Manila Standard - 2019 January 28 - Monday

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Criminal age bill up for final reading

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta CONGRESS is set to approve on third and final reading today a bill lowering the minimum age of social responsibility to 12 years old from 15.

“We will try to pass the bill on the minimum age of social responsibility [to-

day],” said House Majority Leader and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, the committee on rules chairman.

He made the statement even as Senate President Vicente Sotto III called on the voters to support candidates supportive of the measure that seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility from to 12 from 15 years old. Next page

VOL. XXXII • NO. 347 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Jolo blasts: 20 dead, 81 hurt Twin explosions shatter Church amid Sunday mass

By Francisco Tuyay

WENTY people were killed and 81 others were wounded after two bombs went off one after the other at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral while Catholics heard Sunday mass, a week after Jolo province rejected the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

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Investigators said the first blast went off in the main hall of the church at about 8:15 a.m., sending churchgoers rushing out in a panic.

Shortly afterward, as soldiers and police responded, a second blast went off near the main entrance, killing more people.

The explosions were so powerful that some bodies were blown to pieces. Inside the church, wooden pews and windows were shattered and bodies were strewn across the ground.

The second bomb was placed in the utility box of a parked motorcycle outside of the church, just a few meters of the main entrance, initial reports said.

The fatalities included 15 civilians and five army troopers.

Some 81 were wounded, among them 14 military personnel, two policemen and 65 civilians, all brought to the Zamboanga City General Hospital. Soldiers were airlifted to Camp Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital in Jolo, Sulu, said Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, regional director of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Additional troops were deployed, including some in armored carriers, in key areas and urban centers.

Authorities initiallly blamed terrorists such as the Abu Sayyaf Group for the attack, but did not discount other groups. Next page

Fil-Australian wins elusive beauty title

By Eton Concepcion SHATTERED PEACE. This handout photo released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Public Information Office--Western Mindanao Command taken on January 27, 2019, shows debris inside the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cathedral (inset) where two bombs exploded in Jolo, Sulu just days after a regional vote for a new Muslim autonomous region. AFP

Avoid temptation online, youth told PANAMA CITY—Pope Francis called on hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims in Panama on Saturday to reject the temptation to live their lives online, and get involved in their communities.

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Enrile sees no end to disunity despite BARMM

By Macon Ramos-Araneta AS TWIN explosions claimed the lives of 20 people in a church in Jolo, Sulu on Sunday, former senator Juan Ponce Enrile warned that the creation of a new autonomous region would not completely address the disunity and conflict in Mindanao.

“Knowing the problem of the area, knowing the dynamics of the problem of Islam around the world and even in Mindanao, I have my own pessimism

that the solution might not be enough,” Enrile said at a press forum.

He said the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) would not be effective because there is no “complete unity” among the followers of the Islamic faith.

“There is an endemic latent disunity in the area and that may heighten because there are other forces Next page

FILIPINO-AUSTRALIAN Karen Gallman finally captured the international beauty title that has eluded the Philippines this decade.

Before the eyes of a cheering hometown audience, the 26-year-old native of Bohol bested more than 80 delegates from around the world to wear the 47th Miss Intercontinental crown at the conclusion of the pageant finals held Saturday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“I’m speechless! I’m just so grateful to everyone who came to support me. This victory is for all my countrymen,” the overwhelmed Gallman said backstage minutes after her historic win.

“I’m so touched and did not expect to see my whole Binibining Pilipinas family watching, especially Madam Stella Marquez-Araneta who I saw was teary-eyed for this win.”

Gallman, who once worked as a company analyst in London before returning to Manila to try her luck for the second Next page

Osaka shoots for ‘Naomi Slam’ SPORTS A7

BATTLE CASUALTIES. A cleanup program dubbed “Battle for Manila Bay” has kicked off with DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu ordering three establishments near Manila bay—Aristocrat restaurant, Gloria Maris and Esplanade—closed down for violating water disposal regulations. Norman Cruz

#Battle for Manila Bay: 2 famous restos padlocked

By Rio N. Araja THE government on Sunday closed down two famous restaurants—the Aristocrat on Roxas Boulevard and Gloria Maris near the Folk Arts Theater--for dumping wastewater into Manila Bay on the first day of a massive five-year clean-up of the country’s most polluted body of water.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through the Laguna Lake Development Authority, also issued a cease-and-desist order on a waste water treatment facility of The Esplanade in Pasay City for the same violation.

Notices of violation were also issued to commercial establishments such as the Prime Holdings, Sea Residences, Lolo Taba and Lola Pato Restaurant, and Aliw Inn. Next page

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Party list backs Imee’s call: Stop overimportation

By Rey E. Requejo STAKEHOLDERS in the agriculture industry on Sunday criticized the Agriculture department for allegedly allowing the over-importation of pork, chicken and vegetables beyond the country’s minimum access volume under the World Trade Organization.

Abono party-list Rep. and Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura chairman Rosendo So made the statement even as he backed the call of Ilocos Norte Governor and senatorial hopeful Imee Marcos to stop the importation of meat beyond the country’s WTO commitment.

So warned that many backyard raisers and farmers could find themselves out of business if the over-importation continued.

“Over-importation is hurting our hog and chicken producers. I am pretty sure there will be backyard raisers who will fold up because their earnings right now are below break-even,” So said.

He said they were fully supporting Marcos’ call to suspend the importation of pork, chicken and meat to allow local producers to recover their losses.

Under the WTO, the country’s MAV for pork is at 54.21 million kilograms while the MAV for chicken is at 23.49 million kilograms.

However, in 2018 the total pork importation reached 387.89 million kilograms or close to a 700- percent increase.

Total imported chicken reached 310.85 million kilograms or about 1,100 percent higher.

“Our livestock industry contributes 17.52 percent of our domestic products while poultry contributes at least 16.76 percent, or a total of 34.28 percent,” So said.

“Corn contributes 6.3 percent in which 80 percent of it goes to the livestock and poultry needs while palay contributes 19.5 percent in which 20 percent of it is consumed also by the livestock and poultry industry. Coconut and sugar byproducts are also consumed by the livestock and poultry industry.”

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Life was not “in the cloud, waiting to be downloaded, a new app to be discovered, or a technique of mental selfimprovement,” the 82-year-old pontiff told a massive vigil at the World Youth Day gathering.

“It is not enough to be connected all day long. To feel respected and asked to get involved, is greater than simply being online,” Francis said at the vigil, held at a park outside Panama City.

He urged them “to embrace life as it presented itself,” and look for areas where “with your hands, your heart and your head, you can feel part of a larger community that needs you and that you yourselves need.”

The pope arrived in his Popemobile and choir of hundreds swaying and clapping pilgrims welcomed him onto a vast multi-tiered stage amid a sophisticated light-show.

The World Youth Day organizers said 600,000 were massed at for the slickly produced vigil, with music, dance and periods of quiet contemplation.

Speaking at length about young people’s difficulties in finding meaning in their lives, he said many young people often feel “invisible” -- “rootless and parched without work, without education, without community, without family.” Going off script momentarily, he added: “These four withouts kill”.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a “young woman of Nazareth and was not on the social networks of the time. She was not an influencer, but she became the most influential woman in history,” he said to wild cheers.

Francis is no slouch on the internet himself, with more than 44 million followers on Twitter in accounts in nine languages and 5.8 million on a single Instagram profile.

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time at the Binibining Pilipinas pageant last year, is coming in the heels of Catriona Gray’s crowning as Miss Universe, her batchmate with similar Australian-Filipino ancestry, her father being half-Spanish-Australian while Gray’s is half Scottish-Australian. Gallman, graduated with a degree in Business Arts major in Management from Griffith University in Brisbane, also lived in Queensland at a young age like Gray, who was born and studied high school in Trinity Anglican School in Cairns.

Gallman and Gray also started their beauty queen dreams with crowns and sashes as Little Miss Philippines. And both grew up being visionary and having the same passion for helping under-

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Arroyo: Set aside P10b for Health H She instructed bicameral conference Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. to add P5 co-chairman and House committee on billion for the health facilities program appropriations chairman and Camarines to upgrade government hospitals and vil-

lage health centers.

She also sought an additional P5 billion for the health human Resources development to prevent any mass layoff of 6,000 health personnel, including doctors, nurses and dentists in government health facilities.

“There should be consistent support to our health sector because [the department] is playing a very crucial and frontline role in the never-ending need for sufficient and timely health care, especially in our poor communities,” Arroyo said.

“It needs all the funding support it can get, especially in the light of the passage of the Universal Health Care bill.”

the possibility that there are other perpetrators,” regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said.

Jolo is a base of the Abu Sayyaf, which is blamed for deadly bombings, including an attack on a ferry in Manila Bay in 2004 that claimed 116 lives in the country’s deadliest terror assault.

The Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of militants formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network, and has earned millions of dollars from banditry and kidnappingsfor-ransom, often targeting foreigners.

It is among armed groups based in the strife-torn region of Mindanao, some of whose members have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Jolo also lies in the proposed Bangsamoro Muslim-majority autonomous region, which local voters overwhelmingly approved last week.

Despite Sulu’s vote, the province is legally required to join Bangsamoro because voters from across the current autonomous region voted in favor of it on the whole.

Sunday’s bombing comes after a New Year’s eve blast in the city of Cotabato killed two people and wounded 35 others.

Cotabato last week voted to be included in the new autonomous region.

The timing of Sunday’s bombs raised questions on whether the attack was meant to derail the peace process.

Mujiv Hataman, governor of the current autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao, said the blasts highlighted the urgency of implementing the BOL. “Terrorists want to make their presence known. I hope the (law) is implemented well so it could be a solution to stop the spread of terrorism,” Hataman said.

The Palace said the authorities are wasting no time to identify the group behind the attack.

“Authorities are now investigating

these brazen attacks, which includes identifying the group behind the blast,” Panelo said.

“We condole with the families of the victims that perished in this tragedy even as we attend to the injured and give succor to their families,” he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the bomb targeting the innocent and the helpless was “the highest form of cowardice.”

Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri also condemned the attack in Sulu.

“Clearly those who took part in this dastardly act just want to taint the victory achieved by the Bangsamoro people in their ratification of the BOL,” he said.

Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan described the attack as “alarming” and asked why such an attack was carried out even under martial law.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon said the attack was an affront to the people of Sulu and Mindanao, and a direct challenge to the government efforts to achieve peace in the south.

“Targeting a place of worship on a day of worship not only ensured that there would be a big number of casualties but [would have] psychological, social and even religious impact as well,” he said.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) condemned the attack and called for religious tolerance.

“As we begin a new phase in the peace process with the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, we ask our Christian brethren to join hands with all peace-loving Muslim and Indigenous People communities in the advocacy against violent extremism,” the CBCP said in a statement. “May all our religions of peace guide us in our quest for a brighter future for the peoples of Mindanao.” With Nat Mariano, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rio N. Araja, AFP, PNA

The rehabilitation effort—dubbed The Battle for Manila Bay--began with more than 5,000 employees from 13 government agencies and volunteers to clean up the bay.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu led other Cabinet secretaries in a unity walk from the Quirino Grandstand to the Baywalk area.

Those who joined the solidarity walk were Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Danilo Lim, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda and Presidential Commission on Urban Poor chairman Alvin Feliciano.

In Bacoor, Cavite, thousands of local government officials, employees and volunteers joined in the cleanup drive.

At 7 a.m., Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin Remulla and Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla led the launching at the Barangay Zapote V multi-purpose plaza and rallied Caviteños to clean up the heavilypolluted Zapote River, the riverbanks of which are home to hundreds of squatters.

“These are our collective efforts and our commitment together with 23 cities and town mayors and barangays here

in Cavite to bring back the beauty of Manila Bay through the help of every Caviteño,” Remulla said.

Revilla said Bacoor City supports the program of President Rodrigo Duterte and the DENR for weekly cleanups, and said the city has already begun the relocation of thousands of families living in danger zones in coastal barangays, some of whom lived in houses on stilts on the river.

“From these clean-up operations, we need to record how many tons of garbage that we have collected in our respective areas and this would be until December this year,” said Eloisa Rozul, Department of the Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge for Cavite.

In General Trias City, Mayor Antonio Ferrer, together with City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) personnel and 33 village chiefs, participated in cleanup activities along the Ilang-Ilang River and the Rio Grande River in Barangay ManggahanSan Francisco area and the Tanza River in Barangays San Juan 1 and 2 and Tejero.

Noveleta town local officials, employees and volunteers showed up for the clean-up drive in the Ilang-Ilang River and the shorelines in Barangays San Rafael III and San Rafael IV, as early as 6 a.m.

Cavite Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. William Segun also led hundreds of police personnel who are deployed in the seven cities and 16 towns to participate in the cleanup campaign.

Cavite Provincial Environmental and Natural Resources Office personnel and members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection and 74 village officials and residents also joined the Manila Bay cleanup effort.

The event was held in compliance with the Cimatu’s order to intensify the information and awareness campaign, and to enforce the law on waste management.

Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, however, said the Battle for Manila Bay is lost as long as Metro Manila continues to use the bay as a gigantic septic tank.

“Up to now, everybody is in denial of the fact that pretty much all of Metro Manila’s raw and untreated domestic wastewater, mainly fecal sewage, still gets flushed down the toilet that is Manila Bay,” he said.

The official findings from the joint inspection with LLDA last January 16, 2019 is an isolated case involving only one of our tenants, the SM Group said in a statement.

The matter was immediately corrected and we are now compliant, it said.

“We will immediately meet with the LLD and discuss the corrective measures already implemented.”

On the other notices of violation served, we will comply within the 5 day grace period given to respond with the corrective actions already taken.

The SM group is in full support of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation program, the statement read.. With PNA

privileged children. Gallman experienced the hardships that students go through to attend primary school in her rural hometown in Bohol.

“I witnessed poor students suffer from lack of teaching materials and poor-quality secondary and primary education. This has made me become more passionate in pursuing my advocacy to improve compulsory education in the rural areas across the country,” Gallman said.

Gallman, who has six siblings, said her winning the title gave her 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 said.

Gallman was crowned by outgoing title holder Veronica Salas of Mexico. Miss Costa Rica Adriana Moya Alvarado, a 24-year-old Architectural-Engineering graduate, was named 1st runner-up while

Miss Slovak Republic Laura Longauerova, a 23-year-old Finance and Accounting student, finished 2nd runner-up.

Miss Colombia Hillary Hollman del Prado, a 22-year-old model-actress, was 3rd runner up while Miss Vietnam Le Au Ngan Anh and Miss Ethiopia BelLa Lire Lapso finished as 4th and 5th runners up, respectively.

“For me, success is not just about winning in life. It is about setting goals, achieving your dreams, working hard for everything you want, and always looking up to God and be thankful for everything.

For me, that is success,” Gallman, wearing a body-hugging Benj Leguiab silver evening gown, said when asked to define success during the critical question-andanswer round of the live competition.

Gallman succeeded in claiming the Miss Intercontinental title after successive close runner-up finishes by Philippine

representatives the past years with 1st runner-up Katarina Rodriguez (2017), 1st runner-up Christi Lynn McGarry (2015) and 2nd runner-up Kris Tiffany Janson (2014).

The Finals judges included former PNP Chief Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, CEO of Miss Intercontinental-Japan Joanna Leonisa Gimena Miyamae, business/ trade industry executive Marilyn de Mesa, former Mr. Gay World Philippines Wilbert Tolentino, Turkish author/plastic surgeon Dr. Yasar Sarigul, Miss Intercontinental 2010 Maydelise Columna, Emmy awardee actor Vincent de Paul and Falcon Crest actor Lorenzo Lamas.

Kapamilya Billy Crawford served as host with Japanese personality Taka Nor and former Miss Japan Intercontinental, FilJapanese model Kumi Miyamae. It was covered by ABS-CBN and beamed via satellite on Jan. 27.

By Rio N. Araja

OUSE Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is urging the bicameral conference on the proposed 2019 P3.757-trillion national budget to increase by P10 billion the allocations for the Health department to improve its health facilities and to help it retain more health personnel.

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A week before the blast, the military had locked down portions of the road network leading to populated urban centers in a bid prevent any infiltration by terrorists.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon condemned the attack, calling the perpetrators “mass murderers.”

“We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace. Security forces have tightened [security in] Sulu and the rest of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” he said.

He said they have yet to establish if the blasts were related to the recently concluded plebiscite to ratify the BOL, the law that would give Muslim Mindanao greater autonomy and the linchpin in efforts to bring peace to the region.

Unlike the rest of the ARMM, Sulu province, including Jolo, had voted against the BOL. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered a heightened alert and tighter security in all places of worship and in other public areas, and vowed that the bombers would be brought to justice.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman condemned the incident as an “act of terrorism and murder.”

“We will pursue to the ends of the earth the ruthless perpetrators behind this dastardly crime until every killer is brought to justice and put behind bars. The law will give them no mercy,” Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Authorities said the notorious Abu Sayyaf kidnap-for-ransom group could be behind the blasts.

“When you talk about terrorism in Sulu, the primary suspect is always the (Abu Sayyaf) but we are not discounting

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Health Secretary Francisco Duque had previously batted for more funds to complete over 1,000 health-care facilities.

Meanwhile, Arroyo asked for a P20-billion increase in the budget of the Department of Agriculture to raise farmers’ income and cushion the impact of inflation.

She urged the bicameral conference on the proposed 2019 General Appropriations Bill to allocate P350 million to the Department of Public Works and Highways to help over 8,000 urban poor families at the National Government Center in Quezon City to own the parcels of land they have long been occupying.

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operating in the area that may impinge on the peace and order of Mindanao,” Enrile said.

“I will always assume that in any society there are always unhappy people that can create a problem for any sitting government,” he added.

Enrile said he supported the ratification of the BOL but expressed reservations about its chances for success.

“The mere fact that the law was passed

by Congress does not solve the problem.

It has to be tested on the ground whether it will work or not. And I hope that it will work although I have my reservations,” he said.

At the same forum, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III described the BOL as a “pivotal and historic milestone” in the quest for peace in Mindanao, but said the mission of the government goes beyond the ratification of the law.

“We know from recent history that laying the groundwork for peace must be followed by a sustained effort at keeping the peace,” he said.

He said the law’s proper implementation “is one of the keys to unlocking the economic potential of the region, and a critical step to fulfilling the promise of Mindanao, which has been held back by decades of armed conflict.”

“Regional peace and stability and complementary national measures like the Ease of Doing Business Law will fuel economic development and attract the investments Mindanao needs,” he said.

Pimentel noted that the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was the country’s fifth fastest growing region in 2017, with a growth rate of 7.3 percent in that year.

“The country is benefiting from its seventh consecutive year of sustained economic growth. Spurring development in Mindanao will serve to ensure that this upward trajectory continues,” he said.

The Commission on Election’s declared that the BOL had been ratified with 1,540,017 residents voting in favor of ratification and only 198,750 voting against it.

The new region will be composed of the five provinces currently comprising the ARMM, as well as Cotabato City.

A second round of the plebiscite on Feb. 6 will determine whether the BARMM would still be expanded.

Senators expressed outrage at the bombing of a Catholic church in Jolo, Sulu, Sunday.

Senator Francis Pangilinan expressed hope that the violence would not derail efforts at peace following the ratification of the BOL.

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The House has approved on second reading the proposed measure lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 after it backtracked on its initial move to lower it to 9 years old.

In the Senate, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate justice committee, said he will propose the lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 after he wrapped up the public hearings on the issue on Friday last week.

On Jan. 23, Oriental Mindoro Rep. Salvador Paulino Leachon, committee on justice chairman, said the leadership made last-minute changes in the approval of House Bill 8858 on second reading.

From nine as approved by the Leachon panel on Jan. 21, the plenary adopted a version with 12 as the minimum age to determine the liability of a child from 15 years old now.

Leachon said the plenary approved the version changing the word “criminal” to “social” to align with the Senate’s version.

“Twelve was the consensus,” he said.

He said the bill, if passed into a law, would protect children from being used by syndicates to commit heinous crimes, such as murder, parricide, infanticide, serious illegal detention, car theft and violation of Republic Act 9165.

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Palace crows about USNW rating for PH as 50th best

By Nat Mariano THE Philippines will continue to improve its market for business, investments, and tourism, the Palace vowed on Sunday as it welcomed a report by an American web-based media outfit that the country ranked 50th in the list of best countries in the world On Saturday, U.S. News and World Report, a media company that features news, opinion, consumer advice, rankings, and analysis, announced that the Philippines took the 50th spot in the 2019 Overall Best Countries Ranking.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo welcomed the result, adding that the government will do everything it can to climb up further in the rankings.

“The Duterte Administration continuously breaks ground to nurture the country’s business climate and drive investor confidence to a higher level by cleansing the government of corrupt officials, streamlining the delivery of frontline services, among others,” he said.

“Tourism, which is one of our major economic drivers, is likewise a priority with a focus now given on environmental sustainability,” he added.

Currently, the country is ranked 22nd in adventure, 26th in open for business, and 37th in quality of life.

For Panelo, the rankings are a testament that the Philippines is already an emerging market for business, investments, and tourism.

According to the United Statesbased company, the overall ranking of 80 countries was measured on global performance with a variety of metrics, including adventure, citizenship, cultural influence, entrepreneurship, heritage, movers, open for business, power, and quality of life.

The report, which was drawn from a survey of more than 21,000 global citizens, was based on how global perceptions define countries in terms of a number of qualitative characteristics, impressions that have the potential to drive trade, travel, and investment and directly affect national economies.

Switzerland remains in the top spot for the third consecutive year, while Japan placed second after landing in the fifth spot in last year’s list.

Ranking 3rd to 5th place in the list are Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom, respectively.

On the other hand, Sweden landed on the sixth spot, emerging as the best country for green living, headquartering a corporation, and raising children.

Completing the top 10 list are Australia, the United States, Norway, and France in the 7th to 10th place, respectively.

The last in the list of 80 countries is Iraq, which failed to be included in the list last year.

No-bail case vs Marilao bet sought CONCERNED citizens of Marilao, Bulacan have asked the police that detained Andre Santos be charged with “illegal possession of explosives” after he was arrested in a 20-hour standoff in December last year.

Santos, a mayoralty candidate, was currently detained at the provincial jail in Malolos City for illegal possession of explosive and illegal possession of firearm.

Santos was arrested on December 7, 2018 for a 10-million qualified theft case filed against him by the son of a gaming consultant, his brother-in-law, and a casino partner in Parañaque City.

Following a 20-hour standoff since the night of December 6, the cops finally collared Santos at around 4 pm the next day. Two guns and a grenade were recovered from him.

The qualified theft complaint against Santos was filed by the son of gaming consultant Charlie Atong Ang, his brother-in-law, and a casino partner in Parañaque City.

The warrant of arrest against Santos was issued by Judge Aida Estrella Macapagal Fojas of Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 195.

Santos filed his candidacy for the 2019 mayoralty race on October 16, 2018, two months before his arrest.

Santos lost in the 2016 elections.

STO. NINO SUNDAY. Devotees adorn a carriage R with flowers and accessories as they prepare for a late afternoon parade of thousands of Santo Nino images which is celebrated every last Sunday of January. This time, the parade takes place from the CCP complex in Pasay City and will end at Manila’s Quirino grandstand. Ey Acasio

White March: Medics press for ‘sin tax’ hike

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

D

OCTORS and other health professionals who are pushing for an increase in the excise tax on cigarettes will stage the “White March outside of the Senate” tomorrow (Tuesday) to express their hardline stance on the issue.

The health advocates will converge at the World Trade Center in Pasay City and then proceed to the Senate to witness the Senate ways and means committee hearing on the proposed increase in the tax on cigarettes.

Earlier, Senator Sonny Angara as committee chairman debunked allegations that his committee merely “sat” on the proposal to impose additional tax on cigarettes.

There are two pending Senate bills which seek to increase the price of cigarettes: One, filed by Senator JV Ejercito and the other,

by Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Ejercito, chair of the Senate health committee, wanted a P90 per apck cigarette while Pacquiao opted for a P60/pack cigarette.

Angara said he acknowledges that sin taxes have been crucial and very important in funding health programs of the government,” he said.

“That is why our previous records would show that I have been supportive of past tobacco tax reforms such as the 2012 sin tax law, graphic health warning law, and the latest cigarette tax law being implemented this year,” he also said.

As one of the authors who pushed for

the approval of the Universal Health Law, he said they are very determined to look for ways to fund it and make it work for the Filipino people.”

Philhealth Director Anthony Leachon, and one of the convenors of the march, stressed that the increase will provide crucial funding for the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act that will benefit the current and future generations of all Filipinos from womb to tomb.

“Indeed, sin taxes have played a significant role in boosting the health budget since the legislation of the Sin Tax Reform Act in 2012. Not only did the said law significantly raise the excise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes, but it also earmark a substantial portion of the incremental revenues for health,” he said.

As a result, he said the health budget has grown tremendously over the last six years, from P44 billion in 2012 to P171 billion in 2018. This is despite the law’s effectiveness in reducing the number of smokers in the country.

CLEANUP KICK-OFF. DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu orders the closure of three establishments near Manila bay—Aristocrat, Gloria Maris and Esplanade—that have been found to have violated water disposal regulations as the Manila bay rehabilitation program kicks off. Norman Cruz

Peralta heads SC panel on rules change

By Rey Requejo THE Supreme Court has designated Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta as working chairman of the Court’s Committee on the Revision of the Rules of Court, one of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin’s 4-point agenda for the judiciary.

In a speech before the University of Santo Tomas community, Bersamin stressed that the committee on the revision of the Rules of Court “is the most important of all the committees in the Supreme Court” since aside from deciding cases, updating the rules of court “is very basic, if not the other important function of the Court under the Constitution.”

The top magistrate said that he “cannot entrust this Committee to any other person except to the most competent and that is no other than a Thomasian—Justice Peralta.”

The Chief Justice Bersamin wants to update the “procedural rules to make them embody and be attuned to the technological developments,” which tops his initial 4-point agenda for the Judiciary.

Admitting that the current Rules of Court “still contain provisions that institutionalize delays,” Bersamin vowed to “make the judicial system responsive to the public need for quick dispensation of justice.

Peralta, for his part, accepted the challenge and vowed to have a revised Rules of Court in Civil Procedure by the third quarter of 2019.

He disclosed that he is looking at “simplifying rules in civil procedure, including amending the rules on evidence, pleadings and reglementary period.”

Peralta added that “all pleadings must be evidentiary in nature, and there must be faster service of summons.”

Peralta has been an associate justice of the Supreme Court for almost ten years now. He was already twice shortlisted by the Judicial and Bar Council for the position of Chief Justice when Chief Justices Teresita De Castro and Bersamin were successively appointed.

MWSS cites Maynilad, Paranaque City for P1.7 b STP project THE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System lauded the completion of the P1.7 billion Paranaque Water Reclamation Facility, Maynilad Water’s largest sewage treatment plant in terms of processing capacity, as well as the city government’s 92 percent compliance rate in terms of sewer connections that underscore the combined efforts of all stakeholders in cleaning up Manila Bay and other tributaries.

“We are happy with the completion of this modern water reclamation facility three years after it was started. I commend both Maynilad and Paranaque City

for remaining steadfast in pushing for this flagship project, despite protestations and brickbats from motorists, as this project is not only as means to comply to the Supreme Court mandamus to clean Manila Bay but more so for the overall benefit of the people,” said MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco.

Velasco made the statement after the formal opening of the new STP facility in San Dionisio, Paranaque City the other day with MWSS Chairman Franklin Demonteverde, MWSS RO Chief Patrick Ty, Paranaque City Mayor Edwin

L. Olivarez, Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez, JICA official Yoshio Wada, Development Bank of the Philippines President and CEO Cecilia Borromeo, and other members of the MWSS Board of Trustees.

“The success story of the Maynilad Water Reclamation Facility completion and the 92 percent compliance rate of Paranaque City to sewer connectivity including its firm resolve to clear more than 5,000 out of the 8,000 informal settlers living along esteros and rivers in the city should now become the template for all other local gov-

ernment units covered by our concessionaires,” Velasco said.Paranaque City Mayor Olivarez said “this is very important step in our collective efforts to help you protect our environment, which is one of the pillars of governance agenda in the city to be business-friendly, and at the same time environment-friendly.”

Olivarez added that the start of operations of the Paranaque Water Reclamation Facility is “timely” because of the renewed drive to fast track the rehabilitation and clean up of Manila Bay led

by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Building a better life IN CASE you haven’t noticed, life is difficult, complex, and unpredictable.

You can’t change this. It’s the nature of things. But you can prepare yourself for the next unwelcome surprise.

So, how do you move forward in such a complex and confusing world?

UCLA Medical School psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Marmer offers five tips for coping with life’s unwelcome surprises. How? By building resilience.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from life’s inevitable disappointments, failures, and pains.

Let me use an analogy here.

If cars didn’t have shock absorbers, every ride would be a miserable experience. The ride through life

The greatest power anyone has is the capacity to change.

without shock absorbers--that is, resilience—would be the same. So, without building resilience—your own internal shock absorbers—it’s not possible to lead a happy and productive life.

Resilience is the opposite of fragility. To be fragile means that just about everything upsets you. And if just about everything upsets you, you will spend a lot of time angry and hurt. And if you spend a lot of time angry and hurt, you will not be a

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

happy person.

Here, I’m not focusing on severe illness, the death of a loved one, or any crushing life-changing event. In such cases, people usually need help to recover. But for most of us, such situations are rare—while the slights and disappointments of ordinary life are not. And for those, we need resilience.

OK, then. How do you develop resilience? Here are some suggestions from Dr. Marmer to get you started, drawn from his forty-plus years as a psychiatrist.

First, get some perspective.

Step back and assess your situation with as much objectivity as you can.

“How bad is this problem?” “Have I overstated it?”

Sometimes his patients think an unhappy occurrence is much more serious than it really is—usually because it’s amplified by evoking a painful childhood issue. Often getting perspective is as simple as asking yourself this question: “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” Usually you’ll discover the worst thing isn’t that bad--and isn’t even likely to happen.

Second, compare the undeserved bad things that have happened to you with the unearned good things that have happened to you.

When he asks his patients to do this, they invariably conclude that the unearned good in their life far outweighs the undeserved bad. He’d say the ratio is at least 10 to 1. In his own case, he didn’t earn the incredibly good fortune of his grandparents moving to America, or that life-saving penicillin was available to him in his childhood when he was sick. I could go on and on. And so could you.

In light of this, maybe things aren’t so bad after all. In fact, they’re probably pretty good.

Third, toughen up.

Life hits you from all directions— Turn to A5

F

A record worth setting

ILIPINOS are fond of setting world records. Sometimes, these efforts are commercially supported— such as the 2013 event in which 2,000 mothers set the world record for hand-washing a piece of fabric simultaneously, or the 2007 campaign that saw 41,038 grade school students across the country break the world record for the most number of people brushing their teeth simultaneously in different venues.

In the same year as all that tooth brushing, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and its partners helped 15,128 mothers set the record for the most number of women breastfeeding simultaneously at multiple venues.

Except for the odd individual effort—such as the woman who could move the most number of coffee beans with chopsticks in one minute (that was 38 beans), or the woman who took 260 blood tests in 24 hours—most of these record-breaking activities required organizing a large number of people to achieve a specific goal.

Most recently, for example, the province of Isabela was recognized by the Guinness World Records for gathering and choreographing the most number of people—2,495 to be exact—dressed as scarecrows in one place for its yearly Bambanti Festival.

As worthy as such promotional activities are, we certainly should be able to apply the same kind of unity of purpose and zeal toward setting an even more significant and meaningful world record.

One that immediately springs to mind is the government’s ambitious P47-billion program to clean up Manila Bay, which officially kicked off Sunday, Jan. 27.

Over the decades, domestic sewage, toxic industrial effluents and waste from factories and shipping have turned the oncebeautiful bay into the most polluted body of water in the country today.

The magnitude of the clean-up is daunting.

The catchment area of the bay is 1.7 million hectares—the size of 26 Singapores or 1,700 Boracays—and the cleanup involves not only Metro Manila but also the provinces of Cavite, Bulacan and Bataan.

In the multi-agency effort, the Department of Interior and Local Government is off to a promising start, with orders to all local government units (LGUs) to organize teams of volunteers to clean up coastal areas of Manila Bay and its inland tributaries every Saturday.

Significantly, the department

has set quantitative requirements: all local government units (LGUs) must submit post-activity reports to the DILG and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources after every cleanup session.

The reports must include the volume of collected waste in kilograms, barangays covered, the length of the cleared areas in meters, a list of participants, photo documentation and the means for disposing of the collected garbage.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año correctly observes that the collective effort and commitment of the LGUs and barangays will spell the difference between failure and success.

Perhaps as we pursue the massive undertaking, we can draw inspiration from the dramatic removal of 20 million kilos of waste in Versova beach in Mumbai, India.

There, a lawyer for the Bombay High Court decided to launch a clean-up operation in 2015 with the help of a neighbor. As the months went on, the pair were joined by more than 1,000 volunteers including workers from local companies, school children and Bollywood stars, who joined the beach cleanup every weekend.

More than three years later, the UN Environment Program has recognized it one of the world’s largest beach clean-ups in history.

Now that’s the kind of world record worth setting.

Who blinks first THAT photograph of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro on the balcony of the presidential palace reminds me eerily of another photo in the Philippines taken on February 25, 1986.

President Ferdinand Marcos and his family were on one of the balconies of Malacanang, facing a crowd of loyalists after taking his oath of office as the “duly elected president” after a critical “snap” election for president and vice-president that he was pressured by the Americans to call some three months before.

The loyalist crowd chanted “Marcos pa rin!” while somewhere else in the metropolis, at the Club Filipino in San Juan, a few hundreds proclaimed Cory Aquino and Doy Laurel the president and vicepresident of the Republic. Outside the elite club, thousands gathered to express their support.

By nightfall, Marcos was airlifted out of Malacanang and into Clark Air Base, then an American military base, and from there to Hawaii where he lived in exile until his death hastened by lupus erythrymatosus.

Venezuela’s Maduro, heir to another leftist strongman, Hugo Chavez, has proclaimed himself the “re-elected” president of this oil-rich country since gone penurious and hardly livable with thousand-percent inflation amid a shortage of basics.

But America and several Latin American neighbors dispute Maduro’s legitimacy and have proclaimed opposition leader Juan Guaido as “interim” president.

The déjà vu between Marcos and Maduro is not that much of a déjà vu, however.

Maduro is digging in, with the military, as of this writing, not yet abandoning him. Their generals, after all, were well taken care of. It’s the

people who are not.

And while America in the Philippines had its bases yet in 1986 with its influence bordering on interventionism, decades of Chavez and Maduro in Venezuela have largely crippled American influence in this oil and gas rich country.

How will POTUS Donald deal with Maduro? He cannot send a senator with a message to “cut clean” to a virtual dictator who has cut all diplomatic ties with the US of A. Maduro’s foreign minister has denounced the US before the United Nations as having initiated a “coup” against his sovereign state.

Will POTUS send planeloads of Marines, or even bomb the hell out of the Venezuelan capital?

Who blinks first? ***

It looks like a lose-lose situation for US President Donald Trump.

In the case of Trump’s firewall against Mexico and the rest of Central America, Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to be cowed by the Presidnt’s harrumphs and tweets.

So to break the longest budget impasse in American history, Trump blinked and accepted a temporary fix. Federal employees, after all, had suffered enough—five weeks of no salaries.

But Trump’s blinking had its downside. His white, isolationist, some regard as racist electoral constituency now labels him a “wimp”, the kind of derision once attached only to the previous Republican president, George W. Bush, the Junior—not the respected Senior who died recently.

Turn to A5

A test case for Bersamin IT has only been a few months since Justice Lucas Bersamin assumed the post of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He has hardly warmed up his seat when he finds himself facing what could be his biggest test so far.

This is related to a decision he penned a year and a half ago. The case involves United Coconut Planters Bank over a loan secured by Felix Chua of the Lucena Bus Terminal .

Court records show that in July 1998,

Chua and his company, who were in default of their loan obligations to UCPB, pleaded for the bank not to foreclose the secured properties and asked to restructure their loans. On March 21, 2000, he, the Lucena Bus Terminal and the UCPB signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to restructure their admitted loan obligations of P204 million.

Now, to partially satisfy their obligations, Chua “dacioned” new properties which were part of a joint venture project with his partner Jose Go. This reduced Chua’s obligation and that of the bus terminal to UCPB to the extent of P103 million only under the agreement.

The chief justice has hardly warmed his seat.

Under the restructuring agreements, Chua expressly agreed that the value of dacioned properties (including Revere belonging to Go) will be applied to the aggregate debts of Chua, the bus terminal Turn to A5

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Opinion Trust vaccines IF fake news has had dire consequences on Philippine politics, its impact had been similarly disastrous, if not worse, on public health. The Department of Health (DOH), reputable health care groups and medical professional have discredited the controversial accusations that has reportedly caused increasing casualties because of the fear of vaccines created largely by the handiwork of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO)—notably its chief Persida Acosta and forensics chief Erwin Erfe.

DOH Undersecretary Enrique Domingo said health experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) were at a loss trying to understand the public health disaster that had become of the Dengvaxia scare.

“Nobody understands why we’re reacting this way. The other countries do not understand why we’re acting this way. The WHO does not understand what happened. On a global level, it seems that only the Philippines is reacting this way,” he said.

True enough, DOH officials recently clarified that, despite the hubbub, there have been no deaths that had been conclusively linked to Dengvaxia, which had been approved in over 20 countries.

But the damage had been done.

According to DOH figures, both reported dengue cases and deaths had increased year-on-year in 2018. Government hospital reported a total of 179,540 dengue cases until November 17 last year, of which 907 resulted in deaths, an increase of 44,374 cases and 197 more deaths, respectively.

Worse, the politics-tainted smear campaign has not only demonized the drug, it has also compromised the very process of vaccination and other public health programs as well. In the wake of the scandal, DOH noted that Filipino parents in particular are still scared of the free vaccines that the government administers.

DOH National Immunization Program Manager Maria Silva said most regions recorded “very low” coverage, resulting in outbreaks of otherwise preventable diseases, such as measles in early 2018.

Who...

From A4

Well, you can’t win them all. But in the case of Donald Trump, it looks like a lose-lose situation as the Year of the Pig enters. *** Despite accusations by Mayor Sayadi of Cotabato City that many of her constituents had been coerced or intimidated and unable to vote “No,” the Bangsamoro Organic Law has been overwhelmingly ratified except in Isabela City.

What the previous Congress under President Benigno Aquino III failed to pass after the Mamasapano carnage—whose third anniversary we commemorated with continuing grief over the wasted lives of 44 SAF commandos—has now come to fruition under the leadership of Rodrigo Duterte.

We can only hope and pray that this would be the beginning of lasting peace

A test...

From A4 and Jose Go, who was also in default of his loan obligations to the bank. These documents were later on ignored by the SC in its decision.

Felix Chua defaulted again on the restructuring and never paid UCPB the remaining balance of his obligation which includes an obligation to issue shares of stock of the bus terminal company to UCPB in the amount of P68 million. To prevent the bank from foreclosing on the securities, Chua filed the instant case against the bank.

Chua claimed fraud on the part of the bank but UCPB pointed out that during the restructuring, Chua was assisted by the firm Castillo Laman Tan Pantaleon & San Jose, adding that it was even Chua’s lawyers who drafted and reviewed the agreements.

A coconut farmers’ group refuted Chua’s claim, saying it’s impossible for UCPB to be liable to pay Felix Chua P430 million when the subject matter of the case is Chua’s restructured loan to the bank amounting only to P204 million, which Chua did not pay in full.

The farmers’ group also questions why the SC is asking the UCPB to pay interest to Felix Chua in the amount of P200 million when the bank never borrowed money from Chua and the dacioned properties remained in physical possession of the businessman.

Chua, under the memorandum of agreement, has the perpetual right to repurchase, right of first refusal and right to develop the dacioned properties from UCPB. Take note that the coconut farmers have so much at stake here as they own 74 percent of the bank.

Earlier this year, in a January 10, 2019

“[The Dengvaxia issue] resulted in a very low MCV1 and MCV2 (measles continuing vaccine) coverage, which is why we had outbreaks left and right,” she added.

Affected programs, other than its “Ligtas Tigdas” campaign, include its supplemental immunization activities and the school-based and community immunization programs. This alarmed the health agency because vaccines for diseases like measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and cervical cancer are coursed through the school-based immunization program.

At the height of the scare, for instance, DOH officials in Eastern Visayas had to work hard to convince worried and incredulous parents to let their 213,717 children to take part in the otherwise routine administration of deworming pills.

“Our vaccines in the regular immunization program have been proven … Imagine what would happen to our children three to five years from now if they’re not immunized,” Molon added.

Domingo said the effect had been unprecedented. “Talagang never nangyari ‘yan sa history ng healthcare delivery na biglang whatever was given is now under suspicion. Nobody was prepared for it.

We assumed that we were all OK.” Understandably, there had been a public outcry for accountability.

Doctors for Truth and Welfare, a group of doctors led by former DOH secretary Esperanza Cabral, has called on PAO to stop spreading unproven claims about Dengvaxia, which had eroded the public’s trust on vaccination in general.

“We call for a halt to the continuous spread of unproven claims of deaths caused by the dengue vaccine by the same unqualified but noisy people who are largely responsible for the fall in vaccine confidence in the country,” the group said.

DOH Secretary Reynaldo Duque had also

urged the public, especially infants and children, to get vaccinated from vaccinepreventable diseases.

Vaccination is of course a fundamental aspect of public health. In the context of an immunization scare, DOH said there is a need to “convince our people anew on the safety and value of vaccines,” which protect the population, especially the most vulnerable, from endemic diseases.

WHO had also expressed concern over “vaccine hesitancy,” or how people display reluctance or even refusal to get vaccinated despite the availability of vaccines. “One of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding diseases, it currently prevents two to three million deaths a year, and a further million and a half could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved,” it said.

Incidentally, last year marked the 100th anniversary of the disastrous 1918 influenza pandemic that infected some 500 million people across the globe, a third of the world’s population, of which at least 50 million died. A hundred years hence, WHO warned that the world could be in for another influenza pandemic, just ten years after the A (H1N1) virus, or the swine flu, caused some 17,000 deaths worldwide. Eight deaths were recorded in the Philippines.

“The only thing we don’t know is when it will hit and how severe it will be.

Global defenses are only as effective as the weakest link in any country’s health emergency preparedness and response system,” WHO said.

The efforts of the DOH to reverse the negative impression on vaccines might be put to the test as it prepares to introduce a new vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis this year. The vaccine should have been introduced in late 2017 and is thus long overdue, said Silva. “We really cannot postpone giving the much-needed vaccine because a lot of children are suffering as we speak.”

The universal health care bill is also expected to be fully rolled out this year, another test for the department. Despite some encouraging signs—improving trust ratings, for instance—just how well it can implement what is perhaps the most comprehensive public health measure in Philippine history will require, first of all, recovering from the mass hysteria triggered by irresponsible misinformation.

Trust our health care professionals, they are the real experts. Protect the lives of your loved ones. Trust vaccines.

in Mindanao and the entire country.

Stability and order in Muslim Mindanao is the key to its own economic prosperity, with its resources largely undeveloped.

It is one big step towards alleviating the poverty of the poorest region in the country. With economic development and poverty alleviation come true justice and true democratic order. *** I received this in my mail from Doc Willie Ong, who is running for the Senate, and I will excerpt some of it: “For my campaign I have decided not to ask for any monetary donations.

Yes, we have seen how the system works and I don’t want to be caught in a deadly trap.

“My goal is not just to win but to win cleanly…we must fix our BROKEN system of elections if there is to be hope for our country…it is no wonder our country is in this sorry state.

“People will say (that) you cannot win without spending lots of money.

Then so be it. Nothing is impossible with God. At least I have kept my

conscience and soul intact, and I have fought the good fight”.

Doc Willie has joined the 2019 Senate race to dedicate himself for the “millions of sick and poor Filipinos” and to “bring (focus) on health back to the people”.

He ends with an appeal for readers to spread the word. “No donations are needed.”

Amen to that. Doc Willie Ong, whom I do not even follow in his quite amazing free medical and health advice over social media, has earned my vote.

Our political system and our electoral system both suck.

I have devoted several previous columns on this declaration about our broken system, our democracy that is all form and little substance, and I wish to God that our President in the remainder of his term does come around to revising our present Constitution.

Even without setting up a federal government, just fixing a “partyless” idiocy and making public office truly a public trust instead of a

letter to the SC Chief Justice and Associate Justices, former UCPB board member and stockholder Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza asked the High Tribunal to conduct an investigation on certain issues surrounding the August 16, 2017 SC Third Division decision on the Felix Chua-UCPB case.

Arranza pointed out that four members of the Supreme Court’s Third Division -composed of five Associate Justices and then headed by Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin—were appointed only two or three days before it promulgated the decision on the Felix Chua-UCPB case.

Bersamin is now the Chief Justice.

Justice Benjamin Caguioa was designated as an additional member of the Third Division only on August 14, 2017 or two days before the said Third Division decision dated August 16, 2017. However, this decision indicates that Justice Caguioa did not sign the same as he was on leave at the time of promulgation.

Justice Noel Tijam was also designated as an additional member of the Third Division only on August 14, 2017, or two days before the promulgation of the ruling.

Justice Samuel Martirez was designated as member of the Third Division only on August 13, 2017, or three days before the decision dated August 16, 2017. And Justice Alexander Gesmundo was designated as member of the Third Division only on August 14, 2017, or two days before the decision.

Arranza’s letter asked the Supreme Court to investigate certain issues surrounding the August 16, 2017 Third Division Decision on the Felix Chua vs. UCPB case, if only to find the answers to his questions such as: Could Justices Gesmundo, Martirez and Tijam have adequately studied the case which consisted of around 2,000 pages only in a period of two or three days before

the ruling dated August 16, 2017 was promulgated?

Was a report made by the Writer of the Decision and sent to the members of the Third Division in accordance with the Supreme Court Internal Rules?

Was the case calendared for deliberation by the Third Division after such Report, if any, was sent to its members, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s Internal Rules?

And why was there haste in promulgating the decision dated August 16, 2017 when three justices came on board only two or three days earlier and one justice was even on leave?

As what Arranza pointed out in his letter, the SC decision on the UCPB-Chua case has parallelism on an administrative case decided years back, where the Supreme Court removed a Court of Appeals Justice and even forfeited all his retirement benefits for making it appear that actual deliberations were conducted before the drafting of the decision of the Court of Appeals on a case involving Meralco.

As such, UCPB reportedly asked the SC to elevate its Motion for Reconsideration still pending at the Third Division to the En Banc. Bersamin, the ponente of August 15, 2017 decision, has yet to act on the bank’s request after a lapse of more than a year.

Two former chief justices have been removed from office due to simple issues of incorrect filing and non-filing of their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (although the first one is highly contestable as it is a correctable offense). How does the gravity of case fare compared to the two, if proven that just like that of the CA Associate Justice deciding on the Meralco case, there was no actual deliberation that took place?

Bersamin has to come out clean on this one.

Health care professionals are the real experts.

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Never again been hungering for for years.

In any event, we and not just the residents of the area of JONATHAN autonomy or even Mindanao DE LA CRUZ should all be working to ensure that we proceed with WHAT a sad and tragic day. all deliberate haste in putting Just as the dawn of a possible the structures of autonomy in lasting peace in Muslim place. This incident should not Mindanao seemed to be at stomp us into submission. But hand with the ratification of in moving on we should at the the Bangsamoro Organic Law very least pledge that incidents (BOL) by an overwhelming like this will never happen majority of voters in the area of again. “Never Again” should autonomy, a bombing incident now be the main battle cry of ripped through the heart of Jolo. all those who care for peace as As of last count, no less than 23 the foundation for progress and have been confirmed dead, 15 development in that benighted of whom were members of the region. And specially we military. The rest were civilians should vow never again will hearing mass at St. Mary’s civilians and, of course, our Cathedral. soldiers be injected into harm’s That this happened even as way as what happened in Jolo Mindanao is under martial law yesterday. speaks well of the state of affairs In that same breath, we join in the country’s second-biggest in President Duterte’s “Never island. It also puts into question Again” vow as he declared the standing of our intelligence January 25 a national day of operatives whose efficiency remembrance. It was on that and resourcefulness will now be day four years ago when 44 put into question. How did this brave young men belonging happen at all to the elite considering PNP Special that this A c t i o n was the Force (SAF) What happened same place gave up in Jolo should not of worship their lives stomp us into which was in pursuit submission. the site of of Southeast another tragic Asia’s most bombing w a n t e d years ago. terrorist, L a x i t y ? the Malaysian Complacency? Inefficiency? Marwan. That should be the We will have to ask our nation’s vow as well. We security forces to give plausible are very much aware of the answers as we proceed with the sacrifices of our security forces investigation and inject a sense as they try their very best to of safety and normalcy not only keep the peace in the region. in the area but in others in the Never again should they suffer region of martial law. the same fate as the SAF 44.

How this bombing incident As the President himself noted will now affect the peace in in declaring January 25 a day of that benighted land and with remembrance: “ Never again will it the transition into the new we allow a recurrence of such Bangsamoro Autonomous tragic event. Those in authority Region has yet to be cleared. must learn from the mistakes of But there is no question that this the past otherwise those valorous tragic incident will definitely men in uniform would have died be high up in the calculation in vain.” of concerned officials who will Indeed, as we now have to determine who commemorated the bravery and what prompted the group of the SAF 44 and grieve with to mount this heinous crime. the death of the 15 soldiers There are a number of theories who just died in that Jolo at this time – from politics to bombing, the least that we terrorism – and even just a can do is expedite the release warning to those who voted of benefits due them. We against the ratification of the should not let their families BOL. suffer anymore than losing Whatever the outcome of their loved ones with all the the probe which is now under bureaucratic goobledygook way, one thing is clear: the which usually accompany the peace which was expected issuance of benefits to the men after the BOL ratifictaion will in uniform. But more than the be like those in the aftermath immediate release of benefits of previous exercises towards is to bring to justice those who full-blown autonomy - an perpetrated the heinous crimes. uneasy, not an enduring peace Never again should we let those - which for all intents and who did these grievous deeds purposes does not bode well for go unpunished. Justice delayed this latest experiment in pursuit is justice denied. Never again of the doable and sustainable should we let these brave men autonomy that the country has die in vain.

CROSSROADS

Building...

From A4

when we can’t control circumstances, there are very few times when we can’t control how we react to them.

The late Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Charles Krauthammer provides an inspiring example of this. Krauthammer became a quadriplegic in medical school following a freak diving accident. Rather than wallow in self-pity, Krauthammer resolved to finish his medical studies from his hospital bed. He did—and without missing a single semester!

Fifth, take an honest inventory of your life.

Make a real effort to discover how you have contributed to your own misery. In other words, how many of your life’s speed bumps have you created? This will help you see that the ability to change your life lies as much within you as in external circumstances.

You can then avoid those behaviors that expose you to failure or difficulty.

Focus on your power, not your helplessness. And the greatest power anyone has is the capacity to change.

You can certainly experience happy moments without resilience. But to lead a happy life, it’s essential.

health, personal relationships, work challenges, family issues. To deal with them, you need to build up your mental toughness. The earlier in life one starts this process, the better.

That’s why parents who coddle their children and protect them from every hurt and failure are not doing them any favors. Nor are colleges that provide students with so-called “safe spaces.” To toughen up, you need to push yourself. How do you know what you’re capable of if you don’t do that?

Dr. Marmer was a sickly child. He saw himself as physically fragile. But the grueling hours in medical school and treating patients with serious illnesses during his residency showed him he was much tougher than he thought. You, too, probably have more strength than you realize.

Find out. Finding that strength will give you resilience.

Fourth, be the architect of your own fate.

Although there are many times in life eric.jurado@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

A6

News

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Congress eyes passage of medical marijuana bill Rio N. Araja

I

SABELA Rep. Rodolfo Albano III on Sunday said Congress is likely to pass on third and final reading House Bill No. 6517 or the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis.

In an interview over dzBB, Albano said the controversial measure may be approved on third reading today.

The House of Representatives could pass the measure before its sine die adjournment in June, he added.

Albano is the principal author of the proposed law legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

He said he is hoping that Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, chairperson of the Senate committee on health, would conduct a series of hearing on the matter.

“I am hoping, but of course, we do not know as far as the Senate is concerned. For my part, I have already done my part to pass the measure at the lower house. It is okay with me now,” he said.

In case the Senate fails to approve the bill, any lawmaker could

still re-file it in the 18th Congress, he said.

House Majority Leader and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, House committee on rules chairperson, confirmed that the measure will likely be passed this week.

“We will try to pass the medical marijuana bill,” he said.

Albano assured the use of medical marijuana would not come in the form of raw leaves, and that it could only be dispensed by hospital-based medical cannabis compassionate centers through licensed pharmacists.

Poe: Stop implementing ‘illegal’ DOTr admin order

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Grace Poe has asked the Department of Transportation to suspend further implementation of an order imposing stiffer fines for violations of rules and laws governing land transportation.

Poe, who chairs the Senate public services committee, said a mere administrative order—Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01 by the then Department of Transportation and Communications, Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office—cannot override a law passed

by Congress.

She said the LTFRB should suspend the JAO's provision increasing penalties on public utility vehicles that are impounded.

“This is illegal because this is not a

law. This is just a Joint Administrative Order of what used to be the DOTC. They should suspend the implementation of this immediately because this is inhumane and anti-poor,” Poe said.

At the hearing held at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, Poe’s panel was told that the JAO was arbitrarily implemented.

The order was also deemed antipoor as it targets small-time drivers and operators.

Poe earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 910 directing the Senate to investigate the “unjustly harsh” fines and penalties for land transport violations.

The JAO, the re-electionist senator noted, usurps the power of Congress to increase penalties under existing laws.

“You can only increase penalties through a law. So that JAO is against the law. That is illegal,” Poe said.

CA upholds dismissal of Immigration official

By Rey E. Requejo THE Court of Appeals has upheld the removal from the service of a ranking officer of the Bureau of Immigration in connection with the irregular issuance of Special Study Permits for foreign students.

In a 10-page decision, the CA’s Eleventh Division through Associate Justice Nina Antonio-Valenzuela dismissed the petition filed by BI-Baguio Acting Alien Control Officer Antonio Prieto seeking the reversal of the Ombudsman’s ruling issued on July 18, 2011, which found him guilty of dishonesty and ordered his removal from office.

While it affirmed Prieto’s dismissal, the appellate court modified the Ombudsman’s findings, saying the petitioner was guilty of gross neglect of duty and not dishonesty.

“Due to the petitioner Prieto’s reliance on the work of his subordinates, the petitioner Prieto did not notice the irregularities in the Special Study Per-

mits, indicating the re-use of the official receipts. The petitioner Prieto’s acts showed a thoughtless disregard of his duty as the issuing officer and ranking officer of BI-Baguio, and the lack of even the slightest care in the issuance of the Special Study Permits,” read the ruling.

Under Rule 10 Section 50 of the Civil Procedure, gross neglect of duty is categorized as a grave offense punishable by dismissal from the service.

The case stemmed from the complaints filed by a certain Jose Yu Jr. against Prieto and his subordinates, Myra Santiago and Verna Soriano, acusing them of repeatedly re-using the same official receipts as supporting documents for applications for SSP and pocketing the money paid by the foreign students.

For his part, Prieto admitted signing the permits after payments made but said he did not have direct participation in the preparation of the SSP and did not collect payments for it.

POWERING PROGRESS. Meralco workers put up a new electric post along Commonwealth in Quezon City. The old one will be removed to give way to the ongoing construction of MRT-7. Manny Palmero

20 percent fare discount for students pushed REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES TARIFF COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION ON THE IMPOSITION OF SAFEGUARD MEASURE AGAINST IMPORTATIONS OF CEMENT FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES AHTN 2017 Subheading Nos. 2523.29.90 and 2523.90.00 FOR: SAFEGUARD MEASURE (Republic Act (R.A.) No. 8800) Investigation No. SG-2019 OCCement _______________________________

ByMaconRamos-Araneta SENATOR Sonny Angara has urged the House of Representatives to immediately pass its version of the bill institutionalizing the grant of a 20-percent fare discount to students to ensure they will continue to enjoy reduced transportation expenses in the future.

The Senate has approved its

own version of the measure as early as October last year.

A counterpart bill in the House remains at the committee level and has not yet been sponsored on the floor although it was already approved by the House transportation and ways and means committees.

“We are urging our honorable congressmen to pass the House version so that we can come up

with the final bill that will be sent to Malacañang for President Duterte’s signature,” Angara said.

Last October, the Senate plenary approved on third and final reading Angara’s Senate Bill No. 1597 which seeks to institutionalize the grant of fare discount currently being enforced by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

NOTICE OF FORMAL INVESTIGATION AND PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE Pursuant to Section 9 of R.A. 8800 (Safeguard Measures Act), notice is hereby given that the Tariff Commission commenced its Formal Investigation on the merits of the imposition of a definitive safeguard duty against importations of cement (AHTN 2017 Subheading Nos. 2523.29.90 and 2523.90.00) from various countries after endorsement by the Secretary of Trade and Industry on 23 January 2019.

A preliminary conference will be held on 04 February 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the Tariff Commission Conference Room, 4th Floor, West Insula Condominium, No. 135 West Avenue, Quezon City. Matters for discussion include the timelines, nature of investigation, appearance of counsel and parties, number of witnesses, notification, accessibility of documents and public file, confidentiality of documents, submission of position paper/s and memoranda, adjustment plan, conduct of inspection and verification of data, schedules of public hearings and other activities, and such other matters necessary as may aid in prompt disposition of the case.

For particulars, pleasecontact Ms. Ma. Lourdes M. Saluta, Director II, Head of the Task Force on Cement, at Telephone Numbers 926-7476 and 928-8419, or at mail address:info@tariffcommission.gov.ph .

Issued this 28th day of January 2019, at Quezon City, Metro Manila.

MARILOU P. MENDOZA Chairperson (MS-JAN. 28, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

READY FOR SUMMER. Colorful electric fans were on display along Commonwealth Market in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

Bello disputes IBON job data LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Sunday disputed the report of IBON Foundation that the government only created 81,000 jobs from 2017 to 2018.

“Our employment data for 2018 is 810,000,” Bello said in an interview with dzBB. “What IBON did was to compare the data from the past three years to our accomplishment in 2018. You cannot compare the two,” he said.

IBON Foundation cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority which showed the number of employed Filipinos only increased by 162,000 from 41 million in 2016 to 41.2 million in 2018.

The research group said this brought the number of jobs created from 2017 to 2018 to only 81,000, which it said was the lowest level among post-Marcos administrations.

Bello, however, said employment rate increased by 2.9 percent since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed position in 2016.

Sports

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MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Osaka embraces pressure, shoots for ‘Naomi Slam’

MELBOURNE, Australia—Newlyminted Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka said she was not satisfied with back-to-back majors Sunday and hoped to complete a “Naomi Slam” after her success at Melbourne Park.

The bubbly 21-year-old laughed off suggestions her meteoric rise had put her under pressure, saying she was relishing the big time after rising from 72 in the world to number one in the past 12 months.

Japan’s Osaka becomes the first Asian to hold the top ranking after downing Czech Petra Kvitova in a tight final on Saturday night and adding the Australian crown to the US Open title she won last year.

“This feels more like I’m used to it now,” she told reporters as she posed with the trophy at a Melbourne beach on Sunday, “I know that sounds a bit strange because this is only the second one but the first time I won it definitely felt a bit more unreal.”

While her maiden Grand Slam was marred by losing finalist Serena Williams’ umpire-baiting histrionics and boos from the Flushing Meadows crowd, Osaka was allowing her follow-up success in Melbourne to soak in.

“It means a lot. I think moments like this are what you train for as a little kid

to play the Grand Slams,” she said. “To win another one is definitely a dream come true.”

The rising star said she was hungry for more Slam titles.

“The way the tennis world is, there’s always the next tournament, the next Slam, and we all just want to keep training hard and winning more,” she said.

“So, I’m not really sure if I’m satisfied.”

Osaka became the first woman to win successive majors since Serena Williams in 2015 and the youngest since Martina Hingis in 1998.

Williams went on to complete her second “Serena Slam” – holding all four majors in the same 12 month period – and Osaka was excited about the prospect of claiming the French Open and Wimbledon for a “Naomi Slam”.

“I’m not going to lie and say that thought hasn’t crossed my mind,” Osaka said. “But I don’t know.

“For me, I just have to take it one tour- Japan’s Naomi Osaka holds on to the championship trophy at the Brighton Beach in Melbourne a day after her victory against Czech nament at a time, especially Indian Wells Republic’s Petra Kvitova in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis tournament. AFP is coming up and I won that tournament last year. I feel like I have to think about that.”

Osaka was unfazed by the attention she was receiving, saying she was in the spotlight even when her ranking was languishing in the 70s. AFP

Chicano, Kilgroe rule age-group triathlon SOUTHEAST Asian Games 2017 silver medalist John Chicano and 2018 Asian Games veteran Kim Kilgroe of the Philippine triathlon team emerged victorious in the National Age-Group Triathlon 2019 series opener held at San Bernardino inside Subic Bay Freeport yesterday.

In the Men’s Elite competition of the race organized by the Triathlon Association of the Philippines in cooperation with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Tourism Department, which attracted a record field of 731 entries, the first out of the 1.5 Km swim were JC Abad Kim Remolino followed by 21-year-old Filipino-Spanish triathlete Fer Casares (from Madrid), who is in the country aspiring to be selected in the Philippine team.

Chicano, who was only 4th in the swim leg, breezed through the first transition to catch up with lead pack in the windy 40 Km bike leg. Chicano and Casares entered the second transition together and battled toe to toe in the 10 Km run leg, which saw Chicano

Top-ranked Rose keeps 3-shot lead LOS ANGELES—World number one Justin Rose shook off two double bogeys to card a three-under par 69 on Saturday and maintain a threeshot lead in the US PGA Farmers Insurance Open.

Six birdies and an eagle on the South Course at Torrey Pines saw England’s Rose maintain his grip on the tournament with an 18-under par total of 198.

“I’m playing well and just need to keep producing,” said Rose, whose 20 birdies this week are the most in the field. “It would be a great way to start 2019.”

Rose was three strokes clear of Australian Adam Scott, who had seven birdies and an eagle in his five-under par 65 for a 15-under total of 201.

First-round leader Jon Rahm of Spain was alone in third on 202 after a four-under 68. American Doug Ghim followed on 203 and Talor Gooch on 204, with Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama heading a group of five players on 205 -- McIlroy after a 69 and Matsuyama, who started the day in second place, with a one-over par 73.

Rose led by as many as six strokes, but his second double bogey of the day, at the par-four 14th, trimmed the lead and he closed with a bogey at the parfive 18th, where his second shot from the left rough found the water.

Even with the mis-steps, Rose tied the 54-hole tournament record at 18-under.

Scott’s 65 was the low round of the day and put him within striking distance in his first appearance at Torrey Pines since the 2008 US Open.

break away during the final two kilometers to win the gold with a time of 1:58:47.

Casares finished 2nd with 2:00:01 and 2018 national junior Andrew Kim Remolino of Cebu placed third with 2:02:12.

In the Women’s Elite competition of the event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, Gatorade, Standard Insurance, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines and the SBMA, Kilgroe led from start to finish in the absence of SEA Games gold and silver medalists Kim Mangrobang, who is in Portugal training, and Claire Adorna, who is attending to a family commitment.

Kilgroe finished first with 2:14:57, followed by comebacking Alexandra Ganzon 2:25:56 and Jacqui Lamparero with 2:30:32.

The Junior Elite Men Sprint Distance ((750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run) saw Tonito Alejo (1:17:19) as champion, followed by Jacob Taylor (1:17:55) and Juan Baniqued (1:18:37).

Focus on women power at PSA Awards Night ‘18 S POTLIGHT falls on women’s power when the Philippine Sportswriters Association honors the best of 2018 next month during its Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel.

For making the country proud by winning four gold medals in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia last year, Hidilyn Diaz, Yuka Saso, the women’s golf team, and Margielyn Didal will be recognized with the prestigious Athlete of the Year Award by the sportswriting community in the San Miguel Corporation-sponsored event set on Feb. 26.

Diaz topped the women’s -53kg event of weighlifting, Saso emerged individual champion in golf and steered the women’s team to the same finish, while Didal became the new toast of Philippine sports when she ruled the street skateboard competition which made its debut in the Asiad.

The four golds won by the Filipinos were the most since the quartet of Antonio Gabica, Violito Payla, Joan Tipon, and Rene Catalan won as many during the 2006 edition of the Asiad in Doha, Qatar.

In tribute to the four triumphant young ladies, popular and bemedalled athlete Bea Lucero-Lhuillier will be on hand to serve as the inspirational guest speaker in the annual affair presented by MILO, the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV. A two-sport athlete, Lucero, married to sportsman Jean Henri Lhuillier, won two

gold medals in gymnastics in the 1987 Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta, and bagged a bronze in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics when taekwondo served as demonstration sports.

This marked the first time in almost a decade the PSA under current president Eduardo ‘Dodo’ Catacutan of SPIN.ph

will have an all-female recipient of the Athlete of the Year honor.

In 2009, pool champion Rubilen Amit, long-jump queen Marestella Torres, and the poomsae team of Rani Ann Ortega, Camille Alarilla, and Janice Lagman were also feted with the same award by the country’s oldest media organization first incepted in 1949.

Other awards will also be handed out during the event also backed by Mighty Sports, Philippine Basketball Association, Rain or Shine, Northport, ICTSI, and SM Prime Holdings.

Asian Games gold medalists for golf (from left) Bianca Pagdanganan, Yuka Saso and Lois Kaye Go lead the honorees in the 2018 PSA Awards Night.

still Thai champ back in LPGT hunt at Splendido Mariners undefeated

Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang

SUPAKCHAYA Pattaranakrueang, who outlasted Cyna Rodriguez in a three-hole playoff at Luisita last year, returns to help anchor Thailand’s title drive in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, joining the likes of Punpaka Phuntumabamrung, Chonlada Chayanun and Ornnicha Konsunthea in the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Classic beginning tomorrow (Tuesday) at Splendido Taal Golf Club in Laurel, Batangas.

Pattaranakrueang, who has competed in various regional tours to hone and toughen up her game, including in India, Thailand and China, hopes to provide added push for a Thai side which took a beating from the local aces last week at Beverly Place.

The Thais dominated last year’s edition of the annual circuit put up by ICTSI, winning five of the 12 titles, including Pattaranakrueang’s thriller of a win over the former three-time LPGT Order of Merit champion, with veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn ruling the new 2018-19 season with a two-stroke triumph over compatriot Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro at Pradera Verde last December.

But Dottie Ardina, after placing third in Lubao, Pampanga, stamped her class at Beverly Place, putting in solid games in the last two rounds to run away with a six-shot victory over Pauline del Rosario.

The Pinay bets hope to cash in on the 1-2 finish with Princess Superal taking the cudgels for the hosts this week as Ardina and del Rosario embark on tougher assignment in the Women’s World Championship Qualifying in Singapore.

Superal, the reigning LPGT OOM titlist, struggled to finish joint fifth with Konsunthea at Beverly but feels good about her chances at the rolling, wind-raked Splendido layout.

Thurman decisions Lopez, retains WBA welter crown

NEW YORK, United States—Keith Thurman returned from a near two-year layoff to retain his World Boxing Association welterweight world title with a 12-round majority decision over Josesito Lopez on Saturday.

America’s Thurman, showing no sign of rust, knocked down Lopez with a massive left hook to the chin in the second as he controlled the early rounds.

He weathered a storm in the middle rounds, with Lopez unleashing a fierce

barrage in the seventh that had the champion in trouble.

Thurman was deemed the winner by two judges by scores off 115-111 and 117-109 with the third seeing it a 113113 draw.

“The champ is back!” said Thurman, who was forced to surrender his World Boxing Council belt as he was idled by injury but retained his WBA “super” world title, one rung above the “regular” WBA belt held by Manny Pacquiao.

Thurman, who improved to 29-0 with 22 wins inside the distance, said he’d be ready to take on the Filipino ring icon before the year is out.

“Maybe Brooklyn, maybe Vegas, wherever Manny Pacquiao wants it,” Thurman said. “I’d even fight him in the Philippines if I have to.”

Thurman was fighting for the first time since edging Danny Garcia by split decision in March of 2017 to unify two 147-pound titles.

after 6 games

SIX straight games and the Philippine Merchant Marine School cagers have remained undefeated in the NCRAA men’s basketball tournament.

The Mariners added sinking Asian Institute of Maritime Studies to their list of victims following a 95-71 win and served noticed of their title aspirations.

PMMS joined defending champion Olivarez College and Centro Escolar University as the only other undefeated team in the tournament. The Mariners and the Sea Lions, joint leaders in Group A, will collide on the final day of the elimination round to determine the top seed heading to the quarterfinal round.

Coach Aldrin Morante, also the head coach of the Pampanga Lanterns in the MPBL, drew big games from Bryan Hilario, Joshua Templo and Mark Agustin to put away AIMS. Hilario scored 12 of his 22 points in the first period alone, while Templo picked up from where his teammate left off and added 12 of his 15 points in the second period as the Mariners gained control of the match.

Agustin also made key contributions by dropping 10 of his 14 in the third, allowing the Mariners to secure another one-sided victory, one that would ready their troops for the much-awaited showdown with the Seahorses.

PATTS College of Aeronautics, on the other hand, moved closer to securing a quarterfinal berth by whipping Pasig Catholic College, 91-81.

John Cymon Reed poured in 11 points in the first period to jumpstart the Seahorses’ blazing start all the way to securing a convincing win.

Sports

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

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MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

NLEX Road Warriors bruiser Raul Soyud (16) clears space by planting a hand on the face of Rashawn McCarthy (left). PBA Media

NLEX Road Warriors crush Dyip N

By Jeric Lopez

LEX Road Warriors vented their ire on Columbian Dyip, 107-97, to break a three-game slide and finally break into the win column in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Poy Erram continued to impress by leading the Road Warriors’ charge with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds for a nice double-double showing.

He got plenty of support from Ken Ighalo, Mike Magat and Kevin Alas, who added 19, 14 and 13 markers, respectively, for more firepower.

Fighting with a sense of urgency from the start, the erstwhile winless Road Warriors unleashed their best game of the season by far.

NLEX nailed its first win and improved to 1-3 while Columbian slipped to a 2-2 mark.

The game was practically a cruise for NLEX as it virtually broke free right af-

ter one.

Led by Erram, Alas, Magat and Ighalo’s collective efforts early on, the Road Warriors swiftly uncorked an avalanche of points to take a gigantic 39-16 cushion at the end of one.

There was no looking back from there as NLEX even upped its edge to 26 points, 68-42, at the turn.

The shell-shocked Dyip was in a contest at no point. Columbian was only able to trim its deficit in the second half and make the final count respectable.

By halftime, Erram, Ighalo and Alas were all in double-figures scoring already.

JR Reyes led Columbian with a

team-high 17 points while CJ Perez and Rashawn McCarthy each had 16 in the Dyip’s losing cause.

The scores: NLEX Road Warriors 107 - Erram 23, Ighalo 19, Magat 14, Alas 13, Paniamogan 11, Galanza 9, Taulava 6, Tallo 5, Porter 4, Tiongson 3, Soyud 0, Baguio 0, Fonacier 0.

Columbian Dyip 97 - Reyes 17, Perez 16, McCarthy 16, Celda 14, Escoto 10, Cahilig 8, Calvo 7, Faundo 5, Cabrera 2, Agovida 2, Corpuz 0, Camson 0, Khobuntin 0, Tabi 0.

Quarter scores: 39-16, 68-42, 85-78, 107-97.

Del Rosario launches new football tourney

By Reuel Vidal ANTON Del Rosario, former member of the Azkals national football team and former Kaya Football Club team captain, brings a more exciting brand of football with the holding of the Philam Life 7s Football Tournament.

Played at less than half the pitch using smaller goals, with seven players each instead of the full 11 per team in a regular football match, 7-a-side is a faster-paced, more exciting game.

“Filipinos watch basketball because it is more exciting than watching football. Unless you are a football fan then you will find it (football) boring,” said Del Rosario during the launch of the football tournament last weekend at the Belle And Dragon in Makati.

“Where 11-a-side it’s played for 90 minutes and you get an average of two goals a game. In 7-aside we go for 15 minutes (per half) and we have an average of five to six goals in every game,” said Del Rosario.

“And then another benefit is that an 11-a-side game can end in ties. In 7-a-side there’s no such thing as a tie. There will always be an end result for a winner. And then we do a playoff format. We do have a champion.”

Games will be held at McKinley Hill Stadium. Admission is free.

Gates are open for anyone to watch.

Spectators are not limited to the stands. They can approach the sidelines and see the action up close.

The tourney gives veteran football players a place to pursue their passion, encourage others to play and ultimately show Filipinos football can be more exciting.

Del Rosario said Filipinos like basketball so much because there is a lot more action. Football is hard to get into because it is more about tactics and execution rather than back and forth action. Most Filipinos find it boring.

NU Bullpups trounce UE Junior Warriors

By Peter Atencio GERRY Abadiano fired 17 points for the Nazareth School of National University Bullpups as they whipped the University of the East Junior Warriors, 77-56, yesterday and firmed up their grip of the Final Four semifinals in the 81st University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball Tournament.

Big man Kevin Quiambao added 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Bulldogs, who moved a win closer to a twice-to-beat advantage with their 11-1 win-loss record, and as action ended at the Arena in San Juan.

The defending champion Ateneo Blue Eaglets kept their chances alive in joining the Bullpups in the Final Four with their 87-78 beating of the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs, and with their 9-4 slate in third.

The Bullpups took control of the game in the third period, after Quiambao struck from underneath

and Rey Torres scored on a threepoint play in the last 7:15.

In the third period, Tamayo eked out nine points in the last 3:52 as the Bullpups went on to hike their lead to 16, 72-54.

Tamayo’s big game came in the absence of ace scorer Terrence Fortea, who is serving a one-game suspension.

Kai Sotto provided big baskets for the Blue Eaglets with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

And he got support from starting point guard Ian Espinosa and power forward Geo Chiu, who had 15 points apiece.

The Tigers, with Mark Nonoy making 27 points, enjoyed a 42-32 edge at halftime.

But the Blue Eaglets turned the tables around in the third period.

Sotto and Forthsky Padrigao, combined for the 14-0 run in the third period.

Shattering a 40-all deadlock, the Blue Eaglets went on to take a 63-54 before the fourth.

Djokovic grabs magnificent seventh Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia—An imperious Novak Djokovic won a record magnificent seventh Australian Open title by routing Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 Sunday with a display of flawless tennis.

The Serbian world number one dominated the Spanish second seed to win his 15th Grand Slam title in just 2hr 4min on Rod Laver Arena.

It put Djokovic, 31, out on his own ahead of Roger Federer and Roy Emerson, who both won six Australian Open men’s singles titles.

A confident Djokovic opened the match with a serve to love and then promptly broke the out-of-sorts Nadal – remarkably his first service break since round one against James Duckworth.

The Serb was being aggressive and Nadal looked rattled. He won only one point out of the first 12 to find himself 3-0 down.

Djokovic had a break point to make it 4-0 but the Spaniard hung on to hold and finally got in the match, pumping his fist in celebration. But again the world number one held to love, meaning the sluggish Nadal hadn’t won a point on three Djokovic service games.

So bad was Nadal playing that he had a rare air shot – a swing and miss on what should have been a straightforward forehand as Djokovic served to love for a fourth game. Nadal showed glimpses of his best in the next game as he held, but Djokovic was simply too good and served out to easily take the set 6-3. AFP

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) posts up against Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) during their game on January 26, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. AFP

Durant powers Warriors to 10th straight victory LOS ANGELES, United States—Kevin Durant scored a game-high 33 points as the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors won their 10th straight game with a 115-111 victory over the Boston Celtics on Saturday.

Stephen Curry scored 24 points and Klay Thompson finished with 21 as the Warriors won the first head-to-head meeting this season between the two Eastern Conference powerhouses.

“They started off that fourth quarter on a nice little run to cut the lead and we stayed poised,” said Durant. “My teammates had my back. But coming in here on the road to get a W in Boston is pretty solid for us.”

Kyrie Irving scored 32 points with 10 assists and Al Horford had 22 points and

13 rebounds for Boston, who had their five game win streak stopped.

The game featured 21 lead changes as Thompson made a couple of clutch free throws in the final minute, and then Curry iced the victory with a pair of foul shots with six seconds left in front of a crowd of 18,600 at the Boston Garden.

Elsewhere, LaMarcus Aldridge played through the pain of a sore left wrist to tally 28 points and 12 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans 126-114.

Aldridge had 16 points in the first half, and then added 12 more in a key scoring burst in the third quarter which saw the Spurs break the game open. The visitors used a 25-12 run to stretch a three-point lead to 85-69.

Rudy Gay had 22 points and 11 rebounds for San Antonio, who ended a two-game winless streak.

Jrue Holiday had a game-high 29 points and Jahlil Okafor added 24 points and 15 rebounds for the depleted Pelicans, who lost their third consecutive game.

Anthony Davis, Julius Randle, Nikola Mirotic and E’Twaun Moore were all missing from the Pelicans’ lineup with injuries.

The Spurs were without their top scorer DeMar DeRozan, who was sidelined with a sore left knee.

Coach Gregg Popovich said before the contest that DeRozan is dealing with several nagging injuries and will benefit from some extra rest time. AFP

IN BRIEF Malampaya shutdown worries Energy’s Cusi THE Department of Energy is considering several measures to prevent price spikes during the expected shutdown of the Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan in October.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the DoE wrote the service contract 38 consortium, operator of the Malampaya gas project, asking about the maintenance schedule this year.

Cusi said he wanted to know as early as possible the timeline of the shutdown so preparations can be made ahead.

“We don’t want to be unprepared. I want to know. They said October this year. What are preparations, measures that will be undertaken (so) that there will be fuel for the plants that are dependent on them,” the energy chief said.

The Malampaya gas-to-power project fuels five natural gas power plants with a total capacity of over 3,000 megawatts.

Cusi said some natural gas power plants could run on condensate, which is produced by the Malampaya gas field.

A source from the SC 38 consortium said the shutdown would be for “less than a week.” Alena Mae S. Flores

EDC to spend P10m for Boracay wetland BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan—Energy Development Corp. is investing P10 million as part of rehabilitation efforts in its adopted wetland in Barangay Balabag here over a three-year period.

“Under our memorandum of agreement with the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), the BWCP (Barangay Wetland Conservation Park) is a threeyear project,” said EDC corporate social responsibility head Allan Barcena said.

“We plan to invest P10 million during this period. Aside from the walkway and view deck, a visitor information center and other visitor amenities will be built here in the future,” Barcena said.

The 7.79-hectare Wetland No. 2 is one of the nine wetlands in the island identified by the DENR where environmental rehabilitation is needed. The brackish water swamp has been turned into a construction dump over the years.

Wetlands are areas that are permanently or seasonally saturated by water and play a critical role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business Delayed budget approval to hurt first-quarter GDP F

By Julito G. Rada

INANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the delay in the approval of the 2019 national budget is costing the government around half a billion a day that will “certainly” affect the economy in the first quarter.

“I just computed it. The budget delay cost the government P46 billion for the first quarter. In other words, we cannot spend P46 billion of what we planned to do,” Dominguez said at the sidelines of the annual reception for the banking community at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday evening.

“You know how much P46 billion is?

Half a billion a day. So that is the amount of money that is not circulating. That is not going to serve the public with infrastructure projects, etc. Half a billion a day. That’s a result of the budget delay,” Dominguez said.

He said the government would miss the best opportunity to implement infrastructure projects during the most appropriate time of the year.

“And this is the best time to start projects. So you missed that. So our GDP for the Q1 is certainly going to be affected,” he said.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said a reenacted budget was one of the “sour points” of the economy this year.

“Hopefully, Congress will be able to reconcile the two versions between the Senate and the House and come up at least in the first quarter so that there will be no delay not only in the infra but also in the payment of the payables and the payment of salaries of outtsourced personnel,” Guinigundo said.

The Budget Department on Jan. 3 issued the guidelines for the reenacted budget in the first quarter of the year pending the congressional approval of the 2019

General Appropriations bill.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the DBM would continue to oversee the budgetary operations of the national government, especially as it runs on a reenacted budget for presumably the first quarter of 2019.

“We will do what we can to minimize the damage to the Philippine economy, particularly public construction. You see, as early as the first working day of the year, we have come up with the guidelines for fund releases under the reenacted budget,” Diokno said in a statement.

“The sooner the 2019 GAA is passed, the better for the economy and the Filipino people. Ramping up our investments on infrastructure and social services will only be sustainable if the budget is authorized by Congress,” he said.

Pending the Congressional approval of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill, the national budget for fiscal year 2018 was deemed reenacted as mandated by Section 25 (7), Article VI of the Constitution.

The reenacted budget will remain in force until such time that the GAB is passed into law by Congress.

Oceana: Fish imports will not solve PH woes THE Philippines’ plan to import fish again to contain food prices will not fix the real problems that are preventing the country from producing its own food from the sea, according to Oceana, the largest international organization working exclusively to protect and restore the world’s oceans.

“Short-term imports may actually put long-term food security and fisherfolk at risk.

The issues haunting fisheries management can only be solved through a more comprehensive and participatory plan,” said Oceana Philippines vice president Gloria Estenzo Ramos.

The Philippines is the eleventh largest fish producer globally, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as of 2016.

Ramos said stakeholders from the government, private sector and civil society organizations must work together to curb overfishing, halt the decline of fish supply and ensure sustainable income for fisherfolk. Othel V. Campos

INVESTMENT PROMOTION. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (third from left) discusses possible investment promotions collaboration with Travelzen Worldwide Co. Ltd. Group of Companies and DCM Group of Companies chairman Thomas Tar Pui Kwok (left) and Yeung Marine Holdings Inc. chairman Donny King Shing Yuen (second from left). The collaboration will be in a form of a Philippine Investment and Tourism Center in Shanghai, China. The partnership will aid DTI in its investment promotion programs and encourage more Chinese investors to visit the Philippines and look for investment opportunities in the areas of tourism, real estate and food processing.

Most Filipino businessmen expect higher revenues in 2019—Grant Thornton poll

By Othel V. Campos ABOUT two-thirds of Filipino business leaders are highly optimistic about the economy in 2019, making the country the most upbeat in Southeast Asia, results of Grant Thornton’s International Business Report show.

Filipino businessmen expect to earn more, charge more and employ more this year, it said. About 70 percent of executives surveyed expect revenue to increase in 2019―a contrast to the more reserved global outlook of net 39 percent.

About 66 percent of IBR respondents also expect to increase the selling prices of their products and services, while 52 percent of those surveyed intend to increase their exports and 62 percent plan to employ more people in 2019.

It said 65 percent of business leaders surveyed hope to increase the salaries of their employees over the next 12 months.

Optimism for the Philippines’ economic outlook in 2019 is the highest among Southeast Asian countries at net 66 percent, followed by Indonesia at net 61 percent and Vietnam and Malaysia at net 38 percent.

The report said while the general outlook for the Philippine economy remained very optimistic, financial constraints were expected to be the most significant external barrier to expanding internationally.

“It doesn’t look like a downturn is on the horizon. Sentiment has more likely decreased owing to slower trend growth, subdued inflation and low macro volatility―a so-called ‘normalizing’ of the global economy,” said P&A Grant Thornton chairperson and chief executive Marivic Españo.

The business outlook for the Philippines reflects the outlook for both Asean and the rest of Asia Pacific―optimism has slightly dropped, but the region remains more optimistic than other parts of the world.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

B1

European firms holding back PH investments

By Othel V. Campos EUROPEAN companies held back at least P25 billion worth of investments since 2018 and may continue to do so until the government makes a firm decision on the proposed Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-quality Opportunities or Trabaho bill, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines said over the weekend.

The chamber said many European firms were unsure if they would continue to manufacture in a new incentives-regime that could lessen if not curtail the profitability of their operations in the country.

“I only know, personally, a handful of companies. But I think there might be more out there,” said ECCP executive director Florian Gottein.

He said there could be 10 European companies, mostly into manufacturing, that suspended expansion plans in the Philippines.

These included companies that have been doing business in the country for decades already, he said.

These companies were among the first to be vocal about their sentiments against the proposed bill.

Based on the 2018 investments update released by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the drop in annual investments was substantially influenced by uncertainties brought by the propose reforms in incentives and perks under the Trabahol bill.

Investments in economic zones dropped 40.97 percent to P140.24 billion in 2018 from P237.57 billion in 2017.

Data culled from Peza showed that the number of investment projects also declined 4.51 percent to 529 last year from 554 projects in 2017 Exports from economic zones, however, increased 6.58 percent to $45.18 billion as of October 2018 from $42.38 billion a year ago.

Govt eyes NGCP shares in initial public offering

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy wants the government to acquire shares in transmission network operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines once it proceeds with its initial public offering.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said NGCP should proceed with the IPO under Republic Act No. 9511, the law that granted the franchise to the company to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity.

RA 9511 requires NGCP to list at least 20 percent of its shares in the stock market within 10 years after it started operations.

“In the franchise of NGCP, there is a certain percentage of the shares that must be tendered to the public under the IPO, and that should be done within 10-year [period], but that expired last December 2018,” Cusi said.

“So that the public will have an ownership. So what are the possibilities with that? Let’s say there is a tender offer, then

the government can buy and we could have a seat in the board,” he said.

He said the government buying a stake in NGCP, the country’s lone transmission operator and grid operator, is an “option available to government and all of us.”

Cusi said NGCP sought for a one-year extension to undertake the IPO. NGCP filed its application with the Energy Regulatory Commission in December and asked for a one year extension from January 2019.

NGCP asked for a “reasonable extension of time to comply” which it said is allowed under the law.

Section 8 of the RA 9511 states that “the grantee shall list, subject to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange, and make a public offering of the shares representing at least 20 percent of its outstanding capital stock or a higher percentage that may hereafter be provided by law within 10 years from the commencements of its operations.”

The law also states that the listing in the PSE of any company which directly or indirectly owns or control at least 30 percent of the outstanding shares of the stock of the NGCP would be considered in full compliance of the listing requirement.

The law states that in case NGCP cannot comply with the listing during the 10year period, it can file an application with the ERC for a deferment.

“In case compliance of this requirement is not reached, the Energy Regulatory Commission may upon application of the grantee, and after notice and hearing, allow such reasonable extension of the period within which the grantee should lists its shares of stock, if the market condition is not suitable for such listing,” the law states.

The National Transmission Corp., the owner of the government’s transmission asset, opposed the petition filed by NGCP for extension of the period of listing its shares of stock, saying it failed to prove that the market conditions for the listing were not ideal.

BSP considers reducing reserve requirement ratio

By Julito G. Rada THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is considering the resumption of reserve requirement reduction, following the deceleration of inflation rate which is expected to settle within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent this year.

Bangko Sentral Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. in a speech read by Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier during the annual reception for the banking community on Jan. 25 said the bank remained on track of the medium-term goal of a phased and gradual approach in reducing the reserve requirement ratio of banks to a single-digit level.

“Our latest forecasts indicate that inflation will return to the 2 to 4 percent target this year and in 2020,” his statement said.

“We now see scope for further reduction on the RRR as we see inflation returning firmly to within target and with inflation expectations stabilizing,” Espenilla said.

Espenilla is currently on an extended medical leave for treatment on tongue cancer that was diagnosed in the latter part of 2017.

He said 2018 was an exceptional year for the Bangko Sentral in pursuit of bold financial sector reforms. He said the regulator introduced several refinements in the Interest Rate Corridor system which provided BSP with greater operational flexibility.

With the resulting firm anchoring of market rates to the IRC, Bangko Sentral was able to reduce reserve requirements ratio by a total of 200 basis points as operational adjustments.

“This keeps us on track of the medium-term goal of a phased and gradual approach in reducing RRR to single-digit level,” Espenilla said.

The reserve requirement (or cash reserve ratio) is a central bank regulation employed by most, but not all, of the world’s central banks, that sets the minimum amount of reserves that must be held by a commercial bank.

The policy-making Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral made a one-percentage point cut in the reserve requirement ratio of banks from 20 percent to 19 percent in February 2018. The regulator followed it up with another one-percentage point cut in May 2018 from 19 percent to 18 percent.

BPI INVESTMENT’S AWARDS. BPI Investment Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of the Philippine Islands, takes home 12 awards during the 12th PIFA Annual Awards Night held in December 2018 at the Tower Club, Makati City. The Philippine Investment Funds Association affirmed BIMI’s position as one of the best fund managers in the country, with seven of its managed funds being recognized as the top performers in their respective asset classes. Shown are BIMI Investments team members (from left) Michael Paul A. Capilitan (accounting officer), Czarina Lei Ignacio (investment support officer), Charlton Sean Gaerlan II (equity trader), Jose Mari Valmayor (chief operating officer), Dominic Yatco (distribution, marketing and product development officer), Gladys Lim (fixed income fund manager), Francis Lorenz Espiritu (compliance officer), Maria Paulina Mayor (fixed income trader) and Jose Ramon Antonio Matoto (risk officer).

B2

Business

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market likely to stay above 8,000 S

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to continue to move above the 8,000-point level this week as the market tries to build a strong base before attempting the 8,150 level.

Analysts said continued foreign buying was boosting market sentiments after the index touched an intra-week high of 8,116.23 last week.

A tamer inflation rate for the month of January could also boost the market and will support the status quo on interest rates.

“Continue to watch out for the 8,100-

8,200 area as it proved to be too tough to beat. Support for the index should it move downwards is in the 7,750 area,” said Papa Securities trader Gio Perez.

The upcoming week-long Chinese Lunar New Year could affect the trading volume but it could provide the market the much-needed technical pause.

The market started the year at 7,489 points and has since gone up by 7.9 percent.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week ended flat at 8,053.20 on mixed trading.

The index started the week on a weak note ahead of the lower-than-expected gross domestic product data for 2018.

However, the market started to turn positive in the latter part of the week despite new uncertainties in the US-China trade negotiations.

Three sectoral indices moved to positive

territory, led by services which jumped 1.34 percent, industrial which rose 1.1 percent and financials which advanced 0.5 percent.

In contrast, mining and oil declined 4.1 percent, while the holding firms and property sector fell 0.9 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

Foreign investors were net buyers for the week by P3.05 billion, while the average daily value stood at P6.8 billion, down from the previous week’s P11.2 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were ABSCBN Corp., which rose 10.9 percent to P24.95; San Miguel Corp., which climbed 8.4 percent to P168.50; and PLDT Inc which gained 6.5 percent to P1,328.

Weekly top price losers were Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which declined 8.2 percent to P62.30; Philex Mining Corp., which dropped 6.5 percent to P3.90; and

Nickel Asia Corp., which dipped 4.5 percent to P2.52.

Meanwhile, world stocks rose Friday, ending a shaky week on a positive note as investors looked ahead to crucial trade talks this week between China and the United States, and responded to solid corporate earnings reports.

US President Donald Trump announced he had agreed to re-open the federal government after public services started to buckle—but markets appeared little moved.

European and US equities barreled higher after a strong performance in Asian equity markets.

Karl Haeling of LBBW told AFP Wall Street was most receptive to positive news.

“The market still trades with this bias to react more to positive news than negative news,” he said. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

JANUARY 21-25, 2019 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Chinatrust Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

59.6 136.50 91.15 2.17 1.50 27.8 27.95 7.59 16.5 12.56 4.86 8.00 1.43 815.00 0.450 83.35 1.07 12.5 21.00 44.50 60.25 120 184.5 26.8 174.2 1800.00 64.50 1.14

24,160 10,997,380 8,844,050 1,116,000 3,405,000 1,281,900 62,300 2,700 599,600 2,209,700 903,000 11,400 56,000 60 1,770,000 10,615,900 9,176,000 95,800 490,900 904,800 73,990 360 17,800 267,900 1,582,050 2,760 84,310 209,000

FINANCIAL 1,421,615.00 1,473,499,458.00 811,695,000.00 2,411,760.00 5,301,910.00 35,885,110.00 1,743,365.00 20,068.00 9,836,654.00 27,048,630.00 4,248,910.00 99,916.00 80,920.00 48,900.00 792,950.00 879,382,205.00 9,322,270.00 1,200,358.00 9,383,760.00 40,661,120.00 4,410,912.00 43,522.00 3,230,169.00 7,213,435.00 278,019,947.00 4,972,860.00 5,439,043.00 242,100.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation PH Resorts Group Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

38 16.2 1.02 1.4 0.246 90 16.98 2.32 15.9 140 30.9 64.7 75 41.4 1.79 6.12 6.4 11.680 15.8 8.18 7.43 1.55 20.5 74.45 27.85 2.1800 6.34 11.8 1.740 323.60 53.00 4.3 3.1 10.00 27.1 12.36 18.1 0.180 372.00 6.13 1.4 3.63 7.80 6.80 9.10 1.30 10.70 47.1 5.8 4.76 1.89 2.88 1.47 12.02 94.45 6.4 0.126 0.97 149.3 2.36 2.12 1.55

6,297,600 2,530,000 37,473,000 1,721,000 4,250,000 210 20,300 141,134,000 1,320,200 560 483,700 2,890 90 2,099,400 441,000 312,600 143,200 19,097,700 4,790,000 4,186,500 6,305,300 90,000 10,846,100 926,850 2,276,100 51,811,000 3,846,100 7,756,300 2,603,000 2,077,440 102,700 181,000 90,000 30,500 3,611,800 4,146,700 29,030,100 1,330,000 1,340,240 254,800 40,172,000 488,000 11,183,100 14,303,000 14,400 125,158,000 17,702,200 4,968,300 20,200 196,000 2,588,000 82,000 898,000 4,550,500 3,328,320 877,500 2,170,000 1,367,000 7,507,720 653,000 39,394,000 19,207,000

INDUSTRIAL 236,595,380.00 35,166,842.00 39,400,530.00 2,357,320.00 1,026,050.00 18,125.00 335,606.00 343,232,640.00 20,785,892.00 76,468.00 14,934,290.00 186,213.00 6,580.50 86,912,575.00 776,090.00 1,960,498.00 929,111.00 222,512,268.00 75,783,808.00 35,340,679.00 46,823,877.00 139,500.00 219,636,940.00 70,254,394.50 62,574,210.00 113,576,120.00 24,100,613.00 93,012,876.00 4,609,560.00 669,318,184.00 3,981,620.00 778,160.00 283,060.00 308,888.00 98,886,475.00 51,803,482.00 516,297,902.00 236,560.00 498,197,558.00 1,516,233.00 56,427,960.00 1,801,090.00 87,440,757.00 102,983,718.00 131,128.00 159,708,990.00 189,447,298.00 232,830,915.00 117,250.00 926,480.00 4,842,940.00 231,310.00 1,263,620.00 54,283,692.00 308,799,040.50 5,523,123.00 272,320.00 1,283,010.00 1,096,795,871.00 1,542,410.00 81,490,030.00 30,307,030.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ Asiabest Group ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.660 62.30 14.38 0.80 6.55 26.45 1.450 1.440 921.5 7.46 12.00 4.9 12.48 0.227 1020 5.95 64.65 5.8 0.63 5.49 15.66 0.590 4.95 2.57 0.0410 1.160 2.430 2.56 168.50 2.28 989.00 1.35 0.82 277.000 465.00 0.2500 0.228

107,036,000 7,786,570 52,409,200 2,313,000 72,800 393,700 141,080,000 22,168,000 3,098,360 6,621,200 20,805,000 1,000 3,282,900 300,000 302,925 21,300 9,012,110 61,300 2,045,000 8,626,000 13,049,900 21,469,000 96,037,300 5,000 145,700,000 877,000 2,415,000 17,000 5,876,830 4,000 1,139,830 910,000 961,000 99,990 1,040 13,440,000 130,000

HOLDING FIRMS 71,962,110.00 510,438,615.50 741,592,748.00 1,759,830.00 473,355.00 10,478,785.00 212,746,880.00 33,332,790.00 2,832,470,650.00 48,882,001.00 251,619,796.00 4,900.00 40,936,154.00 66,250.00 313,708,765.00 126,399.00 597,671,109.00 351,210.00 1,229,390.00 48,264,915.00 197,993,696.00 12,887,970.00 476,449,685.00 12,850.00 5,764,400.00 1,064,670.00 6,036,330.00 43,640.00 986,257,382.00 9,120.00 1,117,768,125.00 1,247,170.00 760,470.00 25,460,170.00 487,630.00 3,357,450.00 29,530.00

3,265,500 6,384,000 9,500 306,000 18,759,000 44,527,400 17,615,000 1,394,000 200,100 119,760,000 691,000 517,000 71,000,000 3,710,000 4,585,500 2,411,600 3,727,000 300,000 109,675,000 4,261,000 3,000 117,723,500 86,120,000 93,475,000 1,480,000

PROPERTY 28,509,399.00 5,253,530.00 101,654.00 514,350.00 17,161,860.00 1,983,603,100.00 44,868,530.00 5,896,000.00 1,267,343.00 55,608,200.00 552,920.00 451,120.00 17,142,940.00 1,389,000.00 40,187,485.00 49,897,830.00 1,866,315.00 35,270.00 172,296,460.00 5,088,930.00 14,440.00 621,224,561.00 36,586,150.00 221,503,810.00 685,650.00

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil Infradev Phil. Estates Corp.

8.780 0.81 10.62 1.670 0.970 44.600 2.48 4.26 6.3 0.475 0.80 0.890 0.240 0.395 8.670 20.8 0.500 0.118 1.52 1.18 4.80 5.26 0.430 2.4400 0.4650

JANUARY 14-18, 2019 Close Volume Value 59.9 132.00 93.10 2.37 1.47 27.75

57,330 15,107,000 10,264,240 268,000 298,000 788,100

3,405,947.00 1,990,312,725.00 954,978,848.50 620,220.00 431,500.00 21,846,475.00

7.58 16.2 12.66 4.61 7.46 1.45 825.00 0.450 82.5 1.01 12.4 22.00 44.30 58.85

300 8,900 6,584,300 1,740,000 1,500 54,000 2,240 2,840,000 18,857,510 6,806,000 55,300 5,400 1,438,400 101,720

2,274.00 144,040.00 82,067,622.00 8,433,630.00 11,190.00 77,950.00 1,792,500.00 1,295,050.00 1,513,069,313.00 6,938,670.00 682,666.00 112,611.00 64,632,640.00 6,029,910.00

180 27 179.7 1800.00 64.60 1.15

3,620 700,000 2,630,800 1,470 55,920 17,000

653,803.00 18,980,750.00 470,734,850.00 2,645,545.00 3,617,664.50 19,560.00

37.95 16.22 1.09 1.4 0.248 90 16.52 2.49 15.14 140 31.3 60 78 39.45 1.75 6.66 6.64 11.760 15.88 8.20 7.29

9,005,400 4,293,200 58,717,000 4,092,000 8,520,000 790 29,700 191,686,000 4,279,900 1,620 422,400 100 990 4,200 328,000 192,800 167,700 17,513,200 4,752,300 1,320,400 14,903,200

331,877,685.00 70,539,188.00 66,388,670.00 5,720,830.00 2,100,400.00 71,100.00 492,964.00 438,103,880.00 66,856,770.00 223,153.00 13,130,435.00 6,000.00 77,220.00 170,810.00 582,630.00 1,236,124.00 1,100,431.00 206,167,208.00 75,132,780.00 10,683,715.00 108,758,486.00

20 73.4 26.35 2.1700 6.35 12.8 1.860 324.80

10,669,100 1,321,750 109,800 36,319,000 3,536,100 12,097,800 1,801,000 3,515,030

216,568,435.00 96,685,031.50 2,878,190.00 78,538,320.00 22,229,542.00 154,507,838.00 3,351,290.00 1,115,650,374.00

4.36 3.14 10.10 27.5 12.42 17.18 0.183 369.20 5.70 1.38 3.76 7.73 6.67 9.10 1.30 11.00 47.6 5.8 4.80 1.84 2.9 1.51 11.8 90.15 6.4 0.132 0.92 142.9 2.32 2.12 1.55

65,000 72,000 39,500 5,056,800 5,787,300 12,303,200 1,730,000 1,980,760 312,700 37,363,000 1,219,000 11,301,700 7,810,700 28,900 81,288,000 534,000 4,110,600 196,300 113,000 5,422,000 150,000 420,000 4,976,200 4,048,530 1,789,600 7,300,000 218,000 8,356,810 149,000 51,078,000 15,888,000

280,680.00 226,270.00 421,534.00 136,783,625.00 68,747,422.00 215,293,826.00 307,620.00 758,411,302.00 1,795,659.00 52,561,660.00 4,589,740.00 87,604,245.00 51,241,805.00 263,114.00 107,259,460.00 5,861,030.00 196,647,165.00 1,144,138.00 542,100.00 9,985,010.00 433,300.00 620,140.00 62,183,138.00 350,236,349.00 11,435,341.00 955,650.00 199,950.00 1,174,695,133.00 346,870.00 96,023,210.00 25,221,170.00

0.690 67.90 14.28 0.80 6.50 25.75 1.430 1.420 939 7.2 12.12 4.3 12.26 0.239 1050 5.91 66.25 5.45 0.61 5.69 15.1 0.620 5.01 3 0.0370 1.160 2.620 2.55 155.50 2.27 976.00 1.43 0.74 250.000 474.00 0.2550 0.224

116,383,000 7,675,450 63,894,700 122,000 94,900 537,200 36,227,000 7,994,000 3,487,500 5,617,000 23,661,700 3,100 2,371,000 1,390,000 630,990 53,500 12,397,930 47,000 311,000 30,843,700 26,774,600 3,335,000 148,701,300 24,000 29,000,000 744,000 2,557,000 2,000 2,238,610 5,000 1,515,010 328,000 4,000 618,200 1,460 8,560,000 1,530,000

81,459,120.00 500,702,277.50 870,524,072.00 95,510.00 617,645.00 14,579,450.00 52,052,540.00 11,453,390.00 3,240,412,260.00 40,308,320.00 295,133,710.00 16,270.00 30,207,600.00 300,740.00 636,961,717.50 316,898.00 813,394,557.00 257,974.00 186,570.00 166,597,439.00 409,699,318.00 2,074,830.00 747,149,175.00 72,000.00 1,076,400.00 874,320.00 6,654,420.00 5,100.00 339,902,846.00 11,350.00 1,472,521,225.00 456,680.00 2,960.00 153,793,714.00 714,544.00 2,165,560.00 330,410.00

8.750 0.84 10.60 1.710 0.910 45.000 2.45 4.19 6.28 0.435 0.82 0.900 0.265 0.385 8.700 21.35 0.510 0.119 1.57 1.19

5,777,200 10,178,000 87,100 1,100,000 28,109,000 76,280,500 7,364,000 1,895,000 116,700 11,660,000 831,000 416,000 205,930,000 2,180,000 11,659,700 5,281,600 5,035,000 3,770,000 85,501,000 6,937,000

50,472,837.00 8,545,940.00 947,250.00 1,844,530.00 25,148,690.00 3,384,656,695.00 17,869,850.00 8,009,340.00 733,991.00 5,049,550.00 688,160.00 361,920.00 54,327,840.00 835,200.00 100,076,936.00 114,033,850.00 2,587,900.00 422,070.00 128,027,880.00 8,132,920.00

5.38 0.425 2.1800 0.4650

193,079,700 155,240,000 37,390,000 1,620,000

1,006,981,450.00 68,915,900.00 80,409,900.00 743,550.00

STOCKS

JANUARY 21-25, 2019 Close Volume

JANUARY 14-18, 2019 Close Volume Value

Value

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

0.425 50.00 3.3 23.00 2 3.1 39.90 1.37 5.94 0.730 5.900

5,990,000 20,800 4,201,000 7,474,300 1,914,000 1,194,000 48,037,900 5,014,000 3,378,000 4,000 20,520,500

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

13.9 24.95 1.39 0.455 0.040 15 3.01 10.40 0.0530 85.7 8 6.52 7.39 2.1 16.60 893 2120 5.73 349.00 11.98 3.03 107.5 2.01 10.64 7.23 0.125 5.9800 3.27 14.5 3.26 0.81 18.00 0.350 5.07 2.70 2.19 2.08 3.630 9.5 13.94 3.67 117.00 3.11 1328.00 1.050 0.900 44.90 85.00 8.19 2.43 0.750 0.455 5.81 0.700 13.200

SERVICES 442,200 6,135,002.00 2,212,200 53,044,165.00 552,000 732,800.00 22,550,000 10,143,800.00 73,800,000 2,963,900.00 2,300 34,474.00 8,592,000 26,396,310.00 32,191,400 335,514,602.00 196,750,000 10,619,880.00 1,797,280 150,072,690.50 7,700 61,551.00 6,814,000 44,962,071.00 152,300 1,077,632.00 77,000 160,740.00 2,007,500 32,696,488.00 6,680 5,965,030.00 206,320 434,370,910.00 1,337,300 7,807,693.00 30,500 10,382,676.00 100 1,198.00 7,126,000 21,513,260.00 5,301,470 569,134,877.00 24,000 45,300.00 22,700 245,226.00 45,600 331,328.00 40,840,000 5,132,380.00 56,118,500 334,500,209.00 74,000 233,560.00 15,400 229,026.00 2,828,000 9,293,940.00 487,000 403,810.00 2,714,000 48,316,774.00 660,000 236,550.00 403,400 1,999,992.00 8,104,000 22,027,460.00 6,672,000 14,862,550.00 140,000 307,550.00 14,237,000 52,637,210.00 94,700 903,806.00 8,640,800 129,757,864.00 144,000 510,150.00 226,870 27,435,751.00 6,112,000 19,085,110.00 600,330 771,309,745.00 1,551,382,000 1,435,166,090.00 47,076,000 42,476,340.00 13,471,400 605,959,930.00 2,592,550 219,993,625.00 8,892,600 74,626,517.00 37,600,000 91,354,150.00 14,219,000 10,746,500.00 120,150,000 53,698,450.00 4,224,400 23,355,742.00 22,650,000 16,209,970.00 8,232,800 108,363,312.00

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0021 1.59 2.85 14.50 1.2900 1.2600 2.03 0.300 7.91 1.490 0.221 0.119 0.129 0.008 1.19 2.52 1.15 0.6700 0.9800 0.0120 0.0130 3.90 15.06 0.0130 3.7400 23.05 0.0075

MINING & OIL 1,625,000,000 3,417,200.00 7,809,000 12,440,060.00 3,164,000 9,310,720.00 31,900 461,694.00 133,000 172,660.00 11,000 13,860.00 9,810,000 19,342,330.00 90,000 26,600.00 24,200 189,112.00 71,629,000 108,524,990.00 1,020,000 222,650.00 25,910,000 3,151,260.00 4,580,000 571,620.00 38,000,000 280,800.00 2,252,000 2,611,670.00 18,330,000 45,974,520.00 32,602,000 35,859,970.00 2,796,000 1,957,390.00 3,492,000 3,472,910.00 126,500,000 1,583,600.00 628,800,000 8,174,100.00 14,158,000 58,107,540.00 4,581,600 69,156,050.00 272,700,000 3,386,000.00 99,000 359,120.00 7,644,100 181,190,625.00 305,000,000 2,054,200.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen F First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

21.1 101 472 498 98.5 102.5 102 480.4 5.74 919 900 95 1 101.2 999.5 1010 1020 100 105.5 980 75.2 75.5 73.3 72.5 74.8 73 73.75 73.3

2,914,000 54,580 900 28,090 87,790 300 9,500 3,640 1,000,300 410 690 44,480 321,000 6,130 1,500 700 280 26,990 370 3,240 4,180 87,750 58,200 1,000 21,780 56,220 29,790 36,850

LR Warrant

1.960

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,044,000 2,014,310.00

Italpinas Xurpas

4.82 1.31

3,365,700 80,040,000

First Metro ETF

119.5 10.4 10.2 1.01

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

2,453,950.00 988,735.00 13,911,780.00 171,974,745.00 3,826,150.00 3,714,030.00 1,897,774,390.00 6,811,780.00 20,805,799.00 2,860.00 120,726,380.00

0.420 43.80 3.54 23.20 2.02 3.12 39.40 1.36 6.15 0.700 5.870

5,130,000 10,800 9,020,000 13,578,400 633,000 1,094,000 103,030,300 12,730,000 1,513,000 346,000 16,400,400

2,150,350.00 472,970.00 32,347,540.00 309,808,310.00 1,289,010.00 3,414,080.00 3,917,134,315.00 16,899,460.00 9,268,489.00 249,750.00 96,330,799.00

14 22.5 1.43 0.430 0.041

624,100 722,500 941,000 76,240,000 256,100,000

8,857,996.00 15,633,950.00 1,269,370.00 35,209,600.00 10,903,100.00

3.07 10.80 0.0570 81.3 7.99 6.76 7.44 2.1 16.40 900 2092 5.90 330.00

9,451,000 48,780,900 246,570,000 1,161,480 18,000 5,941,900 205,400 16,000 1,460,600 1,010 229,710 1,498,000 3,440

30,668,600.00 526,037,266.00 14,703,740.00 93,509,611.50 139,788.00 40,564,461.00 1,507,309.00 33,640.00 24,934,782.00 909,600.00 476,194,500.00 8,730,572.00 1,131,060.00

3.00 108 1.97 11.38 7.40 0.135 6.2600 3.12 14.88 3.30 0.81 17.60 0.345 5.16 2.75 2.07 2.06 3.780 9.56 8.90 3.59 116.00 3.17 1247.00 0.400 0.920 46.00 86.00 7.70 2.47 0.760 0.43 5.5 0.760 13.260

8,644,000 6,279,710 29,000 13,200 1,100 30,090,000 24,647,800 283,000 32,100 9,395,000 579,000 4,287,600 200,000 260,200 11,091,000 4,377,000 214,000 60,478,000 124,600 46,300 631,000 242,470 13,782,000 583,580 22,460,000 62,052,000 15,520,900 2,369,140 299,000 57,700,000 57,571,000 38,680,000 872,300 11,356,000 17,440,600

26,743,090.00 660,290,719.00 56,500.00 144,808.00 8,140.00 4,112,610.00 157,215,013.00 900,430.00 475,170.00 32,369,980.00 478,320.00 77,888,770.00 71,300.00 1,305,000.00 30,070,390.00 9,545,650.00 452,920.00 240,197,630.00 1,193,872.00 407,466.00 2,233,550.00 28,154,751.00 45,648,490.00 710,006,245.00 8,447,300.00 57,609,050.00 724,912,035.00 205,082,127.00 2,329,435.00 137,025,570.00 44,649,920.00 16,796,650.00 4,797,491.00 8,596,860.00 233,835,472.00

0.0021 1.63 2.80 15.38 1.4900 1.3600 1.99 0.295 7.70 1.670 0.223 0.121 0.126 0.008 1.24 2.64 1.07 0.6800 1.0200 0.0130 0.0130 4.17 15.46 0.0130 3.8700 24.00 0.0068

1,026,000,000 8,296,000 2,189,000 8,600 342,000 6,000 5,989,000 590,000 21,300 48,609,000 1,540,000 28,700,000 860,000 32,000,000 411,000 27,125,000 239,000 552,000 5,774,000 166,000,000 3,117,800,000 26,023,000 4,524,500 239,700,000 259,000 7,219,200 59,000,000

2,147,500.00 13,507,380.00 6,051,720.00 131,868.00 466,240.00 7,710.00 12,101,460.00 172,150.00 164,079.00 81,954,870.00 332,890.00 1,331,600.00 104,870.00 235,900.00 503,110.00 69,229,660.00 254,750.00 364,810.00 5,836,500.00 2,141,700.00 39,904,200.00 107,942,440.00 70,907,224.00 2,964,300.00 976,790.00 174,431,400.00 413,400.00

18.76 100.9 472 497.8 98.45

2,287,600 1,360 11,510 1,160 50,700

43,432,944.00 136,224.00 5,441,754.00 574,306.00 4,949,081.50

104 490 5.7 918 905 95.95 1.02 100.5 998 1002

4,170 7,600 991,500 10,840 4,940 3,050 112,000 8,950 1,270 620

432,165.00 3,721,620.00 5,588,560.00 9,438,595.00 4,447,480.00 292,795.00 113,340.00 896,835.00 1,248,500.00 621,200.00

100.5 106 974 75.25 76.4 73 74.45 74.9 74 74 73.5

4,970 6,020 4,620 19,890 136,530 11,360 6,800 49,870 720 258,160 51,290

497,507.00 637,570.00 4,479,635.00 1,495,431.50 10,383,080.50 832,517.50 502,909.50 3,721,361.00 53,270.00 19,105,931.00 3,766,756.00

1.980

2,216,000

4,644,930.00

5.01 1.57

5,026,400 40,794,000

25,300,897.00 65,657,420.00

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 70,900 8,427,338.00

119

64,420

7,613,199.00

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 21,940 224,260.00 17,580 179,163.00 90,300 91,203.00

10.12 10.18 1.01

4,000 2,350 3,000

40,788.00 23,923.00 3,030.00

PREFERRED 58,905,580.00 5,461,813.00 424,746.00 13,969,978.00 8,597,138.50 30,750.00 969,630.00 1,776,940.00 5,710,359.00 370,340.00 622,450.00 4,261,852.00 322,530.00 617,282.00 1,495,440.00 702,700.00 283,000.00 2,710,088.00 38,975.00 3,156,990.00 314,562.00 6,662,058.00 4,286,903.00 72,510.00 1,616,812.00 4,115,148.00 2,198,930.00 2,702,470.50

SME 16,484,878.00 113,146,140.00

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining PremiereHorizon Oriental Pet. `B’ United Paragon Philodrill Corp. `A’ Boulevard Holdings Pacifica `A’ Cemex Holdings ATN Holdings A Oriental Pet. `A’

VOLUME 1,625,000,000 1,551,382,000 628,800,000 305,000,000 272,700,000 196,750,000 145,700,000 141,134,000 141,080,000 126,500,000

STOCKS Ayala Corp `A’ Ayala Land `B’ SM Prime Holdings Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. PremiereHorizon SM Investments Inc. Universal Robina San Miguel Corp `A’ Metrobank Bank of PI

VALUE 2,832,470,650.00 1,983,603,100.00 1,897,774,390.00 1,473,499,458.00 1,435,166,090.00 1,117,768,125.00 1,096,795,871.00 986,257,382.00 879,382,205.00 811,695,000.00

Asia Best’s minority bloc rejects tender offer of Tiger MINORITY shareholders of Asia Best Group Inc. opted to remain shareholders of the company amid the ownership dispute within Tiger Resorts Asia Ltd., the new majority shareholder of the company.

Asiabest said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange The First Resources Management Resources and Securities Corp., the agent of the mandatory tender offer, “did not receive and secure applications for tender offer from the company’s stockholders.”

The SEC earlier ordered TRAL, the operator of integrated resort and casino Okada Manila through unit Tiger Resort Leisure Entertainment Inc., to submit an amended tender offer to include the factual information regarding the ownership conflict to prevent any grave and irreparable damage to shareholders of Asiabest and the investing public.

The SEC also ordered TRAL to extend the tender offer by another 10 working daysthat ended January 9.

TRAL has offered to acquire the remaining 100 million common shares in Asiasbest held by minority investors at a price of P3.2325 apiece in line with its planned backdoor listing.

But the share price of Asiabest is currently trading at P26.40 per share on expectations Okada Manila would be folded into the company.

Okada Manila is the third integrated resort and casino to open in governmentsponsored Pagcor Entertainment City after Bloomberry Resort’s Solaire Resort & Casino and Melco Crown’s City of Dreams.

TRAL is currently embroiled in an ownership dispute with Japanese casino tycoon Kazuo Okada.

Okada Holdings is the controlling shareholder of Japan’s Universal Entertainment Corp., which in turn is the 100-percent owner of TRAL that fully controls Treli, the operator of casino hotel Okada Manila.

Japanese pachinko billionaire and UEC founder Kazuo Okada and daughter Hiromi Okada earlier initiated civil and criminal proceedings in Hong Kong to regain control of Okada Holdings and secure criminal convictions for fraud and financial crimes against those responsible for his alleged illegal ouster as chairman of Okada Holdings, UEC, Tiger Resort and Okada Holdings in 2017.

Following the ownership dispute, Okada asked the Philippine Stock Exchange to block the planned backdoor listing of its gaming unit to protect the investing public. Jenniffer B. Austria

More subscribers using LTE-capable devices—Smart SMART Communications Inc. said more subscribers are using Long Term Evolution and LTE-Advanced-capable devices to connect to its mobile network, following an expanded network rollout across the country.

The number of LTE-capable devices on Smart’s network grew 78 percent year-on-year. These include those that support at least one of Smart’s LTE frequencies. Of these LTE-capable devices, about one in every five is an LTE-A-capable device.

The number of LTE-A devices on Smart’s network also rose 72 percent, compared to the first quarter of last year.

These include devices capable of twocomponent (2CC) up to five-component (5CC) carrier aggregation.

“Alongside our accelerated network rollout, we are also partnering with device manufacturers to help our customers access capable devices, in order to take full advantage of the network that we are putting in place,” said PLDT-Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering Mario Tamayo.

Smart has teamed up with popular smartphone manufacturers in getting more affordable LTE-capable handsets out in the market, like the Samsung J2 Core, Oppo A37 and Starmobile Play Click, which are available with Smart.

Also available with the data-packed Smart Giga X plans are the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Huawei Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro, and the latest iPhones XS and XS Max, which are all LTE-A capable devices.

“Today, the quality of customer experience (is) dependent not only on the network but also on the devices being used by our customer. To fully utilize the network we are rolling out―whether it’s LTE, LTE-A today or 5G in the future― it is important for customers to adopt the devices that can fully tap the network’s capabilities,” Tamayo added.

Darwin G. Amojelar

World

B3

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Yellow vests’ back in the streets P ARIS―Thousands of “yellow vest” protesters returned to the streets of France Saturday to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s policies, clashing with police in several cities in a challenge to his bid to quell the movement.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon to push back protesters at Place de la Bastille in Paris, one of the regular protest areas, as some demonstrators threw stones from a building site.

The local prefecture reported 223 arrests in Paris, while the interior ministry estimated numbers for the 11th week of

protests were at 69,000 across France, compared with 84,000 last Saturday.

The demonstrations erupted in midNovember over Macron’s economic reforms, but have since grown into a wider rallies calling for the resignation of the former investment banker who critics say is out of touch with the economic strug-

gles of ordinary French people.

In Paris and other cities, the yellow vest movement had called for the protests to continue into the night.

But police quickly dispersed several hundred protesters in the capital’s symbolic Republique square, using stun grenades as well as tear gas and water cannon to clear the area, AFP journalists said.

Clashes erupted too in Nantes in western France and in the southern city of Montpellier, where a police officer was injured by “a pyrotechnic device”, said a statement from the local prefecture.

In Paris, the official count was 4,000 demonstrators against 7,000 the previ-

ous weekend.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner on Twitter criticised “rioters disguised as yellow vest protesters” after Saturday’s clashes.

The weekend’s protests against Macron’s tax and social policies came as divisions appeared among the yellow vests—named after the high-visibility vests they wear—as to where to take the movement.

In a new political development, a 31-year-old nurse named Ingrid Levavasseur said this week she would lead a yellow vest list of candidates for the European elections in May. AFP

FULL BLOOM. A visitor takes selfies at a celosia flower garden in Panga, Aceh province in Indonesia. AFP

IN BRIEF Leningrad siege remembered SAINT PETERSBURG―Russian President Vladimir Putin will on Sunday preside over ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the end of the World War II siege of Leningrad that claimed over 800,000 lives.

Saint Petersburg―formerly known as Leningrad―will plunge into the atmosphere of a wartime city under siege, with authorities broadcasting airraid warnings, radio announcements and the ticking of a metronome.

The centerpiece of the commemorations will be a military parade in the city’s Palace Square featuring more than 2,500 servicemen in modern and period uniforms, tanks and multiple-launch rocket systems.

Many in Saint Petersburg, including some siege survivors, have denounced the planned parade as misplaced sabrerattling and militaristic propaganda.

Putin, a native of Saint Petersburg, is not expected to attend the controversial parade itself. His itinerary includes a visit to the famed Piskaryovskoe cemetery and a memorial concert, said the Kremlin. AFP

WASHINGTON―With a month left in their truce, senior US and Chinese officials will meet in Washington this week, hoping to move toward a bargain to end their unprecedented trade war.

Beijing’s trade envoy, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, will lead a 30-person delegation at the invitation of US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who is heading up the American effort.

At a meeting in Argentina last month, US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to bury the hatchet provisionally—with Trump delaying a sharp increase on US duties for $200 billion in Chinese goods until March 1.

Washington has made its demands clear: China must agree to far-reaching “structural” reforms in its trade practices, curbing massive state intervention in markets and the alleged theft of American technological know-how, including through hacking and the forced transfer of intellectual property.

Trump also wants to cut the soaring US trade deficit with China, which in 2017 hit a record $375 billion, not including trade in services.

Since last year, the world’s two largest economies have exchanged tit-for-tat tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade, with the largest amount, more than $250 billion, imposed

by Washington.

The American president’s protectionist moves have begun to weigh on the Chinese economy, which last year posted its slowest economic growth in nearly three decades, causing Trump to claim he has the upper hand in the talks. AFP

Oscar-winning composer Michel Legrand dies at 86 PARIS―Prolific French composer Michel Legrand, who won three Oscars and five Grammys during a career spanning more than half a century, died aged 86 on Saturday, prompting an outpouring of tributes for his “inexhaustible genius”.

Legrand’s music spanned a wide range of styles and genres. He composed for more than 200 film and TV productions and was associated with over 100 albums.

“Since I was a child, my ambition has been to live completely surrounded by music, my dream was to not miss anything, which is why I have never focused on a single musical discipltine,” he once said.

He first won an Academy Award in 1969 for the song “The Windmills of Your Mind” from Norman Jewison’s hit thriller “The Thomas Crown Affair”.

He followed that with Oscars for his music for “Summer of ‘42” in 1972 and for “Yentl” in 1984.

Legrand, who had been scheduled to stage concerts in Paris in April, died at his home in the French capital early Saturday with his wife, the actress Macha Meril, at his side, his spokesman told AFP. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the “inexhaustible genius” of Legrand, whose “inimitable tunes” became “the soundtrack of our lives”.

“He was one of the greatest French musicians and composers and one of the world’s most famous creators of film music,” Macron said in a statement, passing on his condolence’s to Legrand’s family.

The list of stars who performed Legrand’s pieces over the years reads like a who’s who of 20th-century music.

It includes jazz musicians such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Bill Evans and singers as varied as Frank Sinatra, Kiri Te Kanawa, Barbra Streisand and Nana Mouskouri.

ONSTAGE. Becky G performs during Calibash Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena on January 26, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP

Are we any different?

Cracks appear in China’s economy BEIJING―Cracks are opening in China’s mighty economy: investors are backing away from deals, factories are moving abroad and companies are shedding jobs.

The world’s second-largest economy is losing steam, hitting its slowest growth in almost three decades last year, and flagging further in recent months.

While gross domestic product grew at 6.6 percent in 2018—a rate that would be the envy of most nations — China’s efforts to cut its debt mountain have weighed on the economy.

Private businesses in particular face new hurdles as costs rise and financing becomes harder to come by, while the trade war with the United States has not helped.

Here is a look at some of the struggles faced by Chinese companies and people: Feeding China’s addiction to video games seemed an easy bet for Beijing Yixin Technology, a tech startup behind the mobile game Farm Take Home. AFP

US, China to resume high-stakes trade talks

REAL CARPIO SO

GREEN LIGHT

By Real Carpio So IT came with good intentions.

Public listed companies in the country will be required to report environmental, social and governance to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Companies that fail to comply will have to explain the reason for their non-submissions. The ‘comply-orexplain’ regulation was scheduled to take effect by the end of 2018.

And the first of these reports is expected to be submitted in 2020.

While sustainability reporting is mandatory in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, only 11 percent of publicly-listed companies in the Philippines report sustainability performance.

According to reports, an SEC executive replied that the intention is “to promote greater transparency on ESG impacts and to provide an enabling regulation that would allow companies to appropriately communicate with their stakeholders.”

Legitimacy is defined as the “generalized perception or assumption that the actions of an entity are desirable, proper or appropriate within a social system.” Companies adopt policies and practices with the intent, whether consciously or unconsciously, to influence public opinion of them, or as a means to change public perception.

Sustainability reports are important in a company’s process of “legitimacy.” They are material in shaping stakeholders’ attitude and perception of the company through information of corporate activities and the results achieved.

Sustainability reports can be useful. Within the company, these provide a better understanding of its impacts on society, the

economy and environment. These can be used as basis to arrive at better and more profitable decisions. Between and among companies, they promote transparency.

They enable companies to choose partners that can provide long-term mutual benefits. Among stockholders, access to a company’s environmental, social and governance performance enables them to make better investment decisions.

In principle, submission of sustainability reports is voluntary.

Most adopt the popular Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework. Using this template, companies are free to select from a list of at least 79 performance indicators. Although companies are expected to choose indicators that reflect their operations, it is also inevitable that some indicators may be conveniently excluded. Although mandatory submission of sustainability reports is a welcome move, there is reason to doubt the disclosure quality of the reports.

The quality of disclosure depends on one, what was reported and the quantity of information reported, and two, how this was reported. In terms of quantity, this refers to the “absolute number of items disclosed and its weight in the overall information provided.”

The manner on how this information is presented refers to “the extent to which information helps users appreciate the social and environmental impact of corporate activities.” The relevance of information “is affected by how much it is diluted into the mass of other information disclosed.”

The quality of disclosure may lead a stakeholder to infer “if the company is involved in an effective commitment to CSR... or represent simply an attempt to construct a commitment that is designed to positively influence stakeholders’ perception.”

One study evaluated three CSR reporting practices of 112 unique firms listed in the London Stock Exchange in 2005-2007.

These practices are: the use of stand-alone sustainability reports (in contrast to reports that are integrated into annual reports), the use of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the use of third-party assurance of CSR information.

Empirical results show that the quality of information disclosed in stand-alone reports is no different from that reported in annual reports. Although stand-alone reports provide more information, high amounts of information “tend to be diluted in longer reports.”

CSR information is mostly concealed among hundreds of pages of reporting. Technically, relevant information is communicated, but in a way that is difficult for users to find.

Companies that use the GRI framework may appear to “disclose broadly” but the quality of disclosure does not increase.

Lastly, the use of a third-party assurance is primarily used to influence stakeholders’ perception of corporate commitment to CSR reporting.

The intent of CSR practices is “to bring changes in organizations, translating into changes in environmental performance,” Therefore, “disclosure would be the natural outcome of the corporation’s use of the broader social and environmental management accounting system, and should, therefore, be informative, able to provide measurable information, disclosed in a way that helps users appreciate the social and environmental aspects of corporate activities as well as the underlying corporate commitment to CSR.” These are not apparent. Rather, they have been abused “to portray the corporation as socially responsible, independently of whether it really is or not, creating an appearance of concern that does not translate into actual performance.”

Are we going to be any different?

Real Carpio So lectures at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University. He is an entrepreneur and a management consultant.

Comments are welcomed at realwalksonwater@gmail.com. Archives can be accessed at realwalksonwater.wordpress.com.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

Over 500k visit Clark in 2018; Balloon fest off

By Romeo Dizon CLARK FREEPORT—Showing this former American military base is being a preferred location for various events, Clark Development Corp. has recorded some 509,328 tourists that visited this freeport in 2018, nearly double than the previous year.

In a report by CDC Tourism and Promotions Division to President-CEO Noel F. Manankil, 200 events that were held here last year prompted the influx of tourists and guests to the Freeport.

These included 43 running events that generated 49,303 tourists, three festivals with 71,221 attendees, and 14 spectators’ events with 50,094 participants.

Likewise, 19 biking, duathlon and triathlon activities generated 23,817 participants, and 148 other events that used the open spaces in the freeport attracted an additional 314,893 tourists.

These numbers indicate a 79-percent upsurge compared to the numbers of tourists in 2017 which was recorded at 284,189 generated from 115 events.

However, one of the Freeport’s key attractions, the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, said late last year it would not be holding its “Weekend of Everything that Flies” in February this year due to the lack of commitment of government partners.

The balloon fiesta was scheduled for Feb. 8 to 11, 2019, and regularly attracted upwards of 100,000 visitors to Clark.

Among the major events held here last year was the Trinx Bikes World event that attempted to break the Guinness World Record for longest single line parade of bicycles. It was attended by 4,999 bikers from different parts of the country.

Isabela Governor Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy (left) and Vice Governor Antonio ‘Tonypet’ Albano raise the certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records as the province successfully staged the largest gathering of people dressed as scarecrow dancers on Friday at the Provincial Sports Complex in Ilagan City.

Jessica M. Bacud via Isabela PIO

Bambanti now in Guinness

By Jessica M. Bacud

I

LAGAN CITY, Isabela—The province of Isabela has set a new world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as scarecrow dancers during the celebration of the 2019 Bambanti Festival here last Friday.

Paulina Sapinska, the official adjudicator and representative of the Guinness Book of World Records, proclaimed that the 2,495 dancers in scarecrow costumes gathered in a single venue, the Isabela Sports Complex, set the new record.

“Subsequently, on perceiving the event and proper confirmation, the Bambanti Festival set the new world record for largest dressed scarecrow dancers,” she stressed.

Sapinska noted that the participants,

who came from the province’s 25 towns, danced non-stop for more than two hours around the Isabela grandstand, easily beating the five-minute dance of at least 250 persons earlier awarded by Guinness.

Isabela Governor Faustino “Bojie” Dy III and Vice Governor Antonio “Tonypet” Albano received the certificate given by the Guinness adjudicator.

Dy said: “This is another milestone in the history of Isabela that through this world record attempt, it has proven the

unity among Isabelans being portrayed in this momentous Bambanti festival.”

Albano congratulated all the participants of the festival celebrating the Bambanti—the Ilocano word for scarecrow— saying it was another global achievement of the province known as one of the country’s top rice and corn producers.

To become the record-breaker as specified by the Guinness adjudicators, the participants had to have used a straw or cloth hat, straw hair, long-sleeved top and trousers covered with patches for their costumes. The straw must stick out from the hand and feet holes of their clothes, and the dancers must also wear a scarecrow mask or have their faces painted like a scarecrow.

The Bambanti Festival is the Isabelinos’ thanksgiving for their consist-

Smart gives free calls, relief goods to ‘Usman’ victims

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications has deployed communication resources and provided relief assistance to residents in areas affected recently

by Tropical Depression “Usman.”

Smart set up “libreng tawag” (free calls) in areas where communication services were limited due to power outage and damage to infrastructure.

These areas include the municipalities of Bansud, Pinamalayan and Socorro in Oriental Mindoro, and Bulan in Sorsogon, where residents were affected by flooding.

Smart joined teams from PLDT, PLDT-Smart Foundation, AlagangKapatid Foundation, One Meralco Foundation, Maynilad, Makati Medical Center Foundation, Philex Mining Corp., Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Latter Day Saints Charities and Kabalikat Albay and Camarines Sur chapters.

It also helped organize a mobile kitchen in Sagnay and Buhi in Camarines Sur, Tiwi and Libon in Albay, all badly hit by Usman.

The companies’ volunteers served hot meals to around 4,800 residents and distributed food packs to more than 4,500 beneficiaries.

Smart also helped distribute relief goods to victims of flooding in Albay and Camarines Sur. In Oriental Mindoro, volunteers from Smart’s sales team and provincial distributor joined forces to hand out packages to residents in Bansud, Pola and Socorro towns.

“We offer not only communications assistance, but also helped provide the basic needs of residents in the affected areas as they work on rebuilding their lives after calamities,” said Smart public affairs head Ramon R. Isberto.

Farmertrainees of the KSK program in Calasiao, Pangasinan show off their harvests ahead of a program that saw the participation of retail heads of the SM Group operating in the province— SM City Rosales, SM Hypermarket Rosales, SM City Urdaneta, and Savemore Lingayen.

ently abundant agricultural harvest.

The Festival has been awarded as the Best of All Festivals for three consecutive years by the Aliw Festival. It officially kicked off Tuesday with a Thanksgiving Mass at the St. Michael Parish Church in Gamu, Isabela.

The festivity has showcased the province’s natural charm and culture and its increasingly expanding economy, Governor Dy said.

Lawyer Noel Manuel Lopez, the provincial administrator, said the event seeks to keep Isabela’s status as an investment haven in Luzon.

Bannered by the “Victory of Isabela Spirit” (Tagumpay ng Pusong Isabela), the festival highlights all the victories the province has achieved through creative concepts and images.

GSIS sets P36.9m emergency loans for Marinduque

Residents from Bansud, Pola and Socorro towns in Oriental Mindoro receive relief packages from employees of Smart and its provincial distributor. Smart employee-volunteers also distributed hot meals to evacuees in Sagnay, Camarines Sur.

“These efforts are part of our commitment to help fulfill the needs and uplift the quality of life of every Filipino,” Isberto added.

The communications and relief assistance offered

by Smart to victims of calamities are part of the com-

pany’s #SafePH initiative.

The program aims to help build resilience and mitigate risks by providing continuous communications services and essentials to individuals in times of need.

THE Government Service Insurance System has earmarked P36.94 million in emergency loans for its 1,228 active members who were affected by drought in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque.

The loan application deadline is February 9, 2019.

A total of 609 active members in the calamity areas who have no existing emergency loan may apply for a P20,000 loan.

A total of 619 members who have not yet fully paid their emergency loans may apply for an amount of P40,000, from which the outstanding balance will be deducted.

Qualified borrowers are active members who are working or residing in the said areas, are not on leave of absence without pay, have no arrears in paying monthly mandatory life insurance or social insurance premium contributions, and have no unpaid loans for more than six months.

They should also have a minimum net take-home pay of P5,000 after monthly premium contributions and loan amortizations have been deducted.

Active members may apply through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosk located in all GSIS branch and extension offices; provincial capitols; city halls; selected municipal offices; large government agencies such as the Department of Education; Robinsons Malls; and selected SM City branches in North EDSA, Manila, Pampanga, Cebu, SM Aura in Taguig, SM Southmall in Las Piñas, and Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Calasiao KSK farmers finally harvest crops

CALASIAO, Pangasinan—About 108 farmer-trainees of Barangay Doyong in this town have finally harvested their high-value vegetable crops and watermelons, produced after seven months of field trainings conducted by the SM Foundation and Harbest Agriculture Inc. This was owing to two major setbacks the farmers suffered from heavy rains and floods from a recent typhoon and monsoon weather.

The farmer-trainees under Batch 172 of the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan program of SM Foundation began their training in June and were supposed to finish after 12 weeks. But owing to damage wrought by floods from the “habagat” in July and by typhoon Ompong in August, it forced them to extend the training up to January.

From an original 120 trainees, those left until the graduation were determined to pursue their newfound knowledge and farming technologies in their

backyards, as well as train their neighbors on these new farm technologies.

The techno-farm in Barangay Doyong, owned by trainee Bernardo Morales, is on an elevated terrain.

But since the Marusay River overflowed—reaching 10 feet high or way above its critical level of 6.2 feet—the floods spilled to Calasiao and filled nearby Sinocalan River.

At least 24 villages of 31 in the area remained flooded for over three weeks.

“Our graduation is a recognition that we are learned participants, and that we became united in our newfound skills of growing vegetables in an area that used to be planted solely to rice and corn,” Morales said.

Stephen Ballesteros, 29, the youngest but most active advocate of farming here, used to work in a hospital as an IT system maintenance man. After three years, he decided to go into farming the land of his father, an agriculturist.

Life

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

FOOD

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

C1

The flavors of prosperity F

Auspicious Chinese New Year feasts

OOD is an important part of Chinese culture, hence a lot of thought is put into the menu for New Year’s Eve dinner, the most significant feast of the Chinese.

Every food item, every dish, symbolizes wishes for prosperity, good luck, and happiness. Some of the premier restaurants and hotels in Metro Manila usher in the bountiful Year of the Earth Pig with auspicious feasts.

Red Ginger

Steamed Trio Combination Nian Gao

Flavors of the Lunar New Year can be savored at Red Ginger, located in City of Dreams, for the whole month of February.

The contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant puts into spotlight its Lunar Festive Menu consisting of Ginger Poached Chicken with Spring Onion Oil; Braised Pork Pata with Sotanghon and Baby Bokchoy; Tiger Prawn with Butter Pumpkin Curry Sauce; Black Pepper Flower Crab with Winter melon; and Claypot Pla Pla Fish with Chestnut and Taro.

For an individual who likes to enjoy a Yu Sheng salad, Red Ginger is serving a Mini Yu Sheng from Feb. 5 to 7.

Call (02) 800-8080 for inquiries.

Passion Cantonese Restaurant

A set of eight miniature koi and gold ingots tikoy is available at Passion Cantonese Restaurant in Maxims Hotel, Resorts World Manila.

Passion’s Lucky Tikoy comes in an elegant oriental gift box, perfect for gifting. It’s available until Feb. 5.

Call (02) 908-8833 for inquiries.

Crystal Dragon

City of Dreams Manila’s upscale Chinese restaurant highlights symbolic and premium renditions of the traditional Yu Sheng salad with a fruity twist: the Prosperity Abalone Yu Sheng with Fruit Salad available in medium and large servings; and the Shredded Roasted Duck with Fresh Fruit Salad with dressing in medium and large.

Yu Sheng salad or Lo Hei is said to have been originated from a Cantonese phrase which means “tossing up good fortune.” It customarily uses raw fish to symbolize abundance. Crystal Dragon’s Yu Sheng salad with abalone symbolizes good fortune while the one with duck signifies fertility, mixed with brightly colored fruits Prosperity Abalone Yu that denote wealth, youth, happiness, and long Sheng with Fruit Salad life.

Crystal Dragon also serves Poon Choi menu which consists of Stewed Abalone Poon Choi Cantonese Style and Stewed Tiger Prawn Poon Choi Cantonese Style. Poon Choi in Cantonese is known as “basin dish,” and was historically served to emperors in ancient China. It signifies prosperity and affluence, and is composed of a generous assortment of premium ingredients.

The Chinese restaurant also serves ala carte menu and two set menus (six-course Happiness Set Menu and seven-course Magnificent Set Menu) good for a minimum of five persons.

Nian Gao, or locally known as tikoy, is an excellent way to cap the meal. This sticky and sweet delicacy is made from glutinous rice flour, and is known to signify unity and togetherness.

These specialty menus are available today unShredded Roasted Duck with Fresh Fruit Salad til Feb. 19.

Jasmine Restaurant

Lucky Tikoy

Café Eight

Celebrate Chinese New Year at Crimson Hotel’s Café Eight which serves A Feast of Prosperity buffet spread composed of Octopus Salad, Kung Pao Chicken, Dim Sum, Braised Pork Belly, Vegetable Spring Roll, Chili Garlic Prawns, and more. The special themed buffet will be served from Feb. 1 to 10.

The Filinvest City-based hotel’s in-house restaurant will also showcase a Dumpling Festival. A variety of dim sum will be available in both the buffet’s dumpling station and ala carte menu.

A Feast of Prosperity buffet spread Call (02) 863-2222 for inquiries.

Salmon Fish Yu Sheng

Feast on traditional Chinese New Year favorites prepared by award-winning Chinese executive chef Wong Kam On. Jasmine serves authentic Chinese cuisine including Roasted Suckling Pig, Steamed Live Garoupa, handmade dumplings, and many more.

New World Hotel’s Chinese restaurant also serves Salmon Fish Yu Sheng and a big bowl of Poon Choi for good luck.

Festive set menus at Jasmine is available from Feb. 1 to 10, while limited ala carte menu will be offered from Feb. 3 to 6. Yum Cha lunch is also available with unlimited chilled juices, soda, and local beer.

Jasmine is also offering auspicious tikoy expertly handcrafted by Chef Wong Sing To and his team. It comes in round and koi shapes, beautifully packaged to bring luck and prosperity to the recipient. It’s available until Feb. 8.

Call (02) 811-6888 for inquiries.

Bastion of golden-fried goodness FOR three decades now, Tenya has been serving delicious tempura over rice (tendon) dishes at very affordable prices, making it an all-time favorite of Japanese gourmands.

What started as a humble franchise in Japan founded by Yoshio Iwashita in 1989 became Japan’s number one tempura tendon brand. It is a testament to how Japan has become a foodie destination with classic dishes such as sashimi, sushi, ramen, and of course, tempura, eaten as a main dish or on the side.

Tenya, which reached the Philippines in 2015, has recently opened its ninth and biggest branch yet at Tiendesitas in Pasig City, boasting of the same refinement and gravitas you could expect from the offshoot of one of Asakusa’s best.

“We are happy to open our ninth branch in Tiendesitas,” said Edmundo Ramos, general manager of Tenya.

“We continue to aim to provide our customers with high quality tendon and tempura dishes at an affordable price. Many of the ingredients we use

are from Japan to ensure we provide the best tasting dishes,” added Ramos.

Tenya is known for its deep-fried battered seafood, meat, and vegetables, which are cooked using infrared heat technology to ensure consistent tempura every time.

The tastiness of its tendon lies in the good combination of 100 percent hearthealthy canola oil and specifically formulated flour which gives it that light, crisp batter.

Laid over a bed of steaming Japanese rice, the tempura tendon is drizzled with Tenya’s signature dontare sauce, a special blend that gives a hint of sweetness and umami to complement the tempura flavor. It uses an exclusive recipe made by a 200-year-old boutique soy sauce factory in Japan which ships it to every Tenya store worldwide.

The tempura tendon is the perfect pair to a hot or cold soba or udon.

Tenya maki

Tenya Tempura Tendon’s classic tendon dish of deep fried black tiger prawn, squid, kisu, green beans, and sweet potato

The tempura tendon is the perfect pair to a hot or cold soba or udon.

Popular dishes on the menu include the All-Star Tendon (P325) and the Teishoku set (P395) which has a mountain of different seafood tempura, including black tiger prawn, squid, salmon, kani and green beans, and shimeji mushroom.

Guests may also enjoy TempuRamen (P345) in tonkotsu broth topped with ground pork paired with black tiger prawn, green beans and eggplant

tempura or the Sriracha Tempura Maki (P285)—a tempura-fried maki with mango, cream cheese, and kani topped with tempura batter flakes and Tenya’s original Sriracha sauce.

Tempura, with its deceptively simple preparation, requires expertise to get it right every time. This is something that Tenya offers with each tempura tendon it serves.

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

Life

C2

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

A

NEW spot in Bonifacio Global City is shaping up to be the hottest destination to enjoy sumptuous food. Several brands, some coming to the country for the first time, have set up shop at lifestyle mall One Bonifacio High Street since it opened its doors in August 2018.

Looking for a place to enjoy good food with great company?

Check out these establishments:

Must-try restaurants

at One Bonifacio High Street

Chino MNL’s Crispy Market Fish Taco with Salsa Fresca and Goat Barbacoa Tacos with Cucumber Mint Salsa

Tacos and tequila

Magnolia Bakery’s classic Banana Pudding and the famous Carrie Cupcake

Just like Carrie

Anyone can have the Carrie Bradshaw experience and indulge in New York’s Magnolia Bakery’s signature banana pudding and delectable cupcakes freshly baked in small batches every day. The ingredients used are both imported and sourced locally.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s steak and sides and Tuna Tartare

Chino, a Hong Kong-based modern Mexican style restaurant inspired by Japanese ingredients and cooking techniques, recently opened shop in BGC. Chino MNL brings its signature dishes to offer something fresh to the discerning Filipino palate. Using ingredients from Japan, Mexico, and the Philippines, the food menu brings together distinct flavors from each culture with signature items like the Crispy Market Fish Tacos with Salsa Fresca and Manila-inspired dishes like the Goat Barbacoa Tacos with Cucumber Mint Salsa and Tuna Poke Tostada with Arbol Miso.

Its beverage menu features a curated collection of tequila and mezcal.

Elephant Grounds’ ice cream sandwich and Swiss Mocha

Mouthwatering steaks

Putting up a branch in BGC is the realization of the dream of Wolfgang’s Steakhouse owner Wolfgang Zwiener to set up his first Philippine branch in the district.

Steak lovers can indulge in Wolfgang’s Steakhouse’s USDA Prime dry-aged steaks. Mouthwatering entrée list includes rib eye, filet mignon, lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and New Yorkstyle cheesecake.

Coffee, ice cream, and chill

Elephant Grounds is a fresh third wave coffee and lifestyle brand known for serving delicious specialty coffee crafted from carefully selected coffee beans blended and roasted specifically for the brand.

Aside from good cups of joe, it is also famous for delectable Asian-inspired comfort food as well as homemade artisanal ice cream sandwiches—think Maldon salted caramel ice cream between gooey dark chocolate cookies then topped with caramel popcorn.

One Bonifacio High Street is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.

Malagos Chocolate named as Heirloom Cacao

Little Caesars Pizza returns to the Philippines with the opening of its restaurant at Metrosquare Building in Ermita, Manila on Jan. 26.

Little Caesars Pizza returns to Manila

WORLD’S third largest pizza chain Little Caesars Pizza on Saturday returned to the country with the opening of its first branch at Metrosquare Building in Ermita, Manila.

The brand brings to the country its famous Hot-N-Ready pizza—fresh, hot pizza that allows customers to be in and out of the store in 30 seconds or less.

As part of its opening, Little Caesars launched #PizzaPizzaGiving promotion, which runs from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1.

Through the promotion the public is invited to visit the store at 2:00-3:00 p.m. to fill out a gift certificate to give a pizza to a loved one. The sender will then receive a free single-serve pepperoni pizza.

Meanwhile, the receiver may claim their free 12-inch Hot-N-Ready

pepperoni pizza using the gift certificate on or before April 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“Little Caesars is excited to celebrate the opening of its first restaurant in the Philippines, and to finally share our delicious pizzas with everyone,” said Paula Vissing, senior vice president of International for Little Caesars Pizza.

“And to add to the joy of sharing, we’re looking forward to making thousands of Filipinos happy as they participate in our #PizzaPizzaGiving promotion. The best way to enjoy Little Caesars Pizza is by sharing it with friends and family,” added Vissing.

Palmtree PH Foods Corp., owned

by James Kodrowski, is responsible for bringing Little Ceasars back to Manila.

THE award-winning Malagos Chocolate from Davao bagged another international award.

The Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund, an award-giving body that aims to preserve the Theobroma cacao trees, on Jan. 12 named Puentespina Farms home to high quality Heirloom Cacao.

Puentespina Farms is where Malagos sources its cacao. It’s the 16th farm in the world to receive the recognition.

The farm’s Trinitario cacao won over the panel of judges composed of chocolate industry professionals, chocolate makers, farmers, and chocolate enthusiasts. The judges noted the light color of Trinitario cacao’s chocolate liquor and the pleasant taste of the chocolate combined with herbal liquor flavor.

To celebrate its recent success, Malagos Chocolate will be releasing a limited edition Malagos Heirloom Chocolate 72 percent Dark Chocolate.

Malagos Pure Unsweetened Chocolate

(Photos from instagram/ malagoschocolate)

Puentespina Farms has been named home to Heirloom Cacao by Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund.

Davao’s award-winning Malagos Chocolate

Entertainment

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Timely tale of national unity

R R

EPERTORY Philippines (REP) EPERTORY Philippines (REP) brings back one of its most brings back original one of itsplays, mostMiong, acclaimed acclaimed to original plays, Miong, to the the stage. Opening REP’s 2019 season on stage.

Opening REP’s 2019 season on Feb. Feb. 15 at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 15 at the Onstage Theater Greenbelt 1, 1, the production follows in Emilio “Miong” the production follows Emilio “Miong” Aguinaldo embarking on a mission to unite Aguinaldo embarking on a mission to unite his people during a time of social division. his people during a time of social division.

Written and directed by REP artistic director and theater legend is artistic a compelling drama that WrittenJoy andVirata, directedMiong

by REP director and theater brings Philippine history to startling life. Featuring legend Joy Virata, Miong is a compelling drama songs that

by IanPhilippine Monsod and additional lyricslife.

by Featuring Freddie Santos, brings history to startling songs thisIan showstopping musical is an ideal choice anyone seeking by Monsod and additional lyrics byforFreddie Santos, world-class live entertainment. this showstopping musical is an ideal choice for anyone seeking When Spanish colonizers assert their power over Filipinos by world-class live entertainment.

When Spanish colonizers assert their power over Filipinos by turning them against each other, a young Miong understands that

turning them against each other, a young Miong understands that the key key to to freedom freedom lies lies in in unity. unity. Though Though he he wants wants his his countrymen the countrymen to be who is to be liberated liberated from from oppression, oppression,he heisisa aconflicted conflictedleader leader who unsure of what course of action to take.

Miong digs into this is unsure of what course of action to take. Miong digs into this controversial figure’s figure’s motivations, motivations, giving giving audiences audiences aa fuller fuller idea controversial idea of his his origins, origins, traits, traits, and and psyche. psyche. of Rising actor-musician actor-musician Tim Tim Pavino Pavino makes makes his his debut debut in in the Rising the titular role, role, alongside alongside Noel Noel Rayos Rayos as as Berong, Berong, Cara Cara Barredo Barredo as as titular Yayang, Meynard Meynard Peñalosa Peñalosa as as Father Father Blas, Blas, and and Elver Elver Yayang, Esquivel as as Don Don Carlos.

Carlos. Choreography Choreography is is by

by Dexter Dexter Santos, Santos, and Esquivel and musical direction direction is is by

by EjayYatco.

EjayYatco. musical Miong runs runs till till March March 10, 10, with with both both evening evening shows shows and Miong and matinees. matinees.

Kicking off off REP’s REP’s 2019 2019 season, season, the the musical musical ushers ushers in in three Kicking three more anticipated productions: comedy Father’s Day, drama more anticipated productions: comedy Father’s Day, drama The The Dresser, and and children’s children’s musical musical The The Quest Quest For For The The Adarna, Dresser, Adarna, based on on the the beloved beloved Ibong Ibong Adarna Adarna tale. tale. based For updates updates and log on www.repertoFor and show showschedules, schedules, logto on to www. ryphilippines.ph or follow its socials on Facebook and Instarepertoryphilippines.ph or follow its socials on Facebook and gram.

Instagram.

The cast of Repertory Philippine's timely and relevant production, 'Miong'

Simply...

From C4

Strike Back kicks off 6th season on Cinemax The action-packed Cinemax drama series Strike Back kicked off its sixth season same time as the U.S. last Saturday, Jan. 26 at 11:00 a.m. with a same encore at 10:00 p.m. on HBO GO and CINEMAX. Shot entirely in Malaysia, the new season features returning stars Warren Brown (Luther, The Dark Knight Rises), Daniel MacPherson (A Wrinkle in Time) and Alin Sumarwata (Neighbours, Burning Man), along with new cast members Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica, Monday Mornings) and Yasemin Allen (Water and Fire).

When a Russian bomber crashes in the South China Sea, the covert special-ops soldiers of Section 20 — Thomas “Mac” McAllister (Warren Brown), Samuel Wyatt (Daniel MacPherson) and Gracie Novin (Alin Sumarwata) — are sent to investigate. There, they cross paths with Katrina Zarkova (Yasemin Allen), a rogue Russian operative with questionable loyalties.

Under orders from the new commanding officer, Col. Alexander Coltrane (Jamie Bamber), Section 20 pursues stolen contents of the Russian jet across Southeast Asia. They will work alongside the Malaysian police to shut down a Triad gang in Kuala Lumpur, uncover a corrupt plot by a wealthy Indian businesswoman running for Parliament and plunge into the jungles of the Golden Triangle in Myanmar, facing off against mercenary drug agents and terrifying warlords as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens to push the world to the brink of global conflict. *** Flip Nights at Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge Take a chance during cold January nights with a classic gin and tonic in hand as Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge presents Flip Nights, in partnership with Bombay Sapphire. Simply toss a coin and get a complimentary round of gin and tonic when you win against the bartender. This promotion is available from 8 p.m. onwards Sundays through Tuesdays.

Located at the topmost level of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge is a signature Ortigas attraction offering an unobstructed 180-degree view of Manila. Apart from the remarkable skyline scenery, the sky bar invites diners to indulge in its vast selection of cocktails, wines and other spirits together with a well-curated line-up of dishes that is a good mix of Filipino, Spanish and other Mediterranean favorites.

For more information, call (02) 720-7720 or e-mail restaurant.mnl@marcopolohotels.com.

For more information about Marco Polo Ortigas, contact (632) 720-7777 or book online via www.marcopolohotels. com or email: manila@marcopolohotels.com. Visitfacebook. com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila or follow @MarcoPoloManila on Twitter or Instagram. *** More duty free stores in 2019 Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) Chief Operating Officer Vicente Pelagio Angala on Wednesday announced the agency’s plan to open new stores at the international airports of Puerto Princesa, Palawan and Panglao, Bohol this year.

With this expansion, the state-owned retail company is moving to achieving its target of 15 percent of the international traveller by 2027.

“We are in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and definitely it will happen this year,” said Angala.

Speaking to media men, he also revealed that DFPC’s total sales reached $217 million in 2018, a two percent growth from 2017.

Filipino tourists, Balikbayan’s and OFWs remain the DFPC’s top source market with $59.9 million total of transactions, followed by the Americans ($4.9 million), Chinese ($1.5 million), and Canadians ($1.1 million).

The top five best-selling categories are confectionary, liquors and spirits, perfume and cosmetics, fashion, and supermarket.

“One of the factors that contributed to this growth is our partnerships with third-party online payments solutions such as Alipay and WeChat,” said Angala.

“Our collaboration also with the Department of Trade and Industry’s Go Lokal program has steadily grown to this day and we expected to continue to grow in the coming years,” he added.

In line with the thrust of Secretary Bernadette RomuloPuyat to promote proudly Pinoy-made products, DFPC in close coordination with the Department of Tourism in adding homegrown products thru the Philippines’ Finest Kiosk.

These plans and programs bode well for the DFPC’s higher target of $220 million for 2019. *** Visit www.isah.red for more stories. Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred) and Instagram (@isahvred). ΙR

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, January 28, 2019

ACROSS 1 Class enders 6 Linger 10 Pigeon coop 14 Marry secretly 15 Drew on 16 Zoo attraction 17 Appliance maker 18 Moonshot people 19 Short distance 20 Like Teflon 22 Rebel 24 “Yes”(2 wds.)

25 — -Magnon 26 Bathhouse 30 Mother-of-pearl source 34 Moving right — 35 Prince Val’s wife 36 Capp and Jolson 38 Fielder’s glove 39 Heartbeat 40 Keep time 41 C’— la vie!

42 Edible grain 43 Island near Sicily 44 Shyly 46 Finn’s pal 47 Army off.

48 April 15 org.

49 Ogled 52 Signs

57 Wrongs 58 Asian mountains 60 Aesop’s market 61 World’s longest river 62 — Raton, Fla. 63 Change the clock 64 Shadow 65 Took legal action 66 Platitude DOWN 1 Legume seed 2 Brat in “Blondie” 3 Mortgage 4 Med. staffers 5 Usher’s job 6 Con game 7 Baroness Karen 8 Some, to Yves 9 Red-waxed cheese 10 Raoul or Fidel 11 In a discretionary manner 12 Babysitter, often 13 Glimpse 21 Wyo. neighbor 23 West Coast sch.

26 Made the scene 27 Top choices (hyph.)

28 “The Birth of Venus” painter 29 Crawling insect 30 Soothe 31 Optimum 32 Had some food 33 Fill with joy 35 Novelist Jean — 37 Galleon need 39 Advanced degree 40 Cornfield sound 42 Trickery 43 Cosmetic buy 45 Tidbit

46 Tijuana “Mrs.” 48 Wooden horse saga 49 Yarn fuzz 50 Charles Lamb 51 Pats on 52 Gait 53 Grew older 54 Sub — (secretly) 55 Remnant 56 Glut 59 “Iron Man” Gehrig

Tim Pavino plays the titular character Miong

No more peso secret WHEN you first encounter director Perry Escaño, the auteur behind the motion picture, Ang Sikreto ng Piso, immediately, he strikes you as mildmannered, especially of the way he speaks because of his Ilonggo roots.

My friendship with the director began in what used to be our playground, in Gantimpala Theater. He was a summer musical theater workshopper and I was the resident publicist then.

By some divine gravitational push and pull, we became not just acquaintances, we became friends and did the getting-toknow-you stuff – dinners, coffee and lots of conversation, watched movies, shared heartaches and triumphs.

Some of the projects that we were part of, the first mounting of the Singkwento International Film Festival Manila Philippines, he made me the gala night master of ceremony.

During the first TOFarm Film Festival, he became its Marketing Head, he hired me as its publicist. In between all these activities, he had his fair share of appearances on television and other films and because of erratic, if not full schedules, there were times that communication and seeing each other was impossible. What is surprising though, starting where we left off comes naturally, as if there was no time gap that happened; we do have a bond stronger than love and friendship.

His first full-length feature, Ang Guro Kong Di Marunong Magbasa became one of the films chosen in Cinemalaya, had its cinema screening, school, and provincial tours. Now, his second film Ang Sikreto ng Piso, makes his full of pride.

He begins, “I am very happy with the outcome of Ang Sikreto. Doing a comedy movie is not a walk in the park. All the cast members must have rapport. Dapat rin may timing. I want the comical situations to come out as natural as possible, hindi fake, hindi pilit.”

Escaño carries on, “Yung comedy dito, yung wholesome na comedy. You will laugh because the situations are funny and not because may bastusan, may binabatukan or may mga brown or green jokes. It will make you laugh because the

Couple Ariel Rivera and Gelli de Belen in a scene from the movie

ARIAS ALWIN IGNACIO

scenes are relatable, you have experienced similar situations.

And all of Pinoys, we always put a lot of laughter and humor sa mgaevery day experiences and reali-

ties that we face.”

How is it like working with Gelli de Belen and Ariel Rivera? Escaño answers swiftly, “It is a dream come true.

I admire their body of work. Gelli is well known as a versatile actress.Mahusay na sa drama. Mas mahusay sa comedy. Ariel, is one of the few singers na marunong talagang umarte. I feel proud that they liked the story that is why they agreed to be in Ang Sikreto ng Piso.”

The film is a family-oriented comedy inspired by actual events on the smuggling of the Philippine peso coin in 2006.

Rivera portrays Ronnie, an honest man who has to make sacrifices to save up for the future of his wife and only daughter. He is forced to accept an odd job that promises higher income--one that requires him to gather as many onepeso coins as he could. It is only a matter of time when he discovers why these coins are being smuggled abroad.

Aside from the Riveras, other cast members are Bea Binene, Lou Veloso, Angelica Ulip, Long Mejia, Joyce Peñas Pilarsky, Nico Nicolas, Ricky Rivero, Beverly Salviejo, Wacky Kiray, Paul Sy, Gary Lim, Raphael Gobes, Gomz Burza, Micah Musa, Kim llono, Ambelicious, Abel Napuran and Ernie Garcia.

Director Escaño promises, “Ang Sikreto ng Piso is worth everyone’s while. It will give you a good laugh. It reinforces the love for family and friends. It shows to us that hope and love are constants in our lives and struggles are conquered for as long as you believe in them.”

So, will he do a love story as his next film project? “Yes, I will. Gusto ko naman talaga iba-ibang genre. Kung love story, may kwento na ako.”

He teases, “The Proposal siguro. Parang love story natin.” Laugh out loud reaction from both of us as we conclude our conversation, Ang Sikreto ng Piso unspools in cinemas on Jan. 30.

Entertainment

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

C4

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019

ISAH V. RED

Neal Tan’s film wins at Calcutta International Cult Film Festival

ENCHONG and JANINE

reunite in a true-to-life dramedy VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

Y

OU really shouldn’t kiss any of your friends. It’s an unwritten rule.

Filmmaker Neal Tan

ANOTHER Filipino film has made the country proud by winning the Golden Fox Award at the recently concluded Calcutta International Cult Film Festival. The film, Unveiling the Horse Demon, stars Filipino-British actor Guy Lockwood Award-winning Neal Tan directed the film with the famous cosmetologist cum-talent manager Tony Galvez as producer.

Unveiling the Horse Demon shared the Golden Fox Award in the horror-science fiction genre feature film category with the following films from other countries: Steven Berkoff’sTelltale Heart, directed by Stephen Cookson (United Kingdom); Jasper, directed by Julien Nicaud (Switzerland); Aliens With Knives, directed by Struan Sutherland and Nicole Steeves(Canada); and Lost in Apocalypse, directed by Sky Wang (China).

Lockwood, who describes himself as a performer in diverse interests like acting, singing and martial arts, plays his first lead role in a feature film. He co-stars in the horror-science fiction flick with Maria Isabel Lopez, Patricia Javier, Sue Prado, Mara Lopez, and Gene Padilla among others.

Lockwood was a recording artist in Los Angeles when he decided to pursue an acting career by producing, writing and playing the lead role in Unveiling the Horse Demon. He is the founder of Giant King Film Productions.

He has received awards in Contemporary Acting and Vocal Gospel from the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Hollywood. He was also WIMLER Young Ambassador of Goodwill. In 2010, he was accorded a scholarship from the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.

Lockwood feels grateful to Neal Tan whose most notable work was Ataul for Rent, winner of the Best Story and Best Screenplay Awards from the FAMAS Awards 2008; and his producerTony Galvez for their trust in his talent. Continued on C3

No matter how attractive they are, you definitely shouldn’t kiss any of your friends because it will change the relationship that you two have...forever.

Unless of course you and your friend are both actors and you’re just playing the part, then everything should be fine.

When actor Enchong Dee and Janine Gutierrez locked lips while filming the upcoming dramedy, Elise, the Kapamilya actor initially felt awkward.

Not only Janine is a good friend, the Kapuso actress is also the rumored girlfriend of his best pal, Rayver Cruz.

“I felt awkward upon realizing that I am kissing the special person of my best friend. I took it upon myself not to tell him about the kissing scene because he might storm to the set and stop our taping,” Enchong said in jest.

The actor was quick to explain that he and Rayver trust each other and that fans have nothing to worry about.

“I know for a fact that he’s very supportive. I am saying this one more time, there’s nothing to worry about,” he said.

Janine, on the other hand, is actually glad Enchong is her partner in the movie because she’s already comfortable working with the actor.

“I guess since we already know each other we didn’t have to adjust. And as for Rayver, I think it’s better that I work with a friend rather than someone who we didn’t know,” she said.

Enchong and Janine previously worked in the horror movie Lila in 2016.

This time, they pair up for a movie that tackles about finding your soulmate and seeking your purpose in life.

What is special about this movie is that it is based on real-life events as revealed by the film’s director, Joel Ferrer.

“It’s a biopic romantic comedy that depicts events in the life of Bert (played

by Enchong), who is quick-witted sickly emotional and independent guy who

The cast and director of 'Elise' with Regal Entertainment's Mother Lily Monteverde (third from right) Enchong and Janine in a scene from the movie, which is a story of a love meant to be, from childhood on to adult life, separated for a time but reunited by circumstances.

falls for Elise (played by Janine), who, on the other hand, is a strong, tough, independent woman,” Ferrer relayed.

Early on since childhood, Bert developed feelings for Elise. But puppy love is not yet something that should be taken seriously. Later on, they get separated to pursue education and chase their dreams.

Years later, their paths cross and old feelings get rekindled. But their situation is different now; they are not young kids anymore and love is not a children’s game. New struggles arise when their current situations do not work in their favor.

“It’s a long journey from start to finish. It talks about love, moving on, loving again, chasing, and finding your own dream,” Ferrer continued adding that the film is not just a love story, “It is based on real events that is why it’s worth watching.

Elise also stars Miko Raval, Victor Anastacio, Laura Lehmann and Miel Espinosa. The film opens Feb. 6 as Regal Entertainment’s preValentine offering.

Ely Buendia, Itchyworms together for first major concert RESORTS World Manila is about to thrill Pinoy Rock fans as it sets the stage for two of the most iconic names in Filipino rock music in one evening with Ely Buendia & The Itchyworms: Greatest Hits on Feb. 9, 8:00 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT).

Ely Buendia shot to fame as the lead singer and guitarist for Filipino rock band Eraserheads, along with penning many of the band’s greatest hits. Still active in the industry, he is now one of the most highly respected names in OPM. Heavily influenced by Ely Buendia and his peers, the Itchyworms—Jugs Jugueta, Jazz Nicolas, Kelvin Yu, and Chino Singson—has made its mark in the OPM scene with easily-relatable, richly performed songs such as “Di Na Muli,” “Akin Ka Na Lang,” “Beer,” and “Ayokong Tumanda.”

In 2016, Ely Buendia and the Itchyworms collaborated on and released the song “Pariwara,” which was well received by Pinoy rock music fans. This was followed by “Lutang”—another unfinished verse-chorus idea of Buendia which found full expression with the Itchyworms.

Their creative collaboration stretches back to the late 90s, resulting in an impressive compendium of collaborative works, including the Itchyworms’ first offering “Revenge of the Unsigned” which Buendia helped produce. The Itchyworms, in turn, contributed to the debut album, Fair Tales of Domino—the band of Buendia’s sister. The Itchyworms drummer Nicolas would also take on keyboard duties for both iterations of the Eraserheads’ Final Set reunion concert in 2008 and 2009.

Tickets to Ely Buendia & The Itchyworms: Greatest Hits are available on www. ticketworld.com.ph or at the RWM Box Office (908.8000 loc. 7700). Download the RWM Mobile App to receive updates and special promotions on RWM shows and events.

Pop icon Ely Buendia (center) with the members of The Itchyworms (Photo by Sonny Espiritu)

‘Fire of Eternal Love’ airs on GMA

Dilraba Dilmurat and Vic Chou, stars of the Chinese drama, ‘Fire of Eternal Love’

BEGINNING today, GMA Heart of Asia presents its newest fantasy series, Fire of Eternal Love, a Chinese fantasy action drama that revolves around the political and personal struggles between different sects in the martial arts world.

The story features Dilraba Dilmurat as Lie Ruge, the kind-hearted heiress of Liehuo Pavilion; Vic Chou as Yin Xue, a man highly skilled in martial arts and he will do anything to keep Lie Ruge safe; Vin Zhang as Zhan Feng, Lie Ruge’s childhood lover and friend; and Liu Ruilin as Yu Zihan, Lie Ruge’s loyal companion.

Lie Ruge grew up with her seniors, Zhan

Feng, and Yu Zihan. Lie Ruge and Zhan Feng fell in love but An Yeluo (Lai Yi), seeing Liehuo Pavilion growing in strength and power, tricked Zhan Feng into believing that the chief of Liehuo Pavilion killed his father. This resulted in Zhan Feng breaking up with Lie Ruge, who eventually became acquainted with Yin Xue, somebody who grew to protect her.

Will Lie Ruge succeed in her mission and restore peace in their nation, despite all the challenges coming her way?

Follow her journey starting today at 8:50 a.m. on GMA Network.