fishermen, who see the catch as a vital source of income.

Fishing provides a livelihood to more than 30,000 people in Liberia and accounts for two-thirds of all animal proteins consumed nationally.

On the UN’s Human Development Index, the country ranks a lowly 181 out of 189 nations. The average salary is $100 per month, and many Liberians survive on

just $1 a day.

What’s at stake in shark and ray conservation is not just the survival of these ancient species but supporting commercial fish stocks.

“Loss of sharks can lead to dramatic imbalances in the ecosystem,” says campaign group Environmental Justice Foundation.

Catching sharks ricochets down the food chain as big fish decimate small fish in the absence of the apex predator.

Under a three-year initiative, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority will collect data on shark and ray populations, monitoring their numbers and location, and track fishing, both legal and illegal. AFP

B4

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 advertise@manilastandard.net

Australia National Day

New Australian Ambassador:

I mean business

By Steve Robinson AO, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines When I first visited the Philippines as a university student nearly 40 years ago I was struck by those things that greet most new visitors.

I saw the archipelago’s natural beauty, experienced the warmth of the Filipino people and felt the dynamic energy of the cities of Manila, Cebu and even Zamboanga.

It was enough to seize my attention, and I’ve since made several return visits to the country, though never long enough to get to know it deeply.

In fact, I spent many years working elsewhere in Southeast Asia. But to best represent one’s country to a neighbour, there is no substitute for spending time on the ground.

So it is a great honour and a privilege to return here as Australia’s new Ambassador to the Philippines. My positive early impressions as Ambassador take me back to my student years - some things don’t change.

However one thing that has matured over time is the strength of the relationship between our countries. In diplomatic terms, we call it a ‘comprehensive partnership’. That means we share common interests and views.

We are tackling regional and global challenges that are better resolved by working together. And we are cultivating deeper links between our peoples, to the extent that over a quarter of a million Filipinos now call Australia home, thanks to long-term skilled migration.

We have much to be proud of as two countries with 70 years of official cooperation, forged in wartime, on top of unofficial ties that reach much further back into history.

As we look ahead, however, what is clear to me is that we can do more to build on the big opportunities in our trade and investment links. We start on solid ground.

Australia is now the top destination for tertiary students from the Philippines who choose to study abroad.

Philippine investment in Australia is growing fast, especially in agriculture and renewable energy, while Australian investment in this country is worth over A$9.7 billion.

The trade relationship is valued at around A$4.7 billion, yet that still puts the Philippines outside of Australia’s top 20 trade partners.

Mr Steve Robinson AO

Ambassador Steve Robinson presents his credentials and President Rodrigo Duterte reaffirms the broad and deep ties between Australia and the Philippines.

Trade Ties

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines We can do more, which is why doing more business between our countries is a top priority. I’m happy that many of my favourite Australian brands are available here, but I’d love to see more Australian fresh food and produce available to consumers in local supermarkets and grocery stores. Australian firms have much to offer in this country’s building and construction boom, from sustainable materials and design, to managing complex projects.

The local mining sector is familiar with Australia’s expertise in the minerals sector.

Australia will continue to be a reliable supplier of energy to power rising demand.

There’s scope to deepen partnerships in the healthcare sector, an area where Filipino professionals are making their mark across the world.

I can name other sectors too but the bottom line is this: a growing Philippine economy will need more of the kinds of goods, services and investment that Australia is well-placed to provide.

I first came here as a traveller, and I’m delighted to return as Ambassador, because this time I mean business.

AUSTRALIA is a prime destination for tourism, education and training, and investment. As close neighbours in the region with similar open economies, the Philippines and Australia are natural trade partners.

Trade and investment flows have significantly increased since the ASEAN Australia NZ Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) came into force, including in the food and beverage, infrastructure and services sectors. A number of major Philippine conglomerates are also investing in Australia to secure their supply chains and access advanced products and technology.

With the Philippines embarking on an exciting digital transformation, Australia has partnered with government, industry and academia to share knowledge around cybersecurity, fintech, blockchain and digital health.

There are more than 300 Australian companies in the Philippines directly employing over 40,000 Filipinos, significantly contributing to the country’s socio-economic growth. A number of these global Australian companies are showing their support behind the Australia Day celebration this year, and are helping to make the event a success. These include ANZ Bank, Austal, Crone, GHD, Greenstone, IDP, Macquarie, Oceanagold, Qantas, QBE, Site Skills, Telstra, and TWPS. ANZ BANK ANZ Philippines is a world class international bank, helping institutional customers to find efficient and innovative solutions for managing and moving their goods and capital both within the Philippines and internationally.

AUSTAL Austal is a global shipbuilder, defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice; designing, building and supporting high-speed commercial and military vessels for the world’s leading operators.

CRONE Crone established a presence in Manila in the late 90s, undertaking a number of major master planning projects. In the last 10 years Crone has designed numerous Premier Grade high rise towers in both Manila and Cebu.

THE FILIPINO, LEADING GLOBAL INNOVATION.

GHD GHD has had a permanent presence in the Philippines since 1998 and operates in an extensive range of market sectors including water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings and transportation.

GREENSTONE Greenstone Resources Corporation (GRC) is a registered Philippine company and an affiliate of Red 5 Limited, a Western Australia-based gold exploration company whose shares are traded in the Australian Stock Exchange. GRC has interest in the Siana Gold Project (MPSA No. 184-2002-XIII) and the Mapawa Gold Project (MPSA No. 280-2009-XIII), both located in Surigao del Norte, Philippines.

The future of container terminal operations is in Melbourne.

Victoria International Container Terminal One of the most innovative, sustainable, fully automated terminals in the world.

IDP IDP is a global leader in international education services and co-owner of IELTS. In 50 years of experience in the industry, they’ve helped over 400,000 students study in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They also have a network of more than 100 international student placement centres in at least 32 countries.

MACQUARIE Macquarie Group Limited (Macquarie) is a diversified financial group providing clients with asset management and finance, banking, advisory and risk and capital solutions across debt, equity and commodities. Founded in 1969, Macquarie employs 14,869 people in 27 countries. At 30 September 2018, Macquarie had assets under management of $A551.0 billion.

OCEANAGOLD OceanaGold is a multinational, mid-tier gold mining company with significant global operating development and exploration experience for over 27 years.

They are a strong operation with high-quality assets in New Zealand, the United States of America and in the Philippines with their flagship operation located in Didipio, 270km north of Manila.

QANTAS Founded in regional Queensland in 1920-as the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial ServiceQantas is one of Australia’s most iconic brands and has played a central role in the development of the Australian and International aviation industry. Today, the Qantas Group is a diverse global aviation business, comprising Qantas Domestic, Qantas International, the Jetstar low-cost carrier group and Qantas Loyalty.

QBE GROUP QBE Insurance Group is one of the world’s top 20 general insurance and reinsurance companies, with operations in all the key insurance markets. QBE is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and is headquartered in Sydney. They employ more than 12,000 people in 31 countries.

SITE SKILLS Site Skills Training is part of Site Group International Limited, an ASX-listed company that delivers a range of Australian accredited and internationally recognised training programs tailored to the needs of the mining, oil and gas, engineering, and construction industries.

VICT is ICTSI’s first entry into Australia and the larger Oceania region – extending the Company’s portfolio of managed ports to 32 terminals in 19 countries.

AUSTRALIA

VICT

www.ictsi.com

TWPS With current contracts at 34 sites with total more than 12,000 megawatts of generation, TWPS is a major independent operations and asset services provider to the power generation market in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. This operational depth gives TWPS the ability to leverage from multiple sites and deep technology knowledge, to provide the latest in innovation and best practice for its clients TELSTRA Telstra is a leading telecommunications and information services company. They offer a full range of services and operate the largest mobile and Wi-Fi networks in Australia. Globally, Telstra provide’s endto-end solutions including managed network services, global connectivity, cloud, voice, colocation, conferencing, and satellite solutions.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

YOUNG LIFE

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

C1

SMART TRACKER. Charge 3, the latest and most advanced version in Fitbit’s Charge line, boasts improved fitness tracking functions and added smart features.

How smart is Fitbit’s

‘smartest tracker’ It lets wearer know how many calories they’re burning all day, and offers realFTER releasing its two entries in the time pace and distance. smartwatch game, leading global wearables However, it does not have brand Fitbit took a step back—or perhaps it GPS, which would have was a step forward—and followed it up with a new made Charge 3 a better tracker, but to see key stats fitness tracker with added smart features. pace and distance during, say, an outdoor run, users Before the end of 2018, Fitbit launched aluminum case and may simply connect it to a Charge 3, the latest evolution of the Corning Gorilla Glass smartphone. brand’s bestselling Charge range. Much 3. It features a crisp, Fitness buffs will greatlike its predecessors, Charge 3 show- touchscreen OLED disly appreciate its more than cases the best of Fitbit’s fitness track- play that is larger and 15 goal-based exercise ing features—and more. In fact, it was brighter than its predemodes, including run, Wearable Tech Awards 2018’s “Fitness cessor. It also automatibike, yoga, circuit trainTracker of the Year.” cally adjusts to lighting ing, and swim—a sweet conditions. addition as Charge 3 is waAt first glance On the left side is an ter resistant up to 50 meCharge 3 features a seamless and inductive button that ters. It automatically tracks modern design. The graphite aluminum helps with navigation. swims and can be used in with black band version especially Fitbit said Charge 3 is its the pool or ocean. looks sleek. It also comes in rose gold first wearable with an inThe device also helps the aluminum case with blue gray band. ductive button. wearer find their calm with Stay connected Fitbit managed to keep it lightweight its guided breathing sessions. on the move with thanks to materials used, such as the Features and It also records sleep: sleep call alerts, text aerospacefunctions stages and sleep insights, notifications, and g r a d e The latest in the Charge and it comes with a female calendar alerts, family does what the health tracking feature that among others. line does best: fithelps women monitor their ness tracking. monthly cycles and ovulaCharge 3 has the most ad- tion periods. vanced health and fitness Making Charge 3 more interesting sensors and algorithms, than other fitness trackers are its smartto date. watch features such as apps which can Through PurePulse be downloaded from the Fitbit app on heart rate tracking and the phone. Further, users are also given relative SpO2 sensor, it the liberty to change clock faces from a offers accurate heart rate modest selection. insights day and night Meanwhile, the Fitbit Charge 3 spewhich helps track calorie cial edition, which comes in rose gold burn, optimize work- aluminum with lavender woven band outs, and uncover health and graphite aluminum with white trends. In addition, frost silicone band, comes with Fitbit it provides real-time Pay for mobile payments. Both speheart rate zones to help cial edition versions come with a black the wearer see whether band as well. they’re in Fat Burn, Cardio, or Peak zone.

User experience Fitbit truly does what it does best— Fitbit Charge 3 features a sleek to help individuals get fitter. Charge 3 and modern design, and is made has helped me monitor my heart rate of lightweight materials such as 24/7 and has provided me insights on aerospace-grade aluminum and how well I sleep every night.

Corning Gorilla Glass.

By Rex Sardinia

A

Charge 3 fitness tracker can be worn almost anywhere, from the street to the pool.

The brand also made good on its seven-day battery life promise, as unlike other fitness trackers, you only have to charge it once a week for less than two hours.

It also gives extra encouragement to move more by competing with friends or by simply complying with the reminders.

tions and additional features more than made up for it.

I would definitely recommend it to those who want a sleek fitness tracker with bonus smartwatch features.

Fitbit Charge 3 is available at Digital Walker, Beyond the Box, select Toby’s stores, iBOOK, iCENTER, Mobile1, Globe, Gadgets in Style, Hivemind, Verdict Lazada, Zalora, Timeline, The Inbox Fitbit gives what it promises. Again, Store, iLiberty and Rnnr stores, as well Charge 3 would be better if it has built- as on Lazada and Zalora for P9,990. in GPS, but its fitness tracking func- Special edition retails at P10,990.

Annika Ocampo aims to end violence in schools through her comic superhero Althea.

The young artist Annika and the superhero Althea TWELVE-year-old Annika Ocampo always felt the pain of her friends who were bullied in school. She said she would turn to music to calm her down.

Her experience with bullying and the way she uses music during troubled times have inspired her to create the comic superhero Althea.

Annika’s character illustration of Althea, created through online digital software FireAlpaca, is a relatable, young female student who uses music to stop violence in schools.

“Althea uses her musical powers to inspire kids like me to stand up for ourselves, to beat The Silence and end violence in our schools. The blue light from her music wraps her listeners and brings out their own strength and courage to stop the violence on their own,” she shared.

She continued, “Althea plays the ukulele and sings gentle, calming songs. Music is a big part of the Filipino culture and Althea depends on music to calm her down.”

Annika’s superhero was chosen as one of the top eight finalists, out of the 3,600 entries from all over the world, in the recently concluded UNICEF School Superhero Comic contest.

Launched in October 2018 by UNICEF, the competition aims to raise awareness to #endviolence in and around schools.

“I was excited but I also thought that other contestants’ artwork were better than mine,” shared Annika. Annika’s is the only entry from the Philippines that made it to the final round of selection.

To create Althea, Annika took inspiration from an American alternative band whose popular songs conveyed the importance of one’s self-worth,

and for which multitudes of its online fans have expressed gratitude.

“Since I was in Grade 3, my older sister and I would listen to Twenty One Pilots. They’re popular and mainstream, and their lead singer plays the ukulele and sings about mental health. I listen to it a lot and I was glad that they released a new album at the time I was thinking of joining the superhero comic contest.

It was great timing and it gave me a big inspiration,” she shared.

Annika, a seventh grader from Laguna, took interest in drawing at a very young age. She has drawn multiple characters and written short stories whipped from her creative imagination.

Her parents and siblings have always supported her to keep developing her talents. It was in fact, her oldest sister Julia, 22, who encouraged her to join the UNICEF superhero comic contest and who guided her in keeping her ideas focused.

“I’m doing art for a cause not just to feel good or just to have something to do, but also to help others,” said the young artist.

And her superhero Althea can help bring the message to schoolchildren and young adults that being silent about violence in schools, particularly bullying, should finally be broken.

“No problem can be solved without taking action. Bullying and violence is a big problem. The only way to solve it is to speak out. You don’t have much power but you can speak out to save somebody or yourself,” said Annika.

UNICEF Philippines is working with Annika and her parents to produce an expanded story of school superhero Althea to further raise awareness and end violence in schools in the Philippines.

Life

C2

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

TECHIE KIDS. Children and their parents can learn more about robotics, drone, and virtual reality at the 2019 Diwa Innovation Lab exposition at the SmartKids Asia Philippines.

Educational kids fair

I

highlights robotics, virtual reality

N A bid to further elevate children’s knowledge on new technological advancements, Diwa Learning Systems is bringing the 2019 Diwa Innovation Lab to this year’s SmartKids Asia Philippines happening today until Jan. 27 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

Diwa Innovation Lab is a science exposition that brings new technologies within reach of families to boost their interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

Headlining the innovation lab is the national finals of Diwa Pasiklaban sa Paaralan, the first and only ICT-integrated traveling quiz show in the country. Ten

grade school and 10 junior high school finalists from across the Philippines will compete against each other on topics under science, math, languages, literature, and general information.

Meanwhile, families attending the fair can visit the Diwa booth where they can get a chance to learn more about latest technologies, one of which is robotics.

In the Philippines, robotics has gradually made its way from being a specialized activity in school science clubs to being integrated into the academic curriculum. With applications in science, information and communication technology, mathematics, and many other fields of study, robotics is becoming an essential part of innovation.

In the past year, Diwa gave robotics starter kits and held demonstrations to various educational institutions all over the country. Four schools, in particular, have risen to the challenge by creating innovative robocar designs. Immaculate Heart of Mary College in Quezon

From left: Prudence Foundation executive director Marc Fancy, Department of Education undersecretary for administration Alain Del Pascua, and Save the Children Philippines chief executive officer Alberto Muyot jointly launched the Education for Safe from Disasters Project.

A partnership for safe schools THE Department of Education has partnered with Save the Children Philippines and Prudence Foundation to reduce the risks of natural and humaninduced hazards to children and to establish an effective program that will improve the safety and preparedness of schools during calamities.

Save the Children Philippines chief executive officer Alberto Muyot said students’ safety are critical especially since they spend an average of five to eight hours a day in schools during weekdays.

He stated that from 2007 to 2012, major disasters affected around 11 million schoolchildren in the Philippines, jeopardizing their right to survival and basic education.

“We want to ensure that schools not only give children access to education, but also guarantee their safety and survival in times of emergencies,” said Muyot.

“Safety is everyone’s job,” stated DepEd undersecretary for administration Alain Del Pascua.

“In the Department of Education, we have worked hard on mainstreaming the Comprehensive School Safety Framework into the education system

which aims to strengthen the pillars of safe learning facilities, school disaster management, and risk reduction and resilience education for schools,” Del Pascua underscored at the program launch of the Education Safe from Disasters Project.

With the theme, “Developing an Ecosystem for Comprehensive School Safety in the Philippines,” the program shall build an enabling environment that will empower all stakeholders to realize the goals of the CSSF—a global framework aimed at reducing risks from hazards throughout the education sector by addressing the stated three pillars of school safety.

The program shall establish an integrated disaster management system within DepEd to continuously improve knowledge and capacity of all its personnel and learners on CSS across all levels: national, regional, division, and school.

Online resources and tools, and training will be provided to schools and DepEd executives, while research will also be conducted on potentially adapting the model in other Southeast Asian countries to benefit a greater number of

learners and teachers.

DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service and the Information and Communications Technology Service will lead in facilitating the project, which will be piloted in 16 schools divisions of the National Capital Region.

In its third year, the program will be rolled out in a second region and will start the preparation for its nationwide scale-up.

Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of British life insurer Pru Life UK, recognizes that education is key to mitigating risk and contributing to early recovery.

“Over the last five years, we are proud to have been supporting the Safe Schools program here in the Philippines, supported by DepEd. We are pleased to continue this partnership, and hope this project will further empower Filipino children, teachers, and the community to reduce their vulnerability from natural disasters,” said Marc Fancy, executive director of Prudence Foundation.

The program is estimated to benefit some 20.9 million learners in close to 47,000 schools across the 17 regions in the Philippines.

City, FAITH Catholic School in Batangas, Colegio de San Francisco Javier, and Saint Joseph College Maasin from Leyte are all set to showcase their creations at the Genyo DIY Robotics Workshop and Robocar Design Exposition at the 2019 Diwa Innovation Lab. Aside from the Robocar Design Exposition, parents and kids can also experience flying a drone. The Drone 101 session will be open for kids and adults who want to learn more about drones and their functions.

They can also sample firsthand how virtual reality can be used in schools.

There will also be various family

games and trivia quizzes that feature the different educational product offerings of Diwa.

The finals of the Bato Balani Science Investigatory Project SY 2018-2019 will also be held at the expo. The top five schools with the best science investigatory projects for the school year will present and defend their output, as well as put their projects on exhibit. These schools are Canossa School from Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Saint Mary’s University from Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya; Holy Infant Academy from Calapan City; Bohol Wisdom School from Tagbilaran City; and St. Paul College Pasig.

Learn how to be a freelancer IT WASN’T that long ago that freelancing was just considered a sideline, something in between a hobby and a hustle. Fast forward to the present, it has now become an acceptable career.

Many choose to do project-based work instead of a 9-to-5 job.

Before you quit your day job and go full time into freelancing, find out more about the industry in Writer’s Block Philippines’ upcoming workshop.

Happening on Feb. 16 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Fully Booked Bonifacio Global City, Jumpstart Your Freelance Writing Career 2.0 will share with participants insider tips on how to get published in both local and international pub-

Jumpstart Your g Freelance Writin e ar Career 2.0 will sh ts an ip ic rt pa with how insider tips on e th in it e ak to m stry. freelancing indu

lications, as well as how to get a steady paycheck from doing what they love.

Featured speaker, Karen FerryFernandez will divulge her own tried and tested tips to survive in this industry. She started as a copywriter who made her way up the ladder and became an executive creative director in multinational advertising agencies.

She’s currently a full-time independent professional and has been so for the last 10 years.

Aspiring writers, 18 years old and above, are welcome to attend the event.

For inquiries and reservations, email writersblock.ph@gmail.com or contact 0917-3979927.

Entertainment

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Simply...

From C4

Max’s new adobo ribs and beef salpicao The New Year calls for new reasons to celebrate with Every Kind of Family, memories created over good company and even better food. With Max’s Restaurant’s latest offerings, celebrating Every Day to the Max has never been more delicious.

A classic Filipino dish served with special spin, the Adobo Ribs is made by slow-cooking a half slab until it is moist and fork-tender. It is then sweetened with onions, served with a tangy and flavorful sauce, and topped with leeks that automatically bring back memories of eating the classic adobo.

Best when shared, the Adobo Ribs can be enjoyed with family and friends alongside a serving of Sizzling Tofu or Pancit Canton, one large plain rice, three glasses of Iced Tea, and three dessertsized servings of Buko Pandan―all for just P899.

Max’s Restaurant now also serves Beef Salpicao, cubed beef sirloin stir-fried in a hot pan with lots of minced garlic and a variety of spices. Savory and garlicky, this Pinoy favorite with a Spanish origin can be enjoyed a la carte for P499 or served in a Rice Bowl for only P249.

“We at Max’s Restaurant are all about championing Filipino food and celebrating Every Kind of Family,” said the well-loved brand’s National Business Unit Head, Paolo Serrano. “With the Adobo Ribs and Beef Salpicao making its way to our stores, we hope to bring together more families and celebrate with them through the food we serve and the service we provide.”

All feasts should end on a sweet note, that’s why Max’s Restaurant also introduces the newest addition to its Max’s Corner Bakery treats, the Mango Pandan Ensaimada. For only P33, customers can enjoy this soft ensaimada served with a crown of whipped cream frosting, sprinkled with mango bits and a hint of pandan.

Your Max’s favorites are just a click, chat, or call away. Visit www. maxschicken.com to order through the Max’s Restaurant website, leave a message with Max’s Restaurant’s Facebook Messenger chat bot, or dial 7-9000 to order via landline or mobile. *** Visit www.isah.red for more stories.

Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred) and Instagram (@ isahvred). ΙR

Giving...

From C4

Inting said her signature in the covenant stands for COMELEC’s commitment to ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections.

“It likewise attempts to embody the commission’s untiring support to programs and projects that are geared toward the education of our voters,” she added.

Together with COMELEC, Youtube, and Twitter, the following are helping ABS-CBN News cover the 2019 elections: the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Department of Foreign Affairs Overseas, Voting Secretariat, Department of Education (DepEd), and election monitoring groups National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), YouthVote, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), and Kontra Daya.

Also providing support are businessmen and professionals in the fields of law and IT from the Anvil Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), Finance Executives of the Philippines (FINEX), LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections), Philippine Communication Society, and

‘Dulce Venganza’ is a story of a simple wife who transforms herself into a powerful and seductive woman to lure her ex-husband back with the intention of getting her revenge.

‘Una Nueva Oportunidad’ dramatically narrates how an opportunity can change someone’s life, and that indeed, we all deserve a second chance.

GMA Telenovelas making inroads in Latin America G

MA telenovelas are gaining popularity in Latin America due to the successful partnership between GMA Worldwide and distributor Latin Media Corporation (LMC).

Three of the network’s top rating dramas are currently airing in the region namely the phenomenal hit Dulce Venganza (Ika6 Na Utos) via Oromar Televisión in Ecuador; Una Nueva Oportunidad (Second Chances) via Panamericana Televisión in Peru; and No Me Olvides (Someone To Watch Over Me) via Monte Carlo TV in Uruguay.

GMA telenovelas were launched in Latin America in 2017 via the hit se-

ries Cautiva (Hanggang Makita Kang Muli), which first aired in Peru by Panamericana Televisión. The series was a surprise ratings success and this marked the beginning of the rise of telenovelas and series from the Philippines.

Panamericana also aired No Me Olvides (Someone To Watch Over Me) followed by Una Nueva Oportunidad (Second Chances), now on its second run.

Oromar Televisión in Ecuador also

Philippine Computer Society.

Completing ABS-CBN News’ partners for Halalan 2019 are schools University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and STI Colleges, and non-government organizations The Asia Foundation – Fully Abled Nation and Regional Emergency Assistance Communications Team (REACT) Philippines.

Meanwhile, Filipinos can expect from ABS-CBN News a stronger election coverage on digital with real-time updates and special content produced specifically for each platform with partnerships with leading video-sharing platform YouTube and social media giant Twitter.

Currently, ABS-CBN News has the widest reach online among local news organizations with over five million subscribers on YouTube, six million followers on Twitter, 1 million followers on Instagram, and almost 16 million followers on Facebook. The ABS-CBN News Facebook page is also among the world’s top publishers on the web in December 2018 according to social media analytics platform NewsWhip.

Meanwhile, as early as 2018, ABSCBN News has begun producing election-related reports and specials ahead of Halalan 2019 such

as Halalan 2019 Ikaw Na Ba: The DZMM Senatorial Candidates’ Interview series, which has featured candidates running for senator on live radio via DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 and TV via DZMM TeleRadyo since November 2018. ABS-CBN will also air HARAPAN 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate, which will allow all candidates to present their platforms and discuss some of the most pressing issues in the country in one session, in front of their supporters and representatives from different sectors.

ABS-CBN’s citizen journalism arm “Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo,” also continues to conduct workshops in schools and communities, as well as in government agencies like AFP and PNP to help its members and stakeholders call attention to issues and events in their communities, especially during the election season.

Join ABS-CBN’s fight for honest, clean, and credible elections in ABSCBN News’ Halalan 2019 election coverage and remain vigilant by tuning in to the biggest multi-platform coverage of the 2019 national elections via ABSCBN’s TV Patrol, Bandila, and Umagang Kay Ganda, ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), DZMM TeleRadyo, DZMM Radyo Patrol Sais Trenta, news.abs-cbn. com, patrol.ph, ABS-CBN Regional, The Filipino Channel (TFC), and iWant.ph.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, January 26, 2019

ACROSS 1 Mattress support 5 Large parrot 10 Gourmet cook 14 Family member 15 Acid in proteins 16 Coating of frost 17 With, to Maurice 18 Pilot’s aid 19 Similar 20 Make the most of 22 Pop bottle sizes 24 TV dial 25 Female antelope 26 Intent 29 Drank noisily 33 Tips off 34 Dude 35 Historian’s word 36 Potters’ ovens 37 Gridiron’s — Montana 38 Pungent spice 40 Night before 41 Energy 42 Gretel’s brother 43 Interview a spy 46 Full 47 Pitches 48 Capital of Egypt 49 Snob, often 52 More nutritious

30 Examine closely 31 White heron 32 Sherlock Holmes creator 34 DDE’s party 37 Peter Pan rival 38 Island off Naples 39 Opened up 41 Livelier 42 Fortune recipient 44 Inveighed against DOWN 1 Hormel product 45 Badges and 2 Fluid rock 3 Peak 4 Reluctant to talk 5 Leathernecks 6 Astonished 7 Fruity drink 8 Literary collection 9 Sophisticated 10 Volcano’s mouth 11 Long walk 12 Arab prince 13 Marshy areas 21 Obligations 23 Debtor’s note 26 Not genuine 27 Dull green 28 “People” person 29 Prefer charges 56 Pickling herb 57 Miffed, plus 59 Actress — Sedgwick 60 Efficient 61 Frees from anxiety or care 62 Revise text 63 Middle Ages quaff 64 Long grasses 65 Hockey feint

such 46 Screamed and shouted 48 Put a stop to 49 Holland export 50 Derisive remark 51 Earthen jar 53 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. — 54 Composer — Satie 55 An evening out 58 “Norma —”

‘No Me Olvides’ presents a story of a wife whose husband is diagnosed with an early onset of Alzheimer’s disease endures the pain of watching him lose his memory.

picked up Cautiva (Hanggang Makita Kang Muli), and Una Nueva Oportunidad Oportunidad (Second Chances).

Since then, the network has continuously aired Spanish-dubbed GMA telenovelas in its timeslot for Asian series, including aired No Me Olvides (Someone To Watch Over Me), La Impostora (Impostora), Legalmente Ciega (Legally Blind), and currently, the hit revenge series Dulce Venganza (Ika-6 Na Utos).

Uruguay is the latest country betting on a Filipino drama following growing interest across Latin America. No Me Olvides (Someone To Watch Over Me) breaks new ground in the region as the first GMA telenovela to be aired in the country through Monte Carlo Televisión.

Latin American viewers continue to

rave about Filipino telenovelas on social media.

With three of its best telenovelas airing across Latin America, it is encouraging that interest in GMA dramas is picking up. It proves the global appeal of GMA content as it tackles universal conflicts while exploring uncharted themes, combining all the elements needed for capturing viewers.

No Me Olvides (Someone To Watch Over Me) airs in Uruguay’s Monte Carlo TV, Mondays to Fridays, 2330H, Dulce Venganza (Ika-6 Na Utos) airs in Ecuador’s Oromar Television, Mondays to Fridays, 2000H, while Una Nueva Oportunidad (Second Chances) airs in Peru’s Panamericana Television, Mondays to Fridays, 2400H.

Love for a million yen THIS coming love month, dive into a puddle―no, an ocean of feels with Snow Flower, a Japanese young adult movie that is almost too precious for this world.

Out on Feb. 6 in time for Valentine’s Day, Snow Flower is about a year in the life of a bright young woman named Miyuki (Ayami Nakajo). The sad truth is, it’s her last year to live, according to her doctor’s prognosis.

Just as she’s about to abandon all hope, she meets Yusuke (Hiroomi Tosaka), a kind stranger who would become the love of her life, in wintertime Tokyo.

In a serendipitous turn of events, Miyuki and Yusuke cross paths again six months after their first meeting.

Her time running out, Miyuki courageously offers Yusuke a deal: be her boyfriend for one month in exchange for one million yen. Yusuke, whose café workplace desperately needs a financial boost, accepts the offer to continue supporting his younger siblings.

Truly beginning in the summer, their romance is a match blessed by Ayami Nakajo and Hiroomi Tosaka in a scene from the Japanese young adult drama ’Snow Flower’

the universe as the seasons unfold as beautifully as their story. From the cherry blossoms of Tokyo, their love story crosses oceans to the red aurora of Finland (it’s Miyuki’s last wish to witness the rare phenomenon in the winter wonderland where her parents met).

Based on the iconic Japanese winter song “Yuki no Hana” (Snow Flower), this feel-good young adult movie will remind you what it truly means to be alive and present in the moment.

Directed by Kojiro Hashimoto, the film is distributed by Axinite Digicinema in the Philippines.

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

C4

Entertainment

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019

ISAH V. RED

Do couples put a deadline to their relationships?

FOR director Bona Fajardo, the possibility isn’t farfetched. In his new outing for Viva Films, Fajardo explores the idea of a couple celebrating only their second anniversary, yet giving their relationship a timeline that it ends there despite the fact that they are still very much in love with each other.

The question the director asks is “Hanggang kailan?” or, in English, “Until when?” and it is also the title of the movie with Xiam Lim and Louise Delos Reyes as the couple who travels to Japan to celebrate their second anniversary. It is going to be their last trip together as a couple and it is also how they will end their relationship.

This BluArt productions and XL8 collaboration with Viva Films is a continuation of Viva’s examination of romance as previous films like 100 Tula Para Kay Stella and Sid & Aya (Not A Love Story) and Bona Fajardo’s search for the true meaning of love and romance that he began in his previous outings I Found My Heart in Santa Fe, Kahit Ayaw Mo Na, and Iliw.

This pre-Valentine film with Lim and Delos Reyes as the couple Donnie and Kath should unsettle couples that have been complacent about their own relationships and should trigger questions on how strong their commitments to their current relationship.

In the film, before they totally go their separate ways, Donnie and Kath take a four-day/three-night trip to Saga, Japan.

During the trip, will the couple rediscover each other amid picturesque landscapes? Will new memories be made or will hearts break? “’Pag nagustuhan mo ang sine ituloytuloy mo na yan… kung ano ‘yong hinahanap mong ganda, kung anong istorya, nandiyan naman lahat ‘yan, makikita mo ‘yan,” Bona said at the press conference for the movie recently.

This film puts Lim and Delos Reyes together onscreen. Lim used to be with Star Magic of ABS-CBN but hopped over to Viva Artists Agency. DeLos Reyes left GMA Artists Center for Viva Artist Agency to try something out from what had become her comfort zone, television.

The movie is a welcome project for DeLos Reyes and she’s glad she is now able to work with other actors most of them she just watched on the TV screens, like Xian Lim who also expressed his pleasure in working with other actors and actresses outside of the confines of a TV network.

DeLos Reyes said she’s willing to try different roles to keep honing her craft.

And to ensure she stays in the business longer than just being a sweet pretty young thing on screen. Last seen on TV in the Kapamilya series Asintado she was also in the movie Para sa Broken Hearted (October 2018). It’s interesting to see how her team up with the Chinito Heartthrob would plow out something her fans haven’t seen yet.

Meanwhile, Xian’s involvement in this movie goes beyond acting. The XL8 mentioned above is his new venture. Like Louise, Xian is not afraid to try new things. Last year, he started his basketball career, playing for Mandaluyong El Tigre in MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League). Around that time, he was also part of the box-office hit movie Miss Granny.

Hanggang Kailan? opens in cinemas on February 6. Continued on C3

KAREN GALLMAN guns for first Miss Intercontinental title on home ground

W

ILL Catriona Gray’s luck rub off on fellow Binibining Pilipinas queen Karen Gallman as she competes against over 80 delegates from around the world at the 47th edition of Miss Intercontinental pageant?

The grand coronation is happening tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena and Gallman could only hope for the best after performing well at the preliminaries.

“It’s really a huge challenge to win the only international title not won by a Filipina. I headed into this competition very well prepared. In a way, it’s also an advantage that it’s being held here in Manila,” Gallman said during a send-off party organized by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. at Novotel Manila Araneta Center.

Like Gray, the 26-year-old native of Bohol province and former London-based trade analyst has Australian ancestry is an avid traveler and has a passion for helping poor children. She serves as one of the peace ambassadors appointed by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

“Win or lose, I will continue to promote my advocacy which is to improve compulsory education in the rural areas of the country. I was born and raised in Bohol and attended primary school there. I witnessed the hardships poor students went through attending primary school. There was a huge lack of teaching materials and the quality in secondary and primary education is poor,” she mused.

Gallman, who has six siblings in the family, further said that she would like to promote her advocacy and create more awareness. And she sees winning the title as an even better platform to further a well-meaning cause.

“Seeing these children really touched my heart, that’s why I also volunteered in various orphanages,” she continued.

Revealing her game plan, Gallman said she’s been working with a styling team and has been serious with her physical training.

Her team, which she personally approached to help her with her journey in Miss Intercontinental is composed of designer L o u i s P a n g ilinan, stylist Patrick Henry Mergano, m a k e up artist Anthea

Miss Philippines Karen Gallman is competing against 86 other candidates for the elusive Miss Intercontinental crown.

Bueno and hairstylist Renz Pangilinan. For the finals, she will wear an evening gown by Benj Leguiab and Patricia Santos.

Gallman will have to surpass Katarina Rodriguez and Christi Lynn McGarry’s first runner-up finishes to be crowned by reigning Veronica Salas Vallejo as the first Filipina Miss Intercontinental.

Eton Concepcion

Gen. Bato joins Miss Intercontinental judging panel THE 47th Miss Intercontinental grand coronation night is hosted by Kapamilya talent Billy Crawford along with Japanese personality Taka Nori, and last year’s Miss Japan Intercontinental, Filipino-Japanese model Kumi Miyamae. It will be telecast on ABS-CBN and beamed via satellite on the morning of Jan. 27.

Heading the list of judges is Joanna Leonisa Oqueria Gimena Miyamae, the Chief Executive Officer of the 20-year running Miss Intercontinental-Japan as well as Miss Intercontinental Events and Management.

Joining the judging panel are trade industry business executive Marilyn de Mesa, entrepreneur and former Mr Gay World Philippines Wilbert Tolentino, former Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Ronald “Bato” deal Rosa, Turkish author and plastic surgeon Dr. Yasar Sarigul, Mexican actress and Miss Intercontinental 2010 Maydelise Columna, actor and Emmy awardee Vincent de Paul, and Falcon Crest actor Lorenzo Lamas.

International pianist Raul Sunico

Raul Sunico in historic Rachmaninoff concert at CCP THE Sunico Foundation for Arts and Technology—in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)—presents international pianist Raul M. Sunico who will perform the four piano concertos of Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff tonight at 6:00 o’clock at the CCP Main Theater.

Principal and resident conductors Yoshikazu Fukumura and Herminigildo Ranera share the conducting batons of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO).

A feat that the pianist had already achieved in 2003, this rare concert is reputed to be the only one in recorded history of its kind in the world. In 2015, Sunico also achieved a first in performing the three Tchaikovsky piano concertos in a single evening.

The Sunico Foundation for Arts and Technology Inc. (SFATI) was founded in July 2002 by the combined families and descendants of Hilario Sunico, Teodoro Sunico, and Julio Sunico with the aim of helping develop young gifted scholars in the fields of Arts and Technology. Its notable scholars in the past included selected graduates from the Philippine High School for the Arts.

Led by its president, Renato Sunico, the foundation includes representatives from the three families among its Board members.

Sunico, a former president of the CCP and dean of the UST Conservatory of Music, has recently resumed his performing activities after retirement from his positions in 2017, where his concerts have since taken him to the USA, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Japan. He had previously performed in England, Austria, Spain, Poland, Russia, Mexico, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, China, Korea, Kosovo, United Arab Emirates, and Taiwan.

A recipient of the Commendatore Award (Order of the Star of Italy) from the Italian Government, he was also conferred the TOYM as well as the Pamana for Overseas Filipinos, Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan, Awit, Aliw, Katha, Quezon City Diamond Jubilee, UP Alumni, UST Dangal, SM Global Pinoy, and the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP) Music Excellence Awards. He was recently named as a Steinway Artist where he had also recorded for its new Spirio model.

Sunico is presently the chair of the doctoral program in music of St. Paul University in Manila and continues as faculty member at the UST Conservatory of Music. He also holds various positions in socio-cultural organizations, including as VP of the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP), president of the Klassikal Music Foundation, board member of the Johann Strauss Society of the Philippines, Philippine Italian Association, Philippine Ballet Theater, Society for Cultural Enrichment, PARC Foundation, and serves as vice chairman of the international arts organization Federation for Asian Cultural Promotion (FACP).

Tickets to the concert are available at the CCP Box Office (832-3704) and TicketWorld (891-9999) outlets.

Giving Filipinos louder voice in ‘Halalan 2019’

Xian Lim and Louise delos Reyes team up for the first time in a Viva Entertainment pre-Valentine offering.

ABS-CBN News unites with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), poll watchdogs, academic institutions, professional associations, advocacy groups, government agencies, YouTube, and Twitter to give Filipinos a louder voice in the coming midterm national elections through its Halalan 2019 comprehensive special election coverage on radio, television, and digital.

The country’s largest news organization, led by ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes, held a covenant signing with partner organizations last Friday (Jan. 18) in ABS-CBN. The covenant aims to help ensure comprehensive, fair, and accurate coverage of the elections while committing to give voters a platform to air their concerns and participate in the national discourse.

Reyes said with over 20 partners that represent different sectors and field of expertise, ABS-CBN News will be able to deliver an election coverage that is suited for the current socio-political climate and will maximize the available technologies in communication

so that Filipinos have easy access to accurate news and information.

“As I scan through the names of our Halalan partners this year, it warms my heart to see many long-term partners and friends and I am also ecstatic to welcome new ones particularly some of the biggest social media organizations to bolster ABS-CBN News’ coverage of Halalan 2019. Politics and debate can be healthy components within a society, which is why we must guard and protect against entities who seek to disrupt and cheat and be steadfast against all forms of political violence,” she said.

In a message read by COMELEC commissioner Socorro Inting, COMELEC chairman Sheriff Abas also expressed gratitude to ABS-CBN and underscored the importance of media during the election season.

“I thank ABS-CBN for this opportunity to stress our commitment to have a well-educated electorate. I am confident that with the continued cooperation between COMELEC and ABS-CBN as well as with our media

ABS-CBN COO for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes, and Karen Davila at the Halalan 2019 covenant signing

partners, the Filipino people will be well-equipped with the correct and complete information that they can use in making educated choices when they go to the polls,” he said. Continued on C3