Manila Standard - 2019 March 15 - Friday

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EL NIÑO THREATENS 42 PROVINCES; LA MESA AT 21-YEAR LOW

Legend: Drought Dry spell Dry condition Not affected

Philippine Sea West Philippine Sea

By Rio N. Araja, Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

Sulu Sea

THE weather bureau said Thursday that up to 33 provinces are expected to experience drought by the end of May, among the 42 that will go through a dry spell up to end-March owing to the El Niño phenomenon.

Ten provinces are immediately threatened by drought—Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Min-

Source: PAGASA

LOWEST LEVEL. The El Niño phenomenon has breathed down on La Mesa Dam, built in 1929 and can hold up to 50.5 million cubic meters and occupying an area of 27 square kilometers in Quezon City, has gone down to its lowest level in 21 years at 68.74 meters as of Thursday—from 68.75 meters in 1998. Manny Palmero

doro, and Palawan in Luzon and Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Maguindanao and Sulu in Mindanao.

The water elevation at La Mesa Dam, meanwhile, breached its lowest mark in 21 years.

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, the dam’s water level was at 68.74 meters from 68.79 meters.

Sonia Serraano, a weather bureau hydrologist, said the 68.74-meter elevation was at its lowest compared to 1998’s 68.75 meters.

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Cloud seeding under way—PAF THE Philippine Air Force confirmed Thursday that it will begin cloud seeding operations this weekend, as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has released P18.3 million to the Department of Agriculture’s regional officers to address the El Niño phenomenon. “[Cloud seeding] will be conducted supposedly tomorrow [Friday]. However, it was moved to Saturday or Sunday because we still have to prepare the airplanes. Initial [area to be covered] will be Cauayan [to save crops in danger of

drying up in Isabela],” PAF spokesperson Maj. Aristides Galang said.

However, cloud seeding—a process in which substances such as salt are dumped onto targeted clouds to induce rainfall—should be the last resort in addressing drought, the National Irrigation Administration said.

Pilipina Bermudez, Department Manager of the NIA Public Affairs and Information Staff, said that cloud seeding is expensive and dependent on too many Next page factors to work.

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 33 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Rody names 46 ‘narco-pols’ Special Senate session over budget looms

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz SENATE President Vicente Sotto III yesterday raised the possibility of holding a special session to break the impasse over the P3.757-trllion national budget for 2019 as both chambers of Congress continued to trade barbs over alleged pork insertions.

In this scenario, President Rodrigo Duterte could use his veto power over lump sum appropriations that have been the bone of contention between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

After that, Sotto said Congress could convene a special session to address the vetoed portions and pass a joint resolution approving a supplemental budget.

“We can convene even for one day for a special session and pass a joint resolution Next page

Duterte: Probe Cebu girl’s killing

By Nat Mariano AN OUTRAGED President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the authorities to investigate the murder of a 16-yearold student in Cebu, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Yeah, he gave directives to investigate it,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters.

Meanwhile, the reward for any information leading to the arrest of Christine Lee Silawan’s killer rose to P2 million.

Of that amount, P1 million will come from the Lapu-Lapu City government, Next page

ON THE NARCO-LIST Mayor Ferdinand Dance Aguinaldo of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte Cong. Jesus Celeste of Pangasinan Mayor Marjorie Salazar of Lasam, Cagayan Mayor Cipriano Violago Jr. of San Rafael Bulacan Mayor Erlon Agustin of Camiling Tarlac Mayor Jefferson Khonghun of Subic Zambales Cong. Jeffrey Khonghun of Zambales Mayor Bruno Ramos of Bay, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez of Los Banos, Laguna Mayor Cecilio Hernandez of Rodriguez, Rizal Vice Mayor Dennis Hernandez of Rodriguez, Rizal Mayor Eulalio Mendoza of Lemery, Batangas Mayor Juan Toreja of Ibaan, Batangas Mayor Loreto Amante of San Pablo City, Laguna Mayor Raul Paulino of Teresa, Rizal Mayor Roderick Alcala of Lucena City, Quezon Board Member Rommel Ayuson of Rizal Province Mayor Nieves Rosente of El Nido, Palawan Vice Mayor Ariel Alagos Jr. of Culasi, Antique Mayor Jed Escalante Mabilog of Iloilo City Mayor Julius Ronald Pacificador of Hamtic, Antique Mayor Mariano Malones Sr. of Maasin, Iloilo Siegfredo Betita of Carles, Iloilo Vice Mayor Franz Sabalones of San Fernando, Cebu Next page

Vetted, validated: 3 lawmakers, 43 local govt officials

By Rio N. Araja and Nat Mariano

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday released the government’s list of politicians suspected of involvement in the illegal trade of drugs ahead of the May elections.

In this screen grab from PTV News, President Rodrigo Duterte grimaces after reading the so-called ‘narco-list’ at the National Peace and Order council meeting in Davao City.

Appellate court finds Abad liable for DAP fund misuse

By Rey E. Requejo THE Court of Appeals has affirmed the administrative liability of former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad over the illegal Disbursement Acceleration Program of the Aquino administration.

Life without FB: Moans, groans

In a 15-page decision promulgated last Feb. 27, the CA’s Special 14th Division sustained the findings of the Office of the Ombudsman in March last year that Abad was guilty of simple misconduct.

The appellate court dismissed the peti-

tion of the former Budget secretary seeking reversal of the anti-graft office’s ruling.

The CA rejected Abad’s assertion of good faith in implementing the DAP during the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III. Next page

Lover’s labor lost

FACEBOOK grappled Thursday with a widespread outage, forcing millions of people to taste life without the world’s largest social media platform.

It was probably the last thing

A WOMAN lost consciousness and suffered a stroke while her partner performed oral sex on her, several London newspapers reported Wednesday, citing a British Medical Journal report.

The unnamed 44-year-old was enjoying the fruits of her lover’s

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Next page

In a speech during the National Peace and Order Council meeting in Davao, the President mentioned the names of 43 local officials and three other congressmen allegedly involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs.

According to the President, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has already filed administrative cases against the 46 narco-politicians in the Ombudsman.

The names, the Chief Executive said, have been “vetted and validated.”

“For the time being, this will be first because it’s already validated. The others, I just want to ‘double sure.’ I am not really interested in releasing before or after the elections because I don’t have the slightest intention to hurt anybody or to be a cause of the failure of an election or a certain man who wants to serve the public,” Duterte said.

“I don’t have anything. So, we won’t release the others because those are not sure yet. Those that have been filed are already validated, then we can say that we have gathered enough proof,” he added.

The Palace previously justified the declassification of the so-called “narcolist,” saying it is the public’s right to know the politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, as it viewed the country’s problem with illegal narcotics as a matter of national security.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday vowed to go after a “big celebrity” who is allegedly a regular buyer of party drugs from a suspected supplier, Steve Pasion, who Next page

Palace defiant on Hague tribunal

By Nat Mariano THE Philippine government will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court should the Hague-based tribunal throw a full-scale investigation on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “harsher” war on drugs, the Palace maintained on Thursday.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the ICC had no jurisdiction over the country and its matters, adding the country remained unrestrained by their rules.

“They don’t have a jurisdiction. If they don’t have jurisdiction, they cannot do anything against us,” Panelo told Palace reporters.

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News

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

MWSS outlines water measures SHORT-TERM and long-term solutions for Metro Manila’s water supply demand are now in place.

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco made the assurance to the public in the wake of the water shortage being experienced by consumers specifically by those in the coverage area of Manila Water, one of three concessionaires in the metropolis.

At the press briefing to usher in the 8th Asia Water Council Board of Council Meeting, General Assembly and Elections, Velasco said the lack of water supply in East Zone is due to several factors foremost of which is the increase of demand for water due to population growth.

MWSS has caused the allocation of atleast 200 million liters per day to be provided to the east zone concessionaire, Velasco said.

MWSS has requested the National Water Resources Board to allow Manila Water to activate deep wells which can supply 100 million liters daily. A Memorandum of Agreement will be signed by MWRB executive director Virgilio David and Manila Water President and CEO Ferdinand dela Cruz for this purpose.

At least 50 MLD will augment Manila Water’s supply by end-March this year with the activation of its Cardona Treatment Plant as directed by MWSS. MWSS will look into the proposal to construct a new treatment plant so as to preserve La Mesa Dam as a water reserve area in the future including the much-needed repairs of conveyance pipes.

MWSS has also requested West Zone concessionaire Maynilad to allocate 50 MLD and share water through cross border flow as well as deployment of water trucks to affected areas.

Cloud...

From A1

Pilipina Bermudez, Department Manager of the NIA Public Affairs and Information Staff, said that cloud seeding is expensive and dependent on too many factors to work. “‘Cloud seeding should be a last resort, because it costs P1 million to fly an airplane [to do the seeding],” Bermudez told GMA’s News To Go program.

Instead, the NIA official suggested the use of shallow tube wells and distribution of water supply in irrigated lands on rotational basis as a better option.

The government will do everything it can to provide clean water for everyone, NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said.

“We want to assure the public that the government is doing everything to ensure adequate water supply for all,” Jalad said in a statement sent to reporters late Wednesday.

Previously, Ayala-led Manila Water Co. Inc. and Enrique Razon Jr. of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. were discussing the construction of a dam in Montalban, Rizal to ensure sufficient water supply in the east zone area.

According to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System administrator Reynaldo Velasco, Manila Water is now negotiating with the Razon-Oscar Violago tandem to proceed with the new Montalban Dam or much improved Wawa Dam as a mediumterm water source.

“Insofar as additional water coming from Wawa, it is a talk between Manila Water and the Razon group. That is the direction they are going and from what I gathered, Manila Water is being invited by Razon to form a JV [joint venture],” Velasco said. PNA

Lover’s...

From A1 labor when she lost consciousness for two to three minutes. He rushed her to hospital fearing she had suffered a fit.

When they arrived, the man told medics his partner’s body had gone stiff during the episode.

She felt sick when she arrived at hospital, and was suffering a nasty headache which she scored as a six out of ten on the pain scale.

Doctors led by Yunus Gokdogan at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital wrote in a BMJ case report: “On closer history taking, the patient reported nearing orgasm while receiving oral sex from her partner before losing consciousness.

“Her partner estimated she was unconscious for two to three minutes, with no convulsive activity reported. She had otherwise been well preceding the event.”

Life...

From A1

Facebook needed as it stumbles from problem to problem, including outrage over its use of customers’ private data.

Denizens of the Philippines, known as the world’s social media capital, experienced firsthand the Facebook and Instagram outages felt in many parts of the world.

The two sites were down for hours in the country, and both social media platforms acknowledged the outages earlier today on the last social media giant standing―Twitter.

The outage began Wednesday afternoon and triggered a flood of gripes on downdetector.com, which tracks trouble accessing online pages, and on rival Twitter.

A Downdetector map late Wednesday showed Facebook service troubles persisting in parts of Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and North America. As of early Thursday the problem remained in parts of Europe and Asia, although moaning from America and else where kept coming.

“You guys should look in the mirror at yourselves and hear how you sound,” a person with the handle Johanna wrote on Downdetector around 0745 GMT. AFP

PCSO ready to face graft probe

By Nat Mariano

M

ALACAÑANG said Thursday it had passed a letter asking the Office of the Ombudsman to probe the corruption allegations against former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Alexander Balutan following his resignation over corruption allegations.

The Palace made the statement even as the PCSO welcomed the conduct of a probe into the corruption allegations against it.

“The PCSO is open to all forms of investigation and encourages its officials and employees to subject themselves to any formal investigation by any investigating body,” PCSO spokesman Marissa Medrano said in

a statement to reporters.

“The board and its management and its employees stand by its value of professionalism. If a person has nothing to hide, then by all means an investigation by an independent investigating body will be very much welcome.”

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said he referred Balutan’s case to the Om-

Central Luzon El Niño-free, UPRIIS claims

By Ferdie Domingo CABANATUAN CITY―The National Irrigation Administration’s Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, operator of the Pantabangan Dam, has declared as “El Niñofree” some 136,848.39 hectares of agricultural land in Central Luzon.

Rosalinda B. Bote, acting UPRIIS manager, made the declaration in a press briefing and said the areas will not be affected by the dry spell brought about by El Niño.

Bote said this was possible because of the high water elevation at the Pantabangan Dam, which as of Thursday was 204.107 meters above sea level, way above the critical level of 172 meters.

Bote said the 125,848.39 hectares programmed for irrigation this dry season included an additional 10,000 hectares in Casecnan and 1,500 hectares in the tail-end portion of Pantabangan Dam’s service areas in Arayat and Candaba in Pampanga, San Miguel and San Ildefonso in Bulacan, and the Nueva Ecija towns of Cabiao, Licab and Guimba.

UPRIIS has a total service area of 130,000

Rody...

From A1 was killed in an anti-narcotics operation.

“A celebrity is buying the drugs [from him].

The last was about 200 pieces of ecstasy,” PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said.

During the recent operation, anti-drug agents linked the unnamed showbiz celebrity to Pasion based on the exchanges of their text messages.

Aquino said the celebrity asked Pasion about the availability of ecstasy.

“We saw pictures of this celebrity in Pasion’s cellphone,” he said, but declined to name the person.

“So far, the celebrity’s name has surfaced three times already among the big-time drug traders we have arrested,” he added. “This is something big.”

Pasion was a suspected large-scale dealer of party drugs in Metro Manila for celebrities.

Levi Ortiz, PDEA’s Special Enforcement Service director, said authorities were about to arrest Pasion when he allegedly grabbed the handgun of one of the anti-narcotics agents.

Pasion’s girlfriend, part-time model Irene

On the narco-list...

From A1 Mayor Vicente Loot of Daang Bantayan, Cebu Cong. Vicente Sofronio Veloso of Leyte Mayor Gamar Janihim of Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte Mayor Leonida Angcap of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur Mayor Crisinciano Mahilac of Sinacaban, Misamis Oriental Mayor David Navarro of Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor Ezel Villanueva of Calamba, Misamis Occidental Mayor Jason Almonte of Oroquieta City Mayor Abubakar Maulana of Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat Mayor Albert Palencia of Banga, South Cotabato

Special...

From A1

approving a supplemental budget for that particular [vetoed] portion of the budget,” he added.

Earlier, Sotto said the House made P96 billion in realignments even after the budget was ratified by the bicameral conference committee.

House Majority Leader and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro on Thursday accused Senator Panfilo Lacson of holding President Duterte and the Filipino people hostage due to his continuing animosity towards Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

As a result, Castro said, Lacson “has obviously convinced the Senate leadership [led by Senator Vicente Sotto III] to do his bidding.”

“I would like to remind our people that the Senate has so far also failed to act on other priority legislation that forms part of the President’s agenda. These include continuing the process of Charter change towards federalism, passing the second tranche of tax reform or [Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion 2], the traffic emergency bill and creating a new Department of Disaster Management,” Castro said.

Given the maneuverings of senators, Castro said, “they want the President to fail.”

“We were elected by our people to pass laws for their benefit, not to indulge in personal vendettas, and least of all to place those vendettas ahead of

hectares covering Nueva Ecija and parts of Bulacan and Pampanga.

Bote said there was enough water to irrigate farmlands up to April 22, the end of the dry cropping season.

“With the high water level at the Pantabangan Dam, we can say that we are El Niño-free insofar as UPRIIS is concerned,” she said.

The El Niño-free declaration is expected to be a welcome reprieve among farmers who were told in October 2014 that some 39,000 hectares of their agricultural land would not be receiving irrigation water from Pantabangan Dam due to El Niño.

Then UPRIIS manager Florentino David warned that the water deprivation could affect at least 20,000 farmers this dry season, which he blamed on the low water level at the Pantabangan Dam recorded at 191.91 meters on Oct. 14.

Then, UPRIIS only programmed for irrigation 120,800.30 hectares out of the total service area.

During a stakeholder meeting recently, Bote announced that their service areas would not be affected by El Niño.

Mercado, was also arrested during the buybust.

PDEA said it has sequestered 15 tablets of suspected ecstasy amounting to P30,000, sachets of suspected cocaine, P300,000 worth of suspected shabu, a kilogram of shabu worth P6 million, and three bottles of liquid ecstasy worth P75,000.

The slain drug deal was reportedly known as the supplier of ecstasy to models and television personalities.

In a speech during a campaign rally in Isabela province, President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to give PDEA operatives a P1.5-million reward for killing the suspected big-time ecstasy supplier.

At the same time, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde reminded police engaged in anti-drug operations to strictly adhere to existing policies and guidelines.

In a memorandum released this week, Albayalde reminded directors of all police regional offices to ensure that selection and vetting procedures are properly observed in the activation and organization of drug enforcement units in all levels with a quarterly evaluation to assure credibility.

With PNA Mayor Pablo Matinong Jr of Sto. Nino, South Cotabato Mayor Roberto Luna Jr of Lingig, Surigao del Sur Vice Mayor Abdulwahad Sabal of Talitay, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Anida Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Arafat Salic of Marawi City Vice Mayor Jamal Pangandamun of Maguing, Lanao del Sur Mayor Mamaulan Mulok of Maguing, Lanao del Sur Former Mayor Montasser Meling Sabal of Talitay, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Ohto Montawal of Datu Montawal Mayor Rasul Mabang Sangki of Ampatuan, Maguindanao Mayor Vicman Kambang Montawal of Datu Montawal, Maguindanao Mayor Abdulla Mansul of Muhtamad, Basilan the job we were elected to do. Let’s heed the President’s call for all of us to do our job and do right by our people,” Castro said.

Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr., on the other hand, lamented the decision of the Senate to restore huge allocations of previous House leaders.

“It pains me to hear that our senators are standing pat on their decision to go back to lump-sum budgeting rather than adopting the more transparent line-item budgeting for the 2019 General Appropriations Act,” Andaya said.

“Despite the President’s position, I heard from the news that the senators are standing firm on their preference for lump-sum budgeting. Their threat: approve the bicameral conference report with lump-sum funds or suffer the consequences of a reenacted budget,” Andaya said.

The senators, according to Andaya, suggested that Congress return to the old-mode of lump-sum budgeting during their meeting with the President last Tuesday night.

“One of the senators even proposed that we let the President itemize the lump-sum funds for approval in the 2019 GAA, rather than Congress doing such work. I shot down the idea outright, saying lump-sum funds are prone to corruption and are declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The President agreed with my position, saying it was not his duty to itemize the programs and projects in the national budget,” he said.

budsman after Balutan requested a full and impartial probe to clear his name.

“We are referring the case of Balutan since he is requesting to be investigated,” Panelo told reporters, adding his letter was sent to the Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday.

He said the others involved in Balutan’s case would also be affected as soon as the Ombudsman starts its investigation.

“He was the only one who made the request to be investigated, but once the investigation commences, everyone will be affected,” Panelo said.

Just last week, Panelo announced that Balutan was sacked by President Rodrigo Duterte because of the corruption allegations against him. Three days later, he said Balutan

El Niño...

From A1

The weather bureau said the reduced amount of rainfall due to a weak El Niño episode would continue to affect the reservoir’s water supply.

Provinces that will experience a dry spell this month are Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Mountain Province, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga,Tarlac, Zambales, Metro Manila, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon in Luzon; Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar (Western Samar) in Visayas; and Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao, the weather bureau said.

A dry spell means three consecutive months of below normal rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way below normal rainfall conditions, wherein average rainfall is reduced by more than 60 percent, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director Ricardo Jalad explained in a press briefing.

By end-May, these provinces will experience drought: Pangasinan, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Metro Manila, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon in Luzon; Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar (Western Samar) in Visayas; and Misamis Occidental, Dinagat Islands in Mindanao.

The El Niño phenomenon happens when water in the east equatorial Pacific gets warm while the water in the western Pacific stays cool, lowering the chances of rain, which can lead to dry spell and drought.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said people must brace for the possibility of a severe drought lasting until June.

It cited a decrease in the water elevation of Angat Dam at 199.63 meters, Binga Dam at 572.24 meters and San Roque Dam at 264.79 meters.

The water level at Ipo Dam, however, increased to101.06 meters.

Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage

had resigned.

Panelo said Balutan resigned “out of delicadeza because of the serious allegations of corruption” against him. The President even accepted Balutan’s “irrevocable resignation.”

Panelo said the allegations against Balutan included the House of Representatives’ investigation showing that the Commission on Audit had found that certain Small-Town Lottery areas had failed to meet their quotas. Despite this, the licenses of the STLs were renewed with cash allegedly brought to the PCSO office.

Last year, Balutan quarreled with PCSO board member Sandra Cam who accused him of spending P10 million for a Christmas party in a five-star hotel in December 2017.

With PNA System administrator Patrick Ty acknowledged it was the government’s fault that parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province are now experiencing a water shortage.

In an interview with the ANC news channel, Ty said the government has yet to build two dams—Kaliwa and Liaban—to address the growing demand for water from Metro Manila residents because of opposition from indigenous people, squatters, leftist organizations and church groups.

“The Kaliwa Dam [and] Laiban Dam, had been proposed during Marcos’s time. Due to a lot of opposition and accommodations for the IPs ...the project [kept] getting moved,” he said.

The Kaliwa Dam in Quezon province, which can address Metro Manila’s water needs for the next 20 years, was supposed to be built during the Aquino administration, but was again blocked by strong opposition, Ty said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said consumers and businesses severely affected by the water interruption in Metro Manila and nearby areas may file civil cases against Ayala-owned Manila Water Company Inc. Guevarra said damage suits may be initiated against the water supply concessionaire to over 6 million people in the east zone of the National Capital Region once the real cause of the water supply problem is established.

“If there is showing of fault or negligence on the part of Manila Water and if it is established that this crisis is caused not by natural causes of force majeure, then affected consumers may file damage suits individually,” Guevarra said in an interview.

Guevarra made the statement as the Senate prepared for an investigation into the water crisis that begins March 19.

Manila Water, which services Metro Manila’s east zone, has cut supply in several areas supposedly because the water level in La Mesa Dam, its emergency source, dropped due to the lack of rain and high demand.

But the service concessionaire for the west zone, Maynilad, has experienced no shortage.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara on Thursday underscored the need for structural reforms in the water industry, noting that some 30 agencies are currently involved in water and sanitation policy, among them the National Water Resources Board, the Local Water Utilities Administration and the MWSS. This setup, he said, is inefficient, with overlapping jurisdictions.

With Nat Mariano and Francisco Tuyay

Duterte:...

Palace...

P500,000 from a foreigner living in Leyte province, P200,000 from the Cebu Provincial Commission on Women and Children, and P100,000 each from the Central Visayas Police Advisory Council, the office of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, and a private individual.

Police had previously said three suspects were involved in the church collector’s death. Police Col. Lemuel Obon, chief of the Lapu-Lapu police, said the suspects were still in Cebu province.

Panelo, the President’s chief legal counsel, did not discount the possibility that the girl’s killer was a drug addict.

“We think it was done by a drug addict.

Who would do that? Removing the facial skin? My goodness,” Panelo said.

On Wednesday night, Duterte weighed in on the killing of Silawan, who was reportedly raped and then had her head skinned.

“Yesterday, these sons of b****s killed someone and skinned her face,” Duterte said in a speech during the campaign rally of the ruling PDP-Laban party in Isabela.

Silawan, a student of Maribago High School, was first reported to be missing by her mother after the teener failed to return home from serving as a collector in church on Sunday.

Days later, she was found lifeless, na-

“There’s no jurisdiction. Why would you cooperate with them if they don’t have jurisdiction over us? We’re not bound by their rules.”

In Cauayan City in Isabela, Duterte said if the ICC would declare him guilty of crimes against humanity due to the series of drugrelated killings, he said he would be “glad to go” and would even be the one to put the rope around his neck.

Speaking before Isabela officials and villagers during the campaign rally of PDPLaban senatorial candidates at the Francisco L. Dy Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday evening in Cauayan City, Duterte said, “For all the things that I have said, ordered and done, I am willing to put [the rope around] my neck about this.”

Duterte, who said last year that he would be ready to die by firing squad, had earlier ordered the withdrawal of the Philippines’ membership in the ICC. The withdrawal will take effect on March 17.

Reiterating his stand that the ICC had no jurisdiction over him, Duterte claimed the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, was not enforceable in the country because it was not published in a government publication or any newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Panelo, the President’s chief legal counsel, stressed the ICC would violate its own rules if it would conduct a preliminary investigation. With PNA

From A1

Appellate...

From A1 “To be sure, Abad may not successfully evade liability by invoking good faith. While Abad’s desire to fast-track public spending and push economic growth is laudable and the implementation of the DAP, in fact, undeniably yielded positive results that enhanced the economic welfare of the country, his defenses cannot override the clear mandate of the law,” stated the CA decision penned by Associate Justice Zenaida Galapate-Laguilles.

“It is of no consequence, then, that no malice or corrupt motive impelled Abad into adopting the flawed procedures. As responsible public officer, Abad ought to have been well aware that

From A1

he has no authority to overrule the requirements established rules and the fundamental law of the land,” it said.

In its ruling, the anti-graft body found Abad guilty of Simple Misconduct and ordered him suspended for three months.

Since Abad stepped down at the end of Aquino III’s term, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to his salary for three months.

Based on the investigation of the ombudsman, Abad unlawfully intruded on the powers of Congress by effectively modifying the provisions on savings in the General Appropriations Act of 2012 when he issued National Budget Circular No. 541, which consolidate savings or unutilized balances and withdraw unobligated balances of agencies with low levels of obligations.

News ‘To shoot Roxas’ just a joke, says Duterte

By Nat Mariano “IT’S nothing, he was just joking.”

The Palace on Thursday downplayed anew as a mere joke the remark of President Rodrigo Duterte that he would shoot senatorial candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II “for free.”

In his speech during the campaign sortie of the ruling PDPLaban in Isabela province, the President took a swipe at Roxas, calling the former Interior secretary as disloyal and an unprincipled person.

“Just because you are a namesake of Roxas doesn’t mean you’re good. This person has no loyalty. In the time of Arroyo, he was there. In the time of Aquino, he was there. He’s nothing.

Pretends to be somebody. He’s a person without principles,” the President said in his speech.

Roxas, a grandson of former President Manuel Roxas, was first appointed to lead the Department of Trade and Industry in 2000 by then President Joseph Estrada.

In January 2001, then President Arroyo reappointed him to the same position after the ouster of Estrada during the so-

called 2nd Edsa Revolution.

He then served as chief of the Department of Transportation and Communications, now referred to as the Department of Transportation, from July 2011 to October 2012 under the Arroyo administration.

After Arroyo, President Benigno Aquino III then appointed him as chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, replacing the late Jesse Robredo who died in a plane crash.

He headed the DILG from September 2012 to September 2015.

As he held various key positions in the government, Duterte then lambasted Roxas for not doing anything productive in his many stints as government official.

“You are nothing to me. I can even shoot you for free,” the President said.

“Mar Roxas, I kill people for money, but since you are nothing, I will shoot you for free,” he added.

Sought for a comment, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo then backed the President’s harsh rhetoric, saying the President, once again, only intended to make the audience laugh.

VOTIVE IMAGE. A sculptor, who allowed his picture taken inside his

shop in Quezon City on Thursday on condition he would not be identified, makes different religious images during Lent and in preparation for the Holy Week. Manny Palmero

Graft court orders Pichay suspended for 90 days

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division has ordered the 90-day suspension of deputy speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. in connection with the alleged anomalous bank acquisition deal made during his watch as head of the Local Water Utilities Administration. “… it is affirmed that this Court, by putting the accused under suspension, is merely doing what is required of it by law,” the anti-graft court said in its five-page decision.

The leadership of the House of Representatives shall enforce the Sandiganbayan decision.

But Pichay also said that only Congress has the power to sus-

pend its members, citing the separation of powers of Congress.

“Accused Pichay’s contention is without merit. In this case, the record show (ic) that accused Pichay is charged under three separate valid Informations with violations of Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 (anti-graft law). Significantly the suspension pendent lite of the said accused is mandated under Section 13 thereof,” the Sandiganbayan said.

Pichay earlier entered a not guilty plea at the Sandiganbayan on three counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count of violation of the Manual of Regulation for Banks in relation to the New Central Bank Act at the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division.

EU ‘satisfied’ with Manila’s explanation on drug war THE European Union is “satisfied” with the Philippine government’s explanation on the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs amid criticism that it violates human rights.

Presidential Task Force on Media Security executive director, Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, said the Philippine delegation, in a series of engagements in Brussels last month, was able to assure the EU that human rights violations were not a cause for concern in the country.

“There were some questions raised, interaction. But at the end of the meeting, satisfied naman sila [they were satisfied],” Egco said in a Palace briefing on Wednesday.

Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat executive director, Undersecretary Severo Catura, said that for him, EU was beginning to understand how necessary the aggressive crackdown on illegal drugs is in solving the country’s drug mess.

“That’s why one of the tasks done by the EU delegation is to explain before the chiefs of mission what are the different accountability and mechanisms of the country in addressing these problems,” Catura said.

“I would like to believe that there’s already an appreciation of what we are doing in terms of addressing the anti-illegal drugs problem in the country,” he added. PNA

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 signs agri law, 2 more P

By Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law removing restrictions on agricultural free patents, giving farmers access to more capital to increase their productivity and thus reduce poverty in the countryside.

Under the 1936 Public Land Use Act, an agricultural free patent is required for those who occupied and cultivated tracts of agricultural lands although holders are prohibited from selling or mortgaging their land within five years upon the issuance of the patent.

However, with the signing of RA 11231, or the Agricultural Free Patent Act, Duterte has removed the said restrictions, paving the way for an efficient and effective utilization of lands to contribute to wealth creation, entrepreneurship, and economic development, Malacañang said.

In other developments: • Duterte also signed a law mandating the use of bigger, readable, and color-coded number plates and other identification marks in motorcycles, documents from Malacañang showed on Thursday.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11235, also known as Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act on March 8. A copy of which was only released by the Palace to the media on Thursday.

Under the new legislation, the Land Transportation Office shall issue bigger, readable,

and color-coded license plates to every motorcycle in the country.

• At the same time, Malacañang said Duterte signed a law seeking to fast-track the legal adoption processes of a child by allowing simulated births through simplified administrative proceedings.

On Feb 21, Duterte signed Republic Act 11222, or the Simulated Birth Rectification Act. A copy of which was only released by the Palace on Thursday.

The new law grants amnesty and allows the rectification of the simulated birth of a child where the simulation was made for the best interest of the child.

It would also provide a simple and less costly administrative adoption proceeding where the child has been living with the person or persons who simulated her or his birth record for at least three years before the effectivity of the said act.

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Opinion

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A crisis of mismanagement THE current water shortage crisis in Metro Manila is now the subject of inquiry by Congress. Manila Water officials are blaming everybody and everything else but themselves for the scarcity of this basic need in our daily lives. We can live without electricity for weeks, even months, but not without water.

It’s hard to believe that the Philippines, an archipelago of 7,000-plus islands surrounded by water is suffering from shortage of this essential commodity. Middle East countries with

We can live without electricity for weeks, even months, but not without water. most areas covered by desert do not leadhave this problem. Because their lead ers are creative, they haul large blocks of ice from the North Pole and ship them to water-parched countries. You may say it’s because they have the money from their oil fields to do so.

But we also have money from taxpayers to source water from the seas and rivers in the country.

“I have been a lone voice in the wilderness shouting and warning about the looming water crisis but no one was listening,” said Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza, the former Manila mayor and one-time Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources recalled. Now that the water crisis is

real and staring us in our collective unwashed faces, everyone wants to get into the act, Atienza added.

Atienza suggested that the first thing Senator Grace Poe, who heads the Senate public service committee, should ask when she opens the hearing is “Nakaligo na ba kayo?”

Grace Poe is a reelectionist for senator and there are concerns she might use the hearing as a platform to campaign. The same thing could happen in the House hearing. Atienza urged the senators and his colleagues in the House to go the root of the problem and to legislate long-term solutions to address it instead of grandstanding.

What might be considered draconian, said Atienza, is that he might file a case in the Supreme Court for the government to withdraw the licenses granted to Manila Water and Maynilad to operate for non-delivery of service.

The government itself can perform this essential public service utility like in the old days of the Nawasa or the National Water and Sewerage Administration,” according to Atienza. This is not going to endear him to business tycoons the Ayalas and Manny Pang Pangilinan who operate Manila Water and Maynilad, respectively.

Atienza also reiterated his call for the cleanup of Laguna de Bay as he recalled the unwarranted act of former President Noynoy Aquino to cancel the government with with a Belgian company to dredge Laguna de Bay. The Philippine government lost its P2.6 billion case and is now paying the Belgian firm billion of pesos for breach of contract. The big lake, if cleaned up, could have been a source of water for household needs.

But the interests of big-time fishpen owners was taken into account more than the people’s, Lito lamented as he

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

A

Reenacted budget while, will trim economic growth to around 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent.

A reenacted budget implies that less funds will be available to finance ongoing infrastructure projects and cause a delay in both new and ongoing programs. Public social services will also suffer, specifically the state's unconditional cash transfer and the so-called Pantawid Pasada programs.

The budget impasse in Congress, in simple terms, will prevent the government from quickly executing programs and projects required by the growing economy. The government of President Duterte will also miss the opportunity to create as much as 180,000 to 240,000 more jobs, and fail to lift as much as 400,000 to 550,000 more Filipinos out of poverty this year.

Pernia has urged lawmakers to resolve their differences over the proposed 2019

REENACTED budget will not bode well for the economy and the entire nation.

Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia has already warned that the failure of lawmakers to pass the proposed 2019 budget and the option to operate under a reenacted budget could significantly pull down economic growth to as low as 4.2 percent.

The government is operating on the 2018 national budget of P3.767 trillion, as the Senate and the House failed to reach a consensus on the new one.

The National Economic and Development Authority estimated that a reenacted budget until April 2019 would bring down the full-year gross domestic product growth to 6.1 percent to 6.3 percent. A budget passed later in August, mean-

budget and immediately pass the appropriations bill. Both chambers of the Congress are still quarreling over the lastminute amendments on the proposed budget after the bicameral conference committee approved its version.

The stakes are high. The country's chief economic planner noted that the Philippine economy had grown at an average of 6.5 percent in the first 10 quarters of the Duterte administration. It is supposed to resume a strong growth trajectory after the inflation rate started to decelerate and stay within the target range of economic managers.

The economy, however, will not expand at the desired rate programmed by the government. It will struggle in reducing the poverty incidence and creating more jobs. Lawmakers, thus, should quickly settle their differences now for the common good.

Turn to A5

Monopolies SECTION 19, Article XII (National Economy and Patrimony) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides: “The State shall regulate or prohibit monopolies when the public interest so requires. No combinations in restraint of trade or unfair competition shall be allowed.

This section is a repeat of Section 2, Article XIV (National Economy and Patrimony of the Nation) of the 1973 Constitution which provided: “SEC. 2. The State shall regulate or prohibit private monopolies when the public interest so requires. No combination in restraint of trade or unfair competition shall be allowed.”

Despite these constitutional provisions, the Philippines never had an anti-trust or anti-unfair competition law.

The result is that the Philippines has among the most restrictive markets in ASEAN, resulting in a lack of a level playing field, especially in businesses like telco (the Philippines has among the world’s slowest internet rates and the highest telco charges), retailing (foreigners must spend a minimum of P100 million per shop), shipping (it is cheaper to ship goods from Bangkok than from GenSan), airline, energy (the Philippines has among the highest priced electricity in the world), transportation, construction, and even schools (foreigners are totally banned, so Filipinos are denied access to Ivy League education).

The biggest monopoly in the Philippines? The government itself. It is the country’s biggest landowner, biggest port operator, biggest banker, and biggest buyer of goods. Thankfully, government doesn’t have a monopoly of stupidity.

Can PCC go after the government?

That would be like biting the hand that feeds you.

With greater competition, according to a World Bank study, the Philippine economy could grow faster

and include the poor. And also create more jobs. Some 32 million good jobs are needed immediately, including three million to employ the jobless and the seven million who are underemployed, hire 1.5 million new entrants to the labor force, and the 21 million Filipinos who are informally employed (meaning no regular jobs).

Only in June 2015 when Congress enacted the Philippine Competition Act (RA 10667) and created the Philippine Competition Commission did the government start getting serious in going after monopolies, duopolies, and oligopolies and in preventing and or punishing unfair competition or combinations in restraint of trade.

The Philippines has among the most restrictive markets in ASEAN. RA 10667 has three purposes: (a) Enhance economic efficiency and promote free and fair competition in trade, industry and all commercial economic activities, as well as establish a National Competition Policy to be implemented by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and all of its political agencies as a whole; (b) Prevent economic concentration which will control the production, distribution, trade, or industry that will unduly stifle competition, lessen, manipulate or constrict the discipline of free markets; and (c) Penalize all forms of anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominant position and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions, with the objective of protecting consumer welfare and advancing domestic and international trade and economic development.

Veteran pro-poor economist Arsenio Balisacan says the Philippine Competition Commission has three Turn to A5

Can China’s Belt and Road project deliver?

NEXT month, the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in Beijing. It is expected to draw around 40 heads of state, led

by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President Rodrigo Duterte has also confirmed his attendance.

This biennial event—the first took place in May 2017, also attended by Duterte—is considered significant as

What can the Philippines bring to the table during this forum?

it would provide an opportunity to take stock of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) five years on and lay out a new roadmap for the future. More than this, it would allow participants

to discuss challenges and hurdles in implementing the project and thereby serve to muster support from other countries.

While the first Belt and Road forum laid out the broad outlines of the project and emphasized the impor importance of connectivity and globaliza globalization, it lacked concrete details. Hence, the April meeting would focus more on what needs to be done in the com coming years.

In other words, the BRI forum will depart from high-flown rhetoric and get down to brass tacks and the nitty-

Turn to A5

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Opinion

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

Land conversion, privacy rights

EvEryman

Crisell Beltran, unsung hero

By Jola Ajibade and Arla Fontamillas IN HER book, “The Durable Slum," Liza Weinstein points to how informal settlements are often able to survive natural disasters and multiple citystate attempts to dismantle them. What is not often articulated in stories about slum resilience are the unsung heroes who work tirelessly, creatively, and fearlessly to improve the lives of slum residents and ensure their safety during and after disasters. Crisell Beltran, the chairman of Bagong Silangan, murdered on January 30th of this year, was one of such unsung heroes.

We met Beltran on Aug. 22, 2018 during fieldwork in Metro Manila.

Beltran was a petite woman with bright eyes and a soft demeanor. She smiled through most of our conversations but a few times seemed stern when talking about disaster preparedness and her vision for transforming her community.

Beltran was born and raised in the slums of Bagong Silangan, which is a relocation area for informal settlers from downtown San Mateo in the province of Rizal. She had her education in the same barangay and later obtained a degree in Mass Communication from Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Beltran described her rise to local politics as a “personal calling.” She said, “I feel it’s a personal responsibility to be the leader.”

Apart from being a leader, Beltran was a political activist, a grassroots organizer, and a change agent who turned Bagong Silangan from one of the dirtiest and most notorious slums to one of the cleanest and relatively safe places to live, work, and play. Out of 142 barangays in Quezon City, Bagong Silangan, one of the poorest, ranked sixth place for safety and cleanliness in 2018. The first five were rich subdivisions.

During Beltran’s eight years of tenure as chairman, Bagong Silangan was transformed into what Catherine Brinkley described as an ‘opportunity of the commons’ or a place where the right of access to economic, political, cultural, and social goods were provided and expanded to a variety of people, especially to poor and marginalized women. Beltran employed several low-income women and men

gritty.

The focus on implementation and specifics is seen as crucial amid concern that BRI has so far promised so much but delivered very little, with promises of large amounts of investments not living up to actual delivery. The participants are therefore expected to dwell on individual economic projects and even set concrete targets, including quantitative ones, against which specific projects can be assessed.

The forum is also expected to evaluate the Belt and Road after five years.

At the start, it focused mainly on infrastructure. Since then, it now also incorporates industry, technology, cultural, legal and environmental components. Its geographical focus has also changed from the historic Silk Road region to the entire globe. And China has shifted the BRI goal from promoting economic development to building a community of “shared destiny for all mankind”.

The forum will allow think tanks and governmental departments to present country—and sector-specific five-year evaluations and identify areas that have been successful or require improvement. It would be interesting to find out what the Philippine presentation would be in this regard.

While the first BRI forum was attended mostly by think tanks and government officials, this time around

A crisis...

From A4

expressed doubts whether Senate or congressional hearings would amount to anything, He merely smiled when I mentioned the word “amount,” probably not wanting to make more enemies from his peers in the house.

Most severely affected by the water shortage are Department of Health hospitals whose services are mostly to

and ensured that they were paid a decent wage (P3,900-5,300 or roughly US$75-100 a month—twice as much as what a typical barangay worker normally receives). She also implemented childcare programs, health services, street cleaning initiatives, and disaster preparedness and response projects.

Bagong Silangan hazard monitoring and disaster response programs could rival those in industrialized nations. Their program components include: state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring and early warning systems; rescue vehicles; emergency stockpiles (which include kits for babies and children); a dedicated evacuation team; and other multi-hazard contingency plans.

Describing how vulnerable her community is, Beltran said: “During the rainy season, this place is like a sea. So, the people are trapped when it rains. You know, the fear, the anxiety that these people feel. They can die because of this. That is the reason why we do not stop responding. We do not mind if we get wet. My prayer is that no one will die. I don’t care whether they are stubborn, they are my children. You know it is your responsibility. So, I need to get them out of that vulnerable condition.

“During [Typhoon] “Ondoy” in 2009, around 200 people died in this barangay. I was not the barangay captain yet. But since I came into this position, no one has died, because we are very persistent.” These statements speak to Beltran’s sense of responsibility as a leader and it also reflects her passion and motherly affection for her community.

In an era when most politicians use their office for personal aggrandizement, Beltran stood out for transparency and accountability. She believed politicians should serve the people and political gains should be redirected into community prosperity. “You need to serve properly with sincerity and love, not because of religion or politics but because you love the people.

If there is no love, everything is meaningless. There’s also God, who guides you,” Beltran said responding to questions about what influences her as a person and as a leader.

Beltran believed in building bridges not walls. She did not see the need to have an entourage of security officers around her and was willing to meet anyone who needed her assistance.

She found safety and confidence in her community. This was later exploited by the four gunmen who shot several bullets that killed Beltran and her driver in Silangan.

Beltran was 47 years old when she was murdered. She left behind three children and three grandchildren. The reason for murder is yet to be uncovered, although media speculations suggest that it may be politically motivated or could also be due to personal conflict or land dispute.

The mayor of Quezon City has offered P5 million for information leading to the identification of Beltran’s killers. On Feb. 3, the four identified gunmen were caught. We note that this is a step in the right direction. However, beyond financial incentives, we demand that proper investigation be conducted.

Too many unsung heroes in the Philippines die before they can reach their full potential. Beltran was running for Congress as a representative of Quezon City’s second district, where a huge slum population resides.

If given the chance, she could have done more to transform the lives of these poor communities.

This is not the time to look away.

Impunity must not be tolerated in the case of Beltran. Her death and those of other unsung heroes are a direct assault on human rights and on the freedom of every Filipino.

Above all else, public safety is a common wealth that must be protected. As the 2019 election approaches, people must not give in to cynicism and apathy but instead should engage with power to ensure that peace and justice prevails.

Let justice prevail for Beltran and the vast community of slum dwellers she passionately served.

Jola Ajibade is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University, Oregon.

Arla Fontamillas is a researcher and independent consultant.

the Asia-Pacific business community would have bigger representation.

The Chinese government has reported that over 80 state-owned enterprises have undertaken 3,116 investment projects in Belt and Road countries so far. But more and more foreign firms are also interested in how they can benefit from the BRI. Participants from foreign companies already benefiting from BRI would serve to convince other foreign companies that the project can yield positive results.

Amid the unresolved US-China trade war, Chinese companies are said to have become increasingly anxious over what lies ahead for them. China will likely use the Forum as another opportunity to reiterate the importance of continued globalization and the dangers of protectionism, and to encourage domestic firms to accelerate their search for new markets.

Another issue that’s expected to be tackled in next month’s forum is growing concern in the international community over the impact of Chinese investments in BRI. A common thread here is that BRI projects lack transparency, leading to fears that deal terms are unfavorable for the recipients of Chinese loans. The BRI is also perceived to have been monopolized

by Chinese companies.

Malaysia, for instance, has cancelled key BRI projects worth over $20 billion, with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal also postponing projects because of what they feel are excessive debt and unfavorable project

terms.

Here at home, there’s been growing apprehension that Chinese investments and development assistance in the form of loans could drive us into a debt trap, that is, incur more and more loans just to pay high interest rates.

Besides, critics say, the big number of Chinese workers here shows that loans and investments tied to employment of Chinese nationals here are one-sided and deprive Filipinos of job opportunities.

What can the Philippines bring to the table during this forum? For one thing, this offers an excellent opportunity for the Philippine government to suggest reforms in the way BRI is now being carried out so that investments can be undertaken with more thorough risk assessments of their financial, environmental and social impacts.

The Forum also gives China the opportunity to announce new measures to improve the transparency of BRI projects, align them with international standards and open up BRI to third party involvement, particularly foreign governments, investors and companies. If frank and candid discussions on how to solve problems involving debt, transparency, specificity and third-country involvement can take place, this would help clear the air and make the BRI truly an instrument to building a community of “shared destiny for all mankind.”

the poor. Handwashing with hot warm water prior to surgical operations is a requirement aside from alcohol and chemical disinfectants. Patients and nurses have to wash before and after operations and even other minor treatment of patients.

Atienza noted sadly that out of the 144 billion cubic feet of water the country has, only 24 billion cu. ft is used annually by consumers. The rest is wasted, he said, citing figures

at hand when he was DENR secretary.

Unfortunately Atienza only had a brief stint as DENR secretary at the near end of his co-terminus appointment by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

If reelected as Buhay Party-List representative in the May 13 midterm elections, Atienza vowed he would pursue his advocacy for environment and water conservation as public service.

Email: ernhil@yahoo.com

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TOGETHER with the Foundation for Economic Freedom and other organizations, I strongly support and am in complete agreement with President Duterte in his call to streamline and expedite the process of land conversion.

Expediting land conversion is progrowth, pro-poor, and pro-Filipino. It is a necessary step towards reaching our collective goals of being a highincome economy and the alleviation of poverty. Judicious and progressive utilization of land opens up vast opportunities to sustain the economy on a high growth path.

Land must be devoted to its best use, one which will provide a higher yield and multiplier effect on the economy. Urbanization requires land for housing. Commercial and industrial pursuits require land, as well. To deny land for these purposes will create social and economic distortions, stunt growth, and adversely affect the quality of life of our people.

I realize land is needed for agriculture, but the better approach to food security is to improve productivity with better inputs, farming methods, and support services. The answer is not more and more hectares or scale, but efficiency. In most industrialized nations, less than five percent of its people are in farming, yet they supply abundant food for domestic consumption with the surplus for export.

I urge the government to free up land, particularly marginally productive and unirrigated land, for commercial, residential, and industrial purposes. Let’s unlock the full potential of our economy.

I ask all citizens to assist in clearing the roadblocks for land conversion by supporting President Duterte in streamlining the land conversion process. *** It is said that civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy.

A savage’s whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.

Thankfully, the Securities and Exchange Commission has delayed the implementation of its Memorandum Circular No. 17 Series of 2018, which would have required all corporations to disclose their ultimate beneficial owner—defined as a natural person

Monopolies From A4

major pillars: 1) prevention of anticompetitive behavior and agreements; 2) prohibition of abuse of dominance of the market place; and 3) prohibition of anti-competitive mergers.

Under PCC’s regulations, any deal or acquisition of “asset” worth P1 billion must pass its approval. This threshold was later increased to P2.2 billion. If the size of acquiring party is P5 billion, the deal must also pass PCC approval.

The previously low P1 billion threshold led the PCC to effectively disapprove the purchase by SM Retail of Goldilocks, a 53-year-old familyowned bakery with 600 branches and annual sales of over P5 billion.

Why should PCC bother itself with cakes? What is so strategic with cakes?

The conditions imposed by PCC in approving the Goldilocks deal were ridiculous. They meant SM couldn’t even look into the sales, profits, inventory, baking formulas, and store locations of Goldilocks if they meant giving Goldilocks undue advantage over its competitors. If SM wants to lease space to Goldilocks for say P500 per sqm (because it owns the shop anyway), SM must give the same rate to a rival, say Red Ribbon of Jollibee Foods Corp., a company much bigger than Goldilocks.

Result: SM Retail backed out of the Goldilocks buy.

Another deal PCC ran after was the sale of telco assets of San Miguel Corp. to PLDT Smart and Globe Telecom. The $1-billion-plus sale was transacted in May 2017, before PCC

who ultimately owns or controls, or effectively owns or controls, the corporation—in their General Information Sheet or GIS. The circular is a flagrant attempt to violate our right to privacy. Not only should it be delayed, it deserves to be scrapped for being unconstitutional and anti-freedom.

The right to privacy, defined by US Justice Louis Brandeis as “the right to be left alone,”is described by RA 10173 as a fundamental human right, equal to the other fundamental human rights to freedom, equality, religion, the right against exploitation, and the right to constitutional remedies.

It’s pro-growth, propoor, and pro-Filipino.

So sacred is our right to privacy that our 1987 Constitution prohibited the State from violating it. It is an essential part of freedom, which every individual should protect. It is as precious as the air we breathe.

The SEC, however, wants us to give away our right to privacy by requiring companies to disclose information, which under the Corporation Code need not be disclosed. The SEC is not a lawmaking body. It is tasked simply to execute our laws. There is no law passed that empowers the SEC to compel companies to disclose information not required to be disclosed by the Corporation Code or any law for that matter.

Clearly, the SEC has no authority to require the disclosure of the ultimate beneficial owner of all corporations.

This authority is reserved for Congress alone, and if the SEC persists in imposing this circular, I have no doubt that the courts will restrain its implementation and that Congress will ever pass such legislation.

And don’t we trust the government?

No, not always.

The problem is, we don’t place an infinite value on privacy. Sometimes we’re willing to give up some of it— to friends, doctors, companies with whom we want to do business. What we really should value is the freedom to choose when we’ll do that and when we’ll tell people and government to butt out. eric.jurado@gmail.com

started formal operations in February 2017. The case is now pending with the Supreme Court. PLDT Smart and Globe bought SMC’s telco because they wanted to speed up the internet speeds in the Philippines.

Big Business finds the P2-billion threshold too small, cumbersome and opens possibility of abuse, if not corruption.

“With land prices in Taguig and Makati fetching P1 million per square meter, the purchase of a Forbes house and lot could easily reach P2 billion in value. So it has to pass PCC approval.

What does a house and lot in Forbes Park have to do with unfair competition?” asks a worried property owner.

A company tried to sell its 16-story Makati building to a retailing tycoon, an otherwise simple real estate deal.

The company had to seek PCC approval for it. The agency took more than two months before giving its imprimatur. In retail, two months could be an eternity. Goods that cannot be sold in two months cost money (retail is. Fast-moving business)—and opportunity.

The very low thresholds for transactions that PCC must scan have overwhelmed PCC with unnecessary work. PCC had to ramp up its personnel from five to over 166 in just two years. So the agency is now populated with people, while highly qualified economists and lawyers, are fresh out of college, with little, if any, business experience. Approval becomes red tape for nothing.

Businessmen want PCC to raise the threshold of deals that must seek its approval to P50 billion. How about it, Chairman Arsi? biznewsasia@gmail.com

A6

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News CEB passengers between PH, Australia increasing

IN BRIEF House backs brgy summer youth camps A PANEL in the House of Representatives has approved a bill institutionalizing the conduct of summer youth camps in the barangay level.

The House Committee on Youth and Sports Development, chaired by Rep. Conrado Estrella III of ABONO Party-list, approved House Bill 3226, which recognizes that the State shall acknowledge the relevance of the youth in nation building. It shall ensure that the youth in every barangay is given appropriate training to develop their leadership skills and help them identify their talents in sports.

HB 3226 is principally authored by Rep. Rogelio Pacquiao of Sarangani.

“The youth are the next leaders and should be trained as early as possible to instill in them the relevance of being active members of the community and the importance of nationalism. They should learn how to engage in the public and civic affairs, and should be provided with fitting programs that would enable them to become leaders,” Pacquiao said.

In fulfillment of the 1987 Constitution’s mandate to promote and protect the well-being of the youth, the measure aims to help in identifying and honing their skills in leadership and in sports, inculcate a sense of social responsibility, and proliferate patriotism.

To this end, the youth camp shall be held every summer in venues chosen by the respective local government units. Maricel V. Cruz

Party-list to push for nurses’ salary hike THE Anakalusugan Party-list has vowed to push for a bill that would increase the minimum base pay state nurses to Salary Grade 15 amid a legal debate on whether a joint resolution of Congress can repeal the section on compensation of the Philippine Nursing Act. “It will be a disservice to our dedicated, if not overworked, public nurses if we do not give the compensation due them,” Anakalusugan Party-list nominee Mike Defensor said.

“To avoid legal confusion, we will remedy this by pushing for a new measure that will give just compensation to our state nurses and increase their minimum base pay to Salary Grade 15,” he added.

Earlier, Solicitor General Jose Calida said the government cannot be compelled to increase the salary of public nurses “without any legal basis.”

Calida said Section 32 of the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 which increases the entry-level pay of nurses in public health institutions to Salary Grade 15 has effectively been repealed by a 2009 Joint Resolution by Congress.

By Joel E. Zurbano

RECOVERED. Lt. Col. Rogelio Gabi (center), 40th Infantry Battalion commander, looks on while a soldier inspects homemade bombs, an Islamic State flag, fatigue uniforms and others items which were recovered, along with the cadavers of slain BIFF militants in Barangay Inaladan, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, after three days of fierce encounter. From among the dead bodies, one is believed to be a foreigner of Middle Eastern origin. Mark Navales

GMA awards housing titles to Camp Atienza residents

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

FTER 15 years of waiting, 47 urban poor families from Quezon City finally got their housing titles after former President and Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo intervened to speed up the awarding process.

Last Wednesday, Arroyo personally awarded Certificates of Entitlement to Lot Allocation to 47 families in Camp Atienza, in Libis, Quezon City, securing the families' land tenurial status at the socialized housing site.

The 47 families were the first batch of 154 housing family-beneficiaries who have long anticipated the National Housing Authority to undertake subdivision survey and title individual lots in Camp Atienza.

However, this could only be conducted once the property title is transferred from the Bases Conversion Development Authority to the NHA’s name. The transfer had been stalled by a 15-year wait for the Bureau of Internal Revenue to grant an exemption to real property tax.

The issuance of CELAs is therefore a watershed moment for Camp Atienza residents, who are now assured of their rights to the land they occupy.

Moreover, it is a milestone in the families’ long road to secure land tenurial status. The Atienza Neighborhood Association’s request for proclamation on housing was originally sent to Malacañang in 1993, where it gathered dust awaiting action.

It was only when the Speaker took the helm as President that the request materialized. Nearly a decade after it was first sent to Malacañang, the request gathered momentum when then-President Arroyo signed Executive Order 116 in 2002.

EO 116 declared large swaths of Camp Claudio in Tambo, Parañaque and Camp

Atienza in Libis, Quezon City as socialized housing sites for disposition to qualified occupants. It paved the way for a memorandum of agreement to finally implement the housing project.

The MOA was signed in 2006 among the NHA, the BCDA, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Local Government of Quezon City, and the Office of the Congressman of the 3rd District of Quezon City.

In 2009, the BCDA conveyed the property to the NHA, the project administrator, for disposition to qualified beneficiaries.

Over the course of the next eight years until 2017, the BCDA and NHA worked on the required documentation to transfer the land titles to the BCDA; amend the BDA's deed of conveyance to correct the area covered for housing from 5,340 sqm to a whopping 5,434 sqm; and finally, amend the BCDA's exemption from real property tax.

THE number of Cebu Pacific Air travelers in Manila going to and from Australia continue to increase since the airline launched its Melbourne route in August 2018.

Records from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics of Australia showed that CEB alone flew a total of 18,971 passengers between Manila, Melbourne and Sydney in November last year, up by 56 percent from the same period in 2017.

It also showed that a total of 48,064 passengers travelled between Manila, Melbourne and Sydney on direct connections mounted by Cebu Pacific Air, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Qantas in November 2018, up by 31.3 percent year-on-year.

For this month, CEB passengers comprised 39.5 percent while PAL garnered a 38.1 percent share. Qantas, however, operates direct service only between Manila and Sydney.

BITRE is an agency under Australia's Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. Its mandate is to provide economic analysis, research and statistics on infrastructure, transport and regional development issues for the Australian Government.

“We have an average market share of about 40 percent for our Melbourne and Sydney routes. We are pleased with the strong reception in Melbourne for Cebu Pacific, and excited that the CEB Effect of year-round low fare offerings, coupled with our promotions, provide opportunities to visit the Philippines,” said Candice Iyog, CEB vice president for marketing.

CEB flies five times weekly between Manila and Sydney; and thrice a week between Manila and Melbourne. Since the launch of CEB's Melbourne route last Aug. 14, 2018, capacity between Philippines and these two cities in Australia has increased 32 percent, and passenger volume grew 31 percent.

The airline is the only low-cost carrier with direct service from Manila to Sydney and Melbourne. Fares on CEB are as much as 60 percent lower than prevailing fares of other airlines flying the same route.

The BITRE report noted that the expansion of low-cost carriers, including Cebu Pacific, have helped ramp-up tourist arrivals into Australia.

According to Tourism Australia, from January to November 2018, a total of 140,700 tourists from the Philippines visited Australia, up 11.7 percent yearon-year.

CAAP probes ‘stalled’ Taipei plane in Kalibo THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is investigating the case of a Far Eastern Air plane which stalled at the runway of Kalibo International Airport, affecting the airport's operations and delaying the arrival and departure of other flights on Wednesday.

Eric Apolonio, chief information officer and spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, said the pilot, co-pilot and other key personnel of the airline's FE321 flight are now the subjects of investigation after CAAP director general Jim Sydiongco formed a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Inquiry Board to look into the matter.

Apolonio said the airline crew and officials have been summoned to shed lights on the incident.

Initial investigation showed that on March 13, about

6 p.m., the plane (MCDonnell Douglas MD-83 type of aircraft) from Taipei with 121 passengers, eight of whom are minors, "overextended to the grassy area during execution of 180 degree turn" when it landed runway 05/23 of the airport.

The CAAP ordered the closure and the temporary suspension of the airport's operation following the incident.

Apolonio said the passengers were brought to the Terminal building and the normal operations of the airport resumed after more than one hour.

“The passengers were safe and unharmed and the plane was towed to the parking bay 1,” he said.

The result of the CAAP investigation will determine if the aircraft violated safety procedures. Joel E. Zurbano

Pakistani with ‘fake’ documents nabbed at NAIA

By Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo GOVERNMENT agents arrested a Pakistani national caught in possession of questionable travel documents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.

Immigration officers placed the departing passenger Salman Khan, 25, under arrest for trying to leave the country carrying a passport with fake Philippine visa.

NAIA chief immigration officer Grifton Medina said Khan is an overstaying alien in the Philippines.

“Our immigration officers became suspicious of his documents and his demeanor, so he was referred for secondary inspection to members of the [Bureau of Immigration] Travel Control and Enforcement Unit [TCEU],” Medina said.

It was during the investigation that the Philippine visa on the Pakistani’s passport was confirmed to be a counterfeit by the BI’s forensic document laboratory, he added.

According to BI-TCEU Chief Erwin

(MS-MAR. 15,16 & 17, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Ortañez, Khan’s passport also contained a fake BI departure stamp purportedly showing that he arrived in the country on Nov. 18 last year, through a fake Philippine visa that was supposedly issued last Oct. 10, 2018.

The “said arrival, however, was not in our travel database, which meant that he did not really arrive on that date,” Ortañez said.

Further investigation also showed that Khan’s last arrival in the country was in June 2015, making him an overstaying alien.

The foreigner was brought to the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City pending his prosecution for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act. Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente reminded aliens not to try such “foolish acts,” saying that the BI has “sophisticated equipment that can immediately detect fraudulent passports and visas,” and that such attempts will immediately be caught.

Late last year, three Georgians were also arrested for possession of questionable Canadian visas.

The foreigners were apprehended on Nov. 11 upon arrival at the NAIA Terminal 1 on board an Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi.

Investigations showed that the illegal aliens were planning to transit in Manila prior to embarking on several connecting flights to Canada.

The Georgians initially presented themselves as humanitarian workers on a business vacation sponsored by an international non-government organization.

But Immigration officers found out that the foreigners planned to stay in Manila for only two days, then fly to Qatar and Azerbaijan, before sneaking into Canada.

Although the Georgians had valid Philippine entry visas, they were subjected to secondary inspection after immigration officers noticed irregularities on the Canadian visas attached in their passports.

Immigration forensic experts certified that the Canadian visas are counterfeit, a finding which was later corroborated by Canadian embassy officials who described the travel documents as “nonexistent in their system.”

Sports

A7

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Velez, Novis seek to dominate netfest MULTI-TITLED John David Velez resumes his age-group campaign at home, upbeat of pulling of another twotitle sweep even as Ma. Angelica Novis tries to make it three-in-row in the PPS-PEPP MCF Global National tennis tournament, which got under way at the GSIS Tennis Club in Davao City yesterday (March 14).

Velez dominated the Actifit Open in Valenzuela City last January then took a break from the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala to hone up by competing in other tournaments, making the Davaoeño star the player to beat in the Group 1 tournament serving as part of the Davao’s 82nd anniversary celebrations.

The five-day event, featuring the leading and upcoming junior players from the host city and nearby cities and provinces, is also held in partnership with the Mac’s Crankit Foundation, a non-profit organization from Australia whose aim is to help change lives and empower underprivileged communities through sports.

“The MCF has backed the PPS-PEPP circuit the last few years, conducting clinics and holding teachers/coaches conferences in various regions in its continuing effort to help boost Phl tennis and help produce future champions,”

Escueta, Pantig win Prima men’s doubles’ crown PHILIP Joper Escueta and Paul John Pantig won the men’s doubles’ open title, while Gelita Castilo and Eleanor Christine Inlayo ruled the women’s doubles open of the 12th Prima Pasta Badminton Championships recently at the Powersmash badminton courts in Makati City.

Escueta and Pantig displayed great teamwork to crush former men’s doubles’ open champion Peter Gabriel Magnaye and Alvin Morada, 22-20, 21-11, in the finale, while Castilo and Inlayo outplayed Patricia Barredo and Descka Calimlim, 2114, 21-17, for the women’s crown.

In other doubles’ finals results, Anggy Sepdianto and Christian Bernardo bashed John Matthew Bernardo and Mike Minuluan, 21-11, 17-21, 17-14 (retired) to claim the men’s doubles A plum, while Jochelle Alvarez and Missy Cervantes whipped Dainelle Aubrey Masongsong and Jellene Geviane De Vera, 21-19, 2111, for the women’s doubles’ B championship.

Andrea Abalos and Ghiselle Erica Bautista scored a come-from-behind win over Palma Maria Assumpta Cruz and Mikaela Joy Miranda De Guzman, 14-21, 21-14, 21-14, to take home the girls’ under-19 doubles crown.

Jeno Carino and Nestojan Tapales defeated Zed Angel Monterubio and Mark Anthony Velasco, 22-24, 21-13, 21-16, to capture the boys’ U-19 doubles diadem of the tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association.

The event was backed by SMART Communications, MVP Sports Foundation and APACS Makati, Boysen Paints, Morning Star Milling Corporation., Mabz Builders, ILO Construction, Monocrete Construction, Pioneer Insurance, Promax International, Regent Foods Corp., RFM Corp, Gardenia and Del Monte Phils.

Other level doubles’ champions were Joffre Arollado and Christian Bernardo (men’s B), Gilly Chavez and Almira Kristel Ramos (women’s C), Jeff Monton and Nephtali Pineda (men’s C), Myra Francisco and Aiza Pelagio Garcia (women’s D), Mark Lacson and Jeff Monton (men’s D), Erlene Bello and Ma. Luisa Gregorio (women’s D), John Russel Oliveros and Benjo Resurreccion (men’s E), Judith Espanola and Mariane Paez (women’s F), Mike Alayon and Jordan Lastimosa (men’s F) and Honey Ray Ambait and John Ray Balorio (men’s G).

said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Novis, meanwhile, sets out for another sweep of the girls’ 16- and 18-U crowns following her romps in Digos and Tagum the last two weeks of the Mindanao swing of the circuit sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. But the Malita ace faces stiff challenge from the likes of siblings Juliana and Coleen Carvajal, Zkyla Cervantes and Theresa Nacito with Juliana Carvajal leading the title chase in the 14-U class along with Jemarie Manggarai, Khirylle Saldivar and Chelsea Bernaldez, who, on the other hand, gains the top seeding in the 12-U play.

Out to foil Velez’s bid are Bruce Hurtado, Ryan Alga and Khobe Dumlao in the boys’ premier 18-and-under division and Andrei Lago from Sogod Leyte and Nikhel Nowlakha from Iloilo in the 16-U play of the tournament presented

by Dunlop.

Puerto Princesa’s Kendrick Bona, on the other hand, also seeks titles in the 12and 14-U categories against the likes of Nicholas Tan from Dipolog, Ben Flores, James Aquino, Reyman Saldivar Jr. and Andre Sing.

PLDT-SMART OMEGA TEAM. The Nationals, the first franchise-based esports league in the country, begins on March 24.

Three of the Philippines’ biggest games will be on feature in Year 1 – Dota 2 on PC, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang on Mobile, and Tekken 7 on PS4. The five inaugural teams are Bren Epro, Cignal Ultra Warriors, HF Emperors, PLDT-Smart Omega, and SuhaXCTN Punishers, and STI. In the photo are (from left, back row) Omega DOTA 2 player Pedro de Paula (Efking); JC Ramos, Smart Brand Marketing; Gerard Milan, Head of Entertainment Product Management for Smart; Thomas Ting, PLDT Product; Andrew L. Santos, FVP and Consumer Marketing Head for PLDT and Smart; Glenn Kendrick Lim, SGD Gaming Director; Patrick Cruz, SGD Project Manager; Omega DOTA 2 player Arron Perez (Ronn); Omega DOTA 2 player Jaysie Garan (Yaj); Miko Cuartero, SGD Team Manager; (From left, front row) Omega DOTA 2 player Jinn Marrey Lamatao (Palos); Omega Tekken 7 Player Juliano Lozano; and Omega Tekken 7 coach Dannel Lozano.

Warriors snap Rockets’ streak W

ASHINGTON—Playing without injured Kevin Durant, the Golden State Warriors snapped Houston’s nine-game win streak and avoided being swept this season by the Rockets with a 106104 road victory Wednesday.

Klay Thompson scored a game-high 30 points while DeMarcus Cousins netted a season-high 27 points plus team-highs of eight rebounds and seven assists and Stephen Curry contributed 24 points in a crucial victory for the defending champions.

“When Kevin is out, we don’t have the luxury of throwing to him and getting 30 points,” Thompson said.

“We had to throw it to ‘Boogie’ (Collins) in the post and he came through for us in a big way. He propelled us to a victory tonight.”

Durant, a two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, was sidelined by a right ankle sprain suffered in a Sunday loss to Phoenix.

But the Warriors, a Western Conference-best 46-21, bounced back behind 3-point sharpshooter Thompson,

who hit 12-of-23 from the floor including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc.

“Whether Kevin is out here or not, I play the same way,” Thompson said. “I try to keep moving and being a force.”

Cousins, signed as an injured free agent in July, has had to blend with the Warriors powerhouse lineup since returning in January from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

But Cousins established himself as a physical inside force who could give Houston fits in a playoff series.

“We made a concerted effort to feed him in the post,” Curry said. “Nothing he does out there should surprise anybody.”

Houston, which led Golden State 3-2 in last year’s Western Conference finals before falling in seven games, had won the first three meetings of the season with Golden State but could not become the first team to sweep the Warriors since Steve Kerr became coach of the club and their run of four consecutive NBA Finals runs began.

“It’s a good win for us,” Kerr said. “We’ve got 15 games left for us to figure out the combinations. This was a good night.”

NBA scoring leader James Harden netted 29 points and added 10 assists to lead the Rockets (42-26), who also got 24 points from Chris Paul and 13 points and 13 rebounds from Clint Capela.

Paul sank two free throws with 47 seconds remaining

to pull Houston within 104-100, then completed a 3-point play after being fouled by Andre Iguodala to pull the Rockets within 104-103 with 10 seconds remaining.

Curry sank two free throws with eight seconds to play to boost the lead and the Warriors fouled Harden to send him to the free throw line.

Harden sank the first to create the final margin, but missed the second only to have Iguodala chase down the rebound and tap the ball to unguarded Thompson, who tossed it in the air as the final horn sounded.

Westbrook leads OKC win Russell Westbrook unleashed his 26th triple double of the season and led a second-half surge that lifted the Oklahoma City Thunder over visiting Brooklyn 108-96.

Westbrook finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and three steals while the Thunder’s Paul George and Brooklyn’s Spencer Dinwiddie each added 25 points.

The Nets led 52-42 at half-time but could not silence the Thunder in the second half.

“My job is to bring the energy every night. It was my fault in the first half,” Westbrook said. “I knew I needed to pick it up in the second half.” AFP Justise Winslow scored 16 points to lead seven doublefigure scorers for Miami in a 108-74 rout of visiting Detroit.

Loman to give his best shot in Brave FC 22: Storm of Warriors

By Paul David L. Gelario REIGNING Filipino Brave Combat Federation bantamweight champion, Stephen “Sniper” Loman, announced he will give everything in his upcoming bout in the Brave FC 22: Storm of Warriors during a press conference launching the event at the Resorts World, in Pasay City on Wednesday.

“It will be good. I will just give everything I’ve got,” said Loman (12, 2, 3 KOs), who goes head-to-head with French submission artist Elias “Smile” Boudegzdame (15, 5, 2 KOs).

Brave CF 22: Storm of Warriors will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on March 15, 6 p.m.

Boudegzdame, who is renowned for his moniker “smile,” wishes the best for the hometown favorite.

“I wish the best for Stephen Loman and I wish the best for me,” said Boudegzame, who was just being generous with his praise for the local bet.

Reigning bantamweight champion, Stephen “Sniper” Loman (fourth from the right) and Brave FC Announcer, Kirik Jeness (center) listen to the questions from the media. Paul Gelario

In all of Boudegzdame’s 15 fights, 13 were forced into submission, prompting Brave’s host Carlos Kramer to commend his finishing technique.

“Ladies and gentlemen, that’s an 87%

finish ratio,” Kramer said.

Despite Boudegzdame’s phenomenal submission wins, he admitted that claiming the bantamweight belt will be a big challenge for him.

Bulldogs chalk up pair of victories THE National University Bulldogs posted a pair of victories to remain in the lead in the ongoing 15th Fr. Martin Collegiate Open Cup basketball tournament at the St. Placid gym of the San Beda-Manila campus in Mendiola.

Joshua Flores shot 21 points for the Bulldogs in their 79-62 beating of the San Sebastian Stags.

Flores then contributed a game-high 27 points in leading the Bulldogs to an 82-78 win over the La Consolacion CollegeManila Blue Royals.

This allowed the Bulldogs to move up in the standings with their 4-1 win-loss record, just enough for them to earn third spot in the crossover semifinals.

Earlier, Marvin Taywan sank 11 points in leading the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals to a 78-77 win over Arellano University.

The Generals, who have a 3-2 record, will clash with the Bulldogs in the semis.

The Chiefs, who still reached the semis despite the loss, will meet the San Beda Red Lions.

Meanwhile, organizers have slated the 25th Fr. Martin Cup Summer Basketball Tournament on April 5, with 14 squads entered in the senior division.

There are 11 squads listed in the junior division, while five squads are in the women’s action.

With both fighters hungry for domination, the Brave host admitted that the crowd expects a total war.

“It’s going to be an absolute war in our Brave 22,” Kramer announced.

Brave FC’s announcer, Kirik Jenness explained that Brave FC 22 is a fight one cannot miss.

“This is the fight you cannot miss.

This card in two words--insanely great,” Jeness said.

He added that Brave FC is unique among other fighting organizations because it does not aim to profit, but rather give opportunity and unite nations together.

“The other fighting organizations out there are playing checkers or tic tac toe. They’re counting how many money they can get,” he said “That is not what Brave Combat Federation is. Brave Combat Federation is about giving opportunities to fellow fighters, bringing nations together.”

JETRO...

From A8 situation to prevent diabetes and obesity, taking measures such as having tax on softdrinks containing sugar to restrain citizens from consuming sugar in 2018.

The research JETRO carried out targeting Filipinos aged from 20 to 50 has shown that, disregarding age, almost 90 percent answered that they are caring about their health, meaning that a majority of the people has been tackling health problems by activities and dietary restrictions.

JETRO’s goal for the exhibit was to have a stable image of “Japan as a country of Health and Longevity” and to expand as a sales channel by introducing services and commodities supporting Japanese health in large shopping malls, where local middle-high income earners visit. The target is from young to middle aged citizens that are large in number and are expected to rise in demand of health promotion.

PLDT...

From A8 GOLF CHAMPS. Class A champion Marco Mendoza (fourth from right) holds his

trophy as he poses with the other winners and officials of the 14th MercedesTrophy Golf Invitational at Sta. Elena Golf Club recently. With him are (from left) tournament director Marvin Caparros, Auto Nation Group chairman Gregorio Yu, Aimee Lee (ladies division champion), Laurence Tan (Class A runner-up), Emmanuel Lopez (Class B runner-up), Simon Heo (Class B champion), Francis Wee (Class C champion), George Barcelon (Class C runner-up) and Auto Nation Group president Felix Ang.

“I’m glad they were able to recover. It’s good that they displayed composure and showed that they can recover from an ugly loss in the third set.”

Collar, who replaced Turkish Selime Ilyasoglu over the weekend, had 24 points while Felinski added 16 hits and 11 excellent receptions for Foton, which suffered their eight straight loss after opening the season with a victory.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

Thai outduels Superal, foils Ikeda to prevail THANUTRA Boonraksasat pulled through in a high-noon duel of wits with Princess Superal, wresting control late then surviving a wobbly finish to hack out a one-stroke victory in the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Ladies Championship at the Legends course in Carmona, Cavite yesterday.

Boonraksasat hit a clutch birdie on No. 13 to take charge and went 2-up on Superal’s bogey on the next then held on to victory despite a bogey-bogey finish for a 69 as the Filipina shotmaker likewise holed out with a bogey for a 71.

The Thai finished with a 13-under 203 total worth P350,000, joining the growing list of winners from the country’s perennial regional rivals, who have dominated the Ladies Philippine Golf Circuit with six victories out of 11 tournaments last year.

“I don’t know what to say. I have mixed emotions at this point but I’m definitely feeling good,” said Boonraksasat, whose thrilling victory likewise snapped a five-year title spell for the 28-year-old Bangkok native.

She dumped her approach shot into the left bunker on par-4 No. 18 and ended with a 5 but Superal also found the rightside trap off a 9-iron approach shot and missed a 16-footer for a crack at a playoff.

“I was left with 111 yards but the ball was in a tough lie. It’s just too bad that breaks didn’t go my way in the end,” said Superal.

It was a sorry setback for Superal, who had led in the first two rounds, including a solid 64 in the first day.

She held on two a one-stroke by matching Boonraksasat’s 34 start but flubbed a couple of birdie putts at the back, enabling the Thai to storm ahead with birdies on Nos. 10 and 13.

Superal wound up with a 204, which Chihiro Ikeda matched on a sizzling 66. Four down off Boonraksasat after 36 holes, the FIl-Japanese moved within two with three straight birdies form 13 but missed her chances in the last three and settled for joint second. Each received P155,000.

Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, the last Thai to win at Pradera Verde last December, shot a second 69 to end up fourth at 205 with compatriot Chonalda Chayanun playing fifth at 206 after a 71.

Best Center adds another venue to clinics THE BEST Center has added another venue to its basketball and volleyball clinics this summer.

Aside from the Ateneo college covered courts, Starmall-Alabang and Our lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary, a new center will be opened at the International Goodwill 3 Subdivision in San Antonio, Paranaque.

Students in Preparatory Level and Level 1 of basketball are welcome to enroll at the Goodwill 3 clinics set at the multi-purpose hall from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. starting April 1.

Monday and Thursday basketball clinics from April 8 to May 2 are set the Ateneo college covered courts for students in Preparatory Level, Level 1, Level 2 (9-11 years old) and Level 5 for morning classes from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

Clinics Levels 1, 2 (12-years old and above), 3, 4 and 6 will be held from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

International Christian Academy will also host Levels 1 and 2 students at 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on April 1 to 29.

Volleyball sessions at ICA are set from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. for Levels 1 and 2.

Starmall-Alabang will also host volleyball clinics from April 1 to 29 at 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Levels 1 and 2.

The Best Center is sponsored by MILO and supported by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ. Early registration for all venues will be at the Ateneo on March 16 and at the Our Lady of Gudadalupe Minor Seminary on March 17.

For inquiries, contact 372- 3065/66 411-6260, email bestcenter at inquiry@ gmail.com, or message Facebook bestcentersportsinc.

Thanutra Boonraksasat soaks it up in victory

Venue woes force SEAG officials to look at RMSC

By Peter Atencio

T

HE age-old Rizal Memorial Sports Complex is back as a choice of venue for many events in the 30th Southeast Asian Games to be hosted by the Philippines late this year.

Organizers have decided to utilize the RMSC in Vito Cruz after they felt a shortage of available venues around Metro Manila.

High rental fees and conflicting schedules with venue owners have reportedly stalled negotiations that officials of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee have been trying to finalize for months.

The situation involving lease agreements and unresolved schedules have also kept organizers of the games from finalizing their calendar early.

Tom Carrasco, senior deputy director general of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, said this after plans to the stage the very popular basketball games at the Mall of Asia Arena scrapped.

Basketball has now been relocated to the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan.

Carrasco explained that they can’t book anything at the MOA Arena after venue management only allowed five days in their December calendar as other events were booked ahead of the games.

On the other hand, the PHISGOC gave up on the Araneta Coliseum after they were only given a two-day window in December because of coming concerts that were already booked at the Big Dome way in advance.

There are now plans to have many events played at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz because of this.

The decision to reconsider the RMSC as a venue came after organizers earlier

rejected the idea of using the Rizal Memorial area for the games in the first place.

“The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex will now be refurbished for the SEA Games,” said Carrasco.

Men’s football and gymnastics are among the many events that will now be played at the RMSC. On the other hand, taekwondo has been slated at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Officials of the Philippine Sports Commission are now getting ready to sit down with the PHISGOC on the situations that have been plaguing the staging of the games.

“We are waiting from a notice from them about this,” said Atty. Guillermo Iroy, PSC Executive Director.

Women’s football has been moved a to faraway location--Binan, Laguna.

The volleyball games will now be held at the Philsports in Pasig, while baseball and softball are set in Clark Field, Pampanga.

PLDT whips struggling Foton in Superliga KENDRA Dahlke shone anew, delivering the clutch hits that towed PLDT Home Fibr past struggling Foton, 25-16, 27-25, 22-25, 26-24, in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

After erupting for 30 points in their last game, Dahlke remained hot as she scored five points in the 6-2 blast that brought the Power Hitters to match point, 24-20, in the fourth set of this prestigious women’s club league broadcasted

by ESPN5 and 5Plus.

Foton imports Milagros Collar and Courtney Felinski tried to keep their heads afloat with backto-back hits, 24-24, but Dahlke converted a beautiful drop shot to seal the victory in this tourney that also has Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, Team Rebel Sports, Bizooku, UCPB Gen, Cocolife, Hotel Sogo and Data Project as technical sponsors.

Games Tomorrow

(Alonte Sports Arena) 4 p.m. – PLDT vs F2 Logistics 6 p.m. – Cignal vs Petron

Grace Lazard led the way with 25 points off 16 kills, six aces, three blocks with 11 digs while Dahlke chipped in 18 hits. Sasa Devanadera and Aiko Urdas also delivered significant numbers, adding 12 and 11 markers, respectively, for the Power Hitters, who climbed to no. 4 with a 5-4 win-loss slate.

But PLDT coach Roger Gorayeb was far from satisfied, especially in the fourth set when the Tornadoes gave them a serious scare.

“We were leading by four, 2420, but the service error of Grace allowed them to come back,” said Gorayeb, heaving a sigh of relief after his wards restored order.

Turn to A7

Courtney Felinksi of Foton scores against PLDT’s Ryasabelle Devanadera.

TNT tries to continue PBA ascent

By Jeric Lopez RED-HOT TNT KaTropa wants to continue its rise, even as Rain or Shine looks to get back on track as the two squads in the upper echelon play separate foes in the continuing 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The Tropang Texters (5-3), currently in fourth place, try to stay hot as they take on Alaska (3-4) at 4:30 p.m. at the Cuneta Astrodome today.

Looking to snap their two-game slide, the second-running Elasto Painters (7-3) attempt to finish their elimination round on a high note to boost their chances of staying inside the top two when they collide with Meralco (3-5) at 7 p.m. in the nightcap.

After racking up three straight wins, the Tropang Texters are already knocking on the quarterfinals’ door and can even put up a fight for a top two finish.

With the team’s current winning run, TNT coach Bong Ravena sees the Tropang Texters in a good position to not only clinch a berth in the next round, but also give chase for a spot in the top two.

“I think we have a very fair chance to not only make the quarterfinals, but even have a shot at the top two,” said Ravena. “If ever we get three more wins in our last games, I think we’ll be in good shape.”

On the other hand, the Aces are in dire need of a win as they are still unsafe at the moment at sixth place.

Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, even with his team already safely through to the quarters, shared what he sees as his team’s recent problem in its slump.

“I told the players after the break that we feel like they suddenly became selfish-minded,” said Garcia.

“We have to go hard against Meralco and win this last game to give ourselves a good chance at ending up in the top two.”

Still outside the top eight, Meralco needs to sweep its remaining three games to insert itself in the mix for a berth in the next phase.

JETRO presents lifestyle-sports expo

Proponents of the Japan External Trade Organization are shown during its expo recently. They are (from left) Nobuo Fujii, Vice President and Executive Director of The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc.; Takahiko Shiba, Commercial Attache from the Embassy of Japan Trade; Ishihara Takashi, Manila Executive Director of the Japan External Trade Organization; and Aniceto G. Saludo Jr., Chairman of the PhilippinesJapan Economic Cooperation Committee Inc.

THE Japan External Trade Organization conducted a Japan Healthy Lifestyle Exhibition in Manila on March 9 and 10 at the TriNoma Activity Center, an event that aimed to introduce and highlight to Filipino consumers the different variation of Japanese health products.

The exhibition was held for the first time in 2015 in Yangon and has also been held in Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Hanoi and Jakarta.

It was JETRO’s sixth time to conduct this event, giving a good opportunity to both exhibitors and Filipino consumers.

To promote Japanese health, lifestyle and sports products and services to Filipino Consumers, some 40 Japanese exhibitors participated in this exhibition to introduce a variety of products regarding health and lifestyle that focused on sports (sportswear and strength training equipment), health (hemadynamometer and toothbrush), healthy food (mushroom,

garlic and supplement), elderly care products (wheelchair and caring bed) and beauty products (beauty appliance and cosmetics).

A promotion of sports international events such as “Sports for Tomorrow” Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan and Sports Tourism were also held.

Meanwhile, a business meeting a day before the exhibition for Japanese exhibitors and Filipino buyers to support new Filipino market was also organized, with 29 exhibitors participating.

The population of the Philippines has exceeded 100 million in 2014, with 63 percent composed of the working-ages (15 to 64), meaning it has a great potential to have an economic growth over the years.

Meanwhile, percentages of obesity in the population have risen sharply due to changes in main diet accompanied by economic growth.

The government has started focusing on this

Turn to A7

IN BRIEF

Imported cars rose 12% in February

THE Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. said sales of members increased 12 percent in February to 7,876 units from 7,017 units delivered a year ago, following the launch of new and exciting products.

“We are encouraged by the good sales performance of Avid for the month which signals stronger consumer confidence as well as the preference for top-notch products. While we are still in the early part of the year, we have gotten over the hump and expect a robust recovery for the automotive industry,” said Avid president Ma. Fe PerezAgudo.

Avid said despite the solid performance in February, sales in the first two months still lagged by 8 percent to 14,499 units from a year ago.

Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., the exclusive distributors of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, reported strong sales in the first two months with 6,537 vehicles sold, up by 16.2 percent from last year’s 5,624 units.

The company said sales in February surged 38.6 percent to 3,715 units.

“Hyundai felt the love in February as sales substantially increased driven by the successful introduction of fresh and innovative models and a more positive buying sentiment from consumers. We have turned the corner and are optimistic that this trend will continue in the coming months. We aim to end the year on a high note,” said Agudo, who also serves as the president and chief executive of Hyundai Asia Resources. Othel V. Campos

Business

Appointment issues hound ex-ERC chair

FORMER Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Jose Vicente Salazar continues to face issues involving appointments in the powerful regulatory body.

A Civil Service Commission resolution issued on Dec. 18 showed Salazar allegedly overreached his authority by meddling in the internal affairs of the ERC instead of going through the official process of consulting the collegial body.

Salazar allegedly issued 135 appointments, including 18 appointments of division chief and director positions, without a prior concurrence from the ERC en banc.

Salazar, during his tenure as ERC chief, allegedly requested the CSC to give him the sole power to appoint directors and employees at ERC. The CSC denied his request in the said resolution and is now conducting an audit of appointments issued to ERC officials and employees.

The resolution upholds that the appointing power in ERC rests with its collegial body composed of its chairman and four members, and not with the chairman and CEO alone.

The former ERC chief was replaced by incumbent chairperson Agnes Devanadera.

Devanadera urged ERC personnel to adhere to the values of work efficiency, effectiveness and technical or professional competence.

OUTSTANDING MOVERS. Dr. Robert So (center), chairman of the board of Ecosystem Technologies International Inc., a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Water, is recognized by Save Mother Earth Movement as one of the Ten Most Outstanding Movers of the Philippine 2018 -Champion of Life and Heroes of the Environment for Business and Entrepreneurship in a ceremony held in Malacañang Palace. With So are (from left) Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Dr. Edwin Chinel Monares, founder and executive director of the Save Me Movement. Other awardees are Dr. Edgar Tulin for Education; Engr. Oman Fajardo, OFW; Dr. Ma. Joserfina Abilay, Leadership and Public Service; Arsenio Lizaso, Art and Culture; Cesar Chavez, Leadership and Public Service; Dr. Mona Liza Solano, Education; Engr. Juanito Simon, Science and Technology; Joey Ayala, Art and Culture; and Jessica Soho, Broadcast Communication.

Megaworld, BCDA form Bonifacio Capital District

By Jenniffer B. Austria

P

ROPERTY developer Megaworld Corp. and state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority are combining 160 hectares of properties in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City to form a new business district.

Dubbed as the Philippines’ future “administrative capital,” the Bonifacio Capital District will cover Megaworld’s existing township developments and BCDA-owned properties.

The new district will include Megaworld’s 54.3-hectare McKinley Hill and 34.5-hectare McKinley West and BCDA’s 26-hectare Philippine Navy

Village, 33.1-hectare Bonifacio South Pointe property in partnership with the SM Group, the 10.1-hectare Consular property beside McKinley West and a one-hectare lot.

“This marks the strong partnership of BCDA and Megaworld Corp. in building for progress. As a key locator in Fort Bonifacio, Megaworld has made a positive impact on the lives of many Filipinos through its ‘live-work-play’ concept. We saw the realization of this concept in McKinley Hill which is integrated into the Bonifacio Capital District,” BCDA president and chief executive Vince Dizon said.

Dizon said the district would soon house the country’s major institutions such as the Senate of the Philippines, the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.

“These government institutions will be complemented with more office spaces, residential units, parks and commercial establishments―which are all essential to our vision to create vibrant

and livable communities for the people,” Dizon said.

BCDA and Megaworld will also create the Policy Review Board that will have the exclusive jurisdiction to set policies and restrictions on the development of the Bonifacio Capital District and ensure the proper execution of the district’s master development plan and vision.

The current development-based gross floor area of existing and operational commercial, residential, office and institutional properties within the district is around 1.26 million square meters.

The projected GFA of proposed mixed-use developments in undeveloped lots within the district is around 2.1-million square meters.

These new developments are expected to be completed in the next 10 years.

The district will be a location of one of the proposed stations of the ongoing Metro Manila Subway Project, initially named as Lawton East Station.

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

B1

CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said Thursday recurring net income rose 1 percent in 2018 to P55.17 billion from P54.65 billion in 2017, as the strong performance of food and beverage, power and infrastructure businesses was offset by a steep decline in the contribution of oil refinery business.

San Miguel said in a statement consolidated revenues grew 24 percent in 2018 to a record P1.024 trillion from P826 million a year ago.

Income from operations which improved 5 percent year-on-year to P117.08 billion was tempered by the sharp decline in crude prices resulting in inventory losses for its fuel and petrochemical business in the fourth quarter.

This was compounded by foreign exchanges losses for the year.

The conglomerate’s food and beverage business under San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. registered a net income of P30.5 billion in 2018, up 8 percent from P28.22 billion in 2017.

SMFB’s net sales climbed 14 percent to P286.4 billion, boosted by the strong revenues from its liquor business.

San Miguel Brewery Inc., San Miguel Pure Foods and Ginebra San Miguel Inc. posted double-digit revenue growth.

“Despite the high inflationary environment in the past year, we are pleased with the performance of our food and beverage businesses which all delivered strong revenue growth.

This is proof that our brands continue to resonate strongly with consumers,” San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said.

San Miguel Packaging Group also posted a 16-percent hike in net sales to P37.3 billion as income for operations rose 11 percent to P3.3 billion.

The group’s power generation unit SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. saw net sales jump 45 percent to P120.1 billion.

Petron Corp. posted a 50-percent decline in net income to P7.07 billion from P14.08 billion in 2017 on shrinking crude prices. Petron’s net sales, however, rose 28 percent to P557.3 billion. Jenniffer B. Austria

Cebu Pacific’s Australian traffic grows over 50%

Robinsons Land’s income surged 40% to P8.2b in 2018 ROBINSONS Land Corp., the property development arm of the Gokongwei group, said Thursday net income jumped 40 percent in 2018 to P8.23 billion from P5.9 billion in 2017, on strong revenue contribution from leasing and residential businesses.

RLC said in a statement the 2018 consolidated revenues rose 31 percent to P29.44 billion from P22.52 billion a year ago, while overall earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization grew 30 percent to P16.20 billion from P12.48 billion.

Investment portfolio rose 14 percent to P18.16 billion, driven by the mall and office divisions.

Revenues from development portfolio also surged 72 percent to P11.28 billion, on robust sales of residential units and institutional lots.

“2018 has been a banner year for Robinsons Land as both our investment and development portfolios saw robust earnings growths driven by key business strategic initiatives and strong demand from our customers and buyers,” said RLC president and chief executive Frederick Go. The group’s mall business which contributed 41 percent to the company’s total revenues posted P11.9 billion in revenues, up 11 percent from the 2017 level.

RLC opened four new shopping malls to end 2018 with 51 malls.

Jenniffer B. Austria

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

San Miguel’s income hits P55.2b as sales top P1t

J&T Express starts PH services

J&T Express, an Indonesian e-commerce express delivery, launched its operations in the Philippines as a part of a Southeast Asian expansion.

The technology-based and internet development express company which started in Indonesia in 2015 offers 365 days of operations to serve its customers even on weekends and holidays.

After just two years since its establishment, the company expanded its services across Southeast Asia to serve more customers, especially for small and medium enterprises and online businesses.

“As an express company, J&T Express is committed to helping our customers thrive in the e-commerce business by bringing our reliable, efficient, and fast delivery service nationwide. With ‘Express Your Online Business’ as our slogan, we hope to help our customers realize a more practical and efficient express service for online business and encourage the development of our business partners to be bigger and stronger,” said Dean Ding, chief executive of J&T Express Philippines.

J&T Express, with its extensive network that supports delivery services within city, inter-city, inter-provincial and e-commerce customers, strengthened its operations to widen its reach across Southeast Asia. It is also present in Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. Darwin G. Amojelar

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

By Darwin G. Amojelar

BREAD CAMP. Members of the Presidential Security Group Enlisted Personnel Ladies Club, led by its president Pia Tolentino (third from right) showcase various bread and pastries they are baking at ‘The Bread Camp’, an Aboitiz-donated bakery located inside Malacañang Park, Manila. Around 300 PSG wives, 60 of whom were trained by a Pilmico baking technician, will directly benefit from the revival of the once-lucrative bakery business.

Bangko Sentral prepared to respond to external risks—Diokno

By Julito G. Rada BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Thursday the bank constantly prepares to effectively manage and mitigate the risks posed by global developments that may stifle economic growth.

The Financial Stability Coordination Council, in its quarterly meeting, welcomed Diokno as its new chairman, replacing the late BSP Governor and FSCC chairman Nestor Espenilla Jr. who passed away last month.

Diokno led the assessment on the impact of the slowing global growth on the Philippines and the changing economic landscape in both the US and China.

“Global markets were turbulent when

we closed 2018 and there are new developments at the start of 2019 that could affect financial markets,” Diokno told the council.

“We need to consider the possible scenarios and steer our financial system so that we can effectively manage these possibilities and continue with our economic growth agenda,” he said.

Diokno said he would continue to build on the progress made by FSCC as the venue for financial market authorities to identify, monitor, manage and mitigate the buildup of systemic risk in the Philippine financial system.

Local market conditions were also reviewed including the state of the banking industry and the corporate sector.

The analysis of the council is expect-

ed to be shared publicly with the release of the 2018 Financial Stability Report in the second quarter of 2019.

The council discussed the key takeaways from the BSP-IMF Regional Dialogue on Financial Stability for Asean Central Banks held in January 2019.

Among the issues discussed was the need for greater clarity of the scope of financial stability, alongside other policy objectives and advocacies of financial authorities. The FSCC considered a draft and expected to finalize it soon.

FSCC is an inter-agency council with the BSP, the Finance Department, the Insurance Commission, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Securities and Exchange Commission as member institutions.

CEBU Pacific said Thursday passenger traffic between the Philippines and Australia grew more than 50 percent as of November last year, overtaking rivals Philippine Airlines and Qantas.

Data from Australia’s Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics showed that Cebu Pacific flew 18,971 passengers between Manila, Melbourne and Sydney in November 2018―up 56 percent from the same period in 2017.

A total of 48,064 passengers traveled between Manila, Melbourne and Sydney on direct connections mounted by Cebu Pacific, PAL and Qantas in November 2018, up 31.3 percent year-on-year.

Cebu Pacific passengers comprised 39.5 percent of the total, while PAL garnered a 38.1-percent share. Qantas operates direct service only between Manila and Sydney.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics is an agency under Australia’s Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities. Its mandate is to provide economic analysis, research and statistics on infrastructure, transport and regional development issues for the Australian government.

“We have an average market share of about 40 percent for our Melbourne and Sydney routes. We are pleased with the strong reception in Melbourne for Cebu Pacific and excited that the ‘CEB Effect’ of year-round low fare offerings, coupled with our promotions, provide opportunities to visit the Philippines,” Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing Candice Iyog said.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market slips; JG Summit declines T HE stock market fell slightly Thursday after a healthy Wall Street lead was offset by more disappointing Chinese economic data.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 15.73 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,750.42 on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Losers beat gainers, 107 to 77, with 49 issues unchanged.

Conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei lost 2.4 percent to P61.70, while San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. declined 3.1 percent to P104.10.

First Gen Corp. of the Lopez Group fell 3 percent to P20.85, while Wilcon Depot Inc., a leading home improvement and construction material supplier, dropped 1.5 percent to P15.40.

The pound, meanwhile, retreated from nine-month highs in Asia on Thursday as investors are dogged by Brexit uncertainty, while equities were mixed as a healthy Wall Street lead was offset by more disappointing Chinese economic data.

In another night of drama in Westminster, MPs voted against leaving the European Union without a deal, having rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s agreement with the bloc for a second time.

The move sent the pound soaring to highs not seen since June, with most observers warning that a no-deal divorce would hammer the British economy.

However, the currency retreated from those highs in Asia, with lawmakers due to vote on whether to extend the March 29 deadline for leaving.

Elsewhere, Tokyo shed earlier gains to end flat and Hong Kong finished up

0.2 percent.

Taipei closed in the red, though Sydney, Seoul, Singapore and Wellington were in positive territory.

May has warned that if MPs do not adopt her pact there could be a lengthy delay to Brexit that would see Britain taking part in European Parliament elections in May. “The Brexit soap opera continued with... parliament voting, as expected, against leaving the European Union without a deal,” said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA. “Sterling inevitably rose overnight as traders piled into the hope-vs-reality trade.”

But he added: “Being irrationally exuberant on the pound could be a dangerous trade at these lofty levels in the short-term.

“No one has actually asked the Europeans what they want, and they may yet impose potentially unpalatable condi-

tions as the price of an (exit) extension.”

On equity markets Shanghai sank 1.2 percent after figures showed factory output grew slower than forecast in the first two months of the year, while retail sales and investment were broadly in line with expectations.

The tepid readings highlighted weakness in the world’s number two economy and reinforced the need for measures by the Chinese government to kickstart growth as the global economy stutters and the US trade war drags on.

The “data means the economy will take a longer time to bottom out as industrial production and consumption are still under pressure despite the rebound in investment”, Liu Peiqian, Asia strategist at Natwest Markets PLC, told Bloomberg News.

Traders will be keeping a close eye on closing remarks at the annual National People’s Congress on Friday for an idea about leaders’ plans. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.65 1,460 87.45 655,480 2.27 6,000 132 1,136,250 1.36 29,000 27.6 40,700 18.18 30,600 12.12 752,200 4.5 61,000 0.63 4,105,000 795 100 0.46 180,000 77.7 795,870 0.97 57,000 14 116,600 60.1 967,470 183.1 140 58.6 1,580 26.35 8,900 170.5 745,970 1,820 320 60.7 3,180

85,247.50 56,448,129.50 13,630 149,974,058 39,190 1,125,355 555,446 9,145,596 273,200 2,545,150 79,500 82,150 62,107,819 55,330 1,632,406 58,445,174.50 25,786 92,201.50 235,675 127,016,348 582,400 195,011

-1,162 13,479,901 -4,796,310 279,205 1,210,022 -4,565,728 7,996,021.50 -14,686 49,752 -132,500 -49,111,549 -136,419

34.5 14.12 1.01 1.42 0.237 2.57 15.6 29.35 16 41 65.5 1.85 5.9 6.02 11.24 15.54 8.78 7.4 1.64 20.5 73.7 27 2.25 9.56 12.5 1.72 312 4.1 3.6 11.1 25.5 11.9 19.88 373.6 0.196 6.17 1.37 3.77 6.73 1.32 11.8 48.85 5.85 4.67 1.81 2.68 1.29 11.9 103.2 6.38 0.129 1 141.4 2.5 1.62 1.28

INDUSTRIAL 35.55 2,451,300 14.48 873,000 1.01 680,000 1.42 718,000 0.24 180,000 2.6 6,645,000 15.6 469,900 29.4 105,200 16 6,300 41 56,000 65.5 10 1.88 64,000 5.9 25,000 6.29 2,000 11.26 512,400 15.7 714,200 8.88 183,000 7.51 64,200 1.64 15,000 20.85 5,601,900 73.7 56,510 27.1 444,300 2.6 64,726,000 9.56 648,500 12.6 640,100 1.72 8,000 312 257,020 4.1 53,000 3.68 25,000 11.1 5,100 26 3,588,200 11.96 88,200 19.9 2,662,400 380 137,560 0.196 190,000 6.17 100,000 1.39 1,168,000 3.77 89,000 6.74 1,700,000 1.33 1,846,000 12 111,500 49 660,700 5.85 242,600 4.67 2,000 1.81 157,000 2.68 4,000 1.3 54,000 11.92 72,900 104.1 1,794,210 6.38 59,000 0.129 250,000 1.02 409,000 145 348,680 2.5 369,000 1.62 1,261,000 1.32 610,000

86,008,445 12,796,294 687,040 1,019,560 43,310 17,347,470 7,345,950 3,093,540 100,800 2,296,000 655 119,850 147,500 12,152 5,776,220 11,217,186 1,611,346 478,115 24,600 116,552,575 4,166,337.50 12,083,550 157,660,560 6,222,213(1, 8,061,398 13,810 80,441,566 217,300 90,100 56,610 93,209,595 1,057,368 52,997,604 52,064,052 37,240 617,000 1,626,430 336,920 11,522,488 2,445,610 1,336,076 32,375,485 1,419,470 9,360 285,800 10,720 69,840 875,544 187,910,709 377,370 32,250 410,800 50,390,937 923,070 2,052,640 791,040

-13,918,385 2,324,274 2,765,290 -574,054 -2,078,570 246,000 19,000 -2,110,996 -6,735,894 845,886 -102,454 -70,283,535 -2,818,618.50 567,000 3,598,970 676,263.9997) 3,466,200 -34,855,868 51,928,550 -85,366 29,900,244 25,335,322 35,940 2,094,824 -317,500 -72,910 5,645,835 -205,010 -436,042 -3,221,747 19,213,131 -647,670 116,290

0.76 58.95 15.2 0.76 20.75 1.41 1.41 931.5 7.5 11.9 14.68 4.15 0.25 1,004 6.4 62.95 0.59 5.2 16.88 0.56 4.94 0.04 3.18 2.58 173 2.36 936 0.75 1.38 448 0.245 0.35

0.73 57.7 14.8 0.74 19.8 1.39 1.39 919.5 7.4 11.22 14.4 4.15 0.238 983 6.18 61.45 0.54 5.1 16.3 0.56 4.9 0.039 3.08 2.56 170.4 2.36 925 0.75 1.38 448 0.24 0.335

HOLDING FIRMS 0.74 12,141,000 58.35 1,973,770 15.1 8,775,300 0.75 84,000 20 74,100 1.4 1,849,000 1.41 310,000 925.5 238,850 7.46 200,900 11.9 4,441,700 14.42 826,100 4.15 100,000 0.25 140,000 1,000 155,050 6.39 40,200 61.7 4,399,370 0.57 1,425,000 5.13 206,600 16.62 7,835,900 0.56 100,000 4.9 19,121,000 0.039 12,300,000 3.1 4,192,000 2.56 22,000 172 782,770 2.36 13,000 925 238,530 0.75 10,000 1.38 25,000 448 60 0.24 370,000 0.35 6,670,000

9,020,580 115,114,725 132,464,572 62,330 1,487,610 2,579,040 434,310 221,128,450 1,498,552 51,925,878 12,074,970 415,000 33,440 154,602,270 255,716 272,433,073.50 773,620 1,059,248 130,298,086 56,000 94,035,380 482,200 13,124,880 56,340 134,663,576 30,680 221,345,455 7,500 34,500 26,880 89,310 2,315,700

30,620 -10,029,934 25,010,018 20,000 211,500 20,723,350 720,837 246,608 606,724 39,983,335 57,927,826.50 110,000 -640,861 -7,399,776 -2,111,150 630,000 26,945,337 -48,660,860 345,000.00

12.14 0.79 1.97 0.92 43.45 2.4 4.28 6.78 0.49 0.93 0.245 0.405 10.44 21.4 0.52 0.137 1.54 1.23 5.53

12.02 0.78 1.87 0.87 42.65 2.36 4.25 6.5 0.485 0.91 0.24 0.4 10.2 20.75 0.5 0.137 1.5 1.21 5.29

6,058,646 173,970 62,510 1,235,670 425,657,295 311,160 140,760 355,049 5,721,950 19,130 67,300 468,050 6,551,510 5,647,815 138,530 1,370 11,657,000 1,932,720 126,815,387

15,800 -31,633,545 -26,080 55,380 -97,000 -72,000 10,440 2,034,595 5,726,270 48,862,572

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.1 86.1 2.28 132.4 1.35 27.9 18.2 12.26 4.5 0.62 795 0.455 78.6 0.98 14 61.1 185 58.4 26.5 168 1,820 61.25

58.65 87.45 2.28 132.8 1.36 27.9 18.2 12.3 4.5 0.63 795 0.46 78.9 0.98 14.06 61.1 185 58.6 26.5 171.5 1,820 63

58.1 85.05 2.27 131.2 1.35 27.6 18.02 12.12 4.4 0.62 795 0.455 77.3 0.97 14 60.1 183.1 58 26.35 167 1,820 60.6

ABOITIZ POWER AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A 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 ENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

35.2 14.94 1.01 1.42 0.24 2.62 15.68 29.6 16 41 65.5 1.9 5.9 6.02 11.28 15.76 8.78 7.6 1.64 21.5 74.2 27.5 2.46 9.62 12.86 1.73 316 4.1 3.6 11.1 27 12 19.9 378 0.196 6.17 1.41 3.77 6.74 1.33 12 49 5.85 4.69 1.83 2.68 1.29 12.28 106.9 6.4 0.129 1.02 141.4 2.55 1.65 1.28

35.55 14.94 1.02 1.42 0.243 2.66 15.68 29.8 16 41 65.5 1.9 5.9 6.3 11.32 15.8 8.95 7.6 1.64 21.5 74.2 27.5 2.61 9.62 12.86 1.73 316 4.1 3.68 11.1 27 12.1 20 380 0.196 6.17 1.41 3.83 6.85 1.33 12 49.15 5.86 4.69 1.83 2.68 1.31 12.28 106.9 6.4 0.129 1.03 145 2.55 1.65 1.32

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

0.76 58.95 14.9 0.74 20.65 1.39 1.41 920 7.5 11.22 14.68 4.15 0.238 993 6.18 62.85 0.57 5.14 16.52 0.56 4.94 0.04 3.14 2.58 172.4 2.36 928.5 0.75 1.38 448 0.244 0.335

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

12.14 0.79 1.87 0.92 42.85 2.4 4.28 6.5 0.485 0.91 0.24 0.405 10.4 21.05 0.51 0.137 1.52 1.21 5.39

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

0.39 0.46 1.92 0.455 2.87 46 23.65 2.05 3.15 37.1 1.59 7.08 0.74 7.22

0.395 0.46 2 0.465 2.89 46 23.8 2.05 3.15 37.75 1.59 7.15 0.74 7.3

0.38 0.46 1.92 0.45 2.85 46 23.4 2.05 3.15 37.1 1.57 6.95 0.74 7.22

0.39 0.46 1.96 0.455 2.85 46 23.8 2.05 3.15 37.1 1.59 6.99 0.74 7.26

20,190,000 50,000 3,402,000 540,000 110,000 200 3,079,100 2,000 24,000 4,177,300 418,000 149,500 219,000 3,683,500

7,744,100 23,000 6,684,130 247,400 315,140 9,200 72,957,205 4,100 75,600 155,511,240 663,560 1,053,824 162,060 26,762,915

-3,900 24,260 -5,613,080 50,400 -32,153,495 -15,510 -1,628,768

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

12.28 20.8 0.425 0.045 2.8 11.92 0.079 83 5.8 7 2.11 14.5 1,900 5.7 372.4 2.99 116.9 11 0.128 5.42 3.09 3.29 0.89 19.42 0.61 4.85 3 1.86 2.15 2.88 10.3 5.25 7 130.1 2.74 1,120 0.9 1.19 48 87 8.42 2.36 0.71 0.42 5.61 0.66 15.7

12.28 20.8 0.43 0.045 2.83 12 0.08 83.6 5.9 7.24 2.11 14.78 1,930 5.72 380 3 122 11 0.128 5.76 3.26 3.33 0.89 20.5 0.62 4.96 3.02 1.99 2.15 2.88 10.36 5.25 7 130.1 2.83 1,156 0.9 1.23 48 87 8.42 2.37 0.71 0.43 5.62 0.68 15.88

12 20.55 0.425 0.042 2.7 11.7 0.074 82.55 5.75 7 2.11 13 1,860 5.69 364.4 2.88 116.9 10.6 0.127 5.42 3.08 3.29 0.89 19.42 0.59 4.75 2.99 1.85 2.15 2.82 10.2 4.87 7 130 2.74 1,120 0.87 1.17 47.1 84.95 8.4 2.34 0.7 0.42 5.6 0.65 15.22

SERVICES 12 20.55 0.43 0.045 2.73 11.8 0.075 83.5 5.9 7 2.11 13.2 1,930 5.69 377 2.88 118.9 10.6 0.127 5.67 3.26 3.33 0.89 20.05 0.6 4.96 2.99 1.98 2.15 2.84 10.36 4.9 7 130 2.79 1,132 0.87 1.22 47.5 85 8.4 2.36 0.71 0.42 5.62 0.66 15.4

12,400 38,000 300,000 11,900,000 474,000 4,655,200 261,860,000 10,840 766,100 18,100 1,000 412,000 26,470 89,800 2,200 1,234,000 4,149,290 800 2,350,000 3,966,400 30,000 204,000 84,000 2,147,700 1,327,000 46,000 690,000 74,000 3,000 441,000 57,500 96,000 100 2,470 682,000 218,560 5,481,000 15,377,000 131,700 504,930 10,700 6,519,000 1,226,000 3,490,000 563,800 235,000 12,982,900

151,026 784,140 127,600 527,700 1,297,540 54,886,042 19,934,700 898,551.50 4,444,385 126,724 2,110 5,576,588 50,491,380 511,552 822,864 3,598,660 493,399,201 8,520 300,450 22,301,009 92,610 676,840 74,760 43,291,910 792,200 219,210 2,070,080 140,320 6,450 1,250,380 595,556 473,308 700 321,120 1,886,180 249,565,805 4,818,540 18,557,920 6,239,555 43,025,017 89,941 15,377,660 860,980 1,477,800 3,167,519 155,730 202,681,318

8,498 -44,290 8,444,234 58,808 227,040 17,886,275 52,260 32,873,370 770,911 43,160 -977,288 -8,980 -25,740 -41,440 -34,230 260,000 -645,850 85,842,325 -759,090 -77,520 -562,925 4,165,370 14,560,950 144,640 -2,838,050 -7,260 69,026,428

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

0.0021 1.45 2.9 13.4 2.27 0.295 7.82 1.49 0.249 0.121 0.125 0.0081 0.0082 1.09 2.68 1.05 0.59 0.95 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.95 14.12 20 0.0072

0.0022 1.46 2.92 13.88 2.31 0.295 7.99 1.49 0.25 0.121 0.125 0.0081 0.0082 1.09 2.68 1.05 0.62 0.95 0.013 0.013 0.012 3.98 14.26 21.25 0.0072

0.0021 1.44 2.9 13 2.27 0.295 7.8 1.47 0.241 0.121 0.125 0.0081 0.0082 1.05 2.55 1.01 0.59 0.93 0.012 0.012 0.011 3.95 14 20 0.0072

2,245,200 1,254,860 119,080 142,508 4,186,100 2,950 205,332 3,342,430 68,220 123,420 27,500 8,100 32,800 155,330 6,991,900 30,380 63,760 259,690 78,500 260,400 212,800 2,115,510 2,653,894 64,823,000 57,600

-261,170 -5,800 158,600.00 1,490 -27,500 -1,313,710 -257,800 11,000 -249,440 -372,766 13,106,990 -

ABS HLDG PDR FPH PREF C GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

20 450.2 900 895 95 0.99 100 980 971 75.15 76.95 74.75 71.9 72

20 450.2 900 900 95 0.99 101.9 990 971 75.3 76.95 74.75 71.9 72

20 450.2 900 880 95 0.99 100 980 971 75.15 76.05 74.75 71.9 72

PREFERRED 20 52,800 450.2 150 900 600 890 1,060 95 350 0.99 20,000 101.9 690 990 1,100 971 190 75.3 3,950 76.95 53,720 74.75 10,510 71.9 10,000 72 15,000

1,056,000 67,530 540,000 946,520 33,250 19,800 69,190 1,088,685 184,490 297,055 4,107,998.50 785,622.50 719,000 1,080,000

-571,260 747,500 -

LR WARRANT

1.85

1.85

1.85

WARRANTS 1.85 12,000

22,200

-

796,712 3,458,930

-389,020

377,328

-

MS

PROPERTY 12.06 0.79 1.97 0.88 42.8 2.37 4.26 6.75 0.485 0.93 0.245 0.4 10.26 21.25 0.52 0.137 1.53 1.22 5.53

502,800 221,000 33,000 1,386,000 9,923,800 131,000 33,000 54,600 11,790,000 21,000 280,000 1,170,000 636,300 266,200 274,000 10,000 7,695,000 1,594,000 23,255,100

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5 1.35

5 1.38

4.94 1.34

FIRST METRO ETF

115

115.5

114.5

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

10,707,216

INDUSTRIAL

110,104,567

HOLDING FIRMS

91,367,810

PROPERTY

95,361,987

SERVICES

346,055,056

MINING & OIL

1,142,343,561

GRAND TOTAL

1,798,664,816

MINING AND OIL 0.0021 1,069,000,000 1.45 868,000 2.9 41,000 13.54 10,800 2.31 1,826,000 0.295 10,000 7.81 26,300 1.49 2,272,000 0.249 280,000 0.121 1,020,000 0.125 220,000 0.0081 1,000,000 0.0082 4,000,000 1.09 145,000 2.59 2,684,000 1.05 30,000 0.6 108,000 0.93 278,000 0.013 6,500,000 0.013 20,800,000 0.012 19,200,000 3.98 532,000 14.18 188,200 21 3,125,600 0.0072 8,000,000

4.95 1.36

SME

160,900 2,560,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 115.5 3,290

VALUE 1,762.36 (down) 2.44 557,167,034.625 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,551.98 (down) 65.53 1,088,892,259.82 HOLDING FIRMS 7,671.73 (down) 23.38 1,683,534,696.93 PROPERTY 3,902.86 (down) 15.45 SERVICES 1,572.20 (up) 3.63 865,298,907.57 MINING & OIL 8,079.75 (up) 132.39 1,310,077,816.90 PSEI 7,750.42 (down) 15.73 89,472,954.207 All Shares Index 4,785.01 (down) 15.66 5,599,077,251.05 Gainers: 77; Losers: 107; Unchanged: 49; Total: 233

Metrobank okays merger with card unit

By Julito G. Rada METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender in terms of assets, is seeking approval from stockholders and regulators for the planned merger between the bank and unit Metrobank Card Corp.

Key officials of the bank approved the merger in a meeting Wednesday.

Metrobank Card Corp., a finance company and general insurance agency, is 100-percent owned by Metrobank.

“The board (of directors), on March 13, 2019, approved the proposal to merge the subsidiary into the parent bank subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals,” the bank disclosed to the stock exchange.

The board set an annual stockholders’ meeting on April 24, 2019 to get the shareholders’ approval of the merger. The merger is subject to the approval by at least two-thirds of the stockholders. Regulatory approvals will be sought. “... The proposed transaction will unlock the value of MCC, being a whollyowned subsidiary of Metrobank, and help realize the following objectives: improve synergy and cross-sell, increase profitability and improve capital efficiency, and enable Metrobank to be more competitive in the credit card business,” Metrobank said.

Metrobank maintained its status as one of the country’s biggest banks as of end-December 2018.

It registered a net profit of P22 billion in 2018, up 21 percent from the previous year, on the back of sustained strength of its core businesses.

Metrobank president Fabian Dee said 2018 was a milestone year for the bank.

“Despite the challenging market conditions that especially characterized the second half of the year, we achieved consistent core income growth while keeping operating costs in check and asset quality intact,” he said.

Commercial loan portfolio increased 11 percent on year driven mainly by top corporate accounts, followed by the middle market and small and medium enterprise accounts.

Total deposits increased 2 percent to P1.8 trillion, of which 62 percent consisted of low-cost deposits. Funding was supplemented by the issuance of P8.68-billion long-term negotiable certificates of deposit in October, and P28 billion in fixed-rate peso bonds in November and December.

China’s industrial production slows; unemployment up BEIJING—China’s industrial output slowed during the first two months of the year as unemployment rose, official data showed Thursday, while some indicators showed a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy stabilizing.

The figures from the National Bureau of Statistics come as Beijing and Washington appear to be nearing a deal to resolve their painful trade spat, and Chinese leaders convene in the capital for an annual parliamentary session.

Output growth at China’s factories and workshops for the first two months slowed to 5.3 percent on-year, from 5.7 percent in December, a multi-year low and short of forecasts.

“We must be aware that there are many uncertainties and instabilities from the external environment,” said NBS spokesman Mao Shengyong. “The economy faces downward pressure,” he told reporters.

China’s normally steady unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in February, from 4.9 percent in December, with the NBS saying it had expected worse numbers.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last week laid out a lower growth target of 6.0-6.5 percent this year, from 6.6 percent growth in 2018, which was already the slowest pace for almost three decades.

Policymakers huddled in Beijing have talked up plans to support the economy, announcing tax cuts, fee reductions, and financing support. A plan to cut valueadded tax for manufacturers will help the struggling sector.

In January and February car sales continued to fall and manufacturing activity sunk.

The latest data showed growth in retail sales for January-February remained flat from December, rising 8.2 percent onyear and slightly above forecasts from economists polled by Bloomberg News.

However, retail sales remain near a 15-year low, said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a note, adding that “the near-term outlook still looks downbeat”.

Beijing is counting on consumers and renewed investment to stabilize the economy. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila Manila

Standard

World

TODAY

B3

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECTS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2018 AND VARIOUS PROJECTS UP TO 2020, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY ERC CASE NO. 2018-122 RC COTABATO LIGHT COMPANY (CLPC),

AND

POWER

Applicant. x--------------------------------------------------- x NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 27 December 2018, Cotabato Light and Power Company (CLPC) filed an Application seeking the Commission’s approval of its capital expenditure projects for the years 2018 to 2020, with prayer for the issuance of a provisional authority.

SUMMIT. French president Emmanuel Macron and deputy general secretary of the UN Amina Mohammed arrive at the One Planet Summit on March 14, 2019, in Nairobi. AFP

The pertinent provisions of the said Application are hereunder quoted as follows: 1.

CLPC is a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with office address at Sinsuat Avenue, Cotabato City. It is a grantee of a legislative franchise under Republic Act No. 10637, to construct, install, establish, operate and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power in Cotabato City, and portions of the municipalities of Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat, Province of Maguindanao. It may be served with orders and other processes of the Honorable Commission through its undersigned counsel at the address indicated below.

2.

Republic Act No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (“EPlRA”), under Section 23 thereof, obligates a distribution utility, such as CLPC, to provide distribution services and connections to its system for any end-user within its franchise area consistent with the distribution code.

Further, distribution utilities share in the objective of the EPlRA to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power.1

3.

For CLPC to pursue its mandate under its franchise and the EPlRA, it is necessary for CLPC to continuously invest in the improvement of its people, system and services to better serve its customers.

4.

As such, CLPC, in accordance with Section 20 (b) of Commonwealth Act No. 146,2 hereby applies for the approval of the Honorable Commission, to implement its Capital Expenditure Projects (“CAPEX”) for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2018 and various CAPEX up to CY 2020.

5.

CLPC’s CAPEX program under this Application is categorized as follows: A.

US joins other countries in banning Boeing MAX W ASHINGTON―The ban on the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft became worldwide after US President Donald Trump joined Canada and other countries in grounding the aircraft, and the black box flight recorders from the doomed plane were flown to France for analysis Thursday.

US authorities said new evidence showed similarities between Sunday’s deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 and a fatal accident in Indonesia in October. The weekend crash killed all 157 people aboard.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday the findings from the crash site near Addis Ababa and “newly refined satellite data” warranted “further investigation of the

possibility of a shared cause for the two incidents.”

An FAA emergency order grounded 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft until further notice.

Trump told reporters at the White House the “safety of the American people and all peoples is our paramount concern.”

Mexico late Wednesday suspended MAX 8 and 9 operations, after Canada and Chile also joined the long list of countries to ban the plane from flying in their airspaces. Many airlines have voluntarily taken it out of service. Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia followed suit.

FAA acting chief Daniel Elwell said the agency had been “working tirelessly” to find the cause of the accident but faced delays because the black box flight data recorders had been damaged.

The new information showed “the track of that airplane was close enough to the track of the Lion Air flight... to warrant the grounding of the airplanes so we could get more information from the black boxes and determine if

there’s a link between the two, and if there is, find a fix to that link,” Elwell said on CNBC. Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg said he supported the US decision “out of an abundance of caution” but continued to have “full confidence” in the safety of the plane.

The company was continuing its efforts “to understand the cause of the accidents in partnership with the investigators, deploy safety enhancements and help ensure this does not happen again,” Muilenburg said in a statement.

Ethiopian Airlines said Thursday that the black box flight recorders from the Boeing 737 MAX 8 that crashed had been flown to Paris for analysis.

The accounts of the recent crashes were echoed in concerns registered by US pilots on how the MAX 8 behaves.

At least four American pilots made reports following the Lion Air crash, all complaining the aircraft suddenly pitched downward shortly after takeoff, according to documents reviewed

by AFP on the Aviation Safety Reporting System, a voluntary incident database maintained

by NASA. AFP

IN BRIEF

MPs set to vote on delaying Brexit

LONDON―British MPs will vote Thursday on whether to ask the European Union for an extension to the March 29 Brexit deadline, with the whole process mired in chaos.

It comes after MPs on Wednesday voted to reject a no-deal Brexit, in an intense week of parliamentary ballots.

The government will ask British lawmakers to endorse its plan to hold another vote on the divorce deal in the coming days and to request a delay whatever the outcome.

The delay would be until June 30 if the Brexit deal is finally approved. But it has already been overwhelmingly rejected twice by parliament―in January and earlier this week.

If MPs vote against the deal once again, the government said the Brexit delay could be much longer and may force Britain to take part in European Parliament elections in May. Brexit has become deadlocked in the British parliament, reflecting the deep divisions that remain in Britain almost three years after the 2016 referendum to leave the European Union.

Any request for a delay would still have to go before EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on March 21-22.

They have already stated that they will only agree to push back the Brexit date if Britain makes concrete proposals to break the crisis.

Unless British MPs agree to the deal or EU leaders unanimously approve a delay, Britain would still have to crash out of the EU with no deal in place on March 29.AFP

Notice is hereby given to the public that the estate of the lateRaoul P. Viray has been extrajudicially settled among his surviving heirs.That the decedent at the time of his death left the ff: a property in Quezon City covered by TCT No. 004-2013002176; various bank deposits; 13 funeral lots in Loyola Memorial Park in Paranaque; and membership to different club such as Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, Inc; Camp John Hay Golf Club, Inc; Club Punta Fuego, Inc. and The ManilaYacht Club as per Deed of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate as entered in the NotarialBook of Atty.

Benjamin F. Alfonso as Doc. No. 64; Page No. 14; Book No. 48A; Series of 2018.

RESCUED. A Rhesus macaque, part of the 11 rescued monkeys from

research laboratories, reacts from the quarantine room of the future animal shelter ‘La Taniere’, in Nogent-le-Phaye near Chartres, on March 13, 2019. The refuge, which will open to the public in 2020, cares for retired or mistreated animals from circus, people or illegal farms. AFP

Family in Vietnam of Kim murder suspect urge her not to lose hope NAM DINH, Vietnam―The father of a Vietnamese woman accused of killing the half-brother of North Korea’s leader had washed bed sheets in anticipation of her homecoming after her Indonesian co-accused was suddenly freed earlier this week.

But his daughter is still in custody after a Malaysian prosecutor said Thursday Doan Thi Huong would remain on trial for the gruesome murder of Kim Jong Nam with a toxic nerve agent at a busy Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017.

“I am very sad. The government gave us the best support but the other side could not solve it, what can we do?” said Huong’s father Doan Van Thanh from his rural village in northern Vietnam.

Vietnam’s government made an 11th-hour plea to Malaysian authorities this week to free Huong after fellow suspect Siti Aisyah was sent home following back-door lobbying from Jakarta.

Thanh was sure it would work. He insists his daughter was tricked into Kim’s murder and believes she thought she was part of a prank for TV, as she has said in court.

She could face death by hanging if found guilty of the assassination.

“I still believe Huong is innocent,” the parking lot attendant said at his home surrounded by rice paddies in Nam Dinh province.

He has had little news from his daughter since she was arrested in February 2017, just three brief phone calls from custody on a borrowed phone asking after the family’s health.

He implored his 30-year-old daughter not to lose hope, optimistic she could still be freed. AFP

Notice is hereby given to the public that the intestate estate of the late Jane Garcia-Sandico consisting of various properties located in the province of Pampanga has been extrajudicially settled among her surviving heirs as per the Deed of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate with Appointment of Administrator and Attorneyin-Fact entered in the Notarial Book of Atty. Alysha Grace M. Zulueta as Doc. No. 252; Page No. 51; Book No. XI; Series of 2018.

(MS-MAR. 15,22 & 29, 2019)

NOTICE ( Of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate ) Notice is hereby given to the public that the intestate estate of the late Jane Garcia-Sandico consisting of various properties located in the province of Cavite has been extrajudicially settled among her surviving heirs as per the Deed of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate with Appointment of Administrator and Attorney-in-Fact entered in the Notarial Book of Atty.

Alysha Grace M. Zulueta as Doc. No. 253; Page No. 51; Book No. XI; Series of 2018.

(MS-MAR. 15,22 & 29, 2019)

NOTICE ( Of Affidavit of Self Adjudication ) Notice is hereby given to the public that the intestate estate of the late Dante Diokno consisting of various properties located in the province of Pampanga has been extra - judicially settled as per Affidavit of Adjudication as Sole Heir entered in the Notarial Book of Atty.

Alysha Grace M. Zulueta as Doc. No. 254; Page No. 51; Book No. XI; Series of 2018.

Residual CAPEX - This category involves the upgrading and replacement of various distribution assets such as distribution lines, line devices, distribution transformers, poles, towers, and fixtures. This category also includes the purchase and installation of new meters, instruments and metering transformers, as well as purchase and installation of new streetlights and maintenance of current ones.

iii.

Upgrading of SCADA Hardware and Software - This involves the upgrade of CLPC’s SCADA software and hardware.

iv.

Elevated Meter Center - This involves the installation of new elevated meter centers (EMC) and rehabilitation of current EMCs within the franchise area.

v.

Rehabilitation Project - This involves the rehabilitation and maintenance upgrade of several substations within the franchise area.

B.

Non-Network

i.

Telecommunications - This involves the acquisition of several communications equipment.

ii.

Tools and Work Equipment - This involves the acquisition, replacement, repair and maintenance of various tools and equipment.

iii.

Transportation - This involves the acquisition of a new mini bucket truck, forklift and a transport vehicle.

iv.

Building Improvements - This involves the various building improvements, and acquisition of office furniture and equipment.

v.

Computer Equipment - This involves the acquisition of new computers and accessories, as well as upgrade of computer software.

The total estimated cost of CLPC’s CAPEX under this Application is Php 140,415,492.34 broken down as follows:

35,181,890.51 7,045,806.33 7,248,652.63 12,842,789.92 7,507,571.95 2,864,271.54 1,931,000.00 16,855,568.37 8,186,701.00 128,000.00 8,173,420.09 8,400,000.00 11,047,829.00 13,001,991.00

The detailed justification, technical analysis, and economic analysis, as applicable, for CLPC’s CAPEX under the instant Application are discussed in detail in Annex “A” of this Application.

8.

The proposed CAPEX will not have a direct impact on the current rates of CLPC until approved by the Honorable Commission, as part of CLPC’s Regulatory Asset Base, in the next applicable Regulatory Period.

9.

Applicant undertakes to comply with the pre-filing requirements under Rule 3, Section 4(e) of the EPIRA IRR, as amended.

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

10. Public interest and necessity require the immediate implementation of the subject CAPEX projects. Most of CLPC’s load centers are exceeding load limits and there is a need to upgrade various parts of the network in order to mitigate overloading and avoid breakdown of equipment. Furthermore, various projects are necessary for CLPC to accommodate new customer applications, as well as for CLPC to continue to effectively serve its existing customers. In the event that the various CAPEX projects are not immediately implemented, certain facilities of CLPC will be rendered obsolete, which may then lead to power interruptions or delay in accommodating the additional load coming from existing and new customers. These negative consequences, which are detrimental to the livelihood and everyday lives of CLPC’s customers, may be tempered by the immediate approval of the instant CAPEX projects.

11. Thus, pending final approval, there is an urgent need for a provisional authority for CLPC to immediately implement its proposed CAPEX projects.

In support of the prayer for the grant of the provisional authority, attached as Annex “B” is the Judicial affidavit of Mr. Francis Per Miñoza, Officer-inCharge of the Engineering Group of CLPC. 12. The foregoing CAPEX projects are indispensable for the systematic and economic expansion and rehabilitation of CLPC’s distribution facilities and ensuring compliance with safety, performance and regulatory requirements.

The benefits arising from these CAPEX projects will ultimately redound to the end-consumers of CLPC because these projects ensure continuous, reliable and efficient power supply.

13. CLPC prays of this Commission that, after due notice and hearing: a.

Approve the proposed Capital Expenditure Projects; and

b.

Pending trial on the merits, issue an Order granting Provisional Authority authorizing CLPC to implement its proposed Capital Expenditure Projects.

Other reliefs just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for.

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and presentation of evidence on 13 March 2019 (Wednesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at CLPC’s Main Office in Sinsuat Ave., Cotabato City.

On 11 February 2019, CLPC filed a Motion to Change Venue and Reset Hearing (Motion) stating that Cotabato City and the rest of Maguindanao are currently on heightened security alert due to threats of attacks by a lawless group.

In view thereof and taking into consideration the safety of the public, the said Motion is hereby GRANTED. Thus, the instant Application is hereby set for the determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and presentation of evidence on 27 March 2019 (Wednesday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.) at the ERC Mindanao Field Office, Mintrade Building, Monteverde Avenue corner Sales Street, Davao City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1)

The petitioner’s name and address;

2)

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and A statement of the relief desired.

3)

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1)

The name and address of such person;

2)

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3)

The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA, and the Honorable Commissioners CATHERINE P. MACEDA, and PAUL CHRISTIAN M. CERVANTES, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 18th day of February 2019 in Pasig City.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal

1 2

(MS-MAR. 15,22 & 29, 2019)

ii.

7.

(MS-MAR. 15,22 & 29, 2019)

NOTICE ( Of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate )

Line Extension, Rehabilitation and Maintenance - This category involves projects for CLPC’s Rural Electrification and upgrade of various distribution lines within the franchise area.

Project Summary OTHER NETWORK Line Extension, Rehabilitation and Maintenance Rural Electrification Project and Distribution Lines Upgrade Residual Capex Poles, Towers, and Fixtures Overhead Conductors and Devices Line Transformers Meters, Instruments, and Metering Transformers Streetlights and Signal Systems Upgrading of SCADA Software and Hardware Elevated Meter Center Rehabilitation Project NON-NETWORK Telecommunications Tools and Work Equipment Transportation Building Improvements Computer Equipment

NOTICE (of Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate )

Pilots reported problems with 737

WASHINGTON―The US decision on Wednesday to ground the Boeing 737 MAX came after authorities noted similarities between two recent crashes, eerily echoing the reports from American pilots who complained of problems with the plane late last year.

At least four US pilots filed reports following the October crash of a Lion Air flight in Indonesia shortly after takeoff and all complained the aircraft suddenly pitched downward, according to documents reviewed by AFP on a flight safety database.

The Lion Air crash that killed 189 people was attributed to the flight stabilization system designed to prevent the aircraft from stalling, the “MCAS.” The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that new evidence and satellite data indicated similarities with Sunday’s crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 minutes after takeoff, killing 157.

That link “warrants further investigation of the possibility of a shared cause for the two incidents,” the FAA said in the emergency order grounding the 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft.

Dozens of airlines and governments around the world had already taken that step.

The cause of the tragedy in Ethiopia has not been determined, although the black boxes with critical data and recordings of the pilots were retrieved Monday and are due to be shipped to France for analysis.

Boeing already announced it was working on an update to its flight software and training on the aircraft. AFP

6.

Other Network

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Section 2 (b) of the EPlRA; Otherwise known as the Public Service Act.

(MS-MAR. 8 & 15, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

B4 FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019

An icon returns

Suzuki Jimny All-Grip Pro

(From left) Suzuki Philippines Managing Director and Treasurer Norminio Mojica, President of Suzuki Philippines, Hiroshi Suzuki, and Suzuki Philippines Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki. Photo by Lorelee Yap

By Kyle Gabrielle Ureta and Lorelee Antonette Yap

F

RIDAY March 8 saw the reveal of the newest generation of Suzuki’s iconic 4x4 SUV at Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater in BGC Taguig, the Suzuki Jimny All-Grip Pro. Suzuki Philippines president Hiroshi Suzuki, SPH Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki and SPH Managing Director and Treasurer Norminio Mojica led guests, mediamen and enthusiasts in making the event a standout.

The Jimny All-Grip Pro was showcased during the event, with guests given the free rein to tinker with the runabout vehicle known for its durability and superior off-road capabilities. The Jimny was designed for the roughest of terrains and forests, to support the driver and sate his thirst for adventure.

“Our determination to provide simple, straightforward, and functional vehicles such as the Suzuki Jimny All-Grip Pro underscores our commitment to continuously provide innovation that Filipinos can rely on. Every detail of the fourthgeneration Jimny—from the body to the engine—is designed to deliver the

maximum performance and durability required by serious off-road travellers.

With this newest addition to our line-up of vehicles, more Filipinos can now enjoy the Suzuki Way of Life! as they explore more challenges and adventures,” Keiichi Suzuki said.

It’s square body and compact dimensions make the Jimny perfect for long trips, lending itself to better situational awareness and higher maneuverability in narrow trails and thick forests. It’s built to accommodate 53 liters more luggage than the previous models.

The Jimny has a ladder frame and a long-stroke 3-link suspension and rigid full wheel axles on front and rear for stronger traction and better resistance on uneven terrain. Its 37-degree specialized approach angle, 28-degree ramp break over angle and 49-degree departure angle assures that the Jimny can climb over steep hills and various obstacles without scraping its bumpers or underbody.

Each of the Jimny variants is equipped with Suzuki’s Total Effective Control

Technology (TECT) that distributes the collision energy across the vehicle frame to reduce the damage to the car and the passengers.

To add to the new improved Jimny specifications, Suzuki increased the SUV’s ladder frame rigidity and its body mount was calibrated to decrease vibrations reducing the driver’s stress and fatigue while travelling.

The Jimny also used zinc-coated steel and was given a more effective floor undercoating and seater coatings at panel edges to prevent it from having rust due to the salt from river crossing.

Prices of the Jimny All-Grip Pro range from P 975,000 for GL MT; P1, 035,000 for GL AT; P1, 085,000 for GLX AT Monotone, a to P 1, 095, 000 for GLX AT Two Tone.

Buyers can choose from various color: Solid Kinetic Yellow, Metallic Brisk Blue, and Metallic Chiffon Ivory, or Monotone variant: Pearl Bluish Black, Solid Medium Gray, Metallic Silky Silver, Superior White, and Solid Jungle Garden.

Nissan Futures: Transforming the way we drive

By Lester Dizon STUDIES show that by 2050 the human population will reach 9.9 Billion and that two out of three people will be living in cities. And this forecast is the reason why Nissan brought together industry leaders, government officials, company executives, and media representatives for the seventh edition of Nissan Futures, which was held in Hong Kong from March 8-10, 2019. Under the theme “Transform the Way We Drive and Live”, the event gathered key leaders to discuss the evolving mobility needs and the future of cities in Asia and Oceania.

On Day 1 (March 8), we drove the Nissan Leaf from the Kerry Hotel in Kowloon Bay, around Hong Kong and back, to get a feel of the electric vehicle (EV) in everyday city traffic conditions. We were asked to drive it in various modes and experience it on city roads, and up and down Hong Kong’s mountain roads.

At one point, the organizers instructed us to drive the Leaf in Eco mode to see how we can economize the use of our car’s battery charge. Sufficed to say, the Nissan Leaf performed like a car with an internal combustion engine (ICE) but with the added benefits of almost instantaneous torque and zero emissions from its electric motor. Its range was extended with its 60 kWh battery pack, which allowed us to drive worry-free.

After almost two hours driving around Hong Kong, we came to the conclusion that EVs are the wave of the future. After all, 400,000 Nissan Leaf owners can’t be wrong.

Day 2 was the actual Nissan Futures thought leadership and panel discussions.

Yutaka Sanada, regional senior vice president for Nissan Asia & Oceania, opened the sessions. “Asia Pacific is home to more than 2.1 billion urban residents, that is 60

per cent of the world’s urban population.

This brings increased pressure on the region’s cities and mobility systems. Through Nissan Futures, we can discuss solutions for the region’s city and mobility systems.

Driven by our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, we are committed to bringing safe, smart and sustainable mobility to more people.” Sanada-san introduced Nissan’s ePower concept where the Nissan Leaf not only provides mobility but clean energy to power future homes and offices. He also announced that the Leaf will be introduced in the Philippines by 2020.

Maarten Sierhuis, former NASA engineer and now Chief Technology Director of the Nissan Research Center in Silicon Valley, presented the future of mobility in which human-driven and autonomous smart EVs will have a major role in transporting people and goods. Vivek Vaidya, Associate Partner and Senior Vice President of Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific, presented a study on the evolving role of mobility in the cities of the future and offered insights on the future of mobility in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh,

Nissan Leaf soon to hit Philippine roads.

Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Seoul, Singapore and Sydney. Vaidya noted that among these cities, Manila is unique because majority of its population relies on around 10,000 jeepneys for mass transportation, which other cities do not have. He sees e-Jeepneys as a unique solution to Manila’s transportation and environmental problems.

The Future of Cities: Changing the Way We Live The first set of discussions centered on transforming the way we live and the future of cities. Moderated by Cassian Cheung, Adjunct Professor from the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, the panelists included Maarten Sierhuis of Nissan; Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia IndustryGovernment Group for High Technology (MIGHT); Tim Washington, Founder of JET Charge, Australia; Hung Yuen Justin, Director of GRST Energy Limited; and Assistant Secretary Leonido

“Bodie” Pulido III, of the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE).

The panelists discussed solutions to the congestion and pollution caused by the unprecedented number of people and vehicles in urbanized areas around Asia and Oceania. While most are hopeful that technological advancements will offer solutions, DOE Asec. Pulido hoped that the heritage, individuality and uniqueness of each city will remain intact. The panelists agreed that each city has unique problems that require unique solutions and that EVs and autonomous driving with human interfaces will be integral parts of future cities. Governments should plan for infrastructure to support EVs and the eventual change from fuelpowered cars to EVs. JET Charge’s Washington suggested that vehicles will no longer be considered merely as financial assets but as mobile energy assets as well, since these EVs will also be supplying power.

The panelists agreed that the future of Asia and Oceania’s roads will have more EVs transporting people and goods, increased autonomy, and improved connectivity. Wijnen stated that with 400,000 Nissan Leafs sold since its introduction, Nissan has opened opportunities for future electric mobility ecosystems. They also foresee that the widespread EV technology and charging infrastructure plus the increasing autonomy of vehicles will provide convenience to end users as well as new opportunities to increase road safety, which is passionately advocated

by Queenrides’ Jachja. With improved interconnectivity, the panelists foresee the rise of ride-sharing businesses and the decreased demands for individual vehicle ownership.

They cited the current trend where “millennials” favor ride-sharing services over driving, especially when autonomous vehicles become part of the mainstream.

Toyota PH helps para athletes bring honor to the country IN THE 2000 Paralympic Games held in Sydney, Filipina powerlifter Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta made history when she brought home a bronze medal - a first for the Philippines. But before she brought pride to the country, Dumapong-Ancheta who contracted polio at an early age, used to push her wheelchair to the gym just to attend her trainings, rain or shine. Regular public transportation was a challenge.

Today, Dumapong-Ancheta is one of the board members of the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC), the national association tasked to develop Parasports in the Philippines. Together with other officials and coaches of PPC she helps hone Filipino athletes with disabilities so they, too, may have a shot at winning in international competitions.

Unlike Dumapong-Ancheta, PPC’s current roster of athletes can now go to their trainings and competitions a lot easier.

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) recently turned over a 29-seater Toyota Coaster to the PPC as part of its commitment to support Filipino Para athletes and help uplift Parasports in the country.

The donation was made under Toyota’s global corporate initiative - Start Your Impossible, which aims to promote inclusivity and sustainability by opening opportunities to Para athletes and helping them seek avenues that can help them realize their dreams. ‘‘We are proud to be a part of this advocacy because it allows us to help change people’s lives by enabling them to overcome challenges and reach their aspirations,’’ said TMP President Satoru Suzuki during the turnover ceremony held at the PPC grounds in Pasig City.

Aligned with PPC’s mandate, Toyota’s Start Your Impossible initiative also aspires to raise the public’s awareness and appreciation of the potential of people with disability, a cause being championed by PPC’s president Michael Barredo. ‘‘Ever since we started, having a bus or van to be used by our officials, coaches, and athletes to move around was one of the top priorities on our “wish list”. Toyota’s donation of a coaster, will help alleviate one of the most difficult challenges persons with disabilities face dayto-day which is mobility,’’ said Barredo as he accepted the Coaster on behalf of the PPC. ‘‘By donating the Coaster to the PPC for the use of its athletes and officials, (TMP has extended) a big help. As Barredo said, it has been 20 years since PPC started and yet transportation has always been a challenge. For me, this is the first step,’’ added Dumapong-Ancheta.

The Coaster donation is just one of TMP’s efforts under the Start Your Impossible program. Last year, TMP chose the PPC and its Asian Para Games swimming gold medalist, Ernie Gawilan to be the primary beneficiaries of last year’s Toyota Classics a benefit concert series that aims to support charities across Asia.

During the Philippine leg of the Toyota Classics in November 2018 when Toyota’s Start Your Impossible was first introduced in the country, PPC and Ernie Gawilan received a grant of one million pesos worth of multi-sport wheelchairs from TMP on top of the Toyota Coaster.

With these various steps towards the vision of mobility for all, TMP and other Toyota units all over the world hope to inspire and encourage members of the community to challenge their limits, celebrate the human spirit, and start their own impossible. Toyota is the official worldwide mobility partner of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee.

Born to Lead Uy’s path to greatness C1

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Special Feature

By Kyle Gabrielle Ureta and Lorelee Antonette Yap

D

ENNIS Uy has become one of the most prominent figures in the business industry in the Philippines and is known as the Udenna Corporation’s founder, chairman, and chief executive officer (CEO). However, Uy’s most popular feather on his cap was when his Mislatel Consortium was named as the third telecommunications player in the country after forming a partnership with the state-run, China Telecom.

Dennis Uy: President, Founder and Chairman of Udenna Corporation

But let’s hit pause for a while to get to know more about the person behind these expanding empires.

His ancestors were Ega Uy and Tao Sui Eng. They were migrants from Fuijan, China who decided to build a business dealing with copra as they settled in Tagum, Davao City. They later expanded to mining, supermarkets, car dealership and many more.

Uy belongs to the third generation of the Uy family.

He graduated in 1993 from De La Salle University in Manila with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Management and worked 10 years in their family business before leaving to start his own.

He began with a barbecue business, Dencio’s, that later had up to six outlets. Uy handed over the business to his sister when he decided to establish and move on to the fuel retailing business, which ignited the beginning of his legacy.

Uy is married to Cherylyn Chiong Uy, a Davao City fashion and style icon, who graduated from Ateneo de Davao with a degree of Bachelor of

Science in Business and Finance.

They have three kids namely, Chelsea Denise, Charlize Donatela, and Charles Dennison Uy. In addition, Uy became the Honorary Consul of Kazakhstan in the Philippines in 2011, with the goal to further promote and improve the relations and bilateral ties between both countries.

Also, due to Uy’s love and commitment for sports, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed him as the Presidential Sports Adviser in 2016.

For his dedication to both leadership and management, Uy was given numerous awards to recognize his hard work. These were the ASEAN Business Awards’ Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, the MVP Bossing Award in 2016, the Agora Award for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship-Large Scale in 2013 and the Datu Bago Award in 2013 given by the City Government of Davao. He was also a finalist in the CNBC Asia Business Leaders Awards from 2011 up to 2013.

Uy is also a member of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), the American Chamber of CommerceDavao Chapter, the Davao City

Chamber of Commerce, and a representative to the Chinatown Development Council in the business sector in Davao.

A Path to Greatness Dennis Uy is at the prime of his life and will undoubtedly continue to leave his expanding mark on the country. Let’s retrace the steps that led to his successful empire-in-the-making.

In 2002, he established Udenna Corp. with his wife Cherylyn. Udenna is a holdings company that will later become the center of his business interests in various industries. The same year saw the creation of Phoenix Petroleum as well.

Phoenix Petroleum and Udenna Corp. started as small companies and steadily grew over the years through perseverance and hard work.

By 2007, Uy had acquired ownership of Global Synergy Trade and Distribution Corp., Phoenix Petroleum Holdings, Phoenix Udenna Insurance Brokers, and Udenna Managements and Resources Corp.

The year 2010 saw the addition of Udenna Dev. Corp. and Udenna Environmental Services Corp. to Uy’s growing business empire. This was followed

by Udenna Capital Inc. in 2012 Turn to C2

Born to Lead

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Special Feature

President Rodrigo Duterte, Dennis Uy, Presidential Adviser for Sports and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez are shown with the country’s top athletes. siklabatleta.ph

Siklab Atleta Awards recognize top athletes The first Phoenix Siklab Youth Sports awards honored 50 sports achievers in a simple, yet memorable rites last year at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.

The awardees were 24 youth athletes, aged 17-years-old below, who made waves in local and international tournaments.

Theyconferred the POC Young Heroes Awards trophies.

Heading the list were Kim Remolino for triathlon, Rex Luis Krog (cycling), Chezka Centeno (billiards), Samantha Kyle Catantan (fencing), Nicole Tagle (archery), Maria Takahashi (judo), Alex Eala (tennis), Veruel Verdadero (athletics) and boxers Chriztian Pitt Laurente, Kenneth Dela Pena and John Vincent Pangga.

Also included in the premier honor roll were Mary Angeline Alcantara (taekwondo), Rafael Barreto (swimming), Angelo Kenzo Umali (bowling), Caloy Yulo (gymnastics), Kaitlin De Guzman (gymnastics), Bea Hernandez (bowling), Sarah Barredo (badminton), Allaney Jia Doroy (chess), Ghen-Yan Cruz (muay), Johnzenth Gajo (wushu), AJ Lim (tennis), John Paolo Rivero (weightlifting) and Bhay Newberry (swimming).

Outstanding athletes who have shone in major school leagues and championships in their respective sport, as well as the Philippine National Games, were bestowed the POC Super Kids trophies during the historic affair supported by Standard Insurance, Philta, Vernica, Philippine Bowling Federation, Veloci, Omila Sports Academy, Cignal and Digital Out of Home (DOOH).

The POC Super Kids awardees were Kai Sotto (basketball), Tara Borlain (athletics), Marco Umgeher (alpine skiing), Dexy Manalo (canoe-kayak), Morris Marlos (sailing), Rizumu Ono (table tennis), Rosegie Ramos (weightlifting), Daniel Quizon (chess), Jane Linette Hipolito (weightlifting),Kieth Absalon (football),Justin Ceriola (jiu-jitsu), Trojan Dangadang (canoe-kayak), Christine Talledo (dragonboat) at si Eya Laure (volleyball).

Those who excelled in national multi-events like Batang Pinoy and Palaro Pambansa became PSC Children’s Games for Peace awardees.

They included Jayvee Alvarez (athletics), Rick Angelo Sotto (athletics), Kaila Soguilon (swimming), Althea Michel Baluyot (swimming), Ethan Zafra (archery), Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh (swimming), Karl Jahrel Eldrew Yulo (gymnastics), Princes Sheryl Valdez (arnis), Jared Cole Sua (archery) at si Phoebe Nicole Amistoso (archery).

It was the first time that an award body like Siklab put the highlights on budding sports superstars who are 17 years old and below.

“We would like to inspire our young athlete and give them more reasons to persevere, pursue their dreams and make our country proud in bigger stages,” said June Navarro, president of the PSCPOC Media Group that pin cooperation with the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Navarro also clarified that although there are basic criteria set in giving the awards, some athletes may not have won a gold yet “but their life-changing stories were enough to inspire others in keeping a positive attitude towards their goals.”

To cap the night, Siklab paid tribute to two Olympic silver medalists, boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco Jr., and lady weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.

Velasco and Diaz, whose exploits have spurred a lot of young athletes’ Olympic dreams, received Sports Idols trophies.

UDENNA signs MOU with NGCP for fiber optic facilities use Udenna Corporation (UDENNA) Chairman Dennis A. Uy and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) President and CEO Anthony L. Almeda signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Mislatel Consortium’s use of NGCP’s fiber optic facilities. The recently held MOU signing, signified UDENNA’s intention to conduct joint studies to determine the feasibility of the Consortium’s use of NGCP’s fiber optic facilities. This is in line with the Consortium’s resolve to achieve its committed level of speed and coverage as the New Major Player (NMP) in the Philippine telecommunications industry. The Consortium composed of Udenna Corporation, Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp., and China Telecom was declared by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as the NMP.

A heart for sports

By Lyka Navarrosa

D

ENNIS Uy may be a big, business tycoon responsible for more than 50 Filipino enterprises ranging from food and shipping to telecommunications and fuel.

ing optimum opportunities for professional and aspiring Filipino athletes, the Philippines will finally win that elusive Olympic gold.

“Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Sports Foundation will fuel the Philippines’ best athletes to make the country’s dream of bagging an Olympic gold a reality,” the Siklab Atleta Pilipinas website proudly declares.

Athletes’ needs Getting into sports is not just about passion and hard work. Athletes need training equipment and facilities, together with the coaching services that will hone and give them proper knowledge about their respective sports. Also, gaining an exposure in international competitions helps the athletes find recognition and start building their names in the field.

Those needs are the focus of the Siklab Atleta for every athlete representing the Philippines.

Valuing the importance of providing their families essential resources, the foundation also offers housing and livelihood programs for the athletes, proving that the foundation is for the betterment of the athlete and as a person.

“We need to provide our athletes the support befitting their stature as our country’s representative to the world,” said Uy.

Uy’s...

But do you know that deep inside the heart of this emerging business taipan is a sports lover by heart?

Only months after the start of the official term of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Chief Executive assigned Dennis Uy as the government’s Presidential Adviser for Sports.

Uy’s role under the position is to help the President’s vision for the country’s athletes and sports programs be possible and guide the government achieve its sporting goals for the future of Philippine sports.

Uy’s early sporting life Uy has been a fan of the sport of basketball. During his teen years, his hobby was to play basketball. When he wasn’t playing, he already showed glimpses of his

sound business acumen as he used to sell basketball cards to his classmates.

Past forward decades later and Uy is now the owner of the Phoenix Petroleum franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association, the country’s premier sporting entertainment.

Siklab Atleta Foundation As his empire continuously grew, his passion and commitment for sports also expanded.

Early last year, Uy started the Siklab Atleta Pilipinas Foundation Inc. that will serve as the supporting ground of Filipino athletes training for international tournaments, most notably the Olympic Games.

Uy believes that through the help of this foundation, which has the mission of provid-

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and Udenna Tower Corp and Udenna Trade Corp. in 2014.

In 2016, marine-related companies were taken under Uy’s ownership, including Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp, Chelsea Marine Manpower Resources, Inc., Davao Gulf Marine Services inc. Dynamic Cuisine Inc. KGLINM Holdings Inc, Ocean Star Shipping Corp, Quality Metal & Shipworks Inc, Starsy Shoppe Inc, and the Trans-Asia Shipping Lines inc.

The next year saw the most growth in Uy’s corporate empire as he gained ownership of various companies including but not limited to the ADF Enderun 1010 Inc, Aetos Air Ph Inc, Donatela Hotel Panglao Corp, Duta Inc, GGDC Holdings Inc, Global Gateway Development Corp., and Kaparangan Inc. He also added Lapu-Lapu Land Corp, Lapu-Lapu Leisure Corp., Le Penseur Inc, PH Travel and Leisure Holdings Corp, Phoenix LPG Ph inc, Starlite Ferries Inc., Udenna Infrastructure Corp., Udenna Water Integrated Service Inc, Valueleases Inc, and Worklink Services Inc. This was also the year he established Clark Global City Corp. and bought the Enderun Colleges Inc. The end of 2017 had Udenna having investments in more or less 50 companies in varying industries from oil to infrastructure to logistics.

Last year saw even more growth for Uy’s businesses as Autostrada Motore Inc, Conti’s Holdings Corp, H2o Ventures Corp, Ph Familymart Cvs, Inc, Pos!Ble.Net, Pxp Energy Corp, Tipco Asphalt, and Udenna Energy Corp. have been added to his list of companies.

Early in the same year, the Udenna Tower located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig finished its construction, yet another milestone in Uy’s business career.

Truly, there is no slowing down Uy’s path to greatness.

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Tight security marks Davao’s anniversary T

HE 82ND founding anniversary of Davao City kicked off on March 1 amid tight security, with up to 4,500 personnel from the city, regional, and other auxiliary forces deployed throughout the city on shifting schedules from March 1 to 19.

The opening program of the Araw ng Davao featured a 3D mapping light show that showed the different icons of the city at the facade of the City Hall.

“We are showing the history of Davao and this is important so we know where we came from and where we are headed,” City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) Chief Regina D. Tecson said.

The 15-minute light show will be up until March 16, and will play from 6 to 10 p.m.

This year’s Araw ng Davao celebration seeks to highlight not only the city’s history but its diversity.

Ms. Tecson said that for the first time, the Mutya ng Davao Search held on March 2 included a member of the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders

(LGBT) community.

“For the first time also, we will be conducting the Ginoong Davao pageant for male Dabawenyos who embody the Dabawenyo spirit and the Reyna Dabawenya for transgenders,” she said.

Meanwhile, the City Tourism Office is optimistic the city can hit its target of 2.8 million tourist arrivals this year, noting the city’s line-up of convention and sports events.

Tecson said this year’s target is higher than last year’s 2.4 million tourist arrivals.

She said the local government is intensively promoting the city as the best venue for meetings and conventions, pointing to several international sports events this year such as the Ironman 70.3 triathlon slated in March.

“We have lined up big events starting from the DAVRAA (Davao Region Athletic Association), Chinese New Year, Araw ng Davao, Ironman, Palarong Pambansa and a lot more,” she said.

She said packaging the city as an enjoyable place to tour around and a safe place to stay has boosted the local tourism industry.

“Also, the Dabawenyos posting good (things) about Davao helps a lot in promoting the city,” Tecson said.

Another reason for the influx of tourist arrivals is the opening of new international routes such as the latest Davao City-Xiamen and Davao City Hong Kong connections.

“Because of the new international routes, we have reached 15 percent increase in foreign tourist (arrivals). This is higher compared to the 9 to 10 percent foreign tourist arrivals in 2017,” she said.

The multi-agency security cluster for the Araw ng Davao has assured a safe celebration of this city’s founding anniversary.

Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director, said that about 4,500 cops will be deployed from March 1 to 19 when the city cel-

“Araw Ng Dabaw” is a city-wide celebration for the anniversary of Davao City on 16 March which attracts both local and foreign visitors. Events begin several days before the anniversary, including the famous Mutya ng Davao beauty contest on the 15th at the Davao City Recreational Center. On the 16th there is a Civic Parade starting early in the morning.

ebrates its 82nd founding anniversary.

Tagum said the security forces will also include an augmentation from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-11 and other auxiliary forces.

He said the Army-led Task Force Davao will also secure other places while the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) will send out 589 traffic enforcers.

Despite the huge forces to ensure the safety and security of the people against saboteurs, Tagum said vigilance and cooperation of the public is still needed.

“Padayon ang among hangyo sa suporta sa mga tawo (We continue to call for support from the people). The people should continue to be vigilant and be aware of their surroundings,” Tagum said.

Tagum police will implement the regular security measures such as the prohibi-

tion of backpacks, cola drinks in canisters, and bladed weapons.

He also called on the public to avoid making “bomb jokes” to prevent panic and stampede especially during the convergence of people in Araw events.

Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, Police Regional Office-11 director, said all enforcement agencies and all units of the police will undertake tightened security measures, traffic management direction and control, public safety services, checkpoints within the city proper and boundaries to ensure the safety of the people.

“The burden of responsibility is in the hands of the law enforcement agencies,” he said, as also called on the public to be alert, vigilant and wary of suspicious personalities and packages and to report them to the authorities. PNA

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FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 advertise@manilastandard.net

Enthralling Davaoeños, tourists for 82 years

By Peter Paul Duran

T

HIS city may be known for many nicknames, but it is home to two of the most awaited festivals in the region—the Kadayawan Festival and the Davao City’s Araw ng Dabaw.

Donning the “Life Is Here” motto, Davao is full of life today as it celebrates its 82nd anniversary, enthralling Davaoeños and tourists alike.

Davao City, a highly urbanized city in the island of Mindanao, Philippines and the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area, is the third most populous city in the Philippines after Quezon City and Manila, and the most populous city in the country outside Metro Manila.

Geographically situated in the province of Davao del Sur, the city is governed and administered independently from it.

Davao City is the center of Metro Davao, serving as the main trade, commerce, and industry hub of Mindanao, and the regional center of Davao Region.

Its cityhood was proclaimed on March 16, 1936. Since then, its cityhood anniversary has been the highlight event of this bustling City in Mindanao.

Araw ng Dabaw, one of their centerpiece events in a calendar year, is a vibrant feast celebrating oneness of a multicultural city.

In true grand gala fashion befitting the largest city in Mindanao, the festivities come complete with a “jam-packed, seven-day schedule of trade fairs and cultural presentations.”

Apart from this, a colorful civic-military parade and a citywide beauty pageant, feaManila International turing the smartest, most charming ladies Container Terminal (MICT) this side of the islands in their much-anticipated search for the “Mutya ng Dabaw” are Manila North Harbor among the reasons to have fun here.

Terminal (NorthPort) This also includes the “Parada,” “BanSubic Bay International dahan sa Kadalanan,” “Piging sa Dan” food Terminal (New Container street party, and “Kasikas”, the city’s AmTerminals 1 & 2), bassador of Goodwill.

Subic Bay Freeport Other events, such as “Huni” (pop music song writing competition), concerts, arts and Cavite Gateway Terminal, Tanza, Cavite culture presentations, various sports competitions are also held during the festival.

“

KING City of the South,” the “Crown Jewel of Mindanao,” the “Durian Capital of the Philippines,” and the “Fruit Basket of the Philippines.

According to the city, there will be several stars of Philippine entertainment gracing the 82nd Araw ng Davao celebration.

The list of personalities includes Sam Milby, the special guest during the Mutya ng Davao pageant, and teen actress and singer Janella Salvador at the first ever Ginoong Davao male pageant.

Meanwhile, actor Joseph Marco was present at the first Reyna Dabawenya. Comedian Gladys Guevara will join the first Kanta Bidabawenyo, which will be held at the Rizal Park.

City Tourism Office head Gene Rose Tecson said that all artists joining the city’s 82nd founding anniversary celebrations are paid for

by San Miguel Corp., the city’s partner for the massive celebration this year.

“These artists will join and celebrate with us to give more colors to the celebration of the Araw ng Davao. These events are created for the enjoyment of Dabawenyos and visiting tourists,” Tecson said.

“We encourage Dabawenyos to go out of their houses and join us in celebrating the 82nd Araw ng Davao,” she added.

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