Manila Standard - 2019 February 12 - Tuesday

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2 US WARSHIPS TEST ‘FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION’ ON WPS

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 2 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

THE United States sailed two warships close to the disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday, a move expected to draw Beiing’s ire.

The guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands as part of what the US Navy calls a “freedom of navigation operation.”

In Manila, the United States has funded the Philippine Coast Guard’s Outboard Motor Center of Excellence, a new maritime training facility in Balagtas,

Bulacan, intended to enhance the coast guard’s capacity to train its workforce and sustain its equipment.

US and Philippine officials inaugurated the P39-million new facility consisting of a classroom, a barracks and an outboard motor maintenance lab during the unveiling ceremony on Monday.

The US Navy’s operation was carried out “to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,” Next page

Measles outbreak: 70 dead

Amid epidemic, DOH bares rise in dengue cases

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

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HE number of dengue cases is rising even as the government scrambles to deal with a measles outbreak with 70 confirmed deaths, a Health official said Monday.

PROTECTIVE DRUG. A nurse administers vaccination at the Corazon Aquino Health Center at the Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila on Monday to protect children against the declared measles outbreak in Metro Manila last week. Norman Cruz

In an interview with the ANC news channel, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said recent rains might have caused the rise in dengue cases.

“This is very unusual for this time of the year. The changes in climate have been making dengue a year-long problem… In the past, we’d just wait for the rainy season,” Domingo said in a mix of English and Filipino.

In Central Visayas, he said, there have been 2,132 dengue cases so far, with 18 deaths.

Domingo also said that as of Feb.10, there were 4,300 cases of measles nationwide, with 70 confirmed deaths.

Meanwhile, the chief of the DOH Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Dr. Ruby Constantino, dismissed suggestions that the department has been remiss in administering the immunization program, even though they achieved only 35 percent of their vaccination target by the third quarter last year.

She said among those vaccinated, all received the necessary vaccines and were fully immunized.

She also said there was no shortage of vaccines.

Next page

Diokno pushes budget-line item veto Senatorial bets kick off campaign candidates Ramos-Araneta, despite Andaya’s vehement protest ByNatMacon Mariano and Francisco

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte may yet veto line items in the 2019 national budget, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Monday.

In an interview with GMA News, Diokno said the Department of Budget and Management would prepare a statement of difference, indicating line-by-line differences between the budget originally proposed and the version ratified by Congress.

“If it’s an improvement over our pro-

posal, we recommend [concurrence]...But if it’s worse than what we proposed, we might recommend a line-item veto,” he said.

After a one-month delay and debates over alleged pork insertions in the national spending plan, Congress ratified the P3.757-trillion national budget for 2019.

On Monday, Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, warned against a veto, saying Diokno was trying to manipulate the budget process to

Tuyay

PRO-ADMINISTRATION and opposition alliances are gearing up for the start of the campaign season Tuesday, with kick-off events in different cities.

The senatorial candidates of Davao

City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) will launch their campaign in the cities of San Fernando and Clark in Pampanga, while the opposition Otso Derecho alliance will hold its campaign kick-off event in Caloocan City.

The senatorial slate of President Rodrigo Duterte’s political party, PDP-Laban,

Next page

THE Bureau of Immigration will cancel the visa of a 23-year-old Chinese fashion design student who hurled a cup of “taho” or soy custard at a policeman, and initiate deportation proceedings against her for being an undesirable alien.

Immigration Intelligence C h i e f Fortunato

Manahan Jr. said Jiale Zhang’s rude and abusive act against a uniformed officer is sufficient evidence to cancel her student visa.

The bureau’s database shows that Zhang holds a Special Retiree’s Residence Visa (SRRV).

“Zhang’s father is an investor here and this entitles his family to be granted SRRVs,” Manahan said.

“But because of her action, where she splashed taho on a policeman after she Next page

Next page

Anti-terror drive draws P300-m US financing

BI cancels visa of taho-throwing Chinese

By Vito Barcelo

will also join the HNP campaign kick-off event in Pampanga.

The HNP’s 13 senatorial candidates in the May elections are Senators Cynthia Villar, Aquilino Pimentel III, JV Ejercito and Juan Edgardo Angara; former senators Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Pia Cayetano; Maguindanao Rep.

By Nat Mariano

BUSY WEEK. With Valentine’s Day round the corner, flower shops in Manila’s known zone Dangwa Dimasalang have started blooming with various petals, with flower vendors ready and prepared for the Valentine’s Day. Norman Cruz

Rapper makes Grammys history

Tita Midz succumbs to cancer, 88

LOS ANGELES—Rap history was made Sunday at the Grammys as Cardi B became the first woman to win the award for Best Rap Album and Childish Gambino scored two other landmark victories for the genre: Song and Record of Next page the Year.

ARMIDA Siguion-Reyna, the singer, actress, and television and film producer, passed away Monday afternoon at the Makati Medical Center at age 88 after battling cancer, her sister Irma Potenciano said.

Next page

MALACAÑANG disclosed on Monday the United States government would provide P300-million intelligence support to the Philippines to boost the latter’s capabilities in fending off terrorism.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Palace welcomed the US’ multi-million-peso intel support, adding such commitment showed Manila was in good terms with Washington.

“We welcome the United States’ commitment in fighting terrorism. This shows that our military alliance with the United States remains strong,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.

According to the Palace official, the country needed all the help it could get to combat terrorists, stressing that “terrorism knows no boundaries, politics, religion, and creed.”

“It is the new evil in the world that strikes at every country and every continent. We need all the help as every member-country in the United Nations needs the assistance and cooperation of Next page

News

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

22 Bay projects need ECC okay

By Maricel V. Cruz

ple going down or sitting on the seawall.

The 22 reclamation projects cover a total 20,000 hectares of Manila Bay that stretches from Cavite to Navotas. These have been widely criticized over fears of their adverse effects on the environment.

Gonzales said the implementation of the projects would be gradual.

Also during the hearing, lawmakers slammed PRA officials for their failure to address the concerns raised before approving the projects.

Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza warned that the reclamation area of Manila Bay would suffer “catastrophic effects” in light of various natural disasters that come into the country.

Marikina City Rep. Bayani Fernando, former chairman of the Metro Manila Develop-

ment Authority, is not convinced that the 22 reclamation projects will benefit the poor.

“I do not see any benefit the poor will get from these projects. It will only make the rich richer,” he said.

Rep. Ariel Casilao said the statement from PRA officials confirming 22 reclamation projects was a threat to the genuine rehabilitation of Manila Bay. The PRA confirmed that there are 22 reclamation projects covering 20,000 hectares in the pipeline. Out of the 22, the 360-hectare Pasay reclamation project, the 140-hectare Solar City Project and the Navotas Boulevard Business Park have already been approved by the PRA and complied with the DENR process. The PRA also said there were 120 proposed reclamation projects in the whole country.

At a congressional hearing conducted by the House special committee on Metro Manila Development Authority on the Manila Bay rehabilitation and reclamation, Philippine Reclamation Authority officials admitted having

serious environmental issues that should be resolved by the Environment department.

“They [the reclamation project proponents] have complied with all the mandatory requirements,” said PRA Assistant General Manager Joselito Gonzales during the hearing presided by Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, the panel’s chairman.

Meanwhile, the authorities on Monday reinstalled a barrier to prevent people from frolicking on a beach in Manila Bay as the cleanup of its polluted waters entered its second week.

The barrier in front of the US Embassy, first put up last Wednesday, was taken down on Sunday, allowing hundreds of sightseers to venture into the area famous for its view of the sunset.

Orange plastic barriers and caution tapes have resealed off the beach, preventing peo-

Measles...

From A1

MWSS seeks masterplan for Manila Bay revival bid

T

HE 22 reclamation projects that will cover at least 10 percent of the 199,000-hectare Manila Bay must be approved by the Environment department before these are gradually implemented, oficials said Monday.

“There was no problem with vaccines,” she said in Filipino. “We have all the vaccines needed by the children. And we were able to administer the vaccines to the intended beneficiaries.”

Constanino said the entire P7.43 billion budgeted for vaccines had been spent, but hesitancy among parents to have their children immunized was a problem.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III appealed to the public to trust in vaccines that have long proven to be effective.

“I am quite sure that all of us sometime in our lives have been recipients of these vaccines which had protected us from various diseases,” he said.

Most of the infected were children.

Among those who died, 79 percent had no history of vaccination.

Regions with high reported cases are NCR (1,296 cases and 18 deaths), Calabarzon (1,086 cases and 25 deaths), Central Luzon (481 cases with three deaths), Western Visayas (212 cases and four deaths) and Northern Mindanao (189 cases and five deaths).

In October 2018, the World Health Organization conducted a study in selected areas in Metro Manila to identify reasons parents were not bringing their children for immunization. The top reasons were the fear due to the Dengvaxia scare and the lack of time among households.

Two leading organizations of pediatric doctors sounded the alarm over the measles outbreak and urged their members to spearhead vaccination efforts and awareness activities in partnership with local government units and government health practitioners.

In a joint letter to its member-doctors and the DOH, the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines issued an urgent plea to immunize eligible children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

“We, as health care providers, have the responsibility of educating our patients about the importance of disease prevention through immunization. We should take every opportunity to convince and reinforce the message that the vaccines available to prevent diseases are safe and highly effective, and that vaccination remains the main intervention in reducing morbidity and mortality against infectious diseases,” said PIDSP president Dr. Anna Lisa T. Ong-Lim. In the House of Representatives, lawmakers approved on second reading House Bill 9068, which proposes to expand the list of vaccine-preventable diseases covered by the mandatory basic immunization for all infants and children.

The bill, principally authored by Reps.

Cristal Bagatsing of Manila, Angelina Tan of Quezon, and Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. of Camarines Sur, also provides for a system to determine other types of vaccine-preventable diseases.

The bill would amend the Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act of 2011 to expand its coverage to include rotavirus, Japanese encephalitis, PCV 13, human papilloma virus and other types of vaccine-preventable diseases that the Health secretary may recommend.

At present, the list of vaccine-preventable diseases only covers tuberculosis; diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis; poliomyelitis; measles; mumps; rubella or German measles; and hepatitis-B; and H. influenza type-B (HIB).

Rapper...

From A1

For the second consecutive year, black hip-hop artists dominated nominations across the board.

But unlike in years past, the artists snagged a handful of major wins―perhaps a sign that the Recording Academy is slowly getting in touch with pop culture’s more groundbreaking work.

Cardi B’s win for “Invasion of Privacy” was a crowning achievement for the artist, now at the top of the male-dominated hip hop world.

The 26-year-old rap queen beat out the late Mac Miller and superstar Travis Scott to claim her first career Grammy, having soared to fame on the runaway success of her smash hit “Bodak Yellow” that centers on the Bronx native’s past as a stripper.

The visibly shaking star, fresh off a rousing performance of her hit “Money,” delivered an emotional acceptance speech alongside her husband Offset of the rap trio Migos.

“The nerves are so bad. Maybe I need to start smoking weed,” she said to laughter and applause, before turning to Offset and saying: “you husband, thank you.” AFP

STRESSING the need for collective efforts to ensure the revival of Manila Bay, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System called for the crafting of a masterplan to not only clean up the bay but also to ensure that sewerage and wasterwater problems are addressed over the long term.

The MWSS is also taking to task its two concessionaires, Manila Water and Maynilad, to reengineer and fast track their roadmaps to provide waste-water treatment facilities to help arrest the deterioration of Manila Bay waters.

“We welcome all efforts of collaboration to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay now being spearheaded by President Duterte and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. However, I strongly recommend that a masterplan, which should have been done long time ago, is needed right now to properly address the sewerage and waste problems in Mega Manila,” said MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco.

According to Velasco, Manila Water follows a used water masterplan as approved by the MWSS/MWSS RO to full coverage until 2037 while Maynilad has its roadmap to attain 100 percent sewerage coverage in its concession area by 2037.

“Both Manila Water and Maynilad are supportive of the government’s program to rehabilitate Manila Bay,” Velasco stressed.

Maynilad contends that treating waste water is just one of the many components in rehabilitating Manila Bay. The rehabilitation has to be viewed holistically, a view shared by Administrator Velasco. “The rehabilitation of Manila Bay waters is a shared responsibility and does not depend only on the two water concessionaires,” Velasco added. Local government units and ordinary citizens have to do their share.

Maynilad president and CEO Ramoncito Fernandez said Maynilad’s sewerage coverage in the West Zone is now at 20 percent with the completion of its 22nd wastewater facility, the Parañaque Water Reclamation Facility. By 2020, sewerage coverage will increase to 26 percent once the STPs being constructed in Valenzuela, Cavite City, and Muntinlupa are completed.

Meanwhile, Manila Water sees sewerage coverage to increase to 22 percent by 2022.

According to Manila Water, since the start of the concession, it has spent over P33 billion to fund used water infrastructure and operations and will continue to do so in the coming years. It has earmarked P36.8 billion until 2022 with a total of P115 billion until the end of the concession in 2037. Capital investment for wastewater infrastructure cost 4 -5 times more than water

infrastructure.

“With wastewater infrastructure investment of more than P33 billion for the past twenty years, Manila Water has put up 40 wastewater treatment facilities and a sewer network spanning 360 kilometers to ensure proper treatment of domestic wastewater and help reverse the moribund state of our river systems,” Manila Water president Ferdinand dela Cruz said.

“Maynilad has invested P23.3 billion in wastewater projects since 2007. About P1.6 billion is required to increase sewerage coverage by 1 percent,” said Maynilad.

The construction of waste water facilities is also being slowed down by lack of land where these facilities can be situated, added to this is the problem of traffic resulting from excavation and the willingness of customers to connect to the sewerage system.

The lack of land has resulted in both concessionaires’ adopting innovative designs for their treatment facilities.

For his part, MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Ty explained that the sewerage or environmental charge is not allocated for specific sewerage (or environmental protection) projects. Rather, it forms part of the overall tariff intended to reimburse Maynilad or Manila Water for their expenditures, whether for water or for wastewater.

Senatorial...

From A1

Diokno...

From A1

any wrongdoing in the budget process.

Also on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the billions in “pork insertions” in the 2019 budget can still be questioned before the Supreme Court.

Drilon, who voted against the budget bill, said anyone can raise the issue to the Supreme Court.

Earlier, Senator Panfilo Lacson, who also voted against the budget, urged the President to veto any line item that “looked and smelled like pork.”

While Lacson complained about the discretionary funds that remained, he said some progress had been made in removing pork, including the deletion of all appropriations for flood control, particularly dredging, desilting and the like; and realignment of these funds to capital outlays for the purchase of dredging machines.

He also cited the Senate-introduced Department of Health realignment, as well as the adoption of most of his institutional amendments, such as: • The 240-day-a-year school feeding program for wasted and nearly wasted schoolchildren; • Additional allowances for teachers; • Some appropriations to cover laws passed regarding veterans; • An augmentation budget requested by the judiciary; and • Activation of an infantry unit to fight terrorist groups in Mindanao.

Zajid Mangudadatu, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, former national police chief Ronald dela Rosa, former special assistant to the president Christopher Go, former presidential legal adviser Francis Tolentino and former journalist Jiggy Manicad.

Mangudadatu, Dela Rosa, Go, Pimentel and Tolentino are also running under the ruling party, PDP-Laban, which will hold its own kick-off event in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on Feb. 14.

Otso Diretso senatorial candidates will focus on easing the life of the Filipino family, Senator Francis Pangilinan said Monday, on the eve of the start of the 90day national campaign period for senators and party-list representatives.

The Otso Diretso senatorial candidates Gary Alejano, Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Chel Diokno, Samira Gutoc, Pilo Hilbay, Romy Macalintal, former senator Manuel Roxas II, and Erin Tañada based their legislative agenda on the people’s hopes and fears that they gathered in a nationwide face-to-face listening program that ran for 10 weeks last year.

The candidates and 9,800 volunteers knocked on doors and talked to ordinary people all over the country, said Pangilinan, Otso Diretso campaign manager.

He added that voting for the right people will result in the real change that the Filipino people need: affordable, available, and accessible food, education, and health services, as well as decent jobs.

“Our campaign would be uphill as most of them are relatively unknown in the national stage,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan, who himself ran a difficult independent but successful run in 2007, said the people would be key in the victory for the Otso Diretso candidates through Makinig 2.0, a face-to-face, volunteerdriven persuasion campaign.

“Makinig 2.0 is our version of People Power, empowering ordinary citizens so that they are able to make the right choice for senators and empowering them to campaign for these choices,” said Pangilinan, who is not running for re-election.

“This campaign strategy of going house-to-house is a game-changer. It has not been done on a national scale,” he added.

Tita Midz...

From A1

Born Nov. 4, 1930, Siguion-Reyna first performed at age eight in the film “Yaman ng Mahirap,” but made her mark as both producer and performer of the musical TV series “Aawitan Kita” (I Will Sing To You), which started in 1970 and lasted for more than three decades.

The TV series paved the way for SiguionReyna’s other passion, acting―with her youngest son, Carlitos, often on the director’s chair.

As producer of Reyna Films, “Tita Midz” helped bring to life well-remembered Filipino movies like “Hihintayin Kita sa Langit,” “Ikaw Pa Lamang,” “Inagaw Mo ang Lahat sa Akin,” “Abot-Kamay ang Pangarap,” “Kahapon, May Dalawang Bata,” “Ligaya ang Itawag Mo sa Akin,” “Azucena” and “Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya.”

The production often churned out excellent, critically acclaimed and award-winning films, with scripts by her daughter-inlaw, screenwriter Bibeth Orteza, and music by maestro Ryan Cayabyab.

Under the administration of former President Joseph Estrada, Siguion-Reyna served

favor certain contractors in public works projects.

“This is the reason why I am making so much noise. The DBM secretary is the one tasked to craft the budget veto message for the President’s signature. I do not want the President to get bum advice from Dioknoand his fellow conspirators,” said Andaya, who was Budget chief under the Arroyo administration.

At the bicameral conference committee meeting last week, senators and congressmen agreed to remove and “realign” the P75 billion Diokno admitted having inserted in the Public Works budget without the knowledge of Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.

Andaya said Diokno and his alleged fellow conspirators are under “intense pressure” to put back the realigned funds because the favored contractors had already handed out commissions ranging from 10 percent to 20 percent of the of the project cost.

“Contractors who paid commissions for the P75-billion infra projects inserted by the DBM in the National Expenditure Program are upset that their cash advances will be put to naught,” Andaya said.

Diokno, who has come under constant attack by Andaya, has consistently denied

BI cancels...

From A1

was barred from entering an MRT-3 station due to the railway’s no-liquid policy, this may result in her deportation and inclusion in the blacklist,” Manahan said.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said that while the bureau did not receive any complaint against Zhang, the incident caused a moto propio investigation of the incident.

She said Zhang would be brought to the bureau as soon as she has filed a bond for he release from jail.

Among those calling for Zhang’s deportation was Senator Richard Gordon.

“The Chinese nationals here and all other foreign nationals staying in our country should respect our rules and laws,” Gordon said. “They should not flout our rules and they should also respect the officials who are implementing our laws.” as chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, and was a staunch champion of anti-censorship.

She was also the half-sister of former Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile. His father, Spanish-mestizo lawyer-politician Alfonso Ponce-Enrile, married Armida’s mother Purita Liwanag―one of the early graduates of the University of the Philippines College of Music―after divorcing his first wife, Rosario Martinez.

Her granddaughter, Cris Villonco, previously told ABS-CBN that Siguion-Reyna’s health deteriorated when her husband, Leonardo, died in 2010.

“She was always overjoyed when people who worked with her on and off the camera, visited her at home. She loved the company of people around her,” said Villonco, the child of Siguion-Reyna’s only daughter, Monique, with lawyer Opap Villonco.

In February 2015 or at age 85, SiguionReyna launched her biography, “Armida,” which celebrated her legacy as one of the pillars of show business and respected names in the entertainment industry. The book was launched by ABS-CBN Publishing Inc.

China, he added, should advise its nationals about complying with the rules and laws of the country and respecting persons in authority here.

PO1 William Cristobal, who was on the receiving end of Zhang’s taho, filed a complaint against the Chinese national Sunday, charging her with direct assault, disobedience to an agent or a person in authority, and unjust vexation, at the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office.

The 23-year-old Chinese national was arrested Saturday morning after she threw a plastic cup of taho at Cristobal, who reminded her of the policy against bringing food and drink onto the platform of the MRT-3 and asked her to finish her drink before entering.

Photos of the incident were widely distributed on social media.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said foreigners must respect local laws.

With Joel E. Zurbano, Macon RamosAraneta and Nat Mariano

Anti-terror drive...

From A1

each other to combat and crush terrorism,” he said.

In its latest quarterly report on the country, the US Department of Defense said it was supporting the Armed Forces of the Philippines in acquiring intelligence reports on terrorist groups in the country.

It also considered Abu Sayyaf Group sub-unit commander Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan as the new leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the Philippines.

The US’ vow to assist the country in its anti-terrorism campaign came even after the Philippine government had declared martial rule in Mindanao.

Despite its imposition, several explosions still rocked some parts of the wartorn region in the past weeks.

Panelo admitted that “terrorists have gained a foothold” in the southernmost part of the country, unleashing bombs that took the lives of soldiers and civilians.

However, even with the terroristic acts, the public refused to be intimated by fear and anxiety, he said.

More oil firms join bandwagon, hike pump prices

By Alena Mae S. Flores and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE oil companies raised pump prices today, Tuesday, by P0.90 per liter of gasoline, P0.85 per liter of kerosene and P0.55 per liter of diesel to reflect the movement in world oil prices.

“Please be advised that Eastern Petroleum will hike the price of its diesel by P0.55 per liter and unleaded and premium gasoline by P0.90 per liter at 6 a.m., Tuesday,” Eastern Petroleum said.

Pilipinas Shell, Chevron Philippines, PTT Philippines, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, and Seaoil Philippines also increased pump prices.

In other developments: • Senator Grace Poe on Monday urged the Transport department to distribute fuel subsidy cards to all recipients as only half out of a total of 171,836 jeepney franchise holders had been given the subsidies meant to cushion the impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law. Poe, who heads the Senate public services panel, said the allocated budget of P977 million in 2018 had not been fully used.

“Their success rate in case they have given [the fuel subsidy] is only 47 percent. Still, half has not yet been received,” Poe said in a radio interview.

• Senator Bam Aquino appealed to Malacañang to suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law, ahead of another round of oil price increases this week.

“I am appealing to President Duterte to suspend additional taxes on petroleum to help our people,” said Aquino, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law. Unioil announced over the weekend that oil prices would likely go up this week.

“Expect fuel prices to go up next week. Diesel should go up by P0.50 to P0.60 and gasoline should go up by P0.80 to P0.90 per liter. Load up accordingly,” Unioil said in its advisory.

On Feb. 4 and 5, the oil companies cut pump prices by P0.60 per liter of gasoline, P0.35 per liter of diesel and P0.20 per liter of kerosene.

The latest monitoring from the Energy department showed that year-to-date adjustments stood at a net increase of P1.50 per liter of gasoline, P1.55 per liter of kerosene and P2.45 per liter of diesel.

The department said oil prices went up after the United States imposed sanctions on the state-owned Venezuelan oil company PDVSA. The US banned both Venezuelan crude exports to the US and US exports to Venezuela through the sanctions.

World oil prices were also affected by the shutdown of oil refineries. China’s state-owned Sinopec will be shutting its 160,000 b/d Luoyang refinery in northern Henan province from April 20 for a 55-day maintenance.

2FromUS warships...

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Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the US Navy’s 7th Fleet, told CNN. “All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows,” Doss said, adding “that is true in the South China Sea as in other places around the globe.”

Monday’s operation was the second in the South China Sea reported by the US Navy this year. In January, the destroyer USS McCampbell sailedwithin 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Islands.

Shortly after that operation, China accused the US of trespassing in its territorial waters―and said it had deployed missiles “capable of targeting medium and large ships.”

“The US action violated the Chinese laws and international laws, infringed China’s sovereignty, damaged regional peace, security and order,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at the time.

“China will take necessary actions to protect state sovereignty.”

In late September, the USS Decatur also sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands as part of a similar freedom of navigation operation.

During that operation, a Chinese destroyer came within 45 yards of the US warship, forcing it to maneuver to avoid a collision. The US labeled the Chinese warship’s actions unsafe and unprofessional, while Beijing said the US was threatening the safety and sovereignty of China.

The US has accused Beijing of installing missiles and other military hardware on the disputed islands.

“There’s been sort of a steady increase,” Admiral John Richardson, the US Chief of Naval Operations, told reporters earlier this month when asked about China’s militarization of the area.

“The weapons systems have been getting increasingly sophisticated so it’s something we’re watching very closely,” he said.

“We’ve got big interests there so we’re going to remain there,” he added, noting that about a third of the world’s trade pass through those waters.

With Rey E. Requejo

News JBC to hold public interview for 4 SC aspirants THE Judicial and Bar Council will hold public interview on four of the 20 applicants aspiring for the position of associate Justice of the Supreme Court left vacant by the promotion of Lucas Bersamin as Chief Justice in November last year.

In an advisory, the JBC said the interview will be held tomorrow, Feb. 13, at the Division Hearing Room of the SC Main Building in Padre Faura, Manila.

However, only four of the 20 nominees will be the subject of public interview—Court of Appeals Justices Henry Jean Paul Inting, Jhosep Lopez and Nina Antonio-Valenzuela, and Court of Tax Appeals Justice Roman del Rosario.

Apart from the four, also nominated for the position are include CA Justices Oscar Badelles, Ramon Bato Jr., Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Cruz, Stephen Cruz, Edgardo delos Santos, Japar Dimaampao, Ramon Garcia, Amy Lazaro-Javier, Mario Lopez, Eduardo Peralta Jr., and Ricardo Rosario.

Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and her colleague, Efren dela Cruz as well as Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez are also vying for the SC post.

Also seeking Bersamin’s post are former Ateneo law dean Cesar Villanueva, But the JBC said they will not undergo public hearing since “their previous interviews are still valid.”

The JBC held its first deliberation on the application for Bersamin’s post last January 31.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, JBC ex-oficio member, earlier said that after the deliberation, the JBC Executive Committee will come up with the official list of contenders for the position, which will be the subject of the final deliberations by the JBC at its next meeting. Rey E. Requejo

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SC ready for ‘tele-hearing’ of cases T

By Rey E. Requejo

HE Supreme Court will soon implement the new rule allowing high-risk detainees, including arrested terrorists, to stand trial in courts from their detention facilities without the need to go to the courtrooms.

Court Administrator Midas Marquez said on Monday that the SC has already adopted the resolution allowing the “telehearing” system or the use of videoconferencing technology to allow the remote testimonies and appearances of those facings charges and detained in jail.

Marquez, also the Court’s spokesman, said the new system will be pilottested in Davao City Jail, where arrested members of terrorist groups Maute,

Abu Sayaff and New People’s Army are currently detained.

Marquez said the necessary equipment, including laptops and monitors, had already been installed in the hearing room built inside the Davao City Jail which he personally inspected last Friday, Feb. 8.

Marquez said the new “tele-hearing” system is part of a four-point judicial reform agenda of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta, who was tapped as working chair of the new SC revision of rules committee, has been tasked to draft the guidelines that would govern the remote testimony and appearances of the accused from their jail cells.

“This is trailblazing because it can pave the way for long-distance court appearances of OFWs working abroad who have pending civil cases in the country,” Peralta said, in a statement.

The SC approved the latest measure upon the recommendation by the Office of the Court Administrator.

Through video conference, the arrested members of Maute, Abu Sayyaf and NPA will no longer be required to physically appear before the courts and may face trial while inside the jails.

A 100-foot monopole tower with necessary equipment was built within the Davao Hall of Justice and will be connected to the three jail facilities in the city.

The SC assured the public that the constitutional rights of the accused will be protected through procedural safeguards in the implementing rules.

“In order to ensure that the accused’s constitutional rights are adequately protected, the counsel of the accused shall be present with the accused in the same designated room in the jail facility throughout the duration of the telehearing,” Marquez said.

The pilot testing of the latest measure adopted by the Court will also apply to detainees who are diagnosed with grave and serious medical conditions in Davao.

IN BRIEF Koko seeks creation of OFW department SENATOR Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday renewed his call for the immediate creation of a national level Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFW).

He said the government cannot ignore a substantial chunk of the population, almost one in every 11 Filipinos, is working and toiling overseas, and their welfare needs to be fully ensured and protected at all times.

“We’re talking about scale here. Yes, we have the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), but both these government agencies are already understaffed to meet the growing number and demands of our OFWs,” he said.

For instance, he said OWWA has already complained in 2018 that it has just 420 staff worldwide, 300 locally and 120 abroad, addressing the concerns of 10 million OFWs. Macon Ramos-Araneta

PROJECT INSPECTION. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo conducts an inspection and was briefed by DPWH officials on the condition of the Iloilo City flood control project in Barangay Buhang, Jaro, Iloilo City, a project she implemented during her presidency. The project eradicated the perennial flooding problem in Iloilo City and which has since became a game-changer in the development of the city.

House committee, DOTr agree to a pilot run for Angkas SGMA to expand Iloilo flood control project THE House of Representatives, through the Congressional Committee on Metro Manila Development Authority, and the Department of Transportation have agreed to a pilot run for motorcycle ridehailing service Angkas as a test case for motorcycle taxi operations in the country.

DOTr Undersecretary Mark de Leon said that the proposed pilot run of Angkas is part of the efforts of the technical working group created by the department to assess the viability of motorcycle taxis as public utility vehicles as well as to test the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) that the group is drafting.

TWG has met twice already and we are planning for a third meeting to finalize the IRR and the proposal to have the pilot run,” De Leon said.

Once finalized, the IRR will be submitted to DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade for his final approval.

Manila Rep. Cristal Bagatsing revealed that her constituents have been asking her for updates on the Angkas legalization. “Lagi akong tinatanong ng aking mga contituents sa Maynla sa Maynila kung kalian ba magiging legal ang Angkas dahil iyon lang ang kanilang hanapbuhay,” Rep. Bagatsing said asked,” Ano ba kailangan naming

gawin para mapabilis ang lahat dahil matagal nang naghihintay ang aking mga constituents?”

Committee chairman Rep. Winston Castelo said that the provisional authority to operate is needed immediately to help Filipinos in their daily commuting struggle and to allow some 27,000 Angkas biker-partners who have not been earning for over a month already to resume their livelihood.

“Although pertinent bills have been filed, we need to give Angkas the provisional authority to operate for the sake of Filipino commuters who have been waiting for their service for quite some time already,”

ILLEGAL QUARRYING.

Du30: Plan to change country’s name ‘right’

The National Bureau of Investigation Environmental Crime Division presents the 19 subjects for illegal quarrying at NBI Headquarters in Manila on Feb. 11. They arrested the suspects together with two Korean nationals at the province of Pampanga in two separate operations on Feb. 7.

Norman Cruz

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos was right in his plans to change the name of the country to “Maharlika” instead of the Philippines.

In his speech in Maguindanao, Duterte recalled how the Philippines was named. “[They named it] Philippines because it was discovered by Magellan using the money of King Philip II. That’s why when the bastard arrived, he named it Philippines,” Duterte said during the ceremonial distribution of 834 Certificates of Land Ownership Award to 780 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries.

“Actually, Marcos was right. During his time, he was really right. He wanted to change the name to ‘Maharlika.’ The Republic of Maharlika because Maharlika is a Malay word and it means more of a concept of serenity and peace,” he said. Nat Mariano

Palace defends Duterte’s move to endorse Jinggoy for senator

FORMER Senator Jinggoy Estrada has found a new ally in no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.

The President has endorsed the senatorial candidacy of Estrada, who was accused of plunder but is out on bail, and Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo said he does not see anything wrong in Duterte’s decision to endorse the former senator.

Panelo said Estrada is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty by the court.

“Former senator Estrada is charged with corruption, and the Constitution says unless you are convicted a final judgment, you are presumed to be innocent,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.

“He’s been granted bail and the rea-

son for the court’s grant of provisional liberty is anchored on the act that the evidence of guilt is not strong.”

He added that Duterte cannot be “begrudged… for endorsing a man who’s presumed to be innocent under the law.”

Panelo also dismissed talks that Duterte’s endorsement of Estrada goes against the President’s anti-corruption platform.

“A ‘whiff of corruption’ doesn’t mean a reckless receipt of an allegation of corruption and a decision to fire the person subject of that information,” Panelo said. “The President, as a lawyer, investigates any allegation of corruption before he makes any move.”

He added that the President was not in the position to make any judgment on Estrada’s case.

By Maricel V. Cruz SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will convene the House Oversight Committee on Disaster Management to look into the possible expansion of the Iloilo City flood control project and addressing the perennial flood problem in Passi City, Iloilo.

This developed as Iloilo local officials expressed gratitude to Speaker Arroyo for “fighting” to implement the flood control project that has brought progress to the city and the whole province.

Arroyo has been in Passi City and Iloilo City since Sunday to attend various events.

At the sidelines of her ocular and briefing of her Iloilo City flood control project in Barangay Buhang, Jaro, Iloilo, Arroyo said she will convene the House Oversight Committee on Disaster Management to try to address the perennial flooding in Passi which is caused by the overflowing of its three river systems.

She said the same oversight committee will also look into the possible expansion and improvement of the flood control project she implemented in Iloilo City.

Arroyo said she will look into members of the committee who are not running or running unopposed to conduct the hearing. “I do not want to get in the way of their campaign.

If I don’t find anyone who is not running or running unopposed, I will chair it myself,” she said.

Arroyo had said she will continue the conduct of oversight hearings during the recess to make sure the laws passed in Congress are property implemented.

Meanwhile, Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Treñas said the flood control project implemented by Speaker Arroyo’s when she was president in 2003 has saved lives and property since it has eradicated floods that has caused so much damage in at least 60 percent of Iloilo City.

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Why I am staying at Standard MANILA Standard was founded 32 years ago. I have been part of it since it came out of the press, first in tabloid form and eventually a broadsheet. My congratulations to everybody at the Standard, past and present.

I started as chairman of the editorial board and I am now chairman emeritus and columnist. I saw the Standard pass from one owner to another, always with the same vision to tell the truth without fear or favor.

I will be here until I write ‘30.’

It was the late Manda Elizalde who concep conceptualized the Standard upon his return from self-exile to Costa Rica, of which his friend and former Harvard classmate was president.

Manda moved to Miami, Florida and there called upon Rod Reyes to put up a newspaper upon his return. Manda said he wanted me to be part of the organization. And so I joined Rod. The Standard’s first office was at the Tanduay Building on Ayala Avenue. How Elizalde returned to the Philippines despite his warrant of arrest, and how he passed through Customs and Immigration without a hitch, is of course another story.

Later on, Manda had to sell the Standard after he also sold Tanduay Rhum to Lucio Tan. The buyer of the Standard was a joint venture between Soriamont, headed by Soriano & Co., and co-owned by Ricky Razon of ICTSI. The late Al Yuchengco partnered with Soriamont to buy out Elizalde. But because of some corporate differences, Yuchengco later pulled out.

Soriamont and ICTSI remained co-owners of the Standard. When the Sorianos decided

to divest their interest in the business, Razon, who had put up Solaire gaming casino at Entertainment City, became the sole owner of the Manila Standard.

The publication was joined by now Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddyboy Locsin after he sold his newspaper Today. He became the publisher.

But his interest did not last long and it became the sole ownership of Razon until Razon decided to sell his interest to the Romualdez brothers, Martin and Philip, sons of the late Ambassador Kokoy Romualdez.

We have had several editor-in-chief: Rod Reyes, Andy del Rosario, Cip Roxas, Jullie Yap Daza, Jojo Robles. The Standard is now under publisher Rollie Estabillo.

One of the reasons I have not left the Standard is that I have always liked working with all its publishers and editors-in-chief.

When I was in trouble with the Supreme Court, who cited me in contempt for exposing a decision that has not yet been promulgated, the Standard stood by me.

I argued that I had no fault because I was doing my job as a journalist. But the court cited me in contempt, anyway, as a lawyer and officer of the court. What a strange decision that was. I also remember that former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who was then only an associate bejustice, wrote a dissenting opinion on my be half, where he upheld press freedom.

Nonetheless, the Standard’s support meant a lot to me. And this is also one of the reasons I am still here.

In any case, I am writing my memoirs— The Road Never Ends. I have tried to write as candidly and honestly as I could. It will be a Standard publication with the support of Rollie Estabillo, Adelle Chua, my opinion editor, and Jenny Ortuoste, writer and columnist. I am hopeful that the book will be launched after the midterm elections. *** The final version of the messy General Appropriations Act of 2019 will depend on a lot of things.

First, if President Duterte exercises political will to excuse a lot of insertions by both the House of Representatives and the Senate amounting to billions of taxpayers’ money, all pork barrel and contrary to law, and make the people believe his war against corruption, it would be a big step in the right direction.

However, if the President does not veto those Turn to A5

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

D

A prudent approach

EFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana says he remains unfazed by reports that China has deployed a large fleet of ships near the Spratly Islands in response to the Philippines’ construction of a new beaching ramp on Pag-asa (Thitu) Island.

“The presence of militia… is no surprise to us as they have been there since 2012. We expect other countries to respect Philippine sovereignty, and to conduct themselves in a civilized manner befitting members of the global community,” Lorenzana said in a statement released Friday.

On Wednesday, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the US Center for Strategic and International Studies said the Chinese fleet included navy and coast guard ships and dozens of fishing vessels from 30 to 70 meters in length.

Satellite images from mid-December 2018 and late January 2019 showed the number of ships rising to 95 on Dec. 5 before dropping to 42 by Jan. 26, AMTI said.

But Lorenzana denied an AMTI claim that the Philippines was un-

dertaking land reclamation of its own on Pag-asa Island.

"As of now, only the beaching ramp is being undertaken. Next is the concreting of the runway (Rancudo Airfield) and the third phase involves the lengthening of the airfield," he added.

Rancudo Airfield measures 1.4 km. and is capable of handling medium-sized aircraft like the Air Force's Lockheed C-130 "Hercules" cargo planes.

In December, the Defense chief said Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua had tried to discourage the Philippines’ repairs on the Pag-asa runway, and even Lorenzana’s visit to island.

“We pointed out to them that it’s just proper for us to improve the runway and every facility in the Pag-asa because they have already

developed Subi Reef,” Lorenzana said at the time.

Facilities being constructed and restored included a beaching ramp, the air strip or the Rancudo Airfield, barracks for soldiers, desalination facilities, a sewage disposal system, conventional and renewable power generators, and lighthouses, shelters and storage facilities for fishers, Lorenzana said.

“These planned modest improvements are basic but nonetheless highly essential in delivering social services,” he said in his statement.

The secretary’s approach— firm but non-confrontational—is a welcome change from the obsequiousness we often see from other Palace officials.

Indeed, we do not need to be apologetic about building improvements on our own territory—and certainly, it is no business of any other state to tell us not to do it. Given the expansionist bent of our northern neighbor in the South China Sea, building up the territories that we already occupy is the only prudent thing to do.

What we need to do in Manila Bay LAST Saturday, I wrote about the 2008 decision of the Supreme Court Decision which ordered the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and other government agencies to clean up, rehabilitate and preserve Manila Bay in their different capacities. This continuing mandamus order, according to the Court, would remain pending until the cleanup was achieved.

Two months after that historic decision, on Febr. 10, 2009, the Court En Banc created the Manila Bay Advisory Committee (MBAC), composed of two members of the Court and three technical experts (I was one of those originally appointed but stayed only for three years because of other commitments).

MBAC was created to monitor the execution of the Court’s decision and was chaired by Justice Presbitero Velasco, the ponente of the 2008 decision.

Following the recommendations of MBAC, the Court issued another resolution on Feb. 15, 2011 giving timeframes and tasks for the concerned agencies to implement the 2008 decision. In that decision, Associate Justices Antonio Carpio and Maria Lourdes Sereno dissented on the basis that the resolution constituted judicial overreach by usurping and performing executive functions by giving specific orders to the agencies on what to do to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay. The majority of the Court disagreed as for them the issuance of subsequent resolutions by the Court was simply an exercise of judicial power under Article VIII of the Constitution, the execution of the decision being an integral part of the adjudicative function of the Court. It should be noted that the 2011 Resolution was based on the discussions with the concerned agencies and none of the directives were new to them.

I summarize below these directives to emphasize that the government does not have to start from scratch in doing its work on Manila Bay. The 2011 resolution might be a good starting point now that the executive branch is giving the highest political priority to Manila Bay. First, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was ordered to submit within a specified period the updated Operational Plan for the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy. It was further ordered to submit the names and addresses of persons and compa-

nies in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan that generate toxic and hazardous waste.

Second, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) asked by the Court to order the mayors of all cities in Metro Manila; the governors of Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan; and the mayors of all the cities and towns in said provinces, to inspect all factories, commercial establishments and private homes along the banks of the major river systems to determine if they have wastewater treatment facilities and/or hygienic septic tanks, as prescribed by existing laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.

Third, the MWSS was ordered to submit to the Court on or before June 30, 2011 the list of areas in Metro Manila, Rizal and Cavite that do not have the necessary wastewater treatment facilities.

Fourth, the Local Water Utilities Administration is ordered to submit on or before Sept.

30, 2011 its plan to provide, install, operate and maintain sewerage and sanitation facilities in said cities and towns and the completion period for said works.

It is time now for the Supreme Court to remand this case to the lower court for execution of its final order.

Fifth, the Metropolitan Manila Develop Developsubment Authority (MMDA) was ordered to sub mit, among others, the names and addresses of the informal settlers in Metro Manila.

In addition, the Departments of Agriculture, Health, and Education, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were also ordered to do specific tasks related to the cleanup.

This was a comprehensive order but clearly it was not enough and 10 years after the original decision, Manila Bay is even more polluted; its environment degraded.

In my view, it is time now for the Supreme Court to remand this case to the lower court for execution of its final order. There is no value in this case remaining any further in the Supreme Court. Justice Velasco, the MBAC, and the Supreme Court were diligent in pushTurn to A5

PH-China ties up close Sta. Romana spent more than four decades in China.

HOW are we dealing with our next-door neighbor China at present?

This question can best be answered by no less than our current ambassador to Beijing, Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana, who spent more than four decades in China after he and several members of a delegation of student activists on a visit to the mainland had no choice but to stay on as they risked arrest

by the Marcos regime if they returned to the Philippines.

Last week, we managed to make our way through moderate midday traffic to reach the Cosmopolitan Church along Taft Avenue in Manila to listen to Sta. Romana discuss Philippines-China relations in a forum orga-

nized by the United Council of Churches of the Philippines.

At the outset, Sta. Romana laid down what he described as the strategic framework of our bilateral relations.

The starting point of current ties with our next-door neighbor, he pointed out, is the independent foreign policy laid down in the 1987 Constitution. Is it possible to have an interdeindependent foreign policy in an interde pendent world? Yes, he said. This means being friends to all, enemies to none; seeking unity with all countries, including the big powers; giving priority to national interest; and upholding ASEAN unity and neutrality.

Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

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Opinion EvEryman

A movie for our fake news times

By Chin Wong TWICE a year, I watch All the President’s Men, the 1976 film version of the bestselling book of the same title by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.

I do this not only because the movie inspired me, but also because I believe it is an excellent teaching tool for my Introduction to Journalism class.

So, once every semester, I sit down with college students who weren’t even born when Woodward and Bernstein, as young reporters for the Washington Post, brought down the most powerful man in America, US President Richard Nixon, through a series of well-documented articles they wrote from 1972 to 1974.

As I watched the movie again this week, I thought about how foreign certain aspects of the film might seem to my young students, who were born and raised in a constantly online world.

Early in the movie, when five burglars set the scandal in motion by breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate Hotel, their lookout is unable to warn them that cops are headed their way because all they have are noisy walkie-talkies that they have to turn off to maintain radio silence. History might have taken a different course had they been able to avoid arrest with the help of mobile technology and text messages.

But Motorola was still a year away from making the first mobile phone call in 1973, and more than a decade away from

Why I am...

From A4 illegal insertions that only reflect the in satiable greed of legislators, his credibility will be at stake.

We the people know only too well that Mr. Duterte has already staked his credibility when he decided to campaign for some of his favorite senatorial candidates, and for candidates from his own party both at the national and local levels. If he were to

PH-China...

From A4 The Philippine government has actually made a big shift in its foreign policy. From the traditional close ties with the U.S., we now seek stronger ties with China focusing on economic cooperation, but not forging a military alliance.

Basically our ties with China run along two tracks. There are contentious issues, and noncontentious issues. The contentious issues involve the sovereignty issue, or ownership of disputed territory or land in the West Philippine Sea, such as Scarborough Shoal, which we consider part of our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The envoy emphasized that it is not only the Philippines that claims ownership of Scarborough Shoal but also Vietnam and Taiwan. The overlapping claims are what complicate matters in the South China Sea. We have chosen to shift from an adversarial approach to a non-adversarial one, and to focus on diplomacy to settle non-contentious issues, such as economic cooperation, cultural and educational exchanges, people-to-people contacts, as well as joint efforts at countering terrorism and criminality.

Contentious issues, Sta. Romana explained, should not be an obstacle to stronger bilateral relations.

On the part of the Philippines, we have made a shift in perspective: from viewing China as a national security threat, we now view it as a development partner.

There’s also a change in the Chinese perspective. Before, Beijing considered the country a geopolitical pawn of the US. Now, the Chinese consider the Philippines as a friendly neighbor whose national interests are separate

What we...

From A4 ing this to the limit but clearly it is the executive branch, and specially the DENR and DILG with the local governments, that should get this done.

With the executive branch firmly in charge again of this monumental task of cleaning Manila Bay, I suggest an overall approach to that effort that would be based on two pillars—sustainable development and environmental justice. These two principles should guide the government strategy and interventions in Manila Bay. Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of present generations while not sacrificing the interests of future generations. Obviously it is not an option to stop economic activities in the Manila Bay area, a region which comprises all of Metro Manila and several Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog provinces. In fact, if anything, given the needs for the future of this region, more development is needed— but development that is environmentally smart and climate friendly while also sustainable and equitable, For that to be achieved, a long-term masterplan must be adopted, and faithfully implemented. Such a plan is now being developed by a team commissioned by the National Economic Development Au-

bringing its DynaTAC phone to market.

So it was that the burglars were arrested and Woodward was assigned to cover their arraignment—only to stumble upon something much bigger, a covert, well-funded campaign to sabotage the Democrats that eventually led straight to the White House.

In the thick of their investigation, when Bernstein tells Woodward “somewhere in this world there is a Kenneth H. Dahlberg,” his partner doesn't go to a laptop or his phone to type the name into Google.

Instead, he goes through stacks of thick phone books to find him, his search narrowed only by a research assistant who brings him a hard copy clipping of a photograph that offers a clue as to which city and state he resided.

When the two reporters try to find someone from the Committee to Re-elect the President who will talk, they don't shoot off an e-mail barrage or find them on Facebook; they go door-to-door.

There is no doubt that digital technology would have made life much easier for Woodward and Bernstein. But in 1972, ARPANET, the precursor of the internet, was still more than a decade away, and the World Wide Web would not be invented for another 18 years.

In fact, the newsroom we see in the movie would be almost unrecognizable to reporters today. When Woodward and Bernstein write their stories, they pound them out on manual typewriters and rolls of copy paper. When they talk to sources,

they do so on rotary phones. Wire stories move, not on computer terminals but on noisy teletype machines.

Still, as the late Roger Ebert wrote, All the President's Men “provides the most observant study of working journalists we're ever likely to see in a feature film.”

“Newspaper movies always used to play up the excitement and ignore the boredom and the waiting. This one is all about the boredom and the waiting and the tireless digging,” he added.

Indeed, the patience and persistence that Woodward and Bernstein exhibited seem almost quaint in our instant-on, always online 24/7 news cycle.

Of course, digital technology would have made life easier for Woodward and Bernstein. But it is conceivable, too, that the very lack of online technology somehow helped them in their efforts to expose wrongdoing in the highest office in the land.

The relatively longer news cycle, for one, gave journalists more time to factcheck their stories. Without e-mail, reporters still went to newsrooms to file their stories, making it easier for editors to interact directly with them. Then too, without Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media that enable the unfiltered publication of information true or false, there were much fewer avenues for “fake news” to drown out the truth.

allow the budget to be approved, then the people will judge the stuff President Duterte is made off.

If he does not veto the insertions, the national budget is likely to reach the Supreme Court. The people are waiting to see what their president would do. *** That incident at the LRT where a Chinese student threw “taho” at a policeman who tried to prevent her from bringing her drink to the train shows how low the Chinese regard our laws.

It was only right that she was apprehended for direct assault of a law enforcer. Can you imagine what Chinese authorities would do if a Filipino were to do the same in China?

Immigration should deport this Chinese woman. If not, then other Chinese will think they can get away with anything here. *** What ever happened to the conflict of interest case against Solicitor General Jose Calida? Just asking.

from those of its military allies.

“We use diplomacy as a first line of defense, to create a good political atmosphere through high-level meetings and bilateral talks to resolve disputes,” he said. “When you’re on friendly terms, it’s easier to talk.”

Here, the envoy cited lessons from history. China had border disputes with Vietnam and Russia, but these were ultimately settled through negotiations and bilateral talks even after armed skirmishes along their borders.

The Philippines has already won gains from bilateral talks, Sta. Romana stressed. We now have access to fishing areas in Scarborough Shoal, thus reducing the level of tension in the SCS/WPS. China is now our leading trade partner. Our fruit exports, mainly banana and pineapple, can now be found in market stalls in Beijing and elsewhere, even as we still maintain sizable trade with the US and Japan. The Chinese government has also extended grants to build two bridges across the Pasig River, and feasibility studies for infrastructure projects.

The Official Development Assistance (ODA) from China actually comes in two packages. The first package includes the Chico River Irrigation Project which will benefit farmers in Cagayan and Kalinga; the Kaliwa Dam in Quezon province will be an alternative source of water for Metro Manila and benefit residents of Metro Manila, and the South Railway from Tutuban in Manila to MatnogSorsogon covering more than 600 kilometers that will facilitate travel to southern Luzon and the Bicol Region.

Then there’s the big increase in the number of Chinese visitors to the country. They are now the second biggest tourist arrivals after the South Koreans. The Department of Tourism projects a 40 percent growth in the number of Chinese tourists next year.

Foreign direct investments (FDI) from Chi-

na is already 7th largest as of 2017, according to our Board of Investments (BOI).

If we now see more Chinese nationals in Metro Manila, Sta. Romana pointed out, they are working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that are doing business here since gambling is prohibited in the mainland. A number of Chinese nationals have been given special working permits and now work in POGOs, but not in ordinary construction projects, unless they are in supervisory or management positions.

The envoy clarified that China charges only two percent interest rates for ODA loans, not 6 percent or even 12 percent as claimed by some quarters. In fact, he said, interest on Chinese loans are lower than those extended by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

We have actually fallen into a debt trap with World Bank and IMF loans in the past, he said.

For the ambassador, fears that we would fall into a debt trap with Chinese loans are unfounded since approved infrastructure projects would have to be economically viable, meaning, they would have to pay for themselves.

NEDA has rigorous standards in approving projects with 10 percent rate of return to offset the cost of borrowings. Besides, we can pay our loans as the domestic economy has already reached investment grade according to international credit rating agencies.

The Philippine economy is growing. Part of this growth would be fueled by the demographic sweet spot where our young labor force can sustain our economic gains. But our Achilles heel is poor infrastructure, and this is where we have to diversify our sources of loans to finance our accelerated infrastructure development program, Sta. Romana concluded, adding that “what is important is that we retain our sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

thority (disclosure: I have a mirror advising role in this project) and should be ready for presentation to the government this year.

As I pointed out last Saturday, the first thing to do is to accelerate the putting into place of a comprehensive sewerage system for the region. We must all be connected to a modern sewerage system in ten years. This was the big mistake of the Ramos government when it privatized the water system of Metro Manila; it should have embedded into the contracts of Manila Water and Maynilad stipulations that required them to prioritize sewerage.

As I have written, before, all major reclamation projects in the Manila Bay region must be stopped. It is immoral and criminal to allow activities that would lead to the destruction of Luneta, Manila Hotel, Intramuros, Chinatown, Ermita, our national museums, and other heritage sites. Thousands of lives could also be lost when the impact of reclamation combines with subsidence (the sinking of Metro Manila and surroundings because of unsustainable extraction of water) and climate change impact (sea level rise and storm surges) in future disasters.

Environmental justice must animate the clean-up of Manila Bay. The burden should fall principally on those who have polluted the Bay the most and those who have the resources to bear the costs. I support the DENR’s enforcement efforts being directed

Chin Wong is associate editor of Manila Standard.

www.emiljurado.weebly.com

ernhil@yahoo.com

first at the big malls, hotels, and condominiums in the Roxas Boulevard area, but these efforts should be expanded to the whole region as every discharge from every establishment, village, household, and building ends up in the bay and if untreated pollutes its waters.

The rich should be targeted first because they have the means to put up facilities to manage their waste and treat their waste water.

Informal settlers should be given a just transition, their relocation on or near their places of work and business (and their children’s schools) to be given priority. It is never right to use the law to further marginalize and disadvantage the poor even for a good cause like a clean environment. In fact, environmental injustice usually backfires and makes matters worse for the environment.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu is a visionary and decisive leader. He has said that fixing Manila Bay requires a change of culture, in my view from a culture of reckless economic and bad land use decisions to sustainability as the norm for those decisions—from treating the poor terribly to making development truly inclusive. With sustainable development and environmental justice as our guiding principles, we will yet save Manila Bay. Facebook Page: Professor Tony La Viña Twitter: tonylavs Email: tonylavs@gmail.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

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BOL and BARMM: Hope and high expectations I BELIEVE that the great majority of Filipinos will agree with the statement that one of the greatest failures among the institutions brought into being by the 1987 Constitution has been the autonomous region for Muslim Mindanao. After nearly 24 years of the existence of ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), the territories covered by ARMM—five provinces, one city and a number of municipalities and barangays—have remained among the poorest parts of the Republic. Indeed, for political theorists and development experts alike, ARMM has been close to being a big joke.

Last week, the population of ARMM, in a plebiscite, ratified BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law), which provided for the establishment of BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) to replace ARMM. The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) pushed very hard for BOL’s ratification, combining their formidable resources to ensure approval by the ARMM population of a document that in many respects is truly landmark in character.

The core message of the pro-BOL campaign was that ARMM was a colossal failure and that BARMM would be a replacement that was far superior and that would usher in, finally, a life of prosperity, well-being and contentment for the people of Muslim Mindanao.

That campaign pitch has been followed, in the post-plebiscite, by all sorts of hype-type statements emanating from the officials of the Duterte administration and other BOL advocates. In chorus fashion, all of them have said that peace and order will reign now that Mindanao’s Muslims have a document establishing their political identity. Governance will be much better, with regional resources more judicially used. The Duterte administration’s economic managers see a sharp rise in investments—foreign and domestic—with improved peace conditions and the advent of better governance. And the tourism-sector officials have completed the hype by foreseeing a surge in tourism once the BARMM government has taken office.

The change in the economic fortunes of BARMM/ARMM envisioned

by BOL’s advocates is breathtaking in its character and scope. From being an impoverished, badly governed part of this country’s second-largest island. BARMM/ARMM is expected, with the strokes of the voters’ pens, to be transformed into a well-governed, smoothly running and high-growth piece of God’s earth.

Is this a realistic prospect? Will the BARMM created by BOL really be the realization of every Muslim

Mindanaoan’s most cherished dream (not to mention the long-held hope of Mindanao-sympathetic development planners)?

The hyperbolic statements regarding BARMM’s prospects rest mainly on the fact that BOL has given to BARMM far more resources—a huge start-up fund, a retainable share in all national-tax collections plus a share in revenues derived from the exploitation of national resources—which will make BARMM far more capable than ARMM of undertaking economic and social projects. An attempt has been made, and continues to be made, to link good governance and abundant financial resources. Is there a close link between the two?

Will the MILF’s leaders use BARMM’s abundant resources effectively?

I have no intent to denigrate or be belittle MILF’s leaders, and I desire only the best for BARMM and its population; but I have to express my doubts as to whether Muslim Mindanao’s new governing institutions will be able to live up to the high expectations of BOL’s advocates.

Essentially, development is not about physical and financial resources.

It is essentially about people. Messrs Al-Murad and Salamat and their MILF colleagues have shown themselves to be good at running groups of soldiers, but they have no experience in providing good governance to civilian followers. When BARMM begins to function, they definitely will not be able to hit the ground running.

This country’s experience with ARMM is a clear demonstration that resources alone do not a progressive region make. ARMM has never lacked financial resources; it has always been well-funded. Its leaders—these included the Ampatuan clan—wasted the region’s finances, thereby failing to put in place the physical and social infrastructure needed by its population. And so ARMM failed.

Will the MILF’s leaders use BARMM’s abundant resources effectively? Will they give BARMM governance better than ARMM’s? MILF’s leaders have given assurances that they will govern BARMM well, but the value of those assurances is uncertain because MILF’s leaders have no civil-governance track record to speak of.

I hope that all the hype about BOL and BARMM’s future will be borne out in the coming days, for the sake of Muslim Mindanao’s population.

What no right-thinking Filipino wants to see is BARMM going the way of ARMM.

PACC eyes ‘ghost deliveries’ at DepEd

THE Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission will look into reports of possible ghost deliveries in the P6-billion procurement deal of the Department of Education (DepEd) after hearing it over my radio program last Friday. I refer to the long-overdue deliveries of vocational tools and equipment for senior high schools all over the country.

PACC’s Atty. Manuelito Luna said over Radyo Pilipinas that deliveries of such learning tools and equipment should not be compromised as they are essential in the students’ acquisition of practical livelihood skills.

“We will ask DepEd what’s causing this delay... President Duterte hates red tape and this is one of them,” said Luna.

The PACC official was shocked upon hearing that it has been over two years since the contract was bid out and the suppliers reportedly have been paid the 15-percent mobilization funds—yet no deliveries came.

A DepEd insider who requested anonymity expressed serious concern that Education Secretary Leonor Briones might not be aware of the overdue deliveries for the Technical, Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) Division under Dir. Mario Laroza.

TVL reportedly bid out P6 billion in 2016 for the procurement of thousands of comput-

ers, television sets, refrigerators, air conditioners, and farm and construction equipment such as tractors, bulldozers, pay-loaders, and dump trucks as training equipment for the senior high students in public schools nationwide.

After two years, however, the said learning tools and equipment have not been delivered.

Thus, senior high school students in 2017 and 2018 went through their respective vocational or livelihood courses without these educational materials, according to my informant.

Should PACC find veracity in the report, the probe would have to include not only DepEd officials but the TVL suppliers, as well.

The PACC may invite TVL suppliers, including Nika Trading, Scientific Product Co., Red Dot, and EduResources to shed light on the delays in the delivery of these educational equipment.

Secretary Briones should likewise act swiftly and look into allegations that only three to four suppliers corner the juicy contracts of TVL. Reports have it that after suppliers won the fat contracts and secured the 15-percent mobilization funds, the delivery of the technical or vocational tools remained in limbo.

Worse, these same suppliers who failed to deliver would again join another bidding at TVL. This will be worth hundreds of millions or billions of pesos in transaction with likely the same end result—delayed or no deliveries—according to the same DepEd insider.

I’m sure President Duterte does not like reading stories of this kind.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Construction supplier files estafa raps vs. Finmat

By Vito Barcelo A CONSTRUCTION supplier filed a P68-million estafa case against Finmat International Resources Inc., one of the major contractors of Okada Philippines, before a Regional Trial Court in Metro Manila.

The Golden Mile Enterprises accused Finmat owner, Reynaldo de Jesus, with office address at Caniogan, Pasig City, for failing to pay the construction materials ordered by Finmat in the amount of P68.237,818.80.

In a 21-page complaint, Finmat engaged the services of Golden Mile Enterprises for the supply and application of epoxy injection project worth P2.7 million in May 2016.

Other several projects followed in the following year and the amount reached more than P60 million.

Under the contract, Finmat will pay GME upon completion of the project, while payment will be made once the first party, which is Okada, settled its obligation to Finmat.

GME supplied the necessary materials and performed the necessary works in accordance with the agreement.

The supplier also performed extra works not provided under the contract.

However, when the project was completed, GME demanded payment to Finmat for the finished contract project, but the construction firm’s operation manager, engineer Robert Tayag, asked for a “little more time” to settle on the excuse that the project owner, Okada, was delayed in payment.

The GME, represented by lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, gave Finmat more time settle their obligation since the said construction firm was a respected firm and claimed it was close with the present administration.

In Sept. 3, 2018, the GME demanded full payment for the completion of the project, but Finmat International Resources Inc., again refused to settle its obligation, on the pretext that Finmat’s collection from Okada, remained unpaid.

However, it was found out that Okada had already settled its obligation with Finmat, and yet did not pay GME of its unsettled dues.

Lapeña has until Feb. 21 to answer drug raps

By Rey Requejo THE Department of Justice on Monday gave former Bureau of Customs Commissioner, now Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General, Isidro Lapeña up to Feb. 21 to answer the complaint filed against him, in connection with the multiple-billion peso worth of shabu smuggled into the country through magnetic lifters.

During the second preliminary investigation hearing of the complaints filed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the National Bureau of Investigation, DOJ’s panel of investigating prosecutors led by Assistant State Prosecutor Mary Jane Sytat granted the plea of Lapeña’s lawyer John Telan who received a copy of the complaint for extension of time within which to answer the allegations against him.

Lapeña has been accused of violating the Revised Penal Code; violation of Section 3(e) of the Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and grave misconduct in violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees.

On the other hand, former PDEA Deputy Director Ismael Fajardo, Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto and former Customs Deputy Commissioner Ricardo Quinto did not appear and were unable to send their representatives.

Next preliminary investigation is set on Feb. 21 and another on March 4.

PDEA filed the complaint last Aug. 29, 2018 and Dec. 13, 2018 while the NBI who conducted a separate investigation filed the complaint last January.

In the NBI complaint, Lapena, Vener Baquiran, Zsae Carrie de Guzman, John Mar Morales, and Benjamin Cajucom are accused of having committed dereliction of duty in violation of the Revised Penal Code; violation of Section 3(e) of the Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act); and grave misconduct in violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees.

MAKE THE CITY CLEAN. Senator Nancy Binay joins Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro in promoting cleanliness in the city—during a city activity on Monday.

PH, Japan officials start Marawi rehab program ARAWI CITY―Philippine and Japan officials have set to start implementing a multi-million peso foreign-funded road projects in the multi-pronged rehabilitation program for this war-torn city.

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Vice Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr., said the provincial government had signed up support and collaboration for a P970-million road infrastructure program with Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, in a ceremonial groundbreaking here last week of road rehabilitation projects funded by the Japanese government.

Villar said the project covered the construction of two phases of Marawi Trans-central Road Contract (1-B and 2-B) with 9.56 kilometers, as well as the engineering designs of 13 other road sections (Package 3) with 20.80 kilometers. Package 1-B covers the construction of Bacong-Poona Marantao-Marawi Road (including drainage), the GMA Terminal Access Road, the Marawi-Cadre-New Capitol, the Marcos Boulevard, and the Idarus Road

Section. Package 2 covers the MSUGMA Road and the Lumidong-Amai Pakpak Avenue.

Undersecretary Emil Sadain of the Department of Public Works and Highways Unified Project Management Office Operations and Technical Services, said the 2 billion Japanese yen (about P 970 million) Marawi City Road Rehabilitation Program is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Adiong and other provincial and city officials were thankful to Haneda and to DPWH officials , who also included Director Virgilio Castillo of the UPMO Roads Management Cluster I, and Project Manager Francisco Sawali.

In his statement, Vice Gov. Adiong thanked the national government, particularly, President Rodrigo Duterte and the Japanese government, saying: “We

thank the national government, most particularly Presidente Duterte, for his good administration’s will to fast-track the rehabilitation of Marawi.

“To Secretary Villar, we do hope that this marks the beginning of many infrastructure development programs for the welfare of Marawi City and the whole of Lanao Sur. “His excellency Koji Haneda, please accept our warmest gratitude for the continuing support to the people of Marawi, especially during this unfortunate times, thank you, thank you.”

Meanwhile, construction works for another JICA-funded road project (Package 1-A) covering the 9.41-kilometer Bacong-Iligan-Marawi Road will start anytime this year once the bidding process is completed, according to reports by the DPWH Public Information Division.

The Japanese government, through JICA has provided a total of 2 billion Japanese yen or about P970 million for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi City and its surrounding areas. Nash B. Maulana

Troops, cops to get 20% discount in bus fares—DOTr GOOD news for the active members of the military, the Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police.

The Department of Transportation said Monday the uniformed personnel would be given a 20-percent fare discount in all city and provincial public utility buses.

The DOTr had said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board stressed the discount would be given to those on active duty from the military, the national police and the Coast Guard.

“The special fare discount for all uniformed personnel of the AFP, PNP, and PCG shall continue and remain effective indefinitely, which will then be reviewed one year thereafter,” the DOTr said in a statement.

The Memorandum of Agreement for the discount was signed by officials of the LTFRB, the AFP, the PNP, the PCG, and participating bus operators on Monday.

Uniformed personnel have to show their ID to enjoy the privilege.

“In line with the President’s directive, this is our way of giving back to our soldiers, policemen and Coast Guard servicemen who secure our nation and protect the Filipino people. We owe the peace and order and national security of our country to their inspiring service,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

“We salute the relentless efforts of our uniformed personnel, and the LTFRB is honored to be part of this expression of gratitude,” added LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III. For his part, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde vowed to increase the number of police presence at transport terminals and other related areas.

“We in the PNP [will] return the favor by assuring the transport operators and the rest of our countrymen our best as we continue to serve and protect,” Albayalde said in a statement read by a representative.

Eriguel wants strong AIDS legislation A NEW law co-authored by La Union Second District Rep. Sandra Eriguel is expected to strengthen policy on Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome prevention, treatment, care and support in the Philippines.

“This law will help prevent the further spread of HIV-AIDS among Filipinos, especially among the vulnerable groups,” said Eriguel in a statement.

He was referring to Republic Act 11166 or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Act which was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on Dec. 20, 2018.

Eriguel’s version (House Bill 1804) of the law was consolidated with other similar bills into a substitute bill which was approved by the House and eventually transmitted to the Senate.

She was also the Vice-Chairperson of the House Committee on Health which discussed those bills.

As vice chairperson and one of the principal authors of the substitute bill, Eriguel was designated as member of the House bicameral conference committee which conferred with the Senate counterpart on the provisions of the House and Senate versions of the measure which was eventually passed into law.

As a medical doctor, the prevention and control of HIV-AIDS is one of Eriguel’s primary advocacies.

The new law repealed RA No. 9504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act of 1998 to strengthen and reconstitute the Philippine National AIDS Council with full budgetary support.

Congress passed the law amid the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country, becoming public health concerns that have wide-ranging social, political and economic repercussions.

Data from the Department of Health show that HIV and AIDS cases in the Philippines increased to 11,103 cases in 2017 from 9,264 cases in 2016.

Under the law, PNAC will promote and adopt a range of measures and interventions to prevent or control the spread of HIV among the general population, especially among the key populations and vulnerable communities.

PBB party-list wants expanded housing program for Filipinos

MEDICAL KITS. Tingog party-list secretary-general Rachel Rodele-Santiago (third left) represents Tingog party-list 1st Nominee and Leyte (1st Dist) Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez in the turnover of two boxes of medical kits to Angono incoming Mayor Jeri Mae Calderon (third right) during the medical mission at Barangay Mahabang Parang Botong Francisco. Ver Noveno

PARTIDO ng Bayan ang Bida party-list has underlined the need for an expanded government housing program which it says is affordable to the ordinary and homeless Filipinos.

PBB party-list nominee Imelda Cruz said in a statement the party’s goal was to help the government in expanding the socialized housing project of the administration especially the ordinary Filipinos.

In a statement, Cruz said the party wanted to have an expanded housing program not only for the policemen and soldiers but for every sector of the population.

She said PBB was also eyeing a legislated housing program that, she said, would benefit the ordinary people through socialized and affordable housing projects.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Pitmasters Cup 9-Cock Derby lures record cast

Top guns face off as W Express tilt begins

A RECORD-BREAKING 323 entries battled it out in the first installment in 2019 of one of the largest and most prestigious cockfighting championships globally, the World Pitmasters Cup 9-Cock International Derby at the award-winning Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila.

The seven-day action-packed championships culminated on Jan. 26, with the entries of AAR Bgawis GF, Rizal Laguna SL of Capt. Alvin Royo, JCAP of John Capinpin, Birthday Gift 1 of Cong. Kulit Alcala and #164 Agbiag Party-List/Sagupaan of Cong. Patrick Antonio, who each tallied an aggregate score of 8 points apiece, capturing the crown.

A total champion’s prize of P18 million was split among the four champions, from the total prize money of P25.8M. Earning 1st runners-up honors with a score of 7.5 were the entries of Lolong Fiscalizer Big Event Soon BWC entry of Atty. Moises Villanueva and Biwee Chua, Goldline Eman of Atty. Emman Pichay and Jess Floro, and April 14 6-Cock sa Calasiao BL of Jepoy.

Second runners-up garnering a score of 7 were the entries of Art Atayde, Tonton Pua, Henry Paz, Jojo Gatlabayan, Roger Felix, Atty. Rey Directo, Mr. Norman Bengco, Engr. Nong, Nad Mendoza, Eric Dela Rosa, Chris Javillo Jr., Mr. Raymond Dela Cruz, Atty. Cascolan, Gov. Claude Bautista, Fidel Villanueva, Lenman Galen, Engr. Sonny Panaligan, Mike Sta. Ana, Atty. Edgar Santos, Raffy Zaide, Alex Ty,Jojo Cruz, and Perry Cruz.

The WPC is organized by gaming consultant Charlie “Atong” Ang, businessman Gerry Ramos, Governor Eddiebong Plaza, Engr. Sonny Lagon, and businessman RJ Mea, with assistance from Eric Dela Rosa, and co-presented

by RWM. The prestigious gaming event was sponsored by Thunderbird, Excellence, Thor, VNJ, and Experto.

Slated on April 21 to 30, the WPC returns to its home at the RWM’s NPAT. For more inquiries on upcoming WPC events, contact Kate Villalon at 09278419979.

Meanwhile more exciting events happen at the country’s premier lifestyle and entertainment destination, as RWM celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Download the RWM Mobile App or visit www.rwmanila.com for more information.

THE cream of the men’s amateur crop slug it out in what promises to be a slambang duel as the W Express RVF Cup Amateur Golf Championship crown unwraps today (Tuesday, Feb. 12) at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club’s North Course in Laguna.

Rupert Zaragosa, Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus, Paolo Wong, Kristoffer Arevalo and Sean Ramos banner the stellar cast that also includes Don Petil, Jolo Magcalayo, Pierre Ticzon, Leandro Bagtas, Weiyu Gao, David Guangco, Jonas Magcalayo and Josh Jorge.

Apo Golf’s Alex Bisera and Elee Bisera and Lloyd Labrador along with Del Monte’s Rolando Bregente Jr. are also in the roster, ready to mix it up with the fancied bets as members of the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ grassroots program.

Five Koreans – Jung Jae Hyun, Kim Sang Jin, Kim Tae Soo, Rho Hyun Ho and Lee Sang Min – also set out to keep the crown which compatriot and now pro Kim Joo Hyung took in convincing fashion last year.

But focus will be on the local aces, the four-day championship staged in honor of the late NGAP president and golf patron Rod V. Feliciano being held as part of the selection process for the team vying in the SEA Games the country is hosting later this year.

Keen competition is also seen in the ladies side with Nicole Abelar, Sunshine Baraquiel, Laia Barro, Sophia Blanco, Sofia Chabon, Samantha Dizon and young Laurea Duque tipped to dispute the crown along with Junia Gabasa, Weifang Gao, Missy Legaspi, Jona Magcalayo, Rianne Malixi, Kayla Nocum, Rafaela Singson, Eagle Ace Superal and Arnie Taguines.

Marie Miñoza, another member of the NGAP’s youth program, also hopes to spring a surprise in the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, Cignal, Metro Pacific and Cangolf and held as part of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour along with Koerans Kang Da Yun, Kim Seo Yun and Kwon Tae Yon. Also on tap is the 36-hole Special Division for boys and girls featuring the likes of Mikhaela Constantino, Sophia Abarcas, Jody Castillo and Precious Zaragosa and Koreans Jeong Yeah Eu and Kwon Min Seo along with Joshua de Guzman, Shinichi Suzuki, Dylan Castillo, Zach Villaroman and Kim Tae Won of South Korea.

The Champions of the World Pitmasters Cup 9-Cock International Derby Birthday Gift 1 of Cong. Kulit Alcala, AAR Bagwis of Capt. Alvin Royo, JCAP of Mr. John Capinpin, and #164 AGBIAG Party-List/Sagupaan of Cong. Patrick Antonio together with the promoters Engr.

Sonny Lagon, Charlie Atong Ang, Gerry Ramos, RJ Mea and Gov. Eddiebong Plaza.

Lefty leads by 3,nears th 5 Pebble Beach title S

AN FRANCISCO—Phil Mickelson was closing in on a fifth Pebble Beach Pro-Am title when darkness halted play in the final round of the weather-hit US PGA Tour tournament.

Mickelson will return to play the last two holes on Monday holding a three-shot lead over playing partner Paul Casey.

Red-hot Mickelson and Casey had opposing views on whether to continue as darkness fell, Mickelson putting out for a par at the 16th and saying he was ready to head to 17 as Casey opted to call it a day with a three-foot putt for par in front of him.

“I can see fine,” Mickelson told a rules official on the 16th green. But he said he understood Casey’s perspective.

“I get exactly where Paul’s coming from,” Mickelson said. “It’s dark and we’re going to have a good chance tomorrow to come out on fresh greens. They got pretty rough this afternoon so I totally get it.

“But I have pretty good vision, I can see fine and I’m playing well so I wanted to

continue, that’s all there is to it.

Casey said he didn’t see why they should continue in the gathering darkness when they wouldn’t be able to complete the round.

“From my angle it was are we going to get 18 done,” he said. “We weren’t going to get 18 done.”

The last two groups didn’t tee off until after two weather delays, with rain postponing the start of play for an hour and a hailstorm bringing another two-hour hold-up.

Mickelson, gunning for a 44th US PGA Tour title, was unfazed by the uncertainty.

He started the day three shots off Casey’s lead but roared to the top of the leaderboard with six birdies that put him 18-under for the tournament with two holes remaining.

He gained ground with birdies at the

par-five second and the fourth, then made back-to-back birdies at the ninth and 10th—two of the toughest holes on the course.

He curled in a seven-footer for birdie at 13 and drained a six-footer at 14.

Casey, meanwhile, struggled to get anything going. A birdie at the second was followed by eight straight pars before back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12.

A birdie from the fringe at 14 left him even for the day and 15-under par for the tournament.

American Scott Stallings was in the clubhouse on 15-under after a six-under par 66 with Jason Day of Australian and South Korean Kim Si-woo tied for fourth on 13-under.

Casey called Mickelson’s effort “a phenomenal round of golf” but added: “It’s not over yet”.

Mickelson, who could join Mark O’Meara as the only five-time winners of the tournament, is no stranger to the fickle February weather on the Monterey Peninsula. AFP

Petron, F2 Logistics renew PSL rivalry

By Kristoffer Ed M. Bellen

Mariners nip Sea Lions in NCRAA meet DAGUPAN CITY—Philippine Merchant Marine School ended its elimination round campaign on a winning note by edging defending champion Olivarez College, 70-69, to claim the top spot of Group A in the NCRAA men’s basketball tournament.

By winning over the reigning champs, the Mariners completed a seven-game sweep and clinched the top spot of Group A. Bryan Hilario shattered the game’s final deadlock with a three-point play at the 1:35 mark, 68-65.

The Sea Lions responded at the other end with a Vinny Begaso basket.

Entering the final minute, Wendel Attas, who was blocked by John Uduba in the previous play, bounced back with a basket of his own to push the lead to three, 70-67, with still 1:02 left.

John Albert Rabe shoved the Sea Lions with a twinner to put more pressure on the Mariners, who missed their next offensive thrust.

The Sea Lions had a chance to wrap up a win, but Dwight Saguigit’s triple at the buzzer failed to hit the target as the Mariners celebrated their escape win.

Hilario led all scorers with 21 points, while Saguiguit led Olivarez with 16 markers.

The scores: P M M S (70)—Hilario 21, Sunga 17, Carvajal 11, Attas 9, Gabat 4, Testa 4, Cabauatan 2, Palomares 2, Sosing 0, Templo 0.

OLIVAREZ (69)—Saguiguit 16, Almajeda 14, Begaso 12, Aquiatan 6, Castro 5, Rabe 4, Sala 4, Uduba 3, Siegue 2, de Leon 2, Geronimo 1, Rocero 0, Completo 0.

Quarter scores: 15-12, 33-29, 52-47, 70-69.

LAST year’s finalists, the Petron Blaze Spikers and F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, are ready to add another chapter to their already momentous rivalry when the 2019 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix starts at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig, on Feb. 16.

Reigning champion Petron will bank on its two heavy-hitting guest players Stephanie Niemer and Katherine Bell, while the Cargo Movers attempt to bounce back with the addition of ex-Blaze Spiker Lindsay Stalzer, to complement the play of Becky Perry in the importladen tournament.

“I think it’s not new that Linday’s going to play here again. If I’m not mistaken, it’s her sixth year playing here, so I think if you’re going to watch all those the teams that she’s played for, you would see that she always gives her best,” said F2 team captain Cha Cruz on the arrival of the 2018 Grand Prix MVP to their team.

Stalzer and Petron eked out a thrilling 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18 victory over the F2 Logistics last year to win the title.

Coming back with much confidence this year, Bell and Niemer do not deny,

Some of the participants in the 2019 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix which starts at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig, on Feb. 16 are presented to the media. Kristoffer Ed Bellen

though, that the other teams have also strengthened their core to try to steal the title from the Shaq Delos Santos-mentored squad.

“My personality is I don’t care about the past. You know, last year is last year. It’s going to be a whole new season with a new group of girls coming into this season, so same mindset, work hard, get the result,” team captain Bell said.

The 2019 PSL Grand Prix will kick off on Saturday with the United Volleyball Club taking on Foton Tornadoes Blue Energy, while the Generika-Ayala Lifesavers clashes with Sta. Lucia Realtor in the featured match.

Other clubs seeing action in the eightteam tournament are the Cignal HD Spikers and the PLDT Home Fibr, which will compete for only the second time since 2013 in the PSL.

PH volleyball tackled at PSA Forum VOLLEYBALL takes the spotlight in today’s session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Tapa King Restaurant at Farmers Plaza in Cubao.

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. president Peter Cayco will grace the 11 a.m. session with Rod Roque, directorin-charge of the men’s national team The two are expected to discuss the recent men’s national team tryouts for the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Far Eastern University coach George Pascua is also appearing in the weekly forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Tapa King, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Pascua will talk about the Lady Tamaraws’ campaign in the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament that kicks off this Saturday. FEU finished runner-up behind defending champion La Salle last season.

Standard Insurance Duathlon Team intensifies training for SEAG AFTER winning the recent Singapore Duathlon National Championship, members of the Standard Insurance Duathlon Team will be dealing with the high-intensity workouts in Subic Freeport Zone, which serves as their peak training for the 30th Southeast Asian Games in November.

The team, led by Monica Torres, the fastest Filipina in Cobra Ironman 70.3 for six straight years, will be trained under Triathlon Association of the Philippine’s coaching program with coach Melvin Fausto and coach Bernie Llantada.

Members of the team are top-caliber duathlon runner Joey de los Reyes; Pauline Fornea, a former national triathlete; Bohol’s Emmanuel Commendador; Ba-

guio City’s Jarwyn Banatao; the country’s top male duathlete Robeno Javier, and veteran campaigners John Topia and Jarwyn Banatao, according to businessman-sportsman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz, Group Chairman of Standard Insurance.

Fornea, a top triathlete with the US Naval Academy’s Triathlon team, and Torres, are a formidable combination for Standard Insurance’s women’s duathlon team.

Fornea’s training and competition program, designed by their team coach, has focused on duathlon to prepare her for the SEA Games.

“We are confident that the team can win a duathlon medal in this year’s SEA

Games,” Echauz said. The Standard Insurance duathlon team will represent the Philippines at the Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 SEA Games, where the event will make a comeback since being held in Thailand in 2007.

Subic will be the hub for duathlon, triathlon, open water swimming, modern pentathlon, sailing, windsurfing, karatedo, sepak takraw, beach handball, beach volleyball, canoe, kayak, traditional boat race/dragon boat, chess, muay, pencak silat, table tennis, and weightlifting.

The national team recently dominated the Singapore Duathlon National Championship with Commendador and Torres as men and women champions in the elite divisions.

Placing 2nd and 3rd are Delos Reyes and Javier, respectively. Fourth and fifth are Topia and Banatao, respectively.

The Singapore Duathlon 2019 is one of Singapore’s Premier Multi-sport events.

Coach Fausto said the athletes will have to put in a weekly training load of 20 to 30 hours and undergo frequent fitness assessments.

“Even duathlon events will be held in Subic, we still have to familiarize the route and intensely train our athletes,” Fausto said.

With the support of the Philippine Sports Commission, they have launched a performance program for duathlon to prepare the team for Sea Games, he added.

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

A8

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Sports

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball during the game against the Miami Heat at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. AFP

Indonesian rules Ronda Stage 4

By Peter Atencio

R

OXAS CITY—Indonesian rider Jamalidin Novardianto led a seven-man group that vaulted free from a sprint race and took the Stage 4 honors in the Ronda Pilipinas 2019 here.

The 24-year-old Jamilidin made to it to the finish line near the Robinsons Place Mall at the El Pueblo de Panay road in three hours, 57 minutes and 53 seconds.

A silver medalist in last year’s national finals in Indonesia, the main sprinter of Team PGN-Indonesia arrived at the same time with Terangganu rider Mohd Sharif, Mat Amin Korean bet Kangeun Joo. Filipino riders composed of Navyman Rudy Roque, Team Franzia’s Ryan

Scratchers see tough road ahead GO FOR GOLD-CSB coach Charles Tiu knows that the ascent back to the top of the PBA D-League mountain is going to be harder the second time around.

“It will be a tough climb for us to win the championship again,” he admitted.

The Scratchers won the Foundation Cup last year with just six teams in the running.

This time, though, 20 teams make up the field, making the squad’s title retention dreams all the more difficult.

Tiu said preparation for the coming season hasn’t been the most smoothsailing with players going down with illnesses and injuries ahead of the Feb. 14 curtain-raiser.

“We’ve been getting injured a lot.

Players are getting sick and it hurt our preparation,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the youthful mentor remains optimistic about their campaign, knowing that Go for GoldCSB knows what it takes to hoist the crown once again.

“The fact that we have a whole team intact, I think malaking bagay yun.

We’re looking at this as a stepping stone for the NCAA,” he said.

Justin Gutang banners the squad made up of the core from the St. Benilde Blazers, while also bringing in sweet-shooting Fil-Am Roosevelt Adams into the fray.

“I think it’s gonna be a big challenge for him,” said Tiu of Gutang, who will be the heart and soul of the Scratchers.

“Before, nobody knew him. Now, nascout na siya and he’s a marked man. It’s gonna be a real test for him. Hopefully, we improved his skills. I think he’ll be even better, but he has to mature also as a person and as a player,” said Tiu who emphasized that the pressure to deliver will be shared by the whole team as they try to make it to the top four of the Aspirants’ Group.

“I know a lot of teams are counting us out and don’t even expect us to be playoff contenders, but we’re gonna do our best,” he said.

Go for Gold-CSB opens its campaign against Cignal-Ateneo on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Tugawin and 7-Eleven bet Arjay stuck with Novardianto till the end for a fourth to sixth place finish.

PGN’s Odie Purnama Setiyawan, who was with the 7-man group when they pulled away in the 38.1 kilometers, was 11 seconds behind in seventh place.

“There were plans for a breakaway. But I stayed behind in the second group,” said Novardianto, who made his move to take the lead after a sprint race at the 108-km mark of

the 146.9 km route.

Novardianto first overtook Joo after the Korean took the sprint honors, towing the seven lead pack from there.

“Tinutuluy tuloy ko na rin. Kailangan manalo,” said Roque after he moved ahead of Peralta, who was third in the sprints that was along flat roads through the farmlands of Barangay Balacuan in Dao, Capiz.

Roque emerged at eighth in the list of overall best Filipino riders, which has Navyman Ronald Oranza on top.

Spanish rider Francisco Mancebo-Perez, who is all set to claim the overall general classification honors, was with a 35-man main peloton that chased Novardianto’s group and was 42 seconds behind.

Mancebo-Perez said he aims to hold his ground in the final stage, which is a

148.9 kilometer race from Roxas City to Pandan, Antique.

“The last stage will be like today.

Everybody wants the red jersey including Navy and 7-Eleven. They’re fighting all day. We are a little bit tired. There’s one more stage. We’ll try to keep the jersey. I feel good but you never know. We have to be careful,” said Mancebo-Perez.

The 42-year-old Tour de France veteran is solidly ahead of Oranza by 3 minutes and 52 seconds, followed by 7-Eleven’s Dominic Perez, behind by 3:55 in third place.

Mancebo-Perez’s efforts put Team Matrix Powertag of Japan in top contention for the overall team honors.

They are in front of Team 7-Eleven by 2:05, with Philippine Navy Standard Insurance at third trailing by 2:49.

come into this contest on a high after he closed 2018 with an emotional TKO over Peng Xue Wen in ONE: CONQUEST OF CHAMPIONS. It was a dominant performance that was arguably even more impressive than his win against the Thai hero.

Full of confidence, the 26-year-old readily accepted the rematch with “Kru Rong,” and a chance to defeat the legendary warrior again.

“I know that Dej really wants to avenge

that loss and is really preparing well for this match,” he adds.

“Let’s see who will come out on top this time around.”

“I do want to give him a chance to prove himself in the cage because it really happened so fast.”

Heading into his first bout against the Thai martial arts icon, the Filipino claimed that he was in peak form and backed up his claim with an 84-second knockout in his opponent’s home country.

Durant powers Warriors past Heat LOS ANGELES, United States— Kevin Durant scored a game-high 39 points as the NBA champion Golden State Warriors rallied from an early 19-point deficit to edge the Miami Heat 120-118 on Sunday.

DeMarcus Cousins sank two free throws with 5.4 seconds left to play to help the Warriors hold off the Heat, who fell eight behind in the fourth quarter but took a 118-115 lead with 51.5 seconds left after back-to-back steals and baskets from Josh Richardson and Dwyane Wade.

Durant responded with his first three-pointer of the contest—after six misses from beyond the arc— to tie the game and Cousins made his free throws to seal the Warriors’ 15th win in their last 16 games.

“We knew it was going to be a game they came out and played hard on both ends of the court,” Durant said.

“They came out and hit us in the mouth early, but I like how we withstood the storm and kept fighting.”

Elsewhere, Joel Embiid scored 37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to power the Philadelphia 76ers over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 143-120 in a matchup of high-profile NBA clubs.

The 24-year-old Cameroon 7-footer (2.13m) was supported by 22 points from Tobias Harris and 21 more from JJ Redick in a romp over LeBron James and the Lakers, who fell to 28-28.

At 36-20, the 76ers pulled within 5.5 games of Eastern Conference leader Milwaukee as Embiid pondered the team’s title hopes.

“We’ve got a chance, especially this year. We’ve got to keep working,” he said. “I plan on being here for a long time. This is my city.”

Meanwhile, in Dallas, Slovenian 19-year-old swingman Luka Doncic scored 28 points, including what proved to be the gamewinning 3-point play, as the Dallas Mavericks edged visiting Portland 102-101. AFP

Magic says NOLA did not negotiate Miado ready for rematch against former ONE champion in good faith JEREMY “The Jaguar” Miado made his name with a knockout of a former ONE Strawweight World Champion last year, but he feels he still has a point to prove at ONE: Call to Greatness.

The Filipino shocked the world by dealing Dejdamrong “Kru Rong” Sor Amnuaysirichoke the first knockout loss of his mixed martial arts career at ONE: Iron Will.

The impressive win was the biggest surprise of 2018, but drew a mixed reaction from fans.

“Some people are saying it was a lucky shot, that I just got the timing right,” the former boxer laments.

“I don’t want to defend myself from them. I understand why they think that, which is why I readily accepted this rematch.

“They are entitled to their opinions, but for me, whenever I have an upcoming match, I prepare for it to the best of my abilities to show what I can do. That’s how I have always been – win or lose, I give my everything out there.”

On February 22, 2019, “The Jaguar” will have a chance to show that his win was no fluke when he faces Dejdamrong in a rematch inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The Filipino warrior, who represents Switch MMA and Cage Gladiators, will

MMA fighter Jeremy Miado raises his hands to acknowledge the cheer of the crowd after his victory inside the ONE Championship ring.

LOS ANGELES, United States— Magic Johnson, president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers, said Sunday the New Orleans Pelicans never bargained with them in good faith regarding NBA star Anthony Davis.

The Lakers engaged in talks with the Pelicans regarding a deal for Davis but could not strike a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Asked if he thought the Pelicans negotiated in good faith, Johnson said, “No.” “We knew that basically at the end of the day what happened happened. And we knew that when we first started. In terms of what happened, hey, it is what it is.”

Johnson said he has no regrets about the public nature of the talks with Pelicans general manager Dell Demps over the past two weeks after Davis, through his agent, indicated he wanted to leave the Pelicans.

Johnson said his players are professional enough to handle having heard their names mentioned in trade rumors for Davis.

“Quit making this about thinking these guys are babies, because that’s what you’re treating them like,” said Johnson. “They’re professionals. All of them. This is how this league works.

They know it, I know it. That’s how it goes. So we’ve got to move forward and we are moving forward.” AFP

PH skateboarding team begins SEAG buildup FOCUSED on delivering the goods in the coming Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine skateboarding team under the Go For Gold program will embark on a series of regional tryouts to discover the finest skaters in the country.

Skateboarding and roller sports chief Monty Mendigoria announced yesterday that the search for the most talented Filipino skaters would kick off with the Luzon leg on March 16-17 in Iba, Zambales.

The best from the Visayas region will show up in Cebu City Margielyn Didal goes airborne as she tries new tricks on her skateboard. Go For Gold is looking to discover new skateboarding on April 6-7 where Asian Games gold medalist Margielyn Didal is talent like Didal.

expected to inspire the national team aspirants right in her hometown.

“We feel that Margie and the skateboarding team will become our bright lights in the 2020 Olympics, and hopefully they can bring home our first Olympic gold medal,” said Go For Gold godfather Jeremy Go. The National SEA Games qualifier is scheduled Aug. 2425 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna after the most promising skaters from the south take center stage in the Mindanao leg on May 25-26 in General Santos City.

Aside from targeting majority of the 16 gold medals at stake in

skateboarding in the SEA Games that the Philippines is hosting on Nov. 30-Dec. 11 in Clark, the national skaters are also training their sights on the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

“We will look for the best skaters in the regionals,” said Mendigoria, president of the Skateboarding and Roller Sports Association of the Philippines Inc. “The top three participants from the regionals will get the chance to prove their worth in the national SEA Games qualifying championship,” added Mendigoria, whose team found a very supportive godfather in Go For Gold Philippines.

Business

IN BRIEF SMC set to advance TPLEx land payment

SAN Miguel Corp., through unit Private Infra Development Corp., will advance the payment for the unpaid portion of the properties acquired by the government in connection with the construction of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.

“Our wish is for the situation to be remedied as soon as possible. We will advance the payment for the government.

We understand the plight of the landowners, and also recognize the position of the government,” said San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang. “But we would like to assure them that we are ready to resolve this issue and expedite payment,” he added.

Landowners earlier complained that the government had not fully paid them for their properties. The government said a large part of the problem stemmed from the incomplete documents submitted by claimants, resulting in delays in the review and payment process.

Ang said San Miguel was coordinating with the government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, to quickly resolve all issues and compensate the landowners. Darwin G. Amojelar

Asia Cargo gets ISO certification

TOP logistics company Asia Cargo Container Line Inc. obtained an ISO 9001:2015 certification from TUV Rheinland, signifying its adherence to management standards in providing quality standards to clients and providing a fitting backdrop to its 25th year in the business next month.

Founded by brothers, Armand Ng, the company president, and Richard Ng, the company continues to provide forwarding, warehousing and distribution and complete supply chain work flow throughout the Philippines.

The ISO 9001:2015, the world’s most widely recognized quality management system certification by international standard, was accorded Asia Container Cargo after it instituted an extensive self-assessing, internal auditing, and employee training to enhance the competency of its personnel.

TÜV managing director Tristan Arwen Loveres had Asia Cargo ISO 9001 certified after finding out its customers consistently receive high quality products and services, which in turn brings many benefits, including satisfied management and employees.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

B1

By Jenniffer B. Austria SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, said Monday net income rose 17 percent in 2018 to P32.2 billion from P27.6 billion in 2017 on the double-digit growth of mall and residential revenues.

Consolidated revenues grew 14 percent to P104.1 billion in 2018, while operating income improved 19 percent to P48.3 billion, SM Prime said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

MERALCO AWARDS. Manila Electric Co. and corporate social responsibility arm One Meralco Foundation are among the recipients of top awards at this year’s 54th Anvil Awards organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines at the Grand Ballroom of Marriott Hotel. Meralco and OMF took home two Gold and two Silver Awards. OMF president Jeffrey Tarayao (seventh from left) and Meralco head of public information office Joe Zaldarriaga (sixth from left) lead the winning groups in holding the Anvil trophies.

Investment approvals jumped 91% in January

By Othel V. Campos

I

NVESTMENT approvals jumped 91 percent in January to P97.9 billion from P51.3 billion in the same month last year, the Board of Investments said Monday.

“We are definitely off to a positive start in 2019 and it augurs well for the rest of the year as we aim to cross the uncharted trillion-peso mark in investment approval for the whole year,” said Trade Secretary and BoI chairman Ramon Lopez.

“Given the strong and sustained confidence of domestic and international investors, we hope to make it a yearly record-breaking habit until 2022 and even beyond,” he said.

The approval of power development

projects, especially renewables, led the growth in investments in January with P48.4 billion. The biggest energy investment is the 603-megawatt wind project of Rizal Wind Energy Corp.

The ICT industry received a major boost from Metroworks ICT Construction Inc. which is building P33.1-billion broadband infrastructure.

It also approved Solid Cement Corp.’s P12.5-billion project in Antipolo on the rising demand for cement amid the ongoing ‘Build, Build, Build’ infrastructure program of the government.

Another project is a new hospital worth P849 million being built by Allied Care Experts in Dumaguete City.

Meanwhile, foreign investments approved in January surged 31,903 percent to P10.6 billion from P33.1 million a year ago.

The Netherlands topped all foreign investors, mainly on its investment in the Solid Cement project. Japan ranked second with P202.1 million,

while South Korea placed third with P102.4 million.

“We pick up where we left off as we continue to build and expand the manufacturing base on the back of a robust national industrial policy,” Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo said.

Rodolfo said the manufacturing industry sustained its momentum from last year’s late surge.

Data showed that with the addition of a new cement project and with the P12.5 billion in new projects in January, manufacturing investments soared 34,559 percent from a mere P37.3 million in the same period last year.

Rodolfo said total investments outside the National Capital Region accounted for almost 100 percent or P97.86 billion, further boosting the dispersal of investments.

Calabarzon topped all regions with P60.9 billion in investments, representing a 213-percent increase from P19.4 billion in January 2018.

FDI net inflows fell 3.2% to $9.1b in eleven months

By Julito G. Rada NET inflows of foreign direct investments fell 46 percent in November 2018 to $531 million from $982 million a year ago, dragged down by a drop in net investments in debt instruments, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday.

Data showed that net investments in debt instruments―consisting mainly of inter-company borrowings/lending between foreign direct investors and their subsidiaries/affiliates in the Philippines―amounted to $333 million, down from $724 million in the same month in 2017.

Net investments of equity capital reached $137 million, down 31.9 percent from $202 million worth of net equity capital inflows in November 2017.

“Equity capital placements during the month were sourced largely from Taiwan, the United States, Thailand, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

These investments were channeled mostly to financial and insurance; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply; manufacturing, and real estate activities,” the BSP said.

FDI net inflows in the first 11 months went down 3.2 percent to $9.1 billion from $9.4 billion a year ago.

“The lower net inflows was attributed mainly to the 28.3-percent decline in net investments of equity capital, which reached $2.1 billion in the first eleven months of 2018,” the BSP said.

Equity capital placements in the 11-month period mostly came from Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Japan and China. These were invested mainly in manufacturing, financial and insurance, real estate, arts, entertainment and recreation, and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply activities.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

SM Prime’s profit climbed 17% to a record P32.2b in 2018

NGCP starts P52-b Vis-Min cable link

NATIONAL Grid Corp. of the Philippines started initial works on the P52-billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, an official said Monday.

NGCP regional transmission planning manager Christian Ereno said in a TV interview the project was in the procurement stage.

“We are now in the procurement stage.

In parallel, we are continuing to secure LGU (loal government unit) endorsement and environmental permits. Right-ofway acquisition, we have started negotiations so we can implement the project,” Ereno said.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said the agency was monitoring the construction of MVIP. “We are monitoring NGCP because they gave their own deadline that by December 2020 they will be able to complete it. We want a reliable system and once we have this interconnection, we will have a sense of security,” he said.

NGCP earlier said it was committed to push the project and realize the interconnected transmission network within the deadline. Alena Mae S. Flores

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

INSULAR LIFE’S ANVILS. Insular Life wins two Silver Anvils at the 54th Anvil Awards for its Calendar Set, The Call of the Wild: A Treasury of Amazing Philippine Animals, and the Hackathon: Empowering Employees to Innovate event. Shown during the awarding ceremony at Marriott Hotel are (from left) 54th Anvil Awards chair Paul Michael de Quiros, Public Relations Society of the Philippines board director Ana Ruth Pista, InLife public relations staff Carina Roncesvalles, Karen Plata and Jude Galford, innovation team members Famida Alonto, Jerilee Samaniego, Thea Franchette Heradura and Michael Tobias and PRSP chair Andy Saracho.

Metro Pacific poised to bag P22-b Payatas waste-to-energy deal

A CONSORTIUM led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is expected to bag a P22-billion waste-to-energy project in Payatas, Quezon City.

The local government of Quezon City did not receive other offers challenging the consortium’s proposal on Feb. 4― the deadline for the submission of competing bids.

The Quezon City government’s public-private partnership selection committee endorsed to Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista the proposal of the consortium of Metro Pacific, Covanta Energy Llc. and Macquarie Capital Ltd. A request for the Quezon City Council to grant authority to the mayor in signing the contract with the consortium is seen as the next major step.

The pioneering project involves the

construction of a waste treatment facility with a capacity to convert up to 3,000 metric tons a day of municipal waste into 36 megawatts of electricity.

The output is twice the current electricity requirements of the local government. The concession period covers 35 years.

Once the consortium is awarded the project, the development and construction will take three to four years.

Metro Pacific is pursuing waste-toenergy projects in the country to address issues on solid waste management and increased demand for electricity.

The infrastructure conglomerate earlier said it was looking at creating a portfolio of waste-to-energy facilities with a generating capacity of 300 MW in the coming years.

It is also conducting studies for a

similar waste-to-energy project in Pampanga.

Metro Pacific’s unit Metpower Venture Partners Holdings Inc. signed agreements to design, construct and operate biogas facilities for fresh fruits producer Dole Philippines in November 2018.

The biogas facilities aim to complement Dole Philippines’ existing operation by processing organic fruit waste from its Surallah and Polomolok facilities in South Cotabato and harnessing renewable energy in the form of biogas.

The planned biogas facilities will produce about 50,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy annually to be used by Dole Philippines for power generation and fossil fuel substitute.

Metro Pacific budget P1 billion for the project. Jenniffer B. Austria

“The successes and achievements we are reaping today are the hard work, strategy and partnerships we built five years ago when we consolidated all the key property companies of SM Group under SM Prime. Driven by our goal to deliver more innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, SM Prime is aiming to sustain this growth trajectory in the coming years,” SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said.

Mall revenues rose 11 percent to P59.3 billion in 2018 from P53.2 billion in 2017, as rental income also grew 11 percent to P50.5 billion.

The increase in revenue was led by the rising contribution of rentals from new and expanded malls that SM Prime had 72 malls in the Philippines offering 8.3 million square meters of gross floor area and seven malls in China with 1.3 million sqm of GFA as of end-2018.

SM Prime is set to launch four new malls this year, including SM Center Dagupan, SM City Olongapo Central, SM City Butuan and SM Mindoro Citimall in Zamboanga.

Meanwhile, the residential group under SM Development Corp. posted revenue growth of 22 percent to P36.5 billion in 2018 from P30 billion in 2017. Operating income climbed 38 percent to P12.3 billion from P8.9 billion.

Bloomberry gets P40-b loan to build casino in Quezon City BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp. said Monday two units obtained a P40billion loan to fund a casino project at Vertis North Complex in Quezon City.

Bloomberry said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Sureste Properties Inc. and Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. signed an omnibus loan and security agreement for a 10-year combined loan facility involving P40 billion with seven banks.

“The proceeds of the loan will be used by SPI and BRHI to partially finance the design, construction and development of an integrated hotel and gaming resort located at Vertis North Complex in Quezon City, Metro Manila,” Bloomberry said.

The lenders were Philippine National Bank, BDO Unibank Inc., Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company, Union Bank of the Philippines, Bank of Commerce, China Banking Corp. and Robinsons Bank Corp.

BDO Capital & Investment Corp. acted as the lead arranger and sole book runner for the transaction.

Bloomberry earlier said it would start constructing its second integrated resort and casino project by mid-2019.

The planned mixed-use development with hotel and casino will sit on a 1.5-hectare property within the 45-hectare Vertis North that Bloomberry acquired from the National Housing Authority in 2014.

Bloomberry’s Quezon City operation will cater to the growing mass market in the north.

Led by billionaire and port executive Enrique Razon Jr., Bloomberry operates the $1.2-billion Solaire Resort & Casino, the first integrated destination resort to open in Entertainment City.

Jenniffer B. Austria

B2

Business

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Share prices flat; Petron declines S HARE prices virtually closed flat Monday in listless trading as investors continue to search for a catalyst that could lift the market higher.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 9.35 points, or 0.1 percent, to 8,061.54 on a value turnover of P6 billion. Losers edged, gainers, 108 to 105, with 36 issues unchanged.

Petron Corp., the bigger of the two oil refineries, fell 6.2 percent to P6.75, while Manila Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, dropped 2 percent to P360.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest telecommunications firm, lost 2.5 percent to P1,980, but Premiere Horizon Alliance Corp., a speculative holding

company with interests in mining and property development, surged 16.7 percent to P1.47 The rest of Asian stocks saw gains Monday as US and Chinese officials in Beijing geared up for crunch trade talks aimed at averting fresh tariff escalations.

Mainland Chinese markets reopened higher after the week-long Lunar New Year break despite a series of bearish global growth forecasts, with investor focus squarely on efforts to tackle the trade row.

Top US economic officials will travel to the Chinese capital this week for the third round of talks on Thursday and Friday, but deputies had already arrived and the White House said preparatory discussions were due to begin Monday.

Failure to agree a deal between the two economic superpowers before March 1 would see punitive US duties on $200 billion in Chinese goods more than double.

“There’s a sense of urgency to this round,” said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA. “If no deal is agreed by then, a belligerent President Trump and US Congress will be more than willing to simply extend the trade war so China will need to make the first move if they are to reach a detente,” he added.

Analysts say imposition of the tariffs could weaken the global economy.

US President Donald Trump said last week he does not expect to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping before the deadline expires, quashing some optimism.

But Asian tech stocks tracked a small positive lead on Nasdaq Friday.

Hong Kong was up 0.6 percent in the afternoon session, with social media and gaming giant Tencent seeing healthy gains, along with smartphone component makers such as Sunny Optical Technology and AAC Technologies.

Macau casino shares were also buoyant after strong tourism numbers over the New Year holiday.

Shanghai, reopening after a weeklong break, rose 1.4 percent. Seoul edged up 0.2 percent, but Sydney shed 0.2 percent. Jakarta and Singapore also posted losses.

Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund warned governments to prepare for a possible economic “storm” as growth forecasts dip.

It cited the trade row as one of four “clouds” overshadowing the global economy, along with Brexit uncertainty, the accelerated slowdown in China and financial tightening.

“The bottom-line—we see an economy that is growing more slowly than we had anticipated,” IMF managing director Christine Lagarde told the World Government Summit in Dubai at the weekend. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 59 4,500 90.65 1,832,810 2.26 38,000 138 3,545,890 1.51 162,000 28 82,500 7.59 600 17.1 13,700 13.46 780,700 4.74 294,000 1.44 3,000 0.485 400,000 82.3 1,585,070 1.22 4,746,000 49 263,300 186 1,300 59.5 3,820 26.35 51,300 180 567,670 1,795 45 64 41,030

265,500 167,439,546 85,950 489,952,417 242,050 2,310,440 4,554 233,160 10,527,498 1,390,120 4,320 192,350 130,632,635 5,783,860 12,898,200 242,156 225,660 1,354,335 102,280,966 80,775 2,624,769

-60,438,164.50 6,780 12,613,876 -566,000 1,710 -91,576 1,095,964.50 -733,690 13,068 5,905 49,465 7,607,344 -998,203

37.1 16.34 1.06 1.39 0.247 82.6 2.38 16.3 126.8 29.85 16.4 41.5 64 72 1.83 6.1 6.7 11.7 15.82 8.25 7.63 1.58 20.75 72.9 26.85 3.16 9.6 12.5 1.78 314.8 28.3 3.24 15.02 27.25 12.74 18.3 360 0.217 6.15 1.46 3.73 6.75 9 1.31 10.92 46.25 6 2.1 1.4 12.9 93.15 6.26 0.132 1 146.2 2.58 1.75 1.38

INDUSTRIAL 37.55 763,000 16.48 411,100 1.11 19,153,000 1.41 1,103,000 0.255 7,920,000 96.5 630 2.4 26,390,000 16.52 662,600 137.6 170 29.85 121,200 16.8 7,900 41.5 2,100 70 5,190 80 1,550 1.91 3,155,000 6.38 1,200 6.85 34,400 11.7 3,601,700 16 801,900 8.45 383,000 7.67 76,000 1.66 129,000 21.2 3,969,900 73 92,790 27.35 8,100 3.19 15,237,000 9.68 1,499,800 12.6 1,306,800 1.88 2,055,000 314.8 434,150 28.3 100 3.24 15,000 16.3 1,470,100 27.3 1,298,100 12.78 4,216,200 18.4 4,683,900 360 191,920 0.235 41,390,000 6.18 3,200 1.46 22,060,000 3.73 76,000 6.75 33,112,400 9.36 33,900 1.32 12,300,000 11.3 338,200 47 793,700 6 2,000 2.13 375,000 1.41 159,000 13 162,800 95.5 181,180 6.4 35,100 0.139 2,900,000 1.02 126,000 147 975,470 2.63 75,000 1.78 3,502,000 1.39 2,211,000

28,656,935 6,783,900 21,103,650 1,545,210 2,001,240 58,150 64,392,130 10,937,290 22,483 3,624,180 131,136 87,150 348,467.50 117,623 5,957,390 7,600 232,526 42,231,986 12,834,846 3,232,368 587,207 228,190 84,009,905 6,774,036 219,035 48,769,930 14,540,100 16,655,908 3,819,410 137,217,084 2,830 48,700 28,696,442 35,550,300 53,854,380 85,791,424 69,539,786 10,018,400 19,725 33,318,840 283,480 228,312,231 307,260 16,248,510 3,720,622 37,373,430 12,000 794,980 225,600 2,111,858 17,126,566.50 220,866 398,830 128,360 143,910,779 194,350 6,203,870 3,094,090

-5,722,350 76,088 -254,950 -5,807,100 4,186,686 -253,905 87,150 18,400 6,165 -23,487,644 5,203,484 -352,130 409,609 4,129,005 95,865.00 1,644,530.00 5,985,310 -68,024 -49,756,210 -302,710 -24,295,975 -1,394,140 2,626,220 -47,276,730 -47,100 -5,720,890 -29,840 -41,991,480 56,160 -827,540 -19,606,465 -12,000 7,050 1,769,546 -84,734.50 -10,846 2,710 34,650,560.00 -54,800 -186,700

0.81 62.5 13.78 0.8 6.5 24.6 1.43 1.43 928 7.45 12.26 12.8 4.98 0.232 1,080 6.03 65.4 5.1 0.62 5.37 15.42 0.57 4.91 0.039 1.18 2.77 163.1 999.5 0.77 1.36 441.4 273 0.255 0.33

HOLDING FIRMS 0.82 44,362,000 64 864,930 13.96 4,567,600 0.85 9,000 6.5 13,000 24.6 399,500 1.44 4,292,000 1.43 746,000 929 166,620 7.53 650,500 12.3 5,534,100 12.98 604,800 4.99 7,000 0.24 810,000 1,090 32,420 6.03 21,500 66.1 856,290 5.4 7,100 0.63 1,536,000 5.38 561,500 15.7 1,368,400 0.58 772,000 4.93 10,199,000 0.041 3,200,000 1.18 132,000 2.77 1,053,000 166 209,100 1,000 80,380 0.77 8,000 1.39 125,000 442 70 280 1,780 0.26 4,360,000 0.35 35,130,000

36,701,480 55,181,420.50 63,808,732 7,300 84,500 10,038,325 6,172,280 1,072,730 156,051,490 4,904,146 68,185,616 7,815,686 34,920 189,110 35,265,990 131,445 56,536,847 37,563 968,690 3,029,628 21,413,298 455,810 50,296,640 127,900 155,780 2,934,340 34,626,711 80,472,450 6,160 170,830 32,834 494,986 1,123,150 12,293,250

43,580 -10,541,560 -99,620 84,500 -50,160 798,930 -2,069,770 -534,429 8,575,106 822,082 37,785 21,323,647 -641,390 646,190 14,510,300 3,610,850 -40,000 -142,290 -4,270,783 -11,043,727.50 -10,000 -264,480.00 -375,400

37,049,462 2,827,280 29,916 464,710 2,611,790 235,709,890 1,775,370 2,247,030 51,852 29,006,500 1,720 10,700 746,400 479,500 3,849,556 27,473,200 124,840 10,320 24,516,560 1,565,670 55,580,075 6,551,400 596,300 16,542,050 182,000 1,688,920 63,963,935

-363,618 5,670 178,480 15,565,965 101,900 -654,950 -60,780 9,380,610 -11,610,350 365,300 19,371,116 -152,200 -620,600 23,000 6,424,970

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

59 92 2.28 139.9 1.53 28 7.59 17 13.56 4.8 1.44 0.475 83.8 1.21 48.9 186.8 59.4 26.1 179 1,795 63.8

59 92.7 2.28 140.5 1.55 28.2 7.59 17.1 13.6 4.8 1.44 0.485 83.8 1.22 49.25 186.8 59.5 26.5 182.1 1,795 64

59 90.65 2.26 138 1.46 27.75 7.59 17 13.28 4.68 1.44 0.475 82.2 1.21 48.85 185.5 58 26.1 178.6 1,795 63.8

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CHEMPHIL CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A 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 MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PANASONIC PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHINMA ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP ROXAS AND CO SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

37.9 16.5 1.07 1.39 0.255 97 2.48 16.44 138.3 30 17 41.5 72.1 88 1.85 6.1 6.74 11.74 16.14 8.32 7.63 1.58 20.75 73.1 26.85 3.21 9.8 12.88 1.78 317 28.3 3.26 20.05 27.35 12.74 18.44 367.2 0.22 6.15 1.55 3.73 7.2 9 1.33 11.18 47.85 6 2.15 1.42 13 95.5 6.3 0.132 1 146.3 2.58 1.75 1.4

38 16.6 1.14 1.41 0.265 97 2.54 16.54 138.3 30 17 41.5 72.1 88.45 1.94 6.38 6.95 11.76 16.14 8.6 7.78 1.92 21.4 73.45 27.35 3.27 9.8 13.3 1.88 320 28.3 3.26 22.8 27.5 12.86 18.48 367.6 0.27 6.18 1.57 3.73 7.2 9.36 1.34 11.3 48.25 6 2.15 1.44 13 95.5 6.4 0.14 1.03 148.5 2.63 1.79 1.43

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 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

0.86 63 13.78 0.8 6.5 26.3 1.44 1.44 932 7.5 12.4 12.98 4.98 0.236 1,095 6.18 65.7 5.49 0.66 5.4 15.62 0.57 4.95 0.04 1.18 2.8 165 1,010 0.77 1.37 500 275 0.265 0.34

0.87 64.5 14.2 0.85 6.5 26.8 1.45 1.45 943 7.57 12.46 13 4.99 0.24 1,095 6.19 66.1 5.5 0.66 5.47 15.88 0.6 4.96 0.041 1.19 2.83 166 1,010 0.77 1.39 500 280 0.265 0.365

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 PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

10.5 0.81 11.08 1.84 0.9 45 2.54 4.1 6.4 0.48 0.86 0.9 0.248 0.405 10.1 23.9 0.52 0.129 1.58 1.26 5.29 0.435 0.45 2.26 0.47 3.09 21.75

11.26 0.82 11.08 1.84 0.93 45.2 2.57 4.2 6.42 0.52 0.86 0.9 0.255 0.425 10.34 24.15 0.52 0.129 1.61 1.27 5.29 0.445 0.455 2.33 0.475 3.21 23

10.48 0.79 11.08 1.79 0.89 44.8 2.5 4.08 6.4 0.475 0.86 0.89 0.248 0.4 10.1 23 0.5 0.129 1.56 1.25 5.23 0.43 0.445 2.26 0.46 3.08 21.75

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

2.02 3.13 39 1.4 6.17 0.71 6.48

2.03 3.15 39.4 1.46 6.45 0.71 6.48

2.01 3.13 38.95 1.4 6.12 0.71 6.38

2.01 3.15 39.3 1.4 6.22 0.71 6.39

286,000 505,000 5,017,300 2,975,000 1,332,500 20,000 4,970,400

578,280 1,584,870 196,994,585 4,196,160 8,387,469 14,200 31,809,051

-2,010.00 3,140 133,866,025 98,000 10,096 -2,927,583

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC DISCOVERY WORLD EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PAXYS PH RESORTS GRP 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

13.4 23.95 1.35 0.485 0.042 15.28 3.22 12.2 0.065 91 8.39 6.8 7.7 2.05 16.14 893 2,020 5.81 350 11.12 2.85 1.91 113 11.2 7.21 0.129 6.52 3.13 15.7 3.35 0.81 19.48 0.37 2.75 2.11 2.09 3.31 9.38 12.8 3.55 6.22 132.1 3.18 1,240 1.01 1.28 48.25 88 8.25 2.39 0.78 0.45 5.56 0.77 14.62

13.8 24.05 1.35 0.485 0.043 15.74 3.22 12.2 0.068 91 8.39 6.8 7.7 2.05 16.14 896 2,040 5.82 359 12.48 2.87 1.99 117.7 11.3 7.21 0.135 6.62 3.27 16.5 3.38 0.81 19.5 0.54 2.87 2.15 2.09 3.35 9.38 13.5 3.55 6.32 133 3.19 1,247 1.03 1.48 48.25 89.4 8.55 2.45 0.8 0.46 5.56 0.78 14.66

13.34 23.2 1.31 0.465 0.041 15 3.03 11.76 0.065 86 8.39 6.54 7.57 2.05 15 890 1,980 5.76 343.4 11.12 2.84 1.91 113 10.82 7 0.127 6.35 3.11 15.02 3.26 0.8 19.04 0.37 2.72 2.08 2.09 3.2 9.3 12.7 3.4 6.2 130.1 3.05 1,210 1 1.28 47.95 86 8.23 2.37 0.76 0.445 5.52 0.74 14.5

SERVICES 13.34 23.2 1.31 0.48 0.043 15 3.07 12 0.065 86 8.39 6.56 7.57 2.05 15.58 896 1,980 5.76 359 12.48 2.85 1.99 114.7 10.82 7.2 0.135 6.38 3.2 15.02 3.37 0.8 19.04 0.54 2.79 2.08 2.09 3.24 9.3 13.1 3.49 6.32 133 3.14 1,216 1.01 1.47 48 86 8.52 2.4 0.77 0.45 5.55 0.77 14.62

50,800 150,000 53,000 5,320,000 16,700,000 7,400 2,209,000 22,252,500 51,020,000 136,960 100 1,439,100 50,000 40,000 351,000 70 36,970 224,100 6,280 1,200 562,000 56,000 2,271,840 5,000 17,100 5,090,000 7,200,300 63,000 22,700 804,000 35,000 1,638,600 15,360,000 5,410,000 298,000 2,000 2,135,000 46,900 347,600 140,000 213,500 2,620 2,159,000 92,985 11,468,000 192,159,000 562,500 26,950 1,187,900 13,152,000 15,912,000 18,860,000 218,400 12,568,000 3,468,600

682,744 3,537,525 69,990 2,528,050 694,100 112,782 6,850,510 266,049,802 3,370,820 12,052,008.50 839 9,509,815 384,120 82,000 5,393,314 62,510 73,848,505 1,295,432 2,207,242 14,000 1,604,750 109,690 261,537,770 55,720 121,230 665,060 46,366,411 198,330 358,916 2,665,040 28,020 31,531,942 7,898,500 15,198,450 627,050 4,180 7,011,950 437,015 4,550,428 476,710 1,334,708 343,909 6,675,950 113,367,150 11,606,300 267,234,440 27,058,510 2,372,720 10,027,825 31,524,180 12,310,050 8,517,600 1,210,413 9,531,990 50,731,566

9,380 10,480 -35,240 27,404,554 20,400 -5,430,711 -1,620,580 66,626 -24,660,295 27,520 -24,000,594 -6,625,528 -62,800 215,550 2,572,976.00 1,608,990 -91,540 38,400 10,260 269,976 24,720 -21,132,940 69,000 -9,371,370 9,669,490 1,625,744 62,510 1,572,820 -209,300 -544,263 -514,360 22,414,922

4,822,700 2,712,050 239,280 37,544 21,750 588,820 90,000 44,125 2,772,330 2,316,550 198,190 24,800 24,800 1,367,840 29,153,690 464,000 2,017,380 397,770 43,700 481,300 510,400 23,765,470 8,409,584 18,102,505 217,800

220,000 395,170 60,000 302,440 6,300 1,481,870 -1,851,230 -1,276,770 -11,377,955 -

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 11 0.79 11.08 1.84 0.92 44.9 2.5 4.2 6.42 0.52 0.86 0.89 0.25 0.415 10.2 23 0.5 0.129 1.56 1.26 5.23 0.435 0.455 2.3 0.465 3.16 23

3,395,400 3,540,000 2,700 258,000 2,860,000 5,238,400 700,000 542,000 8,100 57,370,000 2,000 12,000 2,980,000 1,160,000 376,100 1,167,200 249,000 80,000 15,555,000 1,242,000 10,552,600 15,070,000 1,320,000 7,210,000 390,000 538,000 2,818,400

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A 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 PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0022 1.55 3.1 13 1.45 2.12 0.3 8.23 1.52 0.32 0.128 0.13 0.0083 1.15 2.85 1.15 0.69 1.01 0.013 0.013 3.6 4.42 14.06 23.6 0.0078

0.0023 1.56 3.1 13.5 1.45 2.12 0.3 8.5 1.52 0.335 0.13 0.132 0.0083 1.2 2.85 1.15 0.79 1.03 0.013 0.013 3.6 4.46 14.2 23.7 0.0084

0.0021 1.55 2.96 13 1.45 2.1 0.3 8.21 1.48 0.31 0.127 0.13 0.0082 1.08 2.68 1.1 0.69 1.01 0.012 0.012 3.5 4.26 14 23.5 0.0078

MINING & OIL 0.0023 2,187,000,000 1.56 1,746,000 3.01 80,000 13.48 2,800 1.45 15,000 2.11 279,000 0.3 300,000 8.37 5,300 1.48 1,862,000 0.31 7,280,000 0.129 1,540,000 0.132 190,000 0.0082 3,000,000 1.14 1,185,000 2.7 10,623,000 1.14 415,000 0.78 2,599,000 1.02 389,000 0.013 3,400,000 0.012 40,100,000 3.5 145,000 4.29 5,476,000 14.02 599,000 23.55 768,100 0.0079 27,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H

20.6 474.8 498 98.4 104.5 5.7 900 96 0.99 971 990 75.45 76 75 73 73.5

20.85 475 498 98.4 104.5 5.8 900 96.1 0.99 971 991 75.5 76.3 75 74 73.5

20.6 474.8 498 98.4 104.5 5.7 900 96 0.98 971 990 75.45 76 75 73 73.5

PREFERRED 20.75 69,700 475 430 498 220 98.4 100 104.5 950 5.8 65,000 900 140 96 5,950 0.98 1,000,000 971 50 991 1,980 75.5 600 76.3 1,880 75 3,700 73.5 32,050 73.5 9,170

1,441,515 204,244 109,560 9,840 99,275 371,340 126,000 571,206 988,160 48,550 1,960,680 45,276.50 142,956 277,500 2,350,150 673,995

19,800 -

LR WARRANT

1.97

1.97

1.93

WARRANTS 1.95 116,000

225,300

-

3,778,230 268,581,770

-4,213,570

311,566

5,980

16,860 86,700

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.63 1.84

4.65 2.33

4.48 1.81

FIRST METRO ETF

119.6

120.3

119.6

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.1 10.2

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

10.4 10.2

SHARES

14,636,072

INDUSTRIAL

231,977,333

HOLDING FIRMS

122,743,119

PROPERTY

155,612,367

SERVICES

415,336,496

MINING & OIL

2,296,231,846

GRAND TOTAL

3,365,548,658

10.1 10.2

4.49 2.3

SME

836,000 128,162,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 119.6 2,600 10.4 10.2

DDS

1,650 8,500

VALUE 1,833.07 (DOWN) 14.32 968,102,926.56 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,618.40 (DOWN) 59.77 1,573,871,531.66 HOLDING FIRMS 8,042.54 (UP) 9.54 714,864,071.74 PROPERTY 4,032.10 (UP) 34.25 1,602.11 (DOWN) 17.23 1,009,949,074.01 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,608.33 (DOWN) 131.29 1,363,636,530.455 PSEI 8,061.54 (DOWN) 9.35 98,843,409.1175 All Shares Index 4,892.48 (DOWN) 3.84 6,001,969,018.87 Gainers: 105; Losers: 108; Unchanged: 36; Total: 249

AC Energy, Phinma sign P6.05-b sale agreement

By Alena Mae S. Flores AC ENERGY Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., signed with Phinma Corp. and Philippine Investment Management Inc. an agreement on Feb. 8 to acquire a combined 68.46-percent stake in Phinma Energy Corp. P6.052 billion.

AC Energy said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed the investment agreement to purchase the combined 51.48-percent stake of Phinma and PHI in PHEN through a secondary share sale for approximately P3.42 billion, based on the valuation date as of December 31, 2018.

AC Energy will subscribe to approximately 2.632 billion PHEN primary shares equivalent to a 26.25-percent stake at a par value of P1 apiece.

“The transaction will increase AC Energy’s attributable generation capacity by 240 MW and will increase its portfolio for its retail electricity supply business,” parent Ayala Corp. said in its disclosure.

“This transaction is an important step for AC Energy to achieve 5 gigawatts of renewables by 2025. The Phinma Energy platform has significant operating and developmental renewable energy assets, and its large diesel capacity will complement the scaling up of AC Energy’s renewable projects,” it said.

The price consideration is based on an implied equity value of P6.65 billion, subject to adjustments.

The consideration was determined after an evaluation of several offers received by PHEN’s parent company, Philippine Investment Management Inc., assisted by its financial adviser, ING Philippines.

The sale will have to go through required regulatory approvals from the Philippine Competition Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission and the Philippine Stock Exchange.

AC Energy will also have to conduct a mandatory tender offer to acquire the shares of all PHEN shareholders. The deal will require the consent of the creditors of PHEN, Phinma and PHI. “PHI and Phinma will cause PHN to approve the issuance of 2,632,000,000 new PHEN shares at par,” Phinma said in a separate disclosure.

BDO subsidiary buys Pandi rural bank in Bulacan

By Julito G. Rada BDO Unibank Inc., the country’s biggest lender controlled by the Sy family, said Monday unit One Network Bank Inc. acquired Rural Bank of Pandi in an attempt to gain stronger presence in Bulacan and Central Luzon.

BDO said in a statement Monday One Network signed an agreement with Rural Bank of Pandi Inc. to purchase the latter’s banking business in Bulacan.

“The transaction is seen to provide ONB a stronger presence in the province and fast-track its expansion in Central Luzon, one of the most progressive areas in the country,” the bank said.

The Andres and Santos families founded Rural Bank of Pandi in 1967 and transformed it into one of the bestperforming rural banks with a strong SME presence in the province of Bulacan, where it currently has 12 branches.

“The transaction is still subject to closing conditions and applicable regulatory approvals,” BDO said.

BDO has been expanding its presence nationwide in a bid to seize growth opportunities in the regions.

BDO completed the acquisition of the Mindanao-based One Network in 2015 under a share swap deal. The universal bank acquired 99.95 percent of the outstanding capital of One Network.

Bank officials said earlier the acquisition of ONB expanded the regional presence of BDO in the country, particularly in its target market in the southern Philippines and opened up business lines for BDO. ONB has 98 branches focused in the Mindanao region.

BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services.

It has one of the largest distribution networks, with over 1,200 operating branches and 4,000 ATMs nationwide.

It also has full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 23 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

B3

World

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF 40 years since revolution in Iran

ARRIVAL. Singer Joy Villa arrives for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards on February 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. AFP

Virginia blackface row evokes painful past RICHMOND―Can a politician be forgiven for racist behavior from the past?

What if that behavior evoked the darkest chapters of American history, from slavery to segregation?

That’s a question the state of Virginia has been grappling with since last week when its governor, Ralph Northam, was caught up in a row over blackface: the crude caricaturing of African Americans as a means of entertaining white people since the minstrel shows of the 1830s.

The 59-year-old Democrat is refusing to resign over a yearbook photograph showing a person in blackface and another wearing Ku Klux Klan robes—denying either was him.

The scandal exploded into a fullblown crisis for Virginia’s Democrats after two women came forward to accuse Northam’s deputy Justin Fairfax of sexual assault, while the next in line for the top job, Attorney General Mark Herring, admitted to engaging in blackface in college, too.

With no resolution in sight, Republicans have been rubbing their hands at the prospect of gains in the key swing state.

“African Americans are very angry at the double standard on full display in Virginia!” President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday, with barely concealed glee.

But most crucially for James “JJ” Minor, president of the Richmond chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the episode has forced a new reckoning with the state’s painful legacy.

“Black face is dehumanizing, it’s evil,” Minor, who is black, told AFP in an interview at the state capital’s railway station in the Shockoe Bottom district, once home to a booming slave auction industry that featured in the film “12 Years a Slave.”

The Northam episode, he said, has shown “that Sweet Old Dixie is still around”—a nickname for the Southern states of the Confederate era.

Sometimes known as the “Cradle of America,” Virginia was home to four of the country’s first five presidents.

But it was also one of the most significant regions for the Atlantic slave trade, the main battleground of the mid-19th century Civil War that was fought over slavery, and later one of the states most resistant to the civil rights movement that brought an end to segregation. AFP

Guaido warns military against blocked US aid C ARACAS― Opposition leader Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 countries as Venezuela’s interim president, warned the military Sunday that blocking humanitarian aid from entering the country is a “crime against humanity.”

The warning comes as international aid has taken center stage in a test of wills between Guaido and President Nicolas Maduro in which Venezuela’s armed forces are seen as the pivotal player.

Medicine and food sent by the United States has been blocked for three days on the border in Cucuta, Colombia after Venezuelan soldiers closed a bridge linking the two countries.

On the Venezuelan side of the border, dozens of doctors protested Sunday demanding the aid be allowed in—including surgeon Jose Luis Mateus de la Riva, who accused Maduro of sinking Venezuelan medicine back to the “medieval era.”

“There are people responsible for this

and the regime should know it,” Guaido said after attending Sunday mass with his wife and 20-month-old baby. “This a crime against humanity, men of the armed forces.”

Accusing those blocking aid of being “almost genocidal,” he likewise warned that the military would be held responsible for the deaths of protesters—and reaffirmed his call for a mass march on Tuesday in memory of the estimated 40 people killed in disturbances since January 21.

Guaido has offered amnesty for any members of the armed forces who disavows Maduro—but the military leadership still publicly backs the president.

On Sunday, the Venezuelan military announced it had started conducting exercises, set to run until February 15 across the country, to “reinforce the country’s defensive capacity.”

Maduro has rejected humanitarian aid as a US ploy to intervene in Venezuela, calling the deployment of aid a “political show” and blaming US sanctions for the country’s widespread shortages of food and medicine.

Guaido countered that the regime was refusing to acknowledge a “crisis that they themselves generated,” while Venezuelans were working to deal with the humanitarian emergency.

Speaking to AFP Friday, Guaido

vowed to do “whatever necessary” to “stop the usurpation” of power and “save lives”—without ruling out the possibility of authorizing foreign intervention.

And on Sunday, he said hundreds of volunteers had signed up over the weekend to help bring aid into Venezuela— with further shipments set to arrive in neighboring Brazil and on a Caribbean island.

Suffering the worst crisis of its modern history, Venezuelans have had to grapple with life-threatening scarcities amid eye-popping levels of hyperinflation that have rendered salaries and savings worthless.

According to the United Nations, some 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015.

But Guaido on Sunday reiterated that he would not negotiate with Maduro— as he believes Maduro would use such talks to buy himself time.

“Democracy is closer than ever before, the future is ours,” he said.

An international Contact Group, made up of European and Latin American countries, called for snap presidential elections following a meeting in Montevideo this week.

But Maduro, who has asked Pope Francis to act as a mediator, rejected what he said was “bias” by the group. AFP

Toxic alcohol kills at least 99 in India NEW DELHI―At least 99 people have died and scores have been hospitalized in northern India after drinking toxic alcohol, triggering a crackdown against bootleggers, officials said Monday.

News of the deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has trickled in over the past three days, with police suspecting the moonshine had been cut with methanol.

Cheap, locally-made liquor is common in parts of rural India and bootleggers often add methanol―a highly toxic form of alcohol sometimes used as an anti-freeze―to their product to increase its strength.

If ingested in large quantities, methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and death.

In one district of Uttar Pradesh 59 people had died after consuming toxic alcohol, police spokesman Shailendra Kumar Sharma told AFP. In a neighboring district a senior police officer said nine had died, adding that 66 suspected bootleggers had been arrested and samples of the liquor sent to a laboratory for testing.

Police said at least 31 people died in neighboring Uttarakhand state and that two had been arrested on suspicion of supplying the liquor.

Newspaper reports said around 3,000 people linked with the illegal trade were arrested across Uttar Pradesh in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Hundreds of poor people die every year in India due to alcohol poisoning, mostly from consuming cheap alcohol. AFP

Neeson fights to save career after scandal

ROYALS. This handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on February 10, 2019, shows Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince. AFP

Writer Salman Rushdie turns from fatwa fugitive to free speech hero PARIS―On February 14, 1989 Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for British writer Salman Rushdie to be killed for writing “The Satanic Verses”, which the cleric said insulted Islam.

In a fatwa, or religious decree, Khomeini urged “Muslims of the world rapidly to execute the author and the publishers of the book” so that “no one will any longer dare to offend the sacred values of Islam.”

Khomeini, who was 89 and had just four months to live, added that anyone who was killed trying to carry out the death sentence should be considered a “martyr” who would go to paradise.

A $2.8-million bounty was put on the writer’s head.

TEHRAN―Thousands of Iranians gathered Monday in central Tehran to mark 40 years since the Islamic revolution, a political earthquake that ended millenia of monarchy and still reverberates around the region.

Traffic was diverted from roads leading up to Azadi (freedom) square ahead of a march to remember the day in 1979 when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ousted the shah’s last government.

Stalls set up by state institutions handed out tea and cakes and choirs sang revolutionary songs, as crowds massed despite driving rain.

Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles lined the route in a statement of defiance at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.

The event Monday is the culmination of official celebrations called the “10 Day Dawn” that mark the period between February 1, 1979 and February 11 when the revolution’s leader Khomeini returned from exile and toppled the monarchy.

The state has played up this year’s anniversary as 40 is symbolic of maturity in the Islamic tradition and the age at which Prophet Mohammed received revelations from God. But despite the official festivities today’s Islamic republic faces acute economic challenges as it struggles with a mix of domestic hardships and US sanctions. AFP

The British government immediately granted police protection to Rushdie, an atheist born in India to non-practising Muslims.

For almost 13 years he moved between s afe houses under the pseudonym of Joseph Anton, changing base 56 times in the first six months.

“I am gagged and imprisoned,” he recalled writing in his diary in his 2012 memoir, “Joseph Anton”.

“I can’t even speak. I want to kick a football in a park with my son. Ordinary, banal life: my impossible dream.”

Viking Penguin published “The Satanic Verses” in September 1988 to critical acclaim.

The book is set by turns in the London of Conservative British prime minister

Margaret Thatcher and ancient Mecca, Islam’s holiest site.

It centres on the adventures of two Indian actors, Gibreel and Saladin, whose hijacked plane explodes over the English Channel.

They re-emerge on an English beach and mix with immigrants in London, the story unfolding in surreal sequences reflecting Rushdie’s magic realism style.

The book was deemed blasphemous and sacrilegious by many Muslims including over references to verses alleged by some scholars to have been an early version of the Koran and later removed.

These verses allow for prayers to be made to three pagan goddesses, contrary to Islam’s strict belief that

there is only one God. Controversially, Rushdie writes of the involvement of a prophet resembling the founder of Islam, Mohammed.

This prophet is tricked into striking a deal with Satan in which he exchanges some of his monotheistic dogmatism in favour of the three goddesses. He then realises his error.

Khomeini and others insist he had depicted the prophet irreverently.

In October 1988 Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi banned the import of the book, hoping to win Muslim support ahead of elections. Some 20 countries went on to outlaw it.

In January 1989 Muslims in Britain’s northern city of Bradford burned copies in public. AFP

NEW YORK―After sparking a scandal by recalling a racist episode from his distant past, actor Liam Neeson is now battling to save his career―a task experts predict will be difficult but not impossible.

More than 40 years ago, Neeson recently told The Independent of London, he was enraged to learn of a friend’s rape by a man she said was black.

In a candid interview he recounted how he spent days roaming city streets, a bludgeon in hand, looking for a “black bastard” he could “kill.”

His unvarnished words sent shock waves across the media landscape, and while he went on to apologize― insisting he was “not racist”―far from everyone was satisfied.

For the black director Ava DuVernay, whose films “Selma” and “13th” explored episodes in America’s racially fraught history, Neeson symbolizes a sort of “white privilege” that will tolerate actions that would not be accepted from a black man.

“Imagine if this was Will Smith,” she tweeted.

In the flareup of reaction on social media, some posters demanded that Neeson’s scenes in the upcoming film “Men in Black: International” be reshot with another actor.

“Don’t be surprised if someone doesn’t want to work with you,” actress Regina King told The Independent.

“Bad actions tend to be more damaging than bad words,” said Joseph Cabosky, a University of North Carolina professor who specializes in public relations. AFP

LGUs

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

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Palace declares Feb. 13 holiday in Parañaque

By Joel E. Zurbano MALACAÑANG has declared Feb. 13, Wednesday, as a non-working holiday in the City of Parañaque, which is celebrating its 21st cityhood anniversary.

“It is but fitting and proper that the City of Parañaque be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies,” said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who signed Proclamation 665 on behalf of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the city will be celebrating the occasion with an ecumenical service, medical and dental missions, the Sunduan Exhibit, Run and Zumba, Lambat Festival and Fireworks display at SM City Sucat.

These activities from Feb. 7 to 13 include Drum and Lyre competition, Interpretative Dance contest, Street Dance Kids challenge and pageant night of Gandang Mamita and BB Paranaque 2019 will be held on Feb. 10.

In the afternoon on Feb. 12, Olivarez will deliver his 6th State of the City Address highlighting the present financial status of the city government including the settlement this year of the P1 billion loans to the Land Bank of the Philippines incurred by the previous administration.

For the first time in the history of the city, the coffer has now cash in bank amounting P1.1 billion under general fund while the special education fund reached P1 billion and the calamity fund is now P400 million as of December 2018.

After his speech, the top ten outstanding taxpayers in 2018 and the “Katangitanging Paranaqueno 21019” will be announced.

In 2015, the city government launched its new theme and campaign slogan as it gears towards becoming one of the best and most dynamic cities in the Philippines.

Paranaque is now called the “Bay City” with the slogan “Life Never Stops” aiming to be the country’s top tourist and entertainment destination with the rise of numerous world-class hotel resorts and leisure facilities in the area.

SHOW OF STRENGTH. Governors of the Calabarzon region raise hands with Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go (third from left) as they endorse the former special assistant of President Duterte for senator during a gathering at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City over the weekend. From left with Go are Batangas Gov. Hermilando ‘Dodo’ Ingco Mandanas, Rizal Gov. Rebecca ‘Nini’ Ynarez, Quezon Gov. David Suarez, Cavite Gov. Crispin Remulla and Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez. Manny Palmero

Tussle over Malayao’s effects gets political

By Brenda Jocson

B

AYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya―A former police chief of Aritao town here claims relatives and associates of Randy Malayao had “politically harassed” him to surrender the personal effects and equipment of the slain National Democratic Front consultant.

Police Chief Inspector Geovanni Cejes said a certain Atty. Edu Balgos and his wife, Rina, have “threatened and intimidated me by telling me they will have me summoned to Congress for investigation” if he didn’t give them the personal effects, six cellphones and laptop computer of Malayao, who was murdered on Jan. 30 inside a bus.

“They [Balgos couple] are saying I am violating the human rights of Randy Malayao. How about my human rights too?

Don’t I have any, that’s why this couple politically harassed me?” Cejes said in

a press conference organized by Senior Supt. Richard Quilang of the Police Regional Office 2.

The police officer has already filed charges last Thursday against the Balgos couple and Perla Malayao Upano― Randy’s sister―for grave threats, grave coercion, and obstruction of justice at the provincial prosecutor’s office here.

Upano had managed to take Malayao’s equipment from police custody, then said her family was no longer interested in pursuing his brother’s case.

The Standard learned that Rina Bal-

gos works unofficially as the executive assistant of Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, and is privy to all the legislator’s business in the House of Representatives and in the province.

Mrs. Balgos is frequently seen publicly with Cuaresma and sometimes acts on her behalf, although it is uncertain if this is on an official capacity.

Sources also told the Standard that Rep. Cuaresma had met with Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano and Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde because the Malayao family had refused to return the communist consultant’s effects to PNP PRO2.

The Standard could not reach Rep. Cuaresma’s office for comment at presstime.

According to Cejes, Rina “even ordered us to halt all our initial investigation on the said gadgets [of Malayao] and quizzed us as to why we had conducted investigations on them, and questioned all that have proceeded during its course.”

Troopers Cainta food chain opens doors to millennials, bike riders

DEBT FREE. Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez raises the certificate of confirmation

from Land Bank of the Philippines that the city government has fully settled P1 billion in loans last Jan. 16. The loan was used to build the Parañaque City Hall Annex, which was left unfinished by the city’s previous administration in 2013. With the mayor are Parañaque Rep. Eric Olivarez and Councilor Binky Favis

TROOPERS Cainta, a food outlet which specializes in steak, ribs, burger and pasta, has opened its doors to millennials and motorcycle riders including subdivision residents in the first class town.

The outlet, seventh to carry that name in the outlying towns of the metropolis, was blessed recently by Fr. Jaime Padilla, parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in the town’s Brookside Hills subdivision, with the ceremonial ribbon cutting led by Cainta municipal administrator Angel Talaga.

The food chain’s franchise holder is the Biscayne Food Corp., managed by five directors led by Engr. Theresita Rose, chairman, and lawyer Ernesto Lawenko, corporate secretary.

Rose told the Manila Standard that the food chain, between kilometer posts 18 and 19 along Ortigas Avenue, hopes to attract the millennials, motorcycle riders and residents of nearby subdivisions.

Millennials are also called “echo boomers” due to a major surge in birth rates in the 1980s and 1990s, and because millennials are often the children of the baby boomers, the generation generally marked by an increased use and familiarity withy communications, media and digital technologies.

Rose, a chemical engineer by profession, told the Manila Standard they were hoping to attract their expected clientele, particularly since “the prices are very affordable.”

Caloocan PESO lauded as best in Metro Manila

By Jun David THE Department of Labor and Employment once again awarded the Caloocan City’s Public Employment Services Office during the 2018 Search for Best Performing PESO in the National Capital Region.

The City Government of Caloocan got the awards for Best Career Guidance and Employment Coaching and Best Prompt SPES Payment.

DOLE cited the city government’s “valuable contributions in providing relevant information that steered the youth towards the right career path and high employability” and for its “timely submission of reports that immediately facilitated the payment of the DOLE 40-percent share in the salaries of the SPES beneficiaries.”

On behalf of Mayor Oca Malapitan, PESO-Caloocan head Violeta Gonzales recently received the awards during DOLE’s Year-end Performance Assessment and Planning Exercise at the Aloha Hotel.

“All these recognitions are results of our hardwork and Mayor Oca’s dedication to provide livelihood for Caloocan residents,” Gonzales said.

Meanwhile, Senator Sonny Angara congratulated the City Government of Caloocan and Mayor Oca Malapitan for all the awards and recognitions the local government has received for its exemplary performance.

Angara was welcomed by Mayor Oca, Vice Mayor Maca Asistio, Rep. Along Malapitan, City Administrator Oliver Hernandez, Secretary to the Mayor Betsie Luakian, city councilors, department heads, and employees during the city’s recent founding anniversary.

“On Caloocan’s 57th cityhood anniversary, I laud all of you for the honors you have received and the progress you continue to show for your citizens,” Angara said.

Mayor Oca thanked Sen. Angara for visiting Caloocan and vowed to continue working for the city’s progress.

“We will work harder to make Caloocan City a more progressive city,” he said.

Arnis training for QC village peace officers

By Rio N. Araja TO fulfill its aim to beef up the capability of village watchmen in Quezon City, a free-day training course on the national sport arnis was offered to 81 public safety officers from 25 barangays.

Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, along with the representatives of the Rotary Club of New Manila and Arnis Philippines Inc., recently launched the program to back the advocacy of teaching the Filipino martial arts, especially to village watchmen since they are prohibited from possessing and using any firearm in line with their duty.

“I support this program because I believe that arnis is an effective tool to protect yourself and other people, especially for our barangay tanod. For the last two years, the arnis program is no longer new to them. This is one kind of a good advocacy,” she said.

Belmonte said BPSOs are now more equipped with such martial art to be able to protect themselves from any harm of lawless elements.

The 81 graduates were awarded with certificates and their own pair of arnis sticks which they could use during foot patrols, especially at dark.

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

@MStandardLIFE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

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How a deaf scholar overcame loss

through education

ADVOCATE. As a deaf scholar, Juner Quiambao used his knowledge to teach Filipino Sign Language to public school teachers, students, and juvenile delinquents.

B

EING a deaf student entails a number of challenges. Being a deaf student who has to fend for himself after the death of parents is a much more difficult challenge to overcome.

But Juner Quiambao overcame the hurdles and finished his college degree.

At the age of eight, Quiambao contracted German measles, a viral infection that left him deaf. Despite the permanent disability, he accepted it with the help of love and support from his parents, three brothers, and a stepbrother.

However, just when the close-knit family started to recover, his mother succumbed to breast cancer. And within two years, his father had a fatal heart attack.

The succeeding deaths of their parents left the siblings totally devastated—emotionally and financially. “We were absolutely clueless where to get money for rent and the piling up unpaid school fees,” he recalled.

Quiambao, who was studying at the Philippine School for the Deaf then, had to take care of his school fees on top of the mounting expenses for basic existence.

Knowing full well that they had to fend for themselves, he reached out to his best friend, Daniel, and asked if he

Quiambao proudly holds a framed photo of his parents.

knew of any work opportunities. “I told Daniel that I needed to work—to at least buy my own food,” he shared.

Thankfully, Daniel’s parents hired Quiambao as a weekend household helper, in exchange for a few hundred pesos per day.

While still trying to survive on a daily basis, the pursuit of continuing education became less of a priority and almost like a far-fetched dream. However, Quiambao’s teacher from PSD encouraged him to apply at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. He immediately grabbed the opportunity, and independently and secretly applied.

Quiambao was blessed for he was not just accepted, but was also a recipient of a scholarship grant.

“At PSD, it was easy to adjust as the whole school was dedicated for the deaf,” he noted. But things were different at Benilde—the deaf and the hard of hearing were mixed with the hearing.

Instead of feeling intimidated, he soon adopted the college’s standard Filipino Sign Language.

As a scholar, he made certain that he capped off the night by studying and maintained his grade requirements.

However, come sophomore year, he had drained all his savings during his days as a house helper.

“With no money, I planned to quit school. I was so depressed and so lost, I simply wanted to give up,” recalled Quiambao.

He continued, “Observing my dilemma, Agnes Canayon, director of the College’s Center for Deaf Education

and Formation, encouraged me to continue my studies while she attempted to search for a sponsor.”

Parents of Benildean associate Bea Francisco came to the rescue and supported him. Quiambao never met his scholastic guardian angels, though he exchanged letters and sent tokens of gratitude to them.

With a newfound lease in life, Quiambao joined a number of associations which helped him relate with others and boosted his confidence. He became part of the Lasallian Ministry Program for the Deaf, the Silent Steps, SDEAS sports team, Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company.

Further, as an active member of the Social Responsibility and Outreach Program, he volunteered to teach FSL to the public school teachers in Davao and to the juvenile delinquents at the Stairway Foundation, Inc. “Though I have undergone so many difficulties in different stages in my life, volunteering made me a positive person. It gave me a chance to appreciate my family and interact with so many hearing ones,” shared Quiambao. “So whenever I felt sad, I just focused on the works where I made others happy.”

The scholar also brought his newfound advocacy to the performing stage

when he played the role of Ding, Darna’s deaf brother, in the college’s recent musical Ding! Ang Bato.

“I did not expect to get the part, as hearing students likewise auditioned for the role,” he shared. “All the cast members learned sign language and were signing the entire play. I felt so proud— like a real advocate.”

Also currently nominated for the Gawad Benildyano Award, Quiambao’s efforts, dedication, and achievements continue to reflect in the impact he has left both in the deaf and hearing community.

“There are so many opportunities here. Everyone around you propels you to achieve your dreams. They do not only teach us academically, but also teach us not to give up, and most importantly how to serve. Because of Benilde professors and students, I did not give up,” enthused Quiambao.

Recently, Quiambao’s siblings witnessed him march on the stage of the Philippine International Convention Center to receive his diploma in Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies-Business Entrepreneurship.

“Right after the ceremony, we visited the graves of our parents to show my diploma, lighted candles, and kissed their portraits,” he shared.

Quiambao overcame his hurdles with the help of his family, friends, professors, and, most importantly, his drive to achieve his dreams and help more people around him.

Local dental clinic utilizes Straumann implant products DENTAL implant clinic Gan Advanced Osseointegration Center joins the ranks of leading dental clinics globally that use Straumann implant, restorative, and regenerative dentistry products.

Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Straumann is known for its broad range of groundbreaking products and solutions for both conventional treatment and digital workflows, including guided surgery, intra-oral scanning, and CAD/CAM restorations.

Straumann’s superior and state-ofthe-art product line is composed of the Tissue Level Implant Line, a true icon of implant dentistry, designed for onestage surgery to simplify handling and reduce treatment complexity.

The Bone Level Implant Line, on the other hand, is a flexible implant line for proven esthetics, designed for a natural look and feel, providing great flexibility and a balanced prosthetic portfolio for every indication.

PURE Ceramic Implant Line

Tissue Level Implant Line

The PURE Ceramic Implant Line allows even very demanding patients to smile with confidence, without compromising on esthetics and reliability.

It also boasts the most natural choice of material. And then, there’s the Mini Im-

plant System designed specifically for edentulous patients.

Other advanced products cover implant-bone prosthetics, biomaterials, digital solutions, and instruments, among others.

Digital CAD/CAM

Life

C2

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

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INCE 2008, real estate company NorthPine Land, Inc. has amplified its efforts in making dreams come to life not only by providing top-of-the-line homes, but also by paying forward and giving back to the community through its outreach programs.

The NLI Finance Division visited the Alternative Learning Center for Persons with Disabilities of the Department of Education at Barangay Calulut in San Fernando City, Pampanga. Over 30 kids at this school received different educational materials including functional toys that would help with their learning.

Within the same location, the Sales and Marketing Division lent its helping hand. The group donated sets of ceiling fans to Brgy. Calulut Day Care Center and financed the construction of its new comfort room. The kids also experienced a one-of-kind yearend party where parents and children enjoyed exciting activities. They all took home toys and other gifts.

The company’s Corporate Sales Division, meanwhile, gifted a concrete house to an Aeta family in Porac, Pampanga. Recipient Romel de la Cruz, a father of three, used to live with his family in a house that is no longer sufficient for their space requirement and also hazardous in times of calamities.

Bahay Pag-ibig Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga, a non-government, non-profit institution for the aged was the chosen beneficiary of the Technical Management-Business Division team. The smile on the faces of the elderly was priceless during the fun games prepared for them. Each of

Real estate firm pays its forward

Romel de la Cruz and his family in Porac, Pampanga move in to their new home donated by NorthPine Land, Inc.’s Corporate Sales Division. (Inset) De la Cruz family’s old house which is no longer sufficient for their space requirement.

them also received gifts and other baMeanwhile in Cavite, Technical sic necessities.

Management Group-South showered blessings to Brgy. Sabutan Day Care Center in Silang. The group renovated the place by painting the walls and improving its electrical facilities.

They also donated new cabinets and shelves to the said institution.

From left: The Sales and Marketing Division with Brgy. Calulut Day Care Center children; the Finance group at the Alternative Learning Center for Persons with Disabilities; the Technical Management-Business Division entertains the elderly at Bahay Pag-ibig.

Do you really need to take multivitamins?

THERE are two kinds of people: those who believe vitamins are important part of maintaining a healthy body, and those who believe they don’t need them as long as they are eating the right food, and getting enough rest and exercise.

Dr. Rudy Pagcatipunan, medical director of UNILAB Consumer Health, explains why it’s vital to take vitamins.

“Vitamins are essential nutrients that the body needs to function properly.

The combination of these essential nutrients is what experts call multivitamins,” begins Dr. Pagcatipunan.

He adds, “While these nutrients can be sourced from food, the quality and quantity are critical to ensuring that it is consumed by the body. There are so many factors that come into play, one of which is food preparation. The cooking process strips off nutrients from food. It doesn’t also help that people more often than not rely on fast food.”

Another factor is one’s lifestyle.

“A highly stressful work environment, sitting through long hours

Dr. Rudy Pagcatipunan

of heavy traffic during your daily commute—these deplete your energy resulting in exhaustion. If you have vices like smoking and drinking, they also contribute to depletion of essential nutrients. Also, lack or low quality of sleep due to work and stress can also lead to fatigue.”

Even medications rob the body of

Dr. Rudy Pagcatipunan says taking multivitamins helps the body function properly.

much-needed nutrients, asserts Dr. Pagcatipunan.

“A lot of very common medications causes all sorts of nutrient deficiencies that’s why it’s important to replenish these lost nutrients.”

According to Dr. Pagcatipunan, vitamins C and B-complex are among the nutrients that need daily replenishment.

“Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that can strengthen the body’s natural defenses and protect the cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.

When free radicals accumulate, they result in oxidative stress which has been linked to chronic diseases,” he shares While vitamin C supplements have been found to lower blood pressure in both healthy adults and adults with hypertension, vitamin C-rich food and supplements, on the other hand, have been linked to lower blood uric acid levels, therefore, lowering the risk of gout. Also, vitamin C can improve the absorption of iron thereby reducing the risk of iron deficiency.

“Vitamin B-complex is mainly responsible for converting food into usable energy so the body can function properly. It is a water-soluble vitamin that is carried to the body’s tissues but is not stored in the body,” says Dr. Pagcatipunan.

Depleted vitamin C and B-complex may lead to a weakened immune system, which makes the body vulnerable to viruses, infections, and bacteria that make it sick. It can also be the cause for loss of energy.

“Energy is an important currency now more than ever. It goes beyond just being hyper or jolly, it is a fundamental need in order to be alive. It fuels life, makes life possible, enables the body to function and move,” says Dr. Pagcatipunan.

Same goes for immunity from diseases.

“With a busy lifestyle, worsening traffic, unending stress, we need to better manage our energy so we do not get sick.”

Enervon is a multivitamin supplement from UNILAB that contains vitamins C and B-complex needed by the body to function properly and ensure quality of life.

From left: Eco-Mer and Divers Institute of Technology consultant William McGilton, MPIC Foundation president Melody Del Rosario, and marine ecology expert Professor Avigdor (AV) Abelson from Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Metro Pacific shores up Balayan Bay ecosystem

AS PART of its corporate social responsibility, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation Foundation, through its Shore It Up program, recently received a donation of 40 ecoreef modules which will be installed in Balayan Bay, one of the country’s top scuba diving destinations.

Since 2016, MPIC Foundation has been nurturing a Coral Restoration Field Laboratory in Brgy. Solo in Mabini, Batangas to help restore the marine ecosystem of the area. In the past two years, it has laid 12 modules which have provided valuable data to help in the flourishing of aquatic life in the barangay.

Eco-Mer artificial reef units are made of marine concrete which has better larval attachment, higher survival rates of coral recruits, and wider niche range for higher species diversity, beyond any other commercial artificial reefs. The laboratory serves as an underwater work station for volunteer divers to study the fluid dynamics, coral growth potential at Eco-MER units per depth, and other scientific diving related to monitoring and coral restoration for Mabini.

The artificial coral reefs undergo monitoring and scientific activities to help enrich the Bay’s ecosytem by setting up marine sanctuaries.

According to MPIC vice president for public relations and corporate communications Melody Del Rosario, Shore It Up started in 2009 as a coastal cleanup movement in the Anilao dive spot, and has expanded into a comprehensive marine biodiversity conservation program which covers underwater cleanups, mangrove propagation, giant clam rearrangement, artificial reef restoration, and community livelihood projects.

Shore It Up has been held in key coastal areas such as Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Subic Bay Freeport Zone; Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City, Pangasinan; Del Carmen in Siargao Island; Panglao and Pamilacan Islands in Bohol; Surigao City; Medina, Misamis Oriental; and Cordova, Cebu.

To sustain these environmental undertakings, the foundation helped establish Mangrove Propagation and Information Centers in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Entertainment

KITTIE

By Robbie Pangilinan

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Eleven years ago, 22-year-old Kittie got her very first tattoo. She attended the Dutdutan Festival, the country’s biggest and grandest tattoo exposition held annually presented by Tribal Gear Philippines, and felt intrigued, and jealous at the same time, seeing everyone sporting tattoos of all designs. She has not stopped since then.

Today, Melody officially holds the title “Most Tattooed Filipina” of the Philippine Book of Records. She says she has probably spent more than a million pesos on her tattoos. Kittie considers her skin as her diary.

“My tattoos tell the story of my life,” says the now 33-year-old Kittie, who is a member of the Philippine Tattoo Artists Guild (PhilTAG) and a DOH-certified tattoo artist.

“Like the Hello Kitty image on my elbow. When I was little, I wanted to collect Hello Kitty stuff but I did not pursue it,” she adds. She is also a big fan of zombies and images of zombies can

Kittie with her mentor Ricky Sta. Ana

Tattoo artist Melody Grace "Kittie" King

be seen all over her body, as well as porIn 2012, Kittie started tattooing. Her traits of her loved ones. first design was the traditional rose tattoo.

Kittie’s forte includes traditional, neo traditional, and new school tattoos. She finds portraits the most difficult and admits she needs to improve her black and gray works.

Kittie considers tattoo master and PhilTAG founder Ricky Sta. Ana her idol and mentor. PhilTAG and Tribal have given her many opportunities to share her talent.

Kittie now runs her own Tattooed Kittie Studio, where she herself inks her clients.

Kittie has inked some popular personalities, such as local rappers.

To be a good tattoo artist, Kittie says one needs to learn proper hygiene, proper tattoo executions, and be keen with the details in the design. “Pakikisama” is also an attribute that has taken her higher in the industry.

Kittie wants to be an inspiration to women who want to get tattoos but are afraid of being judged.

“Tattoos are part of our culture, and we must be proud of it,” ends Kittie.

AFTER headlining the ABSCBN soap opera Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala in 2013, Judy Ann Santos has a new drama offering titled, Starla which makes her excited as well as her fans.

The 40-year-old actress also shared that they have already started taping for the project.

“It’s being handled by Onat Diaz and Darnel Villaflor. I still don’t know with ABS when it will be shown, but I’m certain it’ll be this year. I’m just happy that at this point, we’re able to save episodes.

At least, we have ample time to polish everything to ensure quality entertainment for the viewers,” says Judy Ann. It’s been six years since she acted on a soap. Didn’t she have jitters when taping for Starla commenced?

“During the initial taping days, I was adjusting given that I haven’t made a soap for a considerable length of time. I’m used to the previous scenario when as one of your shows is about to end, a new one is making its pilot telecast. After six years, I’ve realized a lot has changed already,” she admits.

“For one, the lights are different now—they’re smaller, thinner and not that hot. Even the cameras, they’re smaller and portable. They can be changed from one position to another without exerting so much effort. Truly, doing a ‘tele-serye’ these days is like doing a full-length film. Everything is more organized,” she adds.

The award-winning star admits that her character in her new soap is not that easy to portray.

“During our first taping schedule,

Judy Ann Santos' look for her latest character on TV

Promil Four i-Shine Talent Camp now on Season 7 SOME of the country’s most talented artists in the fields of music, dancing, acting, ballet, theatre, and art shared how mental, physical and social stimulation workshops can unlock and foster each child’s potential during the launch of Promil Four’s i-Shine Talent Camp, the summer talent development program for kids six to eleven years old, which is now on Season 7.

During the launch held at Maybank Performance Arts Theater, the mentors moms and a peek at what is in store for their kids during this year’s i-Shine Talent Camp: Moms and kids had fun when teachers Robert Alejandro and Kara Escay of the Art camp stretched kids’ imagination by creating a cat and dog out of the word “iShine”; Maestro Ryan Cayabyab gave a short lesson about the four elements of music; while Dance camp master Georcelle Dapat-Sy, accompanied by G-Force members, called kids and parents on stage to execute basic dance steps.

Promil Four i-Shine Talent Camp mentors Teacher Georcelle and Ryan Cayabyab.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, February 12, 2019

ACROSS 1 Feudal estates 6 Go to the polls 10 Enthralled 14 Taj Mahal site 15 Pious assent 16 Patrick’s domain 17 Adjust the tires 18 Cushy jobs 20 Edge a doily 21 Recital offerings 23 Bottomless depth 24 Computer networks 26 Dazzle 27 Tijuana “Mrs.” 28 Matured 32 Basketball rims 35 Sharpened 36 Schoolboy 38 Totes 39 Stares stupidly 40 Hindu princess 41 Source of metal 42 Narrow passageway 43 Eats 44 Lobster tails 46 Not good 47 Holt or Ryan 48 Refreshing drink 52 Garden feature 55 Hero’s acts

57 Sir, in Portugal 58 Camelot queen 60 Clear a diskette 62 Klein of fashion 63 Love, to Claudius 64 German pistol 65 Bright colors 66 Meddlesome 67 Like melons DOWN 1 Royal decrees 2 Do a mosaic 3 Blue-pencils 4 Brownish fruit 5 Workshop tools 6 Urns 7 Not do 8 Decades 9 Map dir.

10 Deli order 11 Well-ventilated 12 Corporate VIP 13 Thomas Hardy heroine 19 Emulated a crow 22 “Pulp Fiction” name 25 Recipe amts.

26 Mimics 28 Propelled a boat 29 Black as night 30 Flair 31 Hamlet or Oph-

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Judy Ann returns to the small screen

gets inked ULTI-AWARDED tattoo artist, freelance DJ, and model Melody Grace King has 90 percent of her body covered in ink. The then flawless-complexioned lass from Tarlac is now known as “Tattooed Kittie.”

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

elia 32 Cable network 33 Paddle cousins 34 Type of arch 35 Luminous circle 37 Insult, slangily 39 Latch on to 40 Go on horseback 42 Burning 43 Medieval maidens 45 Makes up for 46 Make an offer 48 Hesitant

49 Maxim 50 Gave medication 51 Abrasive mineral 52 Microbiology gel 53 Viking letter 54 Obligate 55 Showroom deal 56 Aphrodite’s child 59 Delivery truck 61 Regret deeply

For acting enthusiasts, Audie Gemora of the Theatre camp taught kids how to act out different emotions using the phrase “Nurture the gift”; while Ballet camp master Liza Macuja-Elizalde had dancers from Ballet Manila perform a six-minute adagio from Act 2 of The Nutcracker.

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 involving parents in helping nurture the gift of their child.

The launch was hosted by Dimples Romana, who has been hosting the i-Shine Talent Camp for 10 years now.

Know more about i-Shine and reserve a camp slot for your child now. Visit www.promilnurturethegift. com.ph/ for more details

I really appreciated Direk Onat for guiding me along the way. He made sure that I was always in sync with the role. Honestly, this is not an easy character. At first, I thought, it’s just easy but after studying it thoroughly, I realized it’s not. In fact, I always go home with a stiff neck.”

“I experienced it during the first three weeks. It’s because my role in the soap is that of a strong-willed lawyer. So you can just imagine how stiff my neck was most of the time.

You just can’t express a wide smile or deliver a punch line. You can’t do simple adlibs because your character is too strong.”

Despite that challenges, Judy Ann still enjoys the role. It’s something different from her usual oppressed characters.

“I have to look and make the role believable as a strong, rich and sophisticated lady lawyer. I always wear make-up in every scene and my hair is always fixed. I don’t know what the people’s reception would be. But I believe in the material. It holds a lot of promise. It teaches lots of values.

I’m quite sure the viewers will like it,” ends Juday. *** After admitting that they’re currently dating exclusively, Arjo Atayde dismisses the thought of working with Maine Mendoza on screen once again. They were last seen together in the hit 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles.

“I want our relationship to be on the personal level. Honestly, I never thought of working with her soon on the big or small screen. As I’ve said, ours is on a personal level and not a showbiz thing. It’s different,” he avers.

Both of them are actors so it’s not really impossible if in the future they get the chance to work together again in one project.

“We haven’t talked anything like that. If ever we’ll be given the opportunity to be together in another movie, then why not? Thank you Lord if ever there’s a project like that out there. But if there’s none, it doesn’t really matter. What’s important to me is the personal side.”

It’s no secret that he has lots of bashers who question his intentions for Maine and even accuse him of just using the phenomenal star just to become popular.

“For the record, I’m not using Maine. If they question whatever we have right now, then it’s not my problem anymore. Whatever they say will not affect me at all. I will just keep working. I never really dreamt of becoming a superstar. I just wanted to act, that’s all!” ends Arjo.

SM Cinema’s Reelto-Real campaign continues winning streak at Anvil Awards FOLLOWING its international wins from the Marketing Events Awards in Singapore and the MarCom awards in USA, SM Cinema garnered prestigious awards yet again for its “Reel-to-Real” campaign, this time in the local scene, from the 54th Anvil Awards, dubbed as the Oscars of Public Relations (PR).

SM Cinema’s Reel-to-Real campaign took home the Gold Anvil for PR Tools: Exhibit and Special Event— Fan or Consumer Experience and Silver Anvil for PR Program Directed at Specific Stakeholders – Consumers at the recently concluded 54th Anvil Awards by Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP).

The Reel-to-Real campaign is a comprehensive and integrated public relations program by SM Cinema that makes movies come alive, going beyond the big screen. Throughout the year, SM Cinema held events and activations for their moviegoers to kick off and cap off their cinematic experience.

ComCo Southeast Asia is the PR agency of SM Cinema.

SM Cinema's Anvil trophies for its 'Reelto-Real campaign'

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

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Entertainment

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Magsasaka TV Season 2 launched MAKE way for the Season 2 of Magsasaka TV, a program empowering the cause and livelihood of farmers in the Philippines, to broadcast soon on one of the leading local networks.

Previously airing on PTV-4, the coming Season ensures a wide reach and mainstream approach in delivering a show embracing agribusiness and tourism through the immense possibilities and power of farming.

Magsasaka TV, which was launched last month at the Grand Ballroom B of Shangrila At The Fort, boasts a new format and treatment that emphasize further the beauty and sense of its entrepreneurial and social advocacies.

The program, anchored on the shoulders and vision of revolutionary agriculturist Dex Villamin is complimented with a theme song that best sends its overarching message of hope and success across: “Tagumpay Nating Lahat.”

The popular tune is penned and lent for Magsasaka TV’s cause by the iconic singer-songwriter Gary Granada.

Voices from the ever-growing and nowempowered Filipino farming community warmly interpret the now-classic track from the same talent who wrote the Metropop winner “Mabuti Pa Sila” and that unforgettable Ginebra fan anthem that both came out in the late ‘90s.

Villamin, head of DV Boer Farm International Corp. that boasts over a hundred sub-farms, noted, “For a Filipino to know about agriculture is everything.

It’s like the Arabs embracing the poential of their oil reserves. We have to align ourselves with our resources, which is agriculture, so as to syncrhronize ourselves with the natural flow of life in our country.”

Through Magsasaka TV, DV (as how Dex Villamin is fondly called by people familiar with his advocacies and initiatives) and his team of dedicated professionals take televiewers and radio listeners to various places and faces in vast farmlands all over the country. It also serves as a vehicle in sharing and showing the developments taking place in modern farming corporation DV Boer Farm International that practically spearheads the program through its subcompany, Magsasaka Inc. Allow DV and his farming associates to expound on the background, current status, and future plans of DV Boer

'90s action star Ronnie Ricketts is making a big screen comeback via an action movie entitled 'Exit Point."

DV Boer Farm head Dex Villamin with songwriting icon Gary Granada team up for the cause of Magsasaka TV.

and its fast-increasing number of subfarms, and Magsasaka Inc. Hear also their take on “Tagumpay Nating Lahat” which perfectly voices out the inspiring vision of their advocacies for the Filipino community and OFWs eyeing for jobs and livelihood to keep them happily home for good.

Granada expressed, “Para makinabang ang lahat sa tagumpay, you have to reach to the farthest possible areas. The wider the reach, mas magkakaunawaan tayong mga Pilipino.”

Magsasaka TV began as a result of DV’s hope of reaching more Filipinos to educate them even more on the great potential of farming for selfsustaining communities, providing livelihood to alleviate poverty among the underprivileged, and empowering OFWs and all individuals with entrepreneurial spirit towards the fundamentals and several benefits of farming. It is the culmination of his journey from a high school drop out with innate abilities to excel, to becoming a pastry chef hailed by hotels here and in Thailand where he became a celebrity pastry chef, and to modernizing farming in the country through corporate-savvy policies and results-oriented processes.

Tune in and watch Magsasaka TV and be witnessed to Filipino farming empowered and revolutionized.

Kris Bernal turns her passion into reality ACTRESS Kris Bernal has been continuously proving her versatility in the remarkable roles she has played in various Kapuso programs that captivate the hearts of Filipino viewers. But there’s one more thing to know about this GMA Artist Center star - she is also a businesswoman.

Ever since she was named “First Princess” in the fourth season of the reality-based talent search StarStruck, Kris has been making a strong name for herself in the local entertainment scene.

Currently, the Kapuso actress breathes life to the role of Rachel, a simple woman who dreams of having a happy family in the top-rating afternoon series Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko. However, her prospect of happiness is met with a big blow when her husband undergoes sexual reassignment and facial feminization surgery in order to fully embrace the woman inside him.

Later, Rachel and her former husband vie for the heart of one man.

Kris expressed her gratitude for the positive feedback and immense support the show has been receiving. She also revealed that viewers should look forward to more gripping twists in the story.

“Nakakataba ng puso na maraming tumatangkilik sa pinaghihirapan ng buong cast at crew ng Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko. I hope that they will continue to watch and support our show. They should watch out for Venus (Thea Tolentino) and her evil deeds at kung sino nga ba ang pipiliin ni Gavin (Rayver Cruz).”

Apart from this, Kris is now also included in the long line of female celebrities to launch their own businesses. Last year, she opened House of Gogi, a Korean barbecue restaurant that offers unlimited samgyupsal for an affordable price. This time around, Kris has ventured into the beauty Actress/entrepreneur Kris Bernal

industry as she turned her passion for makeup into a business aiming for women empowerment by featuring “Filipinas and their inspiring stories.”

Kris detailed how much effort she puts in her self-established lipstick line specially developed and manufactured in Korea called SHE Cosmetics.

“I am very proud of SHE because I focused on pursuing the highest quality for a liquid matte lipstick. Each tube of SHE lipstick has an all-natural formula.

I hope to motivate women by sharing their stories of which every individual can learn and draw strength from to be confident in their own skin,” Kris said.

The first line of lipsticks available in five shades- Off She Goes, So She-Ic, She’s On Fire, Go Girl and She Lovin’ It- is now on sale at https:// shecosmeticsph.com/.

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CTOR, film producer, and martial artist Ronnie Ricketts revealed that he’s currently in talks with action star Robin Padilla. The two are developing an action movie which they plan to release “hopefully this year.”

“I can only tell you so much about this project but he (Robin) is very happy about this. He already said yes,” Ricketts told Manila Standard in an interview.

The ‘90s action star is optimistic that action genre can make a comeback. The industry just needs a new breed of talents like FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano star Coco Martin who keeps the action genre alive, he said.

He believes that people would keep coming back to action movies if there will be more young stars like the Kapamilya primetime king who cares so much about developing stories where a protagonist is typically thrust into a series of challenges including multiple fight scenes, daring physical feats, and tense chases, ultimately creating a hero just like Cardo Dalisay.

“But before it happens, actors should be physically capable to do the stunts. During our time, most action stars were martial artists and that gave an authentic flavor to the action scenes we were doing back then,” the action star pointed out.

Ricketts is starring in a film called Exit Point, which marks his return to the action genre almost six years since he last appeared on the big screen.

“The last film I did was in 2013, but it was an action comedy movie.

This time, I really wanted to do a pure action movie just like the good old days,’ he shared.

The film, which he co-produced with his wife Mariz, includes Australian model Natalia Moon, Nigerian-Jamaican football player Joachim Idinye, Korean race-car driver Sung Joon Park, actors Rey Bejar, Luigi Fernando, Bill Toledo, and Jayson Garcia in the cast.

Also in the movie are Jackielou Blanco, Renzo Cruz, Alvin Anson, Mandy Ochoa, Brandon Ricketts, Mister International 2014 and police officer Neil Perez, Jerico Estregan, Edgar Mande, and Ronnie and Mariz’s youngest daughter, Raechelle.

“We basically have an action movie that can be screened overseas. You’ll see in the trailer that we shot in different locations, in provinces, in a forest, because we wanted to have an action film that’s different from the usual movies that we see these days that concentrate in the metropolis,” Ricketts said.

According to the actor, there have been negotiations with a foreign distributor to release the

Reviving the action genre

NICKIE WANG

Ricketts with actors Jerico Estregan (leftmost) and Alvin Anson, and daughter Raechelle (second from left) who is also part of the movie.

movie abroad.

“We are confident that the movie has an international appeal. In fact, our cast includes foreign actors ,” he asserted.

Exit Point, which script was polished for almost a year according to Ricketts, is about 12 interesting characters chosen to be part of an illegal activity of a correctional facility. They are taken to an isolated island where they must fight for survival.

“It’s like Hunger Games where they must do everything including killing each other in a race for freedom…but with Filipino twists,” Ricketts explained.

Exit Point unspools in the cinemas on Feb. 20. ***

Graded ‘A’ Elise is an ‘80s throwback

The Cinema Evaluation Board members gave Elise, the Janine Gutierrez and Enchong Dee starrer movie, an A Grade. And it’s easy to understand why.

The Regal Entertainment movie has all the elements of a romcom but it has all the necessary emotions enough to get you intrigued. With a toned down drama and an interesting reference to an unforgettable young romance, Elise is so strong in giving you lessons on affirming love.

The actors are perfect characters making the audience relate to being love struck to serious love which makes it relatable to everyone.

The director calls Elise an ode to those who love and want to move on with their lives in the series of events that unfold. It is a movie that starts in light comedy and eventually progress to heart-tugging moments.

Told in the eyes of Bert, the movie is pretty nostalgic because of the vivid and nice shots set in the 1980s. Watching the movie is like a blast from the past and is highly relatable because it tackles about the colorful life of the youth, not to mention that it’s inspired by a true story.

A PLEASANT MOVIE.

Janine Gutierrez and Enchong Dee in the Graded A romantic comedy drama, 'Elise,' which is also based on real-life events.