Manila Standard - 2019 February 7 - Thursday

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MEASLES OUTBREAK HITS METRO, CENTRAL LUZON

(STORY BELOW)

VOL. XXXII • NO. 357 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN THEIR HANDS. The fate of the predominantly Muslim villages in Pikit, North Cotabato is in the hands of the voters including the elderly (also inset) exercising their right of suffrage. In Pikit, Maguindanaoan Muslims and Visayas Christians co-exist with the voters’ votes to be counted before long whether to give the predominantly Muslim villages to the autonomous government. OPAPP Regional Office

BOL voters defy bombs Comelec chalks up 70% turnout; ‘Yes’ prevails in early tally

DOJ indicts five in Jolo blasts, widens probe

Amnesty for MILF rebels in the offing THE government is speeding up work on an amnesty program for members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after a successful plebiscite paves the way for the creation of a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that will

By Rey E. Requejo and Francisco Tuyay THE Department of Justice has indicted five suspects in the Jan. 27 bomb attack on a Catholic church in Jolo, Sulu that killed 23 people.

The department said the principal suspect Mukammar Pay alias Kammah and four others have been charged before the Next page

Aquino, Sanofi execs rapped over Dengvaxia

By Vito Barcelo and Francisco Tuyay

D

see former rebels take on a leadership role.

“We’re trying to fast-track the amnesty, but you know the amnesty has to be concurred with by Congress, so we’re working on Next page

Measles outbreak in MM, Luzon HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque on Wednesday confirmed an outbreak of measles in Metro Manila and Central Luzon.

He made the statement even as Ruby Constantino, head of the department’s Disease Prevention and Control Bureau,

said more than 2 million children were at risk of getting infected with measles due to lack of immunization.

She said another measles outbreak was expected this year because 2.4 million children were not vaccinated against measles.

Next page

ESPITE three explosions on the eve of a plebiscite in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato, thousands of voters went to the polls in a peaceful exercise to determine if they wanted to be a part of the new Bangsamoro autonomous region.

With more than 7,000 soldiers and police guarding the polling places, authorities reported no untoward incidents.

On Tuesday, an explosion occurred in Barangay Maranding, the business center of Lala town at 4 p.m., followed by another blast in Kauswagan town minutes later. A third explosive device went off in Sultan Naga Dimaporo town in Lanao del Norte at 10 p.m. No injuries were reported.

A Palace spokesman described the bomb attacks as acts of cowardice and said no amount of bombing would scare people away from casting their votes.

“The road to lasting peace in that region is not without obstacles strewn by those who foment disunity and who purvey the status quo,” said Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo. “We shall not be way-

laid by the twin forces of obstruction and destruction.”

The plebiscite will determine whether six municipalities in Lanao del Norte and 28 barangays in North Cotabato located in the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Cabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan and Pikit will be included in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The first plebiscite held on Jan. 21 included provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao—Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and cities of Cotabato and Isabela.

The Commission on Elections reported a big turnout in Wednesday’s vote, saying about 70 percent of some 640,000 residents participated in the referendum. Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz TWO House committees that investigated the Dengvaxia fiasco on Wednesday recommended the filing of criminal, civil and administrative charges against former President Benigno S. Next page

NOT YET, SWIMMERS. Environment authorities have placed a streamer at Manila’s seawall, seen Wednesday, prohibiting people from swimming in the still unsafe waters of Manila Bay while earnest rehabilitation efforts are in high gear. Norman Cruz (Story on A3)

Cow escapes only to end up Next being butchered A COW in Kansas made a daring escape from a processing plant and went down fighting—charging at a police officer at a railroad track and taking a bullet before being caught and sent back to be butchered.

Brock Volkman of the Richards Cold Storage inValley Center City said the meat was not damNext page aged after the cow was shot.

Smartphones new norm in rich economies SMARTPHONE use has become the norm in most developed nations, while many emerging economies are showing sharp gains, Next page

Pope: Nuns’ abuse cases rife POPE Francis admitted Tuesday that Catholic priests and bishops had sexually abused nuns, the latest scandal to rock the church.

“There are some priests and also bishops who have done it,” the pontiff said in response to a journalist’s question on the abuse of nuns, speaking on the return flight from his trip to the United Arab Emirates.

The papal admission followed a rare outcry last week from the Vatican’s women’s magazine over the sexual abuse of nuns, leaving them feeling forced to have abortions or raise children not recognized by their priest fathers.

The issue hit the headlines last year after a nun accused an Indian bishop of repeatedly Next page

House backs Rody’s veto of ‘insertions,’ pork in ‘19 budget

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday backed the call on President Rodrigo Duterte to use his veto powers and remove all “pork” insertions in the proposed P3.757-trillion national budget Next page for 2019.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

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Diokno summoned over budget

By Maricel V. Cruz

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UDGET Secretary Benjamin Diokno will finally be compelled to attend the congressional investigations into the alleged irregularities in the budget preparation after the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday issued a subpoena to him.

“It is not true that the DBM can utilize these funds as the President’s Veto Message in Fiscal Year 2017 states that, in general, funds must be obligated not later than December 31, 2017.”

Earlier, Andaya’s panel issued a show-cause order to Diokno asking him to explain why he should not be cited for contempt for his refusal to cooperate with the House probe on the proposed budget.

Responding to the order, Diokno said in his letter sent to the panel that he had “sufficiently” answered the questions from lawmakers on the controversies hounding the 2019 national budget when he attended the Question Hour last December.

By attending the Question Hour,

Diokno said, he was able to show his “utmost respect” to the lawmakers and to the institution.

But Andaya said the documents they had proved otherwise.

“I know you’re listening, Mr. Diokno. The documents you promised to us never arrived. So you never satisfactorily answered anything,” Andaya said.

Andaya has been accusing Diokno of allegedly “inserting” some P75 billion in infrastructure fund in the proposed 2019 national budget without the knowledge of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Department of Public Works and Highways and district congressmen.

But Diokno said the P75 billion were not “insertions” but “adjustments” that were part of the budget process.

Rappler, Ressa indicted for cyber libel

By Rey E. Requejo THE Justice department has indicted the onlline news site Rappler, led by its president Maria Ressa and former reporter Reynaldo Santos Jr., for cyber libel over an article published in 2012 implicating businessman Wilfredo Keng in criminal activities.

In a resolution, the department said it had found probable cause in the complaint filed against Rappler by the National Bureau of Investigation and Keng for the alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act filed in March last year.

“The publication complained of imputes to complainant Keng the commission of crimes. It is clearly defamatory,” said the resolution dated Jan. 10, 2018 but released only last Monday.

Published in May 2012 and updated in February 2014, the article written by Santos cited an “intelligence report” and said Keng had been under surveillance for alleged involvement in “human trafficking and drug smuggling.”

The investigating fiscals turned down the defense of the respondents that they could not be held liable under RA 10175, which was signed in Sept.

2012 or four months after the posting of the article on the news website.

The department said the updated version of the article, which was posted on Feb. 19, 2014, was covered by the law.

At the resumption of the hearing conducted by the committee, led by Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., the committee approved the motion of Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso to issue a subpoena against Diokno who has consistently snubbed the ongoing House probe into the alleged anomalies in the budget.

Diokno on Wednesday rejected An-

daya’s accusations that his department generated P370 billion in “pork” as the savings were returned to the Bureau of the Treasury.

“Perhaps Cong. Andaya was referring to the P370.1 billion worth of appropriations in 2017 reverted to the Treasury,” Diokno said in an emailed statement to GMA.

Measles...

Tariff body looks into permanent cement duty plan

“We are expecting that we will have another outbreak this year,” Constantino told CNN Philippines.

The Health department expressed alarm over the rising number of measles cases and urged parents to have their children vaccinated against the infectious disease.

In Central Luzon, Dr. Jesse Fantone, chief of the DOH’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, confirmed the outbreak.

“Yes, it’s an outbreak,” Fantone said, as the regional health office has recorded 442 suspected cases of measles as of Feb. 2.

DOH spokesperson Roland Domingo also told ANC television that several other regions are also under “tight watch” for a measles outbreak―the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the Caraga Region.

“This is really a bit alarming. We really need to intensify, catch up with our vaccination levels here in the Philippines,” Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo told DZMM radio.

The department said cases of measles in Metro Manila rose by 550 percent from Jan. 1 to Feb. 6 this year compared with the same period last year.

The department recorded 169 cases of measles in Metro Manila during that period, or higher than the 26 cases recorded in the same period last year.

In the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila alone, 7 children died within a day due to measles while at least 248 children were being treated for the disease as of Tuesday morning.

At least 55 deaths from measles were recorded at the San Lazaro Hospital, most of them children aged 3 months to 4 years old.

THE Tariff Commission has begun hearing a petition to make permanent a provisional safeguard duty imposed for 200 days by the Department of Trade and Industry on imported cement to stop putting local producers at a disadvantage.

The safeguard duty of P8.40 per bag of imported cement was ordered last Jan. 17 by the DTI, effective Feb. 9, to prevent further injury to a strategic industry which provides thousands of local employment.

A permanent tariff on imported cement will also temper the inflation-

ary effects of unabated importation, according to the commission. At the same time, it said it will give the administration added revenues for its infrastructure program as the imported cement has zero tariff while local cement manufacturing industry contributes an estimated P21 billion in tax revenues to government.

Local cement manufacturers contributed about P155 billion or 1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2016 alone. Their plants directly employ 42,000 Filipinos while providing an additional 125,000 jobs throughout

their value chain.

During the preliminary conference, Commission Chairman Marilou Mendoza and Commissioner Ernesto Albano welcomed interested parties, including representatives of local cement manufacturers and pure importers.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez imposed the duty on imported cement under Administrative Order 19-02. The duty was based on DTI’s investigation which clearly established the elements of surge and injury, although local supply more than meets domestic demand for the construction material.

BOL...

own destiny within the country’s constitutional framework.

Police said there were no violent incidents in the 6,803 polling centers covering the two provinces.

Philippine National Police spokesman Sr. Supt. Bernard Banac said the Tuesday bombings failed to keep voters from the polling places.

The blasts on Tuesday prompted the military and police to tighten security at checkpoints.

Lala, Kauswagan, and Sultan Naga Dimaporo were not part of the six municipalities participating in Wednesday’s plebiscite.

Banac said the explosions were under

investigation.

“The PNP security operations in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato are well in place to make the plebiscite today safe, peaceful and orderly,” Banac said in a message sent to reporters just before the plebiscite.

A total of 7,312 security forces from the PNP (5,573) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (1,739) were deployed on the ground for the second BOL plebiscite.

AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said the military took “extra precautionary measures” to secure the second BOL plebiscite.

With PNA

Hence, it would be more efficient to hold trial there unless compelling reasons exist for the transfer of trial to Manila,” he said.

The first bomb went off inside the church as Mass was being celebrated at about 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 27. Shortly afterward, a second bomb went off outside, in time to kill churchgoers rushing out and soldiers and police responding to the first blast.

The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack, but local authorities tagged the Abu Sayyaf Group for the incident, even as they acknowledged that an Indonesian couple may have been used as suicide bombers.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, meanwhile, said the National Bureau of Investigation will determine if a spate of bomb attacks in Mindanao were related.

The probe would include three blasts in Lanao del Norte that went off in Lanao del Norte on Tuesday, and a grenade attack on a mosque that killed two visiting missionaries in Zamboanga City last week.

“The NBI will try to see if the spate of bombings are interconnected,” Guevarra said.

The first blast occurred in front of a gas station in Lala town at 4:35 p.m., followed by another explosion at the back of the Kauswagan municipal building

15 minutes later.

The third explosion happened at the Mindanao State University High School in Sultan Naga Dimaporo at around 9:30 p.m.

No injuries were reported.

Guevarra said the NBI faced difficulties in its probe of the Jolo bomb attack because the physical evidence on the site had not been properly preserved.

Because of this, Guevarra said he gave the bureau more time to complete its investigation.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said that two Indonesian suicide bombers were behind the bombings, citing intelligence sources.

The woman reportedly detonated the first improvised explosive device inside the church while the man detonated the second one outside near the entrance.

In Jolo, Sulu, the police reported the death of an Abu Sayyaf member as troops continued to press the attack against the terrorist group.

Chief Supt. Amador Corpus, acting director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said ASG member Alex Habbibondin, alias Amah Alex was killed in a manhunt operations in Jolo, Sulu at about 4:30 a.m.

At least three ASG bandits were killed and dozens were wounded in operations against the group. With PNA

not something that just goes away like to? Yes!” he said. that. On the contrary,” he added.

He said it was a cultural problem, the From A1 He said the Church has “suspended roots of which lie in “seeing women as several clerics” and the Vatican has been second class.” raping her in a case that triggered rare dis- “working [on the issue] for a long time.”

The February issue of “Women sent within the country’s Catholic Church.

Church World,” a supplement distribFrancis said the problem could be ‘Must do more’ uted with the Vatican’s Osservatore found “anywhere” but was prevalent in “I don’t want to hear it said that the Romano newspaper, warned that nuns “some new congregations and in some Church has not got this problem, be- have been silent over abuse for decades regions.” cause it has. for fear of retaliation.

“I think it’s still going on, because it’s “Must we do more? Yes! Do we want It said the Vatican received reports

of priests abusing nuns in Africa in the 1990s.

“If the Church continues to close its eyes to the scandal―made even worse by the fact that abuse of women brings about procreation and is therefore at the origin of forced abortions and children who aren’t recognized by priests―the oppression of women in the Church will never change,” editor Lucetta Scaraffia wrote. AFP

In an interview with The Wichita Eagle, Volkman said the bovine escaped last week while a customer brought her to be butchered.

An officer of The Valley Center Department of Public Safety said he tried to get the cow off the tracks when she charged at him, prompting him to shoot.

The bullet failed to stop the cow, according to a spokesperson of the department in a Facebook message to HuffPost.

“Officers followed her another mile through fields before representatives from the processing locker caught her.”

three out of four adults were using smartphones based on the 2018 survey.

Another 17 percent used another kind of mobile phone and only six percent used none.

The picture was mixed in the nine emerging economies surveyed, with smartphone adoption ranging from 60 percent in South Africa to 24 percent in India.

Taken together, an estimated 45 percent of adults used smartphones in the

emerging economies and one third used other mobile phones.

In all the countries, smartphone use was higher among younger people, those with higher levels of education and those with higher incomes, Pew found.

“Younger people in every country surveyed are much more likely to have smartphones, access the internet and use social media,” researchers Kyle Taylor and Laura Silver wrote. AFP

From A1

Amnesty...

From A1

that,” Undersecretary Nabil Tan of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, said on ANC’s Early Edition on Wednesday.

Tan told ANC that those with pending cases would “normally” not be appointed to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, which will govern during a three-year transition period before elections.

However, Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the group’s implementing panel, said they will push for provisional appointments until the rebels receive their amnesties.

He told ABS-CBN News that 10 MILF commanders are facing criminal cases for “common” crimes.

He added that about 35,000 to 40,000 combatants may be covered by the amnesty.

From A1

As of 5:40 p.m., the unofficial count showed the “yes” votes ahead with 31,698, against the “no” votes at 9,712.

The official results would be released four days after the plebiscite, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

The ARMM and Cotabato City voted “yes”to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law while Isabela City opted not to join the BARMM, which replaces the ARMM. The BOL seeks to give the Moro people the basic legal tools to chart their

DOJ...

From A1

Jolo, Sulu regional trial court with 23 counts of murder and 95 counts of frustrated murder.

Also charged in court were Albadji Gadjali alias Apah, Radjan Gadjali, Kaisar Gadjai and Said Alih.

DOJ spokesman Mark Perete said the Sulu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office found probable cause on the charges filed by the Philippine National Police against the five suspects after inquest proceedings on Monday.

The cases filed by the prosecutors unidentified suspects tagged in the twin attacks.

Kammah, alleged bomb maker and a brother of slain Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Surakah Ingog, is reportedly the leader of the Ajang Ajang subgroup of the terrorist group.

Kammah has denied involvement in the bomb attack.

However, prosecutors cited eyewitness accounts that pointed to him as one of the culprits as the basis for indicting him and other respondents.

The DOJ said there is no plan yet to transfer the cases from Sulu to a court in Metro Manila.

“The evidence and witnesses necessary to prosecute the case are in Jolo.

Pope:...

House...

From A1

“I am in full support of the call for the President to use his line-item veto power to remove all pork barrel insertions in the 2019 national budget,” Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., the panel’s chairman, said.

“There is so much question on the 2019 budget that remain unanswered by

[Budget] Secretary [Benjamin] Diokno.

These will render all the work done by the Bicameral Committee useless.”

Andaya made his statement even as Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday expressed his support to Senator Panfilo Lacson’s call to President Duterte to use his veto power to eliminate the “evil pork” inserted in the 2019 national budget.

“If it’s appropriate and if there’s clear “pork”, why not? It should be vetoed,” Sotto said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Smartphones...

From A1

a global survey showed Tuesday.

The Pew Research Center report found strong majorities of adults using smartphones in the world’s wealthier countries, led by 95-percent adoption in South Korea and 88 percent in Israel.

In 18 developed countries surveyed,

Aquino,...

From A1

Aquino III and two of his Cabinet members in connection with P3.5-billion purchase of some 3 million doses of the anti-dengue vaccine in 2015.

The vaccine, that was only on Phase IV of its clinical trial at the time, was later found by its maker, Sanofi Pasteur, to exacerbate dengue symptoms that may cause death if administered to those who have not yet been afflicted by the disease.

The House committee on good government and public accountability, chaired by Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo and House committee on health, led by Quezon Rep. Helen Tan, voted 14-4 to approve the measure after the joint panel earlier reopened its probe into the case. The House, in plenary session, was scheduled to approve the committee report Wednesday.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, then chairman of the House committee on good government and public accountability, also recommended the filing of administrative, civil and criminal liability charges against Aquino and others involved in the allegedly irregular procurement of P3.5 billion worth of the Dengvaxia.

The committees also recommended the filing of graft, technical malversation, and civil cases against Aquino, former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and the Health secretary at the time, Janette Garin, for the alleged unauthorized use of government savings for the purchase of Dengvaxia vaccines.

Cow...

From A1

News Death penalty bill for party drugs use withdrawn

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives on Wednesday withdrew the passage of a bill imposing the maximum penalty of “life imprisonment to death” to those who will be found possessing illegal drugs at parties, social gatherings and meetings.

House Bill 8909, principally authored by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, was approved on third and final reading by a 172 vote last Monday.

But in plenary session Wednesday presided by Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, the House recalled the bill upon the motion Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter Palma. The bill runs contrary to the position of Arroyo who is anti-death penalty.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, earlier said that the maximum penalty will only be imposed if capital punishment in the country will be restored.

The bill proposes to strengthen the government’s war on drugs by amending Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Section 13 of the bill provides that any person found possessing dangerous drug during a party, or at a social gathering or meeting, or in the proximate company of at least two persons will face the penalty of “life imprisonment to death” and a fine of P500,000 to P10 million.

It also expands the definition of drug trafficking as the “illegal cultivation, culture, delivery, administration, dispensation, manufacture, sale, trading, transportation, distribution, importation, exportation, chemical diversion, and possession of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical.”

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

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DENR to put fence along Bay seawall

By Rio N. Araja

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HREE days from now, the Manila Baywalk will be closed for any swimming activity, at least for the next six months.

This is because the Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to put up a perimeter fence along the beachfront to prevent people from swimming in the polluted waters while rehabilitation is ongoing.

“We are about to close the swimming area. We did not anticipate the influx of people. We are closing the beach front,” said DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, who led the inspection of the bay and ordered to block the shoreline from the United States Embassy up to the Manila Yacht Club with orange plastic barriers, which will be replaced by a four-foot fence.

The fence will be built along the sea-

wall of the Manila Baywalk—the seaside public walkway overlooking Manila Bay along Roxas Boulevard.

The fence will cover the area starting from the Manila Yacht Club to the US Embassy. The DENR said the construction of the fence will start in the next three days, while the Baywalk beachfront may be closed for six months.

Cimatu, however said that people can still view the Manila Bay sunset.

“Ang iko-close lang su’yung tubig but Baywalk will still be open.”

“Hindi lang puwede pasukin ‘yung tubig kasi paano ka maglilinis kung may mga nagsi-swimming?” he said.

Cimatu added that due to its high level of coliform bacteria, the Manila Bay is unsafe for bathing.

The DENR chief said that though the fecal coliform count in the swimming area of Manila Bay has improved from 330 million most probable number (mpn) per 100 milliliters to only 7.5 million mpn/100ml, the levels are still far from being safe for swimming.

The standard coliform level for coastal waters which is safe for swimming and other similar recreational activities is at only 100 mpn/100ml.

The Department of Health earlier made the same warning to the public because the area is still unsafe and polluted.

An 11-year-old girl, a grade six pupil from Adriatico, Manila, is now in critical condition at the Ospital ng Maynila’s intensive care unit after nearly drowning while swimming with her friends at the Manila Bay last Tuesday.

Attending physicians continued to

remove the excess fluid in her lungs.

“Bathing in Manila Bay can expose people to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, which could increase their chances of developing illnesses. Government has not yet given the all-clear signal for swimming,” Cimatu said.

In 2008, the Supreme Court issued a writ of continuing mandamus ordering the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and 12 other agencies to restore the waters of Manila Bay “as safe for regular use by the public for activities.”

The DENR chief had vowed an “across-the-board” crackdown against Manila Bay polluters.

“No establishment that is polluting Manila Bay will be spared from the crackdown. We will make sure all establishments will go through inspection and the violators will have to pay the price for polluting the environment,” he said.

IN BRIEF Police to identify Malayao’s killers THE Cagayan Valley police said it would investigate the identities of the men seen on a CCTV footage behind the killing of National Democratic Front consultant Randy Malayao.

The CCTV footage were taken from two angles—one inside the bus where Malayao was shot and one outside, according to a GMA 7 report.

In the first footage, which was taken at a bus terminal in Quezon City around 9 p.m. on January 29, Malayao was seen boarding an Isabela-bound bus. Suddenly a man approached the bus, took a picture of the vehicle, and left.

Five hours later, or around 2 a.m. on Jan. 30, the bus stopped over at a bus terminal in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.

House clears Lapeña on drug shipment case

CHECKPOINT. Members of the Quezon City Police District conduct a Comelec checkpoint as part of the gun ban in effect ahead of the May national and local elections. Manny Palmero

‘White knights’ to rescue Hanjin—SBMA exec DOLE-ECOP deal SUBIC Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman Wilma Eisma said on Wednesday that several ‘white knights’ may yet rescue Korean shipbuilder Hanjin’s Philippine unit, which could help thousands of Filipinos from losing their jobs in the debt-saddled firm.

Authorities said that Hanjin could be forced to keep only 300 of its 3,000 workforce if the company fails to secure funding for further orders.

Eisma said that, meanwhile, the government is offering 25,000 jobs from

115 companies in a job fair aimed at helping Hanjin workers.

But Eisma said “credible discussions” are ongoing to rescue Hanjin, which filed for rehabilitation before an Olongapo City court last January, as it reeled from a slowdown in global shipping.

According to Esima, the ‘rescuers’ include “several” Europeans and one North American firm.

She added that Hanjin is “very sensitive” to concerns raised about the possible entry of a Chinese investor.

Eisma said a potential investor is currently in Subic doing due diligence on Hanjin. She did not identify the company.

“As soon as the last ship is delivered, we’re afraid Hanjin has to let go all its remaining employees, up to 3,000, and only 300 will remain for regular operations and accept repair orders,” Eisma said.

She added that Hanjin is finding it difficult to get loans to finance orders, for which it has received down payments. At the time of the rehabilitation filing, it still had six pending orders.

A JOINT panel in the House of Representatives on Wednesday cleared former Bureau of Customs Chief Isidro Lapeña liable of any liability in connection with the P6.8 billion in drug shipments that slipped past the Bureau of Customs last year under his watch.

The House committees on dangerous drugs and good government and public accountability, chaired by Reps. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Sur and Xavier Jesus Romualdo of Camiguin, unanimously approved its committee report after having conducted deliberations on the issue based on House Resolution 2068 filed by Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo. Maricel V. Cruz

Senate OK’s Mislatel’s ownership transfer THE Senate on Wednesday night adopted a House resolution allowing the transfer of the ownership of the Mindanao Islamic Telephone Company (Mislatel) to a consortium led by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy .

The Senate concurred with House Concurrent Resolution 23, which formalized the sale of the controlling interest of Mislatel to Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics Holdings and the foreign state-run China Telecommunications Corp.

Under the House resolution adopted by the Senate, Mislatel’s ownership structure will be: 35 percent to Udenna, 25 percent to Chelsea Logistics, and 40 percent to China Telecom. Mislatel will act as the franchise holder.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

ARRESTED. National Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Kenneth Dong for his alleged role in the importation of P 6.4 billion worth of shabu.

Norman Cruz

to regularize ‘endo’ workers

By Vito Barcelo THE Department of Labor and Employment said on Wednesday that thousands of workers employed under the “contractual or endo” scheme will be regularized starting this month once an agreement with the Employers Confederation of the Philippines and the DOLE this week.

The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on the National Voluntary Regularization Plan is set on Feb. 8 which will cover an initial 220,000 workers, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

Included in the agreement is the absorption by the principal employers as regulars the workers who are believed engaged under illegal contracting arrangements.

Bello said the conclusion of an agreement with the ECOP for the implementation of a voluntary regularization plan will cover 30 to 40 percent of the workers of 3,200 pre-identified establishments, mostly ECOP members.

“We are confident that this agreement will set the stage for the massive regularization to be voluntarily initiated by the rest of the employers nationwide,” Bello said.

Bello said the government hopes more private companies will also absorb their contractual workers on their own volition once the agreement with ECoP is signed.

Among other companies who submitted their voluntary regularization plan include SM Malls, which were able to regularize 11,660 workers and Jollibee Foods Corp.

Bautista to QCPD: Hunt down ‘brains’ behind Beltran’s murder

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday urged the police to go after the mastermind behind the killings of Barangay Bagong Silangan chairperson Crisell Beltran and her driver, Melchor Salita.

In a media interview, Bautista said

“there could be a lot of things—may be drugs, land, syndicates, politics, [or] love. There are many angles.”

“First of all, I am too saddened by the turn of events. I wasn’t here when that happened. I thank the Quezon City Police District for its lead to get the suspects,” he said.

“But what is more important is to

know who ordered the killing,” he added.

He said Beltran, who was seeking a congressional seat in the 2019 mid-term election, was a childhood friend and one of the city’s youth leaders.

He, however, declined to comment further, saying he has yet to receive and read the police report.

“I have to base my statement on the report,” he said.

Bautista was in the United States when Beltran, who was on board her Ford Everest driven by Salita, was attacked and shot to death.

Four other companions were injured during the incident on Jan. 31 on a broad daylight.

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Opinion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Common to tycoons I FEEL sad when I think of my three best friends who were among the country's top tycoons. I got to know them when I was business editor of the Philippines Herald.

Santa Banana, those were the days when I could just barge into the office of a bank chairman or president, or a tycoon for that matter, for an interview!

They were Henry Sy Sr., founder of SM and its affiliates now in banking, property development, hotels, tourism and retail. I have written about the time I first met him—when he was a 23-yearold shoe retailer in Carriedo. I followed his rags-to-riches story.

The passing of these three men is a personal loss to me.

Henry was three years older that I, but I was lucky to know him personally and at times have coffee with him.

He told me the secret of having a successful retail company. Before opening an SM, he would invite all known retail companies to have space at SM, and all he asked was 10 percent of their sales.

They could not refuse because SM gave them free security, free amenities and free space. No wonder he is called the King of Retailers.

Henry's legacy is that there is no substitute for hard work, patience and perseverance.

Another tycoon friend was George

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

SK Ty, founder and chairman of Metrobank.

I consider George a personal friend because we often conversed during the foreign visits of Presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Arroyo. We were all part of the business delegation.

George was well known for his philanthropy. He had an annual selection of the best teachers, best policemen, best soldiers, and outstanding Filipinos. His corporate social responsibility was outstanding.

At one time, George made me a judge of the best teachers.

And then, there is Alfonso Yuchengco, chairman and president of RCBC, Malayan Insurance and Great Pacific Insurance.

When he was just starting out in insurance, the Business Writers Association of the Philippines voted him as the “Young Insurance Man of the Year.”

Later, he was named “Insurance Man of the Year.”

He often invited me and my wife for dinner at his home. Every year-end, he would ask me to brief his executives on business prospects for the following year. When he became ambassador to Japan, I visited him there.

If there is one thing common among these three, it's their vision for the Philippines. This is why I believe their good fortune was a reward from God. Their passing is a loss not only to the country but also to me. *** I do not subscribe to the sentiment that the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law will usher in peace, unity and development in Mindanao.

The IS-inspired terror groups have proliferated in Mindanao. They will continue to frustrate whatever plans the Duterte administration has for the new Bangsamoro territory.

The fact that there are now some 40 foreign terrorists in the country, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, aggravates the situation. These groups' single agenda is to create panic and confusion among the populace.

N

O less than the leader of the Roman Catholic Church acknowledged that some priests and bishops had sexually abused nuns, and said that the problem could be found anywhere even as some new congregations and some regions are more likely to see it happening.

Fallibility

According to Agence France Presse, Pope Francis made the admission after a journalist asked him about the abuse of nuns. This month's issue of the magazine Women Church World says nuns have been silent for decades because they feared retaliation. The magazine also says the Vatican had been receiving reports of priests abusing nuns since the 1990s, a situation made worse by forced abortions and children not rec-

ognized by their priest fathers.

But the Pope's mere admission does not make the Church more righteous or less responsible for the crimes. It is the only thing to do. Denying it or keeping silent is hypocritical and reprehensible.

Francis also acknowledges that more needs to be done and that the Church does want to do something to correct what is happening. Last year, a bishop in India was arrested for raping a nun 13 times between 2014 and 2016.

This would be an exception, however, to the countless instances of abuse not only of nuns but of children and other victims all over the world and across generations.

An even greater sin is institutional denial and condonation. Church leaders have often resorted to transferring erring priests to other locations instead of defrocking them and handing them over to law enforcement, to be prosecuted like common suspects.

The knowledge of clergy abuse is nothing new to the Catholic faithful. They have kept their faith despite it, acknowledging that Church leaders are fallible humans whose failings must not be equated with the church.

Meanwhile, scandal after scandal has supplied Church critics with ammunition—look no farther than President Duterte—to insult God, question its teachings, and mock its leaders.

Catholics look to Pope Francis for real leadership on this grave matter. He could provide spiritual guidance, sure, but he must also lead trailblazing efforts to show that the Church does not protect its own despite the damage and injustice they inflict upon others.

In the end, the Catholic Church is an institution like many others: plagued with scandals and failings despite the veneer of holiness. May its faithful be steadfast in upholding its core values and teachings while staying away from the fanatical belief that it can do no wrong.

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Review: Pasig River rehab POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE THE Manila Bay cleanup reminds us of other waterways that need to be rehabilitated, among them the Pasig River.

The river used to be an essential part of people’s lives. They washed and bathed in it, drew drinking water from it for themselves and their domestic animals, fished in it, and sailed along its 25-kilometer (16-mile) length from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. All kinds of goods were transported along it. And during the colonial period the stately homes of wealthy people were built along its banks, among them Malacañang Palace.

The river figures in the first line of Jose Rizal’s ‘El Filibusterismo’: “One December morning the steamship Tabo struggled upstream along the winding Pasig, carrying a great number of passengers to the province of La Laguna.”

In that same chapter Rizal refers to the river’s busy life in the late 19th century, with “barges, boats, and coconut rafts of the natives” plying the river, and “laundresses and bathers on the river banks.”

From the 1950s onward, industrial pollution, negligence, and poor waste management methods exacerbated by the proliferation of factories and the influx of informal settlers took their toll on the river, and in 1990 it was declared biologically dead.

Among the groups trying to bring the river back to life is the government’s Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.

Created in 1999, the agency’s mission (as posted on its website) is “to transform Pasig River and its environs into a showcase of a new quality of urban life,” with the goal of restoring “river water quality to Class C level.”

Class C water quality means water that can sustain fishes and other aquatic life, and support “secondary recreations like boating, and water for manufacturing processes after treatment.”

Led by its Executive Director Jose Antonio “Pepeton” Goitia, PRRC tries its best to fulfill its duties despite a shortage of manpower (and of its 200 workers only about 20 have plantilla positions) and an inadequate budget

(around P232 million last year, with 48 percent of that or P112 million going to fund the agency’s Riverbanks Development and Flood Control Program).

The agency also lacks police powers to penalize the commercial and individual violators of water pollution and waste management laws, showing there is a need to revamp its outdated charter, Executive Order No. 54.

The agency has heavy responsibilities. “Its river rehabilitation and management model,” explained PRRC Information Officer Alyssa Miclat, “includes housing and resettlement [of informal settlers]; riverbank, transportation and tourism development; flood control; environmental management; and public information and advocacy programs.”

If there are no clean rivers, what do we go rollin’ on?

The rehoming of informal settlers is particularly important because it is estimated that 65 percent of the waste thrown into the Pasig River comes from their communities. Miclat said that from 1999 to 2018, the PRRC relocated almost 20,000 informal settler families living along the river, “many of [whom] were even residing over the estuaries and creeks and tons of garbage that [had] piled [up] underneath their makeshift houses.”

Today the river is home to more than a hundred species of fish, birds, trees, and water plants. “People now fish, travel, and do exercise along the Pasig River and its [47] tributaries,” said Miclat.

In Oct. 2018, the Pasig River beat the Yangtze River to be recognized by the International River Foundation as the 1stAsia Riverprize awardee at an international competition held in Sydney. The judges, Miclat said, “were really impressed with the scale of the problems the Pasig River faced and the scale of the response initiated by the PRRC.” The PRRC seeks to engage public help for its river rehabilitation efforts through its Puso Para sa Ilog Pasig campaign. It Turn to A5

Chinese hunger for ‘world’s smelliest fruit’ threatens Malaysian forests

By Sam Reeves/with Lillian Ding in Beijing SOARING demand for durians in China is being blamed for a new wave of deforestation in Malaysia with environmentalists warning vast amounts of jungle is being cleared to make way for massive plantations of the spiky, pungent fruit.

Grown across tropical Southeast Asia, the durian is hailed as the "king of fruits" by fans, who liken its creamy texture and intense aroma to blue cheese.

But detractors say durians stink of sewage and stale vomit. The strong smell means many hotels across the region have banned guests from bringing them

to rooms, while Singapore does not allow the fruit on its subway system.

Nevertheless, they are a hit in China, and the increase in demand has prompted exporters to vie for a bigger share of the burgeoning market.

Growers in Malaysia are increasingly shifting from small orchards to industrialscale operations—a trend that environmentalists warn presents a new threat to rainforests already challenged by loggers and palm oil plantations.

"Right now durians are gaining a lot of attention from the Chinese market," said

Sophine Tann, from environmental protection group PEKA, which has studied land clearances to make way for the fruit.

"This deforestation for planting of durians is in preparation to meet that demand."

In the jungle-clad district of Raub in central Malaysia, swathes of rainforest have recently been chopped down to make way for a new plantation, with durian seedlings protected by netting planted across bare hillsides.

The plantation is next to an area of Turn to A5

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Opinion Transparency before approval where is it? Where did the money go?

Given these, the Minority accepts the fact that we cannot hold the budget hostage. Either we wait for the Secretary of Budget and Management to come forward with the data asked of him, or we THIS week, the Bicameral Committee is supposed to approve the 2019 General Appropriations Bill. The deliberations have taken so long, and our efforts have led us to many revelations regarding the current and the proposed budget. There are still questions left unanswered.

Many have said that a reenacted budget does not contemplate the current needs of the government for the efficient and proper implementation of its programs and projects. However, due to the lapses of the Executive, particularly the DBM, the members of Congress are constrained to approve the proposed 2019 budget. The Congress only wanted to see how the budget was spent in 2018. The government reportedly has savings, but

We stand between the devil and the deep blue sea.

work with a re-enacted budget. We stand between the devil and the deep blue sea.

While we shall be approving the proposed 2019 budget, we are hopeful that there shall be a gentlemen’s agreement

between the Legislative and the Executive, that the Executive, particularly the DBM, in turn, release the reports sought

by Congress. In this way, we can reconcile the pressing needs of the government and will then allow us move on to the other issues necessitating our attention.

This 2019 budget is the last that the 17th Congress shall approve. When passed, I hope that this budget shall be instrumental and bear much fruit in the form of finished infrastructure projects, adequate medical supplies, accessible quality health services, successful antipoverty programs, and transparent local and national elections. As I have stated in my previous articles, Filipinos deserve nothing less than transparent fiscal management, appropriate and accessible government programs, and efficient in infrastructure development.

The Oversight function of Congress remains as relevant and active as ever in ensuring that different agencies of the government perform its job well.

The Tanza drug operation

HOWEVER one looks at the anti-drug operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Tanza, Cavite that netted 270 kilos of methamphetamine, it was an outstanding and huge success. PDEA should give itself a pat in the back.

To put the operation in its proper perspective, that old blockbuster movie French Connection which earned actor Gene Hackman an Oscar whose plot depicted the operation on how illegal drugs were recovered in France in the 1970s, only accounted for 20 kilos of cocaine. The Tanza operation was about 13 times bigger.

There are many things that we can take from this operation. One is that it indicates that the anti-drug war is far from over. It is very much alive and seems to be flourishing. Another is that maybe, this is a good time to look at current strategies and tactics to see if change is needed. And still another is that the Tanza operation is the kind of police effort that the public is expecting to be done with more frequency rather than concentrating police resources on small-time dealers in many squatter colonies scattered all over the metro area. Two foreign nationals were killed in the operation which also shows that majority of the supply of prohibited drugs comes from overseas which are smuggled to our country.

As explained by the Executive Director of PDEA Aaron Aquino, the smugglers are going back to the old system of loading the drugs on ships and bringing the prohibited drugs close to our shores where small boats go out to sea for the purpose of retrieving the shabu for distribution to bigtime drug lords in the country.

It is generally believed among law enforcement agencies that the principal source of shabu is China. Most of the big-time dealers arrested and killed in the past were Chinese nationals. The

Chinese...

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protected forest, which is home to a kaleidoscope of animals from monkeys to exotic birds.

A river, now murky and filled with trunks and branches from logging, runs close by.

A sign outside the plantation said it was run by Ample Harvest Produce but company staff refused to comment when contacted about the loss of trees in the area.

PEKA said the land's status was changed by the local government to allow logging, but local authorities did not respond to requests for comment.

Love at first bite In a Beijing mall some 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) away, a stall named "Little Fruit Captain" is doing a brisk trade selling Malaysian durians.

Shop manager Wang Tao said his customers "fall in love" with durians from Malaysia due to their particularly sweet taste, often preferring them to those from rival exporters, such as Thailand.

He imports frozen durians from a facility in Malaysia and sells them in plastic containers or in other forms—a kind of baked dessert, in ice cream or fried up as crisps.

Customers are kept up to date about the shop's stock via the WeChat messag-

criminal elements from China who are engaged in the illegal drug trade can come here easily due to the government policy of visa-free travel by Chinese nationals to the country.

Whether PDEA is doing it already or not, it should maintain a permanent coordinating arrangement with the Chinese police authorities for the purpose of monitoring Chinese drug cartel operation here. The Chinese government has in fact intimated its willingness to establish this and PDEA should take advantage of it.

The illegal drug trade is a giant transnational operation netting billions of dollars in profits. It is doubtful whether this country with its very limited resources can really solve the problem on its own. It is elementary in law enforcement that if the police go after the big-time dealers and distributors, supply will eventually dry up or at least trickle to the very minimum. But judging from the daily news that the public gets, the supply of shabu circulating in the country is not diminishing at all.

The price is usually the best indicator of whether the supply of shabu is steady, going up or going down. All indications is that prices are basically steady. This simply means that all the shabu that the police or PDEA are recovering are being replenished without much difficulty.

It also shows the magnitude of the problem because going after big drug lords consisting of manufacturers and suppliers is a transnational police problem and this makes it extremely difficult to solve the problem.

As an example, the United States with all its power and resources could

hardly dent its own drug problem. How much more for us? Illegal drugs whether shabu, cocaine or the so called opioid problems, are killing more and more people in America.

The coastline of the Philippines is longer than that of the US which makes it difficult to intercept smugglers bringing in illegal drugs. This may be due to poor intelligence or lack of resources that makes patrolling our shorelines a lot more difficult.

Three years after the government anti-drug war was launched, killing thousands of alleged drug offenders in the process, we still have to see a credible study undertaken by the police or other think-tank groups to show how far the government has gone in solving the country’s pervasive drug problem. All that we get are bulletins issued by the police from time to time outlining some of their successful operations like the one in Cavite. I do not know whether all the law enforcement agencies have ever joined hands to conduct a strategic review of the anti-drug campaign for the Presipurpose of recommending to the Presi dent new tactics and strategies if that is what is required. Or, are these agencies just waiting for instructions from the President who probably believes that he has a much better understanding of the drug problem?

Whatever it is, it is time that law enforcement agencies should take another look at the methods that are being used to solve the problem both strategically and tactically, for the purpose of coming up with some new approaches if there are any more left out there instead of the usual raids on squatter areas and buy-bust operations netting five to ten sachets of shabu.

This is the reason why the Tanza success is welcome indeed. We need more of the Cavite-type operation because it appears to have been conducted in the true tradition of good old-fashioned police detective work. The street value of that Tanza haul is worth about P2 billion which is a lot. A dozen or more successful operations of that type may be a lot to ask but is needed in order to reduce supply.

Congratulations to PDEA.

ing app.

"I first tried durian as a child and acquired a taste for it," said university student Liu Zelun, who visits the shop once a week for her durian fix.

"Thai durians have a stronger flavour and you tend to get sick of it after a while, but not the ones that I buy from here."

The most popular variety—and one of the most expensive—is Musang King, known for its thick, golden flesh. A single Musang King was on sale at the Beijing stall for 800 yuan ($120), several times more expensive than in Malaysia.

"Our customers aren’t concerned about the prices, they just want the best," said Wang.

Palm oil down, durian up With the price of key Malaysian export palm oil, used in everyday goods around the world from soap to margarine, in a seemingly inexorable decline, farmers are increasingly turning to durians.

The government has backed the expansion of the industry, hoping to cash in on growing demand from the world's second-biggest economy.

The value of durian shipments from Malaysia to China in the first eight months of 2018 hit 7.4 million ringgit ($1.8 million), more than double the value in the same period of 2017, according to the agriculture ministry in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia hopes a deal struck in August to pave the way for the export of

whole, frozen durians to China will boost shipments, and are aiming to more than double production to 443,000 tons by 2030.

Previously, Malaysian durians could only be shipped to China in pulp and paste form.

Despite the looming production boom, the agriculture ministry insisted plantations will expand slowly and said it was encouraging growers to use existing orchards and revive unproductive trees.

Deforestation for new areas is not encouraged," Agriculture Minister Salahuddin Ayub told AFP in a statement, adding that if trees were logged for plantations, strict environmental rules must be followed.

In the northeastern state of Kelantan, tribespeople last year set up blockades to stop a company from logging their ancestral lands to set up a Musang King plantation.

The central government has taken up their cause, suing the state government for failing to uphold their land rights.

But environmentalists warn the overall picture is bleak.

Durian cultivation is "driving yet more deforestation and biodiversity loss in Malaysia," said environmental group Rimba, warning it was leading to "destruction of critical habitat for wide-ranging animals such as tigers, elephants, primates, and hornbills." AFP

Congratulations to PDEA.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Aspirational forecasting: 7-8% GDP growth READING the report that the economy of this country posted a slightly lower GDP (gross domestic product) growth in 2018 got me thinking about the two most common approaches to forecast-making.

One approach, which is the more logical, is to try and arrive at a forecast that takes into account and synthesizes all the data and circumstances that have a significant bearing on the state of the economy.

Though they realize the risk involved in forecast-making, forecasters who use this approach appreciate the value, from the professional standpoint, of being recognized for being able to make accurate forecasts. Their attitude, when their forecasts miss the mark, is that they gave the task their best professional shot.

Unlike the first approach to forecasting, which confines itself to the attendant facts and circumstances, the second approach brings in the element of aspiration. The data and circumstances point toward a certain projection, but a forecaster may set the projection at a higher level as a means of coaxing a result better than that which the data and circumstances warrant. Wonderment, even ridicule, may be provoked when the divergences between realistic and the aspirational is wide.

A good example of what I’m talking about is the continuing projection by successive administrations of the annual growth of this country’s economy. Except for one recent year, the Philippine economy has never posted annual GDP growth above 6 percent; the 2018 figure is 6.5 percent. Yet, year after year the government forecasts GDP growth of 7-to-8 percent. The most optimistic forecasts for Philippine GDP growth this year are the vicinity of 6.7 percent.

A 7-to-9 percent annual growth is not an impossibility for the Philippine economy. It is possible. But for a growth projection of that level to be considered plausible, there must be a showing of a difference in the environment for the operation of the economy—better policymaking, more infrastructure, improved implementation capability. It can no longer be business-as-usual; that must be replaced by business-as-it-should-be.

Sad to say, I don’t see these betterments coming to pass anytime soon.

Policymaking by both the Legislative and the Executive Department remains flawed and slow, interpretation and enforcement of laws remain

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informs and educates people through immersion and induction activities for various age groups.

“Immersion activities,” said Miclat, “involve a brief orientation about the rehabilitation model of the PRRC and what the [public] can do to help revive the Pasig River, followed by a visit to our livelihood center in BASECO or an estero tour and then cleanup.”

“In the communities,” she added, “people near the esteros…are oriented on their duties in the maintenance of the rehabilitated tributaries and linear parks as well as how to do proper segregation [of waste].”

There is still more work to do, so the

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inconsistent, the bureaucracy continues to be visionless and corruption permeates all—repeat all—levels of the government.

That’s the bad news. The worse news is that there is no likelihood that the situation will improve soon.

So I go back to my discussion of the two approaches to forecasting in general and to economic forecasting in particular.

Why do the principal economic authorities of this country—NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority), BSP and DOF (Department of Finance)——continue, year after year, to speak of 7-to-8 percent annual GDP growth? I can only think that the economic managers are being aspirational when they make such a forecast. Given that dramatic changes in the national situation are unlikely in the near term, they must realize that if 7 percent GDP growth is very hard to achieve, attainment of 8 percent growth is a far more difficult proposition. But, they think, who knows, the economy—the public and the private sector together—might just clear a greater height if the bar of performance were set higher.

The negative side of the issue is the demoralization and trivialization of forecasting that comes from the repeated missing of targets set too high.

What I call aspirational forecasting has its positive and its negative side. The positive side is the extra effort that is elicited from the high bar-setting. The negative side of the issue is the demoralization and trivialization of forecasting that comes from the repeated missing of targets set too high.

Aspiration has its rightful place in the forecasting process. How to reconcile the positive and the negative side of aspirational forecasting? I suggest that the aspirational element of a forecast be set at a level that will bring it within the realm of realism. Under present and foreseeable conditions, a Philippine GDP growth-range projection is unrealistic if the upper end is 8 percent—as at present—but would be acceptable if it were around 7.3 percent. Demoralization would not be so great if the 7.3 percent upper end of the target range were not breached.

PRRC, in collaboration with UP Planades, designed the Pasig River Integrated and Strategic Master Plan. Its goal is that by 2032, the Pasig River and its surrounding basins will be resilient life-sustaining ecosystems, through restoration strategies including management of water quality, stream flow, and catchments.

Perhaps by then, and hopefully much sooner, the Pasig River will be as clean or cleaner than it was during Jose Rizal’s time, and we will see along its banks the fishermen, boatmen, and bathers that he once saw.

The song ‘Proud Mary’ goes “Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river…” If there are no clean rivers, what do we go rollin’ on? FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

First, there was a question of money.

This is why I am eternally grateful to Standard publisher Rollie Estabillo and Martin and Philip Romualdez who finally decided to publish my book.

I am also thankful to opinion page editor Adelle Chua and writer Jenny Ortuoste for helping me finalize my memoirs.

I was also not satisfied with the first print. I did not like the cover “Periodista: The Road Never Ends.”

I have to revise the entire project to be true to myself. God willing, I should be able to launch the book after the elections in May. *** If many parts of the country are election hot spots because of the possibility of violence, it is simply because there are politicians who do not want to lose power and the perks that go with it.

Nothing much has changed, indeed.

And then, after the elections, there will be more protests. Here there are only those who won and those who claim they were cheated.

Note that the plebiscite result is not unanimous. Sulu is against it, and so is Isabela in Basilan. This also means that Nur Misuari's Moro National Liberation Front is not one with the MILF that will rule the BARMM. This simply means that unity and peace in Mindanao are not forthcoming.

There are many reasons that the Muslims in Mindanao and Sulu are not united. It's rooted in history. The Tausugs in Sulu cannot live with the Maranaos in the Lanao provinces, and neither can the Maranaos and Maguindanaoans live with the Tausugs. It's tribalism.

This is the reason Muslims love guns. They are a source of power. You cannot separate guns and Muslims.

It's a long way to peace. *** The Manila Standard will finally publish my memoirs. Publication was delayed because of unforeseen events. www.emiljurado.weebly.com

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MMDA will implement minor traffic adjustments

By Joel E. Zurbano

MEDICAL CANNABIS. Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, questions Secretary Catalino Cuy (c), chairperson, Dangerous Drugs Board, and DDB Usec. Benjamin Reyes during the Senate public hearing on Providing Compassion and Right of Access to Medical Cannabis Expanding Reseach Into Its Medical Properties at the Senate office in Pasay City. Lino Santos

Add’l revenues seen in 2019 from excise tax

By Macon Ramos-Araneta FINANCE Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua on Wednesday braced for a P32.3billion additional revenues in 2019 from an increased excise tax on alcoholic products that will be used to bankroll the implementation of the Universal Health Care.

The UHC, awaiting signature by President Rodrigo Duterte, intends to provide free health services to all Filipinos.

Testifying during the Senate ways and means committee hearing on the proposed measure to raise excise tax in tobacco, Chua said the increased excise tax would address the P40-billion gap needed for the government’s UHC program.

Aside from providing quality health care, an excise tax hike would discourage excessive consumption of alcohol.

The purpose of this increase, he said, is to cover excise taxes, specific tax based on weight, alcohol content of alcoholic drinks and to adjust ad valorem.

He emphasized that the price of alcoholic drinks in the Philippine is so far the cheapest and most affordable in the (Southeast) region. He said the cost of San Miguel Beer in the region is relatively low.

With the raise in excise tax, he said, this will also generate P40 billion in revenues in 2020, P47.4 billion in 2021, P54.6 billion in 2022, and P62.4 billion in 2023, which makes a total of P236 billion in five years.

The Finance department’s proposal made jointly with the Department of Health provides that distilled spirits would be levied 25 percent ad valorem (value added) tax per proof with a specific tax of P40 per proof liter.

Senator Manny Pacquiao filed a Senate bill that seeks a 25-percent tax rate on the retail price per proof liter of distilled spirits and an ad valorem tax of P40 per liter.

He said excessive drinking was dangerous to health and bad for the society.

He cited the World Health Organization study which states that one of the 20 deaths was related to alcohol drinking.

PhilHealth Independent Director Anthony Leachon told the panel chaired by Senator Juan Edgardo Angara that the excise tax burden was still low compared with the excise tax burden in other Asean countries.

For the youth, he said, there is absolutely no safe level of drinking.

Manila

NOTICE OF Standard EXTRAJUDICIAL

TODAY

SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the intestate of the Late Robert Francis Edward E. Jabson, who died intestate and without any Will or Testament and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity has been settled by way of Self-adjudication by heirs Francisco B. Jabson and Judith May B. Jabson, of legal age, as per Doc. No. 111, Page No. 24, Book No. 6, series of 2018, before Notary Public at Taguig City.

(Sgd) Atty. Katrina C. Muli.

(MS-JAN. 24,31 & FEB. 7, 2019)

‘Smuggling, fake products killing tobacco farmers’

By Rey E. Requejo

S

ENATORIAL candidate and Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos on Wednesday urged the government to crack down on cigarette smugglers and manufacturers of counterfeit tobacco products who flood the market with their contraband, and study carefully the impact of any massive cigarette excise tax increase on poor people like farmers and sari-sari store owners.

“Fake cigarettes seized in 2018 hit a record-high of P20.250 billion, depriving the government of much-needed revenues,” Marcos said.

“The twin scourge of smuggled and fake cigarettes are strangling tobacco farmers who will again bear the brunt of the proposed hike in excise tax by at least P60 per pack,” she lamented.

“The looming increase in excise tax exponentially increases the incentive for tax evasion either through the smuggling of cigarettes or the manufacturing of fake tobacco products,” Marcos stressed.

“We are killing a legitimate industry that provides livelihood to more than two-million Filipinos while we let smugglers and

illegal manufacturers enrich themselves by flooding the market with fake products and by depriving the government of revenues that can help our tobacco farmers,” she said.

The government had its largest haul of pirated goods last year, most of which were contraband cigarettes, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines revealed.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue also destroyed machines and equipment used to mass-produce fake cigarettes in Pampanga and Pangasinan last month.

Marcos cited a report by the Department of Finance, which states that a single cigarette-making machine is capable of producing 20,000 sticks per minute, or about 480,000 packs per day.

The DOF said the illegal operation of the fake cigarettemaking equipment is defrauding the government by as much as P16.8 million in revenues per day.

Marcos said that if the next round of sin tax hike pushes through, the government should help tobacco farmers and small retailers like sari-sari store owners cope with their potential revenue loss.

“Government must not lose track of the need to help tobacco farmers. They must benefit from the increases in excise tax,” she said.

“The expected higher revenue from sin tax collection must be used to bankroll alternative agriculture-related livelihood for affected tobacco farmers,” Marcos added.

(MS-JAN. 24,31 & FEB. 7, 2019)

Pag-IBIG Fund releases P75.3b in home loans

PAG-IBIG Fund released P75.31 billion in home loans in 2018, besting its previous record of releasing P65.13 Quezon City billion in home loans in 2017, accordMayor Herbert ing to the agency.

Bautista and QCPD This amount financed the acquiDistrict Director sition and construction of 90,375 C/Supt. Joselito homes for Pag-IBIG members, 12 Esquivel Jr. lead the turnover ceremony percent higher than the 80,964 homes Wednesday for the financed in 2017. newly acquired Of these, 21,389 or 24 percent body cams at the were for socialized housing units Quezon City Hall given to minimum-wage and lowin Quezon City. income earners.

A total of 300 “Pag-IBIG Fund’s performance body cams and in 2018 stands out as the best year so 3,000 handcuffs far. When we achieve record-breaking were given by the disbursements in home loans, we are Quezon City LGU happy because these signify our memto be used during bers’ satisfaction with our programs as operations we help more members with their housby police. ing needs. Pag-IBIG Fund remains as Manny Palmero one of the key institutions in President CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s drive to provide social services to more Filipinos,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, who heads both the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees.

Home loan releases in 2018 breached for the first time the P70spent their money,” said Balutan. billion mark and grew 16 percent over “The playing public should know that the previous year, marking the third they might not have won the million jackpot consecutive year for Pag-IBIG Fund prize, but by their P24 may have saved and to achieve double-digit growth in its stretched the lives of dialysis or chemotherhome loan releases. apy patients who are beneficiaries of PCSO “It took us 36 years for our home under the Individual Medical Assistance loan releases to reach the P50 billion Program [IMAP],” he added. level in 2016, and just one year to Of the almost P64-billion revP60 billion in 2017. We replicated our enue generated by PCSO in 2018, success and worked harder than ever P31,902,529,360 came from Lotto in 2018 to bring our home loans to and digit games, P26,103,422,348.39 P75.31 billion and help shelter more from STL, P4,397,969,030 from Keno, Pag-IBIG members,” said Pag-IBIG P1,149,124,000 from Instant SweepFund Chief Executive Officer Acmad stakes Ticket, and P4,867,500 from Rizaldy P. Moti.

Sweepstakes.

BODY CAMS.

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given to the public that an Extra-Judicial Settlement has been executed by the heirs of the late William C. Velhagen, namely: Consuelo A. Velhagen, Richard A. Velhagen, Michael A. Velhagen, Robert Gabriel A. Velhagen, Ramon Antonio A. Velhagen, Edmond Paul A. Velhagen, and William A. Velhagen, Jr., all of legal age, over personal and real properties, per deed executed on 22 January 2019 before Notary Public Felipe I. Iledan Jr., per Doc. No.212; Page No. 44; Book No.XV; Series of 2019.

THE Metro Manila Development Authority announced on Wednesday it would implement minor traffic adjustments in Concordia Bridge in Paco, Manila in connection with the continuing road works at the bridge.

MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the southbound lane of the bridge would be opened to vehicular traffic beginning at 11 p.m. Saturday while the northbound lane would be closed.

Vehicles heading north or south will share three remaining lanes of the bridge, located along President Quirino Avenue.

“Three lanes on the southbound will be divided into a two-way traffic,” said Garcia.

In a related development: • The steel components of the old Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge will not go to waste after the MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways agreed to donate and reuse it to build another bridge in Pangasinan.

The Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, also known as the Rockwell Bridge, which connects the cities of Makati and Mandaluyong, will be demolished to give way for its replacement or construction of a new bridge in the area.

The agreement was reached early this week in a meeting in Malacañang and attended by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim, MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. and Pangasinan officials led by Governor Amado Espino III, Congressman Amado Espino Jr. and former Transportation Undersecretary Thomas Orbos.

The donation of the steel frames was first discussed by Orbos and Garcia, who replaced the former as MMDA general manager when he was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as Transportation undersecretary.

According to Orbos, the government was committed to providing sustainability efforts to lessen the harmful effects of manufacturing on the environment.

Lotto, Keno operators now 11,120 PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan announced on Wednesday the number of Lotto and Keno agents reached 11,120 in 2018.

“From January to December 2018, our Lotto and Keno agents have already reached 11,120. Of 11,120, 8,769 are Lotto agents and 2,351 are Keno operators,” said Balutan in a press statement.

For Lotto, Balutan said the National Capital Region had the most number of agents at 2,251, followed by Visayas at 1,952, Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region at 1,747, Mindanao at 1,674, and Northern and Central Luzon at 1,145.

For Keno, NCR also has the most number of agents at 883, followed by SBTR at 681, NCL at 366, Visayas at 267, and Mindanao at 154.

Keno Lotto Express is a fun game played every 10 minutes that allows the player to choose how many numbers to play, how much money to bet.

With Keno, the player has a chance to win up to P1,000,000 for only P12 per play.

“As you all know, our revenue comes from the hard-earned money of individuals who fall in line daily in lotto and Small Town Lottery outlets to buy their tickets. So they must be informed where their money goes and how PCSO

Iloilo lawmaker loses round in graft case at Sandiganbayan

By Maricel V. Cruz

(MS-FEB. 7, 2019)

INSTEAD of dismissing outright the graft case against Rep. Geronimo Treñas of Iloilo City over the grant of P500,000 to a local media group when he was still mayor of the locality, the Sandiganbayan ordered him to present

more evidence to prove his innocence.

In a resolution, the antigraft court’s Seventh Division denied Treñas’ motion for leave of court to file demurrer to evidence, saying that Treñas should present proof of his innocence instead of seeking an outright dismissal of his case.

The case stemmed from an alleged

release of P500,000 to the Iloilo Press Club as assistance in the construction of its building in 2003.

Treñas said the money actually came from the pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund of Senator Loren Legarda, who he said selected the beneficiary.

In its resolution denying Treñas’ motion for leave of court to file demurrer to evidence, the court said, “Gauging from the evidence so far presented by the prosecution, the Court is of the mind that, for now, the pieces evidence presented by it are strong enough to warrant conviction.

Sports

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

James suffers his most lopsided setback; Curry joins 3-pt contest L

OS ANGELES—The Indiana Pacers humbled the Los Angeles Lakers 136-94 on Tuesday, handing Lakers superstar LeBron James the biggest margin of defeat of his NBA career.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 24 points for the Pacers, who tied a franchise record with 19 three-pointers.

Myles Turner added 22 points and Thaddeus Young chipped in 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for an Indian team that notched a third straight victory.

James, playing his second game since suffering a groin injury in a Christmas Day win over Golden State, led the Lakers with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

JaVale McGee added 16 points for the Lakers and was singled out by Lakers coach Luke Walton as a bright spot on an otherwise dismal night.

The other thing Walton was pleased to see was a driving dunk from James in the second quarter.

“It was good to see LeBron take off and go dunk one and kind of trust his body,” Walton said, but otherwise there was little positive to find in a game that saw 19 Lakers turnovers lead to 33 Pacers points.

“Bottom line, we have to be better,” said Walton, who said he didn’t know if some of the Lakers players had been adversely affected by trade talk swirling around the team.

Reports this week indicated the Lakers had offered as many as six players in a bid to land New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis.

“It affects everyone differently,” Walton said of the speculation.

Fans in Indianapolis rubbed in the rumors, yelling “LeBron’s going to trade

you” at Lakers guard Brandon Ingram as he went to the free throw line.

“That’s just fans being fans,” James said. “If you let that bother you, you’re in the wrong sport.”

James had returned from injury to play 40 minutes in an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers last Thursday.

The heavy minutes left him sore enough that the Lakers rested him for Saturday’s loss at Golden State.

James said he felt “all right” on Tuesday, although still not 100 percent.

“I’m on my way to being myself again,” said James, who connected on seven of 12 shots from the field and became the fifth player in NBA history to pass 32,000 points for his career.

That milestone notwithstanding, James endured the most lopsided defeat of his career, having previously twice lost by 36 points.Meanwhile, defending champion Devin Booker will go up against Curry brothers Stephen and Seth as well as NBA veteran Dirk Nowitzki in the All-

Star weekend three-point contest later this month, the league said Tuesday.

Phoenix Suns star Booker won last year’s three-point contest with a record 28-point final round.

He defends his title in a field of 10 sharp-shooters that will include Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and his brother Seth -- who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers and is shooting an NBAhigh 48.5 percent from three-point range this season.

The three-point contest will be on AllStar Saturday on February 16, on the eve of the All-Star game in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It will be a homecoming for the Curry brothers, whose father, Dell, played 10 seasons for the Charlotte Hornets.

Stephen Curry will be appearing in his sixth three-point contest. He won it in 2015, but skipped the event the past two years.

He has also been voted a starter for the All-Star Game. AFP

12th Prima Badminton set Feb. 22 at Powersmash TWO thousand entries all over the nation, including the country’s top players, are expected to join the 12th Prima Pasta Badminton Championships set February 22 to 25 and March 2 and 3 at the Powersmash badminton courts in Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.

The annual competition powered by the Forthright Events and Sports Management Inc. and supported by Smart is sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association and affiliated with the Philippine National Ranking System.

“We are hoping for another year of badminton extravaganza where the different players will able to showcase their skills and talents. This year, we are also expecting the defending champions to be challenged in their respective events,” said Prima Pasta organizing Chairman Alex Lim. Rabie Jayson Oba-ob and Sarah Joy Barredo are the men’s and women’s singles open defending champions, respectively.

The tournament, sponsored by Babolat and SMART Communications, through the MVP Sports Foundation, will include the following events: Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles from Open class, to Levels A to G, while Open Class and Levels B to F will be available in the Women’s Doubles.

The open singles will be available only in the men’s and women’s category. There will also boys’ and girls’ singles events for Under 19, 17, 15, 13 and 11 categories, while boys’ and girls’ doubles will be available for Under 19, 17 and Under 15. All these events run from Feb. 22 until 25.

The event is also supported by Boysen Paints, Morning Star Milling Corp., Mabz Builders, ILO Construction, Monocrete Construction, Pioneer Insurance, Promax International, Regent Foods Corp., RFM Corp and Del Monte Phils.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. AFP

Scorpions clinch no. 1 seed in NCRAA CENTRO Escolar University completed a sweep of Group B by walloping Philippine School of Business Administration-QC, 100-63, as the Scorpions primed themselves up for the playoffs where they will be the No.1 seed in the NCRAA men’s basketball tournament at the Pasig Catholic College.

CEU used a hobbled Rich Guinitaran sparingly as the reigning NCRAA scoring champion played in just 13 minutes. The Scorpions were hardly affected as other players were able to step up, such as Judel Ric Fuentes, Joshua Abastillas and Kobe Caballero.

Fuentes came away with 18 points, while Abastillas had a double-double effort of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Caballero knocked in all of his 13 points

in the second period as the Scorpions ended the elimination round campaign with a 7-0 record.

Orphaned by its head coach who got ejected in the game and the disqualification of five key players, De Ocampo Memorial College relied on its experience to pull off a tough 89-87 triumph over host team Pasig Catholic College.

Coach Ronnie Dojillo was slapped with two technical fouls leading to his ejection in the early part of the final period after vehemently protesting the fifth and last foul called on team captain Peter Marc Manalang.

Without their head coach, the Cobras gathered together and came up with an inspired collective effort to get

the job done. They were able to do that despite losing key platers Manalang, Jhonard Clarito, Reynold Artesano and two other teammates.

A total of 66 fouls were called in the tough, bruising encounter.

The Cobras unloaded 10 unanswered points capped by Artesano’s triple. Lescano’s steal, completed with a lay up at the other end gave the Cobras an 87-81 lead with 1:43 left in the match.

With DOMC, last season’s runnerup, notching its fifth win in seven games, the team moved into a tie with PATTS College of Aeronautics at 5-2.

By virtue of the win over the other rule, the Cobras will assume the second spot of Group B.

Amoguis sisters make splash in Batang Pinoy TAGUM CITY—Sisters Liaa Margarette and Lora Micah Amoguis turned the pool into their own playground as they collected a total of three gold medals in the swimming competition of the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg Wednesday at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex here.

The younger Liaa dominated the girls’ 12-under 100-meter butterfly and 200m individual medley while Lora made waves in the girls’ 13-15 200m individual medley to jack up Davao City’s medal haul in this prestigious age-group tourney for young athletes 15 years old and below.

Liaa registered one minute and 11.2 seconds to grab the gold in the 100m butterfly before storming back to rule the 200m individual medley with a clocking of 2:39, a performance that is a fitting follow up to her golden haul of six mints in the Davao Regional Athletic Association last week.

Liaa still has a chance to match that feat as she sees action in four more

events in the next couple of days of this tourney organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and Province of Davao del Norte with STI CollegeTagum and Alfalink Total Solutions Corp. as backers.

Lora, on the other hand, clocked 2:35.06 to clinch the mint in the 200m individual medley before settling for the silver medal with a time of 33.97 seconds in the girls’ 13-15 50m backstroke.

Gene Heart Quiambao of Bukidnon beat her for the gold with 33.69 seconds.

Still, the performance was such an impressive feat for the sisters, who are looking to test their mettle against prominent tankers from Manila in the national finals in October either in Tagbilaran City or Ormoc City.

“We motivate each other. When she feels down, I motivate her. When I feel down, she motivates me as well. That’s how close we are,” said the 13-year-old Lora, who still has four more events.

“I’m excited to play in the national

finals and race against other swimmers.

Even though there are other swimmers from other regions, my goal is not to win medals. I just want to beat my time.

That’s it.”

Liaa, for her part, is looking to scale a higher mountain.

“My dream is to beat the Palarong Pambansa record,” said Liaa, 11-yearold kid wonder from The Abba’s Orchard School who already represented the country in the recent BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games in Brunei.

Also emerging victorious in this centerpiece sport were Blu Cabilete of Davao, Yuan Taojo of Davao, Albren Dayapdapan of Dipolog and Rain Tumulac of Davao.

Cabilete clocked 29.91 to shine in the boys’ 13-15 50m backstroke, while Taojo registered 40.85 in the boys’ 12-under 50m backstroke, Dayapdapan tallied 32.65 seconds in the boys’ 13-15 50m breaststroke and Tumulac timed 1:14.68 in the boys’ 12-under 100m butterfly.

Liaa Amoguis

World no. 2 Koepka sees better Slam odds in May NEW YORK—World number two Brooks Koepka likes the PGA Championship moving from August to May, saying four major tournaments in as many months brings a better chance at a Grand Slam.

“If I can get on a nice run, you can rattle off all the majors, which would be nice,” Koepka said Tuesday.

The PGA of America brought the 28-year-old American, a three-time major champion, to Bethpage Black ahead of the 101st PGA Championship, with Koepka defend his crown at the suburban New York public course on May 16-19.

“I’m super excited,” Koepka said.

“New York fans are a lot of fun, and any time you can play in front of them and you’re doing well, that’s an added bonus.

I know the golf course and I’m excited to play it.”

The event shifts from August for the first time, moving to second in the calendar order of major tournaments from last. It follows the Masters in April and precedes the US Open in June and British Open in July.

Koepka, who won his second consecutive US Open title last year at nearby Shinnecock, likes the move.

“It’s definitely a lot different, but I think it’s a good change,” Koepka said.

“I like the fact that everything is so congested, or feels that way, from the Players (Championship) in March to basically when the Open is done.

“You’ve seen guys get hot and they go for four months where they just play some incredible golf and hopefully I can set myself up to do that.”

Koepka recalled the electric finalround atmosphere last year at Bellerive when he denied a late charge by 14-time major winner Tiger Woods that had spectators at a fever pitch.

“Now that Tiger is back, obviously that’s going to bring a different atmosphere, a different sense,” Koepka said.

“Any time you’re seen like that in a great sporting town with Tiger Woods on his almost march to history to come back and win, I’ve never seen anything like that on the golf course. It was probably the coolest experience I’ve had as a golfer with fans.”

While he will be defending on a totally different course, Koepka is counting on good memories to boost his chances at another major back-toback feat, which hasn’t been managed at the PGA Championship since Woods won in 2006 at Medinah and 2007 at Southern Hills.

“It’s a little different when you step foot on the grounds and you’re defending,” Koepka said. “All those memories from the year before kind of come back in, and I think it’s important when you go to show up and really give a good defense of your title.

“You always try to come back and make sure you’re in a good spot to defend your title, and that’s what I’m hoping to do.”

PBA chief to talk about D-League THE coming PBA D-League will be the main dish in the 9th “Usapang Sports” by the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports on Thursday at the National Press Club in Intramuros.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial will talk about the latest developments in the PBA D-League, which opens its new season on Valentine’s Day at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

PBA Deputy Director Eric Castro will also discuss the groupings of the 20 participating teams, as well as the format and other innovations aimed at making the league as exciting as possible.

Joining Marcial and Castro are coaches Bonnie Tan (Petron-Letran), Frankie Lim (Perpetual Help), Rensy Bajar (Diliman College-Gerry’s Grill), Yong Garcia (Marinerong Pilipino), Jino Manansala (St. Clare-Virtual Reality), Mark Herrera (AMA University) and Alvin Grey (Trinity University-The Masterpiece).

The 10 a.m. session is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, led by chairman William “Butch” Ramirez and National Press Club, headed by president Rolando “Lakay” Gonzalo.

TOPS is composed of editors, reporters, columnists and photographers of the country’s leading tabloids.

Sports

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

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Mighty Sports sweeps group stage

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

Alaska’s Chris Banchero prepares to make his move against Columbian Dyip’s CJ Perez in a PBA Philippine Cup game won by the Aces, 94-72.

Fajardo leads PSA special awardees

JUNE Mar Fajardo leads three others who will be recognized with special individual titles in the SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Annual Awards Night on Feb. 26 at the Manila Hotel.

The 6’11” Fajardo is again the recipient of the Mighty Sports Mr Basketball award, marking the fifth straight year the San Miguel Beer main man is going to be feted with the honor by the country’s oldest media organization.

Fajardo, 29, won a fifth straight PBA MVP award last year following yet another dominant season that saw him steer the Beermen to a record-tying fourth straight Philippine Cup championship and winning back-to-back Best Player of the Conference plum.

The Cebuano big man, also a regular fixture for Team Pilipinas, will be joined

by Jaja Santiago, Marck Espejo, and Neil Etheridge who are going to be distinguished for their individual feats in their respective fields during the event presented by MILO, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and Cignal TV. Santiago will be accorded the title Ms. Volleyball title for the very first time while Espejo is hailed Mr. Volleyball for the second straight year.

Etheridge meanwhile, is the 2018 Mr Football.

The 6’5” Santiago won UAAP Season 80 MVP while steering the National University Lady Bulldogs to a Final Four stint. She was also a member of the national team to the Asian Games and Asia Cup, respectively, and is the first Filipino import to play in the Japan V. Premier League.

Espejo meanwhile, bagged a fifth straight MVP during Season 80 of the UAAP and guided the Ateneo Blue Eagles to a runner-up finish behind National University. Like Santiago, the 21-year-old hitter from Marikina is also in Japan playing for local club Otta Miyoshi Weisse Adler.

For his part, Etheridge made history last year by becoming the first Filipino and Southeast Asian player to play in the English Premier League after hooking up as goalkeeper of Cardiff City.

Highlight of the affair also presented by the Philippine Basketball Association, NorthPort, Rain or Shine, ICTSI, SM Prime Holdings, and Chooks To Go is the awarding of the coveted PSA Athlete of the Year Award.

Aces bounce back in a big way, clobber Dyip

By Jeric Lopez

B

OUNCING back strong from its poor debut, Alaska listed its first win of the season after mercilessly annihilating Columbian Dyip, 94-72, to impress in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last night.

Carl Bryan Cruz had his best game of the conference thus far, turning in a season-high 20 points and nine rebounds for a near double-double performance to backstop the Aces.

Jake Pascual likewise continued his rise, coming off the bench to drop a double-double with 13 markers and 13 points for more production while Ping Exciminiano added 12 points, also as a reserve.

The Aces improved to 1-1, while the Dyip suffered their third straight setback, sliding to a 2-4 slate in the lower echelon.

“Everyone played really well,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton. “Our guys

did a good job filling for those who are out. We played with a lot of energy and that lifted us.”

A booming 18-6 run bridging the first two quarters gave Alaska some much needed separation as the Aces opened up a sizeable 32-18 spread after Jeron Teng’s completed three-point play capped the blitz.

Alaska headed to a double-digit lead, 46-36, at the half.

A follow-up 14-6 run midway in the third enabled the Aces to re-establish a bigger lead, 64-46, at the 5:04 mark and completely ran the Dyip out of the

building for a methodical triumph.

The Aces’ lead apexed at 30 points, 91-61, with 2:41 remaining after a layup from Davon Potts.

Alaska’s reserves took a lot of the scoring cudgels to lead the team to victory.

In total, Alaska drew 48 from its bench mob.

Columbian Dyip was unable to recover from its early struggles as Alaska was on point with its attack on both ends of the floor.

CJ Perez led the Dyip with a teamhigh 15 points in the losing effort.

The scores: Alaska 94—Cruz 20, Pascual 13, Exciminiano 12, Banchero 10, Potts 9, Teng 8, Ayaay 8, Baclao 6, Thoss 4, Galliguez 4.

Columbian 72—Perez 15, Corpuz 12, Khobuntin 8, Cabrera 6, Reyes 5, Escoto 5, Gabriel 5, Cahilig 4, Camson 4, Calvo 4, McCarthy 2, Tabi 2, Agovida 0.

Quarters: 20-13, 46-36, 68-50, 94-72.

JAPAN CUP. Japan

Racing Association representatives Teruhisa Nishiyama (left) and Hiroyuki Koezuka (2nd from left) led the awarding ceremonies of the 2019 Japan Cup Stakes Race at the Manila Turf Club Race Track. They are joined by (starting third from left) Philracom Commissioner Atty.

Dondon Bagatsing, Metro Turf’s Dr. Nick Cruz and Willie Afan Jr., jockey Kelvin Abobo, winning trainer Jojo Angeles and Melvin Villegas, representing Son Also Rises owner Benhur Abalos Jr.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Defense proved to be the key for Mighty Sports-Philippines down the stretch as it overcame a rugged Syrian side Al Wahda, 85-81, on Tuesday night to complete a four-game sweep of the group stage in the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championships at Shabab Al Ahli Club gym here.

Justin Brownlee, banged up and all, finished with 27 points and nine rebounds, while sparkplug Roosevelt Adams caught fire in the final period where he pumped in 10 of his 21 points but it was Mighty Sports’ collective desire to play lockdown defense that enabled them to recover from a 76-70 deficit with four minutes left.

The hard-earned victory, carved out in front of a sizeable and raucous Syrian crowd that virtually matched the noise created by the ever-usual fervent Filipino supporters, assured Mighty Sports of the top seed in their group ahead of the knockout stages, starting with the crossover quarterfinals on Thursday.

“I’m just happy with the win,” said Mighty Sports coach Charles Tiu. “We talked about at the start of the tournament, I told the team that we still haven’t faced adversity, and that when the time comes, we have to stick together, so today, we faced a lot of adversity: we’re down late in the game.

“But I’m happy with what we did defensively more than anything, because like I said, offensively, we have gifted players. We don’t have to do anything too complicated. We stick to everything, keep it simple, play to our strengths. Offensively, it will take care of itself. But defensively, we got stops when it mattered.”

After former NBA veteran Jordan Adams drilled in triple that stretched Al Wahda’s lead to six, Mighty Sports, co-owned by Alex and Caesar Wongchuking, came back to life behind its rejuvenated defense which sparked a decisive 11-0 run, highlighted by Brownlee’s go-ahead triple and Jason Brickman’s 10-footer for an 81-76 lead, with 101 seconds to play.

Members of the apparel and accessories team backed by SMDC, Go For Gold, Oriental Group, and Healthcube, however, held their bated breath when Brownlee went down hard after rejecting Adams’ lay-up and stayed on the floor for a few minutes.

The medical staff tried to put Brownlee on a stretcher, but the wellloved Ginebra import politely refused, drawing cheers from the Filipino crowd. He, however, was taken out for good by Tiu as Adams and the rest of his teammates put on the finishing touches.

“It’s a good thing now, he seems to be okay. Hopefully, he’ll be able to shrug it off come Thursday,” added Tiu. “(It will be a) very big rest day for us tomorrow. We’ll do some team activity together, but come Thursday, we have to be prepared.”

Adams, who saw action for the Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons, finished with 22 points while Al Wahda’s 7’1” center Abdulwahad Alhamwi registered 13 points and 12 rebounds but was posterized by Mighty Sports wingman Jeremiah Gray with a vicious tomahawk dunk in the second period.

The scores: MIGHTY SPORTS (85)— Brownlee 27, Adams 21, Morris 19, Brickman 7, Gray 6, Gomez de Liaño 5, Odom 0, Santillan 0, Banal 0 AL WAHDA (81)—Adams 22, Abdullah 16, Alhamwi 13, Arbasha 11, Brown 10, Ali 6, Alosh 3, Hamad 0 Quarterscores: 18-23, 41-41, 6065, 85-81.

Local riders wary of foreign aces

By Peter Atencio

The Philippine Army-Bicycology Shop is ready for another battle in the 2019 LBC Ronda Pilipinas set to unfold on Friday in Iloilo City. Photo shows (from left) Pfc. Marvin Tapic, Sgt. Reynaldo Navarro, Robinson Esteves, veteran internationalist Sgt. Alfie Catalan, Warren Borders, Mark Julious Borders and alternate rider Kenneth Lacuesta. The team, which is being handled by coach Bong Curtan and assistant Joel Duenas, is sponsored by Team Sports Director/ Manager and swimming legend Eric Buhain and Assistant Sports Director and Manager John Garcia.

ILOILO CITY—The presence of Russian rider Artem Ovechkin is keeping members of manytime champion Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance on their toes.

Ovechkin, who has made history for Malaysian cycling after the Russian delivered the overall title for the Terengganu continental team in the 2018 Tour de Langkawi, will be around to raise the competitiveness of the field.

“Last year, kami ang nanalo. Ayaw naming sumabak na hindi preparado,” said Navymen coach Reinhard Gorrantes on the expected strong challenge coming from riders.

The presence of many foreign participants will put the Navymen’s bid to defend their crown difficult in this year’ LBC Ronda Pilipinas when it begins on Thursday.

“Sa international race, iba ang laban. Maraming malakas,” added Gorrantes, as the Navymen get ready for the races that are set to be held from Feb. 8 to 12 in Iloilo, Guimaras, Roxas City and Antique.

That is why Gorrantes and the Navymen will be watching out for Team Terranganu, along with the Koreans from Matrix Powertag-Japan and the

Korail Team of Korea.

Reigning Ronda titlist Ronald Oranza will be back with two-time champion John Paul Morales, and last year’s third-placer Junrey Navarra, to lead Navy’s bid.

Together with Joshua Carino, Ronald Lomotos and Rudy Roque, the Navymen will try keep the title.

“Gagawin namin ang makakaya namin. Sana, madepensahan namin ang titulo,” said Gorrantes after the team returned from practice.

Like many riders, the world no.119 ranked Ovechkin is expected to come up strong in this event, which is sanctioned by the world governing Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

Stage 1 of this bikefest, who has drawn participation from 15 teams-including seven local squads, will open hostilities with a 197.6-kilometer Iloilo to Iloilo route on Thursday, and will proceed with the 101.8km ride around the island of Guimaras the next day.

The 80-km mark of Stage 1 will offer difficulties since it is an uphill, bumpy and rolling terrain, with the scorching morning heat and strong winds giving riders a push when they head west along the coastal road of San Joaquin, Lawig and Anini.

IN BRIEF

Condominium sector expected to slow down

CONDOMINIUM construction in Metro Manila is expected to slow down in 2019 because of the dearth of available land for development and continued increase in land prices in key business districts, according to real estate services provider Colliers International Philippines.

Colliers research manager Joey Roi Bondoc said in a presentation that while pre-sales in 2019 would remain strong because of continued strong demand from end users., topping the 2018 presales level of 54,000 units might be a challenge because of continued increase in land prices in Makati, Fort Bonifacio and Bay Area.

“We also see slower launches having a spill over effect on take-up figures in 2020 and 2021,” Bondoc said.

He said that because of this scenario, developers would explore parcels of land in Quezon City and Ortigas for future development.

“Over the past 12 months, Colliers have observed that 77 percent of the newly-launched units were found in Quezon City, Manila, Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas, Ortigas fringes, Makati fringes and Pasay and Parañaque areas while the remaining 23 percent were in major central business districts,” Bondoc said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Govt set to announce 3 airport proponents

THE Department of Transportation said it expects to issue the original proponent status to three conglomerates for their unsolicited offers to operate and maintain airports in the Visayas and Mindanao this month.

“There are three airports ― Iloilo, Laguindingan and Bacolod. We hope to issue OPS upon approval of the board.

We’re looking at Feb. 11 [for the] next board meeting,” Transportation Undersecretary for aviation Manuel Antonio Tamayo said.

These groups include Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. of businessman Dennis Uy that submitted an unsolicited proposal to operate and maintain the Bacolod-Silay Airport; the Aboitiz Group for Laguindingan Airport; and the Villar Group for Iloilo International Airport.

The government, through the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, earlier granted the original proponent status to Chelsea Logistics for the development, 30-year operation and maintenance of Davao International Airport worth P49 billion. Darwin G. Amojelar

NLEX to open Segment 10 soon

NLEX Corp. is set to open the P10.5billion North Luzon Expressway Harbor Link Segment 10 this month, its chairman said Wednesday.

“It’s [construction of Harbor Link] done. We’re just waiting for Malacañang to set a date that’s convenient for the president,” NLEX chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.

NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 is composed of the 5.65-km elevated expressway traversing North Luzon Expressway from MacArthur Highway in Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, passing through Malabon City and C3 Road, Caloocan City and the 2.6-km section between C3 Road, Caloocan City and R10, Navotas City.

The elevated expressway will reduce the travel time from NLEx Valenzuela City to R10 from 23 minutes to just 11 minutes via Balintawak-Edsa Monumento and from 26 minutes to just 13 minutes via Balintawak to A. Bonifacio/C3 Road.

NLEX also constructing a P6-billion elevated expressway from Circumferential Road 3 in Caloocan City to Radial Road 10 in Navotas City.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Cusi assures electric co-ops of due process in performance audit ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Wednesday assured due process for electric cooperatives in their performance review, but warned that those in “dire cases” should face the consequences.

Cusi, in a statement, assured electric cooperatives of the objectivity of the Department of Energy’s performance review, which seeks to identify the problems besetting troubled cooperatives.

“There will be due process for all ECs. Our priority is to address the root causes of their problems and help in their rehabilitation, so they may provide the quality of services consumers in their franchise areas truly deserve,” he said.

Cusi warned that for electric cooperatives found to be extremely in dire cases, the government could no longer ignore the negative impact on citizens.

He said other reasonable and legal options, as provided for under Republic Act No. 10531 or the National Electrification Administration Law, should be considered.

Cusi said 17 ECs had been chronically failing to provide satisfactory services required by their electric distribution franchise.

These included Davao del Norte Electric Cooperatives, Albay Electric Cooperatives, Basilan Electric Cooperative, Camarines Sur III Electric Cooperative, First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Masbate Electric Cooperative, Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Oriental Mindoro Cooperative, Palawan Electric Cooperative, Pampanga Electric Cooperative, Sulu Electric Cooperative and Zamboanga Electric Cooperative.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

B1

Finance says peso to remain stable in 2019

By Julito G. Rada

MANILA WATER IN TANAUAN. Manila Water Company Inc. and wholly-owned subsidiary Manila Water Philippine Ventures sign a joint venture agreement with Tanauan Water District for the P1.5-billion, 25-year deal that involves the design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, operation, financing, expansion and management of the water supply and sanitation facilities and services in Tanauan City in Batangas province. Displaying copies of the agreement are (from left) Manila Water Philippine Ventures South Luzon business development head Real Magtangob, TWD vice chairperson Erlinda Nazareth, MWPV president and chief executive Virgilio Rivera Jr., Tanauan City Mayor Jhoanna Corona-Villamor, Manila Water Company president and chief executive Ferdinand Dela Cruz, TWD general manager Feliciana Sumague, MWC subsidiary operations group director Abelardo Basilio and joint venture selection committee chairman Benedicto Capule.

Meralco wins contract to serve New Clark City M

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ANILA Electric Co. received the notice of award as the power distributor of New Clark City in Tarlac province, after offering the lowest power supply rate to state-run Bases Conversion Development Authority, an executive said Wednesday.

“We received notice of award. We’re going to comply with those conditions precedent so we can already sign the JV agreement,” Meralco senior vice president and head of customer retail services and corporate communication Al Panlilio said.

Meralco received the award on Jan. 18.

Panlilio said Meralco would sign the joint venture agreement, “but we have to submit other documents to the BCDA.” “We’re compiling those, along with our consortium partners,” he said.

“Our commitment is to provide service in time for the SEA [Southeast Asian] Games,” he said. Clark is one of the venues of the 30th Southeast Asian Games that will be held in November and December this year.

Panlilio said BCDA required Meralco to have a substation ready to receive power.

“We’ll need to agree with BCDA which is the JV partner, what the forecasted load will be and then we’ll match the requirement based on the forecasted load. We have an initial forecast, but as a JV partner, we will need the agreement of BCDA on the forecast that we will adopt. We will discuss this first with BCDA,” he said.

Meralco, together with Japan’s Maru-

beni Corp., submitted the lowest power distribution rate for New Clark City at P0.6188 per kilowatt-hour.

“We are working ahead because we know the timelines are very tight,” Panlilio said.

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

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

“It’s a good franchise to have… We know the development will happen, not immediately but in time. like BGC [Bonifacio Global City],” Panlilio said.

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

BCDA, Filinvest-JG consortium seal Clark airport deal

By Othel V. Campos IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, said Wednesday state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the North Luzon Airport Consortium finalized the agreements for the long-term operations and maintenance of Clark International Airport.

IFC was the lead transaction advisor to BCDA in helping structure and tender both the engineering, procurement and construction and O&M contracts. It also prepared the project and conducted competitive tenders with support from the World Bank’s Global Infrastructure Facility.

“As the first hybrid PPP airport awarded through a transparent and competitive tender, we are confident that Clark Airport will soon be able to welcome more passengers with higher-

quality service. IFC’s advice has been instrumental in structuring these transactions, which have become a model for hybrid PPPs in the Philippines,” said BCDA president Vince Dizon.

The Clark International Airport is the first airport project in the Philippines to be tendered under the government’s hybrid PPP policy. It is the second main gateway into the country.

Under the project, a new 100,000-square meter passenger terminal will be built, positioning the airport as a world-class facility and boosting air transport capacity for the Greater National Capital Region.

It will serve an estimated eight million passengers annually―four times its current capacity of two million―and is expected to reduce the strain on the congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The project will also help create jobs and increase development in Central Luzon, a growing economic center.

The North Luzon Consortium includes Changi Airport of Singapore, Filinvest Corporation, JG Summit and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions.

IFC director for East Asia and Pacific Vivek Pathak said the project showed IFC’s willingness to test and try out new PPP models in support of the government’s goal to deliver crucial infrastructure that is key to sustaining the country’s growth momentum.

“The handover of the airport to a globally-recognized operator will also help ensure quality service delivery and boost traffic connectivity to the northern provinces of the country―as well as to the region and the rest of the world,” he said.With Jess Malabanan

THE Finance Department said Wednesday it expects the peso to remain stable this year despite the uncertainties in the global financial markets.

The agency said in an economic bulletin the local currency was one of the seven Asian currencies that appreciated in the first month of 2019.

It said the peso appreciated 0.73 percent to P52.17 a dollar in January from P52.56 a dollar in the previous month.

On average, 12 Asian currencies appreciated 0.79 percent.

“The Philippine peso continues to move in tandem with 12 Asian currencies and is one of the least volatile currencies in the world’s fastest-growing region,” the DoF said.

“The Philippine peso continues to be one of the more stable Asian currencies despite the uncertainties in the world market brought about by the normalization of Fed monetary policy, Brexit, volatile fuel prices and US-China trade war,” the DoF said.

It said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas also had to raise policy rates to counter inflationary pressures due to the drop in agricultural production and geopolitical issues that pushed petroleum price to its highest level in four years.

The Philippine peso depreciated 5.4 percent in 2018 and ranked fourth among 12 Asian currencies in a region where the average depreciation was 3.03 percent.

“The Philippine peso is also among the least volatile with a coefficient of variation at 0.32 percent YTD, tying with South Korean won as the third least volatile currency,” the DoF said.

The coefficient of variation of the peso was recorded at 1.91 percent in 2018, ranking seventh among 12 currencies.

First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, said earlier the peso depreciation would have a positive impact on the economy both in the short and medium terms.

The economists said the peso appreciated 4.6 percent from 2004 to June 13, 2018, while Indonesia and Vietnam had large cumulative depreciation in excess of 40 percent during the same period. Malaysia also showed net depreciation during the period.

“Peso depreciation also has positive effects on the country. The most obvious effect of this would be to discourage imports and produce more exports, thus, reducing the trade deficits over the medium term. And because of the increase in production locally, it will boost employment generation,” they said.

The second positive effect is that it will give a boost to the peso income of OFW families, exporters and those that supply raw materials to exporters, they said.

“There are about 10 million OFWs, and with an average family size of 4.6, the peso slide benefits some 46 million Filipinos. Add to that the number of families dependent on exports, which account for 30 percent of GDP, plus those that supply raw materials to exporters, we can easily conclude that a vast majority of Filipino families benefit from the higher peso-dollar exchange rate,” the economists said.

Farmers warn against rice tariffication bill THE Federation of Free Farmers warned that the signing of the rice tariffication bill will render the government powerless to control price spikes and market failure in the future.

The group said the original intent of the bill was to free rice importation from volume restrictions and replace them with tariffs in observance of the country’s commitment to the World Trade Organization.

“We accept the fact that we now have to tariffy the quantitative restrictions on rice. However, the legislators went beyond that by also removing the powers of the National Food Authority to regulate the market. This is dangerous not only to consumers and farmers but for the government as well,” said FFF national manager Raul Montemayor.

He said the bill would limit NFA’s powers to maintain buffer stock which is important during crises, calamities and emergencies.

NFA will have to buy buffer stocks

solely from local farmers and will not be allowed to import.

Under the bill, rice will be brought in by the private sector, requiring no less than a quarantine certificate from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

“This means that cheap rice will not be available in the market unless there is a declared emergency or calamity. If prices started going up, the government will not be able to intervene unless it declares an emergency. Even then, it will run the risk of very little stocks left if a calamity or typhoon hits the country.

And the NFA may not be able to easily replenish its buffer stocks if famers won’t sell to them,” Montemayor said.

“Similarly, the farmers cannot depend on the NFA to buy their produce if palay prices are going down. Once the NFA accumulates enough for its buffer stock, it will have to stop buying from farmers. Local traders will now be free to set whatever price they want,” he said.

Othel V. Campos

BANKERS RECEPTION. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas holds the annual reception for the banking community on Jan. 25. Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier, speaking on behalf of Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., says the banking system remains sound and stable. With Fonacier (fourth from left) in ceremonial toast are Monetary Board board members (from left) Juan de Zuñiga Jr., Felipe Medalla, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Peter Favila and Antonio Abacan Jr.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market retreats; Metrobank dips T HE stock market slipped in last-minute selling Wednesday, erasing the big gains posted in early trading after a favorable January inflation report.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 11.03 points, or 0.1 percent, to 8,058.45 on a value turnover of P7.3 billion. The benchmark index rose to an intra-day high 8,213.71. Gainers, however, beat losers, 140 to 76, with 42 issues unchanged.

Inflation rate eased to a 10-month low of 4.4 percent in January from 5.1 percent in December, on slower increases in the prices of non-alcoholic beverages and food products, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei dropped 3.7 percent to P63.55, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of asserts, declined 1.7 percent to P82.50.

ISM Communications Corp., a member of the consortium declared by the government as the country’s third major telecommunications firm, surged 8.2 percent to P6.74, while Jollibee Foods Corp., the largest fast-food chain, rose 2.2 percent to P322.

Shares in Tokyo and Sydney, meanwhile, rose Wednesday in another holiday-thinned trading day as investors tracked a positive lead from Wall Street but there was little movement after Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.

With most of the region off for the Lunar New Year break there were few catalysts to drive business.

Trump’s annual address touched on

a number of issues including the China trade war, North Korea, the Russia investigation and healthcare.

But while he called for bipartisanship, observers said there was little to suggest his standoff with the Democrats over his Mexican border wall can be resolved anytime soon.

Their battle brought the US government to a standstill for more than a month before it was reopened for three weeks, with the two sides unable to reach an agreement.

“President Trump has ten months to get anything done before markets go into election mode and his State of the Union address did not provide much optimism that we will see bipartisanship action help deliver on most if not all of his initiatives,” said OANDA market analyst Edward Moya.

By the end of the day Tokyo was up 0.1 percent, though car giant Toyota sank 0.7 percent after slashing its annual

net profit forecast and announcing a dive in nine-month profit.

Sydney finished 0.3 percent up, while Mumbai gained 0.6 percent, Bangkok added 0.5 percent and Jakarta was up one percent.

On currency markets the pound was virtually unchanged against the dollar after tumbling Tuesday on weak economic data and growing concerns about Britain leaving the EU without a deal, which analysts warn could be catastrophic.

The prospect of such a scenario has led a number of companies to delay making decisions on new projects, while others have already decided to shift their headquarters or production lines.

The Australian dollar was down more than one percent after the head of the country’s central bank hinted there were unlikely to be any interest rate hikes soon. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

59.3 91.95 2.17 140.3 1.42 28.45 17.16 13 4.85 0.66 1.48 785 0.47 83.15 1.16 14.1 45.45 186.8 59.85 26.5 175.1 1,810 64.55 1.17

59.4 93.5 2.23 142.7 1.43 28.6 17.2 13.46 4.9 0.66 1.48 800 0.51 83.75 1.18 14.1 46.8 186.8 59.85 26.75 181.5 1,810 64.6 1.17

59 91.35 2.17 139.8 1.42 28 17.16 13 4.71 0.66 1.41 785 0.47 82.5 1.14 14 45.4 186 59 26.15 175.1 1,800 63.6 1.17

FINANCIALS 59.4 41,870 93 2,473,730 2.23 136,000 139.8 2,141,740 1.43 59,000 28 296,200 17.16 20,400 13.3 3,002,900 4.88 241,000 0.66 34,000 1.48 12,000 800 130 0.485 4,290,000 82.5 2,520,180 1.15 2,790,000 14 53,300 46.75 1,065,600 186 90 59 7,120 26.7 190,700 180.5 497,930 1,800 335 64.25 32,120 1.17 3,000

2,479,470.50 230,113,494 297,120 303,005,043 83,830 8,368,470 350,168 39,921,968 1,174,050 22,440 17,340 103,550 2,123,050 209,782,114.50 3,250,750 748,210 49,349,255 16,748 420,956.50 5,029,035 89,695,593 605,350 2,058,444 3,510

-145,843 -34,659,519.50 184,391,223 -5,906,035 115,072 -10,856,698 -24,400 11,810,509 -2,320 -28,187,415 11,800 1,168,600 52,798,808 -179,212 -

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

38.2 16.52 1.08 1.38 0.26 90 2.64 15.8 131 30 16.6 41.5 73.05 1.79 6.15 6.8 11.78 16.08 8.22 7.64 1.57 20.5 74.95 26.75 2.93 10.1 13.5 1.73 317 53.8 4.54 10 27.25 12.9 18.5 371 0.185 6.2 1.39 3.7 7.5 6.1 8.8 1.34 10.88 48.05 6.02 4.81 2.01 2.88 1.37 13.1 98.6 6.32 0.13 0.97 150.2 2.46 1.79 1.49

38.95 16.58 1.08 1.39 0.27 91 2.64 16.02 140 30.3 18.5 41.5 73.05 1.79 6.15 6.82 11.8 16.48 8.4 7.65 1.57 20.7 74.95 28 3.19 10.14 13.68 1.73 323.8 58 4.58 10.2 27.5 13 18.9 374 0.24 6.2 1.42 3.72 7.75 6.25 9 1.38 11 48.65 6.05 4.82 2.17 2.9 1.41 13.16 99 6.42 0.143 1.05 151.8 2.61 1.79 1.49

37.7 16.24 1.04 1.35 0.255 90 2.56 15.8 130.3 29.95 16.52 41.5 73.05 1.78 6.1 6.8 11.66 16.08 8.21 7.46 1.57 20.45 73.5 26.75 2.91 9.5 13.48 1.67 317 53.8 4.36 9.8 27.25 12.8 18.28 367.2 0.185 5.89 1.38 3.67 7.5 6.07 8.8 1.33 10.82 48.05 5.8 4.8 2 2.88 1.37 13 96 6.32 0.13 0.93 149.1 2.45 1.72 1.43

INDUSTRIAL 37.7 1,002,200 16.24 577,200 1.06 3,767,000 1.36 412,000 0.255 11,080,000 91 300 2.59 16,733,000 15.96 543,500 138 1,650 30.25 61,500 18.5 43,300 41.5 800 73.05 870 1.78 20,000 6.1 21,300 6.81 127,600 11.76 2,998,100 16.38 1,969,700 8.36 1,335,300 7.55 145,300 1.57 1,000 20.5 1,500,200 73.5 129,580 28 2,500 3.04 38,700,000 9.8 5,420,100 13.6 944,600 1.7 233,000 322 1,051,450 53.8 910 4.36 117,000 10.2 9,900 27.5 892,200 12.86 500,500 18.58 11,455,300 367.2 214,580 0.203 53,900,000 5.89 2,300 1.4 7,398,000 3.72 166,000 7.72 3,123,100 6.25 437,900 8.82 6,900 1.36 27,296,000 11 395,500 48.4 419,500 6 118,200 4.8 295,000 2.17 3,479,000 2.9 7,000 1.39 328,000 13.12 82,200 97.4 442,170 6.33 86,600 0.137 20,780,000 1.02 2,500,000 149.1 1,616,090 2.61 25,000 1.77 4,018,000 1.44 2,669,000

38,365,955 9,485,066 3,976,160 565,000 2,873,250 27,150 43,422,780 8,683,126 217,101 1,847,310 760,418 33,200 63,553.50 35,770 130,009 869,096 35,160,902 32,052,572 11,175,095 1,099,426 1,570 30,852,315 9,573,036 69,680 119,451,930 53,474,598 12,826,924 396,010 337,316,792 49,378 512,170 97,380 24,475,455 6,450,740 213,025,636 79,691,548 11,790,400 13,812 10,353,110 617,140 23,873,273 2,720,007 60,960 37,149,610 4,343,152 20,311,650 695,650 1,416,260 7,278,910 20,220 456,090 1,076,164 43,474,426.50 550,172 2,858,970 2,500,530 243,534,737 62,420 7,037,100 3,861,100

-979,840 -74,590 22,050 -76,500 -3,351,070 663,794 -510,545 -4,150 21,480 115,770 15,607,790 12,236,518 884,648 237,825 9,295,305 556,120.50 -4,779,530 696,924 2,366,012 101,058,946 29,400 -99,590 -25,720 15,440,774 9,295,408 1,038,590 820,290 11,123,742 -17,620 -2,967,230.00 -3,465,240 1,080,000 -136,280 394,988 6,947.50 182,120 68,370 50,025,306 -7,010 174,030

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

0.85 62.5 13.8 0.83 6.5 31.6 1.42 1.44 927 7.44 12.6 13.18 4.99 5 0.217 1,120 6.1 66 4.9 0.68 5.43 15.44 0.58 4.94 0.038 1.16 2.8 166.8 1,000 0.77 1.37 463 279.8 0.265 0.43

0.93 64.35 13.98 0.83 6.56 32.85 1.43 1.44 950.5 7.49 12.9 13.2 5 5 0.34 1,131 6.1 67.9 4.9 0.72 5.47 15.9 0.6 4.97 0.039 1.17 2.9 168 1,025 0.77 1.39 465 280 0.305 0.43

0.81 61.75 13.8 0.8 6.5 28 1.4 1.4 927 7.4 12.6 13.04 4.99 5 0.217 1,115 6.02 63.55 4.9 0.66 5.26 15.4 0.58 4.92 0.038 1.15 2.75 165 980 0.77 1.37 463 278 0.26 0.33

HOLDING FIRMS 0.84 303,521,000 61.75 906,320 13.8 6,405,900 0.8 149,000 6.56 1,200 28 1,053,800 1.42 8,448,000 1.43 1,758,000 927 418,580 7.45 500,300 12.7 5,651,900 13.1 108,500 5 1,700 5 100 0.25 28,320,000 1,129 82,190 6.02 35,800 63.55 1,894,320 4.9 1,000 0.68 1,784,000 5.31 4,523,200 15.4 1,323,600 0.6 658,000 4.95 16,550,000 0.039 12,500,000 1.16 231,000 2.8 2,730,000 165 486,850 980 270,280 0.77 20,000 1.39 347,000 465 80 280 4,730 0.275 56,840,000 0.335 150,900,000

262,540,520 56,797,600.50 88,772,608 122,580 7,860 32,191,955 11,964,750 2,496,060 394,650,505 3,716,212 72,253,002 1,423,120 8,498 500 8,139,510 92,415,205 215,720 125,299,829.50 4,900 1,218,490 24,101,078 20,815,020 388,810 81,937,360 482,500 267,020 7,692,450 80,912,269 269,859,470 15,400 475,690 37,080 1,321,436 15,804,000 55,299,600

1,712,550 -8,667,927.50 -24,957,044 1,300 182,950 1,341,760 -57,570,915 738,527 13,481,572 28,794 -483,550 26,009,845 24,120 59,143,698.50 9,011,372 4,992,344 -6,000 9,070,820 -8,610 -14,975,839 6,810,355 -387,710 629,034 118,200 1,668,650

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

10.48 0.81 10.6 1.77 0.86 44.9 2.57 4.15 6.2 0.49 0.82 0.88 0.25 0.445 9.7 22.3 0.5 0.129 1.6 1.22 5.21 0.435 0.49 2.24

10.5 0.83 10.94 1.9 0.88 45.15 2.74 4.15 6.35 0.49 0.83 0.9 0.26 0.445 10.14 23.25 0.52 0.15 1.66 1.25 5.33 0.445 0.49 2.29

10.32 0.8 10.52 1.77 0.85 44.75 2.57 3.99 6.2 0.48 0.82 0.87 0.25 0.41 9.6 22.2 0.5 0.128 1.59 1.21 5.2 0.435 0.46 2.21

8,567,228 1,614,920 74,198 560,860 1,018,760 477,188,220 11,596,500 18,977,200 1,135,846 5,183,550 68,070 224,540 3,070,850 3,304,200 26,301,437 52,890,975 737,380 977,610 38,632,130 2,934,070 76,828,685 5,496,150 1,203,750 8,833,490

535,158 -676,270 10,520 18,060 163,513,185 -852,240 -11,308,490 1,069,566 -24,500 9,840 4,500 4,100 7,926,933 13,637,640 51,900 -42,610 36,892,176 215,600 -196,000 557,460

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

0.45 3.18 50 22.6 1.95 3.12 38.6 1.48 6.05 0.7 6.1

0.48 3.19 59.9 22.95 2.02 3.13 39.6 1.48 6.05 0.75 6.27

0.44 3.13 50 22.55 1.95 3.11 38.5 1.45 5.9 0.7 6.1

0.46 3.19 50 22.7 2 3.11 38.5 1.46 6 0.75 6.26

6,790,000 991,000 230 1,770,400 89,000 74,000 8,189,100 2,072,000 242,500 351,000 7,095,800

3,155,100 3,127,480 12,127 40,289,015 178,310 230,460 318,774,510 3,021,340 1,452,918 259,640 44,193,645

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

13.76 23.45 1.31 0.455 0.041 15.28 3.41 11.58 0.061 88.85 6.8 7.3 2.07 15.02 2,048 5.77 358 2.9 1.88 109 11.16 7.27 0.124 6.61 3.2 14.9 3.34 0.81 20.5 0.355 4.9 2.6 2.08 2.08 17.48 3.25 9.89 13 3.6 130 3 1,318 0.98 1.33 47.9 88.5 8.2 2.48 0.8 0.44 5.52 0.75 14.3

13.8 23.7 1.41 0.465 0.045 15.28 3.48 11.6 0.067 91.3 6.9 7.3 2.1 15.46 2,118 5.82 360 2.93 1.99 111.7 11.76 7.27 0.143 6.92 3.27 14.9 3.52 0.83 21 0.355 4.9 2.65 2.18 2.34 17.48 3.29 9.89 13 3.6 131 3.06 1,329 1.04 1.37 49 90.65 8.33 2.51 0.83 0.45 5.53 0.76 14.6

13.76 23.4 1.31 0.445 0.04 14.04 3.15 11.46 0.06 88.85 6.62 7.3 2.07 14.96 2,018 5.77 352 2.86 1.88 109 11.14 7.1 0.122 6.51 3.2 14.86 3.32 0.81 20.5 0.355 4.74 2.58 2.06 2.02 15.1 3.17 9.89 12.6 3.55 130 2.99 1,290 0.97 1.23 47.4 88 8.19 2.45 0.8 0.43 5.5 0.73 14.2

SERVICES 13.76 23.7 1.34 0.46 0.044 14.2 3.19 11.52 0.066 91.25 6.79 7.3 2.1 15.2 2,018 5.78 360 2.93 1.99 111 11.6 7.2 0.135 6.74 3.27 14.86 3.49 0.83 20.9 0.355 4.9 2.6 2.12 2.34 15.1 3.21 9.89 12.96 3.55 130.5 3.01 1,290 1.01 1.26 48.2 88.4 8.19 2.45 0.81 0.445 5.52 0.75 14.6

59,000 444,500 132,000 3,390,000 41,000,000 4,500 4,250,000 8,532,800 157,320,000 244,540 1,294,700 17,200 20,000 209,700 20,240 490,200 1,030 1,340,000 10,000 966,700 16,200 18,200 79,820,000 28,772,100 4,000 1,200 1,771,000 22,000 2,673,700 140,000 111,000 2,871,000 427,000 36,000 900 3,009,000 10,800 275,400 10,000 6,740 2,510,000 116,440 38,940,000 170,270,000 1,764,400 1,463,930 83,600 5,038,000 15,185,000 19,490,000 409,400 6,147,000 9,170,000

813,064 10,476,400 179,960 1,539,500 1,714,800 63,706 14,101,870 98,335,102 10,200,370 22,081,294.50 8,794,103 125,560 41,970 3,174,538 41,664,000 2,833,821 369,080 3,882,820 19,360 107,229,542 181,022 131,235 10,939,400 194,755,504 12,870 17,864 6,079,750 18,140 55,851,145 49,700 527,880 7,495,940 901,000 74,220 14,098 9,657,220 106,812 3,508,202 35,900 877,090 7,568,020 152,402,325 39,415,790 220,471,130 85,027,655 131,530,768.50 687,885 12,456,820 12,334,910 8,625,550 2,262,307 4,591,870 132,983,092

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

0.0021 1.57 2.96 2.11 0.31 8.1 1.55 0.41 0.128 0.13 0.008 1.06 2.64 1.3 0.68 1.06 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.74 4.22 14.5 23.6 0.0074

0.0021 1.59 3.12 2.14 0.32 9.3 1.55 0.415 0.133 0.137 0.0081 1.13 2.76 1.34 0.68 1.06 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.84 4.41 14.5 24.4 0.008

0.002 1.54 2.95 2.07 0.31 7.96 1.5 0.3 0.123 0.125 0.008 1.05 2.64 1.13 0.68 1.01 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.67 4.17 14.3 23.6 0.0072

MINING & OIL 0.0021 838,000,000 1.55 4,122,000 2.97 403,000 2.11 567,000 0.32 400,000 8.3 343,000 1.52 1,400,000 0.3 72,940,000 0.131 10,880,000 0.137 4,320,000 0.0081 8,000,000 1.13 1,070,000 2.76 7,384,000 1.13 4,272,000 0.68 158,000 1.03 1,032,000 0.013 63,700,000 0.013 12,300,000 0.012 85,000,000 3.67 232,000 4.18 7,739,000 14.3 589,800 24.15 1,526,800 0.008 59,000,000

1,759,700 6,416,620 1,213,680 1,188,710 124,900 2,939,010 2,127,630 25,807,200 1,373,350 548,600 64,400 1,168,600 20,021,500 5,091,510 107,440 1,060,860 823,600 158,600 1,020,000 856,790 33,259,430 8,457,318 36,849,995 462,000

168,000 -1,333,360 132,900 -42,000 -9,300 129,400 -128,150 2,987,240 59,000 30,600 15,600 -1,441,760 -1,509,924 -6,664,385 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SFI PREF SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

20.5 101.5 98 103 496.8 5.74 900 95.05 1 963.5 1,000 100.4 106.5 2 75.15 76.7 74.9 73 73.5 73.5

20.8 101.5 98.45 103 496.8 5.77 915 96 1.01 963.5 1,000 100.4 106.5 2 75.25 76.7 74.9 73 73.5 73.5

20.5 101.5 98 103 496.8 5.7 900 95.05 1 963.5 1,000 100 106.5 2 75.15 76.55 74.9 73 73.3 73.5

PREFERRED 20.6 1,353,000 101.5 1,870 98.45 1,110 103 40 496.8 200 5.76 91,100 900 560 96 9,490 1.01 19,000 963.5 30 1,000 1,100 100 1,300 106.5 300 2 1,000 75.25 950 76.55 2,550 74.9 1,600 73 31,000 73.3 12,000 73.5 40

27,874,130 189,805 109,270 4,120 99,360 524,021 504,300 908,538.50 19,150 28,905 1,100,000 130,120 31,950 2,000 71,454.50 195,233.50 119,840 2,263,000 880,800 2,940

-5,868,795 466,451 -

LR WARRANT

1.99

2.1

1.94

WARRANTS 2.01 446,000

900,620

MS

PROPERTY 10.42 0.83 10.94 1.87 0.88 45 2.63 4.09 6.35 0.48 0.82 0.9 0.255 0.41 10 23.1 0.52 0.14 1.61 1.25 5.3 0.44 0.475 2.25

821,400 1,967,000 7,000 309,000 1,175,000 10,605,900 4,406,000 4,701,000 179,300 10,710,000 83,000 256,000 12,060,000 7,860,000 2,658,700 2,301,800 1,447,000 6,880,000 23,877,000 2,373,000 14,493,700 12,530,000 2,490,000 3,936,000

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

4.7 2.87 1.78

5 2.87 1.83

4.7 2.87 1.71

FIRST METRO ETF

119.8

121.2

119.8

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.2 1

TRADING SUMMARY

10.2 1

SHARES

FINANCIAL

21,103,976

INDUSTRIAL

231,650,236

HOLDING FIRMS

608,841,529

PROPERTY

157,879,626

SERVICES

612,380,520

MINING & OIL

1,185,901,143

GRAND TOTAL

2,839,343,226

10.2 1

4.98 2.87 1.71

SME

1,388,000 4,000 20,173,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 121.2 15,130 10.2 1

DDS

5,680 11,360

53,050 -126,400 3,000 4,511,290 3,130 55,606,755 -7,400 1,639,929 45,000 -2 14,030 47,812,748 -620 -208,730.50 94,960 6,432 -3,619,850 -234,500 38,243,623 -88,400 -107,383 -11,920 17,757,275.00 1,855,000 -1,342,650 823,730 -2,256,170 -10,702,695 1,917,510 49,140 56,968,255 -13,254,340.50 -126,360.00 -1,827,110 -630,640 147,400 -96,992 22,600 101,025,464

-

6,818,110 11,480 35,817,990

-39,150 1,614,530

1,831,078

3,450

57,936 11,360

-

VALUE 1,853.18 (up) 13.62 1,072,447,457.97 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,799.38 (up) 63.93 1,510,159,922.77 HOLDING FIRMS 7,931.10 (down) 98.92 1,775,350,513.53 PROPERTY 4,001.55 (up) 19.27 SERVICES 1,620.51 (up) 12.05 1,247,776,786.725 MINING & OIL 8,739.30 (up) 118.36 1,511,852,395.72 PSEI 8,058.45 (down) 11.03 152,953,686.8844 All Shares Index 4,893.48 (up) 0.94 7,315,043,268.05 Gainers: 140; Losers: 76; Unchanged: 42; Total: 258

Ayala unit likely to sell Phinma’s oil, gas assets

By Alena Mae S. Flores AC ENERGY Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., is studying options for the oil and gas assets of the Phinma Group once its acquisition of a majority stake in Phinma Energy Corp. is completed in the next three to six months.

“The upstream oil and gas is not our core. They do own listed vehicle, Phinma Petroleum, which owns a few service contracts. We’ll need to study what to do with those after the deal closes, but we have no intentions of going into oil and gas exploration,” AC Energy president and chief executive officer Eric Francia said Wednesday.

Phinma Petroleum and Geothermal Inc.., formerly Trans-Asia Petroleum Corp., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Phinma Energy. The company is engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas through interests in petroleum contracts.

AC Energy, the energy unit of Ayala Group, said last month it reached an agreement to purchase a 51.48-percent stake in Phinma Energy for P3.42 billion.

AC Energy said it would acquire Phinma’ Group’s combined 51.48-percent stake in Phinma Energy through a secondary share sale. The Ayala unit signed the agreement with Phinma Corp. and Philippine Investment Management Inc. “We expect to sign definitive documents fairly soon, within the next few days. Soon after that, we will file for PCC (Philippine Competition Commission) approval, PCC can take as fast as 60 to 90 days. This could anywhere between 3 to 6 months, give or take,” Francia said.

Francia said AC energy might divest the oil and gas business of Phinma Energy but “we haven’t made a decision yet.”

“But at this point, we don’t have a mandate from the board to pursue oil and gas. But we have no plans, we want to be focused on renewables,” he said.

AC Energy will also subscribe to 2.632 billion Phinma Energy primary shares, building up its ownership to 68.46 percent after the closing of the transaction.

RFM bullish, sees higher net profit of of P1.1b in 2018

By Jenniffer B. Austria RFM Corp. of the Concepcion Group said Wednesday it is on track to register a net income of P1.1 billion in 2018, slightly higher than the profit of P1.04 billion in 2017.

RFM in a disclosure to the stock exchange the 2018 revenue, based on the preliminary and unaudited financial figures, was also poised to reach P14.3 billion, up 12 percent from the previous year, on strong sales from ice cream, pasta and sauce as well as milk, flour and mixes business units.

“We are very positive on the continued growth of our top line and bottom line this 2019, especially as we head into election season and as we continue to see brisk economic activity and moderating inflation,” said RFM president and chief executive Jose Ma. A. Concepcion III. Concepcion predicts a robust growth in the Philippines with interest rates softening and a more stable peso, with the possibility of further strengthening.

He also expects stronger spending power from consumers.

Several brokerage firms have expressed bullishness on consumer-related stocks in 2019 because of the reduction in cost of raw materials as well continued strong consumer spending.

RFM last month disclosed the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the merger of three of its subsidiaries into the parent company.

The merger into RFM of the CLIC (Laguna plant site), ICC (bunline plant) and IAC (head office building) is expected to increase efficiency in overall operations and lessen administrative expenses.

Prior to the approval of the merger, RFM’s ownership in the three subsidiaries already ranged between 96 percent and 100 percent.

Meanwhile, the board of RFM approved a cash dividend of P280 million, or P0.0805 per share, for shareholders of record as of February 14, 2019 and the payment date on March 13, 2019.

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Business/World

B3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cuba watching over events in ally Venezuela

H

AVANA―Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is hanging onto power in the crisis-wracked country in large part thanks to backing from the military, which according to the United States is receiving support and advice from Cuba.

LUNAR NEW YEAR PARADE. Performers walk with a lit model of a pig during the annual Lunar New Year parade in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong on February 5, 2019, to mark the Year of the Pig. AFP

Malampaya, outages weigh on power rates ELECTRICITY rates so far are displaying a less erratic behavior but they could act up if power generators and sources do not manage well their so-called maintenance shutdown.

Electricity consumers had a respite in January when the rates of Manila Electric Co. decreased to P9.8385 per kWh from P10.1803 per kWh in December. The downward adjustment of P0.3418 per kWh translated into savings of around P68 in the total monthly bill of a typical household consuming 200 kWh. A lower generation charge from power producers contributed significantly to the lower electricity bill. From P5.3303 per kWh in December, the generation charge for January declined to P4.9119 per kWh, or a decrease of P0.4184 per kWh. The decrease is mainly the result of a P1.2293 per kWh reduction in the cost of power from Meralco’s power supply agreements, or PSAs. The share of PSAs to Meralco’s total requirement in January stood at 40 percent.

Electricity rates, however, fluctuate month by month and greatly depend on the supply of power or lack of it. Meralco customers, for instance, will face higher generation charges in February following the normalization of the “capacity fees” and higher outages in January.

“It will be higher than January. Similar to the past two or three years, after the generation charge reduction in January, there’s always normalization in February,” said Meralco head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez.

Meralco’s power rates in January, according to him, declined because of the reduced capacity fees for the outage allowance from the power generators.

“If power plants do not use their outage allowance for the year, then by December they charge us lower or with no capacity fees, and that leads to the lower generation charge in January. Since we have a new calendar year starting January, then the capacity fees go back to normal and that will be reflected in the January generation charge,” Fernandez adds.

The Meralco official also noted that many power plants went on outage in the second half of January, resulting in higher prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

“More than 3,300 MW [megawatts] of capacity went on outage, both forced outage and due to scheduled outages. We noticed that the spot market prices responded accordingly, meaning it went up. That might also affect the generation charge in February,” said Fernandez.

Malampaya factor The scheduled maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya natural gas field in October this year, meanwhile, is worrisome. Malampaya supplies fuel to five natural gas power plants in Batangas province with a combined capacity of over 3,000 megawatts.

The Department of Energy this early is considering several measures to prevent price spikes during the expected shutdown of the Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan. The maintenance schedule will affect the operations of the Sta. Rita, San Lorenzo, Ilijan, Avion and San Miguel natural gas power plants, all in Batangas.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi wants to know as soon as possible the timeline of the shutdown so preparations can be made ahead.

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

The Malampaya gas field shutdown, according to a source from the consortium operating the reservoir, would be “less than a week.” The Malampaya consortium is composed of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., Chevron Malampaya LLC and state-owned PNOC Exploration Corp.

Meralco must prepare for the Malampaya shutdown to prevent spikes in electricity rates. Fernandez has conceded the electricity retailer would be looking for other sources of power during the shutdown.

Power rates historically increase at the WESM, the country’s trading floor of electricity, during the Malampaya shutdown because of the tightness in supply.

All stakeholders, according to Fernandez, will meet to ensure there is adequate supply and minimal impact on consumers.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or business@manilastandard.net or extrastory2000@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Trump urges unity in speech

WASHINGTON―President Donald Trump urged Americans to come together Tuesday in a State of the Union speech seeking to turn the page on two years of divisive turmoil and transform him into a bipartisan national leader.

But opposition Democrats almost instantly rejected the overture, while Trump’s steadfast insistence on building US-Mexico border walls promised new political strife in the near future.

At times joking, at times impassioned, Trump told Congress and a huge television audience that “we must reject the politics of revenge, resistance, and retribution—and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise, and the common good.”

On foreign policy, Trump reaffirmed his determination to get US troops out of Afghanistan and Syria as quickly as possible. And he announced he would extend his trailblazing personal diplomacy with North Korea by meeting reclusive leader Kim Jong Un on February 27-28 in Vietnam.

Trump touted what he hopes will remain his strongest card with voters— “the hottest economy anywhere in the world.” He also called for a bipartisan push to eradicate the AIDS epidemic in the United States in a decade. AFP

While the close relationship between left-wing allies Venezuela and Cuba is well-known, Havana denies the accusations from its old Cold War foe that its actions are nefarious.

“The time has come to liberate Venezuela from Cuba,” US Vice President Mike Pence proclaimed Monday.

“Cuba’s malign influence is evident in Venezuela and in Nicaragua.”

There’s nothing new in such assertions coming out of Washington.

Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton branded Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua together as a “troika of tyranny” in November.

The strength of the relationship between Caracas and Havana was apparent when Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel headed to Venezuela for his first overseas appointment after succeeding Raul Castro in April.

Cuba was also one of the first countries to offer its “strong support” to Maduro on January 23 after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president.

The relationship goes back to Maduro’s mentor and predecessor Hugo Chavez, according to Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue think-tank.

Chavez, who was Venezuela president from 1999 until his death in 2013, “admired Fidel Castro, it was almost

like a father-son relationship.”

“The Cuban engagement in Venezuela began then and very, very strongly,” added Shifter.

For Venezuelan lawyer and military specialist Rocio San Miguel, Cuba’s involvement in Venezuela’s state apparatus probably dates back to 2004.

Cuba has gradually taken control of “five sensitive national security areas: Notary registers, identity papers, intelligence, the armed forces and the national police,” San Miguel said.

Rapidly, the two allies agreed on a simple partnership in which Caracas provides economic assistance and oil at friendly rates, while Havana sends thousands of doctors, sports coaches and military advisors to the South American country.

“Cuba got far more out of it than Venezuela,” said former British ambassador Paul Webster Hare, who lived in both countries and is now a professor at Boston University.

“There were no two countries in the world that had as... integrated governments as Cuba and Venezuela.

“There are reports that Maduro has Cuban intelligence briefings every day.”

San Miguel went so far as to say that “in the decision-making process there is Cuba above Maduro,” although Shifter insists “there is no evidence of that.” AFP

Liam Neeson denies racism

WASHINGTON―Hollywood star Liam Neeson insisted on Tuesday he was “not racist” after confessing that he once set out to attack a random black man after a friend of his told him she had been raped.

“I’m not a racist,” Neeson said on ABC News, while admitting he had felt a “primal urge to lash out” about 40 years ago after hearing from his close friend that she had been attacked by a black man.

The 66-year-old star of “Schindler’s List” triggered an international backlash by sharing his story in an interview with British newspaper The Independent this week.

In damage limitation mode on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the Northern Irish actor expanded on the incident, which he said left him shocked at himself.

“I went out deliberately into black areas in the city, looking to be set upon so that I could unleash physical violence,” Neeson recalled. “I did it four, maybe four or five, times until I caught myself and it really shocked me, this primal urge.”

While he says no violence ultimately occurred, Neeson said he sought help from a Catholic priest, spoke to friends, and walked for hours to rid himself of the episode. AFP

PREMIERE. Dua Lipa attends the Premiere Of 20th Century Fox’s ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ at Westwood Regency Theater on February 05, 2019, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

‘World’s smelliest fruit’ threatens Malaysian forests RAUB, Malaysia―Soaring demand for durians in China is being blamed for a new wave of deforestation in Malaysia with environmentalists warning vast amounts of jungle is being cleared to make way for massive plantations of the spiky, pungent fruit.

Grown across tropical Southeast Asia, the durian is hailed as the “king of fruits” by fans, who liken its creamy texture and intense aroma to blue cheese.

But detractors say durians stink of sewage and stale vomit. The strong smell means many hotels across the region have banned guests from bringing them to rooms, while Singapore does not allow the fruit on its subway system.

Nevertheless, they are a hit in China, and the increase in demand has prompted exporters to vie for a bigger share of the burgeoning market.

Growers in Malaysia are increasingly shifting from small orchards to industrial-scale operations—a trend that

environmentalists warn presents a new threat to rain forests already challenged by loggers and palm oil plantations.

“Right now durians are gaining a lot of attention from the Chinese market,” said Sophine Tann, from environmental protection group PEKA, which has studied land clearances to make way for the fruit.

“This deforestation for planting of durians is in preparation to meet that demand.”

In the jungle-clad district of Raub in central Malaysia, swathes of rain forest have recently been chopped down to make way for a new plantation, with durian seedlings protected by netting planted across bare hillsides.

The plantation is next to an area of protected forest, which is home to a kaleidescope of animals from monkeys to exotic birds.

A river, now murky and filled with trunks and branches from logging,

runs close by.

A sign outside the plantation said it was run by Ample Harvest Produce but company staff refused to comment when contacted about the loss of trees in the area.

PEKA said the land’s status was changed by the local government to allow logging, but local authorities did not respond to requests for comment.

In a Beijing mall some 4,000 kilometres away, a stall named “Little Fruit Captain” is doing a brisk trade selling Malaysian durians.

Shop manager Wang Tao said his customers “fall in love” with durians from Malaysia due to their particularly sweet taste, often preferring them to those from rival exporters, such as Thailand.

He imports frozen durians from a facility in Malaysia and sells them in plastic containers or in other forms -- a kind of baked dessert, in ice cream or fried up as crisps. AFP

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

B4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Improving smallholder farmers’ access to quality seeds is a crucial first step to achieve the goal of feeding the world sustainably, East-West Seed says. (Story below)

Bacolod mayor forms alliance with Hugpong BACOLOD CITY—Grupo Progreso (GP), the political party of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, will form an alliance with the Davao-based regional party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP).

Leonardia announced this Tuesday night after his re-election bid was endorsed by Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, chairperson of HNP, during their meeting at the Davao City Hall on Sunday.

It’s a “big-time endorsement,” a GP statement said.

Duterte-Carpio raised Leonardia’s hand during his courtesy call and was witnessed by National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Cardema, as well as Sangguniang Kabataan officials from Cainta, Taytay, and Butuan and other guests.

Leonardia flew to Davao City to attend the two-day “Rehabinasyon: The 1st National Anti-Drugs Summit” organized by the Inter-Agency Committee Against Illegal Drugs

(ICAD) on February 3 and 4.

He said the coalition between the Grupo Progreso and the HNP will be formalized in another meeting in Bacolod during the campaign period for the May 13 elections.

Leonardia added that he assured the Davao City mayor of the full support of Grupo Progreso for the senatorial candidates endorsed by HNP. The HNP is also expected to support the reelection bids of Leonardia’s partymates Congressman Greg Gasataya and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and the Grupo Progreso’s 12 candidates for councilor.

Last October, Mayor Sara visited Bacolod during the highlights of the MassKara Festival and witnessed the schools’ street dance competition at the Bacolod Plaza.

She also took the opportunity to thank the people of Bacolod for supporting the administration of her father, President Rodrigo Duterte. PNA

Makati gets DILG ‘Seal’

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE Department of Interior and Local Government has given the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping (SGFH) to Makati City after the administration of Mayor Abigail Binay passed the agency’s assessment to all local government units to ensure transparency and honesty in spending public funds.

“I would like to congratulate the city for passing the stringent DILG assessment for its Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping for 2018. This means a lot to Makati and to me, personally.

It signifies that our public funds are being spent efficiently, honestly, and only for the benefit of our constituents,” said Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday.

The SGFH assesses how local government units comply with set accounting and auditing standards, rules and regulations. Passing the assessment means Makati City has spent and au-

dited its public funds accurately and transparently.

“Strict compliance with laws and policies governing the use of public funds is key to ensuring that our constituents receive the optimum benefits intended for them through our programs and services. The SGFH certification granted by the DILG affirms that we have truly done justice to our taxpayers’ money allocated in our annual city budget,” said Binay.

“I am proud to share this latest achievement of the city with all the departments and offices of the city gov-

East-West Seed stays on top of Access Index for 4th time

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio endorses the reelection bid of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia during the latter’s courtesy call at the Davao City Hall on Feb. 3.

Gov’t rescue teams, volunteers look for missing Cessna from Bulacan GOVERNMENT rescue team and volunteers are searching for the missing Cessna plane with two persons onboard that went missing few minutes after taking off the airport in Plaridel, Bulacan Monday.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is conducting the search with the help of Air Force and Coast Guard personnel to locate the two-seater Cessna C-152 training aircraft (registry number RP-C 2724) owned and operated by Fliteline Aviation School.

The aircraft departed Plaridel airport around 7:20 am and landed in Subic at 7:51 am for a touch and go landing maneuver.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the plane went missing on his way back to Plaridel airport since Monday afternoon.

“The search and rescue operations proves negative as of yesterday (Tuesday). The Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Coast Guard were tapped to join search and rescue operations,” he said.

Apolonio said the search and rescue team is concentrating in the area of Sta. Rita mountain between Pampanga and Zambales.

Volunteers in the localities also helped in the search and rescue operations. Joel Zurbano

EAST-WEST Seed, a tropical vegetable seed company with both Filipino and Dutch roots, has maintained its top position in the recently launched Access to Seeds Index.

Access to Seeds, an independent organization funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Dutch government, has announced the results of its Global Seed Index from its Amsterdam headquarters.

The Index placed East-West Seed in the top rank, besting 13 other global seed companies on their commitment and performance in providing the world’s smallholder farmers access to quality seeds.

In November last year, the South and Southeast Asia Index was launched which also placed East-West Seed at number 1 among 24 companies surveyed.

This brings four straight No. 1 rankings for the Asia-based company, sustaining its good performance in 2016 when the first Seed Index was released and where East-West Seed led the pack in the Global Vegetable and

East Africa indices.

Looking at the measurement areas of the Index, East-West Seed earns the highest score in Research and Development due to its broad breeding programs that include a large number of local crops.

It also leads in Marketing and Sales because of its extensive distribution channels and the availability of seeds in small packaging, which are accessible and affordable to smallholders.

Further, it scores high in the Seed Production measurement area because of its collaboration with smallholder farmers, who account for 95 percent of its production.

Read the inspiring story of a young seed grower here.

Access to Seeds aims to shine a light on how seed companies can step up efforts to improve access to quality seeds of improved varieties for smallholder farmers. It believes that seed companies are a crucial partner in efforts to raise smallholder farmer productivity and achieve food and nutrition security.

ernment, which have strictly observed current guidelines and standards in the implementation of their respective programs and activities,” she added.

Part of the criteria includes an Unqualified or Qualified Commission on Audit (COA) Opinion of the immediately preceding year.

It also includes Compliance with the Full Disclosure Policy of Local Budget and Finances, Bids and Public Offerings such as Annual Budget, Statement of Receipts and Expenditures, Annual Procurement Plan or Procurement List, and Bid Results On Civil Works, Goods and Services and Consulting Services, among others.

Obtaining the SGFH certification put Makati one step closer to its bid of getting the Seal of Good Local Governance.

For this distinction, an LGU is assessed and judged in areas such as Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness; Peace and Order; and Environmental Management.

QC police gain 300 body cams, 3,000 handcuffs

By Rio N. Araja

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Wednesday turned over 300 body-worn cameras and 3,000 handcuffs to the Quezon City Police District’s Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr. to beef up the local police’s crimefighting capability.

Bautista, along with his chief of staff Jay Marzan, led the turnover ceremony.

He cited the importance of the new equipment to help police officers in their fight against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality.

Esquivel expressed gratitude to Bautista for his continuing support to the city police.

“With the acquisition of the brandnew devices, the QCPD will be a step ahead of other units of the Philippine National Police as far as logistics and mobilization are concerned,” he said.

He called on the members of QCPD to give their constituents more than their money’s worth as a show gratitude and appreciation.

Prospects bright for Ilocos organic soybean

By Butch Gunio

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur―Farmers and food processors here see bright prospects in organic soybean production.

“Farmers here started planting organic soybean to areas not so productive with other plants,” said Melinda Calumpit from Department of Agriculture (DA) Ilocos Region.

Calumpit is also Project Leader of the DA Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR)funded project Enhancing Organic Soybean Production and Processing for Improved Local Supply and Utilization in Region 1.

“We introduced to local farmers PSB

SY2 soybean variety that is very good for processing like for producing soymilk,” she said.

Candon City is unique for having soybean farmers, processors, and product buyers, Calumpit said.

A cooperator of the project is a local church of the Seventh Day Adventist in Brgy. Palacapac here engaged in soybean processing. The group produces soymilk, cookies, and tofu.

“Before we used to purchase imported soybean from Divisoria, now we buy from farmers here. And the soybean here is of better quality compared to imported soybean from Canada and USA,” said Pastor Dom Comedian.

BOODLERS, BIKERS. Cagayan Governor Manuel N. Mamba (second from left) welcomes the Boodlers and Bikers Club of Retired Generals

from Northern Luzon accompanied by the 5th Infantry Division in Gamu, Isabela on Monday. Among the bikers were Gen. Maclang, Suzette Maclang, Gen. Dela Cruz, Gen. Morales, Edith Morales, Gen. Ochoa, Gen. Javier, Col. Ongchangko, Col. Andaya, Col. Goseco, Laarni Goseco, Col. Lustina, Atty. Binalia, Dennis Salvador, Bing Favis Jr., Chito Sunga, and Dodong Torreson. The retired generals aim to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to visit the different beautiful tourism sites in the province of Cagayan with their bike tour. Jessica M. Bacud with Cagayan PIO

Life

The Panasonic Air Conditioner is designed to improve indoor air quality.

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

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Panasonic elevates home life

By Paola Navarette

F

OR most people, becoming a full-fledged adult means being able to settle into a place they can call their own—moving out of their parents’ homes and being able to live independently.

With the country’s robust real estate of young professionals and start-up famindustry and flourishing economy, it’s ilies to have their own place and jumpbecoming easier for today’s generation start the life they dream of.

Real-life couple Marco and Precious Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz demonstrate how the new Panasonic washer works.

From left: Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp. vice president Masaru Toyota, Marco Alcaraz, Precious Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz, Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp. president Shinichi Hayashi, manager for Refrigerator Michelle Sta. Ana, manager for Washing Machine Lorraine Abuzar, and Francis Serrato.

The new Panasonic Washer is packed with features that bring superior wash performance. (right) This Panasonic Refrigerator is powered with advanced Japanese technology.

Opening up the door to a new life, literally and figuratively, means having the luxury to furnish a living space with functional and stylish everyday appliances that match the homeowner’s preferences.

Japanese multinational electronics company Panasonic has been providing modern Filipino families with elegantly designed and high-quality home appliances that support a healthy and premium lifestyle.

“Looking back at our history, Panasonic has remained in its vision of contributing to the country’s progress and development of society,” enthused Shinichi Hayashi, president of the Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp.

He continued, “We will continue to devote our resources to meet the needs of our consumers.”

Panasonic continues to come up with a range of home appliances with innovative technology, establishing its position in every household with its new line of refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners.

These feature-rich home products boast exceptional quality design and provide optimized lifestyle conveniences for a luxurious modern home living. Each model showcases advanced Japanese technology to ensure effective and reliable operation for many years.

Equipped with negative three-degree Celsius Prime Fresh freezing technology, the new Panasonic refrigerator

guarantees to keep the food fresh and tasty for up to a week. Its Nano-e technology also helps suppress the growth of invisible bacteria that cause unpleasant odors.

Aside from refrigerators, Panasonic has always been a trusted brand for its line of washers, and its latest product offerings are something worth noting.

Promising to deliver superior wash performance in just one touch, the new Panasonic washer comes with the StainMaster+ feature which provides intensive multi-stain removal function and bacteria elimination. It also has an Active Foam System function that creates fine foam that easily lifts dirt from the clothes’ fiber.

Continuing its mission of providing

living spaces with cleaner air through its air conditioning products, the new Panasonic split-type air conditioner also has Nano-e technology which helps deodorize odor and inhibit bacteria and virus growth. Another feature of the air conditioner is its patented air purification system which purifies the air in a room even when the cooling function is turned off.

“At Panasonic, we try to be free from conventional standards and try to never lose sight of what performance means and how it should be delivered,” said Masaru Toyota, vice president of Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp.

Go to www.panasonic.com/ph for more information on Panasonic’s latest home appliances.

Amaia Land announces 2019 projects

Peppa Pig welcomes the Year of the Pig THERE seems to be no better cartoon character to usher in the Year of the Earth Pig than the adorable Peppa Pig. Peppa Pig was present during the Chinese New Year celebrations at SM City North Edsa. During the affair, The Block’s Atrium was transformed into Peppa Pig’s Chinese Garden with a pagoda, bridge and golden tree, as well as Chinese lanterns, floral decorations, and bamboo trees.

For the occasion, Peppa Pig and her family: Suzy Sheep, Danny Dog, and Candy Cat greeted mall-goers dressed in traditional cheongsams at the Paifang, a gateway symbolizing longevity, health, luck, and happiness.

Peppa’s Grandpa Pig and Granny Pig were also on hand to invite guests to their Chinese-styled pagoda. This was connected by the bridge leading to the legendary Money Tree.

A new building in Bicutan is set to rise.

PROPERTY developer Amaia Land has kicked off 2019 with the announcement of five new projects.

The new projects include a townhouse at new Vermosa estate; a house and lot development in Binangonan, Rizal; a new condominium in Tandang Sora, Quirino Highway; a new townhouse development in Nuvali; and a new building in Capitol Central, Negros Occidental.

Stephanie Lingad, Amaia Land’s chief operating officer said that “with the launch of these new projects, individuals and families alike may now look forward to settling down in their dream homes in ‘greener, more breath-

Kids pose with Peppa Pig and George.

able’ neighborhoods in low-density locales in the metro.”

In addition to the five new projects, Amaia also disclosed that eight existing projects are set to undergo expansion this year.

“Expansion areas will be opened in Amaia Land’s developments in Sucat, Blanca Building Bicutan, Parañaque; General Trias, Trece Martires, Cavite; Novaliches, Quezon City; Cabuyao, Laguna; Bulacan; and Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City. The expansion will also offer more choices to those who prefer to live either south or north of the metropolis,” said Lingad.

Traditional lion and dragon dances at The Block signal the start of CNY festivities at the mall.

Mini Chinatown centerpiece featuring 30foot stacked traditional Chinese temples.

During the festivities, there were meet and greet sessions with Peppa, a live Chinese New Year Astrological forecast by international feng shui master Marites Allen, and traditional lion and dragon dances, not only at North Edsa but also at SM City Fairview, Manila, San Lazaro, and Sta. Mesa.

There was also an Oriental Market, a treasure trove of lucky charms for good luck, blessings, protection, and good fortune. Shoppers got their hand on Yin Yang charms; bead, crystal, and fortune bracelets; Buddhas, spiritual icons, bells and wind chimes, moneybags, and golden pigs.

Amaia Land welcomes 2019 with five new projects underway.

Life

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Promil Four launches i-Shine Talent Camp 7

S

UMMER talent development program Promil Four i-Shine, which helps unleash children’s potential, invites parents to enroll their kids in this year’s edition.

Promil Four recently launched the newest season of the i-Shine Talent Camp 7 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in Taguig. This year’s talent camp will run from April to May. As the brand stays true to its mission of nurturing the gift, the next generation of kids, age 6-11 years old, will be guided to reach their full potential in the fields of performing and visual arts through mental, physical, and social stimulation workshops.

Aspiring i-Shiners will engage in interactive learning workshops managed by the finest experts/mentors in the country.

Teachers Robert Alejandro and Kara Escay from Papemelroti will handle the Art Camp, Maestro Ryan Cayabyab will return as the camp master for the Music Camp, while Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy of the G-Force Dance School will lead the Dance Camp.

Audie Gemora will head the Theater Camp, whereas Lisa Macuja-Elizalde will guide the Ballet Camp.

All six mentors were presented during the launch of i-Shine 7, which also featured a talk by Dr. Leticia PeñanoHo, president of the Philippine Center for Gifted Education.

Dr. Peñano-Ho discussed giftedness, how to spot and nurture it, and the importance of documenting a child’s journey to further help them develop their skills.

Also lending her knowledge and talent was self-taught freelance photographer and “Promil kid” Shaira Luna. She shared some photography tips during her Creative Documenting and Scrapbook Making Workshop.

Promil’s philosophy is to instill the importance of not only proper nutrition, but also proper parenting and guidance to fully support a child’s proper growth and mental development. This is in line with the brand’s advocacy of actively

Ballet Manila performing a 6-minute adagio of the Act 2 of ‘The Nutcracker.’

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde handles the Ballet Camp.

Audie Gemora heads the Theater Camp

involving parents in helping nurture the gas, Cebu, and Davao. gift of their children.

A grand recital will be held at the end Promil Four i-Shine 7 camps will be of the camp to showcase what the kids administered in Metro Manila, Batan- experienced and learned.

i-Shine Talent Camp host Dimples Romana with mentors Georcelle Dapat-Sy, Kara Escay, Robert Alejandro, and Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.

Forum encourages parents to develop growth mindset FAILURE is life’s greatest teacher, but her research, champions nutrition as a only a few parents want their children to key ingredient toward children’s optimal development. experience its pains.

Parents and guests were also able to Massive technological changes and constant disruptions have made the participate in activities that allowed world much more complex, but these them to learn practical tips and lessons have also created ample opportunities on how they can nurture an optimal for learning and growth. Amid uncer- growth mindset within themselves and tainties and continuous change, parents their families. have to ensure that their children learn and grow from the challenges that they will inevitably encounter in their growing-up years.

Recognizing that parents need support in reshaping the future of their children, Nestlé Nankid utilized expertise with advocacy to help reshape the future for the next generation through “Parentology+: The Reshape Forum.”

The forum held recently aimed to help parents better understand their role in reshaping the future of their children.

Well-known parenting experts from the international and local scenes participated in the event. Among them were Melissa Benaroya, LICSW, a renowned parent, coach, and speaker from Costa Rica who extensively studied the Growth Mindset movement; Didi Manahan, MSEd, a progressive learning advocate and co-founder of Keys School Manila; and Dr. Josephine Sunga, MD, FPPS, MSc, pediatrician and epidemiologist who, through Kids actively learning and having fun at the forum.

“Reshaping Your Language” allowed participants to learn that adults have the power over how their language can affect kids. Phrasing statements to curiosity questions can help the kids get a feeling of being included in the decision-making.

In “As Easy As Riding A Bike,” guests were asked to reminisce their first time riding a bike and its process, which was then compared to parenting—the joy of seeing others’ kids, the challenge once an individual had their own child, the constant toil of new developments, and the parental instinct.

The vital role of nutrition in the development of children was also discussed. Without providing proper action, a child’s diet may greatly affect his or her overall growth.

“Nestlé understands that children and their parents face a complex reality, which is why parents should have the tools that will help them pave the way toward their children’s optimal growth and development,” said Jean Espino, vice president for marketing at Nestlé Premium Milks.

She added, “Nestlé Nankid provides the optimal nutrition which is essential to growing children’s needs.

Coupled with supportive care from parents who allow their children to learn from every opportunity, Nestlé aims to let parents reshape the future, today.”

Nestlé Nankid executives, parents, moderators, and speakers unite to #ReshapeTheFuture by fostering an optimal growth mindset.

There are different types of loans for different types of needs

A beginner’s guide to loans

IN THE Philippines, applying for a loan has a negative notion because it correlates to debt. But consumer loans actually help people build and establish a credit history to which banking and finance companies refer.

Loans come in handy for purchases of big-ticket items, for buying dream house or car, or simply for emergency cash needs. However, applying for a loan for the first time can cause confusion and serious financial consequences. Thus, online financial supermarket e-Comparemo.com offers this guide to help in choosing the type of loan.

Personal loan – Personal loans are usually unsecured loans, which means it’s based purely on an individual’s credit score and does not require any collateral unlike secured loans. The interest rates may range from 1.2 percent to 8 percent, depending on the financial institution. Payment terms are typically shorter, from six to 60 months.

Car loan – Car loans are for people who don’t have enough cash to

shoulder the full purchase of a vehicle. It has flexible payment terms of three to five years.

To apply for a car loan, simply submit valid IDs and proof of income to get pre-approved. It may be required to have the down payment for the car to get approved.

Home loan – Housing loan interest rates are decided between the borrower and the financial institution, with payment terms ranging from five to 30 years. The lender maintains property rights as collateral, and an appraisal fee typically applies.

OFW loan – OFW loans work similarly as personal loans, but are specifically offered to overseas Filipino workers with valid contracts. A co-borrower or immediate relative based in the Philippines is required.

It usually has flexible payment terms to accommodate the specific needs of OFWs and their families.

Credit cards or cash advances – Cash advances are short-term loans with higher interest rates and are typically paid for the following month.

Some credit card companies offer longer terms, from three to 12 months. The amount a person can borrow depends on their credit limit.

Business loan – Business loans can be used for a new business or the expansion of an existing one. Examples are line credit, equipment loan, and conventional business loan. Terms depend on the nature of the business and the agreement between the borrower and the lender.

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Brazil’s cool sizzles at Solaire VALENTINES will be a bigger celebration as cool bossa nova, jazz and funk tunes sizzle. Brazil’s cool, Sergio Mendes is set to make your hearts groove with his back-to-back concert Sergio Mendes: A Valentine’s Day Concert happening on Feb. 14 and 15 at The Tent at Solaire.

The Brazilian superstar will be the first international artist that will grace the resort’s newest venue as it draws in and stages grander events.

“We want to continue elevating the Solaire experience through a vast roster of stay, dine and event offers that everyone can enjoy. Valentine’s Day is one occasion that couples, families, or groups of friends treat with specialty. Choose to celebrate with us by booking one of our highly acclaimed five-star spaces, dining at any of our multi-awarded restaurants, and seeing one of the world’s most recognized musicians in our Valentine concert, to get the best of what Solaire has to offer,” says Lorenzo Manalang, Solaire’s Vice President for Brand and Marketing.

Sergio Mendes’ influence in the

music industry spans five decades and counting. He is best known for being responsible for the rise of Brazilian music in the international scene. He began his world journey with performances in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and not long after, in the United States.

His “Brasil 66” hit a milestone for being the first album to be sung entirely in Portuguese that reached the top 5 of the famous Billboard magazine with “Mas Que Nada” as its flag bearer single.

Adapting to the changing music landscape, he has expanded his reach by venturing into other genres to mix into his and collaborating with new-age artists. Sergio has worked with Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am, Justin Timberlake, and John Legend among many others, and extended his expertise for the successful animated film Rio and its sequel, Rio 2.

Feel the enduring sounds of love-struck passion surround you in a two-night serenade with cupid’s bow. For tickets to Sergio Mendes: A Valentine’s Day Concert, you can call TicketWorld at 891-9999.

Danilo Brocka, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Digital Filmmaking (DFilm) Program Chairperson Director Jose “Joey” Javier Reyes, and Brocka's grandnephew, aspiring director Kokoy Brocka Anupol

BROCKA, BERNAL,

Philippine cinema exhibit attended by film industry leaders ROCKA, Bernal and the City, a special exhibition that features the interesting lives and impressive works of Philippine National Artists for Film Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, was recently launched at the 12th Floor Gallery of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus.

B

Brazilian superstar Sergio Mendes in Manila for a back-to-back Valentine concert at Solaire

The show is part of the series of activities to commemorate the 100th year of Philippine cinema, and the 30th anniversary celebration of Benilde.

Both Bembol Roco and Cherie Gil, who are considered as Brocka and Bernal “babies” respectively, imparted their personal experiences and memories on how the iconic filmmakers had mentored and made them into the award-winning actors they are today.

Meanwhile, LDS-CSB Digital Filmmaking Program Chair Jose Javier Reyes shared with the audience how he, as a young writer then at the time of the two icons, was given an opportunity to work with them.

“We celebrate not only because of

the genius of their films but because of their love for the Filipino and the city of Manila,” Reyes noted. “Lino and Ishma are truly Filipinos in the sense that if you see their films, they were all reflections of the city of Manila. Lino represented Misericordia, Quiapo, Avenida Rizal, whereas Bernal represented Malate. And these are the two phases of Manila – the old and the bohemian,” Reyes shared.

Center for Campus Art Director Architect Gerry Torres confessed that to label the project as a challenge is an understatement.

“For how can one capture the work of two giants of cinema within a 150-squaremeter space?” Torres asked.

“The show is but an introduction because

there is so much more to learn from them — so much more to be gathered and presented to the new generation, so the younger Filipinos will learn from these two remarkable individuals who fought relentlessly against all odds, foregoing personal comfort and security to be the voices that speak out against abuse, injustice, ignorance, and intolerance,” he reiterated.

The first night of the exhibition was well-attended by Brocka’s brother Danilo Brocka and grandnephew aspiring director Kokoy Brocka Anupol, film director Gabby Fernandez, Roselle Monteverde-Teo of Regal Films, De La Salle Philippines President Br. Armin Luistro FSC, DLS-CSB President Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC, and DLSCSB Board of Trustees (BOT) Members Br. Mike Fernandez FSC, Nestor Jardin, and Dr. Lydia Echauz, and a crowd of filmmakers, film enthusiasts and archivists, and student-artists.

The exhibit is on view until April 29.

It is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., at the 12th Floor Gallery of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB), School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo (Vito Cruz) Street, Malate, Manila.

A gold award for GMA—San Miguel ‘Home Foodie’ “MADALICIOUS” meals have become the joy of many homemakers through Home Foodie, the three-minute program that gives viewers easy-to-do recipes and tips on everyday cooking tasks.

It is no wonder that the GMA-produced cooking show received the gold for Best Use of Advertiser-Funded Programming Broadcast at the Native Advertising Awards recently held in Berlin, Germany.

Powered by GMA’s expertise in engaging the Filipino audience, the San Miguel Pure Foods message was effectively delivered through a program that fits perfectly into the daily routine of its market.

Hosted by celebrity couple Drew Arellano and Iya Villania-Arellano,

with steady direction from San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center chefs headed

by Chef Llena Tan-Arcenas, the show was developed by San Miguel Food and Beverage, Inc. (formerly San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.) in collaboration with The Huddle Room and GMA. Now going on its 5th season, the program continuously innovated to reach viewers and offer solutions to different kitchen dilemmas.

The Native Advertising Awards recognizes excellence through native content, advertising that follows the natural form and function of the user experience in which it was placed, instead of regular advertising that aims for

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Thursday, February 7, 2019

ACROSS 1 Long jacket 6 Isn’t gentle with 10 Zest for life 14 Address the crowd 15 Large lot 16 Pate de — gras 17 Less exciting 18 Bronco “brake” 19 Give off vapors 20 Iron or sulfur 22 Brewed tea 24 Contented murmur 25 Like a wedding cake 26 Reveal 30 Election mo.

31 Norse god 32 Knot 35 “Who — was there?”

39 Fiesta shouts 40 Shape clay 41 Area of London 42 Chicken wire 43 Cancel 44 “Slither” actor 45 McMahon and Sullivan 47 Keeps safe 50 Husband-to-be 53 Iron source 54 Mythical beast 55 Do a script over

60 Asian nanny 61 Prayer-wheel turner 63 Alleviated 64 Old Norse poem 65 B — — boy 66 Itch 67 “— bien, monsieur!”

68 Cleaved 69 Irascible DOWN 1 Schlep 2 River in Russia 3 Point the finger at 4 Particular 5 Boxed breakfast 6 Temple of Athena 7 Receive a high score 8 Sleeve part 9 Guard 10 Give off bubbles of gas 11 Jeweler’s lens 12 Readied the bow 13 — -to-know basis 21 Complain persistently 23 Want-ad letters

26 Ensure failure 27 Groundless 28 Strives to win 29 Draws a sword 33 Not common 34 Smell inhibitor 36 Type of shark 37 Silvery fish 38 Billions of years 40 Burly 46 Forensic science tool 48 Sooner than 49 Least 50 Leg bone

51 Lacking sense 52 Computer command 54 Horse-drawn vehicle 56 Mortgage consideration 57 Wife of Osiris 58 Camper’s quarters 59 Uptight 62 Hr. fraction

disruption to get the audience’s attention.

With the awards’ growing prestige, more countries have been sending entries, including Sweden, Peru, Croatia, the US, Germany, Belgium, Slovenia, Russia, Denmark, Italy, and Australia. Home Foodie’s win confirms that the show has seamlessly and effectively integrated into the habits of their consumers by giving them ways to recreate traditional Filipino dishes and providing them with valuable kitchen tips and techniques.

By winning the highest honor in its category, Home Foodie Madalicious Meals has definitely brought home another delicious victory for the Philippines.

'Home Foodie' celebrity hosts Drew Arellano and Iya Villania-Arellano with San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center chefs headed by Chef Llena Tan-Arcenas

Very Wang...

From C4

Hinrichsen has over a decade of experience in EB-5 immigration. He represents individual investors in obtaining permanent resident status through either regional center or direct EB-5 investments.

He was recently recognized by EB-5 Investor Magazine as one of the top 25 legal professionals in the field.

Explaining further the visa option, Hinrichsen said that the US Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 under the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) in order to stimulate the US economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. In turn, the visa offers holders, including family members (spouse and unmarried children below 21), freedom to study, work, and live in the US without additional immigration requirements.

An ideal window to acquire the EB-5 visa is being offered by New York-based Lightstone Investments to interested parties. All it takes is a minimum investment of $500,000 with an eye in opening up job opportunities for those residing in the United States.

Lightstone is one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the United States with $6 billion in assets under management and development.

The company is headquartered in New York City and has holdings in 28 states. It owns over 15,000 apartments throughout the US. Over $1.6 billion has been invested by more than 18,000 investors in real estate investment funds managed by Lightstone.

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

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Entertainment

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

YUGEL LOSORATA

V-day for masters THERE are plenty of brilliant Filipino songwriters in the annals of romantic music. But then there are the likes of Ryan Cayabyab and Ogie Alcasid. They’re the kind of figures other legitimately talented but less recognized and popular would rather have selfies with.

Myself being a member of FILSCAP (Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), I have been witnessed to gatherings of Filipino tunesmiths where some lessestablished names found themselves starstruck in the presence of iconcolleagues. It’s a testament to what separates the great from the good.

Both Mr. C, newly minted as National Artist, and OA, arguably revered more for his songwriting than his singing prowess, are teaming up for a classy show appropriately dubbed Master Of Love. It should naturally mean a musical extravaganza boasting a repertoire that will include big hits produced off their sterling careers.

'The Songwriter' Ogie Alcasid teams up with National Artist Ryan Cayabyab in 'Master Of Love' on Feb. 14 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

The concert, by definition an Ogie Alcasid show under the musical direction of Mr. C, is set on the evening of Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14, Thursday, 8:00 p.m.) at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) in Resorts World Manila (RWM). It is one to cover a wide array of pop ballads popularized by the likes of Hajji Alejandro and the late Rico J. Puno.

According to its press release, “couples will get to hear that particular song perfectly describing their love story or one that takes them back to the moment of their first date, first kiss, or the moment they first realized it was true love.”

Ogie has strengthened his industry post by writing enduring hits like “Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw,” “Kailangan Kita,” and “Bakit Nagoya Ka Lang.”

Mr. C, a mainstream music maestro of the highest level, scored the first Metropop winner with “Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika,” wrote “Tuwing Umuulan At Kapiling Ka” which Basil Valdez popularized and the Eraserheads triumphantly revived, and catapulted vocal group Smokey Mountain to public adulation with his compositions.

Master of Love will have as guests the Ryan Cayabyab Singers, as well as lady performers Mariel de Leon, Lara Maigue, and Tanya Manalang.

For lovers of modern kundiman glittered with high-caliber celebrity power, a night to remember awaits.

The night before (Feb. 13), same time, same place, stand-up comedian Jon Santos marks his 30th anniversary doing his thing with the cleverly titled I can DOTHIRTY. Insiders noted that it “promises to be brave, explosive, and loaded with delightfully entertaining hilarious new impressions,” including that of MACDonald Trump and Digong DutertHIRTY-HARI―obvious wacky digs on two of the current world’s most controversial leaders.

With stage direction by Michael Williams, the show is powered by Jon’s comedic collaborators Eric Nicolas and Marissa Sanchez as the seasoned impersonator mimics familiar personas in the political arena whether has-beens or tainted with unforgivable sins.

Organizers announced that both shows offer special show promotions available to Resorts World Manila members through the RWM Mobile App accessible for free download via the AppStore or GooglePlay.

ABS-CBN scores big in January numbers game A recent family portrait of Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado and their children

Cavite’s favorite son

Angel Locsin leads the cast of 'The General's Daughter,' which is one of the 10 most-watched programs nationwide.

BARELY two months into the year, media giant ABS-CBN seems to have opened 2019 on a high note with its 15-point lead in nationwide audience share for the month of January.

In a data released by Kantar Media viewers nationwide tuned in to the media company’s news and entertainment shows, making the network hit an average audience share of 45 percent in January compared to GMA’s 30 percent score.

A quick research says that multinational audience measurement provider Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population.

ABS-CBN led in Mega Manila where it scored 37 percent, beating GMA’s 28 percent and in Metro Manila, where it registered an average audience share of 44 percent against GMA’s 23 percent.

ABS-CBN likewise led in Total Luzon, where it garnered 40 percent versus GMA’s 32 percent, in Total Visayas with 54 percent, or 29 points higher than GMA’s 25 percent, and in Total Mindanao with 55 percent, while GMA only scored 26 percent.

ABS-CBN programs ruled the top 10 list of most-watched programs in January with FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (39.1 percent) on top.

Also part of the top 10 are the Kapamilya network’s newest shows, Angel Locsin’s The General’s Daughter (32.8 percent) and the new reality talent show, World of Dance Philippines (30.8 percent) followed by ABS-CBN’s flagship news program TV Patrol (30.2 percent). JoshLia’s Ngayon at Kailanman (28.7 percent) ended its run strongly, while Maalaala Mo Kaya (24.3 percent) continued to rule its timeslot every Saturday. Halik (23.2 percent) sustained its high viewership, while the comeback of Minute to Win It: Last Man Standing (22.6 percent) earned its place in the top 10. Completing the list is the values-laden program Wansapanataym (22.4 percent).

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN won across all time blocks, particularly in primetime where it earned an average audience share of 50 percent, or 21 points higher than GMA’s 29 percent. The primetime block is the most important time of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investments to reach more consumers effectively.

The Kapamilya network was also successful in conquering the morning block (6:00 a.m. to 12:00 nn) with an average audience share of 37 percent, compared to GMA’s 27 percent; in the noontime block (12:00 nn to 3:00 p.m.) with 42 percent, versus GMA’s 31 percent; and in the afternoon block (3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) with 44 percent, beating GMA’s 33 percent.

relies on family in times of difficult challenge F ORMER Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. graciously brushed off questions relevant to his almost fiveyear incarceration at PNP Custodial Center, and about Ombudsman prosecutors running after him to return to the national treasury an amount of money they said he plundered through the pork barrel scam.

“I’m not guilty.

That’s why I’m here as a freeman,” Revilla told the entertainment press in a gathering at a restaurant in Quezon City on Chinese New Year.

“The court has spoken and it’s clear that I did not receive any amount. What money will I return? Kung may pera akong dapat ibalik dapat nila akong ikulong ulit. Why am I here, why did they let me free?Because I’m innocent,” he continued and stressed that he wanted now to move on and let those kinds of talks be discussed at proper forum.

The action star talked about his family instead, how his wife, children and siblings became much closer and their ties more intact when they were bombarded by numerous allegations and name-callings.

“We here bashed and bullied, pero iisa ang puso namin. My mom thought us this lesson...one family member’s problem is the problem of the entire family. That’s the training I give my children, too. Ang problema ng isa ay problema ng lahat,” shared the 52-year-old Revilla.

While at Camp Crame, he tried to focus on getting in shape. He exercised daily and even played badminton when it was still allowed.

“Imagine, I do a thousand sit-ups every day because I had nothing to do,” he said when a TV reporter asked what kept him looking young and fit.

Revilla also shared that he channeled his energy into writing stories meant for big screen projects. In fact, he’s written five stories, one of which is being developed into a film meant for 2019 release.

“Everybody knows that show business is my first love. I wouldn’t be here if not for the continued support of the people in the industry.

So, when I get questions like ‘Why do you still want to run for public office if your heart belongs to movie-making and appearing on TV?’ Well, it’s my bread and butter.

That’s why I can explain where my money came from. Running for a government post is my way of giving back to my fans and to the people that need assistance,” he affirmed.

Since his released, Revilla said that he has been visiting a few provinces through his “Pasasalamat

Bong Revilla regards showbiz as his first love

Caravan.” He’s touched based with NGOs and other private sectors through various speaking engagements.

“I will continue projects that I had planned before Crame and regarding the movie, I will sure make one but it would have to wait first since we’re focusing on the elections right now,” Revilla said.

He wants to join the next Metro Manila Film Fest this coming December. Although a teaser for a new movie called “Alayas Pogi 2019” was shown during his meeting with the entertainment press, he said things may still change. ***

The fastest way to American Green Card

It’s citizenship by investment. That’s the easiest way to explain what an EB-5 visa is all about. It is considered as the fastest way option in acquiring permanent residence status, with no quota backlogs, in the United States.

With some select members of local press, we had a dinner from a group from the US that discussed this residency option.

“There are 10 thousand EB-5 visas and no country can take more than 7 percent of those visas,” Nicolai Hinrichsen, senior attorney with the Miller Mayer LLP and managing partner of its Asia EB-5 practice, said during a presentation.

“China is the driver for EB-5 program due to its overwhelming success among Chinese investors. Surprisingly, this visa option is popular among Indians and Vietnamese. In the Philippines, we could hardly hear Filipinos applying for it,” he added. Continued on C3 Nicolai Hinrichsen is a decorated lawyer who specializes in Immigration law

Angelina Jolie visits refugee camp in Bangladesh HOLLYWOOD superstar Angelina Jolie visited a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh on Monday ahead of a new UN appeal for nearly one billion dollars to look after the refugee influx.

After arriving in the South Asian nation, Jolie, a special envoy of the UN Refugee agency UNHCR, went straight to a camp in Teknaf near the Myanmar border to talk to some of the 720,000 Muslims who fled a military clampdown in the neighboring state in August 2017.

The 43-year-old made no immediate public comment, but Cox’s Bazar district deputy police chief Ikbal Hossain told AFP that Jolie will be visiting more camps on Tuesday.

Jolie is in Bangladesh to assess the humanitarian needs of the one million Rohingya in camps around the town of Cox’s Bazar.

She has previously met with displaced Rohingya while in Myanmar in July 2015 and in India in 2006.

Bangladesh has been reeling since more than 730,000 Rohingya arrived from Myanmar after August 2017. More than 620,000 of the Muslims live in the Kutupalong camp, the world’s largest refugee settlement.

There were already about 300,000 in the camps before the exodus which has strained Bangladesh’s resources to the limit.

Jolie will conclude her visit by meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, and other senior officials in Dhaka, a UNHCR statement said.

The talks will focus on how the UNHCR can help Bangladesh’s efforts for the Rohingya and the need for “sustainable solutions” to settle the persecuted minority, the statement added.

The UN is to soon launch a new international appeal for $920 million to meet the needs of Rohingya refugees and the communities hosting them, the refugee agency said. AFP