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10 countries cause global surge of measles cases THE Philippines and nine other countries were responsible for three-quarters of a global surge in measles cases last year, the United Nations’ children’s agency said Friday. Ninety-eight countries reported more cases of measles in 2018 compared with 2017, and the world body warned that conﬂict, complacency and the growing

anti-vaccine movement threatened to undo decades of work to tame the disease. Meanwhile, the Department of Health reported Friday that a total of 203 patients who contracted measles this year have died. In an interview with radio dzMM, Undersecretary Eric Domingo said there were 13,470 cases of measles in the ﬁrst

two months. Of these, 4,300 cases were recorded in the ﬁrst week of February. Most of the cases were recorded in Metro Manila, Cagayan and Minaropa, Domingo said. “This is a wake-up call. We have a safe, effective and inexpensive vaccine against Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 20 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pompeo: US to defend PH

Armed attack in SCS to prompt Washington to act By Nat Mariano

S SECRETARY of State Mike Pompeo on Friday vowed to defend the Philippines against “armed attack” in the disputed South China Sea in Washington’s starkest warning yet against Chinese claims to most of the strategic waterway.

NUMBERS RISING. Children with measles occupy beds at the pediatric department of government-run San Lazaro Hospital in Manila in this file photo. The United Nations’ children’s agency UNICEF said Friday the Philippines is one of 10 nations responsible for three-quarters of a global surge in measles cases last year. Lino Santos

Garin, Sanofi execs face criminal rap over 8 Dengvaxia death cases By Rey E. Requejo THE Department of Justice has recommended the indictment of former Health Secretary Janette Garin and 19 others for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, in connection with the deaths of eight children allegedly after being inoculated with the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia. In a statement, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors found probable cause to hold Garin and other respondents criminally liable for the deaths of eight children, arising from their “inexcusable lack of precaution and foresight.”

However, complaints against incumbent Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and ofﬁcers of Zuellig Pharma Corp. were dismissed. The panel said Garin and the others facilitated, “with undue haste, the registration and purchase of Dengvaxia” and used the vaccine in implementing a school-based dengue mass immunization program. The panel also found sufﬁcient evidence that Garin and the other respondents circumvented various regulations in the purchase of P3.5 billion worth of Dengvaxia. “which constituted proof of their reckless imprudence.” Next page

PNP weighs in on deadly viral app THE Philippine National Police on Friday joined other government agencies in urging parents to monitor their children’s online activities. Brig. Gen. Marni Marcos Jr. made the reminder after the “Momo Challenge” and other online challenges went viral on social media and reportedly driving some youth to suicide. “While we have yet to determine where the ‘Momo Challenge’ originated, we encourage the public and law enforcement authorities to spread awareness of this suicide game,” Marcos said in a statement.

Speaking after meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte, Pompeo said Beijing’s artiﬁcial islands in waters also claimed by the Southeast Asian nation and other neighbors was a threat. “China’s island-building and military activities in the South China Sea threaten your sovereignty, security and therefore economic livelihood, as well as that of the United States,” he said at a joint news conference with Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin. “As the South China Sea is part of the Paciﬁc, any armed attack of Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mutual defense

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology is urging parents to play an active role in safeguarding their children against the “Momo Challenge.” News of the death of an 11-year-old child was allegedly linked to the “Momo Challenge,” where children are reportedly tricked to follow a step-by-step instruction to get involved in unsafe dares, which eventually lead them to harm themselves. Marcos advised people to report any untoward incident involving the “Momo

STRONG ALLIES. President Rodrigo Duterte greets US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo upon his arrival at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Thursday night. They discussed the countries’ stances in the West Philippine Sea and China’s claims in the disputed waterway and the risks of using technology from Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. AFP

America’s state secretary likens Duterte to Trump...

...warns against entering deals with Chinese telco

By Nat Mariano US SECRETARY of State Michael Pompeo has likened President Rodrigo Duterte’s style of governance to that of US President Donald Trump, the Palace said Friday. During a courtesy call by Pompeo at the Palace, Duterte shared stories about the controversies he stirred up since assuming the ofﬁce in 2016, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said. “He [Pompeo] is very fond of the President and I remember

US SECRETARY of State Michael Pompeo on Friday warned the Philippines and other nations against using technology from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei amid allegations that the company could be used by the Chinese government for spying. Globe Telecom plans to roll out with Huawei commercial 5G services this year, while the Duterte administration last year signed an $400-million deal for Huawei to install closed-circuit television cameras in two Philippine cities to deter crime.

ROLLS-ROYCE SPONSORSHIP.

Former Leyte congressman, Philippine Constitutional Association and Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Board president Atty. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (left photo) signs the deal sponsoring the launch of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Manila’s newest offering, the Cullinan (right), at the Manila Polo Club. The club in Makati City will display the sport utility vehicle from March 1 onwards.

WEATHER PAGASA ‘retires’ 3 typhoon names “OMPONG,” “Rosita,” and “Usman” will no longer be used as names of typhoons entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility in the future, owing to their destructive runs Next page

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SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

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NPAs kill cop in Mindoro, torch heavy equipment By Francisco Tuyay SUSPECTED communist guerrillas torched six heavy equipment in Cagayan on Friday, days after another group burned 12 construction equipment at a power plant in Mindoro. A policeman was also killed Friday in sporadic fighting between communist guerrillas and government forces in Mindoro province. Fighting broke again between government forces and communist rebels in Malamig village in Gloria, Oriental Mindoro, resulting in the killing of PO3 Edwin Encarnacion and the wounding of PO3 John John Morente. Meanwhile, Sr. Supt. Chevalier Iringan said the burning incident occurred around 9 p.m. in Agani village, Alcala, Cagayan. He said some 30 heavily armed men believed to be communist guerrillas swooped down on the construction depot of CAMIA Construction Company and threatened all the employees there. The rebels then poured gasoline into the construction equipment parked inside the company’s office and then lighted it before fleeing. Iringan said the torched equipment included three mixer trucks, a dump truck, one Grader and a steam roller. The burning sortie is the third such incident since last week as the sporadic fighting between them and government forces has so far claimed the lives of three policemen and nearly a dozen rebels. “The NPA’s activity is proof of their motive to pursue their lawless purpose, contrary to their claim of protecting the people,” Iringan said. He said the construction equipment were being used in the ongoing road project in the villages of Baybayog, Masin, Pared and Pussian in Alcala town. “The NPA’s evil act is proof of their desperate move to extort money from the construction firms in the locality,” Iringan said. He said security forces will continue to protect all government installations and private companies. The Police Regional Office-2 said security measures were being implemented to ensure the safety of all potential targets, including government vital installations, power lines, private companies and municipal police stations.

10 countries... From A1

a highly contagious disease—a vaccine that saved almost a million lives every year over the last two decades,” said Henrietta Fore, executive director of UNICEF. “These cases haven’t happened overnight. Just as the serious outbreaks we are seeing today took hold in 2018, lack of action today will have disastrous consequences for children tomorrow.” Measles is more contagious than tuberculosis or Ebola, yet it is eminently preventable with a vaccine that costs pennies. But the World Health Organization last year said cases worldwide had soared nearly 50 percent in 2018, killing around 136,000 people. Ukraine, the Philippines, and Brazil saw the largest year-on-year increases in cases. In Ukraine alone, there were 35,120 cases—nearly 30,000 more than in 2017. Brazil saw 10,262 reported cases after having none at all the year before. While most of the countries that experienced large spikes in cases are experiencing unrest or conflict, France saw its caseload jump by 2,269. The resurgence of the disease in some countries has been linked to medically baseless claims linking the measles vaccine to autism, which have been spread in part on social media by members of the so-called “anti-vax” movement. The WHO last month listed “vaccine hesitancy” among the top 10 most pressing global health threats for 2019. “Almost all of these cases are preventable and yet children are getting infected even in places where there is simply no excuse,” Fore said. “Measles may be the disease, but all too often the real infection is misinformation, mistrust and complacency.” Other nations included on UNICEF’s top 10 list of cases increases were France, Yemen, Venezuela, Serbia, Madagascar, Sudan and Thailand. AFP

PAGASA... From A1

through the country last year. According to a resolution signed by Vicente Malano, administrator of the state weather bureau, the names were retired after they left dozens of people dead and wrought billions of pesos in damage in 2018.

3 soldiers slain in 2 BIFF ambushes C

AMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao—Unidentiﬁed gunmen ambushed and killed three soldiers and injured two others in the Maguindanao town of Datu Salibo and in Cotabato City. Major Arvin John Encinas, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, identified the casualties in the Maguindanao incident as Privates Junard Estribor and Nelier Pinto, both of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion. Injured in the same incident were Pvt.

Muqtadir Sampulna, also of the 57th IB, and a female bystander whose identity was not immediately known. Encinas said the soldiers were aboard a Toyota Vios car when they were waylaid along Sitio Kurungan, Barangay Sambula-

Pompeo:...

of Secretary Pompeo and words of President Trump to our President: We have your back,” Locsin said. But Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty still needs to be reviewed to clarify some “kinks” and to make the terms of the pact more clear-cut. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also said the defense treaty needed to be reviewed. This view differed from Locsin’s. “My own view, it is a dynamic exchange that’s going on in government, my own view is no. I believe in the old theory of deterrence. I have been an old man, I’ve engaged in the Cold War for longer than you. In vagueness lies the best deterrence,” Locsin said during a press briefing. “How do you flesh out that vagueness? In the repeated assurances by the US that in the event of an act of aggression committed against the Philippines. I don’t believe going down into the details is the way the sincerity of the American commitment can be shown,” he said. Pompeo and Locsin also discussed the US support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Modernization Program as well as the government’s campaign against all forms of criminality especially terrorism and its connection with illegal drugs trade. “Ideally mutual defense should cover a partner’s back as well as its front. Secretary Pompeo and I agreed that it was in both our countries’ interest to ensure that the alliance effectively address other non-traditional security issues such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and, above all, the fight against human trafficking,” Locsin said. Pompeo, for his part, raised the importance of a free press during his talks with Locsin. “I raised with my counterpart the importance of protecting the rights and liberties of all Filipinos including free speech, a free press, and due process under the law,” Pompeo said in his opening remarks during his joint press conference with Locsin. With AFP and PNA

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obligations under Article 4 of our Mutual Defence Treaty.” Pompeo’s comments marked the first time any US official had publicly stated Washington’s intent to defend the Philippines specifically in the flashpoint sea. A 1951 US-Philippine mutual defense treaty committed Manila and its former colonial master to come to each other’s aid in case of an “armed attack in the Pacific area” on either party. Senior Duterte officials have called for a review of the pact because they were unsure whether it applied to the maritime row. Troops and fishermen have frequently complained about harassment by Chinese maritime security forces around some of the islands and reefs Manila occupies. The United States has said it is not taking sides in the dispute over waters claimed by China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. However, Washington has asserted its right to freely sail over waters through which trillions of dollars in global trade pass through each year and which reputedly contain vast mineral and oil reserves. The Philippines used to be the staunchest critics of China’s expansive claims over the sea. But after his election in 2016, Duterte put the dispute on the back burner in favor of courting Chinese trade and investment. He threatened a split with the United States and called then President Barack Obama a “son of a whore.” Relations are being rebuilt under US President Donald Trump, who has hailed Duterte’s actions—including a drugs crackdown that has claimed thousands of lives—as a sign of toughness. Locsin on Friday downplayed his government’s suggestions for a review of the defense pact, saying in its “vagueness lies the best deterrence.” “We are very assured, we are very confident that United States has, in the words

The investigating prosecutors, who conducted the preliminary investigation on the complaints, said these in their 127-page resolution approved by Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon. The prosecutors also found sufficient basis to charge nine other officials from the Department of Health, two from the Food and Drug Administration, two from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and six from vaccine maker Sanofi Pasteur for the same offense. Aside from Garin, also indicted for eight counts of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide were Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr., Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, Dr. Irma Asuncion, Dr. Julius Lecciones, Dr. Maria Joyce Ducusin, Dr. Rosalind Vianzon and Dr. Mario Baquilod from the DOH; Maria Lourdes Santiago and Melody Zamudio from the FDA; Dr. Socorro Lupisan and Dr. Maria Rosario Capeding from the RITM; and Carlito Realuyo, Stanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, Jean Francois Vacherand, Conchita Santos and Jazel Anne Calvo, all of Sanofi Pasteur Inc. The resolution covers nine of 35 complaints filed mostly by parents of Dengvaxia recipients, who died of different causes. Prosecutors have yet to resolve the remaining 26, which made similar allegations against the same set of respondents. Meanwhile, the DOJ panel faulted Sanofi for failing to actively monitor and conduct close surveillance of Dengvaxia recipients. It also found that Sanofi did not extend medical assistance to the victims or their families even after reports of serious adverse reactions occurred. In reaching its conclusion, the DOJ prosecutors held that reckless imprudence as a crime of neglect punishes those who exhibited “dangerous recklessness, the lack of care or foresight” as to the outcome of their actions. “The Panel concluded that Garin and the

other respondents, most of whom are medical professionals, exhibited such degree of neglect when they totally disregarded the identified risks and adverse effects of the vaccine. Said risks materialized with the death of the victims,” the DOJ stressed. If convicted, Garin and other respondents face a penalty of imprisonment of up to six years. Through the Public Attorney’s Office, the complainants based their allegations on findings by the PAO forensic team that linked the causes of death to vaccination with Dengvaxia. The DOH has repeatedly asserted that the supposed connection has not been proven. The DOJ six-man investigating panel is composed of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Emilia Victorio, Assistant State Prosecutors Christine Perolino, Susan Azarcon, and Alejandro Daguiso, and Associate Prosecution Attorneys Joan Carla Guevarra-Garcia and Jerome Coronel. The panel said that at the time of its purchase by the government, Dengvaxia was not listed in the so-called Philippine National Drug Formulary. A purchase request for the vaccine was made as early as January 2016, but actual purchase was made in March 2016. Republic Act No. 9502, the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008, prohibits the government from procuring drugs and medicines that are not included in the PNDF. Meanwhile, Executive Order No. 49, Series 1999, requires PNDF listing before drug purchases by the government can be made. To purchase drugs that are not PNDFlisted, the approval of a Formulary Executive Committee under the Health department is required. Since government purchase of nonPNDF listed drugs is an exception rather than the rule, FEC approval requires that the medicine’s safety and efficacy are duly established, and that the medicine will be used for a national health program or for a current or potential urgent health situation.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration will replace those “retired” names with “Obet,” “Rosal,” and “Umberto,” the resolution added. A storm’s name is retired once it causes at least 300 deaths or leaves at least P1 billion in damage to crops or infrastructure, Pagasa forecaster Jun Galang said. Meanwhile, international storm “Wutip”

weakened from a tropical storm into a lowpressure area as it entered the PAR at 7 p.m. on Thursday,. It was given the local name “Betty,” and will not make landfall anywhere in the country. In a bulletin issued 11 p.m. on Thursday, Pagasa said “Betty” was 1,385 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It bore maximum winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 65 km/h.

Garin,... From A1

wan, past 2 p.m. Estribor and Pinto died instantly, while the wounded Sampulna and the woman were taken to a hospital. “The gunmen used M16 rifles based on the empty shells recovered at the site of the ambush,” Encinas said. He said intelligence reports pointed to the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters as behind the attack. “The BIFF continues to be on the run due to ongoing military operations against them

in their pinpointed lairs in Maguindanao,” Encinas said. Also on Thursday, motorcycle-riding gunmen shot dead an Army man along Sinsuat Avenue in Rosary Heights 10, Cotabato City, shortly before noon. Police Col. Michel Lebanan, city police director, said Staff Sgt. Verande Lardera, 40, of the Army’s 37th IB, was on board a motorbike when he was tailed and fired upon by the gunmen. “The Army man succumbed to four gunshot wounds,” Lebanan said. PNA

Over 2k nabbed for breaking poll gun ban MORE than 2,000 people have been arrested for violating the election gun ban, the Philippine National Police said Friday. Police Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, said as of 6 a.m. Thursday some 2,075 people had been arrested in 231,865 police operations since the implementation of the gun ban being imposed by the Commission on Elections since Jan. 13. Of that number, 1,130 were arrested during police patrol operations, 369 through search warrants and 354 during the “Oplan Bakal, Sita, Galugad” operation. Banac said the total figure included 199 people arrested in checkpoints and 23 others arrested during the serving of warrants of arrest since the gun ban started.

He said 1,962 of those arrested were civilians, 41 were security guards, 27 were government and elected officials, 22 were police officers, three were from the military, five were law enforcers and one was a member of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. The authorities have also arrested nine people from “threat groups” and two from private armed groups. Banac said the PNP had so far confiscated 1,692 firearms and 13,699 deadly weapons, grenades and other explosives, firearm replicas, bladed or pointed weapons and ammunition. The midterm elections will be held on May 13 but the gun ban will last until June 12, according to the Comelec. PNA

America's...

with the United States, particularly on defense and security, peace and order, regional stability, as well as the rule of law in the conduct of activities in the West Philippine Sea to prevent escalation of tensions among countries involved,” Panelo said in a statement. Pompeo, on the other hand, expressed confidence in the strength of the Philippine-US ties. “He [Pompeo] also reaffirmed their country’s commitment to strengthen cooperation and deepen engagement with the Philippines on matters of mutual interest and common concern at the regional and global arena, including the rule of law and need for a rules-based regime in the West Philippine Sea,” Panelo added. The President also discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in countering terrorism and violent extremism. Two weeks ago, the Palace announced that the US government will provide P300million intelligence support to the Philippines to boost the country’s capabilities in fending off terrorism. Panelo said the support shows the country is on good terms with the United States. Duterte also relayed his gratitude to the US for the return of Balanginga bells. In December 2018, the US Department of Defense returned the historic Balangiga bells to the country as a sign of “healing and closure” between the two countries.

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when the President was talking about what he is doing for this country, including his controversial policies and even the cursing, the secretary of state said, ‘You’re just like our President.’ We all laughed,” Panelo said during a press briefing. With their harsh rhetoric, Trump and Duterte have made international headlines, highlighting their unconventional style of leadership. Both leaders have also expressed their admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Duterte called the Russian leader his “idol,” while Trump said Putin was a “better leader” than his predecessor, former US President Barack Obama. Panelo said the President has not yet accepted an invitation to visit the United States. “He did not say anything because the problem with the President is he cannot stand the temperature in the US. It’s very cold. He would have a difficult time and it’s too far. He doesn’t like long haul trips,” Panelo said. On Thursday evening, the President met with Pompeo at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City where they reaffirmed the strength of Philippines-US alliance. “The President highlighted prospects of stronger and more meaningful ties

...warns... From A1

US officials suspect that Beijing could use the Shenzhen-based Huawei’s products to spy on Western governments, and Philippine lawmakers have expressed similar concerns. The company denies the allegations. On Friday, Pompeo said using Huawei technology carried risks. “We want to make sure that the world has their eyes wide open as to the risks of having that technology be part of the infrastructure or backbone or networks,” Pompeo said. “We believe that competition, whether it’s in 5G or some other technology, ought to be open, free, transparent and we worry that Huawei is not that.” Pompeo also said American companies were the “best partners” in developing a digital economy because they were transparent and adhered to the rule of law. “The same can not be said for Chinese state-run or state-backed enterprises,” he said. “America may not be able to operate in certain environments if there is Huawei technology adjacent to that,” he said. “Our task has been to share with the world the risks associated with that technology, the risks to the Philippine people, [and] the risks to Philippine security,” he said. AFP

Challenge” to the ACG through hotline 414-1560 or by visiting the nearest Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit or any police station. The “Momo Challenge” first made headlines in July 2018 when it was noticed by a known YouTube user. Later, a 12-yearold Argentine girl died after she was allegedly persuaded to take her own life by a grotesque-looking female figure through the mobile messaging application “WhatsApp.” However, authorities have yet to find a link between the trending “suicide game” and the unlikely death of the victim, the same with the reported cases of “Momo Challenge” casualties in Brazil, Canada, Colombia and Europe. The face of the “Momo Challenge” was

found to be a sculpture created by Link Factory, a Japanese special effects company. Reports say that unscrupulous people behind the “Momo Challenge” only used the cropped image of the “Mother Bird” (the real name of the artwork) due to its disturbingly bizarre appearance. Web security experts also claimed that the “Momo Challenge” was likely a case of “moral panic” and was being sensationalized through media reports and social media stories. It was even being compared to the popular “Blue Whale Challenge,” a “game” reportedly consisting of a series of tasks that are initially harmless before introducing elements of self-harm and requiring the player to commit suicide at the final challenge, as well as the “Bloody Mary Challenge”, wherein children would scare themselves by saying “Bloody Mary” three times in front of a mirror. PNA, with Darwin G. Amojelar

It is moving northwest at just 15 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 25 km/h. Due to its distance from land, there are no areas under tropical cyclone warning signals, PAGASA said. “As such, this tropical cyclone poses no direct threat to any part of the country,” said the state weather bureau in its bulletin.

At its peak, Wutip bore winds of 250 km/h as a Category 5 storm as it tore through Micronesia and Guam. Betty is the second tropical cyclone to enter the PAR this year, after Tropical Depression “Amang” in January. Ompong, which hit the Philippines last September last year, left 82 people dead and over P33.9 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

PNP... From A1

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SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

GAA budget crisis causes delay of DOH workers‘ salaries By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE delay in the release of the national budget under the General Appropriations Act of 2019 is one of the several external factors contributing to the delay of the salaries and deployment of our health workers, according to the Department of Health. “We assure our dedicated health workers our support and that steps are being taken into resolving this collaboratively with other concerned government offices and local government units [LGUs],” the DOH said in a statement. “We recognize that our health workers are the backbone of a strong health system,” it added. “They are important in realizing Universal Health Care. There are gaps that clearly need to be addressed and we want to start building the health reforms that we need through the UHC law.” Upon the release of the GAA, the DOH said approximately 26,000 Human Resource for Health, including rural health doctors, public health nurses, rural health midwives, dentists, medical technologists, pharmacists, nutritionistdieticians and other health workers under the HRH Deployment Program will be hired. Of this, 17,205 positions will be dedicated to nurses. They will receive full benefits similar to the benefits of a permanent employee, a policy that the DOH has actively pushed for. “This is our direct response to the need to augment health workers, but we would like to reiterate that the HRH program only works with the strong support of the LGUs,” the DOH said. “As we always say, health is everybody’s responsibility and collectively, we can build a health system where no Filipino is left behind.”

Court defers arraignment of Rappler chief Maria Ressa THE Manila Regional Trial Court on Friday deferred the arraignment of Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa on the cyber libel case filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng. Instead, Branch 46 Judge Rainelda H. Estacio-Montesa gave the prosecution 10 days to file their comment or objection to the motion to quash filed by Ressa’s counsels from the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG)—Arno Sanidad, Gregorio Viterbo Jr., former Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te, and Jose Manuel L. Diokno. The motion to quash reiterated the defense’s earlier claim that the law was not in effect when the story in question was published. The defense in turn was given five days to file a reply to the comment which may be filed by the prosecution to their motion to quash. The prosecution has five days to file a rejoinder to the reply of the defense panel. “The court expects to receive the last pleading on March 25, 2019. Thereafter the motion to quash is deemed submitted for resolution,” Estacio-Montesa said in an order. The court has reset the arraignment on April 12, 2019. Both Ressa and co-accused, former Rappler writer Reynaldo Santos, were also present during Friday’s hearings. PNA

GROUNDBREAKING. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project in Caloocan

City on Feb. 28. Also in the photo are Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar. Presidential Photo

Solons weigh in on Du30 veto of ‘anti-spanking’ bill By Maricel V. Cruz

ORMER Speaker and Quezon City Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Friday expressed support for President Rodrigo Duterte’s veto of the anti-spanking bill.

“I am in favor of spanking, which was part of my childhood. But anything more severe than that, l oppose,” Belmonte said. Belmonte said he believes the children should be disciplined by their parents but not subjected to excessive physical pain. In addition, he said it is within the President’s authority to veto bills that he believes will not redound to public welfare. Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel shared Belmonte’s view, saying the power of the veto is a prerogative of the president. “He [President Duterte] has some information that we ordinary citizens do not have access to. I am sure that his reason for the veto is justiﬁed based on information given to him. i support his

decision,” Pimentel said. However, two congressmen opposed the President’s decision to veto the bill which prohibits beating children and other physical forms of punishment to discipline them. “I hope the President would still be open to a dialogue with proponents of the bill including child rights advocates,” Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said. While the country may have a law against violence against children, Alejano said corporal punishment which is currently acceptable could lead to deep psychological trauma for the child that affects the state of his/her mental health. “Oftentimes, corporal punishment progresses into harsher forms of punishment including vicious beating,”

Alejano said. “The law reinforces positive discipline and for that alone, I had hoped the President hadn’t vetoed it entirely,” he added. Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said he ﬁnds it unfortunate and at the same time disturbing that Malacañang does not appreciate the values of positive discipline and reinforcement among children. “It is unfortunate because children nowadays are subjected to all forms of physical and mental violence. It is disturbing because Malacañang wants to promote measures that puts children at risk like the lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility,” Villarn said. He said that the “the law seeks to protect our children by prohibiting beating, kicking, slapping, lashing on any part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an instrument.” The law also seeks to prohibit verbal abuse or assaults, including threats, intimidation, swearing or cursing, ridiculing a child or making him look foolish in front of other children or the public, Villarin added.

Police nab 8 Chinese nationals in illegal gambling By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE arrested on Thursday night eight Chinese nationals engaged in illegal online gambling in Makati City. A search warrant issued by Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 56 Judge Bonifacio Pascua led to the apprehension of Chenchen Li, Yu Hong, Huimin Li, Jian Cai, Chijin Lei, Yaowli Xiong, Yufei Lin and Cun Peng at 22 Briones Street, San Lorenzo Ville around 10 p.m. “We conducted the police operation based on the search warrant following intelligence information regarding the presence of Chinese nationals engaging in illegal gambling,” said Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar. Eleazar said the foreigners have no license and necessary permits from

the Makati City government and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to establish and conduct gambling operation. The suspects will be charged with violating the cybercrime prevention law while the Immigration bureau is verifying their status in the country. The raiding team recovered a number of high-end computers and internet routers believed used in the illegal activity. Also conﬁscated during the search were laptops, a modem, cellular phones and passports. The suspects have been detained at the National Capital Region Police Ofﬁce headquarters in Bicutan, Taguig City for proper disposition and documentation. In October 2016, authorities raided an online gambling den along Ayala Avenue,

also in Makati, where at least 40 people, most of them Chinese nationals, were apprehended, also for alleged possession of illegal drugs. The raid prompted Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay to check the establishment and later ordered its closure. The Hao Ying Solutions Inc., located at the 15th floor of Multinational Bancorporation Building, was shut down following site inspection conducted by personnel of the city’s Business Permits Office upon the directive of Binay. On orders of Binay, BPO personnel checked its records and found out that the company was first registered in 2011 and its business permit was renewed last January 2016. However, its registered address was at the 21st floor of Tower I, Enterprise Center at Ayala Avenue.

But Saga Akmad, the CENRO head in Tacurong City, said nothing much came out of the police investigation from the day Bansil was shot dead early morning in nearby Lambayong, his hometown. Sampulna said he spoke in defense and sympathy to the bereaved family, as “Secretary Roy A. Cimatu gave instruction to provide the family with assistance most needed and to monitor the result of the investigation.” DENR Regional Executive Director Nilo Tamoria said it was not far-fetched that the employee’s murder was work-related. “The work of a forester is not an easy task. It is somehow associated with risk especially when they are assigned in the ﬁeld and armed only with their desire of combatting illegal logging activities,” Tamoria said, adding he was saddened by department’s loss of a sincere and dependable worker. Nash B. Maulana

A PARTY-LIST legislator who represents the education sector on Friday thanked the Vietnamese and commended its navy for rescuing two ﬁshermen from Occidental Mindoro who were stranded on an islet on the West Philippine Sea. “Through our friends in Occidental Mindoro, I will ascertain how 1-Ang Edukasyon party-list group can help the two ﬁshermen of San Jose,” Rep. Bong Belaro said. “With this act of kindness and its Navy’s professionalism out at sea, Vietnam proved it is a true friend of Filipinos and the Philippines,” Belaro, a reserve Navy commander (lieutenant colonel in the ground and air forces) said. He noted that the Philippines and Vietnam are both seafaring nations. “We both care about making sure the marine life of the South China Sea will continue to sustain our peoples’ families and communities,” Belaro said. Maricel V. Cruz

Hospitals warned on exorbitant fees SENATOR Richard Gordon has warned hospitals against burdening their patients by imposing excessive charges and committing unjust practices. Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross, issued the warning after a daughter of an intensive care unit patient sought the senator’s help in connection with the unjust practices committed by the Unihealth±—Baypointe Hospital and Medical Center, a privately owned and controlled hospital operating in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. “As I have stressed multiple times in the past, medical facilities’ practice of charging retesting fees for PRC blood units is unnecessary and burdens poor Filipinos ﬁnancially. Hospitals should realize that patients are already suffering enough hence, they should not overcharge in terms of blood,” he said in a letter to Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III. The daughter complained that their running bill for blood alone has reached the enormous amount of P200,000.00 because the hospital charges an exorbitant amount of P6,000 per unit of blood. In case the patient would provide two donors, the fee charged would be P1,000 per unit. Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Du30 no lawyer for the Marcoses’

DENR, cops clueless in death of forester COTABATO CITY—The police remained virtually clueless in the probe of the killing last Thursday of a forest enforcer of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat. Environment Secretary Frank Cimatu has sent DENR Assistant Secretary Jim Sampulna to meet with the family and colleagues of slain forester Kandatu Bansil, who headed the Forest Law Enforcement Unit of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat. “Officials and employees of the DENR XII lament the death of Forester Kandatu A. Bansil of the CENRO in Tacurong City,” said Sampulna. Local police report said the 51-year-old Bansil was shot dead by an unidentified gunman on Feb. 21, in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat.

Vietnam thanked on fisher’s rescue

HUMAN TRAFFICKERS. One of three Chinese arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation agents are presented to the media on Friday, March 1. The three, Han Wang a.k.a. Logan Wang, Fengping Yue a.k.a. Amber Yue and Filipinos Richelle Athena and Maxine Landicho, were nabbed for alleged human trafficking of 16 females of whom 11 are minors. They were arrested at a Makati condominium on Feb. 27. The recruits were forced to work as prostitutes. Norman Cruz

THE Palace on Friday insisted that President Rodrigo Duterte is not lawyering for the Marcoses over their supposed illgotten wealth. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the remark days after the Chief Executive raised doubts on the late dictator’s questionable afﬂuence allegedly stolen from state coffers. “They do not understand the point of view of the President. The President’s point of view is with respect to other billions which have not been proven yet. First of all, how can you prove that if we don’t have that amount of money?” Panelo told reporters in a Palace press brieﬁng. “Now, the question is, where in the heavens name did the Marcos got so much wealth? They’re saying some $400 billion were stolen. Huh? $400 billion? We don’t have that much money,” he added. Nat Mariano

Opinion

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

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Imprisoned but unbowed MORE than two years as a detainee at the Camp Crame Custodial Center for what she and others believe to be trumped-up charges against her, Senator Leila De Lima, many might expect, would be dejected and overwhelmed by her dismal condition. But the good senator is proving to be made of much tougher stuff than most. Despite her condition, she remains defiant but buoyant. She continuous to conscientiously perform her consti-

Here is Senator De Lima in her own words.

tutionally mandated duty as elected senator of the Republic. Compared to many more legislators who have been detained in the past for various charges, De Lima is a woman on a mission. Not only is she the most vociferous and implacable critic of the present administration particularly on issues concerning the country such as extrajudicial killings, West Philippine Sea and a host of other issues. She is diligent in the discharge of her duty as a senator notwithstanding the restrictions on her liberty. As chairperson of the Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, De Lima has authorized her ViceChairpersons Senator Sonny Trillanes

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

and Senator Sonny Angara to conduct three (3) hearings and five (5) Technical Working Group Meetings. These hearings produced a total of ten (10) Committee Reports. Of the ten Committee Reports, four (4) were approved on third reading both in the Senate and the House of Representatives. These are Committee Report No. 552 (National Commission of Senior Citizens Act); Committee Report No. 531 (Magna Carta of the Poor); Committee Report No. 522 (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program [4PS] Act); and Committee Report No. 566 (Community-Based Monitoring System Act). Four (4) are pending on 2nd reading while two (2) are still for sponsorship. De Lima assumed the chairmanship in June 2018. Among her many accomplishments, she prides herself most on her committee’s progress on the bills con concerning the National Commission of Senior Citizens Act; Magna Carta of the Poor; 4PS; and the CommunityBased Monitoring System Act—all designed to uplift the quality of living of every Filipino specially those living below the poverty line. We can expect more legislative ac accomplishments coming from the office of Senator de Lima in the days or months ahead. Yes, she is in prison— but she is unbowed. This truth about Senator De Lima is best seen in the speech she delivered before the final blessing of the Holy Mass held at the PNP Custodial Center, Camp Crame, Quezon City last Feb. 24, 2019 in commemoration of the 2nd year of her illegal arrest and unjust detention. Below are excerpts from that speech: ‘Two (2) years ago, Feb. 24, before 8:00 in the morning, or right before I stepped out of my Senate office and went down to the parking area to face

Shielding the babes

RESIDENT Duterte has refused to sign a bill prohibiting parents from using corporal punishment—kicking, beating, slapping, as well as non-physical means—to discipline their children. demnation of the practices. The lack of distinction between responsible disciplining of children and resorting to humiliating and degrading punishment was what made the President reject the bill. Prohibiting parents from doing as they see fit transgresses the boundaries of how much the state can intervene in the life of the family. Then again, these are different times and government should acknowledge that the methods that have worked in the past may no longer do so, to the same extent, in the present. Subtle and positive ways of discipline, done with firmness, consistency and love can achieve better results than unthinking, tough or impulsive forms. Meanwhile, there is greater urgency for parents to monitor their children’s online activity as the socalled Momo Challenge, an app encouraging viewers to harm and even kill themselves, caused an 11-year-

The bill sought to promote positive and non-violent discipline, protecting children from acts that are physical, humiliating and degrading as a means of punishment for bad behavior. Embarrassing children in public and cursing at them are included in the acts the bill wanted to prevent. The President believes that when parents use such punishment on their children, it is because of love and a desire to raise them as good and responsible individuals. Corporal punishment, when done in restraint and moderation, has yielded beneficial results as children are raised “to become law-abiding citizens with a healthy respect for authority structures in the wider community." Mr. Duterte clarified that he in fact supports the notion that children should be protected from humiliating forms of punishment, but does not share the sweeping con-

old boy to kill himself. Numerous government agencies have issued appeals to parents to be more aware of their children’s use of the web. Indeed while the web offers tremendous help and knowledge, it could also be used to advance illegal, nay, evil, ends. The premise in both these examples is that parents ultimately always know what is best. That is generally true. Parents will want their children to have the best opportunities, secure a good future for them, enable them to achieve full potential and prevent them from harm in any form. Those who abuse and misuse the duty of guardianship are the exception rather than the rule. It is only in the event of these exceptions that the community and the state are called upon to intervene. The threats to today’s children have evolved significantly from the ones that confronted the young a generation or two ago. Primary discretion and responsibility falls on the parents who should use their good judgment, rationality and awareness in performing the most difficult, most nuanced job of all.

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Why #HilbayIsMyGuy IN LESS than two and a half months, the midterm elections will happen. The Filipino electorate will troop to the polls and cast their votes for 12 senators, district representatives, their chosen Party-List representative, governors, mayors, vice-mayors, and counselors. All these positions are up for grabs. IF voters responsibly exercise their right to vote, the May 13 elections would be a golden opportunity to refocus the country’s direction to real, pro-people, and meaningful change. The Senate is particularly important because depending on who get elected, it can be the House that can serve as the fiscalizer of abuses and excesses committed by those belonging to the very powerful Executive and Judiciary branches. The Legislature is there not only to make, amend, or repeal laws. It is also there to ensure check and balance in governance. For instance, only Congress has the power to remove from office erring impeachable officials through the impeachment process. We have seen this political process performed by Congress several times. It is a very important that we have independent-minded legislators to perform this function. Otherwise, the power can also be abused. Members of Congress make up the Commission on Appointments, the body the confirms or rejects presidential appointees to important positions in the Executive. This power is crucial to ensure that those occupying key positions, beyond having the trust of the President, are capable and will be able to deliver on their mandates. Another important function of Congress is oversight. It has the power to

see to it that laws are implemented as they should be, and that the budgets of the various government offices are used for the purpose/s these were given them. Congress’ oversight function is important to ascertain that the Filipino people are not shortchanged in terms of services that laws should provide, and that the people’s money is judiciously used. Between the HOR and the Senate, it is the latter that has historically played the role of the fiscalizer, thus, its importance. Because of the Senate’s important powers and responsibilities, the country needs new, progressive, credible,

He is progressive and pro-people.

and capable Senators with pro-people track record. These are not easy, some even say impossible to find, especially, in one person. But I dare say that these are the very characteristics that convinced me to support candidate Florin “PILO” Hilbay. Well, for full disclosure, these are the characteristics that convinced me to push Pilo to run for senator. The very first compliment I heard about Pilo was from a lawyer friend who was teaching at the UP College of Law. I no longer remember the context because this was many years ago but for some reason, I remembered his name. The next time I encountered his name was when he was already Solicitor General and defending the Reproductive Health law before the Supreme Court. I was observing the SC process and was there when he valiantly defended the law. I remember that he instantly became a Turn to A5

Our errant gatekeepers POOR President Rodrigo Duterte. Because of his errant, non-performing subalterns, he has been placed in a spot where he’s the one defending his government on the issue of 300,000 Chinese working here apparently without permit. This is more than an immigration and labor problem. Chinese here il-

These officials have put the President in a tight spot. legally pose a national security prob problem since the Philippines has a ter territorial dispute with Beijing on the South China Sea. Not only have the Chinese pushed their borders in the West Philippine Sea without regard

or deference for international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, they are well on the way to annexing the Philippines as a province of China. President Duterte is obviously to be blamed for this situation. His embrace of Chinese President Xi Jinping in his alleged independent foreign policy to shift from traditional ally United States has driven him into the arms of a rising China. The career diplomats at the Department of Foreign Affairs must be aghast at this drivel of

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Opinion Prohibiting child spanking is ‘O.A.’ IT WAS not at all surprising hearing the news that President Duterte has vetoed a bill passed by Congress seeking to prohibit parents from employing corporal punishment on their children. As we do, Manong Digong does not share the notion that such form of physical punishment does more harm that good to a misbehaving child of any age. I agree with him that reasonable corporal punishment that is administered with restraint constitutes an “act of love,” as well as a duty of respon-

Why... From A4

rock star in the eyes of RH advocates. Despite holding the Solicitor General’s office, Pilo has never held any elective position. He said that the only elective position he has ever held was that of class president in high school, with Lourd de Veyra as his Vice, and that he disapproved using their class fund for their Christmas Party. In one meeting, I noticed that he was eating squash seeds non-stop as we were “grilling” him with questions. I asked why he was doing that and he responded, “Kinakabahan kasi ako eh!” I actually liked it that with all his credentials, he would still feel nervous. He is not like others who like to grandstand and appear like they have all the answers. He has no qualms asking questions on matters that he is not very familiar with. He does not stop learning and that is good. Yes, Pilo Hilbay is young and a newbie in politics. We need fresh faces, new ways of looking at issues, as well as out-of-the-box solutions to the country’s many problems. Pilo is credible and capable. His academic credentials are very impressive. Despite his very humble Tondo beginnings, he rose to the top. He is not only a lawyer; he topped the bar

Our errant... From A4

allegedly diversifying our diplomatic relations. There is nothing wrong with that. Still, to break away from America’s embrace only to be suffocated in the lock of the tight arms of another, is mindless—especially since China is seen as an aggressive power with an agenda of hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region. The President has taken an oath in the Constitution to protect to the people and the country’s sovereignty. He still has a chance to correct his mistakes and those of the key members of his official family. What should he do? I hope he and Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo do not tell me to get myself elected president first before telling his boss how to run the country. But we are the people an elected President is sworn to serve. So, for starters he should call Secretary of Defense Delfin Lorenzana,

Imprisoned... From A4

the PNP arresting team, I convened my staff to bid farewell. I could see that most of them were trying to hold back their tears. It was a high-stress, high-emotion moment. I told them—I’m not sure how long this ordeal will last. It could take a few days, a few weeks, a few months or a few years. A few days or few weeks because we were banking on an immediate injunctive relief, a TRO from the Supreme Court. It didn’t come to pass. A few months because we were hoping against hope that the Supreme Court would grant our Petition seeking for the nullification of my arrest. Again, it didn’t happen. The majority of the SC

sible parents. More often than not, the child getting spanked realizes that. It is one of the ways to inculcate a sense of responsibility and accountability for his or her unacceptable behavior. Disciplining children is a corrective action distinct from physical abuse with intent to hurt or inflict injury. There is no arguing that we are all for the protection of our children against any form of harm or abuse. That is precisely why we have Republic Act 7610, titled “ Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act” and RA 9262, “The Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act.”

These are in addition to the applicable provisions Revised Penal Code that penalize crime against persons, including children. That means we have more than enough laws to protect the children in the country, and coming up with yet another edict to declare corporal punishment illegal is simply overacting and hypocritical. What we need is to enact measures that will protect children from turning delinquent, troublesome and, eventually, criminals. Whichever epal lawmaker authored the vetoed bill failed to recognize that corporal punishment has been practiced as a method of disciplining the kids since pre- colonial period. It is virtually part of the Filipino culture.

exams. He got his masters from the prestigious Yale School of Law. He was the youngest Solicitor General. He was a professor at UP College of law for nearly two decades. He has shown the country a glimpse of what he can do when he was the SolGen. Beyond defending the RH law before the SC, he was also instrumental in the country’s victory over China on the West Philippine Sea issue. No one can question Hibay’s capability and track record. He will definitely be an asset in the Senate. Pilo is progressive and pro-people. For many years he was mentored by the respected former former Senator Jovito Salonga as they worked on issues of human rights and social justice. It was also under Pilo’s leadership as SolGen that government won the coco levy fund case in favor of the coconut industry and coconut farmers. Some PhP71 billion funds from the coco levy became available to help the country’s 3.5-million coconut farmers and their families. Hilbay’s being a progressive is especially evident during debates of senatorial candidates. When asked about controversial issues, he responds directly, unequivocally. He is pro-divorce and pro-LGBTQI rights including same-sex marriage. He is against death penalty and lowering

the age of criminal liability. Undoubtedly, a Senator Hilbay will be a human rights champion in the senate. Despite all the excellent qualifications that Pilo possesses, his is a difficult journey to the Senate. He is without the money that other candidates have. He cannot afford to buy media time. His collaterals mostly come as contributions so the public does not see much campaign materials. His campaign very largely depends on the thousands of volunteers helping him in this crusade. Because he does not come from a political family and he is a newbie, he needs to be known to voters. This usually takes a lot of money. Still, during the last time I spoke with him, he was upbeat and optimistic. He believes in and trusts the Filipino people. As he always says, “Walang imposibleng pangarap.” Here we have a guy with all the necessary qualifications of a senator for the people. Rather than put in office those with questionable track record, capability, credibility, and integrity, I hope people will put Pilo Hilbay on the ballot for senator. We need Pilo Hilbay in the Senate. This is why #HilbayIsMyGuy.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra—whose Department of Justice has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Immigration—to give the facts and figures on the Chinese working in the country. As it is, they are making their boss look clueless on the actual number of Chinese working here. These illegal Chinese are displacing our own Filipino workers who have to seek dangerous jobs overseas because of the lack of work here in their own country. Yet DOLE, DOJ and the DND have allowed llegal Chinese slip through. President Duterte has been made to look like he is fumbling with his words when he said the jobs being done by the Chinese is work Filipinos are not qualified for or do not want to do. What nonsense is that? Filipinos are known to do work as engineers in the oil fields of the Middle East and even highly technical jobs in the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) of the United States in its moon and Mars

explorations. Pinoys are also willing to do dirty work in cleaning up foreign employers’ toilets. So, that should dismiss the claim Filipinos do not want to do certain work. Filipinos will do all and any kind of work to feed their family. I do not approve of their excuse when criminals say they only did it because they want to put food on the table for their family. But as I said, they will do all kinds of work, criminal and otherwise, to feed their families. That should debunk the drivel of the President’s excuse that some Filipinos do not want to do certain kinds of work. It’s less than two months before the May 13 midterm elections. This is seen as a preview of the presidential elections in 2022. Filipinos must vote wisely to separate the chaff from the grain as winners in this election could give us the next president of the country in 2022. Let us all put in our minds that the main issue here is jobs, jobs and jobs which is key to solving poverty, hunger and reducing crime.

chose to turn a blind eye to this gross injustice. And I will tell you now what I didn’t dare openly wish in front of my staff: “Sana few years lang.” I did not dare say it loud because I didn’t want to give them any sign that I was afraid of a long, drawn-out detention. I didn’t want to leave them with fear in their hearts, more than the fear that was already there. I wanted to be strong for them. I was in warrior mode. And now it’s 2 full years. How many more years shall I endure? I want to be confident. No choice but to be confident. But I’m not sure if I can be confident. The state of our justice system hardly inspires confidence. Xxx I want to be optimistic, but I am not blind. I can see what is happening

in the country at large, as clearly as I can see what is happening in my own cases. Even the few minor “victories” we achieved, like the inhibition of judges, is proof of what an uphill battle we are facing. Nobody wanted to touch these trumped-up drug cases. A number of judges have inhibited themselves. I don’t blame them. They know that they will be damned if they do justice, and damned if they don’t. They know what is at stake: I have to be convicted for this Administration to retain its thin semblance of legitimacy. To do justice to me is to offend the powers that be. To do right is to incur the Duterte wrath. So it all boils down to how powerful the enemies I have made are. And

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How EDSA rendered Sison and his cabal irrelevant Sison and his cabal of degenerating Marxists that made Edsa people power the greatest spectacle of treachery. All their operatives were already in place to execute the job to the last detail. The oligarchy already had their assignment on what to grab. The ultra-conservative Church had their valid reason, not THE germ that accelerated the decay of the militant left began on Feb. 25, 1986. People on the question about the validity of their who know more about ideology and could dogma but on the decision of the Marcos narrate the events that led to the ouster of government taxing the church of its propFerdinand E. Marcos will never interpret erties. In other words, it was only Sison’s CPP the so-called “Edsa People Power” as the and NDF that positioned on the wrong side turning point of the revolution. Rather, those who opposed his ouster of the fence. Maybe we can give Joma and interpret the revolution as a counter revolu- his blind acolytes the benefit of the doubt tion coated as an end to the so-called dic- of what happened. However, others who tatorship. While it took his followers some have a deeper understanding of their role as time to assess and accept the significance guardians of the revolution knew they comof EDSA, they realized that it could soon mitted the greatest betrayal of the Filipino work in their favor. To them it was just a people. They gained nothing in their particsetback to what they call an “unfinished ipation in that mass action except to cling on to Cory Aquino’s promise to release all revolution.” Those who had their orientation what of them from prison. The US did not officially object because ideology is all about could easily assess that what transpired on Feb. 25, 1986 was a their presence could make it EDSA as massive and concerted. day of infamy. They In that, the only witnessed a counter value of the militant revolution led by the Left was to provide oligarchy, the conthe warm bodies to servative Church and It was a day of make the political the US, and strangely hoopla credible. Sienough by the Com- infamy. son and his detained munist Party of the members of the Philippines under the CPP’s Central Comleadership of Jose mittee acquiesced to Ma. Sison, the Nathat unholy alliance tional Democratic Front and the various the various front organizations. As a disguised because his interest was to get out of the struggle to end the dictatorship, Edsa clear- detention center. This unsaid sequence of EDSA is one ly restored the power and privileges to the international monopolists, the oligarchy that Sison and company refuse to talk about and the Church with the people made to be- for fear it would expose them as immature ideologues who committed the same act of lieve they were about to be liberated. Simultaneous with their victory, the betrayal often accusing party members of CPP/NDF’s classic revolutionary formula the more serious charge of treason to jusof “protracted people’s war” instantly be- tify their imposition of death penalty by came stale. The collaboration in particular execution. They could not officially enof the militant Left automatically divested dorse EDSA, but it was an open secret that them of that weapon. The militant Left as all their cadres were ordered to proceed to a tool for political change has all of a sud- EDSA to support Cardinal Sin’s shepherdden became irrelevant. As one political ed students from the exclusive schools. When the smoke finally cleared that observer would put it, EDSA as a symbol of people power defrocked the status of the Marcos has already been kidnapped by the demigod of the ideologues to that of plain US imperialist, only then did their more enlightened members began to ask why it was demagogue. The theory to capture political power the US that did their job when supposedly from countryside to the cities became a overthrowing Marcos was integral to their theorem of infantile adventurism, for what revolutionary program of government. As happened was a mutiny of disgruntled of- one would quip in the vernacular, ni hindi ficers whose ambition and option for po- sila pinadama tulad ng ginawa ni Digong, litical change was meticulously prepared like appointing them to the government by Washington and Wall Street. The lead- with a rank of cabinet position even before ership and the cadres of the militant left they could formally begin the talks.” The putsch that ensued after EDSA could not answer that the event at EDSA was contrary to the revolutionary formula unmasked the political swindle that Siadvanced by Sison and his trolls of un- son and his cabal of degenerating Marxists committed. Surprisingly, it was our thinking followers. They refused to admit that the entire own patriotic soldiers that exposed their leadership of the Communist Party par- treachery. To desperately tried to isolate, ticipated in the most grotesque form of Sison and his gang countered by branding betrayal of collaborating with the oligar- them as “Marcos loyalists” to downgrade chy, the Church, and the imperialist while the value of the charge of pretending to be publicly hooting before the masses that revolutionaries. The US intervention to save their inthe participation of the masa action was necessary for their liberation from the stalled lackey confirmed the suspicion of shackle of the dictatorship. The militant the Soldiers of the Filipino People (SFP) left was unexpectedly caught “between headed by Gen. Carlos Zumel and Col. the devil and the deep blue sea” for the Reynaldo Cabauatan and the Young Offact that they never truly understood their ficers Union (YOU) headed by Gen. ideology, and what they want to achieve Danilo Lim and other young officers but ideologically reformers. Their principal beyond the issue of changing Marcos. Everybody knows that EDSA was a objective was not to restore Marcos to game-changer formula hatched by the CIA, power but to make known the birth of the the State Department and Pentagon was nationalist soldiers. The SAF YOU soldesigned to reduce the militant left to mere diers asked why the CPP/NDF and their kibitzers of their make-believe revolution. front organizations sacrificed the interest The EDSA people power was a fool’s game of the Filipino people only in exchange against a politically embattled President for the release of those bunch of ideologiwho lost the upperhand in the propaganda cal demagogues? To this day, Sison and his cabal refuse battle to pursue his progressive reforms. It is the same political line they now to acknowledge that the uprising in Deadopt against the incumbent President Ro- cember 1989 was indicative that the soldrigo Duterte. The camp of Jose Ma. Sison diers was more politically advance in their wanted the support of the US in his bid to consciousness than those who have been oust Duterte just as the US wanted Sison parroting as ideologically committed. They and his army of blind fanatics to participate know the ideology that promised to liberate the Filipino people has become redundant in the final removal of Marcos. The CIA had to entice the militant Left after EDSA. For that, they now shout the to participate in that conspiracy. What was slogan of the Katipuneros of finishing the important to them is that EDSA people unfinished revolution of 1898. power appeared in the media as supported by the masses. It was the lending hand of rpkapunan@mail.com

Duterte is but one of them…Yes, he is the most blatantly and vocally vicious, but I am wise enough to know that he is not alone. You know what they say, no good deed goes unpunished? Kaya nga today’s Gospel strikes hard at me. Parang nananadya si Lord. Today’s Gospel is about loving my enemies. On a theoretical and philosophical level, such a teaching is easy to accept and understand. What good is it to only love those who are good to us? But a very difficult one to put in practice. So I ask myself, can I love my enemies? I don’t know. For sure, I am not there yet. That is something I have to meditate further about. But I don’t know if I will ever get there. So I ask myself something easier, can I forgive my enemies, even when

they have not asked for forgiveness? In truth, though, I have long ago forgiven those who were merely used as pawns, such as the convicts themselves and others who allowed themselves to be used against me. They aren’t the real enemies. In the end, I think, I can find it in my heart to forgive, but not forget. Do not ask me to forget. Because to forget is to ask me to surrender my humanity. Someday, I can forgive the real enemies. But I cannot forget. Xxx Remember, remember the 24th of February. For this is not MY day. It is the day when our commitment to Truth, Justice, Rule of Law, and Democracy were put to test, serious test. We are still fighting. We have not lost.

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TODAY MARCH 2, 2019 SATURDAY,

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IN BRIEF Sandiganbayan: Rep. Tan guilty THE Sandiganbayan Fourth Division on Friday found Samar 2nd District Rep. Milagrosa Tan “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” over the alleged anomalous purchase of P16.1 million worth of emergency supplies in 2001. At the same time, the anti-graft court’s division declared that Tan was perpetually disqualified from holding public office for violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Tan is running for governor in the May elections. However, her candidacy remains valid pending the finality of the decision. Two of Tan’s co-accused, Rolando Montejo and Reynaldo Yabut, were also found guilty of eight counts of graft. But the court acquitted Romeo Reales, Maximo Sison, and Numeriano Legaspi for the failure of the prosecution in proving their guilt. Division chairperson Associate Justice Alex Quiroz ordered Tan and two of her coaccused to post an additional bail of P240,000 to prevent the issuance of an arrest warrant. “The Sandiganbayan would always require the accused to double the bond for them to enjoy provisional liberty,” Quiroz said, directing the court sheriff to prohibit the accused from leaving the Sandiganbayan premises until the bond was posted. Maricel Cruz

Check all Makati elevators—Binay By Joel E. Zurbano

AKATI Mayor Abigail Binay on Friday ordered the Office of the Building Official to conduct a rigorous inspection of all elevators in Makati City buildings to ensure their compliance with the safety requirements as provided for in the National Building Code of the Philippines. The order came after an elevator at the Philippine Bank of Communications Tower located on Ayala Avenue malfunctioned late Thursday night, causing it to freefall from the 10th ﬂoor to the ground at an abnormal speed. JC Roldan, a Building Management

System operator at PBCom, also claimed the emergency brake was not working. At least 14 persons were hurt in the incident. Eleven of those are employees of Huawei Company, nine of them Chinese nationals while two others are Malaysians.

“I would like to reiterate to building owners and administrators that it is their responsibility to ensure that all elevators in their building are well-maintained,” Binay said. The city chief executive said it was the responsibility of the building owners and administrators to ensure the safety of every person inside the building. The ﬁrst responders to the incident were ambulances from Makati Search and Rescue Team and its clusters, Poblacion Rescue, Bangkal Rescue, San Isidro Rescue, Valenzuela Rescue and San Lorenzo Rescue, and the Philippine Red Cross.

2 Pangasinan mayors face criminal raps By Rio N. Araja

Ombudsman’s ruling affirmed THE Supreme Court has affirmed the rulings of the Office of the Ombudsman finding probable cause for technical malversation against some San Jose, Occidental Mindoro local government officials, in connection with the disbursement of their LGU share from the revenue of the tobacco excise tax. In a 13-page decision, the SC’s Third Division through Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta partly granted the petition of Jose T. Villarosa, Carlito T. Cajayon and Pablo I. Alvaro, and upheld the Ombudsman’s joint resolution dated March 23, 2015 and order dated July 29, 2015 which found probable cause against the petitioners for technical malversation, but cleared of liability under the Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The case arose from the complaint filed by Rolando Basilio before the anti-graft body, accusing the petitioners with charges of graft, technical malversation, grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best of interest of the service against Villarosa, Alvaro, and Cajayon, the municipal mayor, municipal treasurer, and municipal accountant, respectively, of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. Rey Requejo

According to the Makati Command Control and Communication Center (C3), they received a telephone call from Roldan at 10:54 p.m. informing them of the incident and requesting assistance for 17 elevator passengers who suffered from dizziness and sustained minor injuries. C3 reported that some of the victims are Filipino and Chinese employees of Huawei Technology and the others are call center employees. They were brought to the Makati Medical Center and Ospital ng Makati because of lower back and knee pains, among other complaints.

CONTINUING CARAVAN. Hugpong Ng Pagbabago Chairman Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Quezon City Vice Mayor and a candidate for mayor Joy Belmonte exchange Token during the HNP caravan campaign Friday at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

DPWH to conduct weekend road repairs in 4 cities

THE Department of Public Works and Highways will conduct repair and maintenance works in four areas of Metro Manila this weekend. In a statement, DPWH-National Capital Region Director Ador Canlas said the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority had given clearance to do road works along C-5 Road in the cities of Pasig and Taguig and Edsa in Quezon City starting 11 p.m. Friday. Canlas advised motorists to take alternate routes due to expected trafﬁc slowdowns in areas with Republic of the Philippines road repair activities. Department of Education He said the repair works on C-5 REGION IV-A CALABARZON would be at the southbound direcGate 2, Karangalan Village 1900 Cainta, Rizal tions, after Lanuza Avenue in Pasig before reaching the Bagong Ilog FlyINVITATION TO BID PROCUREMENT OF DELEGATION UNIFORMS over and fronting SM Aura in Taguig. FOR THE 2019 PALARONG PAMBANSA Repair and maintenance will also be done at the southbound The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON, through the GAA funds FY 2018 intends to apply the sum of Three Million Two Hundred Eighty Four direction of Edsa, from Lagarian Thousand One Hundred Eighty Pesos Only (Php3,284,180.00) being the Creek to Ermin Garcia, second lane Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for from sidewalk, Quezon City. the Procurement of delegation uniforms. Bids received in excess of the ABC per Lot shall be automatically rejected at bid opening. Canlas said repair works would

also be done at the northbound Magsaysay Boulevard going to Cubao, from R. Magsaysay Bridge to Pureza Street in the City of Manila. All affected road sections will be open to traffic by 5 a.m. on Monday. Meanwhile, MMDA personnel on Friday conducted clearing operations on alternative routes a day before the scheduled closure of Tandang Sora flyover and intersection. Tandang Sora flyover’s closure is part of the ongoing construction of the Metro Rail Transit System Line 7 (MRT-7), expected to be completed in two years. Despite the clearing operation’s progress on Luzon Avenue, the MMDA said tricycle drivers continued to defy loading and unloading prohibitions in some the areas. But tricycle drivers argued that passengers demanded they should be dropped off at locations of their choice. On Congressional Avenue Extension, MMDA personnel have called out passengers lining up on roadsides outside designated terminals. Assisting the MMDA for the clearing operations were the Quezon City police and Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety officials. PNA

TWO mayors from Pangasinan are facing a formal complaint of administrative and criminal offenses before the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with the operation of the illegal numbers game or “jueteng” in their respective towns.here. Speedgame Inc., represented by its general manager Jose Millora, filed the complaint against San Fabian Mayor Constante Agbayani; San Carlos City Mayor Joseres Resuello and Vice Mayor Julier Resuello; San Fabian’s Barangay Sagud-Bhaley chairperson Efren Fajardo, and San Carlos City’s Barangay Mamarlao chairperson Robert Rosario and village councilman of Malacañang Modesto Menor. Also included as respondents were the province’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief, Supt. Philip Antang; San Carlos City’s chief of police, Supt. Rollyfer Capoquian; San Fabian chief of police, Chief Insp. Melecio Mina; San Carlos City’s PO2 Ronald Pidlaoan, and PO2 Romeo Galisim and PO3 Jerome Buscaino, CIDG members in Dagupan City. Millora also implicated several private individuals—Bernabe de Guzman, Sammy Rosario, Lorylie Diaz, Warlito Simon, Norwyn Garcia Sudio and Beth Sudio of Barangay Aponit; Violeta Soriano, and Helen Dumlao also for their involvement in the illegal operation of jueteng in Pangasinan. The complaint was filed last Feb. 27. According to Florante Miano Speedgame Inc. legal counsel, Agbayani and the Resuellos, along with the police officers, had violated Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 9287 or the Anti-Gambling, and are facing administrative complaint for grave misconduct, oppression and dishonesty. He said the respondents must be held liable for failure to stop “jueteng” within their jurisdictions.

Lot 1-- delegation uniforms --Php3,284,180. 00 2.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON now invites bids for the Procurement of delegation uniforms. Delivery of the Services is expected for the Contract duration. Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders. Interested bidders shall bid on a Lot basis.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. (i)

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON (BAC Secretariat) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hour at 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on March 4, 2019 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00). Note: For lot procurement, the maximum fee for the Bidding Documents for each lot shall be based on its ABC, in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the GPPB; provided that the total fees for the Bidding Documents of all lots shall not exceed the maximum fee prescribed in the Guidelines for the sum of the ABC of all lots.}. It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhiIGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON will hold a Pre-Bid Conference2 on March 8, 2019 at 10:00 am to be held at the Director’s Office Conference Room, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before March 21, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18. Bid opening shall be on March 21, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Director‘s Office Conference Room. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

For further information, please refer to: Virginia 0. Bagacay DepED Region IV-A C4LABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta, Rizal 6477487 & 6474914 www.depedcalabarzon.ph (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS BAC Vice-Chairman

2May be deleted in case the ABC is less than One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000) where the Procuring Entity may not hold a Pre-Bid Conference. (MS-MAR. 2, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Far Eastern, National U stake 3x3 crowns today

CHAMPION SAILOR. Emerson Villena (center) emerged as the biggest winner in the inaugural Subic Bay International Regatta Match Racing Championship in the ongoing Subic Bay Cup Regatta. Villena, an Asian Sailing Federation Keel Boat Cup champion, outclassed fellow Philippine sailing team member Ridgely Balladares. Villena received his Tanduay Rum trophy from Philippine Sailing Association president Judes Echauz (left) and Jun Avecilla, chairman of Subic Sailing.

FAR Eastern University and National University stake their men’s and women’s crowns today (Saturday) in the UAAP Season 81 3x3 basketball tournament at the Ayala Malls Feliz in Pasig. Wendel Comboy and Kenneth Tuffin are coming back to join forces with Alec Stockton and Clifford Jopia for the Tamaraws’ back-to-back title bid. Fiba 3x3 campaigner Jack Danielle Aninam, Ria Nabalan, Monique del Carmen and Congolese Rhena Itesi will spearhead the Lady Bulldogs. Men’s action tips off at 12:05 p.m., while hostilities in the distaff side will start earlier at 11:30 a.m. Tournament format calls for a single-round eliminations, with the top four teams advancing to Sunday’s knockout semifinals. The Finals, which is also a onegame affair, will also be played later in the day. University of the Philippines

Koreans vow to dominate TCC golf

HE $100,000 The Country Club Ladies Invitational will not only feature world No. 2 Sung Hyun Park but also a slew of Korean aces ready to stamp their mark on the richest-ever tournament on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. Hwang Ye-nah, who held off then amateur Princess Superal to win the ICTSI Ladies Open at Southlinks, the first LPGA of Taiwan co-sanctioned event in 2015, then cruised to a wire-to-wire triumph at the ICTSI Champion Tour at Mt. Malarayat in 2017, is back in the hunt, together with former Philippine Ladies Amateur Open titlist Lee Jeong Hwa, who put on a pair of stirring comebacks to sweep the two Champion Tour events at Splendido and Southwoods in 2016. Focus will also on the young Hwang Minjeong, who marked her pro debut in grand fashion, beating a host of Thailand top guns and Superal to clinch the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Classic title last January. That should make the South Koreans the marked players in the March 6-8 event at the challenging The Country Club in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, which serves as the

fifth leg of the 2018-19 LPGT season and third stop of the LPGA of Taiwan. Meanwhile, for details and reservations for tickets to the TCC Ladies, contact Jocelyn Duque at 09157974751 or email lpgtinvitational@gmail.com. But Park, 26, remains the prime target of a stellar international field eager to earn a crack at the coveted crown and the top $17,500 aside from the bragging rights as the winner of the inaugural championship put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Park, who recently signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Solaire Resort & Casino, is expected to come into the event in top form, having primed up in the Honda LPGA in Thailand last week and in the on-ongoing World Women’s Championship in Singapore where is among the leaders.

But she will be as much tested as the rest of the field, which includes Taiwanese aces Babe Liu, Hsin Lee, Tzu-Chi Lin, Chia-Pei Lee and Ching Huang, who won the Champion Tour leg at Midlands last year, along with Thai stalwarts and former LPGT winners and TLPGA campaigners Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Renuka Suksukont, Wannasiri Sirisampant and Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang. Other foreign players out to spring a surprise in the 54-hole championship backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc. are Indonesian Tatiana Wijaya, Valerie Tan of Brunei, Diane Luke of Malaysia, and Japanese Rino Kotake, Shino Miyata, Eri Joma, Ayaka Morimitsu, Natsuki Kishikawa and Saya Aono. Meanwhile, the par-72 Tom Weiskophdesigned layout, spruced up to championship condition, is expected to play longer than its 6461 yardage with the elite field testing it one last time on March 5 for the tradition pro-am tournament.

Hwang

Rivera, Anton, Gallardo head Phoenix ‘18 slalom awardees THE 2018 RACE Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology National Slalom Series Championship held its Awards Night recently at the Kowloon Restaurant in West Avenue, with Milo Rivera of Tough Gear Racing emerging as its Slalom King for the fifth straight time. Rivera was followed by runner-up Inigo Anton and second runner-up Richard Gallardo in the awards rites attended by the Marketing Group of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc., headed by Teresito Rivas and Carl Diego, and the marketing group of PPC Asia, led by Marvi Antonino. Rivera was also crowned Production Rear Wheel overall champions, with Joseph Ortega as his runner-up. Also honored were Poweer Base, the Novice overall slalom champ, runnerup Vegil Calayo and second runner-up Ram Rafanan. The Production Front Wheel title went to Anton, followed by second placer Gallardo and third-ranked Jevoy Moreno. The 2018 RACE Motorsports Club Phoenix Pulse Technology National Slalom Series with enhanced power and acceleration is also supported by major sponsors Federal Tyres and 3K Batteries, New KYB Special Shock Absorbers, Robinsons Malls, Starbright Body Kits, Auto Transporter, media partners Motoring

Today, Stoplight TV, C! Magazine, Auto Car Magazine, Power Wheels Magazine and Medical Team Aeromed. RACE Motorsports Club also recognized the different teams who gave their commitment and dedication to the yearlong series, such as Tough Gear Racing Team, PMMS Rennsports, RODLEA Racing Team, JAF Racing Team, Pongga Racing Team, Mark Young Race Cars, STAGE 1 Racing Team, G Spot racing Team and Speedjav Racing Team. The event also announced the schedule for the new season: March 3 at Robinsons Novaliches, April 7 at Clark Global City, April 28 at Robinsons Starmills, May 26 at Robinsons Sta. Rosa, June 9 at Robinsons Antipolo, July 21 at Robinsons Starmills, August 18 at Robinsons Antipolo, September 8 in Cabanatuan City, September 29 in La Union, October 20 at Robinsons Starmills, November 10 at Robinsons Antipolo and December 8 at Robinsons Starmills, with the Slalom Invitationals slated on March 24, August 11 and October 6, all at Robinsons Calasiao. For details, call Bing Bang Dulce at 09178119337 or like the event’s Facebook page racemotorsportsclub. Some of the awardees: NATIONAL CLASS CHAMPIONS: Novice Stock Injected Class Cham-

Phoenix Slalom awardees (from left) Inigo Anton, Milo Rivera and Richard Gallardo are shown with RACE Motorsports Club’s Bing Bang and Lito Dulce.

pion Kevin Kurt Cruz; Novice 1A Class Champion Vegil Calayo Novice 1B Class Champion Vegil Calayo; Novice 1C Class Champion Powee Base; Novice Modified A Class Champion Ram Rafanan; Novice Modified B Class Champion Vegil Calayo; Novice Modified C Class Champion Vegil Calayo; Pro Stock A Class Champion Milo Rivera; Pro Stock B Class Champion Milo Rivera; Pro A Class

Champion Milo Rivera; Group 5A Class Champion Iňigo Anton; Group 5B Class Champion Iňigo Anton; Group 5C Class Champion Richard Gallardo; Front Wheel Injected Novice Class Champion Ram Rafanan; Front Wheel Modified Novice Class Champion Vegil Calayo; Front Wheel Modified Class Champion Iňigo Anton; Front Wheel Pro Stock A Class Champion Iňigo Anton; Front Wheel Pro Stock B Class Champion Iňigo Anton.

PCSO signs agreement with 3 racing clubs

Shown here are (from left) OIC–Chief Operating Officer of Metro Manila Turf Club, Inc. Atty. Benhur C. Abalos, MMTCI Racing Manger Jose Rodolfo Lopez Prado Jr. PCSO General Manager Alexander F. Balutan, Racing Manager of Manila Jockey Club Inc. Jose Ramon Magboo, Assistant Racing Manager of MJCI Juan Feliciano Cuevas, PCSO Chief of Staff Raymondo A. Liwag and Racing Manager of Philippine Racing Club Inc. Antonio B. Alcasid Jr.

THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, headed by General Manager Alexander F. Balutan on Feb. 25 signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the Advertising Placement Contract for the three Racing Clubs in the country namely, Metro Manila Turf Club, Inc. , Manila Jockey Club, Inc. and Philippine Racing Club, Inc. at the Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City. Under the agreement, the three racing clubs agree to broadcast PCSO games and advertisements in order to inform the public of PCSO projects and services and promote through the airing of PCSO prepared advertising materials to make spot placement during PCSO sponsored races on their cable channels. GM Balutan delivered his message of support to MMTCI, MJCI and PRCI and the horseracing industry that PCSO will be a constant figure in staging major and minor races in the coming years.

has pulled all the stops with Fiba 3x3 veterans Ricci Rivero and Juan Gomez de Liaño leading the way, together with Javi Gomez de Liaño and Will Gozum. Not far behind is Ateneo, which will banner Thirdy Ravena, Matt Nieto, Matthew Daves and Ivorian Ange Kouame. University of Santo Tomas, which did not parade a men’s team last season, will make its 3x3 debut behind Renzo Subido, Soulemane Chabi Yo, Dave Ando and Rhenz Abando. Adamson University’s Jerrick Ahanmisi, Simon Camacho, Jerom Lastimosa and Keith Zaldivar, De La Salle’s Jordan Bartlett, Mark Dyke, Christian Manaytay and Encho Serrano, and NU’s Daniel Chatman, JV Gallego, Michael Malonzo and Karl Penano complete the seven-team field. University of the East, last year’s runner-up, is not fielding a men’s team in the two-day competition.

Alveo 70.3 Davao starts Ironman 2019 season INSPIRED by its successful inaugural staging last year, the Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 Davao presented by Petron braces for a bigger, tougher edition next month, kicking off another busy season for the intrepid triathletes in a duel of power, endurance and mental toughness. The roster has swelled to close to 2,200 as of last week, underscoring the event’s tremendous pull both from the local and international campaigners gearing up for another explosive finish the way it was when Mexican Mauricio Mendez and Czech Radka Kahlefeldt capped the day of the underdogs when they ruled the premier elite division at the scenic Azuela Cove. The organizing Sunrise Events, Inc. and the country’s durian capital have guaranteed another thrilling, enjoyable race through the city’s mix of nature and urban infrastructure when the 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run event powered by Petron is fired off March 24. SEI founder Wilfred Uytengsu has acknowledged Davao as the new triathlon destination following its successful hosting last year and it’s just fitting to stage another top-notch triathlon event in Davao through the all-out support of the city officials. “We are encouraged by the success of last year’s staging and the enthusiasm Davao has shown in hosting us and I expect we will see this race steadily grow in terms of prestige and participation,” said Uytengsu. The upcoming event, featuring individual and relay competitions, has lured 16 pro triathletes and bets from 38 countries, including United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Mexico, Ukraine, Australia, Germany, India, Malaysia, Qatar, the US, Belgium, Spain, Italy, New Caledonia, Singapore; South Africa, Bahrain, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Bahrain, Great Britain, Korean, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland, Greece, Kuwait, New Zealand, Turkey, China, Guam, Mexico, Panama and Taiwan. For details, visit the event’s website at www.ironman.com/davao703.

Best Center accepting enrollees THE pioneering Best Center (Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center) is now accepting enrollees for its awards-winning sports clinics. Basketball classes start on April 1 for Monday and Thursday classes at Goodwill Subdivision 3 in Sucat, Parañaque. Sessions will be from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Classes on the same days are set at the International Christian Academy from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Volleyball clinics, meanwhile, are held at the International Christian Academy from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and at Starmall, Ala-

bang from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Early registration for all venues will be accepted at Christ the King on E. Rodriguez Avenue on March 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or at the International Christian Academy Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon on March 4, and at the St. Patrick School on March 9 from 9 a.m. to 12noon. For other venues and more details, please call 372-3066 or 411-6260 or email bestcenter.inquiry@gmail.com and Facebook fan page bestcentersportsinc. The Best Center is backed by MILO, supported by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ.

Sports

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

Luisita grabs PAL seniors’ golf lead CEBU CITY—Reigning national seniors’ champion Rodel Mangulabnan and Benjie Sumulong powered Luisita into the lead going into the final round of the 33rd Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub golf team championships Friday. Mangulabnan scored a one-over par 73 at the Club Filipino de Cebu to lead Luisita with 53 points, the best score so far in the tournament. He had four birdies against three bogeys and double bogey, a resounding followup to his secondround 50 points. Sumulong, smarting from his disqualification in the second round for signing a wrong scorecard, posted 50 points as Luisita took a six-point lead over Canlubang, 424-418. Former pro Demy Saclot was the third scorer for Luisita with 47, but he cost the team two points for not picking up on the 15th hole. Chito Laureta did not count with 43. Defending champion Canlubang matched its second round output of 140 points with Abe Avena leading the charge with 48 points. Despite a horrendous start of a double bogey, pickup and bogey, Avena managed to finish the last 15 holes in regulation. Mari Hechanova added 47 and Tommy Manotoc chipped in 45 for Canlubang. Pem Rosal failed to count with 43. Del Monte and Cebu Country Club were in third and fourth places with 408 and 402, respectively. Scoring for Del Monte were Romeo Bautista 53, Raul Minoza 46 and Antonio Arancon 42 while CCC’s scorers were Eric Deen 51, Kim Kwang Seok 40 and Nelson Yuvallos 38. In the Founders division, Manila Southwoods seized the lead with 135 points for 387 overall. A point behind was Negros Occidental while the Orchard was third with 384. The other division leaders were Team Coral Ocean Point in the Aviator, Baguio Country Club in the Sportswriter and EZ Par Golf Club in the Friendship.

United VC eyes big follow-up to PSL victory Games Today (Malolos Sports and Convention Center) 2:00 p.m. – Foton vs Cignal 4:00 p.m. – Sta. Lucia vs PLDT 6:00 p.m. – Generika-Ayala vs United VC

MALOLOS CITY—After carving out an impressive win the last time out, United VC seeks to keep rolling when it tackles a hungry Generika-Ayala side in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix Saturday in this historic city. Game time is at 6 p.m. with United VC shooting for its third victory in five games of this prestigious women’s club tourney that has Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, Team Rebel Sports, Bizooku, UCPB Gen, Cocolife, Hotel Sogo and Data Project as technical sponsors. Prior to that Foton and Cignal try to bounce back from bitter setbacks when they collide at 2 p.m. while Sta. Lucia and PLDT tangle in the 4 p.m. second match of this league that also has ESPN5 and 5Plus as technical sponsors. Petron and F2 Logistics remain on top of the team standings with an identical 4-0 cards following impressive victories against separate foes Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre. The Blaze Spikers made short work of the Lady Realtors, 25-8, 25-8, 25-18, while the Cargo Movers crushed the Tornadoes, 25-20, 25-20, 26-24, to gain momentum heading into their highlyanticipated battle next Thursday also at the same San Juan venue. But the biggest victory was that of United VC. With import Yasmeen Bedart-Ghani and Filipino-American Kalei Mau doing damage, United VC emerged victorious, 25-22, 25-13, 29-27, to move back on winning track while snapping the HD Spikers’ three-game winning streak.

Abe Avena of Canlubang reacts after sinking his putt in the 33rd Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub golf team championships Friday. Inset shows Benjie Sumulong, who together with Rodel Mangulabnan, powered Luisita to the lead. Angelica Villanueva

SEA tracksters in spotlight A

GLIMPSE of what’s in store in the coming Southeast Asian Games is expected in the staging of the 14th Southeast Youth Athletics Championships and the 2019 Philippine National Open Athletics Championships in Ilagan, Isabela. A great opportunity to see how good junior Filipino athletes are compared to their counterparts from around the Asian region will be showcased when the SEA Youth trackfest fires off today (Saturday) at the Ilagan Sports Complex. Thailand, a powerhouse in the region, will have the biggest delegation of 50 entries. Vietnam will also send participants,

along with Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Laos. Host Philippines is forming the best national youth squad possible in the SEA Youth trackfest. After the youth tourney, Fil-heritage athletes and local bets will have their turn to go for podium finishes in the 2019

Philippine National Open Athletics when it reels off from March 6 to 8. Fil-American athletes such as sprinters Eric Cray, Kristina Knott, Kyla Richardson, Kayla Richardson, Zion Corrales and Robyn Brown, together with pole vaulters Nathalie Uy and Alyanna Nicolas and middle distance runner Carter Lily will be showing their wares in the national open, which is supported by Ayala Corporation, Milo, Soleus and the City of Ilagan. The two competitions will serve as a venue for many participants preparing for the the Asian Youth Championships to be held a week later from March 15 to 17 in

Hong Kong and the SEA Games later this year, hosted by the Philippines. “The Asian Youth in Hong Kong is on March 12 to15 and many of opur neighbors are preparing for this. That’s why many countries have athletes who are going there (in Ilagan) before they go home in preparation for the SEA Games,” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico. Boasting of one of only two internationally-accredited track ovals in the country, Ilagan is also hosting the 14th Southeast Asian Youth Championships for the second time since 2017. Peter Atencio

Senate, AFP start UNTV Finals’ duel Sunday Blackwater

keeps hopes alive with win

Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 3 p.m. – NHA vs PNP 5 p.m. – AFP vs Senate

DEFENDING champion Senate and Armed Forces of the Philippines begin their best-of-three title series on Sunday, with the former hoping to make history in the 7th UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center. Coming off an impressive 75-60 drubbing of Philippine National Police in the rubber match of their semis series, the Senate Defenders are bidding to become the first back-to-back champion in the annual tournament for public servants. And even without Sen. Joel Villanueva, who suffered a calf injury last Sunday, the Defenders are determined to start strong in their 5 p.m. showdown. Fully rested after sweeping the NHA Builders in their own semis series two weeks ago, the Cavaliers have their own mission to accomplish and that is to win their third title in the event organized by UNTV president and CEO Dr. Daniel Razon. AFP is currently tied with Judiciary for the most number of titles with two each in the event offering P4 million to the charity of the champion team. The runner-up’s chosen charitable institution gets P2 million. Without Villanueva, Garri Sevilla, Jeff Sanders, Marlon Legaspi and Sen.

By Jeric Lopez

Garri Sevilla hopes to lead Senate to victory in Game 1 of their title duel with the AFP Cavaliers on Sunday at the Pasig City Sports Center.

Sonny Angara need to put the extra effort on both ends to gain a big psychological advantage in the series. Sevilla and Legaspi starred in their series-clinching win over the PNP Responders by scoring 24 and 18 points, respectively.

Out to provide the scoring load for the top-seeded Cavaliers are Boyet Bautista, Darwin Cordero, Willy Casula and former SEA Games campaigner Eugene Tan. The Cavaliers won their titles in 2014 and 2016.

Pacquiao lets son chase boxing ‘dream’ BOXING icon Manny Pacquiao said Friday he has reluctantly allowed his eldest son to follow in his footsteps after the younger Pacquiao chastised his parents for “killing” his dream of ring glory. The Filipino legend, who has eight world titles from different weight divisions, said he could not stand the prospect of seeing his son, Emmanuel Jr, getting hurt. “I said to him that boxing is tough, that training is tough, everything is tough. But he said, ‘daddy, boxing is my passion’,” Pacquiao, 40, told the Rappler online news site. “I said, ‘son that’s my line, you are copying Pacquiao my line’,” he added, saying the teenager’s words softened his stance. Known for his rags-to-riches climb from the street, Pacquiao said his wife Jinkee was adamant their 19-year-old son, nicknamed Jimuel, must not box. “Then Jimuel told her,’Mummy, you’re killing my dream’. So what can we do? We just let him,” he added.

“He is training every day. I see him in his room watching my fights in TV almost every day,” Pacquiao said. “It pains me because I know how hard is boxing. I can’t stand to see my son getting beaten. It’s okay if I am the one who will be beaten.” Pacquiao himself is not keen on hanging up his gloves soon. “If I feel something wrong with my body or if I feel slightly weaker, then I might think about retirement,” he said. “But for now, I’m fine. I feel like I’m 27 or 28 years old,” Pacquiao said. He outpointed US challenger Adrien Broner in Las Vegas in January to easily defend his World Boxing Association regular welterweight title, improving his record to 61-7 with two draws and 39 knockouts in a career that began in 1995. Pacquiao said he has not lined up his next opponent, “but I’m sure he is a boxer.”.AFP

BLACKWATER is still alive. With their backs against the wall, the Elite finally got the performance and win they were yearning for after methodically tripping Columbian Dyip, 106-100, to snap its four-game losing streak and keep itself in the running for a quarterfinals berth in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Friday night. Allein Maliksi and Mac Belo teamed up to deliver a stellar performance to lead the way for Blackwater. Maliksi uncorked a game-high 29 points, six rebounds and five assists to continue his hot streak, while Belo wasn’t far behind, registering 22 markers and nine boards. “Sobrang saya na nakuha namin ‘tong panalong ‘to kasi kailangan na talaga,” said Blackwater coach Bong Ramos. “We need to keep fighting to give ourselves a chance.” The Elite needed some key baskets down the stretch to ice the win. Belo’s floater with 3:27 remaining gave Blackwater some needed distance, 97-89. Columbian clawed back to make it 100102 with over 30 seconds left after an 11-5 run, but Blackwater closed the door with four more ensuring free throws from Roi Sumang and Paul Desiderio. The Elite remained in 11th place at 2-6, but the win kept their slim chance of making the top eight. On the other hand, Columbian, despite the loss, stayed in sixth place with its 3-5 slate. Meanwhile, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial admitted an officiating blunder in Phoenix’s controversial 98-96 escape over NorthPort last Wednesday. In that game, referee Noy Guevarra whistled a questionable offensive foul on the Batang Pier’s Sean Anthony after he made a go-ahead triple in the final minute. The call significantly impacted the outcome of the game, causing the league to review the game. Upon review, Marcial said that there was indeed a committed error on the play and that Guevarra may face sanctions for the crucial mistake. “It was an unfortunate mistake by the referee in calling the offensive foul and we regret the wrong call made,” Marcial said in a statement. “Accordingly, the erring referee shall be meted the appropriate sanction.”

IN BRIEF Semirara’s net profit declines 15% to P12b SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. said consolidated net income after tax in 2018 fell 15 percent to P12 billion from P14.2 billion in the previous year. SMPC said production of its coal segment slowed two percent to 12.9 million metric tons from 13.2 million MT in 2017 as heavy rains in July and August caused lower production in the third quarter. The company said with the lower production, coal sales dropped 12 percent to 11.6 million MT from 13.1 million MT a year ago. Domestic customers declined 2 percent while coal exports sales fell 22 percent on lower production. An 18 percent higher average selling price per ton, however, offset the drop in sales volume, resulting in an increase in coal revenues by four percent to P30.7 billion from P29.7 billion in 2017. SMPC’s coal segment as a result booked core proﬁts of P9.7 billion in 2018, up 8 percent from P9 billion in 2017. Meanwhile, SEM-Calaca Power Corp.’s gross generation declined seven percent year to 3,282 gigawatt-hours from 3,515 GWH. SCPC owns the 600-megawatt coalﬁred power plant in Calaca, Batangas. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Belle approves cash dividend worth P0.12 THE board of Belle Corp. in a meeting held on February 28, 2019 approved the declaration of a regular cash dividend of P0.12 per share, or a total of P1.2 billion, payable on March 28, 2019 to shareholders of record as of March 14, 2019. Belle is a developer of tourism and leisure destinations in the Philippines. Its principal asset is the City of Dreams Manila in PAGCOR Entertainment City by Manila Bay, which is being leased on a long-term basis to Melco Resorts and Entertainment (Philippines) Corp. Belle also has a share in revenues or earnings from City of Dreams Manila’s gaming operations through the operating agreement between its 78.7-percent owned subsidiary, Premium Leisure Corporation, and Melco. Belle also owns approximately one hectare of undeveloped land across from the City of Dreams Manila site. Belle south of Metro Manila owns signiﬁcant real estate assets and develops premium residential resort projects around Tagaytay City. Among its exclusive destinations are the club and golf facilities and residential communities of Tagaytay Highlands and Tagaytay Midlands, as well as a further 800 hectares intended for future development.

SEC delays rule on disclosure of beneficial owner By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Securities and Exchange Commission has deferred for a period of six months the implementation of a new rule requiring companies to declare their beneficial owner to ensure they will not be used for money laundering and terrorist financing purposes. The SEC in an en banc meeting approved the delay in the submission of the new general information sheet containing the beneficial ownership disclosure page to June 30, 2019 instead of the original target of January 1, 2019. The SEC said the decision to defer the implementation of the new GIS aimed to give capital market participants and other stakeholders more time to acquaint themselves with the requirement. “The deferral will also allow the Commission more time to hold an information campaign with regard to the new GIS,” the SEC said. The SEC in November issued a circular on the revision of the GIS to include beneficial ownership information. The directive further required all SEC-registered domestic corporations to timely apprise the commission of all relevant changes in their submitted beneficial ownership information as they arise. Among the information about the beneficial owner that will be included in the report are complete name, residential address, nationality, tax identification number and percentage of ownership, if possible.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

PCC approves separate deals of BCDA and Aboitiz Power By Othel V. Campos

Volkswagen bullish, sees 50% sales rise VOLKSWAGEN Philippines is optimistic of selling 50 percent more units in 2019 after a flat growth in 2018. Volkswagen president Felipe Estrella III said Thursday night the company’s fivevehicle line-up would be further spruced with the addition of two new large SUV models to be introduced within the year. “If the market recovers, then we can (expect) our sales even higher. We continue to rely on the sales of our compact sedan, the Santana, as volume sales driver,” he said at the sidelines of a media appreciation event. Among the five models—Santana and Santana GTS, Lavida, Tiguan and Lamando—the Santana led sales with 33 percent of the entire 2018 sales. All five German car models are Chinamade, said Estrella. Volkswagen sales were the same in 2017 and 2018 at 1,363 units each year, at the backdrop of 15-percent drop in the sales of the Philippine automotive sector. Othel V. Campos

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

BOI-OITA BANK AGREEMENT. The Board of Investments, Oita Bank and its client companies signed an agreement to promote investments and business opportunities in the Philippines. Oita Bank, based in Oita, Kyushu region, has assets of around $29 billion. Trade Undersecretary and BoI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo (seated, left) exchanges documents with Oita Bank president Tomiichiro Goto. Witnessing the signing of the agreement are Trade Secretary and BoI chairman Ramon Lopez (standing, left) and Philippine Trade and Investment Center Osaka Commercial Counselor Buster Elevado.

DBCC keeps ’19 and ’20 inflation target at 2%-4% By Julito G. Rada

HE government kept the inflation target of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2019 and 2020, taking into account the recent deceleration in the increase of consumer prices that is expected to continue in the months ahead, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday. The interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee, which includes the Bangko Sentral, also set an inflation target of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2021 and 2022. “In line with the inflation targeting approach to the conduct of monetary policy, the Development Budget Coordination

Committee in coordination with the BSP... decided to keep the current inflation target at 3.0 percent ± 1.0 percentage point for 2019–2020 and to set the inflation target at 3.0 percent ± 1.0 percentage point for 2021–2022,” DBCC said in a statement. The government’s inflation target is defined in terms of the average year-onyear change in the consumer price index over the calendar year. The DBCC said the announcement of the inflation target was in line with the central bank’s commitment to transparency and accountability as well as the forward-looking approach in the conduct of monetary policy. It said the 2 percent to 4 percent target range for 2019–2022 continued to be an appropriate quantitative representation of the medium-term goal of price stability that is optimal for the Philippines given the current structure of the economy and outlook of macroeconomic conditions over the next few years. “Improved productive capacity of the economy, fueled by higher infrastructure investments by the national

government, supports achieving robust economic growth amid a low and stable inflation environment,” DBCC said. It said recent inflation developments had been driven largely by transitory supply-side factors, such as volatility in international oil prices, higher excise taxes, and weather disturbances that affected food supply, along with moderate demand impulses. “The BSP’s latest inflation projections indicate that inflation is likely to return to the target range over the medium term as the impact of supply-side shocks dissipate. Likewise, inflation expectations have stabilized and are seen to decline in 2019–2020,” the DBCC said. Non-monetary measures have also been deployed by the government to address supply shocks directly in the short run and the structural problems in the food and agriculture industry in the long run. The central bank on Tuesday said the inflation in February likely slowed further to as low as 3.7 percent from 4.4 percent a month ago due mainly to the lower prices of rice.

PNB’S 3 AWARDS.

The Asset Triple A Country Awards 2018 recognizes Philippine National Bank with three distinctions in the awarding ceremony held on January 24 at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. PNB and PNB Savings Bank are recipients of the Best Syndicated Loan award for the Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels’ P73.5-billion syndicated term loan facility. PNB and investment unit, PNB Capital and Investment Corp., garnered an award for Best Acquisition Financing as lender and lead arranger, respectively, of Clark Global Corp.’s US$690-million acquisition project. Receiving the awards from The Asset are PNB executive vice president Cenon Audencial Jr. (left) and PNB Capital president and chief executive Gerry Valenciano.

PNOC, Phoenix and CNOOC Gas sign agreement By Alena Mae S. Flores

TRAIN Law credited for robust profits and higher sales FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the double-digit growth in sales and high proﬁt margins of premier retail and real estate companies in the Philippines are indications the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law is a success” in boosting the spending power of Filipino consumers. Dominguez said in a speech before the Japanese business community in Osaka, Japan, the TRAIN Law put more money in the pockets of the consumers and ensured strong domestic demand in the economy. He said the revenue measure also raised much-needed additional funds for the government’s extensive spending on its “Build, Build, Build” program and on human capital development. “Ninety-nine percent of individual taxpayers enjoy reductions in their per-

THE Philippine Competition Commission approved Thursday two separate transactions of Aboitiz Power Corp. and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority. The commission cleared Aboitiz’s acquisition of shares in stock in AA Thermal Inc. and the joint venture among BCDA, National Housing Authority and Primelux Holdings Development Inc. that is affiliated with Shanghai Nanjiang Co. Ltd The first transaction involved the acquisition by Aboitiz Power of shares from Arlington Mariveles Netherlands Holding B.V., a unit of AC Energy Inc. of conglomerate Ayala Corp. The acquired shares are equivalent to a 49-percent voting interest and 60-percent economic interest in AA Thermal Inc. The balance 51 percent will be retained by AC Energy valued at $579.2 million and subject to adjustments on closing the deal. AA Thermal owns limited partnership interests in each of GNPower Mariveles Coal Plant Ltd. Co., the owner and operator of a 2×316 MW coal plant in Mariveles, Bataan, and GNPowerDinginin Ltd. Co., the developer and owner of a 2×668 MW coal plant project in Dinginin, Bataan, which is currently under construction. The transaction will result in the increase of indirectly-held limited partnership interests of Aboitiz Power in GMCP and GNPD. The commission said the transaction “will not likely result in substantial lessening of competition in the identified relevant markets for power generation and retail electricity supply in Luzon and Visayas.” Meanwhile, the BCDA-NHA-Primelux joint venture is a transaction involving a 59.62-hectare property located along C-5 Road, Fort Bonifacio, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, also known as the “Bonifacio East Property.” The commission found that the joint venture “will not result in substantial lessening of competition due” to the existence of sufficient competitive constraints from within and outside of Bonifacio Global City market for residential, commercial, and mixed use developments.

sonal income tax rates. Filipinos earning below US$4,500 annually are now exempted from paying personal income taxes while workers earning above it now receive about a month’s extra takehome pay each year from the deductions in their tax rates. To emphasize that point, by correcting the tax rate for our average wage earners, we have basically given out a 14th month pay annually,” Dominguez said. He said published data showing the signiﬁcant growths in sales and income of corporate giants in the real estate and fast-food industries are strong indications that Filipinos had started to beneﬁt from the TRAIN Law by way of their greater purchasing power. Dominguez noted, for instance, that Jollibee Foods Corp., the Philippines’ largest fast-food chain, posted sales of about $2.9 billion in 2018, up 16 percent

from the 2017 sales level. Nt income also increased 17 percent to $158 million in 2018 from the previous year. Ayala Land Inc., the Philippines’ premier and oldest property company engaged in the planning and development of large-scale, integrated estates, posted an 18-percent increase in sales in 2018 to US$3.11 billion year-on-year. The net income also rose 16 percent to$558 million, Dominguez added. Meanwhile, SM Prime Holdings Inc., owner of the biggest and most number of malls in the country as well as the second-largest high-rise condominium developer, posted sales of almost $2 billion in 2018, up 17 percent from a year ago. SM Prime’s net income jumped 17 percent to $616 million last year, driven mainly by new mall openings in the provinces.

STATE-OWNED Philippine National Oil Co., Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. and CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd. signed a memorandum of understanding on the liquefied natural gas project of Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc. “We warmly welcome the potential addition of PNOC in the LNG hub project we have been planning to venture on with CNOOC G&P. The LNG hub is a crucial project that will provide longterm solutions for our country’s energy needs, and the strategic alliance among our companies will further secure the continuous development of this venture,” said Phoenix Petroleum chief operating officer Henry Albert Fadullon. The agreement will allow the three companies to explore and discuss business opportunities and cooperation in relation to the equity investment in Tanglawan Philippine LNG and other companies relating to the project, PNOC facilities, market development, PNOC banked gas and future energy projects. Phoenix Petroleum president and founder Dennis Uy, CNOOC G&P chief finance officer and vice president Wu Zhengxing and PNOC president and CEO Reuben Lista signed the agreement in a meeting held at the Department of Energy office in Taguig City on February 28, 2019. The LNG hub project is expected to break ground on the re-gasification and receiving terminal with a capacity of 2.2 metric tons a year within the year, with commercial operations set to start by 2023. The facility will help support the demand for a clean, competitive and environment-friendly energy source in Luzon, and provide energy security for the country. It also aims to develop a gas-fired power generation facility with up to 2,000 megawatts of installed capacity.

Business

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market slumps for 3rd straight day S TOCKS extended their slump for the third straight day Friday, dampened by MSCI’s announcement to raise the weighting of Chinese A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets index from 5 percent last year to 20 percent that could trigger capital outﬂows from emerging markets like the Philippines.

The Philippine Stock exchange Index fell 63.72 points, or 0.8 percent, to a near-two-month low of 7,641.77 on a value turnover of P8.5 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 144 to 64, with

60 issues unchanged. BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, dropped 3.1 percent to P123.70, while conglomerate Metro Paciﬁc Investments Corp. lost 2.8 percent to P4.57. GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty Group declined 2.6 percent to P930, while International Container Terminal Services Inc., the largest port operator, also fell 2.6 percent to P113. The rest of markets rose in Asia on Friday though investors remain cautious as they await developments after the failure of the Trump-Kim summit while also keeping an eye on the stand-off between India and Pakistan. A better-than-expected reading on US economic growth lifted sentiment, while optimistic comments from a top White House economic advisor on the ChinaUS trade talks also provided support. The gains put the region on course for another strong week despite

disappointment over the North Korea talks in Hanoi and renewed tensions in Kashmir. Shanghai led gains, surging 1.8 percent and extending a rally that has seen it climb by about a ﬁfth since the start of the year thanks to expectations over the trade talks. Adding to the interest in mainland equities was news that index compiler MSCI will increase the weighting of Chinese-listed stocks in its benchmark indices and nearly double the number of companies included. With those indices used by global funds for their investments, the move is expected to attract tens of billions of dollars more to the country’s markets. Also Friday, a private gauge showed factory activity in ™™China improved last month and beat expectations, providing hopes for stability in the world’s number two economy. Tokyo climbed one percent thanks to

a weaker yen, while Hong Kong added 0.5 percent in the afternoon. Sydney rose 0.4 percent, Singapore and Wellington each edged up 0.3 percent and Jakarta put on 0.9 percent. Taipei and Seoul were closed for public holidays. Traders brushed off a negative lead from Wall Street that came after data showed the US economy grew in the fourth quarter at a much slower pace than the previous three months but was much better than forecasts. US President Donald Trump’s chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow cheered markets after he told CNBC “progress has been terriﬁc” and while he said there was still work to be done he thought the two sides were “headed toward a remarkable historic deal.” The news soothed worries on trading ﬂoors after the US Trade Representative appeared to temper expectations for an agreement. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.9 1,000 84 3,504,570 2.23 15,000 123.7 5,501,340 1.34 253,000 27.8 184,600 18.3 31,700 12.12 1,232,500 4.48 36,000 8.24 1,200 800 10 0.46 130,000 75.2 5,269,350 1.02 858,000 13.98 14,600 49.5 380,710 185 1,640 114.5 50 58.5 1,060 26.5 41,900 162.5 834,800 1,840 15 61.65 11,000 1.13 16,000

58,900 292,976,672.50 33,490 689,794,823 342,940 5,128,815 579,506 15,143,528 158,190 10,200 8,000 60,350 401,986,529 881,470 204,058 18,900,339 303,452 5,725 62,259 1,110,185 134,527,568 27,600 684,427 18,180

58,900 -42,447,507 -276,696,150 13,400 -528,300 -3,456,230 -111,303,722 -130,850 -7,000 3,470,742 -3,611 145,615 -9,804,747 -120,321 -

33.1 15.8 1 1.46 0.24 98.3 2.31 15.02 28.5 1.84 6.04 6.4 11.16 15.8 8.61 7.5 1.66 20.6 74.5 26.3 3.34 9 12.7 1.7 305.8 4.38 3.78 10.2 26.85 11.78 19.48 367 0.199 5.88 1.4 3.8 6.66 8.88 1.29 11.78 48 5.97 1.82 1.34 12.36 98.9 6.38 0.128 1.02 136.5 2.67 1.59 16 1.24

INDUSTRIAL 35 2,423,300 15.8 1,523,600 1.02 3,459,000 1.46 757,000 0.246 580,000 98.3 10 2.4 7,232,000 15.08 350,300 29.5 140,900 1.9 421,000 6.04 32,700 6.4 2,800 11.16 3,128,200 15.96 182,900 8.75 882,900 7.6 574,400 1.66 7,000 21.3 2,915,800 74.75 203,260 26.95 406,200 3.35 13,454,000 9.19 689,800 12.88 1,080,700 1.75 79,000 309 1,837,490 4.38 2,000 3.79 19,000 10.96 20,100 27.25 182,600 11.88 465,600 19.48 5,515,600 367 262,960 0.206 1,280,000 5.88 7,000 1.42 9,221,000 3.8 175,000 6.69 5,483,000 8.88 200 1.31 4,506,000 11.8 126,900 48.45 465,000 6 30,500 1.84 1,292,000 1.39 92,000 12.44 552,300 100 506,410 6.4 584,500 0.13 500,000 1.05 261,000 137 1,280,890 2.7 21,000 1.64 4,859,000 16 800 1.27 4,401,000

83,310,435 24,319,840 3,516,400 1,110,190 139,810 983 17,207,500 5,389,152 4,135,120 790,860 197,739 17,920 35,803,604 2,917,672 7,699,284 4,365,062 11,620 60,909,610 15,201,328.50 10,946,375 45,639,430 6,324,710 13,907,480 134,750 566,883,472 8,760 72,450 216,274 4,952,730 5,560,708 112,129,445 96,953,538 260,180 41,160 13,077,550 665,160 36,669,211 1,776 5,856,940 1,514,612 22,544,145 182,285 2,358,890 125,810 6,848,356 50,705,146.50 3,740,130 64,800 272,790 176,389,503 56,220 7,927,960 12,800 5,549,390

-28,317,115.00 -2,584,920 3,060 4,583,150 -796,082 -1,196,540 22,640 -50,820 11,520 -15,300,540 1,304,054 -65,610 -120,647 16,776,590 323,084.50 -940,100 -1,276,999 5,838,018 39,123,064 -14,004 -829,425 -773,840 -971,539 -11,215,234 -2,483,850 3,162,149 -375,700 -131,416 2,547,065 -29,800 572,840 -254,227 38,400 -6,302,504 -393,000 158,160

0.76 61.85 13.9 0.81 6.61 21.1 1.53 1.52 938.5 7.87 11.6 14.2 0.265 967.5 6.2 67.9 5.5 0.61 5.13 15.24 0.57 4.8 0.041 1.14 2.94 173.4 2.37 954 0.78 1.35 284.8 0.246 0.38

0.72 58.5 13.52 0.77 6.6 20.2 1.43 1.43 923.5 7.6 11.08 13.6 0.24 920 6.2 63.85 5.5 0.58 5.02 14.76 0.56 4.55 0.04 1.14 2.86 169.5 2.36 934.5 0.78 1.33 271.4 0.244 0.36

HOLDING FIRMS 0.75 31,141,000 60 2,149,460 13.7 6,901,500 0.79 283,000 6.61 700 20.7 92,500 1.52 49,549,000 1.51 8,256,000 930 359,000 7.7 1,074,200 11.18 6,137,700 13.7 121,000 0.24 1,020,000 930 189,050 6.2 50,000 65.8 3,369,280 5.5 5,100 0.61 67,000 5.12 2,554,100 15.24 1,396,200 0.56 157,000 4.57 40,047,000 0.041 4,800,000 1.14 16,000 2.87 1,668,000 170.7 647,820 2.36 4,000 940 409,960 0.78 25,000 1.35 146,000 284.8 1,220 0.245 970,000 0.37 32,820,000

23,254,040 128,309,445.50 94,403,572 220,230 4,625 1,915,195 74,318,700 12,273,480 333,063,990 8,299,473 69,177,388 1,664,560 257,470 176,701,155 310,000 218,680,321 28,050 39,320 12,911,415 20,806,278 87,940 185,259,190 193,200 18,240 4,816,210 110,536,121 9,460 385,307,655 19,500 194,520 343,984 237,080 12,169,000

-638,170 -46,159,035.50 11,296,424 571,170 -78,161,700 540,417 -22,849,388 202,802 -12,150 -95,988,485 104,964.50 -1,303,841 4,680,366 -34,575,120 273,300 23,608,901 -114,309,950 13,300 -52,958 -187,450

12.24 0.81 10.58 1.97 0.89 44.1 2.6 4.29 6.87 0.495 0.87 0.92 0.25 0.425 9.89 21.65 0.52 0.13 1.5 1.27 5.19 0.43

11.8 0.79 10.22 1.85 0.85 43 2.55 4.12 6.5 0.48 0.86 0.92 0.247 0.425 9.6 21.05 0.5 0.128 1.43 1.23 4.96 0.415

12,531,238 538,300 8,212 92,870 1,791,870 395,648,945 1,763,150 3,072,610 134,791 9,864,150 17,300 920 1,211,440 12,750 3,446,725 6,819,400 3,329,240 36,260 24,518,850 1,779,190 116,676,480 8,243,200

-2,456,100 12,000 1,058 -27,750 -76,836,050 -165,750 -571,710 -362,900 71,040 -1,863,220 300,000 -19,693,220 -9,082,720 4,150

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

58.9 84.2 2.24 129 1.4 27.7 18.2 12.52 4.36 7.82 800 0.46 76.5 1.07 14 50 185 114.5 59.3 26.5 165.9 1,840 64 1.14

58.9 85.95 2.24 129.7 1.4 27.9 18.32 12.56 4.48 8.96 800 0.485 77.2 1.07 14 50.45 185.5 114.5 59.3 26.5 168 1,840 64 1.14

58.9 83.3 2.23 121.5 1.34 27.6 18.2 12.08 4.36 7.82 800 0.46 75.2 1.01 13.96 49 185 114.5 58.35 26.45 155.1 1,840 61.65 1.13

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG 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 LMG CHEMICALS 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 VIVANT VULCAN INDL

34.9 16 1.04 1.49 0.247 98.3 2.38 15.4 29.1 1.88 6.05 6.4 11.68 16 8.74 7.6 1.66 20.95 75.1 26.3 3.49 9.32 13.08 1.71 309.4 4.38 3.82 10.8 27 12.4 20 369 0.199 5.88 1.41 3.82 6.68 8.88 1.29 11.82 48.8 5.97 1.87 1.34 12.4 102.4 6.48 0.128 1.08 136.7 2.67 1.69 16 1.3

35.5 16.48 1.05 1.49 0.247 98.3 2.43 15.5 29.5 1.9 6.05 6.4 11.68 16 8.95 7.61 1.66 21.3 76 26.95 3.49 9.32 13.08 1.75 315.8 4.38 3.82 11.28 27.25 12.4 20.5 376 0.206 5.88 1.45 3.82 6.74 8.88 1.31 11.98 48.8 6 1.87 1.39 12.44 102.4 6.48 0.13 1.08 140 2.7 1.69 16 1.3

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

0.72 61 13.7 0.78 6.6 21 1.43 1.43 926.5 7.86 11.56 14 0.243 940 6.2 66.1 5.5 0.6 5.1 14.8 0.56 4.76 0.04 1.14 2.94 170.7 2.37 944 0.78 1.34 281 0.244 0.36

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

12.24 0.79 10.58 1.97 0.89 43.8 2.59 4.28 6.5 0.485 0.86 0.92 0.248 0.425 9.7 21.6 0.52 0.128 1.5 1.27 5.17 0.425

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS VISTA LAND

0.455 2.1 0.47 2.85 23.45 2.04 38.05 1.46 6.8 7.31

0.46 2.12 0.47 2.9 23.55 2.07 38.3 1.57 6.8 7.4

0.455 2.08 0.47 2.84 22.4 2.01 37.5 1.42 6.65 7.24

0.46 2.1 0.47 2.89 22.8 2.07 37.95 1.54 6.71 7.4

50,000 1,911,000 320,000 264,000 3,978,600 1,108,000 8,648,000 14,484,000 200,200 47,614,500

22,900 4,007,480 150,400 756,840 90,969,160 2,273,920 327,264,815 21,656,540 1,344,156 351,354,300

-177,550 -142,500 38,993,865 -350,200 -96,513,930 4,000 -278,953,532

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

12.46 22.2 1.28 0.435 0.047 2.91 11.4 0.065 84.1 7.72 6.07 2.1 15 905 1,900 5.73 370 2.86 1.91 114.5 10.9 7.14 0.129 5.92 3.04 15.7 3.27 0.92 19.08 0.65 4.99 2.97 2 2.01 2.93 11.28 3.2 4.98 3.09 1,040 0.98 1.29 47.05 86 8.32 2.28 0.73 0.45 5.59 0.67 14.64

12.46 22.7 1.28 0.44 0.048 2.91 11.52 0.066 84.9 7.72 6.1 2.1 15.34 905 1,909 5.73 372.8 2.89 1.91 114.5 11.18 7.14 0.129 5.98 3.19 15.7 3.35 0.92 19.34 0.65 4.99 2.97 2.02 2.01 3.02 11.28 3.24 5.18 3.1 1,046 0.99 1.32 47.45 87.5 8.32 2.28 0.73 0.455 5.65 0.68 14.64

12.24 21.3 1.28 0.435 0.046 2.85 11 0.064 80.6 7.71 6 2.1 15 890 1,880 5.7 350.2 2.85 1.91 111.2 10.86 7.14 0.128 5.86 3.04 15.7 3.26 0.89 18.86 0.6 4.72 2.88 2 2.01 2.93 11 3.2 4.96 3.03 1,025 0.96 1.27 46.3 85.25 8.3 2.23 0.7 0.44 5.57 0.67 14.38

SERVICES 12.24 21.35 1.28 0.44 0.048 2.9 11.32 0.065 81 7.71 6.01 2.1 15.1 890 1,903 5.72 366.8 2.88 1.91 113 11.18 7.14 0.129 5.87 3.19 15.7 3.3 0.89 19.12 0.63 4.72 2.92 2.02 2.01 2.96 11.1 3.24 5.18 3.03 1,030 0.97 1.29 46.8 86.5 8.3 2.27 0.72 0.44 5.65 0.68 14.4

17,000 125,700 2,000 1,630,000 29,400,000 234,000 12,503,400 54,900,000 250,060 4,300 986,300 52,000 103,100 310 32,450 56,600 5,050 452,000 19,000 3,009,930 7,600 7,600 2,890,000 1,737,700 3,000 1,000 283,000 217,000 23,164,700 2,665,000 269,000 1,977,000 151,000 10,000 1,146,000 61,900 51,000 270,000 576,000 211,705 12,144,000 19,356,000 437,400 417,360 26,300 2,837,000 2,439,000 17,420,000 2,506,200 348,000 1,233,400

210,882 2,705,620 2,560 712,900 1,380,400 671,090 140,920,284 3,563,100 20,479,198 33,175 5,958,367 109,200 1,563,014 276,050 61,214,940 323,417 1,823,334 1,296,560 36,290 339,064,008 82,640 54,264 370,220 10,259,369 9,270 15,700 928,070 193,400 437,910,460 1,640,780 1,270,040 5,753,840 302,620 20,100 3,397,350 685,126 164,580 1,371,750 1,754,000 217,862,950 11,799,240 25,039,810 20,500,490 36,004,080 218,469 6,378,670 1,732,410 7,808,750 14,066,776 234,340 17,851,924

-97,310 -89,452,740 -4,031,841 -593,472 -98,700 -3,050 -9,336,650 -14,400 31,872,609 -720,148 -49,500 -429,178,432.00 4,990 1,642,660 -161,350 -6,340 1,822,865 -1,009,740 -167,650 2,689,815 -17,833,558.50 77,270 3,762,290.00 -496,620 -2,418,650 -5,942,040 815,962

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATOK BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK COAL ASIA HLDG DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 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

0.0021 1.54 13.4 1.2 2.2 0.3 8.02 1.48 0.247 0.125 0.0091 1.11 2.75 1.09 0.62 0.96 0.013 0.012 3.22 3.99 14.94 22.5 0.0085

0.0021 1.55 13.4 1.2 2.2 0.3 8.09 1.5 0.305 0.126 0.0091 1.12 2.78 1.1 0.65 0.97 0.013 0.013 3.22 4.02 15 22.5 0.0085

0.002 1.52 13.06 1.2 2.19 0.3 7.8 1.47 0.247 0.125 0.0091 1.09 2.71 1.04 0.6 0.95 0.012 0.012 3.15 3.91 14.82 21 0.0082

MINING & OIL 0.0021 802,000,000 1.52 1,033,000 13.28 900 1.2 1,000 2.2 674,000 0.3 210,000 8.09 300 1.5 1,175,000 0.285 36,950,000 0.126 1,380,000 0.0091 21,000,000 1.09 70,000 2.73 2,178,000 1.08 405,000 0.61 787,000 0.95 747,000 0.012 6,300,000 0.013 31,700,000 3.15 49,000 4.02 1,709,000 14.88 542,900 21.75 1,818,600 0.0082 11,000,000

1,682,700 1,585,780 11,970 1,200 1,478,260 63,000 2,391 1,755,980 10,673,820 173,840 191,100 77,280 5,945,680 426,750 475,570 716,980 75,700 380,700 155,810 6,757,920 8,077,660 39,476,870 92,000

210,000 -367,670 1,239,530 14,100 -843,260 54,080 238,200 -66,830 -433,400 -1,735,216 -1,914,780 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A PNX PREF 3A SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

20.15 490 100 98 450.2 480.4 900 96 100.9 75.1 73.4 73 74.4 74.5 73.5 73.5

20.15 490 100 98 450.2 480.4 900 96 100.9 75.45 73.4 73 74.4 74.5 73.5 73.5

20 490 100 97 450.2 480.2 900 95 98.8 75.1 73.4 72.85 74 74.5 71 72.55

PREFERRED 20.05 86,800 490 1,890 100 6,220 97 2,660 450.2 50 480.2 510 900 220 95 480 98.8 720 75.15 130 73.4 10 72.85 2,140 74.1 64,110 74.5 150 71 61,110 73.5 11,820

1,742,290 926,100 622,000 258,170 22,510 244,968 198,000 45,880 71,178 9,776 734 155,981.50 4,754,049 11,175 4,394,700.50 861,522.50

-110,600 494,900 90,000 36,500 148,300 -

LR WARRANT

1.92

1.91

WARRANTS 1.91 69,000

131,810

1,882,800 29,896,060

833,830

1,546,341

3,423

5,000

PROPERTY 12.04 0.8 10.22 1.85 0.88 43.2 2.55 4.19 6.85 0.48 0.87 0.92 0.247 0.425 9.7 21.1 0.5 0.13 1.44 1.27 5.15 0.42

1,037,900 675,000 800 49,000 2,073,000 9,124,800 688,000 727,000 19,900 20,330,000 20,000 1,000 4,900,000 30,000 356,400 321,400 6,605,000 280,000 16,918,000 1,430,000 23,095,900 19,620,000

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.79 1.49

4.82 1.49

4.74 1.36

FIRST METRO ETF

115.9

116

114.1

USD TECH B2

TRADING SUMMARY

FINANCIAL

18,790,690

INDUSTRIAL

84,660,985

HOLDING FIRMS

206,259,910

PROPERTY

192,250,078

SERVICES

208,104,680

MINING & OIL

922,884,909

GRAND TOTAL

1,654,745,148

4.74 1.39

SME

394,000 21,385,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 114.1 13,480 1

DDS

5,000

VALUE 1,683.39 (down) 24.77 1,599,047,136.73 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,338.01 (down) 3.39 1,518,849,094.04 HOLDING FIRMS 7,692.97 (down) 32.15 2,008,997,548.75 PROPERTY 3,925.99 (down) 55.73 1,518.42 (down) 16.57 1,471,037,327.605 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,359.73 (down) 132.03 1,760,962,278.719 PSEI 7,641.77 (down) 63.72 80,324,884.372 All Shares Index 4,729.93 (down) 39.82 8,472,549,147.02 Gainers: 64; Losers: 114; Unchanged: 60; Total: 238

Phinma set to relinquish 14% stake in East Cadlao By Alena Mae S. Flores PHINMA Energy Corp. on Friday announced plans to relinquish its 14.063-percent participating interest in service contract 6 Block B covering the East Cadlao prospect. “The company believes that the remaining prospects in the block are either uneconomic or extremely high risk and, therefore, do not warrant further investments,” Phinma Energy said. The Department of Energy approved the the company’s request on October 30, 2018. The company, however, retained its 2.475-percent carried interest in the block, a non-paying interest comparable to a royalty that shares in any production revenues, to ensure Phinma Energy would still beneﬁt from any commercial oil production in the area. AC Energy Inc., a unit of conglomerate Ayala Corp., earlier acquired a majority stake in Phinma Energy. AC Energy signed an agreement to purchase 51.48 of Phinma Energy for P3.42 billion. AC Energy said it would acquire Phinma Group’s combined 51.48-percent stake in Phinma Energy through a secondary share sale. The Ayala unit signed the agreement with Phinma Corp. and Philippine Investment Management Inc. AC Energy president and chief executive ofﬁcer Eric Francia earlier said it was studying options on the oil and gas assets of the Phinma Group under Phinma Energy. “The upstream oil and gas is not our core. They do own listed vehicle, Phinma Petroleum, which owns a few service contracts. We’ll need to study what to do with those after the deal closes but we have no intentions of going into oil and gas exploration,” Francia said. Phinma Petroleum and Geothermal Inc.., formerly Trans-Asia Petroleum Corp., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Phinma Energy. The company’s primary business is the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas through interests in petroleum contracts and through holdings in resource development companies with interests in petroleum contracts. Francia said AC Energy might divest the oil and gas business of Phinma Energy but “we haven’t made a decision yet.”

Uy’s PH Resorts postpones plan to sell P12-b shares By Jenniffer B. Austria

PH RESORTS Group Holdings Inc., the leisure and gaming unit of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy, has deferred its planned share sale. “During the course of PHR’s roadshow and marketing efforts, it was presented with more strategically suitable alternative options for its funding needs. Thus, upon careful consideration of its business strategies, PHR has decided to defer its offering,” the company said in a letter to the Philippine Stock Exchange. The gaming company, however, said it was still very keen on pursuing the share sale at a later time. “We shall keep the PSE informed of PHR’s further plans once we have determined the new timetable for the offering,” the company said. The company earlier planned to conduct the share sale this month. PHR plans to sell up to 2.054 billion common shares at a price of between P3.65 and P5.84 apiece. PH Resorts at the current price range plans to raise between P7.5 billion and P12 billion in proceeds to fund the construction of two integrated resort and casino complexes. The company hired CLSA Ltd. and UBS as international underwriters and China Banking Corp. as the the domestic lead underwriter for the offering. PHR is currently developing two casino projects—The Emerald, an integrated resort and casino in Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu, and Clark Resort, an integrated gaming and tourism resort in Clark Freeport Zone. The construction of The Emerald began in December 2017 and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2020. The first phase is expected to have 7,585 square meters of aggregate gaming floor area, with 1,186 electronic gaming machines, 146 gaming tables, a five-star hotel with 838 rooms including five villas, a retail complex covering 8,000 square meters, a convention center and 18 restaurants.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

World

TODAY

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF

Canada ‘going to the moon’

$1 million to find bin Laden’s son

BENEFIT GALA. Olivia

Giannulli attends The Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s An Unforgettable Evening Benefit Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on February 28, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

WASHINGTON―The United States on Thursday offered a $1 million reward for information on a son of late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, seeing him as an emerging face of extremism. The location of Hamza bin Laden, sometimes dubbed the “crown prince of jihad,” has been the subject of speculation for years with reports of him living in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria or under house arrest in Iran. “Hamza bin Laden is the son of deceased former AQ leader Osama bin Laden and is emerging as a leader in the AQ franchise,” a State Department statement said, referring to Al-Qaeda. The State Department said that it would offer $1 million for information leading to his location in any country. Bin Laden, who according to the United States is around 30, has threatened attacks against the United States to avenge the 2011 killing of his father, who was living in hiding in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad, by US special forces. US intelligence agencies increasingly see the younger bin Laden as a successor to his father for the mantle of global jihad, especially as the even more extreme Islamic State group is down to its last sliver of land in Syria. In 2015, bin Laden released an audio message urging jihadists in Syria to unite, claiming that the ﬁght in the war-torn country paves the way to “liberating Palestine.” And in a message a year later, following in the footsteps of his father, he urged the overthrow of the leadership in their native Saudi Arabia. Osama bin Laden’s three surviving wives and his children were quietly allowed to return to Saudi Arabia after his killing. But Hamza bin Laden’s whereabouts have been a matter of dispute. He is believed to have spent years along with his mother in Iran, despite Al-Qaeda’s strident denunciations of the Shiite branch of Islam that dominates the country. AFP

N. Korea offers more talks after no nuke deal in Hanoi H ANOI―North Korea on Friday promised further negotiations with the US, as both sides sought to hold open the door while staking out their positions after their Hanoi summit spectacularly failed to produce a nuclear deal.

The second meeting between the North’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump broke up in disarray Thursday, with a signing ceremony canceled and no joint communique issued. Each sought to blame the other’s intransigence for the deadlock, with Trump saying Pyongyang wanted all sanctions imposed on it over its banned weapons programs lifted. But in a rare late-night press brieﬁng, the North Korean foreign minister said it had only wanted some of the measures eased, and that its offer to close “all the nuclear production facilities” at its Yongbyon complex was the best it could ever offer. Despite the deadlock, the North’s ofﬁcial KCNA news agency reported Friday that the

two leaders had had a “constructive and candid exchange”. Relations between the two countries―on opposite sides of the technically still-unfinished Korean War―had been “characterized by mistrust and antagonism” for decades, it said, and there were “inevitable hardships and difficulties” on the way to forging a new relationship. It described the Hanoi meeting as “successful” and said Kim had promised Trump another encounter. Similarly, Trump said before leaving the Vietnamese capital that he hoped to meet Kim again. “Sometimes you have to walk and this was just one of those times,” an unusually downbeat Trump told reporters. “I’d much rather do it right than do it fast,” he said, while reaffirming his “close relationship” with Kim. “There’s a warmth that we have and I hope that stays, I think it will.” South Korea’s dovish President Moon Jaein, who has brokered talks between the US and the North, sought to take the positives. The talks had made “meaningful progress”, with Trump and Kim building “more trust” and “mutual understanding”, Moon said in a speech in Seoul.

Thousands at the border to greet pilot WAGAH, India―Thousands of Indians, some waving flags and singing, gathered Friday to give a hero’s welcome to an air force pilot due to be returned across the border after being shot down by Pakistan. Islamabad’s “peace gesture” of freeing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman comes after tensions with New Delhi over Kashmir escalated this week to their highest level in years. The fighter pilot of 16 years’ experience from Chennai has emerged as the face of the latest standoff, which has seen the nucleararmed rivals exchange rare aerial raids. Abhinandan’s parents were given a standing ovation by fellow passengers as they boarded a flight to Amritsar near the Wagah border crossing to welcome their son. The highly symbolic Wagah crossing point, where the handover is due to take place, is famed for hosting colourful rival ceremonies by Indian and Pakistani soldiers each day at sundown. Patriotic spectators fill stadium-style stands on each side to cheer as goose-stepping troops bring down their national flags in elaborate, competing performances. On Friday, thousands of people had crowded in early to get a glimpse of Abhinandan, clutching sweets and garlands as they waited for his return, an AFP reporter said. “Pakistan should learn its lesson. The film is not over yet. [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi will teach them a lesson,” one man at Wagah told Indian television.

A group of schoolchildren brandished a painting of the pilot, along with saffron, white and green Indian flags and placards reading: “Hope for peace between India & Pakistan” and “Thank you Imran Khan”, referring to Pakistan’s prime minister. An old man with a white beard banged a drum as groups of young men sang and danced. “We are very happy that the hero of our country is coming back. We have come here to support him,” another spectator who came to the Wagah border with his family told the ABP news channel. After Abhinandan was shot down on Wednesday in a dogfight with Pakistani aircraft, purported footage that went viral showed him being beaten by locals before Pakistani soldiers intervened. A video released by the Pakistani military later showed Abhinandan sipping tea, his face swollen and sporting bruises but otherwise collected and calm. His polite refusal to proffer more details than necessary -- “I am sorry major, I am not supposed to tell you this” -- won him particular sympathy in India. His father, a retired air force officer, told the Times of India newspaper, “Just look at the way he talked so bravely... a true soldier... we are proud of him.” Social media has been abuzz with #GivebackAbhinandan and #Abhinandanmyhero hashtags elevating the pilot to national hero status. AFP

The outcome in Hanoi fell far short of the pre-meeting expectations and hopes, after critics said their initial historic meeting in Singapore—which produced only a vague commitment from Kim to work “toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula”—was more style over substance. According to senior US ofﬁcials, in the week leading up to the Hanoi summit the North Koreans had demanded the lifting of effectively all the UN Security Council economic sanctions imposed on Pyongyang since March 2016. Before that date, the measures were largely focused on preventing technology transfers, but more recent restrictions were imposed on several valuable industries in an effort to force concessions from Pyongyang, including coal and iron ore exports, seafood, and textile trade. “It was basically all the sanctions except for armaments,” a senior US ofﬁcial told reporters. “It tallies up to the tune of many, many billions of dollars.” In return, they were only offering to close “a portion of the Yongbyon complex”, a sprawling site covering multiple different facilities―and the North is believed to have other uranium enrichment plants. AFP

MARKETS AND SECURITIES REGULATION DEPARTMENT : REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES : Initial Public Offering ALLIED CARE EXPERTS : (ACE) MEDICAL CENTER – : GENSAN, INC. : (Registrant) : x-----------------------------------------x

Republic of the Philippines Province of Bohol MUNICIPALITY OF SEVILLA INVITATION TO BID 1. The Municipality of Sevilla, Bohol through its Bids and Awards Committee, (BAC), invites Bidders to apply for Eligibility and to Bid for: Name of Project

: PURCHASE OF ONE (1) UNIT BRAND NEW 4 SETUP)

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that on 30 January 2019, a sworn Registration Statement (“RS) has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on behalf of ALLIED CARE EXPERTS (ACE) MEDICAL CENTER – GENSAN, INC. (the “Company”) for the registration of Two Hundred Twenty Thousand (228,000) shares with par. Value of one thousand pesos (Php1000.00) per share, broken down as follows:

Issued and Outstanding Founder’s Shares (Not included in the Offer) Issued and Outstanding Common Shares (Not included in the offer) Issued and Outstanding Preferred Shares (Not included in the Offer) Total

Equivalent to 3,600 blocks 36,000 or 10 shares per block at common an offer price ranging from shares Php200,000 up to Php400,000 per block par value of 600 With PhP1,000.00 per share With par value of 131,400 PhP1,000.00 per share With par value of PhP1000.00 60,000 per share 228,000

According to the documents presented, the following persons are the directors and executive officers of the Company: NAME AMADO MANUEL C. ENRIQUEZ JR. FRANCISCO N. LORENZO FREDILYN G. SAMORO NATIVIDAD M. TORRE JOCELYN S. FRIAL MELANNIE MARIE C. ARIAS MARIETTA T. SAMOY FERJENEL G. BIRON GEANIE A. CERNA-LOPEZ FERNANDO P. CARLOS MA. EDITHA LOU C. PACIS DANILO C. REGOZO STEPHEN D. SALVILLA ANGELITO YAT L. BALAY DARWIN P. CORPUZ ELMER Z. SAMORO

POSITION Chairman Director / Vice Chairman / Medical Director Director / President / Chief Executive Officer Director / Executive VP / Hospital Administrator Director / Corporate Secretary Director / Treasurer Director Director Director Director Director Director Independent Director Independent Director Independent Director Chief Accounting Officer

The Registration Statement, its attachment and any amendments therein (collectively referred to as “RS”) are open for inspection by interested parties during business hours. Copies thereof, photo static or otherwise, shall be furnished to every party upon request at such reasonable fees as the Commission may prescribe. Said RS and its updated version may be downloaded from the company’s website: www.acemcgensan.com.

VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO, JR. Director (MS-FEB. 23 & MAR. 2, 2019)

4 PICK UP TYPE VEHICLE (RESCUE

Project Description : Purchase of one (1) unit brand new 4 x 4 pick-up type vehicle (rescue setup), with a lowsided open cargo hauler, and a passenger cab (extended/crew cab) accommodating up to 6 passengers including the driver, with 4 side doors designed to carry both passengers and cargoes, diesel-fed, with an engine displacement not exceeding 3000 cc, power-steering, manual transmission. Detailed Technical Specifications are found in Section VII of the Bidding Documents. Location

: Poblacion, Sevilla, Bohol

Contract Duration

: 60 Calendar Days

Approved Budget for the Contract

: Php2,000,000.00

Fund Source

: Unutilized LDRRMF balances for 2013, 2014 & 2015 (70% Allocation for Preparedness and Mitigation per SB Resolution No. 16, series of 2018)

Bid Documents Fee : Php 5,000.00 2. Price quotations shall be FOB-Sevilla, Bohol, i.e., prices shall be inclusive of freight and handling costs, VAT, custom clearance charges and other related charges. The unit must be delivered to Sevilla, Bohol. Add-ons, if any, shall be for the account of the bidder/supplier. Contract duration shall be sixty (60) calendar days reckoned from the date of receipt of Notice to Proceed and Purchase Order. 3. Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedure using non-discretionary pass/fail criteria as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9184 known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. Only bids from Bidders who pass the eligibility check will be opened. 4. The Municipal Government of Sevilla, through its Bids and Awards Committee, will hold a Pre-Bid Conference open to all interested bidders on March 8, 2019at 10:00 o’clock in the morning at the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, 2nd Floor, Municipal Hall (Main Building), Poblacion, Sevilla, Bohol. 5. A complete set of Bidding Documents in English may be purchased by any interested bidder or his duly authorized representative upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Five Thousand Pesos (Php5,000.00), Philippine currency. Bidding Documents will be available during office hours from March 1, 2019 to March 19, 2019at the BAC Secretariat, Office of the Municipal Accountant, Ground Floor, Municipal Hall, Sevilla, Bohol. 6. Deadline for submission of bids will be on March 20, 2019 at 12:00 noon. Bidders may submit their sealed bids on or before the said time and date to the BAC Secretariat, Office of the Municipal Accountant, Ground Floor, Municipal Hall, Sevilla, Bohol. All bids must be accompanied by a Bid Security in the form indicated in the Bid Documents. LATE BIDS SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 7. Bid Opening shall be at 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon on the 20th of March 2019 at the Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, 2nd Floor, Municipal Hall (Main Building), Poblacion, Sevilla, Bohol. 8. Bidders should have completed, within the last five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a single largest contract similar to the project to be bid with a value of at least 50% of the Approved Budget for the Contract, and must meet the other minimum eligibility requirements stated in the eligibility documents. 9. All particulars relative to the Eligibility Requirements and Screening, Bid Security, Performance Security, Pre-Bidding Conference, Evaluation of Bids, Post-Qualification and Award of Contract shall be governed by the pertinent provisions of RA 9184 and its Implementing Rules and Regulation as Revised. 10. The Municipal Government of Sevilla, Bohol reserves the right to accept or reject any bid or to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award. Likewise, the LGU assumes no responsibility or liability for any and all costs associated with the Bidder’s Participation in the bidding process regardless of its result Bids and Awards Committee. (SGD.) JOCELYN M. DANO BAC Chairman Municipal Hall Poblacion, Sevilla, Bohol 09196680508 (MS-MAR. 2, 2019)

Republic of the Philippines ) Province of Isabela ) City of Alicia ) AFFIDAVIT

IN THE MATTER OF

Primary Offering (To be offered and sold by way of Initial Public Offering

OTTAWA―Canada will join NASA’s space mission to put an orbiter around the Moon in a few years, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday. “Canada is going to the Moon,” Trudeau told a press conference that included a live video link from the International Space Station with Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques. NASA plans to build a small space station, dubbed Gateway, in the Moon’s orbit by 2026. It will serve as a way-station for trips to and from the lunar surface, but will not be permanently crewed like the International Space Station (ISS), currently in Earth’s orbit. According to the Canadian Space Agency, Gateway will provide living space for astronauts, a docking station for visiting spacecraft and research laboratories. Canada will develop and contribute an autonomous robotic system—Canadarm3 —that will be used to repair and maintain the station. The original 15-meter remote-controlled mechanical Canadarm, also known as the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, was used on the Space Shuttle for 30 years, deploying, capturing and repairing satellites, positioning astronauts, maintaining equipment and moving cargo. Its successor is used on the ISS. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement that the organization is “thrilled that Canada is the ﬁrst international partner for the Gateway lunar outpost.” “Our new collaboration on Gateway will enable our broader international partnership to get to the Moon and eventually to Mars,” he said. Trudeau also announced Can$2.05 billion (US$1.55 billion) over 24 years for Canada’s space program, which will help support a push to develop new “artiﬁcial intelligence-based technologies” for space. Due to communications lags between Earth and remote outposts, it will be increasingly necessary to automate many robotic functions on space stations and vehicles. AFP

I, ARMANDO M. DE GUIA, of legal are, married Filipino citizen, with residence address at Magsaysay, Alicia, Isabela, under oath, depose and state that: 1) I am the lone business owner of A. DE GUIA CONSTRUCTION, duly registered under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); 2) The said business is now changing its current status, SINGLE PROPRIETORSHIP, to a CORPORATE status bearing the name A. DE GUIA CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; 3) The said business has no pending case whatsoever be it civil, criminal or administrative case; 4) All business documents necessary and pertinent to the change of status has been submitted to and registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 5) Being the holder of majority of the shares of stock, I have the controlling interest over the said corporation; 6) As such, I am executing this affidavit to attest to the truth of the foregoing. In witness whereof, I have here unto set my hand this 27th day of February, 2019 at Alicia, Isabel a, Philippines. Affiant further sayeth naught.

ARMANDO M. DE GUIA TIN NO. 010-147-854-000 SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 27th of February, 2019 in Alicia, Isabela, affiant exhibiting his Community Tax Certificate NO. 12725104, Issued on February 26, 2019 at Alicia, Isabela, Philippines. Doc No. _________ Page No.________ Book No. _______ Series of 2019 (MS-MAR. 2, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Functional spaces galore at Avida’s Makati Southpoint Avida Land Corp. launched last week Makati Southpoint, its fifth residential high-rise in Makati. The project is geared towards young professionals seeking a more compact living area but with enough breathable spaces.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

HIGHER CEMENT COSTS NIP

at heels of construction industry By Othel V. Campos

ANILA, Philippines—Despite the impressive net take-up of the property sector in the fourth quarter of 2018, developers are antsy about the probable sustained tariff on cement that may impact on the net cost of construction elsewhere in the Philippines, global real estate services firm KMC Savills revealed this week. “This and few more issues may affect the cost of construction in the country. But we believe that developers and consumers, both, have the capacity to absorb the net price hike,” said company managing director Michael McCullough. He added that the Philippines need to import as much cement as it can to provide support to the P700 to P800 billion capital expenditure of the country’s top ten construction companies for 2019 alone, on top of public spending for infrastructure under the Build, Build, Build program. It is estimated that construction cost may increase by 6 percent if the P8.15 percent tariff surge on imported cement will continue indefinitely. Robust sector Based on the company’s office supply forecast office supply will be tight this 2019, as demand by the business process outsourcing companies will put pressure to developers especially in the Bay Area and within the Makati central business district.

An estimated 746,000 sqm of new gross leasable area (GLA) was introduced in the Greater Manila Area while net take-up surged to 701,100 sqm in 2018. Budding districts Alabang and Bay Area had an excellent year with signs of strong growth backed by the presence of the Philippine Offshore Gaming and Outsourcing (POGO) sector. Vacancies in Alabang are becoming tighter, as it further dropped to only 1.4 percent of the stock while Bay Area’s vacancy rate marginally increased to 0.6 percent as net take-up exceeded new supply at 163,500 sqm. Rental rates in both districts showed hefty year-on-year (YoY) growth, with 5.3 percent for Alabang and 10.9 percent, the highest for the quarter, for the Bay Area. Makati CBD’s vacancy rate remained solid at 3 percent despite the completion of the NEX Tower and a slower net absorption of 19,500 sq m. The premier business district has been under tight conditions since 2016, causing

an upsurge in rental rates averaging to P1,104.0 per sq m/ month. Mixed results Additional supply from the Asian Century Center and a similarly slower net-take up drove the amount of unoccupied spaces in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) higher to 5 percent but did not affect rents that grew 5 percent year-on-year to in P972.8 per sqm/month in 2018.2 Market conditions in Ortigas Center improved as it saw a decrease in vacancies at 2 percent after net absorption rebounded at 51,700 sqm while Quezon City experienced a spike in vacancies reaching 16.4 percent due to the completion of Cyberpark Tower Two and Centris Cyberpod Five. Overall average rent in Metro Manila has accelerated further hitting 5 percent year-on-year in 2018 with Makati CBD commanding the highest rental rate with another possible surge in rent as contract expirations are expected to drive higher bids. “We expect mixed results in 2019 as we see the different submarkets undergo through varied conditions affecting vacancies, absorption, and rental growth. Overall Metro Manila rental rates might accelerate, specifically for the Makati, Alabang, and Ortigas Center submarkets due to rising demand despite the latter’s pipeline of 206,000 sq m GLA completions for next year,” said company research manager Fred Rara.

Makati Southpoint is located on Don Chino Roces Avenue in Brgy. Bangkal, Makati, less than two kilometers from the Makati CBD. According to property research firm Colliers Philippines, office supply in the outskirts of the Makati CBD will be surging as much as 68% over the next few years. Housing demand is expected to rise further in the area. Professional workers regularly taking a beating from traffic, safety and security issues and bad weather have preferred to find smaller homes closer to their workplaces.

Makati Southpoint will offer units ranging from 23.30 sqm. to 38.20 sqm for the first tower. These are studio units, junior 1BR and 1BR units. Eclectic market mix, collab space “The market is a mix of Filipino millennials, single professionals and early nesters. This is a group seeking the adult experience of owning, living and investing in their own homes,” explained Jojo Fabricante, Avida Land head of innovation and design group (Shown in topmost photo). “The units were created around the idea of people who have a round-the-clock lifestyle, who are always on the go but want a restful home to sleep and unwind. Makati Southpoint has included a multifunction area and usable, open spaces to function as an extension of their living spaces.”

PRE-CAST TECHNOLOGY FOR 1,800 HOMES IN LIPA. PHirst Park Homes, Inc., a joint-venture firm of real estate developer Century Properties Group, Inc. (CPG:PM) and Mitsubishi Corporation, recently signed an agreement with Megawide Construction Corporation to build more than 1,800 homes in Lipa, Batangas. This is the second agreement between PHirst and Megawide, which inked a pact in 2017 for 2,830 units Tanza, Cavite. “We are proud to once again be a partner of PHirst Park Homes and Century Properties,” said Edgar Saavedra, Megawide chairman and CEO. “Through our precast technology, we are able to custom-build to the specifications of PHirst Park Homes for all units from production to installation.” PHirst Park Homes Lipa is a 20-hectare community near the Lima Technology Center and Light Industry and Science Park III. At the signing were: (From left) Kerwin Amar, PHirst Park Homes VP for technical operations; Kiyoto Asari, Mitsubishi Corporation senior manager; Ricky Celis, PHirst Park Homes president; Jose Carlo Antonio, PHirst Park Homes chairman; Saavedra; Markus Hennig, Megawide executive vice president—strategic business units; Einstein Chiu, Megawide assistant vice president—precast; Jeralbine Nuguid, Megawide sales manager—precast.

The collab space can let residents work on their own devices, meet up or read or do hobbies in a comfortable indoor space. The lounge areas on the amenity deck allow them to meet guests or just enjoy the outdoors. A retail area will occupy the ground floor, where a grand central lobby will also be located. Makati Southpoint will eventually have three towers, but the first at 32-storeys high has been moving fast in the market. About 40% of its launched inventory have sold out in the first month alone. Residences have a choice of the skylines of Makati and Bonifacio Global City on one side, or the refreshingly open amenity deck on the other. Makati Southpoint units range from P4.4 million to P8.5 million. The first tower will be completed by 2024.

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

Life YOUNG LIFE

YOUTH POWER. Youth leaders from all over the Philippines participate in youth camps that aim to serve as an avenue for critical discourse on pressing social issues.

Filipino youth wields power for 2019 National Elections

OUTH leaders from all over the Philippines gathered Feb. 22-25 in simultaneous youth camps to commemorate Edsa People Power and to wield a new kind of “people power”—youth power—in the 2019 National Elections.

Youth camps were held to give the youth a platform to connect, collaborate, and create. The camps were organized as avenues for critical discourse on pressing social issues, and to formulate, exchange, and nurture creative ideas, innovations, and concrete solutions for societal concerns and develop strategic actions toward nation building. According to Active Vista executive director Leni Velasco, “The youth camps held were the youth’s response to the call of the times—to fight together for a future their generation deserves and to wield a vision of a Philippines where rights and freedoms are upheld, guaranteed, and protected; where democracy works to benefit the lives of the people; and where citizens are empowered to contribute to building a better world.” About 175 youth leaders participated in the simultaneous youth camps in North and South Luzon and in Visayas. The camps discussed an overview of the national and regional human rights situation that would guide the youth leaders to craft a human rights-based youth agenda that they will campaign for and demand for candidates to adapt as their platform. They also affirmed the youth’s commitment to stand in solidarity as a sector against attacks on the people’s rights, freedoms, and dignity. DAKILA executive director Micheline Rama said, “The youth camps are just a start of a series of activities that the youth sector has lined

Participants discuss self-identity through doll-making.

up to consolidate its power as potent social force. There are around 20 million youth voters in the coming elections and the youth vote has the power to change the landscape of the elections. History has proven that it is the youth that shapes the nation.” With 20 million youth voters, the youth takes up one-third of the voting population. The youth camp program was built on the proposed agenda and campaign crafted by the Heroes Hub Youth Empowerment Summit, a conference attended by 250 youth leaders, that was held late last year during the commemoration of Bonifacio Day and the celebration of the 70th Human Rights Day. The campaign has also launched a youth survey to reflect the youth’s positions and stands to vital national issues such as EJKs, Charter Change, and Martial Law. The survey and youth agenda shall be presented to the public on April 9, and will kick off the 32-day campaign for a rights-based

50 youth leaders from Visayas gather at the Heroes Hub Youth Camp 2019.

youth agenda in the National Midterm Elections 2019. “Our Filipino youth is not apathetic. The large turnout of registered youth voters has proven that,” pointed out Velasco. Velasco added, “In fact, youth involvement has taken many forms, not only in the streets but in virtual spaces like their social media accounts. We have to realize that the youth, with its very nature, shall never be confined to traditional forms of involvement. And that is precisely why those in power and those who are trying to control, twist and revise our national narrative should beware.” The youth camps are multi-organizational endeavor of the artist-activist collective DAKILA through its Active Vista Center, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network-Philippines, and the Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking with the support of the CHR-GOJUST Human Rights Project. Two more youth camps shall be held in Metro Manila on March 3 and in Mindanao in April.

Big Bad Wolf founders with Arnold Acedera, the author of ‘The Bouncing Red Ball.’

Big Bad Wolf publishes Grade 12 student’s book APPROXIMATELY 100,000 people as of Monday have gone to the 24hour Big Bad Wolf Book Sale since it opened on Feb. 22 at the World Trade Center in Pasay. “It has been such an honor to receive such positive response here in Manila so far. To see customers come in and spend hours long, hunting for their favorite books is truly heart-warming,” said Andrew Yap, founder of the popular book sale. According to Big Bad Wolf Books, this year’s edition has seen a change in the demographics as there are more parents with children pushing carts at the sale. Aside from selling books, the book sale helps advocate literacy especially among children by supporting young writers. The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale recently published Filipino author Arnold Acedera’s children’s book “The Bouncing Red Ball,” which tells the story of an adventurous young boy who went off to see the world accompanied only by a red ball. Acedera, a Grade 12 architecture and design student, was diagnosed with dyslexia and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), a form of autism. But it did not stop him from pursuing his dream to create this book. “Any opportunity that comes your way should not be overlooked. What I would like to say to everyone is, despite

Thousands of books are on sale at the 24hour Big Bad Wolf Book Sale.

any challenges you have, just focus on your passion, and eventually you will find a way through any obstacle that you encounter,” Acedera shared during his book signing ceremony at the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale last week. Yap said, “Arnold’s journey as an author will inspire other people to write and share their own stories. The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is a platform for disseminating these stories to a much wider audience.” The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is open 24 hours daily until March 4.

Life

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

So fly

like Captain Marvel M ARVEL Studios’ latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film series, Captain Marvel oozes with ‘90s nostalgia. Local premiere is on March 6.

Set in the ‘90s, it tells the story of Carol Danvers, a former US Air Force fighter pilot who transforms into a mighty hero and joins Starforce, an elite military team of Kree, a scientifically and technologically advanced alien race. As planet Earth gets caught at the center of a galactic clash between two alien worlds, Danvers heads home to know more about her past and try to resolve the conflict. Globe Telecom’s 0917 Lifestyle joins forces with Marvel to bring a limited edition collection featuring Captain Marvel. The collection takes off from the movie’s ‘90s look mixed with elements from military uniforms, all

bearing Captain Marvel’s logo or trademark insignia. Pieces include cool yet casual Tshirts, including one that features her cat, Goose; eye-catching, comfy outerwear such as a fatigue jacket and a colorful windbreaker; and nifty accessories like a tote bag and fatigue cap. The 0917 Lifestyle x Captain Marvel collection is already available at the Globe online shop, as well as at Globe stores in Iconic Store BGC, SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Masinag, SM Taytay, SM Mall of Asia, Market Market, SM Aura, SM Manila, SM Novaliches, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces Ayala, Uptown BGC, SM Marikina, Eastwood Mall, SM Southmall, SM Megamall, Gateway, and Greenbelt.

Windbreaker and T-shirt from the 0917 Lifestyle x Captain Marvel collection.

0917 Lifestyle joins forces with Marvel to bring the limited edition Captain Marvel collection consisting of T-shirts, jackets, windbreakers, tote bag, and fatigue cap, among others.

A child’s journey to forever smile featured in LA film festival SMILE Train, the world’s leading cleft organization, has announced the inclusion of its short film, Aldrian, in the LA Under the Stars Film Festival 2019. The film follows the story of Aldrian, a 6-year-old boy living with an untreated cleft lip and palate in Metro Manila. His greatest wish was simply to eat with ease. Aldrian’s grandmother Lola Theresa is raising him and other family members by working as a street vendor. Lola Theresa was barely making enough money to feed her family, let alone to pay for Aldrian’s cleft surgery. However, this soon changed when a local Smile Train social worker heard about his story and reached out to help. With love and support from his family and a helping hand from the organization, Aldrian dream came true. The story of Aldrian, Smile Train said, is only one of many. Globally, more than 200,000 babies are born with clefts every year. Children with clefts don’t only have difficulty eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking but may also lack the confidence needed to go to school every day and eventually look for a job. Smile Train believes that a smile is just the beginning of the transformation. It is instrumental in a child’s journey to a full, healthy, and productive life. The LA Under the Stars Film Festival is an international film festival held at the historic El Cid Theatre, Los Angeles, California. It is considered the best showcase for i nde p e nde nt films. The festival has acknowledged the short film as it focuses on real life situations that un‘Aldrian’ is a story of a child who once dreamed to eat with ease, and can now show his smile to the world.

derserved Filipino families face when members are born with birth differences. Representing the 50,000th surgery supported by Smile Train in the Philippines, Aldrian showcases the opportunities that can be provided such as free cleft surgeries and comprehensive cleft care. “Smile Train saw the LA Under the Stars Film Festival as a great opportunity to share our Aldrian film to help raise awareness for children with birth differences, including those with clefts, as we continue to advocate spreading love and kindness through unconditional acceptance for others,” said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train’s area director for Southeast Asia. Go to smiletrain.org/lp/aldrian to watch the film.

Students and educators of Sitio Ibabaw ng Gabihan School in Tanay, Rizal participate in Microsoft’s Future Ready workshop.

Developing future-ready youth IN AN effort to close the digital skills gap, Microsoft has kicked off Future Ready, an annual initiative run in partnership with nonprofits and schools. It aims to generate interest among students to learn computer science and empower teachers with skills to teach computer science. Launched in conjunction with Computer Science Education Week, Microsoft empowers close to 700,000 young individuals—particularly from underserved communities—with opportunities to pursue their passion in computer science, and more than 26,000 educators to teach high quality and inclusive computer science across Asia Pacific over the next year. “Microsoft believes that education is essential to personal and country-wide economic growth,” said Raul Cortez,

corporate external and legal affairs director of Microsoft Philippines. He added, “We are keen on extending necessary help needed by educators to ignite students’ interest in computer science. Computational thinking allows the youth to gain technical knowledge and develop creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills—essential attributes for the jobs of tomorrow.” Future Ready aims to increase access to computer science as Microsoft drives workshops for 2,000 educators, teaching them how to facilitate engaging and inclusive computer science classes to more than 200,000 youth. For the fourth year in a row, Microsoft has partnered with Code.org to provide young people the opportunity to learn the basics of coding through its game-based learning program, Mi-

necraft Hour of Code Tutorial: Voyage Aquatic. Beyond an hour of code is the Asia Pacific’s Next Top Coder, a free online competition led by Empire Code in partnership with Microsoft and Lenovo. Students between the ages of 13 and 19 created a Minecraft world enhanced with code that reflects a period of time in history, using Minecraft: Education Edition and Microsoft MakeCode for Minecraft. “Digital transformation in our classrooms allows us to achieve a futureready workforce. Future Ready aims to achieve three objectives: introducing the basics of computer science, providing hands-on coding experience, and facilitating access to role models who help connect in-class experiences to real-world concepts.”

BULLETIN BOARD

Ateneo HS Class ‘69 strikes gold ATENEO de Manila High School Batch ‘69 is celebrating its Golden Jubilee this month with a series of activities lined up from March 5 to 9. With the theme “69’ers Strike Gold,” these Ateneans, now in their late 60s, will come together to relive memories of life in the sixties with their Jesuit mentors, and share unique and unforgettable episodes in their teenage life. HS ‘69 Reunion Organizing Committee chair Ed Santos said activities will kick off with two out-of-town events starting with a lunch and tour of Sandy Javier’s farm in Batangas on March 5. This will be followed by a lunch and tour of Pampanga hosted by Tito Panlilio on March 7. Both events have golf scheduled, according to Santos.

Meanwhile, batch president Greg Cancio disclosed that the main program on March 9 at the Mariano Singson Hall will begin with a concelebrated mass by Ateneo director for alumni relations Fr. Kits Bautista, SJ and batch mate Fr. Bingo Nespral. Entertainment that evening will be topnotch beginning with a special 45-minute show by Jim Paredes and Boboy Gorovillo. The program also includes performances by Joey Buhain, The Flintstones, and Mixed Emotions. The event begins at 4:30 pm. At least 150 have confirmed their attendance, including those based overseas; while 37 have since passed. Contact Joane Balarbar at 0945- Ateneo High School Batch ‘69 celebrates 50 years 5028592 to register.

Entertainment

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Heart-rending yet inspiring short film about bullying

EARLY two decades into the new millennium, the age-old problem of bullying remains to be a cause for concern among school authorities and parents of bullied children, mainly because most cases take place in the campus. For some reason, however, such incidents have been largely kept unreported until a fairly recent bullying incident broke out and went viral on social media, creating quite a ruckus among netizens.

Bullying, in fact, is an issue that is hiding in plain sight. According to the United Nations’ 2018 report, one in three children worldwide experience some form of bullying, a disturbing fact we must confront if we resolve to find a longterm solution to the problem. This is the central theme of McJim Classic Leather’s newest viral short film titled The Bully, which zeroes in on the pathetic plight of bullying victims. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Chris Cahilig, it tells the story of Ramon Christian Galvez (played by Jordan “Jay” Castillo, Jr.), an anti-bullying advocate who returns to his alma mater to give a talk on bullying. This rouses memories of the character’s own disquieting past—visions that continue to haunt him to this day. “With The Bully, McJim comes up with yet another compelling and socially relevant short film that tackles issues we need to talk about as a humane and progressive society,” says Cahilig, who

is also behind McJim’s previous awardwinning shorts Pitaka, Sinturon, Bag, and No Strings Attached. “Once again, McJim proves to be more than just a lifestyle brand as it strives to stay relevant in this day and age. It does so rather convincingly as it takes on another critical advocacy: antibullying,” Cahilig says of McJim and its newest short film, which, the director promises, will get viewers hooked until the end—all for a good cause. “The Bully is a heart-rending but essential watch for people of all ages. Bullying is real. If we persist in glossing over the issue, we will do a disservice to scores of bullying victims and to the values that we hold dear,” Cahilig asserts. He likewise counsels the youth. “If you are a victim of, or a witness to, bullying, don’t keep quiet. Talk about it and ask for help.” The Bully comes at a time when issues concerning child abuse are coming to the fore. The short film also has worthy

precedents. Pitaka was hailed as the Best Branded Digital Ad at the 40th Catholic Mass Media Awards, and the Best Illustrated Poem at the 2018 Wales International Film Festival. No Strings Attached, meanwhile, bagged the Best Social Shorts award at the Liverpool International Film Festival 2018 in the United Kingdom. Prior to The Bully, McJim earned praises for its first LGBT-themed short filmed Bag for its honest portrayal of a gay-straight friendship—a bold and unconventional move for a masculine brand like McJim. The Bully and other McJim short films can be viewed on McJim’s official Facebook page, https://www.facebook. com/OfficialMcJIM/. The Bully was crafted by a team led by Yuji Gonzales (screenplay), Patrick Ferrer (cinematography), Paulo Luneta (editor), Kenneth Amparo (online vfx and color), Jordan Castillo, Jr. (assistant director), Kat Salinas (sound design), Richard Gonzales (scoring), Johanna Evangelista (production manager), and Christian Paul Mendoza (production coordinator). It also stars Adrian Cabido, RJ Perkins, Gold Azeron, Allen Ansay, Sheryl Pasia, and Johanna Evangelista. For generations now, McJim Classic Leather has been the leading and trusted brand for classic leather goods and accessories of superior quality and design. For more information, visit and like the official McJim Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/OfficialMcJIM/.

After its string of award-winning short films last year, McJim welcomes 2019 by taking on another critical advocacy in its new short film: anti-bullying.

Group, artists gather at CCP for folkloric dance fest INTERNATIONAL and local folk dance groups and artists gather at the Cultural Center of the Philippines for the Indak Pilipinas 2019 Folkloric Dance Festival. The fest kicked off on Feb. 28 and runs until tomorrow, March 3. Now on its second year, the festival aims to showcase the best folkloric groups and their best dance pieces choreographed and staged by Philippine National Artists for Dance and other respected personalities in the dance world to celebrate the spirit of collaboration. It will feature works by National Artist for Dance Francisca Reyes-Aquino, also known as the Mother of Philippine Folk Dance, National Artists for Dance Dr. Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula and National Artist Ramon Obusan, as well as other prominent figures in the dance community including Gawad CCP awardees

Simply... From C4

“That was really the germ of the character Maya, and she never left me since she said. “Maya evolved into a short story when I was already a script continuity supervisor for Joyce Bernal (2004-2005). By this time, I was reading Gabriel Garcia

Dr. Paz Cielo A. Belmonte and Corazon Inigo, Ramon Magsaysay awardee Ligaya Amilbangsa, Jovita Sison Friese, and Libertad Fajardo, among others. The Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company, Centro Escolar University Folk Dance Troupe, Kaloob Philippine Music & Dance Ministry, LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble, University of the East Silanganan Dance Troupe, University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe had their performance last night. The Bulacan State University Lahing Kayumanggi Dance Troupe, Kahayag Dance Company Philippines, Philippine Normal University Kislap Sining Dance Troupe, Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Sindaw Philippines Performing Arts Guild, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Cultural Dance Troupe, University of the Philippines Filipinia Dance Group will take center stage today at 4:00 p.m.. The festival will culminate tomorrow with performances from the Kaloob Philippine Music and Dance Ministry, Koronadal Hinugyaw Cultural Dance Troupe, LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble, Philippine Barangay Folk Dance Troupe, Rizal Technological University Teatro Rizalia Kultura Dance Troupe, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Cultural Dance Troupe, and Zamboanga Del Sur National High School Melengas Dance Ensemble. The festival celebrates the 70th founding anniversary of Philippine Folk Dance Society, and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The festival is made possible through the partnership with the Philippine Folk Dance Society (PFDS), Cultural Center of the Philippines(CCP), Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUCI), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Tourism (DOT).

Marquez and Allende stories-all those fantastic stories with magic realism elements. So I wrote about Maya seeing ‘tikbalang’, and the mother became the Lola. And I love the rain so nagsamasama na siya sa utak ko.” “Direk Joyce caught me writing and read what I wrote and told me to turn it into a screenplay. So I did,” she concludes. Ulan is her first screenplay. Bb. Joyce Bernal serves as this movie’s

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Saturday, March 2, 2019

ACROSS 1 Dog-ear 5 Deduce 10 Sandbox adjunct 14 Peter Gunn’s girl 15 Telegraph inventor 16 Autobahn vehicle 17 Work part-time 18 Lift 19 Tpks. 20 Dreaming of 22 Waylay 24 Kind of scout 25 Derisive remark 26 Lobby furnishing 29 Keep in thrall 33 Wrong 34 Femur, for one 36 Peat source 37 Barbecue tidbit 38 Boastful 39 — shot 40 Notre Dame sight 41 Cheerleading yells 42 Oar pin 44 Sombrero gowiths 47 Ready to ship 48 Playful bites 49 Mare’s tidbit 50 Bathhouse

31 Thin material 32 Spurred on 34 An alloy 35 Admirer’s response 38 Trainer 42 Trolley 43 Bareheaded 45 Not digital 46 Wrestler’s coup 47 Victorian garment 50 Break-even amount 51 Proclaim DOWN 1 Crumbly cheese 52 South Seas 2 Works by Keats 3 Lacking energy 4 Portrays 5 Drink 6 Twelve, maybe 7 Toad relative 8 Mountain curve 9 Held on to 10 Wrapped package 11 Traffic stopper 12 Fateful day 13 Tilt to one side 21 Regrets deeply 23 “60 Minutes” network 25 Biological group 26 Bombay garments 27 Rousseau novel 28 River in Italy 30 Top monk 53 Where crops grow 58 Watermelon shape 59 Buns 61 Old barge canal 62 Go it alone 63 In crowd 64 Incites Rover 65 Branch 66 Move a fern 67 South American monkey

paradise 53 Gymnastics move 54 Deep-voiced lady 55 La Scala highlight 56 Shaving mishap 57 He loved Lucy 60 Bravo, in Barcelona

Creative Producer. Getting Carlo Aquino to play Peter was a breeze. “We had breakfast just to talk about the role, and he said nakwento ko na sa kanya dati yung concept, so of course he’ll do it. Wala nang pitch pitch!” Irene enthuses. She commends the award-winning actor for being “so good in understanding the character and finding connections with the role. He makes my job so much easier

McJim promises that its new short film 'The Bully' will get viewers hooked until the end—all for a good cause.

McJim continues to be socially relevant in this day and age through quality advocacy short films like 'The Bully.'

because I don’t explain a lot when I talk to him. There’s a click that happens and there he is, right there being Peter.” Ulan also features Marco Gumabao and AJ Muhlach, the most promising actors of their generation, as Maya’s ex-lovers. Young Maya is played by Ella Ilano, while the grandmother is played by Perla Bautista.. The biggest challenges of this film were creating the rain effect that happens

almost every day and deciding on how the tikbalang would look like. “Our tikbalang took three (look) tests just to decide on what is best,” reveals the director. They asked themselves, “Sino ba ang nakakita na ng tunay na tikbalang? Di ba si batang Maya? So ano itsura no’n?” In the end, the inspiration came from the papier mache works of the artisans they encountered while filming in Pila, Laguna. She says, “We decided on that look (for the tikbalang), and acknowledge the crudeness and the innocence of it all.” Irene is grateful and proud to be able to bring this kind of film to mainstream. “Hindi biro ang sugal ng VIVA (for producing) and N2 (for line producing)…We were doing something different…I have all these people in the production na kakapit-kamay at laging susubok at hindi takot magkamali—my staff and cast,” says the director who is admired by many. Ulan is a product of hard work and passion. Part of the team is the awardwinning cinematographer Neil Daza. Rivermaya’s ‘90s classic song “Ulan” is turned into a ballad by Janine Teñoso, making it the film’s official theme song. “Heto na Naman” by Rice Lucido is part of the soundtrack. For Nadine Lustre, who was hailed for her performance in her last movie Never Not Love You, this is a new opportunity to shine outside a love team. “I’m really, really excited kasi maganda talaga ‘yung story; it’s more about self-love,” she said in an interview. How Maya cultivates self-love as the plot unravels is something to look forward to. *** Visit www.isah.red for more stories. Follow me on Facebook (@isahvr), Twitter (@isahvred) and Instagram (@ isahvred). ΙR

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

Entertainment

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019

Nadine goes solo in ‘Ulan’ NADINE Lustre takes on the demanding role of Maya, the young woman alternately fascinated and fearful of rainfall in Ulan, the latest film offering from Viva Films. Written and directed by Irene Villamor, who earlier achieved critical and commercial success with Sid and Aya: Not A Love Story and Meet Me in St. Galen, Ulan marks Nadine’s first acting venture without her usual screen partner James Reid. Nadine is a popular singer, (“No Erase,” “Me And You,” “Bahala Na,” “Hanap-hanap”) and actress, (Diary ng Panget, Never Not Love You, On The Wings of Love). She has also ventured into directing music videos, (The Life, Summer). She puts her successful boxoffice reputation on the line and essays her most demanding role to date in Ulan. After VIVA Films released the film’s trailer Feb. 8, the outpouring of support from netizens was instantaneous. #UlanTrailer hit the no.1 spot in the country’s trending topics, followed closely by Maya, Nadine Lustre, Carlo Aquino, and director Ayrin—all major players in what already appears to be a muchawaited film this summer. Tagged as a romantic drama, Ulan tells the story of Maya, q woman raised by her grandmother. As a child, Maya became aware of the mythical creature called “Tikbalang” (half-horse, halfhuman) and the superstition that when rain pours in the middle of a sunny day, there’s a wedding involving a couple of “tikbalang”. According to her grandmother, it means that heaven is not in favor of this union.

Maya has grown up to be a hopeless romantic. She has fallen in love and has been heartbroken ISAH V. RED twice. And then she meets Peter who is kind, thoughtful, helpful, and every bit a boyfriend material. But Maya realizes that each time she’s onto something good, rain falls all of a sudden. Is that a bad omen? Is it heaven’s way of telling her that about her uncertain fate? Irene Emma Villamor describes Ilustre as “a modern Filipina and really has that depth to understand concepts like this. And brave enough to plunge in to a role of Maya.” From the very start, Nadine showed dedication to immerse herself in the role and to connect with her director. Irene shares, “Nadine and I sat on the first day of shoot and we talked for almost an hour, naka-costume na siya nun, ready for blocking na. But I had to pause and we just sat away from the crowd and talked about the bigger things in life, about what this movie means to me and to her, about our nervousness. And I said to her this is going to be our journey together, because Maya has been there with me since I was young.” It was way back in 1999 when Irene wrote a five-minute narrative about a girl named Maya. “Her dream was to climb a tree in their backyard,” she elaborates, “but her mother would always catch her and reprimand her.” Until one day, she finally climbed it, “and saw what a fantastic view it was roofs of different corrugated, rusty metals, top of other trees, some birds. And she was wishing her mother could also see it.” Continued on C3

Panagbenga, which flourishes through community spirit involvement, is a month-long festival that reflects the history, traditions, and values of Baguio and the Cordilleras.

IN BLOOM

8 things to know about Baguio’s Panagbenga

The cast of 'Ang Probinsyano' led by Coco Martin joined in the Panagbenga festivities in 2018.

Nadine Lustre in Viva Films' 'Ulan'

AGUIO’S annual Panagbenga Festival is VERY a truly amazing feast for WANG the eyes—with exceptionally NICKIE beautiful and most creative WANG display of ﬂower-encrusted ﬂoats for the parade, in every perceivable shape, color and idea.

ASIA

Big-budget film brings Hong Kong streets to standstill

The final day of shooting near Sule Pagoda drew hundreds of curious locals

CARS dangling from cranes, street shootouts and actors rappelling from roofs—Yangon residents were transfixed this week by the filming of a big-budget Hong Kong action movie around the city’s iconic Sule pagoda. Yangon has lent the charm of its colonial-style buildings and golden temple spires to Line Walker 2—the sequel to the 2016 blockbuster of the same name which grossed $90 million worldwide. Line Walker 2 stars Hong Kong heartthrob Louis Koo and Nick Cheung. The final day of shooting drew hundreds of locals wearing the saronglike longyi as well as a long line of robed monks crowding onto overhead pedestrian passes, craning for a view of a choreographed gunfight. “It is amazing to see cars flying in the air, like in the big films,” Sai Mine, who was visiting Yangon from northern

Love team Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza delight their fans during the 2017 edition of Panagbenga.

Shan State, said. The 25-year-old had heard about the filming and begged her sisters to take her to Sule Pagoda where the smoldering remains of a car lay nearby. Amateur filmmaker Thar Nge expressed delight at the chance to witness the day-long process to film a scene that plays out in seconds on the silver screen. Some were hopeful a big-budget film featuring Yangon’s sights could boost tourist numbers. While the number of Chinese tourists increased in 2018, Myanmar has seen a drop in Western visitors following news of the army’s crackdown on the Muslim Rohingya minority in northern Rakhine state. Line Walker 2 cast Myanmar actors including Aung Myint Myat who got the “amazing” opportunity to play a SWAT team leader in the film. AFP

Mounting the “best” and the “most colorful” festival in the country is a collaborative effort—from the local government to the volunteers, from the organizers to the performers—everybody has a significant contribution. “It makes us all closer. It brings out the best in all of us. Imagine there are more than 5,000 volunteers who make this annual festival possible,” said Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) co-founder Freddie Alquiros during a roundtable interview together with Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Anthony de Leon, co-chairman of the organizing committee. “It was 1996 and we wanted to show that after the earthquake, Baguio was up and about. Visitors can come and see no traces of the earthquake and the devastation. Our primary reason was to reintroduce Baguio to the Filipinos,” Alquiros recalled alluding to the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that ravaged and turned the city into rubbles in 1990. “Panagbenga is a Kankanaey term which means the season of flowering and blossoming,” shared Mayor Domogan, who is considered the “Father of the festival.” “Holding the festival is a great way to keep the old tradition and culture of the city alive,” he added. Now on its 24th edition, Baguio City officially kicked off the month-long Panagbenga celebrations on Feb. 1 with a grand opening parade featuring students dressed in their best flower costumes including those who were dressed in traditional Igorot outfits.

A total of 7 contingents will perform and compete during the grand street dancing parade today and for the float parade tomorrow.

The grand street parade is happening today and the grand float parade will be tomorrow, March 3. From March 4 to 10 there will be run-up activities to the closing and awarding ceremonies on March 10, which will be concluded by grand fireworks. And here are the things to know about the festival: 1. The best festival in the Philippines Panagbenga is the only Philippine festival which is certified by International Festivals and Events Association, a nonprofit association for producers, suppliers and managers of festivals and events, which range from small county and municipal events to large-scale parades that can have attendances in the hundreds of thousands. It has members in about 38 countries on five continents. (How is that for a starter?) 2. More than a million tourists Panagbenga is living up to everyone’s expectations, no wonder more than a million tourists flock to the City of Baguio to experience its cool climate while joining in the festivities. It is a steady growing festival, which is essential in boosting the city’s tourism that creates more jobs for the locals. 3. Star-studded The organizers of the festival also give credits to the country’s leading networks for bringing in their biggest stars to delight the crowd. Stars are always aplenty. Apart from the grand floats and street dancers, the festival draw thousands of tourists to the summer capital to cheer on the TV and movie stars on floats. Last year, And Probinsyano star Coco

Martin and GMA Artists like Megan Young, Mikael Daez, Ruru Madrid, Matt Evans, and Glaiza de Castro delighted the adoring crowd. 5. Sustainable tourism BFFFI operates, organizes and manages the Panagbenga Festival to boost the tourism of Baguio and the rest of the Cordilleras through showcasing various events, exhibitions and activities that promote the history, traditions and values of Baguio and the Cordilleras which is sustained in an earth-friendly manner. 6. Grand Float Parade From three floats parading the Summer Capital during its first edition, Panagbenga has now 24 floats on average. They are accompanied by some 120 members who act as street performers. This weekend, 26 flower-encrusted floats of varying sizes (from small-sized to truck-sized floats) are expected to transfixed the crowd as they roll down Session Road, Magsaysay Avenue and Harrison Road. 7. A well-rounded festival While most tourists linked Panagbenga with the flowers, it’s more than just the blooms. From the opening parade to closing ceremonies, you can expect many things there including Panagbenga festival music, Panagbenga festival dance, food, shopping, street dance and much more. 8. Flowers and more flowers Truckloads of flowers are used in a single float, put together by locals and private conglomerates who have been staples at the annual parade. “People are growing more flowers. It’s a good business for the flower farmers. Some of them are breeding blooms specially for the festival. And if you’d ask what happens to these truckloads of blooms after the fest? They are used as compost. It’s a normal thing that you do to a plant or flower when it already served its purpose,” Alquiros concluded.