Manila Standard - 2019 March 20 - Wednesday

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 38 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

INDAY SARA ENDORSES ROMUALDEZ SPEAKERSHIP BID ‘Leytenos for Hugpong’ REMINISCING the harrowing ordeal they suffered under the previous administration after being ravaged by Super Typhoon “Yolanda,” mayoralty candidate Alfred Romualdez urged the people of Leyte to vote for the senators endorsed by HNP. The mayor raised the possibilty that another Yolanda could happen again in Tacloban and the Eastern Visayan region.

“What happened before can again happen. I wish, when we were hit by Yolanda, Rodrigo was already our president,” he said.

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Jinggoy-JV reconciliation eyed CATARMAN, Samar—Inroducing them on stage as “brothers who are enemies,” Hugpong ng Pagbabago founder and campaign manager Sara Duterte on Monday said she remained hopeful that one day reelectionist Senator JV Ejercito and returning Senator Jinggoy Estrada would reconcile.

In the HNP campaign caravan in this province or the next campaign day after the fistfight between the staff of the sons of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, the two brothers failed to share the stage at the Universtiy of Eastern Philippines.

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TACLOBAN CITY—Rising political kingmaker, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Tuesday declared that former Leyte 1st district Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez would be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives in the coming 18th Congress.

Prior to introducing the 13 senatorial candidates being backed by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the president’s daughter announced that Ro-

mualdez would be the next House Speaker.

“The next Speaker of the House,” Carpio said, referring to Romualdez on two occasions during rhe HNP’s campaign caravan in the city held at the Tacloban Astrodome.

Romualdez is a returning congressman in the province’s first district which he served for three terms— June 30, 2007 until June 30, 2016.

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THE NEXT SPEAKER? Davao City mayor and Hugpong ng Pagbabago Regional Party chairperson Sara Duterte-Carpio introduces Lakas-CMD Party president and Leyte 1st district congressional candidate Martin Romualdez as the next Speaker of the House during the HNP’s Grand Campaign Rally at Tacloban City’s Astrodome attended by more than 25,000 government officials and supporters. Joining them on stage are Rep. Yedda Romualdez, also Tingog party-list first nominee, and HNP senatorial candidate Christopher “Bong” Go. Ver Noveno

‘Mindanao a poll hot spot’ House insists: No lump sum

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta SPEAKER Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday said the House of Representatives has not withdrawn its version of the 2019 budget, reiterating that the lump sum appropriations favored by senators are unconstitutional.

“No, we have not withdrawn our version. We’re in discussions about what is the proposed new version,” Arroyo said on the sidelines of the Nickel Initiative

Comelec also lumps Abra with Category Red areas

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HE Commission on Elections has declared the entire Mindanao, the entire province of Abra and the towns of Jones in Isabela and Lope de Vega in Northern Samar as Category Red election hot spots for the May 13 midterm polls.

“The Category Red classification may warrant the motu proprio declaration of Comelec control over the affected areas, and the Comelec en banc may direct the augmentation of personnel of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines as the need arises,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

Jimenez cited “serious armed threats” from the New People’s Army, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Abu Sayyaf Group, and rogue elements of the Moro National

China pursuing buildup of islets in SCS , says report

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Palace chides HRW on pullout from ICC

By Nat Mariano THE Palace on Tuesday brushed off suggestions that President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the country out of the International Criminal Court to avoid accountability for any wrongdoing, saying he could still be impeached or face criminal charges after his term ends.

“Those fears are misplaced, if not recklessly advanced, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said of a statement issued earlier by Human Rights Watch.

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ISLAND CITY. China is shifting gear to build an island city on Woody Island and two smaller nearby islets in the disputed South China waters, the island contested by Beijing, Taipei and Hanoi. Diplomatic observers say the developments on the island raises China’s blueprint for future military projects in other Chinese-occupied islands in the South China Sea.

Rody firms up Road Board abolition

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure scrapping the corruption-plagued Road Board.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11239 which dissolved the Road Board under the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The new law also provided for the

Liberation Front and/or Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

He also noted “suspected election-related incidents in the last two elections” in the Category Red hot spots.

The Philippine National Police said it will intensify its security preparations in the areas declared as Category Red hot spots by the poll body.

“The PNP will abide by the declaration of the Comelec on election hotspots and make the necessary adjustments in our intensified security preparation,” said PNP spokesperson Sr. Supt. Bernard Banac in a statement.

disposition of the P45 billion Motor Vehicle User’s Charge fund, which shall now be reverted back to the National Treasury under the new law.

“All monies collected under this Act shall be remitted to the National Treasury under a special account in the General Fund to be earmarked solely for the construction upgrading, repair, and Next page

CHINA will push through with its plan to build an island city on Woody Island and two smaller neighboring islets in the contested South China Sea waters, South China Morning Post said in a report.

“We need to carefully plan the overall development of the islands and reefs based on their different functions, taking into account their complementary relationship,” said Zhang Jun, Communist Party secretary of Sansha, China’s southernmost territory.

Sansha, which is part of Hainan province, was established in 2012 with the aim of transforming Woody Island and two smaller islets into a “national key strategic service and logistics base.”

The Philippines does not have any claim on Woody Island, which is being contested

by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The developments in Woody Island, however, serves as Beijing’s blueprint for future military projects in other Chinese-occupied islands in the South China Sea.

CSC scoffs at gamers in public service THE Civil Service Commission has reminded government employees not to play mobile games or browse social media sites during work hours.

“Whether an employee uses government or personal tablet or computer or Next page

Palace sets meet on water shortage

By Nat Mariano and Othel V. Campos PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte was to meet with the officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System in Malacañang Tuesday night to discuss the water shortage in Metro Manila, the Palace confirmed.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Next page

Paris priciest city, Caracas cheapest SINGAPORE—Paris has climbed to the top of the world’s priciest city for expatriates, tied first with Singapore and Hong Kong according to a survey Tuesday that named the capital of strife-torn Venezuela as the cheapest.

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News

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Polluter-firms face loss of pemit T

HE Interior department on Tuesday ordered the chief executives of the 178 cities and municipalities inside the Manila Bay Watershed Area to revoke the business permits of the establishments violating environmental laws.

In a statement, Interior spokesman Jonathan Malaya said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año had issued a memo ordering all

Vote-buying raps vs. Go unfounded, Palace claims

By Nat Mariano THE Palace on Tuesday expressed doubt that former presidential top aide and now senatorial candidate Christopher Go committed an election-related violation by distributing cash to fire victims, urging those accusing him of vote-buying to file charges instead.

This was after two election watchdog,s Kontra Daya and NAMFREL, claimed that Go might have committed vote-buying for giving cash to fire victims last week.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said he was not convinced that Go had indeed violated election regulations for giving cash donations to the survivors of fire incidents in Makati and Manila.

“Why don’t they file if that is what they believe in? It seems the situation with Bong Go was different, Panelo told reporters. “[First], these are donations and they are fire victims. Second, I read also that it was not even him who gave the so-called cash donation.”

Panelo said the Palace does not defend Go’s distribution of cash to fire victims.

He said mere cash assistance could not be construed as inducing voters to vote for him.

“The operative word is inducement. If the intention is to induce, then you will be violating the provision but the problem is how will you prove inducement especially in this particular case where they are fire victims? It would be different if you give for no reason,” Panelo said.

“The problem with that is it’s the same with the violation for streamers. You don’t know exactly who gave the donations there. If your enemies did that, that’s a problem.”

Panelo said the former Cabinet member was “responsible” enough not to commit violations.

“Knowing Bong Go, I’ve been hearing him, every time I see him, he keeps on saying, ‘Sir, they are always saying this and that. I don’t even know. That’s why he said, ‘I have already made an announcement that I will not be receiving any help from any of you anymore because my name is being dragged unnecessarily, Panelo said.

“That’s why knowing that man, I don’t think he will allow that to happen. But anyway, if they feel that he has violated, then file [charges] to really know what happened. We’ll let the Comelec decide.”

On Monday, Pulse Asia reported that Go had risen to the third to fifth spot in voter preferences.

Paris...

From A1 The French capital was the only eurozone city in the top 10, rising from second most expensive last year and from seventh position two years ago.

Paris is “extremely expensive to live in,” with an average two-piece business suit for men setting buyers back around $2,000 and a typical women’s haircut costing $120, it found.

Only “alcohol, transport and tobacco” offer value for money compared with other European cities, the survey said.

The Economist Intelligence Unit said it was the first time in the more than three decades of the survey that three cities were equally ranked top, after Singapore led the chart outright a year earlier.

The top 10 list was dominated by Asian and European cities, with Osaka and Seoul in joint fifth and joint seventh places respectively, and Zurich (4th), Geneva (joint 5th) and Copenhagen (joint 7th) also in the elite club.

North America was represented by the US cities of New York, seventh, and Los Angeles, tied 10th with Israel’s Tel Aviv.

Currency appreciation, inflation and devaluation as well as political upheaval played a part in this year’s rankings, said EIU, which surveyed 133 cities worldwide.

It compared 400 individual prices across 160 products and services, including food and drink, clothing, home rental, transport, schooling and recreation.

The survey is aimed at helping companies calculate compensation packages and allowances for expatriate staff and business travelers.

Caracas dethroned Damascus as the world’s cheapest city amid a power struggle in Venezuela that plunged the country into a deepening crisis.

“As Damascus and Caracas show, a growing number of locations are becoming cheaper because of the impact of political or economic disruption,” EIU said. AFP

mayors of local government units in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon to ensure that all establishments in their areas comply with the pertinent provisions of the National Building Code, the Fire Code, the Code on Sanitation and other related laws, regulations and policies.

In other developments: • The Environment department will spearhead the simultaneous at the end of the month the cleanup of the waterways flowing into Manila Bay. During a dialogue between the department and Metro Manila’s village captains

with jurisdiction over the waterways on Monday, Interior Climate Change Service Officer-in-Charge, Elenida Basug said the cleanup was set on March 31.

“The cleanup on Sunday [March 31] will highlight the ongoing rehabilitation of Manila Bay,” Basug said.

• The Supreme Court has been asked to reverse its ruling last month upholding the legality of the six-month closure of Boracay Island last year.

In a 36-page motion, three residents in the world-renowned tourist destination appealed to the high court to overturn its

Palace chides...

From A1

and $3.2 billion in its first two years.

Panelo also cited the President’s passage of Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business Act, and said the Philippines jumped 48 notches to 19th place out of 193 countries in the e-Participation Index of the United Nations, underscoring the administration’s moves to streamline business registration.

He also noted that the Build-Build-Build Infrastructure Program was moving forward at “full steam.”

“As we all know, lack of infrastructure hampered the competitiveness of our economy; thus, the administration committed more resources to infrastructure,” Panelo said.

“These are hard facts and figures, which cannot be disputed and which should be relayed by those in capable positions to the public, including those in the international community. They are more reliable than some anecdotes that are politically colored by some groups or interests,” he said.

“The international groups of lawyers claim that our foreign investments have been or will be adversely affected by the issues on human rights and EJKs. It’s further from the truth as shown by the economic growth stated above,” Panelo added.

The Palace official also said foreign investments are anchored on principal considerations such as macro-economic fundamentals, no or minimal restriction on foreign equity in investment areas and activities, ease of doing business, good infrastructure, non-restrictive labor laws, and a consistent policy milieu.

He said the Duterte administration adheres to the rule of law, uphold international humanitarian law, and protects human rights amid its controversial policies.

Earlier, Christopher Leong, president of regional lawyers group LawAsia, said the alleged extrajudicial killings and issues of rule of law in the Philippines have affected the entry of foreign investments.

The Palace refuted Leong’s conclusion, telling him to conduct “more research.”

“We have a rich history of making presidents and officials accountable in this country.”

Panelo said the Philippines has a robust judicial system.

“Anybody can file any complaint against any incumbent official. Even this President, after he steps down from office, if he indeed violated any provision of law, will be accountable,” Panelo added.

Panelo was responding to Human Rights Watch associate director Param-Preet Singh’s statement that President Rodrigo Duterte’s withdrawal from the ICC in the face of criticism against his anti-drug campaign was a mark of “desperation” to avoid any trace of accountability.

“His bald-faced effort to protect himself from the court’s reach looks more like an act of desperation for a man who appears deeply implicated in alleged crimes against humanity,” she said in a dispatch.

Panelo earlier also disputed claims by an international lawyers group that foreign investors have stayed away from the Philippines because of reports of extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration.

“There is no direct correlation between human rights and the economy, as some quarters particularly two international lawyers groups would like to point out,” Panelo said in a statement.

“The Philippine economy has been growing at least 6 percent under the Duterte administration and according to our economic managers, [that’s] the strongest economic growth we have seen since the mid-1970s,” he added.

The Philippines, he said, had an unprecedented $20.1 billion in net foreign investments in 2017 and 2018 during the first two full years of Duterte’s presidency.

“There has been strong investor confidence in the economy under the decisive leadership of the President,” Panelo said.

In contrast, he said, the previous Aquino administration managed only $2 billion

Rody...

From A1

rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and road drainage to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act,” it said.

A congressional oversight committee shall be established to monitor the use of MVUC fund. The committee shall be composed of five members from the House of Representatives and five senators.

Palace...

From A1 Panelo said the President will be following up his previous directive to the regulator of the two water concessionaires.

Panelo said he only learned of the meeting on the day itself.

“I don’t know if they were called. I just saw it in his schedule,” Panelo said.

He said he didn’t know if officials from the Manila Water Company Inc., responsible for service interruptions in Metro Manila’s east zone, would be present at the meeting.

The meeting came four days after Duterte ordered the MWSS to release water from the Angat Dam to solve the water shortage.

As 1.2-million households suffered water service interruptions and two cities were on the verge of declaring a state of calamity, Duterte demanded that the concessionaires supply water to their customers “good for 150 days.”

The Palace has blamed mismanagement for the water supply problems, but Manila Water has blamed the dropping of water levels at La Mesa Dam. In a Palace briefing Tuesday, Panelos said 90 percent of water service has been restored in the affected cities following Duterte’s order. He also added that the water supply would be back to normal in the following days.

MWSS regulator Patrick Ty on Tuesday told a Senate hearing Manila Water could face penalties by June or July for failing to deliver water to its franchise area.

Although penalties in the form of rebates to customers are usually taken up during rate adjustments every five years, Ty said they would not have to wait until then to impose penalties for the “unprecedented” loss of water service.

“We do not need to wait because of this unprecedented situation. We are studying it right now, we are also actually studying the amount of the penalty that will be imposed, which can be rebated,” Ty said.

The priority, he said, was to fix the supply, then give Manila Water due process.

Manila Water consumers can expect lower bills next month as a result of the service interruption, he said.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, meanwhile, called for accountability on the part of Manila Water.

“This water shortage has caused more than just inconvenience and stress to Filipinos. Apart from disrupting our daily way

The new law also mandates the absorption of affected personnel without decreasing their salaries as well as separation and retirement benefits.

“The DPWH shall, as needed, absorb the employees of the secretariat of the Road Board, without diminution of their salaries and other benefits. Employees who are separated from the service as a result of the abolition of the Road Board and its secretariat shall receive separation benefits.” of life, it has also affected productivity as many people could not go to work, school, or manage their business. Many businesses had to shut down or limit operations. Services were also disrupted. The economic impact of this shortage cannot be swept under the rug,” the group said.

On Monday, at the House hearing on the issue, Manila Water apologized for the shortage, nearly two weeks since its La Mesa reserve breached the critical level, triggering service interruptions.

“We sincerely hope that there will be some form of reckoning for this issue,” the PCCI said. It’s too important and critical to our people’s well-being and our economy.

Moving forward, government has to make sure that there will be policies in place to first, prevent this from happening again, and second, to identify penalties for those responsible.”

“We believe that a true socially responsible company with high corporate governance standards will be sincere in their efforts to rectify the situation and will not skirt or avoid responsibility,” it added.

The chamber cited the government for its quick response to demand the release of water from Angat Dam to all affected areas.

Manila Water on Tuesday said it is targeting to reach 99 percent water availability in its service coverage area with groundfloor level standard by the end of March.

During a Senate hearing on the water shortage affecting parts of Metro Manila, Manila Water president and chief executive officer Ferdinand dela Cruz said their consumers have about 90 percent water availability at the ground floor level from a low water availability of 70 percent since the supply shortage occurred.

“Our target is by the end of this month is to reach 99 percent of our coverage area using this ground floor level standard so that we could spread our limited supply,” Dela Cruz said.

Dela Cruz said that the 9-percent supply deficit, or about 150 million liters per day since March 6, was due to the La Mesa Dam breaching the critical level of 69 meters.

Dela Cruz said the company is implementing some solutions to plug the supply deficit, such as the reactivation of the Cardona, Rizal water treatment plant project, commissioning of deep wells, development of new deep well sources, the MayniladManila Water supply sharing arrangement, and updating its existing water supply master plan.

earlier decision and instead nullify President Rodrigo Duterte’s Proclamation 475, which closed Boracay to tourists and nonresidents for rehabilitation from April 26 to Oct. 25 last year.

The Interior department said all LGUs should act swiftly on the enforcement of orders from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Laguna Lake Development Authority and other government agencies in line with the continuous effort to clean up, rehabilitate and preserve the Manila Bay watershed area.

PNA with Rey E. Requejo

Inday Sara...

From A1 He was succeded by his wife, former Bb. International Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt- Romualdez, who is the first nominee of Tingog party list in the upcoming midterm elections in May. Romualdez is also the author of House Bill 1039, which was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III as Republic Act No. 10754 or an act on expanding the benefits and privileges of people with disabilities.

For his part, Romualdez, a lawyer and a banker, thanked the presidential daughter for the trust and confidence in him.

“I was humbled by the mere mention of my name,” said Romualdez towards the end of the program before courting the votes of his constituents.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Leytenos...

From A1 The senators running under HNP are reelectionists Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara and JV Ejercito, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, returning Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla and Pia Cayetano, former presidential aide Christopher Go, former MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, former PNP chief and Bureau of Corrections director Ronald Bato, broadcast journalist Jiggy Manicad, and Maguindanao Gov. Dong Mangundafo.

“Those we have chosen, brought here in the [Tacloban] Astrodome, let us not allow outsiders,” he said, “Let us help them in their campaign,” added the mayor as he remembered how they seriously took to heart the failure of the previous administration to help them when Yolanda pummelled their people and their province.

“I was then taking seriously complaints on why were we not being helped, why was there no budget. Because you didn’t listen. You voted for them,” he stressed, referring to the past administration under former President Benigno Aquino.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Jinggoy-JV...

From A1 Estrada was represented by his daughter, San Juan Vice Mayor Janella Estrada .

No representative came on behalf of Ejercito.

“Ah yes in Legaspi. I was not there but I heard there was a heated exchange between the supporters of our two candidates,” confirmed Duterte when sought for her comment on the squabble.

She related that Estrada already apologized and “I said it’s just OK because we understand that situation will come especially we’re saying that they were at odds with each other.

“But as I said, I reiterated to them that time will come, we do not know when, but only God knows, they will reconcile,” said Duterte.

In a separate interview, Janella said the fistfight happened due to the existing animosity between her father and uncle. But it did not escalate as it was immediately settled. Macon Ramos-Araneta

House...

From A1 2019 Forum of the Philippine Nickel Association at the BGC in Taguig City.

The former president said she will meet with San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and other House members later in the day to discuss the issue.

Zamora was tasked by the House to negotiate with the Senate to break the budget impasse that has forced the government to operate under a reenacted budget for three months now.

Arroyo, meanwhile, said that the House will stand its ground on itemizing the lump sum items in the budget since the Supreme Court has already ruled against lump sum allocations.

“We will insist on no lump sum because that [lump sums] is what is unconstitutional. That’s what we will insist, no lump sum.

“If we don’t come to an agreement and then [Senate President] Tito Sotto does not sign the bill, then there’s no bill to send to the President. So I do not know if we will but I would wish we would,” Arroyo said.

Earlier, Senator Panfilo Lacson claimed that the House, through Zamora, has agreed to withdraw their version of the 2019 appropriations measure that they submitted to the Senate.

This was immediately rebutted by Arroyo and other House members.

Arroyo maintained that the House submitted a legal and valid national budget, noting that the House leadership would not allow President Rodrigo Duterte to sign into law an appropriation measure that is unconstitutional.

On Monday, Zamora said the House did not give in to Lacson’s demands, but “delivered a sign of good faith” so that both sides could continue discussing the budget.

1,500 cut ties with Reds, front groups—AFP

By Francisco Tuyay AT LEAST 1,500 former members of various front organizations with links to the communist movement have sworn allegiance to the government, an official said Tuesday.

They swore allegiance to the government, and at the same time denounced the corrupt practices, deceit and human rights violations committed by the communist leaders, said Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, head of Public Affairs at the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He said the 1,500 were from the CPPNPA front organizations Anakpawis.

Bayan Muna, Kadamay, Caguimungan, Anakbayan, Gabriela and Makabayan in Cagayan.

“This is what true progress really means, that we all come together in unity despite our differing beliefs and backgrounds,” said Army Chief Macairog Alberto.

“We hope that this show of solidarity will convince more of our countrymen who may have been misled by false promises to return to the folds of the law.”

Meanwhile, pieces of evidence and other materials showing how some militant groups are linked to communist rebels might be submitted on Wednesday to the Department of Foreign Affairs, an official said Monday night.

“We hope to submit it Wednesday.

There are a lot of witnesses. There are 20 for now but more than 100 want to give their statement,” Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.

“Many more affidavits are coming from the field.”

Zagala said most of the members lambasted the CPP-NPA for abandoning them after gaining their trust and support.

“They created issues so they could deceive is into joining them. They endeavored to gain our trust and support and then abandoned us when they no longer had use for us. We thought they would truly help us,” said Zagala quoting the disappointment of a certain Berna.

Zagala said the members’ discontent with the CPP-NPA had prompted them to return their support to the government, which they described as sincere .

“That is why we are pledging our allegiance back to the government because we know it is sincere and ready to welcome us despite our shortcomings, said Zagala quoted Berna as saying.

Zagala also said the entire CPP-NPA supporters decided to leave the group due to their exploitation.

“Our leaders were more concerned with their money-making schemes rather than the true plight of the lowly members such as myself, Zagala quoted another member as saying.

“We laud them for voluntarily proclaiming their support to the government.

It has been the desire of the Armed Forces all along to reintegrate them back to society. We are truly grateful to them for trusting us and giving peace a chance”, said Brigadier General Alden Juan Masagca, commander of the 5th Infantry Division that oversees the military operations in Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

The 1,500 participated in the flag-raising ceremony on Monday at the Cagayan Provincial Capitol attended by military and local government officials.

Meanwhile, the CPP-NPA terrorists operating in Eastern Mindanao continued to suffer setbacks as troops battled them for the past three days in the hinterlands of Compostella Valley.

At least 15 NPA fighters have so far been killed in separate skirmishes with troops from the 28th Infantry Battalion and 3rd Special Forces Battalion since the fighting started last week. With PNA

CSC...

From A1 mobile phone, playing games during office hours is not allowed,” CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada said in a statement on Tuesday.

Lizada said she would do spot checks in national government agencies and local government units nationwide to check on the quality of service provided by government employees.

“Hindi ibig sabihin na nakapasok ka sa gobyerno ay wala na pong check. Paalala po sa lahat ng kawani ng gobyerno na gawin po natin ang nararapat lamang, magbigay ng mahusay at tapat na serbisyo sa kliyente natin (It doesn’t mean that there will be no more checking [monitoring] once you work for the government.

Reminder to all government staff that we must do what is right, provide good and honest service to our clients),” she said.

Lizada said the spot check would determine if the human resource policies crafted are implemented on the ground. “[It will] also address gaps through feedback gathered, especially in the provision of frontline services. The Commissioner believes that frontline service units are crucial in improving the perception of clients of government efficiency as they are the first line of contact with the citizenry,” she said.

Earlier, three employees were caught either playing mobile games or watching videos on their phones in a spot check at the local government unit of Naval in Biliran City.

News POTTERY PAINTING.

Nathalie Flores (left), 17, and Earl Ponce, also 17, both of Ilocos Sur National High School, participate in the pottery painting contest during the Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium Uong-Balat (oyster mushroom and sea cucumber) FIESTA (Farms and Industry Encounter through Science and Technology Agenda) held at the University of Northern Philippines in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. PNA

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Abby lauds Makati City police

By Joel E. Zurbano MAYOR Abigail Binay commended the Makati City Police Department for the arrest of two graduating college students and seizure of P1.5 million worth of party drugs during an anti-drug operation at a condominium in Barangay Pio del Pilar on Monday.

“I commend the Makati police led by Senior Supt. Rogelio Simon for their relentless antidrug campaign that has led to numerous arrests, including the two college students arrested in a condominium yesterday,” said Binay.

On Tuesday, the city chief executive urged condominium and condotel owners and managers to be vigilant against any illegal activity such as drug dealing taking place inside their buildings.

“I am calling on all condominium and condotel owners and managers in Makati to keep a tight watch on the goings-on in their buildings. It is their duty to promptly notify the authorities of any suspicious activities of

Standard Manila

Trader asked to answer raps of killing his own brother

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Department of Justice has summoned businessman Dennis Sytin to answer the murder and frustrated murder complaint filed against him and two others, in connection with the killing of his brotherbusinessman Dominic Sytin.

In a subpoena issued on Tuesday, the DOJ ordered Sytin and co-respondents Edgardo Luib, and Oliver Fuentes alias Ryan Rementilla to appear before a panel of prosecutors on April 1 for the conduct of a preliminary investigation into the case.

“You are hereby summoned... in connection with the preliminary

Philsat slated next month not covered

by TRO—LEB THE Legal Education Board yesterday said the administration of the Philippine Law School Admission Test next month will push through as scheduled since it is not covered by the temporary restraining order recently issued by the Supreme Court.

“The administration of the Philippine Law School Admission Test on April 7, 2019 has not been restrained and will proceed as scheduled, The TRO issued by the SC covers only LEB Memorandum Circular No.18, Series of 2018 which prohibits the admission and enrolment as freshmen students in the basic law course beginning in Academic Year 20182019 of those without the required PhilSat eligibility,” the LEB said in an advisory signed by its chairperson Emerson Aquende.

“There is no TRO as far as the administration of the PhilSat on April 7, 2019,” it added.

The LEB said in compliance with the TRO, all those “who have taken the PhilSat, and those who have taken the same exam did not pass, and those who have passed the PhilSat but have expired certificates of eligibility, college honor graduates without certificate of exemption, and college honor graduates with expired certificates of exemption” will be “conditionally admitted” and enrolled as freshmen in the basic law course in the incoming 1st semester of Academic Year 2019-2020 under the same terms and conditions in Memorandum Order No. 11, Series of 2017.

In an injunction order, the SC enjoined the LEB from implementing Circular No. 18 dated June 8, 2018, effective immediately and until further orders from this Court.”

The said memorandum removed the conditional enrolment of law students.

However, the memo added that “Those who have not taken the PhilSAT prior to the beginning of the Academic Year 2018 to 2019, or who have taken the PhilSAT but did not pass, or are honor graduates in college with no PhilSAT Exemption Certificate, or honor graduates with expired PhilSAT Exemption Certificates may now be allowed to conditionally enroll as incoming freshmen law students under the same terms as LEB Memorandum Order No. 11. Rey E. Requejo

investigation . . . and to submit your counteraffidavit and those of your witnesses and other supporting documents if any, in your defense,” stated the subpoena issued by the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors composed

by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro C. Navera, as chairman, and Prosecutor Weldell P. Bendoval and

TODAY

their tenants, and cooperate in the conduct of police operations,” Binay said.

Adriel Ryoichi Suzuki, 24, of Unit 736 of Cityland Tower 9, was arrested on March 18 after he was identified by the driver of a Grab Angkas who he allegedly hired to deliver a package to Bonifacio Global City.

The police said the driver became suspicious on the content of the package and turned it over to the police at the Police Community Precinct 3 of Makati. Upon inspection, the package yielded seven pieces of suspected ecstasy tablets.

The authorities coordinated with the management of Cityland 9 and raided Suzuki’s condominium unit and placed the suspect under arrest.

While conducting an inventory of the drugs, the police intercepted a text message to Suzuki from a cohort informing him he was about to deliver ecstasy to his unit. The second suspect, 23-year-old Ralph Jeffrey Tulio Esteban, was subsequently arrested by the police.

EXCERPT FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR EN BANC MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS HELD ON FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gino Angelo P. Yanga as members.

The complaint was filed by Dominic’s wife Ann Marietta and the Olongapo City police.

Dominic Sytin became one of the suspects in the killing of his brother following the arrest of Luib last March 5.

In his extrajudicial confession, Luib identified Dennis as the mastermind and tagged Fuentes in the killing.

He said he was promised P1 million to kill Dominic, but was paid only P50,000.

Dominic was shot dead in front of the Lighthouse Hotel in Subic.

His driver Efren Espartero suffered gunshot wounds during the incident.

Dennis denied his alleged involvement in the killing of his brother, saying that he was just being used as scapegoat.

Cebu teener slay ‘solved but not closed’ THE Philippine National Police now considers the case of the grisly murder of 16-year-old Christine Lee Silawan of LapuLapu City in Cebu as solved.

Still, it will only be considered closed when the police finally arrest the two accomplices of the main suspect, who is reportedly Silawan’s former boyfriend.

PNP spokesperson Colonel Bernard Banac said the National Bureau of Investigation is now handling the investigation of the case, with the PNP assisting the agency in hunting down the two other suspects.

“Meron pang mga posibleng dalawa pang suspects na may kaugnayan sa kasong ito kaya patuloy ang pagsuporta ng PNP dahil ang NBI na ang lead agency dito sa investigation at lahat ng mga records na nauna na nating hawak ay nakahanda na pong ibahagi sa NBI Regional Office 7 at inaasahan natin sa loob ng madaling panahon ay magkakaroon ito ng

resulta katulad din na nangyari na pagkaroon ng agarang kalutasan sa kaso,” said Banac.

(There are two other suspects in the case and the PNP continues to support the NBI, which is now the lead agency handling the investigation, and the NBI Central Visayas is set to release all the records that we have on the case. We expect the case to be resolved soon.)

On Saturday, NBI agents arrested the 17-year-old suspect, who reportedly admitted his role in the killing, together with his two cohorts.

The suspect was identified through a CCTV footage as the last person seen with Silawan in the evening of March 10, before she was found dead.

Silawan’s lifeless body was found in a vacant lot in Barangay Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City on March 11. Her face was skinned to the bone and some of her organs were missing.

CA junks NOW’s bid to disqualify Mislatel as 3rd telco THE Court of Appeals has junked the bid of a telecommunications firm to stop the government’s selection process for the country’s third major telco player.

In a resolution, the CA’s Special 11th Division denied the prayer for urgent relief in the petition filed by NOW Telecom of businessman Mel Velarde in Nov. last year that questioned the legality of the terms of reference set by the National Telecommunications Commission.

The appellate court turned down the plea of petitioner for issuance of a temporary restraining order or writ of preliminary injunction that could prevent the final awarding of the third telco slot to Mislatel, the consortium of Udenna Corp. of businessman Dennis Uy and China Telecom.

“After careful consideration of the allegation made in the petition in relation to the prayer for injunctive relief, it is the Court’s considered view that petitioner’s application for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction must be denied. This court observes that the assailed RTC order denied petitioner’s prayer for preliminary injunction before said court,” stated the ruling penned by Associate Justice Ricardo Rosario.

“If this Court issues the preliminary injunction prayed for, we would dispose of the instant petition on the merits as we would have already determined the very issues of the petition before us: Whether indeed there is a clear legal right that exists in petitioner’s favor that warrants judicial protection and that respondent gravely abused her discretion in denying injunctive relief despite such existence,” it said.

Associate Justices Nina Antonio Valenzuela and Perpetua Atal-Pano concurred with the ruling.

Solicitor General Jose Calida earlier asked the CA to deny the prayer by NOW Telecom

and also dismiss the petition for lack of merit.

Calida argued that the CA is not allowed by law to issue an injunction order against the selection process for the new major player in the telco industry.

He cited Section 3 of Republic Act 8975, which specifically prohibits appellate and lower courts from issuing temporary restraining orders or WPIs on national government projects, including infrastructure projects.

And assuming the telco bidding is not covered by RA 8975, he stressed that NOW Telco is not entitled to such relief simply because it did not participate in the bidding process and therefore had no legal standing to file the case.

Calida said that NOW Telco has “waived or abandoned” its right to question the TOR when it did not submit a bid during the selection process in November last year.

In its petition, NOW Telecom asked the CA to reverse and set aside an earlier decision of Manila regional trial court branch 42 Judge Dinnah Aguila Topacio that dismissed the firm’s petition for issuance of WPI. It questioned provisions in the TOR, which were supposedly not taken up during a series of public consultations.

Specifically, the company assailed the P700-million participation security, the P14- to P24-billion performance security, and a P10-million non-refundable appeal fee, which is branded as “money-making schemes.”

A similar petition was filed in Nov. by disqualified bidder Philippine Telegraph & Telephone Corp. before the Supreme Court.

Without any TRO, the NTC proceeded with the selection process and awarded the third telco slot to Mislatel being the remaining qualified bidder. Rey E. Requejo

(MS-MARCH 20, 2019)

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A fragmented nation ONE of the worst traits of Filipinos is their lack of unity. This is often seen during elections, and when they are abroad.

While immigrants from Asia to the United States or elsewhere have their own local districts—Chinatown, for instance, or Little Italy—Filipinos have never had a Filipino town.

This is the lament of every Filipino ambassador to the US. They try their best to unite Filipinos but they often fail.

Disunity derails progress and development.

Sure, Filipinos get together with their own kind: Ilocanos, Kapampangans, Tagalogs, Bicolanos.

In Los Angeles, for instance, where there are many Filipinos, there are no less than 162 organizations. I could not believe it, so I went to the consulate to verify.

Believe it or not, there are even associations for almost every professions—lawyers, doctors, engineers, dentists, plumbers, construction workers.

Every year, there is a Miss Philippines in San Francisco, New York, LA, Chicago, and even in Houston!

This is the reflection of a fragmented nation.

Statistics show that Filipinos are now the biggest immigrants in the United States next to the Mexicans.

They congregate mainly in California—the LA district.

Here in the Philippines, this upcoming midterm elections can only show how disunited we are. Canddates for senator, for instance, rely

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

mostly on their own bailiwicks like the Solid North for former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Gov. Imee Marcos.

Mindanaoans will go for Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa.

Even after elections, since Filipino candidates do not accept defeat, there will be protests galore. In this country, after all, there are only two kinds of candidates—those who won, and those who were cheated.

This disunity could be traced back to our tribal beginnings.

History tells us that the United States considered the Philippines a problem because the Spaniards could not unite it. This is tragic—it derails progress and development.

This is why I am hopeful about the unification of Muslims under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Santa Banana, how can any president ever unite the Maranaos and the Maguindanaoans and the Tausugs?

A united Philippines under a Federal system of government? Forget it. *** After listening to the congressional inquiry into the water shortage that hit the eastern zone of Metro Manila, I concluded that there was no real water crisis even after Angat Dam’s water level neared critical phases. The crisis was short-lived, even artificial.

The fault and accountability did not only lie with the Ayaa-led concessionaire Manila Water, but with the Metropolotan Waterworks and Sewerage System that oversees the adequate supply of water.

Manila Water has already accepted the blame and apologized. But this should not be enough. A provision for penalties for failure should be emphasized by Congress The accountability of MWSS officers is clear. It failed to do its job in regulating the duopoly of water concessionares. The MWSS should be revamped for this failure.

When the water crisis erupted, I said the government only seemed to act after the fact. Then again, what is

T

Vital objective

HE congressional probe into the water shortage in Metro Manila and parts of Rizal began Monday, with the chief executive of Manila Water Company Inc., one of two private concessionaires, apologizing for his company’s failure to fulfill its contractual obligation to provide non-stop water service to its six-million customers.

The admission was a step forward from his company’s original attempt earlier this month to blame the service interruptions on the El Niño, and the dwindling water levels at the La Mesa Dam as a result of the lack of rain.

That rationalization rang hollow when people realized that the other water concessionaire, Maynilad Water Services Inc., experienced no similar shortage, and that both of them were supposed to draw water from the Angat Dam. If the shortage was indeed the result of the El Niño, it should have been felt by both concessionaires and the households and business establishments they serviced, and not just Manila Water’s

franchise area.

Moreover, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System pointed out that Manila Water was supposed to go to La Mesa only as a backup source, if it could no longer meet the demand of its customers using water from Angat.

As tens of thousands of households of Manila Water customers saw their taps run dry for hours in Metro Manila’s east zone over the last two weeks, it was clear that something was terribly wrong with their water distribution system. What it is is not exactly clear, but we trust that the ongoing hearings give us a better picture of just what went wrong, and how it might be prevented from happening

again.

It was disconcerting, however, to hear the MWSS administrator first say that his agency had no powers under the law to impose penalties on concessionaires that failed to fulfill the terms of their contract—only to later say that there were provisions in the concession agreement after all to penalize Manila Water. If this is a point of ambiguity, it is something Congress needs to clear up and settle as a result of its hearings.

Amid the simmering anger surrounding the water shortage in Metro Manila, it is but natural to ascribe blame and to call for penalties on those who caused it.

Certainly, calls for a refund for Manila Water customers would not be unreasonable.

But, as House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo suggested, lawmakers need to move forward and keep an eye on the vital objective of ensuring an adequate water supply for all.

Turn to A5

The water crisis was avoidable POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE THE present water shortage, the worst to hit Metro Manila in many years, directly affects an estimated six million people in the east zone.

In a television interview last Thursday, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System Chief Regulator Patrick Ty said that blame for the crisis could be laid at government’s door.

“It’s our fault,” he said. “It’s the government because the Kaliwa Dam, Laiban Dam has been proposed since the Marcos time and due to lot of oppositions and accommodations for the IPs [indigenous people], from the informal settlers, from this leftist group, church group, these projects keep on getting moved.”

He also admitted that concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad have been clamoring for other water sources since 2007.

In November last year, the two water suppliers were quoted in media as advocating for the construction of the New Centennial Water Source Project or Kaliwa Dam in Quezon Province, which can supply 600 mld.

According to some sources, the project will cost P12.1 billion, with 85 percent to be funded by a loan from China and 15 percent to be shouldered by MWSS. Information on the MWSS website puts the project cost at P18.724 billion.

It’s clear the two water companies have been aware of the water source problem for at least 12 years,

but politics and other related factors have gotten in the way of constructing the proposed projects that could have forestalled the current water shortage.

It’s sickening that millions are going without the baths and washing so dear to Filipinos, a cleanly people, all because past government administrations were indecisive or incompetent.

It’s laudable that this current administration is finally proceeding with the stalled project, but it is galling to

It’s no surprise that Metro Manila’s water requirements have grown to oceanic proportions. be beholden to China yet again, given its militaristic stance in the West Philippine Sea. In any case, work on Kaliwa Dam will not be completed until 2023.

That’s rather too long for people to wait for a steady and reliable water supply.

San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang recently offered to share the company’s untapped water allocation of 140 million mld from Angat Dam via SMC’s Bulacan Bulk Water Treatment Plant. He said the water can be delivered in tanker trucks to refilling stations in affected areas. This tactic can be used until the end of the El Niño, around four months or so.

But the logistics to carry out this Turn to A5

Water crisis

THE worst water shortage to hit Metro Manila in 500 years began on March 6, 2019 when the water level at the La Mesa Dam in leafy Quezon City hit the critical level of 69 meters (it was 68.62m on March 18, 2019).

At that level, the Ayala-owned Manila Water, the concessionaire for the East Zone or the towns and cities east of EDSA, could no longer draw water

from La Mesa, at the rate of 150 million liters per day. That meant water supply for the East Zone would be short by 150 MLD. It could supply only 1,600 MLD, the volume it was getting daily from Angat Dam which has plenty of water.

Initially, Manila Water blamed El Niño weather phenomenon for the drop in water level at La Mesa. It was a lie. Angat Dam, which should also be affected by El Niño, is brimming with water. Water demand in the East Zone is 1,750 MLD. Manila Water gets 1,600 MLD from Angat and 150 MLD from La Mesa. But then La

When crisis comes, nobody is to blame.

Mesa seems to be drying up, probably from too much extraction.

Manila Water has been rationing water to the East Zone for two weeks since March 6. The rationing meant no water for thousands of households, from six hours to 20 hours. In some places like Mandaluyong and Pasig, Turn to A5

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

‘Science does not kill God’

By Ivan Couronne THE annual Templeton Prize, which recognizes outstanding contributions to "affirming life's spiritual dimension," was awarded Tuesday to Brazilian Marcelo Gleiser—a theoretical physicist dedicated to demonstrating science and religion are not enemies.

A physics and astronomy professor whose specializations include cosmology, 60-year-old Gleiser was born in Rio de Janeiro, and has been in the United States since 1986.

An agnostic, he doesn't believe in God—but refuses to write off the possibility of God's existence completely.

"Atheism is inconsistent with the scientific method," Gleiser told AFP Monday from Dartmouth College, the New Hampshire university where he has taught since 1991.

"Atheism is a belief in non-belief.

So you categorically deny something you have no evidence against."

"I'll keep an open mind because I understand that human knowledge is limited," he added.

The prize is funded by the John Templeton Foundation—a philanthropic organization named after the American Presbyterian who made his fortune on Wall Street, and who set on "seeking proofs of divine agency in every branch of science," as The Economist put it.

Gleiser joins Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama and dissident Soviet au-

The water...

From A4

plan will be a nightmare, involving “14,000 truck trips per day using 10-kiloliter (kl) tankers, or 7,000 trips per day using 20-kl tankers” according to Inquirer.net. Should the government approve this scheme, expect the already bad traffic to worsen on the routes to be taken by these trucks.

It’s no surprise that Metro Manila’s water requirements have grown to oceanic proportions. Condominiums and smaller residential buildings are sprouting like mushrooms, many with the capacity to house thousands of people. All put together, they could house millions. Looking into the near future, congestion in the metro will grow much worse.

Along with finding alternate sources of water to end this shortage, government and businesses should also look into moving out of the metro and into the outlying southern and northern provinces that are already bedroom communities for employees

Water crisis From A4

households did not have a drop of water for several days, from four days to eight days. Affected people: At least 1.2 million. The severe rationing will last most of summer (June 21, 2019 to Sept. 23, 2019).

Tropical humans die without water for three days. You can live without food for three weeks, and probably forever, without electricity, money, and politicians. But not water. It is 60 percent of your body. There is no substitute for drinking water.

So you could imagine what happened to humans during those days, since March 6, when Manila Water could not render what it is bound to do, under its concession agreement with the government since 1997—water pressure of 21 pounds per square inch, 24/7.

So what is causing the water shortage in the East Zone?

“The Heavens [or El Niño] cannot be blamed for it,” asserts Marikina Rep. Bayani Fernando, a civil engineer and himself a former chair of the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System in concurrent capacity as former secretary of public works.

Fernando thinks the problem is technical and Manila Water is to blame.

“The company does not have pressureregulated valves that can regulate the flow of water from its pipes, say from La Mesa to Marikina, La Mesa to Pasig, La Mesa to Quezon City and so forth,” he explains.

Such pressure-regulated valves are installed in LPG tanks with which one can regulate the flow of gas. Fernando uses a radio metaphor. Manila Water only has an on-and-off button but not

thor Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn as recipients of the prize, first awarded in 1973. At £1.1 million ($1.5 million), the prize money well surpasses that of the Nobels.

The physicist focuses on at making complex subjects accessible. He has written on climate change, Einstein, hurricanes, black holes, the human conscience—tracing the links between the sciences and the humanities, including philosophy.

The author of five English-language books and hundreds of blog and press articles in the US and Brazil, Gleiser has also explored in depth how science and religion both try to respond to questions on the origins of life and the universe.

"The first thing you see in the Bible is a story of creation," he said. Whatever your religion, "everybody wants to know how the world came to be."

This fundamental curiosity unites science and religion, though each provides very different answers: Science has a methodology, where hypotheses are eliminated.

"Science can give answers to certain questions, up to a point," Gleiser pointed out.

"This has been known for a very long time in philosophy, it's called the problem of the first cause: We get stuck," the physicist, a father of five, said.

"We should have the humility to accept that there's mystery around us."

Scientific arrogance So, what does he think of people who believe that the Earth was created in seven days?

"They position science as the enemy ... because they have a very antiquated way of thinking about science and religion in which all scientists try to kill God," he said.

"Science does not kill God." On the other hand, he accuses the "new atheists" of doing a disservice to science by making an enemy out of religion: notably British scientist Richard Dawkins -- who called for the arrest of Pope Benedict XVI over pedophilia in the Catholic Church -- and the late journalist Christopher Hitchens, who criticized Mother Theresa.

For Gleiser, who grew up in Rio's Jewish community, religion is not just about believing in God: it provides a sense of identity and community "At least half of the world population is that way," he said.

"It's extremely arrogant from scientists to come down from the ivory towers and make these declarations without understanding the social importance of belief systems."

"When you hear very famous scientists making pronouncements like ... cosmology has explained the origin of the universe and the whole, and we don't need God anymore. That's complete nonsense," he added.

"Because we have not explained the origin of the universe at all." AFP

working in Manila.

Smaller companies, particularly those owned and run by millenials, are disrupting the traditional patterns by locating outside of Manila or adopting work-from-home.

For instance, Kezar Innovations, a profitable technology startup, is based in Tanauan, Batangas, for its affordable rent and light traffic, and because most of its team members live in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon.

Meanwhile, a content development company based in Las Piñas operates totally online. The writers and other creatives they hire work from home or a nearby coffee shop or internet shop, sending in their assignments via email. Whether based in Cavite or Bulacan or even Jolo, they can work, as long as they have a stable Internet connection. It might be that the employers and employees will never meet each other—but the work gets done and people make a living.

If the water shortage weren’t bad enough, word is that there could be cuts in the electricity supply as well.

With summer upon us, water and power shortages will lead to ill health among the population, as well as tremendous losses for businesses and disruptions in service of hospitals, fire stations, and the like. Construction and other activities will be delayed or impeded.

If this administration wants to leave a legacy of accomplishments, it had better address these issues immediately, perhaps by appointing a ‘czar’ as was done back in the day, someone who would devote all their time and attention, and government’s resources, to solving a specific problem.

Meanwhile, best of luck to everyone working to bring water back to the east zone. May those in the waterless areas soon enjoy regular baths again.***

a button to control the sound volume.

Such lack is crucial. Fernando says that with pressure valves, Manila Water could have reduced water psi from 20 to 17 or even 16. “Every one-point drop in psi is equivalent to 3 percent cut in water consumption; so a drop of three points (from 20 to 17) is 9 percent—exactly the amount of water shortage,” the Marikina solon says. At 16 psi, water can flow only up to the second floor, but not to the third floor “but everybody will still have water.”

The issue then becomes one of incompetence and or mismanagement.

As early as August 2018, Manila Water foresaw a water shortage, by 2020, at the earliest.

But the company was delayed in constructing the Cardona reverse osmosis water treatment plant which would have produced 100 MLD of treated water coming from Laguna Lake (whose water is very difficult to clean).

Manila Water began charging its subscribers for the Cardona plant in May 2016 even though it became operational, and only partly at that (at 24 MLD capacity) only in December 2018. Consumers were charged for a service that was not being delivered.

“It’s highway robbery!” exclaimed Sen. Panfilo Lacson at the Senate hearing on water Tuesday (yesterday). He demanded that Manila Water refund the money.

Manila Water also wanted to revive 1,000 ancient wells to produce 100 MLD and secure 50 MLD of cross border water from Maynilad—a total of 150 MLD. Those efforts have yet to deliver water.

At the House hearing on Monday (March 18), congressmen took turns demanding that Manila Water refund

consumers for undelivered water. The MW contract is for water, at 20 psi, 24/7. In many places, no such water was available.

Manila Water makes about P400 million a month in profits. The crisis has lasted for two weeks. So at least P200 million must be refunded consumers. This is just for undelivered water.

What about for man hours lost while queuing up for non-existent water, for not coming to work for failure to take a bath, and for businesses shut down for lack of water? Or the precious spent on overpriced pails and plastic drums (their prices rose 50 percent)?

Or treatment like dialysis for patients for whom such service is a matter of life and death?

There is supposed to be a Kaliwa Dam to deliver 500 MLD, after five years. But the Chinese and the Japanese are still fighting over it and the government cannot make up its mind.

To his credit, Manila Water president Ferdinand dela Cruz, a veteran marketing man, apologized for the “supply deficit.” He offered to resign but his priority, he said, is solve the water deficit.

He may never resign. Over the next five years, according to World Bank studies, the water shortage is not only in Metro Manila, but nationwide—unless $838 million (P43.5 billion) is invested annually in water supply. So far, nobody knows, where and how to get the money.

Why? There are too many water bodies or agencies with no single agency in charge of anything integrated. So when crisis comes, nobody is to blame.

*stands at podium* I would like to thank rubbing alcohol, wet wipes, and micellar water for keeping me fresh and clean during this totally preventable water crisis. / FB and Twitter: @ DrJennyO

biznewsasia@gmail.com

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Dragon fruit, bow! is not as favored as the highland arabica, but has a greater market volume.

It is also the type best preferred by “instant” coffee makers.

Many of us think of Vietnam’s agriculture in terms of rice, which it exports to us by hundreds of thousands IN A recent meeting of the Food and of tons each year. Vietnam is blessed Fertilizer Technology Center where I with the existence of the great Merepresent the Philippines in the board, kong River, which flows from the TiDr. Kuo Ching Lin, who heads the betan China highlands through Laos, Asia-Pacific Region, informed us that Thailand, Cambodia and empties into Vietnam is now the world’s largest the China Sea, where it gets so wide producer and exporter of dragon fruit, and brings not only voluminous waknown as pitaya in most Asian coun- ter but organically- fertilized topsoil tries. to irrigate and enrich southern VietSome 50,000 hectares in Vietnam nam’s paddies. have been successfully cultivated But Vietnam through all the years to the fruit in less than two decades. of peace after the terrible NorthThe fruit which is known to have anti- South war where they fought no less oxidant and other medicinal proper- than the mightiest armed force in the ties, is exported world, the US to 42 countries of A, has been in Europe, North single-mindedly Less than four America and the diversifying its Asia-Pacific re- decades ago, Vietnam agriculture from gions. mono-crop to was ravaged by war.

Taiwan has many high-value some 7,000 hectcrops such as cofares devoted to fee, rubber, tea, dragon fruit, and almost all of that is and yes…dragon fruit. locally consumed. Much as farmers There is a lesson to be learned here would want to plant more and export for Philippine agriculture, which has the cash crop, there is a scarcity of been pursuing the quixotic dream of land. becoming “self-sufficient” in rice and I didn’t realize until then that the devoting most of the budget towards demand for the fruit has become that it, but failed miserably in the process. big.

We have parallelisms: The populaIt was only at the turn of the cen- tion of Vietnam is 96 million, ours is tury that I first tasted the fruit, bland 106 million. Vietnam is slightly bigas it was then, in the breakfast buffet ger in land area, 33 million hectares in of a Hong Kong hotel. Today’s drag- all. But that is basically one contiguon fruit peddled in Taipei markets are ous whole that spans the entire eastern sweeter, juicier and reddish, rather Indo-China, as against our 30 million than white, the result of constant tech- hectares spread out through several nology upgrading. thousand big and small islands.

In our North, in Cagayan and La We have a bigger GDP than theirs, Union, some farmers have started but they are fast catching up. In ASEplanting dragon fruit and I am told, AN circles, there used to be a catwith very good results. egory called the VMLC, referring to I wonder: With tobacco a sunset Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Camindustry as more and more are con- bodia as the economies still catching vinced of the deleterious effects of up with the rest. But as foreign insmoking on health, and taxes making vestments continue flooding Vietnam the weed more and more expensive, which has a purposive and almost how about a shift to dragon fruit? Or single-minded obsession to catch up, even bitter gourd (ampalaya) which the fear is that the V might soon be also has medicinal properties and replaced by a P. can be exported after processing?

And worry about Myanmar and Malunggay as well. And so many Cambodia, which are also flexing more non-traditional but high-value economic muscles. crops.

In a small but significant effort to Likewise, Vietnam is now the give our high-value crop cultivation world’s second-largest coffee produc- a boost, Taiwan’s Council of Agriculer. And yet, less than four decades ture through the Taiwan Agricultural ago, the country was ravaged by war, Research Institute, launched last Friwhich consumed the entire people’s day a demonstration button mushenergies. In 1975, just before the war room project in Baguio City, along ended, the country’s total production with our Bureau of Plant Industry. of coffee was just about 6,000 metric The project aims to assist the Philtons, consumed locally. ippines with its button mushroom Now Vietnam produces 1,650,000 cultivation, local demand being quite metric tons of coffee, second to Bra- high, as we continue to import the zil, which has been planting coffee commodity which is highly prized, since 1870. The South American gi- especially by the restaurant industry. ant harvests 2.6 million tons of coffee The joint project, initiated last per year. year through bilateral cooperation of That is a quantum leap of 275 MECO and TECO, will assist local times! farmers to generate more revenues Our neighbor to the south, Indo- from small plots of land and help crenesia, produces some 660,000 met- ate job opportunities because button ric tons, making it the world’s fourth mushrooms require a lot of manpower largest producer, after Colombia and during harvest. above that of Ethiopia where the Dr. Chen Junne-jih, who heads coffee bean was first cultivated, and the Taiwan Agricultural Research Infrom where the habit was exported to stitute himself attended the launch, the Arab countries, then Europe and along with DA Undersecretary Ariel eventually the whole world.

Cayanan and BPI officials and TEWhile Colombia, Guatemala, CO’s Representative Michael Hsu Ethiopia and some African countries with TECO Vice Chairman Gilbert which produce smaller quantities of Lauengco. coffee are known for high-quality (for Hopefully, the cooperation will coffee aficionados, the right blend of bloom into other agricultural prodbitterness and acidity, coupled with ucts, as well as in aquaculture, which strong, nice aroma), Vietnam exports should be a natural for our 7,107 isrobusta, similar to our baraco, which lands.

A fragmented...

From A4

new?

eys. We need independent senators to provide check and balance.

My concern is that the President will continue to have the Senate under his thumb. *** Insiders at the Supreme Court say that the justices are equally divided on the unresolved petition against the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. Petitioners say that the Constitution only recognizes two autonomous regions.

But the BOL has already been ratified. Can the Supreme Court still do anything?

*** President Duterte must be very happy these days. His favorite candidates Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa are already in the winning circle.

Go, according to Pulse Asia, has overtaken some of the Senate reelectionists.

I never doubted they would advance to this level, given how Duterte is campaignin for them.

What worries me as a voter and a Filipino is that we do not need lack- www.emiljurado.weebly.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

News

Standard

TODAY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 A6 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Milk Bank launched as part of building back

T

ACLOBAN CITY—The Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center and UN children’s agency UNICEF have inaugurated one of the largest human milk banks in the Philippines.

After Typhoon “Yolanda” (International name “Haiyan”) devastated the Philippines in November 2013, EVRMC, the only government tertiary training hospital in Region 8, was severely damaged.

The typhoon and destruction of health facilities became problematic for a region that already had high levels of malnutrition even before the disaster.

UNICEF established an office in Tacloban City immediately after the typhoon for two years and included within its response long term recovery support and to

der said in a statement.

EVRMC is the second Human Milk Bank UNICEF supported.

The first one is Zamboanga City Hospital.

EVRMC-HMB is unique because it is build back better to promote sustainability.

This included strengthening the cold chain the hub of relief and rescue efforts in a tyto protect vaccines, establishing a Youth phoon prone region. The EVRMC Human Hub, constructing the first disaster-resilient Milk Bank has the potential to reach baevacuation center and training of teachers bies in need of breastmilk in six provinces, on Education in Emergencies, among others. seven cities, 136 municipalities and 4,390 “UNICEF remains fully committed in barangays. It was already able to provide supporting our partners who were affected 20 liters of breastmilk to help babies after

by Yolanda. Five years after the typhoon, a landslide in Biliran in 2017 caused by we are encouraged to see that Tacloban Tropical Storm Urduja.

UNICEF invested around P4 million to City and the rest of the region continues to rise, full of hope and promise,” UNICEF construct the Human Milk Bank and purPhilippines Representative Lotta Sylwan- chased essential equipment and supplies

such as breast pumps, freezer, laminar flow hood, autoclave steam sterilizer and human milk pasteurizer.

A human milk banking team composed of members from the Department of Pediatrics, Department of ObstetricsGynecology, and the Nursing Department was established and trained to serve as the leaders of each hospital unit involved in the human milk banking operations.

“While the hospital relies on patients who delivered their babies in EVRMC to supply their extra breast milk, we call on lactating mothers in and around Region 8 to donate breastmilk. We especially call on health workers, breastfeeding support groups and advocates to spread the word

about the EVRMC Human Milk Bank and to donate breastmilk to ensure that children in the whole region get the best start in life,” Sylwander added.

EVRMC and UNICEF also called on local officials to support the human milk banking operations, strengthen enabling policies and programs to support breastfeeding, and promoting linkages with other medical facilities and professionals within the region.

For inquiries and breastmilk donations to the EVRMC Human Milk Bank, individuals and support groups are encouraged to contact Dr. Gemma Ramos (0917.977.9002), Dr. Audrey Santo (0917.321.4917) and Ms. Evangeline Varona (0916.323.6768).

Immigration orders Korean, American fugitives out of PH THE Bureau of Immigration orOfficial sources said Aquino dered the deportation of an Amer- was wanted by federal authorities ican and a Korean both wanted for in Nevada for “receipt of child serious crimes in their homelands. pornography” and a warrant for Immigration Commissioner Jai- his arrest had been issued by a US me Morente identified the Ameri- district court there. can fugitive as 56-year-old Joel US federal laws make it a separate Pasay Aquino, arrested Saturday in crime for receiving child pornogClark Field, Angeles City, Pampan- raphy and a person found guilty of ga, and the Korean as 60-year-old knowingly distributing or receiving Kim Jae Hyoung, apprehended the any material that contains images or same day in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. videos of child pornography may be “Aquino is wanted for child sentenced to a minimum of five years pornography in Nevada while Mr. to as high as 20 years in prison.

Kim is a notorious swindler in Kim, on the other hand, has a Korea,” Morente said. standing warrant of arrest for fraud “These are very serious of- issued by a district court in Seoul for fenses, and their stay here poses swindling a compatriot of more than a risk to our people.”

265.4 million won or $234 million.

The BI chief added the two fuAuthorities alleged that Kim gitives were already issued depor- induced his female victim to wire tation orders, with their passports transfer the money to his account already canceled by their respec- on the promise that it would earn tive governments. interest.YELLOW Vito Barcelo CYAN MAGENTA BLACK

MILK BANK. Representatives from the Department of Health, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center and UNICEF inaugurate (above) the EVRMC Human Milk Bank, the first of its kind in the Visayas region. From left: Dr. Nelita P Salinas, chairman of the EVRMC Department of Pediatrics; Dr. Salvador Evardone, EVRMC Chief of Hospital; Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino, Assistant Regional Director of DOH Region 8; Dr. Wigdan Madani, UNICEF Philippines Chief of Health & Nutrition; and Dr. Gemma Ramos, head of the EVRMC Human Milk bank; while (right) a trained staff member of the EVRMC Human Milk Bank pastuerizes donated breast milk to kill any microorganisms in the milk. UNICEF invested around P4 million to construct the Human Milk Bank and purchased essential equipment and supplies for the facility such as breast pumps, freezer, laminar flow hood, autoclave steam sterilizer and human milk pasteurizer.

DA’s sniffing dogs called ‘absurd’

By Vito Barcelo A GROUP of farmers described the Department of Agriculture’s proposed plan to use sniffing dogs to stop the entry of deadly African Swine Flu in the country as “absurd,” saying a concrete approach was needed to prevent the spread of the disease that could affect the country’s P200-billion pig industry.

“Your plan to mobilizing sniffing dogs to air and sea ports against ASF virus does not suffice. What we need is a holistic approach that addresses the peculiarity of the virus.

We don’t need mere propaganda at this point where the potent virus is encroaching fast and without a sound bio-security up in place, disaster will hit our farm and backyard swine industry,” Teody de Belen, vice president of the Association of Free Framers told Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

The farmers also urged Piñol to lay down the country’s program towards preventing and controlling entry and outbreak of the ASF virus.

Piñol said the Department of Agriculture was planning to mobilize sniffing dogs at major sea and air ports to sniff at contaminated imported

meats from countries affected.

“The country doesn’t have trained dogs to do this. In fact, it is quite expensive and it takes time to train these animals. Besides dogs capability to do this task is very limited. What we need is a program uniquely designed to the peculiarity of the virus,” De Belen said in a statement.

The group has raised its concern after learning that the DA was not prepared with the prospect of ASF presence in the country.

The group also wanted the Senate to probe and determine why DA quarantine officials were not following Piñol’s order to set up quarantine measures along the country’s entry points.

De Belen said the country led by the Department of Agriculture needed bio-security measures to protect the P200-billion hog industry as soon as possible since local agriculture and industry players themselves has limited information about the disease.

There is specifically a need for the DA to provide technical assistance to raise the capacity of all local government agriculture officials and the industry players and prepare them with the right precautionary measures that directly addresses the peculiarity of the ASF disease, he said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

(MS-MAR. 20, 2019)

N OTICE NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS DATE TIME VENUE

: MAY 11, 2019 (SATURDAY) : 5:00 p.m. : Conference Room, 4F One Burgundy Plaza Condominium No. 307 Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City AGENDA

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Officer-In-Charge Infrastructure and Services Industries Service

I.

Call to Order

II.

Proof of Due Notice of Meeting

III.

Determination of Quorum

IV.

Reading and Approval of the Minutes of the last Regular Meeting and Election of Board Members and Officers held on May 12, 2018.

V.

President’s Report

VI.

Treasurer’s Report

VII.

Notice is hereby given that LYF HOMES DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, with office address at 301 Purok 3, Arnaldo Hi-way, Brgy. Santiago, General Trias, Cavite, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a new developer of economic and low-cost housing project (Prime Homes East 1 Subdivision) with a capacity of 105 economic and low-cost units on a Non-Pioneer status, with project site at Brgy. Burgos, Rodriguez, Rizal.

(MS-MAR. 20, 2019)

N OTICE

Election of Board Members and Officers for 2019 - 2020

VIII. Adjournment

Attested by:

EDGAR ROSENDO DELA CRUZ, MD Corporate Secretary

Notice is hereby given that PHILIPPINE GEOTHERMAL PRODUCTION COMPANY, INC. is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as Renewable Energy Developer of Geothermal Energy Resources [Mt. Malinao Geothermal Project (Pre-Development Phase)] in the Municipalities of Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipoy, Polangui, and Tabaco City, Province of Albay, and Municipality of Buhi, Province of Camarines Sur to avail of the incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA9513).

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) NESTOR P. ARCANSALIN Director Resource-based Industries Service

JUAN A. KANAPI, JR. Ph.D President (MS-MARCH 20, 2019)

(MS-MAR. 20, 2019)

‘Protect community from encephalitis’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III has urged the public to protect the community from Japanese encephalitis.

“Protect the infants and children from contracting this deadly disease by getting JE immunization.”

Duque said Tuesday.

Among the 12 countries with established JE transmission, he said only two countries have not introduced the vaccine in their immunization program, and one of these was the Philippines.

Now, the Japanese encephalitis vaccine is available in the Philippines..

“This vaccine is WHO-prequalified and Philippine FDA approved. It is safe and effective. It has been used for over 30 years in 12 countries and given to more than 400-million children with an excellent safety record,” he said.

The World Health Organization recommends that JE vaccination should be integrated into the national immunization schedules in all areas where JE is recognized as a public health priority.

It noted that that the most effective immunization strategy in JE endemic settings was a onetime campaign followed by incorporation of JE vaccine into the routine childhood immunization program.

The Department of Health introduced the Japanese Encephalitis vaccine to address the public health burden of this disease in the Philippines.

JE vaccination is the only effective measure to stop the transmission of JE and bring down the number of cases.

Decision to sack 2 officials upheld

By Rey E. Requejo THE Court of Appeals has sustained its earlier decision ordering the dismissal from the service of two ranking officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for illegal release of P1 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund.

In a resolution dated March 18, the CA through Associate Justice Ramon Garcia denied the motion for reconsideration and supplemental motion filed by dismissed DSWD regional director Minda Brigoli and operations division chief Mely Pangilinan.

Brigoli and Pangilinan were dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017 for gross misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

PDAF, or the so-called pork barrel fund of lawmakers, was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013.

The appellate court upheld the finding of the anti-graft body holding Brigoli and Pangilinan liable administratively for disbursing in 2008 P1 million in PDAF funds of former Bulacan first district Rep. Maria Victoria R. Sy Alvarado to the Cooperative Rural Bank of Bulacan.

The Ombudsman stressed that CRBB, a private business enterprise, was not authorized under the law that created the then PDAF to handle PDAF funds that were intended for public needs through NonGovernment Organizations and People’s Organizations.

In its 2018 decision that dismissed Brigoli and Pangilinan’s petition, the appellate court cited OMB’s finding that “the Special Allotment Release Order No. ROCS08-00364 covering the subject P1,000,000 PDAF of former Congresswoman SyAlvarado expressly provides that the said fund shall be used in furtherance of the DSWD’s Protective Services for Individuals and Families in Difficult Circumstances (PSIFDC) under the Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services Program in the 1st District of Bulacan.”

“Evidently, CRBB was unauthorized to receive the P1,000,000 PDAF since only the NGOs and POs are considered as valid recipients thereof. In spite of the said irregularities, petitioners Brigoli and Pangilinan knowingly participated in the execution of the MOA and the subsequent release of the funds to CRBB,” the CA ruled.

“Petitioners’ [Brigoli and Pangilinan] connivance with the other public officials, clearly diverted the public purpose of the PDAF to a private purpose, which the law prohibits. Certainly, these repeated and illegal transfers of public funds to CRBB’s control and possession gave the latter unwarranted benefits and caused undue injury to the government,” the CA said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Louganis to officiate diving series

F

OUR-TIME Olympic gold medal diver, Greg Louganis, will continue to serve as Sports Director for this year’s upcoming Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Season 11, which kicks off on April 12 in the Small and Big Lagoons located in Miniloc Island, El Nido, Palawan.

Namchok Tantiphokakul

Thai bets try to end Solaire PH Open jinx AN 11-player Thai crew gears up for the Solaire Philippine Open next month, all aiming to finally break the long spell and nail the elusive crown in the country’s premier championship at the dreaded The Country Club in Laguna.

Prom Meesawat nearly pulled off the feat in the event’s Centennial staging last year when he stormed to the lead after three rounds of play in brutal conditions. But the veteran Thai campaigner took a heartbreaker of a defeat to local ace Miguel Tabuena, losing in sudden death and extending the country’s perennial regional rivals’ woes in Asia’s oldest National Open.

That could change as the likes of Wisut Artjanawat, Namchok Tantiphokakul, Sutijet Kooratanapisan, Pasavee Lertvilai, Nirun Sae-Ueng and Poosit Supupramai vow to accomplish what Meesawat had failed to achieve when the 101st edition of the fabled event is fired off April 3, also at the Tom Weiskoph-layout.

Tabuena, now busy campaigning in other regional tours in pursuit of world ranking points, will be back to defend the crown, along with the other Filipino top guns and aces from 13 other countries making up the early 92-player field in the 72-hole championship sponsored

by Solaire Resort & Casino.

More bets, including new, crack international players, are expected to sign up in the next few days with the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. guaranteeing another down-to-the-wire finish on a course whose signature final hole could make or break one’s title bid.

Ten Australians, led by Philippine Golf Tour Asia leg winners Damien Jordan and David Gleeson, and 11 players from the US, headed by regular local campaigners Sam Gillis, Lexus Keoninh, Brett Munson, Cory Oride and PGT leg titlist Nicholas Paez are also in the fold, all seeking to get a crack at the coveted crown in the event sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines headed by president Martin Lorenzo.

The event also drew bidders from Colombia, Indonesia, New Zealand, England, India, Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Macedonia and the Netherlands plus the leading local players on the both the PGT and PGT Asia circuits.

Juvic Pagunsan is also seeing action as one of the invitees with Asia’s former top player all primed up to shoot for the one championship missing in his trophy collection. He actually tied for second in 2004 at Riviera as an amateur, bowing to American Edward Michaels in the end.

This year will mark the first time the event comes to the Philippines and will likewise be the only Asian stop of the 2019 series.

Louganis’ Work with Red Bull Cliff Diving In 2017, Louganis was named as the Sports Director for the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series after having attended the event in the past as a judge.

“I was invited as a judge on the tour years ago,” shares Louganis. “Then after the passing of my dear friend and former Olympic competitor Niki Stajkovic, who was the original Sports Director, Red Bull reached out to me and asked if I could step into the role.”

Moreover, Louganis is excited to be working on the 11th season, stating “I am honored to be back this year on the Red

full event, along with the remaining six stops of the 2019 World Series, on SportsAndAction and iWant Sports (iwant.ph), 5PLUS and 5plus.com.ph, FOX Sports, FOX Sports GO, FOX+ app, and online at http://www.foxsports.ph. Check local listings for times and availabilities.

Fans can also follow the World Series on Facebook (facebook. com/redbullcliffdiving), Instagram (@ redbullcliffdiving) and Twitter (@ cliffdiving).

Greg Louganis

Velez, Novis capture PPS tennis titles

Shown here are (from left) Miss Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman, Miss International 2018 First Runner-up Ahtisa Manalo, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational 2018 Jehza Huelar, Claude Bautista’s representatives Cesar Tan and Alejandro Jochico, Uniprom Inc COO Irene Jose, and WSC Derby Office head Dong Lamoste.

World Slasher Cup returns to Big Dome on May 27 to June 2; Hennies prohibited AN American (Cris Copas of Kentucky) and his partner from Mindanao (Claude Bautista of the CPB group) may have snagged the solo championship at the World Slasher Cup first edition last February, but those angling to win the coveted silver-plated WSC cup will have a second chance this year.

On May 27, the 2019 World Slasher Cup 2 kicks off at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum and will last until June 2.

Known to attract the best breeders the world over, WSC remains the most desirable title among avid “sabongeros.”

WSC 1 champs CPB and Cris took the solo championship early this year by fielding their fiercest Kelsos, Roundheads and Sweaters. The entry owned by Bautista, a former WSC champ, and first time WSC winner Copas scored a perfect 9-0 card for the win.

The hard feat was nearly challenged by Team Alcala with 8 points for their Birthday Gift 1 and 2 entries to score a runner-up finish. Following closely behind were Belle Almojera of Florida, and Santi Sierra of Cebu with 7.5 points. Those who finished with 7 points were former champs Nene Araneta, Biboy Enriquez, and cockfight idol Patrick Antonio – whose win last year gave him a total of 7 championship trophies; and WSC loyals Jomel Gatlabayan and RGBA Friends, Jimmy Junsay, Doc Marvin Rocafort, and Cris/Paolo Mercado.

Winning at the World Slasher Cup is still a dream for many ardent cockfighting enthusiasts not just in the Philippines but from abroad as well.

Marty Bentley and Brett McCormick from Ohio, who had travelled to the Philippines twice before to check out the WSC, competed for the first time last

January with their Roundhead Albany Crosses and Kelsos.

“We loved it that’s why we’re back,” said Bentley. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do,” he added about competing.

Tim Fitzgerald from Utah had been coming to the WSC for 11 years, and competed 7 times already with his Toppy Hatch breeds. “We have good roosters in the States, too, but this is right among the top,” he said of WSC and the birds that fight here. “ The World Slasher Cup, which prohibits the use of hennies, has been supported by media partners PitGames Media, Inc., the Journal Group, Pilipino Mirror, Saksi Ngayon and Diaryo Bomba; ABS-CBN Action + Sports’ “Sagupaan,” “Sabong Nation,” and “Sabong Pilipinas”; and TV5’s “All New Tukaan” and “Bakbakan Na TV.”

LOCAL star John David Velez and Malita find Ma. Angelica Novis fashioned out a pair of emphatic victories to share MVP honors in the PPS-PEPP MCF Global National tennis tournament at the GSIS Tennis Club in Davao City last Monday.

Velez stayed hot despite coming off a long break from the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala circuit, dropping just 14 games in four matches to capture the boys’ 16-and-under crown via a 6-1, 6-3 result over Andrei Lago in the final.

He proved more imposing in the premier 18-U side, blasting Nikhel Nowlakha, 6-1, 6-1, to complete a two-title romp in the Group 1 event staged as part of the Davao City’s 82nd anniversary celebrations and 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.

Novis, meanwhile, kept her impressive run in the girls’ division of the nationwide circuit presented

by Dunlop, crushing Coleen Carvajal twice to sweep the 16-U (6-3, 6-2) and 18-U (6-1, 6-3) diadems, her third straight after pulling off similar feats in the Digos and Tagum stops 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. “While Velez and Novis kept their win run going, new faces continued to emerge which should serve as motivation for the other bidders and further boost our talent-search,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Other singles winners were Cian Ramirez from Kabacan (10-unisex), Kendrick Bona from Puerto Princesa and member of the MCTA, Davao’s Andre Sing (boys’ 14-U), Tagum’s Chelsea Bernaldez (girls’ 12-U) and Juliana Carvajal from Digos (girls’ 14-U).

Winner of Dasmariñas-Demecillo fight likely challenger to IBF belts

Year 6 Tanduay Chairman Kap Golf set April 5 EVERYTHING is all set for this year’s edition of Tanduay Chairman Kap Year 6 on April 5 at the West Course of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club in Mandalutong City.

The golf tournament was started in 2014 when Tanduay celebrated its 160th year.

This has been the brainchild of young tycoon Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr. to honor his father and the LT Group’s Chairman Lucio C. Tan Sr., known in the industry as “El Kapitan”.

The much-awaited tournament will be participated in by key officers of the LT Group of Companies, business associates, friends from the government and media.

This is traditionally held on the first Friday of April to celebrate the birthday of the family’s matriarch, Mrs. Carmen Tan. Now on its 165th year, Tanduay will hold a one-day event with morning and afternoon shotgun starts, same as in 2014.

Bull Cliff Diving World Series. I look forward to another exciting year.”

As Red Bull Cliff Diving’s Sports Director, Louganis oversees every athletic and logical aspect of the competition.

This ensures that all safety measures are met, in addition to the implementation of consistent competition rules across all the competitors.

“Some of the safety measures we look for is if the diving heights meet the standard requirements for 27 meters for the Men and 21 meters for the Women,” says Louganis. “Also that there is at least 5 meters water depth which the divers would be diving in.”

A Quick Look at Greg Louganis’ Unforgettable Career Louganis, who is widely considered the “the greatest American diver”, made

his Olympic debut in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he took home the Silver Medal in the platform event.

After winning three combined FINA World Championships in 1979 and 1982, Louganis returned to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he placed first on both the platform and springboard events. Four years later, at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Louganis suffered a concussion in the preliminary rounds. An undeterred Louganis continued and outplaced his competition by winning both Gold Medals in the springboard and platform contests.

In the years since his Olympic wins, Louganis has established himself as a global icon for civil and LGBT rights.

Where to Watch Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Catch the live broadcast from El Nido, Palawan, via Red Bull TV on April 13th, 2019. Viewers in the Philippines may also watch the

Lucio ‘Bong’ Tan Jr.

IN A fight that promises explosive action from start to finish, Michael Dasmariñas and Kenny Demecillo clash in a slugfest capping a night of great fights as “Rising Stars” gets underway on March 23 at the Resorts World Manila.

Both camps have expressed their readiness and capability to knock each other out in one of two title eliminator bouts that will put the winner as likely challenger to the International Boxing Federation belts.

Dasmarinas, 28-2-1 (19 KOs), is on a hot 10-win streak and on paper is the more experienced fighter opposite Demecillo, 14-4-2 (8 KOs).

Experts call it a dream fight in the 118-pound division and the protagonists promise to give it all.

“Dasmariñas now has the chance to firmly make his mark as the No. 1 man to beat at 118 lbs. I have taken Michael from the small events to an IBO world title in three fights under the Ringstar banner,” said promoter Scott Patrick Farrell, confident that his ward will bulldoze his way to victory.

The 26-year-old Dasmariñas has shown his power in a fourth round stoppage of Karim Guerfi in Singapore for the International Boxing Organization diadem. “He possesses the hardest punch with snap at that weight and is a feared body snatcher with fast, accurate hands,” added Farrell.

While Bicolandia’s Dasmariñas may have the arsenal, international ring judge Arnie Najera believes Demecillo is ready for a world title shot should he get past his opponent.

“At this point, yes, Demecillo is ready to face the best in the world. He is this era’s Navarette or Duran. He is all heart, one who’s willing to take a punch so he can dish his own,” said Najera, a veteran judge of more than 400 professional fights.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in his division, one up or one lower, that he fears at the moment. He takes on all comers.

The Demecillos of Cebu are known to be sluggers, no reverse gear, just forward.

And they are durable,” added Najera, who has personally watched Demecillo

fight four times.

Demecillo took a dangerous assignment against unbeaten Vyacheslav Mirzaev in his own hometown of Anapa, Russia exactly a year ago and reversed the roles of hunter and prey, winning by knockout in the fifth and spoiling a local celebration.

“His power is a tricky secret. He outlives and outlasts his opponents especially if they fall into this trap of going toe-to-toe in the ring,” added Najera, who expects a slam-bang, phone-booth slugfest.

“If you have a Navarette-like style (in Demecillo) on one corner and a (Rafael) Bazooka Limon-clone (in Dasmarinas) on another, what will you get for a fight?

Dasmarinas is a kababayan from Bicol and I know Bicolanos never back down from a fight. Demecillo on the other hand, hails from Iligan City in Lanao and is a no push-over. Expect fireworks.

I hope Dasmarinas is in tip-top shape because I know Kenny is punishing himself in the gym since the fight was announced. Dasmarinas’ durability will be tested here,” said Najera.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@manilastandard.net sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

Ateneo tests UST mettle in UAAP volleyball Games today (Filoil Flying V Centre) 8 a.m. – AdU vs NU (Men) 10 a.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Men) 2 p.m. – UE vs NU (Women) 4 p.m. – Ateneo vs UST (Women)

GOLDEN FINISH.

Filipina Janice Trinidad (749) sprints to a gold medal finish in the 100-meter run in the ongoing Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi.

Sheila Galvez, in Bocce, and Aivie Dungca in Gymnastics also won gold for the Philippines.

Dennis B. Mallari

CEU claims the top spot in D-League CENTRO Escolar University claimed the top spot in the Foundation Group, outlasting Valencia City Bukidnon-SSCR, 71-65, in the 2019 PBA D-League Monday at Paco Arena in Manila.

Senegalese big man Malick Diouf etched his name in the developmental league’s history books as he set a new rebounding record with 30 boards.

He also finished with a game-high 21 points and four blocks as the Scorpions racked up their fourth straight win in as many games.

“He was controlling [the boards],” said coach Derrick Pumaren.

Jan Formento produced 16 points, Christian Uri supplied 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Keanu Caballero made 10 markers, six dimes and five boards in the triumph.

CEU wasted its strong 19-5 start as the opposition ran back and led by nine in the second frame, but they restored order in the final canto by building a 6959 lead with 4:20 remaining.

The Golden Stags, however, refused to throw in the towel. Kenneth Villapando’s three-point play conversion inched his side to within five with 2:41 left in the game.

Allyn Bulanadi tried to cut the deficit even shorter, but he muffed both of his shots as Diouf was there to secure both rebounds, which not only sealed the deal but the new record as well.

“Valencia, in their first three games, really started well so for today we wanted to start strong which we did,” said Pumaren. “But I’m not happy with our turnovers because they came back.”

CEU committed 20 turnovers which led to 19 easy points for the opposition.

Bulanadi had 16 points on a dismal 6-of-22 shooting to lead Valencia-SSCR, who fell to 3-1.

Alvin Capobres supplied 13 points and 13 rebounds, while JM Calma added 10.

Tom, Mojdeh make splash in swimming

By Peter Atencio

I

LAGAN, Isabela—Two Palarong Pambansa veterans beat the scorching midday heat, came within their personal bests and grabbed the most medals at the start of the swimming meet at the old Isabela Sports Complex here.

Twelve-year-old Aubrey Tom led Cainta, Rizal with three golds making her the most bemedaled swimmer on Day 2 of the Luzon Leg of the 2019 Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy.

Thirteen-year-old Micaela Mojdeh, shrugging off fatigue following her recent stint in Japan, handed Parañaque two gold medals in swimming.

Tom, who is expected to dominate the elementary events of the 2018 Palarong Pambansa next month after Mojdeh was elevated to the secondary girls division, picked up her first gold medal in the 12-under, 200-meter individual medley with an improved personal clocking of 2:37.55.

Then, she claimed the 100-meter freestyle mint with an unimpressive time of

1:37.17 after being too slow in making a turn.

She bounced back in the 50-meter backstroke with a time of 34.20 seconds, which was within range of her personal best of 33.45.

“In the 200-IM, my time improved.

I’m proud of time. It’s from a high of 2:38.

In the 100-meter freestyle, I did not improve. But I’m just maintaining my time in the 50 meters,” said Tom, who is prepare for a challenging stint in the Palaro after she got four golds and a silver in the regionals.

With her showing Tom, promised to show up in the Palaro nationals following her absence last year, despite qualifying in the regionals. This will be her third time to prepare for the Palaro.

Pacio gets another crack at Saruta

Jr NBA starts Benguet camp JR NBA Philippines presented by Alaska returns to Benguet State University for this year’s second Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camp on March 23 and 24. Jr. NBA coaches, led by Carlos Barroca of the NBA and PBA Legend Jeffrey Cariaso, will bring the league’s youth basketball participation program to teach basketball fundamentals and impart core values of the game to boys and girls ages 10-14.

Participants will experience world-class basketball instruction in the two-day event, which will tip off on March 23, Saturday, at 7 a.m. The aspiring Jr. NBA All-Stars will go through a series of skills stations that will test their dexterity in dribbling, passing, shooting, lay-ups and footwork.

Top performers on the first day will progress to Sunday to be coached on advanced basketball concepts and participate in team exercises and exhibition games.

Boys and girls will vie for slots to represent North Luzon in the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp in Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati on May 17-19. Athletes selected in the Benguet Regional Selection Camp will comprise part of the top 40 boys and 40 girls gathered from Regional Selection Camps in Lucena (March 9-10), Dumaguete (March 30-31), Butuan (April 13-14), Metro Manila (April 27-28), and the Alaska Power Camp.

Mojdeh, now a grade 8 student at the Immaculate Heart of Mary CollegeParanaque, ruled the 13 to 15-year-old 200-meter IM in 2:34.91 to beat Janelle Lin of Dagupan.

Then Mojdeh conquered the 400-meter IM in 5:25.11, for her second gold out of the five that she is seeking.

“Sunod-sunod kasi ang mga sinalihan ko. Mabilis pa rin ang oras ko kahit pagod ako,” said Mojdeh, who is still recovering from her participation in the Tokyo AgeGroup Swimming Championship Meanwhile, San Jose City of Nueva Ecija took seven of 13 gold medals at stake in pencak silat.

Bieto Barol Jr. led San Jose City’s charge by dominating the early age boys action, along with Jenelle Ann Adriano and Luke Albert Capulong in the pre-teen girls and boys level.

Baguio City claimed six gold medals in men’s taekwondo with the pair of Guiller Evangelista and Michaelie Montes topping the pair cadet action.

Khyla Guinto, Xyla Alacyang and Montes added more in the team cadet level.

FIRST-ROUND leader Ateneo tests the mettle of University of Santo Tomas at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

“We really have to put in more effort and sacrifice,” said coach Oliver Almadro, who took over from Tai Bundit in the off-season.

“Hopefully the positivity and energy will manifest in the second round,” he added.

Behind the heads-up plays of Kat Tolentino and Maddie Madayag and the unquestioned leadership displayed by Bea de Leon all-tournament long, the Lady Eagles, who were supposed to be on a rebuilding mode, are looking good to make a return trip to the top.

Ateneo found its rhythm after a season-opening loss to defending three-time champion De La Salle by winning six consecutive victories to rule the first round.

The Lady Eagles are wary of the Tigresses, who finished the first round with a three-match winning streak to level with the Lady Spikers in second place at 5-2.

Enjoying its best first round campaign since the 2009-10 season, UST hardly felt the loss of injured Milena Alessandrini with the league-leading scorers Sisi Rondina and Eya Laure doing the damage with some help from Dimdim Pacres.

The Tigresses’ winning run would not be possible without rookie playmaker Mafe Galanza, whom coach Kungfu Reyes considered as a “blessing” for the España-based squad that is looking to make a return trip in the Final Four after missing the bus last year.

“So malaking bagay, napakalaking blessing ng bata para sa amin. Sana ganoon din kami sa kanya,” said Reyes, referring to Galanza.

Going up against last year’s Best Setter Deanna Wong, Galanza will definitely be the key for UST to avenge its 21-25, 18-25, 25-16, 22-25 loss to Ateneo last Feb. 20.

“Siyempre well-experienced si Alina (Bicar), pero kung makikita mo doon sa stat at sa positioning ng spiker, kung sinong pinaka-magandang magpagalaw ng tao, doon kami pupunta,” said Reyes. “Nagkataon na si Mafe, very composed, hindi mo makitaan ng nagdududa sa sarili or anything, talagang laro lang siya.”

National University (2-5) and University of the East (1-6) collide in the first game at 2 p.m.

Joshua Pacio (right) with his right hand against Yoshitaka Naito during their championship bout. ONE Championship

FORMER ONE World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio gets a chance to avenge a shock loss and regain the world crown he lost last January 19 when he faces reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta of Japan at ONE: Roots of Honor on April 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The bout will be a rematch of their duel at ONE: Eternal Glory where Pacio lost his crown via a bitter split decision.

In the main event, reigning ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen of Vietnam and Australia defends his title against former ONE World Champion Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia.

The 29-year-old Nguyen has become one of the most prolific Asian martial arts talents over the past few years, winning seven of his last nine contests.

In 2015, he embarked on an unprecedented sixbout winning streak. Along the way, he captured both the ONE Featherweight and ONE Lightweight World Titles to become a simultaneous two-division ONE World Champion.

After falling to injury, however, Nguyen was prompted to vacate the lightweight belt in September 2018.

Jadambaa burst onto the ONE Championship stage in May 2014 by defeating former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario of the Philippines.

He has since won six of his last eight contests. In 2014, he captured the ONE Featherweight World Title with a victory over Koji Oishi. Over the years, Jadambaa has defeated some of ONE Championship’s biggest names, with notable victories coming over Kotetsu Boku, Kazuki Tokudome, and Eric and Edward Kelly.

Pacio gets a chance to avenge his shock loss to Saruta. After Pacio’s original opponent, Hayato Suzuki, was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury, Saruta who was tapped to take his place in the main event opposite the Filipino.

Using his world-class striking and grappling skills, Saruta put together a comprehensive performance to capture the belt.

The extremely close result was enough to warrant an immediate rematch between the two. Now, Pacio and Saruta have the chance to settle the score once and for all to determine who is the true king of the talent-filled strawweight division.

Alaska, Meralco battle for survival

By Jeric Lopez STRUGGLING teams facing possible elimination plunge back to action with one thing in mind—survival.

With the elimination round reaching its homestretch, teams on the bubble are desperate as they all need a win to keep their campaign going in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The Alaska Aces (3-5) and the Meralco Bolts (3-6), teams who are in danger of being ousted, figure in a critical tiff at 4:30 p.m. and are bound to go separate paths even.

The Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok (3-5) and the NorthPort Batang Pier (2-5) do the same at 7 p.m. in another vital encounter at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

At this point, all these four teams are in dire need of a victory to keep their sagging chances of making the quarterfinals alive.

The Aces and Hotshots and are currently

tied at eighth which is the last ticket to the quarters. Meralco and NorthPort are on the outside looking in.

Only the top eight teams will enter the quarters.

The Aces and the Bolts are both coming from losses and are both looking for a timely win when they go head-to-head.

In fact, Alaska is in the midst of a threegame losing streak.

Despite losing its last assignment, Magnolia is hoping to grab the last ticket to the next round with three games remaining in its schedule, including its face off with the Batang Pier.

On the other hand, NorthPort is now facing a do-or-die situation. It needs to sweep its remaining four games to give itself a chance of cracking the quarters.

After a 2-0 start, things went sour for the Batang Pier as it hasn’t seen daylight for the longest time, losing five straight games after.

Alaska Aces guard Chris Banchero (4) dribbles past Meralco Bolts defender Nico Salva. The Aces and the Bolts battle for survival when they clash today. PBA Media

IN BRIEF DICT seeks accord for telecom towers

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology wants an agreement with telecommunication companies to speed up the rollout of the government’s common tower initiative.

The agency has proposed the signing of an agreement to build 50,000 common towers in seven years between the National Telecommunications Commission and the telecom companies.

The DICT and NTC under the agreement will identify sites where common towers are recommended to be built, with a target of 3,000 sites on the first year and gradually increasing them to 10,000 from the fifth to the seventh year.

The telecom companies should also coordinate with the two parties in identifiying priority sites.

The DICT plans to finalize the common tower policy within a month after the telecom firms release the list of sites identified for the tower roll-out.

“Telcos will be the end-user of these common towers so we fully need their cooperation to improve our overall telecommunication landscape,” said Acting DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. Darwin G. Amojelar

e-vehicle group eyes help of battery firms

AFTER drawing about P3 billion worth of investments from assembly line and supply investors, the country’s e-vehicle group has urged battery makers to set up manufacturing operations in the Philippines.

E-Vehicle Association of the Philippines expects as much as one million evehicles plying the roads, which will be a combination of e-trikes, motorcycles, e-jeeps and e-buses 2020.

“This redounds to about P1.68 billion in sales and services. The direction of the industry is leaning mostly to e-jeepneys and e-buses but we still support e-motorcycles and e-trikes,” said EVAP president Edmund Araga at the sidelines of a business conference.

He noted the P3-billion investments were mostly in assembly lines and e-vehicle suppliers, excluding battery supply and manufacturing.

The group recently signed an agreement with China Battery Association to form linkages, especially with the Philippine Nickel Industry Association, to discuss areas of cooperation in battery production. Othel V. Campos

Business

Chelsea bullish on 2019 growth and expansion CHELSEA Logistics Holdings Corp. remains confident about its expansion plans and growth prospects in 2019 as it focuses on expanding and improving further its logistics infrastructure facilities and systems and strengthening the telecommunications base.

“Our expansion plans complement our current business operations,” said CLC president and chief executive Chryss Alfonsus Damuy.

CLC’s businesses revolve around integrated shipping and logistics but due attention is being given to infrastructure and telecommunications ventures.

The company’s shareholders in its recent annual stockholders’ meeting approved the change in its corporate name to Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., along with the shift in its PSE trading symbol to “C” from “CLC.” “As the government pushes the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program forward, we are actively looking for opportunities to participate in the development of infrastructure facilities and systems in the country, including ports and airport development and operations and other related facilities,” said Damuy.

After being awarded as the New Major Telecommunications player in November, Mindanao Islamic Telephone Inc. expects to begin its five-year rollout plan with commercial operations by 2020.

The Mislatel consortium is comprised of Udenna Corp., Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. and China Telecom.

The presence of a third telecommunications provider allows for a greater market competition which according to the World Bank can boost the Philippine economic growth.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

B1

First Gen allowed to start LNG hub

By Alena Mae S. Flores

F

GEN LNG Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Gen Corp., said Tuesday it received the formal approval of its application to proceed with the construction of the FGen Batangas liquefied natural gas terminal project in Batangas City.

“The FGen Batangas LNG Terminal Project is intended to serve the natural gas requirements of existing and future gas-fired power plants of third parties and FGen LNG affiliate,” First Gen said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

The notice to proceed is a requirement under the Energy Department’s Philippine Downstream Natural Gas Regulation. First Gen’s LNG terminal project is located in the First Gen Clean Energy

Complex in Batangas City.

First Gen owns 2,000 megawatts in operating gas assets composed of four gas-fired power plants–the 1,000-megawatt Santa Rita Power Plant, the 500MW San Lorenzo Power Plant, the 414-MW San Gabriel Power Plant and the 97-MW Avion Power Plant. These facilities feed on natural gas from the Malampaya gas field.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi signed the notice allowing FGen LNG to proceed with the $1-billion LNG project in partnership with Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd. on March 7.

Cusi said FGen had no overlapping market with Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc., the consortium of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines and CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd., which was also given an NTP for a separate LNG project.

“No [overlapping market], otherwise we will not have approved it. It was approved because they have a different business model and they can stand and live up to their business model,” Cusi said.

First Gen president Francis Giles

Puno said the NTP was a “positive development.”

“The next phase is the selection of the contractor. The main reason for selecting the contractor is to firm up the cost of the project… Hopefully, we move towards financing close,” he said.

Puno said First Gen was expecting to complete the partnership arrangement within the year and start the construction of the project next year.

“We’re going through this phase now with the final design of the facility and then hopefully we make a decision on the contractor. In the meantime, we’re also looking at other partners who are available,” he said.

Puno said other foreign investors expressed interest in joining the project.

“For me, it improves our likelihood to be able to proceed with the project,” he said.

“I think I can say is that we’re just flexible because we need to make sure it proceeds. But fortunately, it’s not the lack of interest from other investors. It’s in a way a good position because there seems to be a lot of interest,” he said.

PetroEnergy allocates more for solar project

THE board of PetroEnergy Resources Corp. approved the reallocation of P160 million from the proceeds of its stock rights offering to fund additional investments in the second phase of the Tarlac solar power project in Central Technopark, Tarlac City.

“Pursuant to this, PERC will reallocate P160 million of the remaining SRO proceeds for additional investments in the 20-megawatt Phase 2 of the Tarlac solar power project. This amount will be taken from the current allocations for the 14MW Phase 2 of the Nabas wind power project and the 10- to 20-MW Puerto Princesa solar power project,” PetroEnergy said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The PetroEnergy management earlier reported that the 20-MW Tarlac solar power project 2 would be funded by 50-percent equity and 50-percent loans.

“However, on account of the prevailing high interest rates, management opted to fund the project solely through shareholder contributions and through internally generated funds,” the company said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

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

SCHINDLER’S TECHNOLOGY. Jardine Schindler Philippines launches its Port Technology-enabled destination elevator installation at Daiichi Properties’ The Finance Centre in Bonifacio Global City. Port or Personal Occupant Requirement Terminal Technology provides tenants with a new and enhanced elevator and escalator service experience. Leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) JSEC marketing manager Enrico Morales, new installation sales head Rey Macaraig, new installation director Akash Srivastava, managing director Peter Schwarer, Daiichi vice president for project management Rey Fuentez and Daiichi project directors Bernard Parajado and Noel Villena.

NLEx agrees to readjust toll from Balintawak to Marilao

By Darwin G. Amojelar NLEx Corp. said it will implement a P9 increase in toll under the open system from Balintawak to Marilao interchanges, slightly lower than the approved P10 adjustment.

It said the new adjustment covering the open system would take effect March 20.

The open system, where a flat rate is charged per entry, includes Balintawak, Mindanao Ave., Karuhatan, Valenzuela, Caloocan, Meycauayan and Marilao interchanges and toll plazas.

These cover the urban section of the expressway where traffic congestion is more pronounced.

This means an increase of P9 flat fee, instead of the authorized P10 for Class

1 vehicles (ordinary cars) traversing the Balintawak, Karuhatan, Paso de Blas, Mindanao Avenue, Meycauayan and Marilao sections of the expressway effective March 20.

Class 2 vehicles (buses and small trucks) on the same corridor will only pay an additional P22 (instead of P23) and Class 3 vehicles (large trucks/ trailers) will only pay an additional P28 (instead of P29).

NLEx said the reduced toll increases were reflected in the recently issued toll fare guide for those motorists traveling the entire NLEx. For customers’ convenience, the fare guide will also include the combined toll fee computation for both NLEx and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.

SCTEX is not included in the toll

increase.

The rate increases were approved following the opening of the 2x3 lanes, all elevated 5.65-km Harbor Link Segment 10 traversing the cities of Valenzuela, Malabon and Caloocan.

Two weeks after its opening on Feb. 28, 2019, more than 100,000 motorists benefited from the newly opened expressway.

NLEx Harbor Link Segment 9 and the recently opened Segment 10 are now parts of the open system. The completion of these projects added new routes, exit and entry points to the system, helping decongest several traffic chokepoints such as A. Bonifacio, Edsa, C3 Caloocan, Karuhatan, MacArthur Highway and Quezon City.

Bangko Sentral to cut bank reserves—DBS

By Julito G. Rada DBS Bank of Singapore expects the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to resume the reduction in the reserve requirement of banks in its meeting Thursday.

The current reserve requirement of banks stands at 18 percent, considered one of the highest in the region, despite the 2-percentage-point reduction last year.

DBS said in a report Tuesday the BSP might proceed with the RRR reduction but would likely keep the benchmark policy rates steady in the second MB meeting this year.

“We expect Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to cut bank reserve requirement ratio by 1 percent but keep the policy rate unchanged... The appointment of former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to the position of BSP Governor has fundamentally changed the monetary policy outlook,” DBS said.

After his appointment as BSP governor by President Rodrigo Duterte last month, Diokno made known his intention to cut the reserve requirement of banks, saying the current ratio remained “too high.”

Diokno, however, said the Monetary Board, which he chairs, would continue to be data-dependent in deciding when to resume the reduction in reserve requirement.

The reserve requirement, or cash reserve ratio, is a central bank regulation that sets the minimum amount of reserves that should be kept by a commercial bank.

Diokno said the timing for the next RRR cut would be very important.

DBS’s expectation echoed that of ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa who said earlier that the Bangko Sentral might cut the reserve requirement in its meeting Thursday to address the current tight liquidity condition.

SUBIC PORT COOPERATION.

Port of Subic deputy collector for operation Siegfred Manaois (right) holds a meeting with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma on the enhancement of cooperation on the aspect of port operation and trade facilitation between Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and Bureau of CustomsPort of Subic.

Meralco says power sales likely rose 2.5% in 1st quarter POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. said Tuesday energy sales volume likely rose 2.5 percent in the first quarter from a year ago despite the cooler temperature and consumer concerns over inflation.

“I think we’re seeing February year to date, sales growth to be around a little over 2 percent. That is against a high base in 2018. So [in] the first two months, growth has been in the area of 2 plus percent,” Meralco president Oscar Reyes said.

“Year to date to March around 2.5 percent, but I said we are coming from a high base. Growth was high last year. I think January, February, March, we were growing over 6 or 7 percent,” Reyes said.

Reyes said the industrial sector contributed “good growth numbers” in the first two months, followed by the commercial clients.

Residential growth was affected by slightly cooler temperature and concerns over the impact of inflation.

Meralco posted a 5-percent sales volume growth in 2018 to 44,313 gigawatt-hours on rapid urbanization of the north and south areas of its franchise area, increased activities of Philippine offshore gaming operators and the sustained demand for business process outsourcing services.

The 5-percent sales volume growth helped Meralco achieve an 11-percent increase in core net income to P22.4 billion last year from P20.213 billion in 2017.

Meralco’s reported net income also went up 13 percent to P23.017 billion in 2018 from P20.384 billion in 2017.

The company recorded a 7-percent increase in industrial sales volume last year, driven by the semiconductor, rubber and plastics and food and beverage industries.

Commercial volume sales grew 5 percent in 2018, on the growth of real estate, hotel and restaurant and retail trade.

Residential sales increased 4 percent, with customer count growing by almost 274,000 to 6.6 million last year.

Reyes earlier said the reliable power provisioning and distribution supported volume growth throughout 2018.

He said the company remained focused on the changing needs of Meralco customers, especially with millennials constituting a large chunk of the franchise population.

“Power generation investments are also key to ensuring a globally competitive power industry,” Reyes said. Alena Mae S. Flores

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market slips; ICTSI gains

S

HARE prices and those in the rest of the region dipped Tuesday as investors bide their time until the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 29.61 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,843.41 on a value turnover of nearly P6 billion. Losers beat gainers, 104 to 89, with 44 issues unchanged.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of industrialist John Gokongwei lost 2.1 percent to P61.70, while unit Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. dropped 4.6 percent to P78.90.

DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji family dropped 3.2n percent to P11.90, but International Container Terminal

Services Inc., the biggest port operator, rose 1.5 percent to P120.80.

The pound, meanwhile, fought back against the dollar after taking a hit from the latest twist in the Brexit saga.

With little fresh information on developments in China-US trade talks, focus of stock market investors has turned this week to the US central bank and its interest rate plans.

Board members are widely expected to hold fire on another hike but its postmeeting statement Wednesday will be pored over, with observers predicting the Fed will opt for just one increase this year as opposed to the two previously tipped, owing to the stuttering economy.

The Fed’s softer tone has been one of the key factors in a global stocks rally this year, with investors buoyed by the prospect of cheap borrowing.

Wall Street provided a positive lead with all three main indexes ending higher, though Asia struggled to take up the baton.

Hong Kong inched down 0.1 percent after three days of gains, while Shanghai closed 0.2 percent lower and Tokyo ended 0.1 percent weaker.

Sydney, Singapore and Seoul were each 0.1 percent off, while Wellington and Taipei were also slightly down.

The pound was slowly edging back up against the dollar after taking a hit from fresh Brexit uncertainty sparked

by Prime Minister Theresa May being told she would not be allowed to hold another vote on her exit deal.

Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow used a centuries-old rule that said the government could not submit its Brexit deal for another vote in parliament if it is “the same” or “sub-

stantially the same” to the one already rejected by MPs. The decision means May must come up with a revised plan just two weeks before the key March 29 deadline for leaving, having already been told by EU leaders they will not budge any further.

“Given the EU’s stand seems to be that negotiations have finished on the withdrawal agreement, if that’s right then time’s up, and so the odds of May’s soft Brexit plan being approved now have fallen dramatically,” said David de Garis, director of economics and markets at National Australia Bank.

May had been due to hold another vote this week on the pact. If it had passed, she would have sought a short extension to Brexit but if it had failed, some reports said the divorce could have been put off for up to two more years.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.75 5,560 87 1,286,550 2.3 107,000 131.5 2,410,870 1.35 103,000 27.5 143,400 19 105,800 12.48 489,800 4.3 49,000 815 150 0.45 220,000 82 2,310,750 0.96 130,000 13.86 4,000 21.5 7,800 59.2 722,300 185 270 122 20 58.4 2,930 26.35 41,500 165.9 540,950 1,815 190 61.2 17,490

326,631 112,937,667.50 241,380 317,653,176 137,170 3,948,165 1,990,650 6,135,630 212,240 122,250 99,000 189,504,130.50 126,020 55,440 167,800 42,559,575.50 49,950 2,322 171,189.50 1,093,950 90,730,337 344,850 1,069,311

264,375 -45,678,258 -114,397,939 -275,325 -875,296 89,191,670.50 0 8,319,263.50 -553,675 -1,648,992 -1,043,331

34.5 14 1.01 1.4 0.236 2.71 15.5 107 28.7 15.36 43 1.88 5.8 6.18 11.28 15.76 9.05 7.4 21 75.5 27.1 2.15 9.6 12.9 1.65 312.2 3.34 10.7 25.1 11.94 20.35 372 0.196 1.38 3.77 6.62 8.95 1.3 11.86 49.35 5.8 4.66 1.8 2.52 1.3 11.92 102.2 6.4 0.96 146.1 2.69 1.62 1.26

INDUSTRIAL 34.5 785,700 14.38 393,100 1.03 3,623,000 1.42 452,000 0.24 80,000 2.71 17,140,000 15.7 1,187,700 110 8,560 29.8 190,500 15.36 2,300 43 5,800 1.88 11,000 5.8 84,700 6.27 9,600 11.3 407,100 15.8 1,028,300 9.1 243,800 7.52 72,900 21.7 1,900,300 76 188,480 27.2 145,800 2.36 26,851,000 9.65 1,216,600 13.3 2,389,400 1.65 135,000 313.6 365,990 3.6 15,000 10.8 14,100 25.1 1,109,900 11.96 95,900 20.7 890,600 375 293,870 0.196 80,000 1.4 1,183,000 3.85 480,000 6.62 5,435,000 8.95 3,500 1.33 4,921,000 12.28 169,900 49.35 755,100 6 131,000 4.68 13,429,000 1.8 650,000 2.69 24,000 1.33 101,000 12.1 2,500 104 153,510 6.4 43,500 0.98 159,000 146.1 637,490 2.7 26,000 1.63 1,398,000 1.26 765,000

27,199,750 5,655,024 3,732,600 637,380 19,140 47,951,120 18,501,194 925,804 5,656,570 35,430 249,400 20,980 492,543 60,007 4,606,504 16,242,844 2,215,999 540,699 41,173,775 14,360,878.50 3,955,020 60,742,340 11,824,363 31,606,704 224,640 115,083,494 51,500 153,728 28,699,220 1,148,452 18,436,910 110,156,992 15,680 1,645,950 1,845,970 36,201,342 31,325 6,446,560 2,054,262 37,428,700 766,000 62,844,570 1,170,780 61,700 133,550 30,068 15,859,121 280,776 157,670 93,563,804 70,090 2,271,420 968,950

-2,528,910 -461,690 -10,300 -3,959,350 -59,472 -937,035 77,400 19,100 12,400 294,922 11,641,278 -2,320 7,787,405 -3,226,609.50 3,748,100 -1,310,680.00 -2,241,358 -2,936,710 -36,034,620 2,352,455 -57,486 7,634,595 -62,430,924 -107,140 -9,284,696 22,375.00 -166,542 -2,763,890 -580,000 -731,640 -6,245,305 10,907,165.00 -24,300 -206,910.00 -

0.76 58.75 15.62 0.76 6.5 20.4 1.41 1.4 934 7.6 12.3 15.4 0.24 1,002 6.51 63 0.56 5.4 16.46 0.57 4.96 0.04 3.17 176.8 2.36 955 1.34 280 0.245 0.395

0.73 57.95 15.46 0.74 6.5 19.72 1.33 1.37 928 7.41 11.9 15 0.233 995.5 6.17 61.7 0.53 5.22 15.82 0.57 4.91 0.038 3.07 174 2.36 938.5 1.32 272 0.24 0.375

HOLDING FIRMS 0.73 28,763,000 58.4 640,720 15.56 8,345,200 0.76 30,000 6.5 130,700 20 55,400 1.36 14,185,000 1.38 1,731,000 930 170,680 7.45 764,500 11.9 7,903,600 15.4 3,572,700 0.233 550,000 1,000 69,830 6.47 16,000 61.7 1,575,690 0.55 200,000 5.27 1,824,500 16 4,064,700 0.57 11,000 4.92 10,790,000 0.039 18,000,000 3.12 1,255,000 176 840,980 2.36 37,000 951.5 167,480 1.32 876,000 279.8 7,380 0.24 490,000 0.385 91,340,000

21,381,910 37,414,710 129,589,574 22,300 849,550 1,106,843 19,347,960 2,388,110 158,706,005 5,728,981 95,802,094 54,539,280 129,180 69,807,710 100,724 98,007,341.50 109,830 9,720,812 65,827,808 6,270 53,109,510 701,300 3,883,470 147,480,630 87,320 159,204,350 1,157,630 2,041,916 118,050 35,354,600

-687,180 14,562,015.50 59,894,680 527,800 -6,000 1,096,100 4,175,065 -982,007 -38,052,858 2,395,078 38,243,115 -24,478,425 -43,120 -955,250 -6,744,800 -14,071,130 92,800 -37,499,119 -37,256,425 13,300 -255,736 2,275,850

12.14 0.79 10.94 1.93 0.86 43.45 2.45 4.44 6.7 0.54 0.86 0.93 0.242 0.395 11.4 21.8 0.5 1.55 1.23 5.62 0.385 1.98 0.47 2.8 46.9 24.1 2.05

12.08 0.78 10.92 1.93 0.82 43 2.38 4.37 6.2 0.49 0.81 0.91 0.24 0.39 10.76 21 0.495 1.51 1.21 5.58 0.37 1.87 0.45 2.76 45.95 23.25 2.01

34,417,204 70,360 67,708 173,700 4,269,430 561,065,370 1,805,280 3,513,890 112,000 28,814,400 568,830 114,040 871,620 845,450 14,349,856 14,642,280 804,480 47,985,880 1,356,320 94,684,111 7,457,150 5,333,570 275,650 180,960 23,075 29,170,190 90,610

-16,419,938 11,700 -2,188 -115,800 -208,507,045 551,840 22,050 -62,000 74,700 -19,750 -811,880 438,140 261,000 4,266,030 12,221,007 170,000 -6,540,750 38,350.00

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.1 88.15 2.25 131 1.35 27.7 18.4 12.48 4.42 815 0.45 81.85 0.99 13.86 21.55 60.1 185 110.2 58.5 26.3 169 1,815 62.9

58.75 88.15 2.3 132.5 1.35 27.7 19 12.6 4.42 815 0.45 82.35 0.99 13.86 21.55 60.5 185 122 58.5 26.45 170 1,815 62.9

58.1 87 2.24 130.6 1.33 27.45 18.4 12.46 4.28 815 0.45 81.65 0.96 13.86 21.5 57.8 185 110.2 58.4 26.2 165.9 1,815 60.8

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

35 14 1.01 1.42 0.236 2.87 15.52 110.2 29.3 16 43 1.91 5.84 6.28 11.4 15.76 9.15 7.45 21 76 27.3 2.3 9.81 12.9 1.66 315.2 3.5 11.08 26.3 12 20.35 375 0.196 1.41 3.77 6.68 8.95 1.3 12.26 49.75 5.8 4.67 1.86 2.73 1.3 12.2 105 6.46 0.99 147 2.69 1.63 1.27

35.05 14.46 1.04 1.42 0.243 2.92 15.7 110.2 29.8 16 43 1.91 5.84 6.28 11.4 15.86 9.19 7.56 21.95 77 27.3 2.39 9.86 13.4 1.7 316 3.6 11.2 26.3 12 21 376 0.196 1.41 3.86 6.76 8.95 1.33 12.28 49.75 6 4.68 1.86 2.73 1.34 12.2 105 6.46 1.03 148 2.7 1.64 1.28

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

0.75 58 15.6 0.74 6.5 19.72 1.41 1.4 934 7.45 12.3 15 0.236 1,002 6.51 62.9 0.55 5.39 16.44 0.57 4.91 0.039 3.08 175 2.36 949.5 1.34 276 0.24 0.375

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

12.12 0.79 10.94 1.93 0.85 43.1 2.39 4.43 6.5 0.495 0.86 0.92 0.242 0.395 11.4 21 0.5 1.51 1.21 5.6 0.385 1.97 0.47 2.78 45.95 24.1 2.01

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

3.12 39.1 1.59 6.98 0.75 7.3

3.2 39.45 1.6 6.98 0.77 7.39

3.06 38.7 1.58 6.65 0.75 7.28

3.2 39 1.6 6.73 0.77 7.3

320,000 9,048,300 549,000 1,108,700 34,000 4,530,500

981,470 353,894,685 873,750 7,512,006 25,540 33,124,210

777,290 128,895,185 1,098,373 1,500 -11,963,294

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

12.4 20.65 0.41 0.045 16.8 2.75 11.62 0.074 80.8 8.18 5.95 7 12.02 1,940 5.7 375 2.88 1.92 118.2 10.66 7.1 0.128 5.42 3.26 15.78 3.36 0.9 21 0.57 3.11 1.91 2.73 10.1 10.36 4.77 125 2.64 1,154 0.88 1.08 48.9 82.8 8.4 2.38 0.7 0.42 5.6 0.65 15.62

12.78 20.75 0.41 0.046 16.8 2.78 11.92 0.076 83 8.18 5.95 7.1 12.02 1,987 5.72 382 2.9 1.92 122.5 10.7 7.1 0.13 5.45 3.28 15.78 3.36 0.9 21.05 0.57 3.3 1.91 2.73 10.48 10.4 4.79 125 2.68 1,160 0.9 1.1 48.9 83 8.78 2.41 0.7 0.43 5.64 0.68 15.7

12.36 20.35 0.41 0.045 16.8 2.74 11.62 0.073 80.75 8.18 5.76 6.96 11.8 1,940 5.69 371.2 2.8 1.91 118.2 10.66 7.08 0.126 5.31 3.26 15.32 3.31 0.9 20.2 0.55 3.11 1.77 2.56 10 10.3 4.77 120.3 2.59 1,146 0.87 1 47.6 78.5 8.4 2.38 0.68 0.415 5.6 0.65 15.3

SERVICES 12.74 20.5 0.41 0.046 16.8 2.77 11.8 0.076 80.75 8.18 5.8 7.1 11.94 1,987 5.71 380 2.87 1.91 120.8 10.7 7.08 0.126 5.36 3.28 15.32 3.32 0.9 20.2 0.55 3.2 1.82 2.59 10.16 10.4 4.77 124.5 2.65 1,148 0.89 1.08 48 78.9 8.78 2.38 0.69 0.415 5.63 0.67 15.3

64,500 108,200 120,000 200,000 5,500 232,000 6,649,900 91,890,000 51,460 300 902,100 32,600 107,100 32,780 93,500 1,430 913,000 13,000 5,042,840 5,000 10,000 860,000 2,407,900 9,000 200 232,000 1,000 494,100 2,500,000 7,853,000 285,000 2,163,000 217,600 11,300 26,000 79,520 1,051,000 90,425 4,416,000 127,546,000 1,083,100 2,078,420 4,100 4,543,000 3,080,000 9,940,000 1,143,200 638,000 796,600

815,546 2,226,435 49,200 9,100 92,400 639,930 78,341,152 6,892,910 4,187,000 2,454 5,263,116 227,610 1,279,722 64,968,755 533,221 539,384 2,591,580 24,850 609,992,831 53,420 70,880 109,520 12,868,747 29,430 3,110 772,950 900 10,178,870 1,388,410 25,215,410 512,780 5,648,260 2,228,966 117,422 124,090 9,909,054 2,745,040 104,191,585 3,905,850 132,628,730 51,992,615 167,239,520 35,466 10,863,730 2,129,410 4,156,500 6,428,586 424,400 12,256,416

33,600 -7,866,552.00 -342,509.50 -25,730 700 -84,000 9,557,785 52,330,604 -302,271 9,970 -1,555,225 -82,290 -101,200 38,000 -1,030 -31,395 -214,470 27,559,380 -653,410 3,673,340 -32,195,530 -53,914,602.50 4,348,470 480,990 -1,664,347 -670 -3,031,454

ABRA MINING APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET B 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 PHILODRILL PHINMA PETRO PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING

0.0021 1.44 2.86 13.36 1.12 2.35 0.3 7.83 1.49 0.239 0.121 0.127 0.0081 0.0082 1.06 2.57 1.06 0.58 0.94 0.012 0.011 3.14 3.83 13.98 22.5

0.0022 1.45 2.86 13.36 1.12 2.37 0.315 8 1.49 0.241 0.124 0.127 0.0081 0.0082 1.06 2.6 1.06 0.58 0.96 0.013 0.012 3.14 3.83 14.12 22.8

0.002 1.42 2.86 13.36 1.11 2.33 0.3 7.81 1.47 0.237 0.118 0.12 0.0081 0.0081 1.06 2.56 1.02 0.57 0.94 0.012 0.011 3.14 3.67 13.98 21.8

MINING & OIL 0.0022 528,000,000 1.43 1,250,000 2.86 8,000 13.36 100 1.11 11,000 2.37 695,000 0.315 110,000 7.85 2,200 1.49 2,324,000 0.239 1,810,000 0.119 4,310,000 0.12 1,100,000 0.0081 1,000,000 0.0081 10,000,000 1.06 47,000 2.58 1,900,000 1.06 17,000 0.57 595,000 0.95 311,000 0.012 29,100,000 0.012 2,600,000 3.14 19,000 3.67 2,240,000 14.08 293,100 22 1,413,800

1,107,900 1,791,930 22,880 1,336 12,220 1,636,280 33,500 17,457 3,443,510 431,910 514,660 134,340 8,100 81,900 49,820 4,911,600 17,490 344,150 294,040 349,800 29,400 59,660 8,357,790 4,123,328 31,417,125

-92,950 117,420 -121,640 -625,780 -2,053,900 -572,910 9,295,980

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B SFI PREF SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2I

19.9 467 497.8 98 450.2 480 5.41 883 900 96.5 0.99 990 1,020 1.7 77.35 74.9 73 73.95

19.9 467.2 497.8 98 450.4 480 5.6 929 900 96.5 0.99 990 1,020 1.7 77.35 75.1 73 74

19.9 465.2 497.6 97 450.2 480 5.4 883 900 96 0.98 990 998 1.7 76 74.9 73 73.95

PREFERRED 19.9 20,800 465.2 1,110 497.6 20 98 2,170 450.4 1,040 480 50 5.6 47,500 929 510 900 50 96 160 0.98 52,000 990 30 998 5,010 1.7 5,000 76 3,340 75 13,010 73 6,720 74 48,700

413,920 517,410 9,954 210,720 468,412 24,000 258,085 450,790 45,000 15,365 50,980 29,700 5,000,210 8,500 254,226.50 975,696 490,560 3,603,550

-9,950.00 73,000 -

LR WARRANT

1.86

1.9

1.84

WARRANTS 1.86 129,000

239,100

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

5.34 1.42

5.34 1.43

5.05 1.34

5.05 1.38

4,047,093 5,738,450

-77,650 -539,830

FIRST METRO ETF

116.9

117

116.1

466,924

-

9,976.40 140

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 12.1 0.79 10.92 1.93 0.84 43.25 2.39 4.4 6.7 0.52 0.85 0.91 0.242 0.39 11 21 0.495 1.54 1.22 5.6 0.37 1.88 0.465 2.8 46.9 23.3 2.05

2,842,400 90,000 6,200 90,000 5,132,000 12,974,100 751,000 798,000 18,000 55,350,000 694,000 125,000 3,630,000 2,160,000 1,302,000 684,600 1,612,000 31,369,000 1,113,000 16,909,000 20,000,000 2,804,000 610,000 65,000 500 1,245,300 45,000

USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.18 1

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

10.18 1

SHARES 8,704,649

92,500,541 208,225,948

PROPERTY

200,516,948

SERVICES

281,279,581

MINING & OIL

589,516,780

GRAND TOTAL

1,385,711,050

10.18 1

SME

779,900 4,182,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117 4,000 DDS 10.18 1

980 140

VALUE 1,772.19 (down) 11.90 769,697,028.10 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,575.17 (down) 58.49 928,293,215.868 HOLDING FIRMS 7,760.51 (down) 15.13 1,236,914,681.38 PROPERTY 3,996.31 (down) 17.64 SERVICES 1,573.26 (down) 1.74 1,496,068,590.46 MINING & OIL 8,148.28 (down) 99.09 1,467,324,341.11 PSEI 7,843.41 (down) 29.61 59,207,094.438 All Shares Index 4,833.29 (down) 12.13 5,967,758,442.23 Gainers: 89; Losers: 104; Unchanged: 44; Total: 237

Century set to spend P10b in 2018 to fund diversification

By Jenniffer B. Austria CENTURY Properties Group Inc. said it will spend between P8 billion and P10 billion in capital expenditures this year to fund residential and office development projects, as well as land acquisitions.

CPG said funding for this year’s capital expenditures will be financed equally from internal and external sources, including the planned P3-billion retail bond offering scheduled next month.

CPG reported that net income in 2018 2018 jumped 72 percent to P1.1 billion from P650 million recored in 2017.

Revenues surged 60 percent to P10.7 billion from P6.7 billion in 2017, driven by the completion of three residential buildings, an office tower and 259 affordable housing units.

“Our very positive results in 2018 are strong indications that our diversification strategy is starting to bear fruit and we are headed to the right direction.

Century Properties Group’s expansion into affordable housing and commercial leasing have started to be profitable and we expect this upward trend to continue,” said CPG chief finance officer and head of investor relations Ponciano Carreon, Jr. “These two businesses will contribute a bigger share of the company’s revenue and income in the coming years, sustaining CPG’s growth momentum,” Carreon said.

Carreon expects horizontal housing projects in the next three years to contribute up to 40 percent of the company’s revenues from the current 10 percent.

CPG’s affordable housing business under the brand PHirst Park Homes, in partnership with Mitsubishi Corp., this year plans to launch 33,000 units with a sales value of P57 billion within the next four to five years.

To date, it has rolled out communities in Tanza, Cavite; Lipa, Batangas; and San Pablo, Laguna, with three more sites targeted for launch this year.

CPG plans to expand its leasable space from the current 133,000 square meter to 300,000 sq m by 2020 with a target of P1.5 billion in revenues.

Robinsons Retail booked net profit of P5.1b in 2018 ROBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc., the retail holding company of the Gokongwei Group, posted an unaudited net income of P5.1 billion in 2018, up two percent from P4.9 billion in the previous year.

Core net income, which excludes interest from bonds, equitized net earnings from the 40-percent stake in Robinsons Bank, unrealized forex gains or losses and non-recurring expenses, amounted to P5 billion, up 6.2 percent from the 2017 level.

“This was primarily due to the 5-percent lift in operating income on the back of strong same store sales growth across all formats,” said RRHI in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Consolidated net sales increased 15 percent to P132.7 billion in 2018 from P115.2 billion in 2017, driven by the strong SSSG of 5.9 percent.

The sales contribution from the 104 net new stores opened during the 12 months of 2018 and the one-month consolidation of the Rustan Supercenters Inc. also contributed to higher revenues in 2018l RRHI’s supermarket segment continued to account for the biggest share of sales at 47 percent in 2018. The share to total net sales is expected to further increase this year due to the full year consolidation of Rustan.

“The strong SSSG in 2018 brought about by the increase in disposable income from the reduction in personal income tax was largely driven by the supermarket segment which recorded SSSG of 7.6 percent, followed by specialty stores at 6.9 percent, convenience stores at 5.1 percent, DIY at 5 percent, drugstores at 3.3 percent, and department store at 2.3 percent,” RRHI said.

Excluding the franchised stores of The Generics Pharmacy, RRHI ended the year with 1,910 stores comprising of 252 supermarkets, 52 department stores, 210 do-it-yourself outlets, 499 convenience stores, 510 drugstores and 387 specialty outlets.

Jenniffer B. Austria

World

B3

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Full force of the law pledged on mosque killer

IN BRIEF Rakhine leader jailed for 20 years SITTWE, Myanmar―A Myanmar court on Tuesday sentenced a prominent ethnic Rakhine leader to 20 years in jail for treason, a verdict likely to intensify anger amid fighting between the ethnic group and the army.

Security forces tried to calm hundreds of supporters outside the court in Rakhine state capital Sittwe as Aye Maung was escorted to a waiting police van following the verdict.

Aye Maung, the former chairman of the Arakan National Party―which is renowned for hard-line views against the Rohingya Muslim minority was sentenced for treason and defamation over an allegedly inflammatory speech in January 2018, a day before deadly riots.

State-backed media at the time said he railed against the central government for treating the ethnic Rakhine as “slaves” and said it was the “right time” for the community to launch an armed struggle.

The following evening, Rakhine protesters briefly seized a government building and police opened fire, killing seven people.

Aye Maung and a fellow detainee— writer Wai Hin Aung, who also gave a speech at the same rally—were detained days later.

“Both Dr Aye Maung and writer Wai Hin Aung were sentenced to 20 years each... for the charge of high treason and two years each for defamation of the state,” Wai Hin Aung’s defence lawyer Aye Nu Sein told AFP. Myanmar’s Rakhine state is cut by violence and hatred. AFP

Indonesia flood death toll increases to 89

SENTANI, Indonesia―At least 89 people are known to have died after flash floods and landslides tore through Indonesia’s Papua region, with the toll expected to rise further as rescuers hunt for dozens still missing, the national disaster agency said Tuesday.

Scores have also been injured in the disaster, triggered by torrential rain on Saturday, with some 6,800 people evacuated to temporary shelters.

The military has taken up the grim task of putting mud-caked corpses into body bags, with the search hampered by mountains of debris including rocks and fallen trees.

Seventy-four people remain unaccounted for, while around 150 suffered broken bones, cuts and other injuries.

“Many people are choosing to stay at shelters because they’re still traumatised and scared of more flash floods, so some evacuation centers are packed,” said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

The government has issued a 14-day state of emergency in Papua, which shares a border with independent Papua New Guinea on an island just north of Australia.

Flooding is common in Indonesia, especially during the rainy season which runs from October to April.

In January, floods and landslides killed at least 70 people on Sulawesi island, while earlier this month hundreds in West Java province were forced to evacuate when torrential rains triggered severe flooding.

Meanwhile, three people were killed —including two Malaysian tourists—and some 182 were injured after an earthquake Sunday triggered a landslide on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok, next to Bali. AFP

MEMORIAL SITE. A poster is seen at a memorial site for the victims of mosque attacks in Christchurch on March 19, 2019. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern vowed never to utter the name of the twin-mosque gunman as she opened a sombre session of parliament with an evocative ‘as salaam alaikum’ message of peace to Muslims. AFP

New Zealand uses haka to heal, show solidarity C HRISTCHURCH― New Zealanders are gathering to thump chests, stomp feet and stick out their tongues―staging impromptu performances of the haka war dance to show solidarity with a Muslim community shattered by the mass shooting in Christchurch.

Kiwis ranging from heavily tattooed bikers to business executives, children and the elderly have lined up to perform the intimidating ceremonial dance that begins with fierce chants roughly translated as “I Live! I Die!” As the country struggles to respond to the horrific tragedy, it was perhaps inevitable that many would turn to the haka―a dance whose origins lie with the indigenous Maori community but which has become a global symbol of New Zealand as the battle cry of its national rugby team, the All Blacks.

The aggressive ritual and threatening histrionics may seem out of step with the sombre atmosphere gripping the nation after Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian and avowed white suprema-

cist, allegedly gunned down 50 Muslims during prayers last Friday.

But the haka is not only meant to intimidate, but also to mourn, melding both hostility and beauty into an outpouring of true emotion, said Te Kahautu Maxwell, a professor of Maori at Waikato University.

“Haka is used for death and mourning. It is an integral part of the Maori mourning process. Haka is used to show love and compassion. Haka is used to uplift the spirits of bereaved families,” Maxwell said.

With their eyes bulging while bellowing out the ritual’s loud rallying cries, tattooed members of one of New Zealand’s biggest criminal biker gangs joined with local children to channel that emotion through a haka for relatives of the dead gathered near Christchurch hospital this week.

Other haka performances have burst forth across Christchurch and elsewhere in the country as well as in Australia, where large communities of New Zealanders live.

The haka stirs strong emotions in shooting survivor Kawthar Abulaban.

She was in Christchurch’s Al Noor mosque when the shooting erupted, eventually escaping through the back door.

In the days since, she has repeatedly watched videos of the haka performances staged in response to the massacre,

UTRECHT―Dutch police on Monday arrested a Turkish-born suspect over a shooting on a tram in Utrecht that left three people dead in what officials said was a possible terror attack.

Police had earlier launched a huge manhunt for Gokmen Tanis, 37, issuing a picture of the suspected gunman and warning the public not to approach him following the attack, in which five other people were wounded.

Mosques and schools were closed across the Netherlands’ fourth-largest city following the bloodshed, before heavily armed officers surrounded a building and arrested him.

Dutch authorities said they were still investigating a likely terrorist motive for the shooting but Prime Minister Mark Rutte said they “cannot exclude” other motives, including a family dispute.

“We have just heard that the suspect we are looking for has been arrested,” Utrecht police chief Rob van Bree told a dramatic press conference seconds after being handed a piece of paper with news of the arrest.

The city’s mayor Jan van Zanen told the same news conference it was a “black day for Utrecht”, while prosecution officer Rutger Jeuken said that “it looks like what we are dealing with is a terrorist motive”.

The drama began when gunfire broke out on a tram near the 24 Oktoberplein square, sending people fleeing from the tram and triggering a huge police response.

One witness told broadcaster NOS they saw an injured woman running

out of the tram with blood on her hands and clothes who then fell to the ground.

“I brought her into my car and helped her. When the police arrived, she was unconscious,” the witness, who was not named, told the broadcaster.

A body covered in a white sheet could later be seen lying on the tram tracks.

Police then launched a massive manhunt during which the suspected gunman is believed to have carjacked a Renault Clio before being arrested about seven hours later, around three kilometres (two miles) from the attack site.

Security forces were on high alert at airports and other government buildings following the attack, which came just days after 50 people were killed at mosques in New Zealand in a rampage by an alleged white supremacist.

Dutch national counter-terrorism chief Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said authorities had lowered the terror threat in Utrecht one notch from the top level after “the arrest of the main suspect for the shooting”.

Rutte said afterwards that the Netherlands would “never give way to intolerance”.

“There are many questions and rumours,” he told a news conference in The Hague. “What the motive is, terrorist or other, we don’t yet know, but we can’t exclude anything.”

Ordering flags to be flown at halfmast on Wednesday, Rutte added that a “sense of horror and disbelief prevails over the terrible events of today.” AFP

Mozambique storm casualties seen over 1,000 Dutch police arrest suspect after three shot dead on Utrecht tram

BEIRA, Mozambique―More than a thousand people are feared to have died in a cyclone that smashed into Mozambique last week, while scores were killed and more than 200 are missing in neighboring Zimbabwe.

The city of Beira in central Mozambique bore Cyclone Idai’s full wrath on Thursday before the storm barreled on to neighboring Zimbabwe, unleashing fierce winds and flash floods and washing away roads and houses.

“For the moment we have registered 84 deaths officially, but when we flew over the area... this morning to understand what’s going on, everything indicates that we could register more than 1,000 deaths,” Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said in a nationwide address.

“This is a real humanitarian disaster,” he said. “More than 100,000 people are in danger”.

Survivors have taken refuge in trees while awaiting help, the president added.

Aerial photographs released by a Christian non-profit organization, the Mission Aviation Fellowship, showed groups of people stuck on rooftops with flood waters up to window level.

“The scale of damage... [in] Beira is massive and horrifying”, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies said.

Ninety percent of the city of some 530,000 people and its surrounding area has been “damaged or destroyed,” it said in a statement.

“The situation is terrible. The scale of devastation is enormous,” the IFRC’s Jamie LeSueur said. AFP

welling up each time.

“Because you can feel it when you see them. You feel it, it touches your heart.

Every time I see it I cry, it means too much,” she said.

According to Maori legend, the haka originated at the beginning of time as a gift from Tanerore, the son of Tamanuira, the sun god.

“Just as heat haze shimmers on a hot summer’s day, in the haka all parts of the body shake from the crown to the soles of one’s feet,” Maxwell said, describing the intended meaning behind the dance’s movements.

Lisa Tumahai, who heads the Ngai Tahu, the main Maori iwi, or tribe, on New Zealand’s South Island, said it was a natural reaction by Kiwis looking to show support for their Muslim neighbours.

“No matter how angry or scared we are feeling at the moment, we must come together as one strong community to show care and compassion for those who made Aotearoa their home and who have now lost precious loved ones,” she said.

Aotearoa, or “land of the long white cloud”, is the Maori name for New Zealand.

In a further show of solidarity, the New Zealand government invited a Muslim imam to intone the Koranic bismillah in praise of Allah at the opening of the parliamentary session on Tuesday. AFP

CHRISTCHURCH―New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern vowed Tuesday never to utter the name of the twin-mosque gunman as she opened a sombre session of parliament with an evocative “as-salaam alaikum” message of peace to Muslims.

“He will face the full force of the law in New Zealand,” Ardern pledged to the grieving Kiwis, while promising that she would deprive the man, an avowed white supremacist who slaughtered 50 people in Christchurch, of the publicity he craved.

“He sought many things from his act of terror, but one was notoriety,” she told assembled lawmakers of the 28-year-old Australian accused of the slaughter.

“That is why you will never hear me mention his name. He is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless.”

“I implore you: Speak the names of those who were lost rather than the name of the man who took them.”

Dressed in black, the 38-year-old leader opened her remarks in parliament with a symbolic gesture, repeating the greeting uttered every day across the Islamic world: “as-salaam alaikum”.

She closed her address by noting that “on Friday, it will be a week since the attack, members of the Muslim community will gather for worship on that day. Let us acknowledge their grief as they do.”

“Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,” she said—“May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you too.”

Her comments came as dozens of relatives of the deceased began arriving from around the world ahead of expected funerals which have already been delayed far beyond the 24 hours after death usually observed under Islamic custom.

Peter Elms of New Zealand’s immigration department said 65 visas had been granted for overseas family members so far.

The slow process of identification and forensic documentation has so far made burials impossible, augmenting families’ grief.

Javed Dadabhai, who travelled from Auckland to help bury his cousin, said families and volunteers were told: “It is going to be a very slow process, a very thorough process.”

“Some families have been invited to have a look at their family members... the ones that are easiest to recognise, but we are talking about three or four.” AFP

WINE ROAD. Blossoming almond trees are pictured on March 18, 2019, in Mittelwihr, eastern France, along the so called ‘wine road’ (route du vin). AFP

LGUs

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

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

Environment MILF’s new ‘war’

By Nash B. Maulana

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OTABATO CITY— War is most destructive to the environment, but in peace the Moro Islamic Liberation Front turns to being a leading steward of Mother Earth.

Minister Abdulrauf Macacua of the Ministry of the Environment Natural Resources and Energy stressed this point last weekend to environmental planners who vowed to help the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and Muslim Mindanao achieve their development goals, beginning with the current three-year watch of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

Macacua had been the Armed Forces chief of staff of the MILF, which is now being transformed into a governing organization—from being an armed revolutionary group—as part of the Normalization Process provided under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Environmental planning is a profession allied with the specialized disciplines of Urban and Regional Development Planning, with a postgraduate board examination offered by the Professional Regulations Commission.

Nulfarid Ampatuan, chief of the Maguindanao Provincial Planning Office, said the local chapter of the Philippine Institute for Environmental Planners for Maguindanao and Cotabato City was established in 2017 in a bid to pool professional expertise in diverse technical fields that would boost planning services for this city and Maguindanao.

Local environmental planners face a tough challenge, with large parts of the Bangsamoro waters (up to 22.24 kilometers off coastlines) now being heavily polluted.

Domestic non-biodegradable waste end up being dumped on both the Iranun (Illana) Bay and Moro Gulf, and

TAWI-TAWI ECOZONE. Peter Pun, Chairman of AllRight Inc. LMTD (third from left), shakes hands with former Tawi-Tawi Gov. Hadji Sadikul A. Sahali to seal an agreement for the planned Tawi-Tawi special economic zone and international transshipment port project over the weekend at the Panglima Sugala municipal gymnasium. Flanking them are (from left) William Ong, Director of Sulu Sultanate Corp.; Senator Koko Pimentel, senatorial candidate Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino, and Datu Mohammad Kiram, President of DMK Sulu Arche Oil. They also presided over a groundbreaking ceremony in Kalupe (inset) for the planned P15-billion ecozone, which the Mindanao Development Authority has endorsed to turn the island province into a major trading post in Southeast Asia. Sonny Espiritu offshore vessels conveniently unload tons of garbage along the Sibutu Strait in Tawi-Tawi.

Some forums at community dialogueseries on environmental issues have suggested that the provincial govern-

ments of Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi consider commissioning wooden-hulled boats as garbage vessels for parts of Iranun Bay and Moro Guld, as well as one or two designated along the Subutu Strait, both being parts of BARMM.

Environmental planner Celestino Desamito, the PIEP national representative, recently inducted officers for the local chapter. In 2016, the PRC named Desamito the country’s Most Outstanding Environmental Planner.

Tingog, Lakas, HNP do rounds in East Visayas TINGOG party-list recently joined Lakas-CMD in welcoming Hugpong ng Pagbabago senatorial candidates during their campaign sorties around Eastern Visayas on Monday and Tuesday.

Lakas-CMD president Ferdinand Martin “FM” Romualdez, who is running for congressman of Leyte’s 1st District, first welcomed senatorial candidate Christopher Lawrence “ Bong” Go at the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City on Monday.

Romualdez, the husband of incumbent Leyte 1st District Rep. and Tingog first nominee Yedda Marie Romualdez, vowed to support the candidacy of Go and other HNP senatorial bets under the leadership of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Hugpong, Tingog, and Lakas-CMD also held a grand rally at the Tacloban City Convention Center (Astrodome) on Tuesday.

Romualdez and his cousin, Tacloban City mayoralty candidate Alfred Romualdez, also endorsed Lakas-CMD Party Chairman and senatorial bet Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. during a separate meeting in Tacloban, along with the whole senatorial line up of HNP. On Nov. 7, 2018, Tingog, LakasCMD, and Hugpong signed an alliance agreement for regional development.

Being a regional political party, HNP has a constituency that is spread over Region XI (Davao Region).

The party seeks a “peaceful and democratic way of life for its constituency, with its leaders establishing programs geared towards ensuring the establishment and maintenance of communities characterized by a strong region and secured life for all— where freedom is upheld, where men and women practice tolerance, where individual dignity and the rule of law are observed, and where communitybuilding contributions of generations of indigenous pioneers and immigrants of the region are recognized.”

Hugpong is also pushing for alliance building with other political parties and persons who share the same beliefs, plans, vision and mission.

Tingog, as a regional political party in Region 8, aims to “articulate the principles, hopes and aspirations of the people of Eastern Visayas in their common pursuit towards transformational politics, genuine shared governance and the full development of the country’s social, geographic and economic peripheries leading to the creation of a truly democratic representative democracy and the building of an inclusive and progressive Filipino community.”

Manicad: Bigger DA budget must go to irrigation, farmers’ welfare BROADCAST journalist and senatorial bet Jiggy Manicad’s advocacy to improve the agriculture industry recently got a boost from President Rodrigo Duterte, who offered to increase the Department of Agriculture’s budget tenfold.

During a Cabinet meeting last week, Duterte said he plans to raise the government’s budget for agriculture to meet the demand for more food on the table, given the country’s annual yearly population increase of two million.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the President made assurances that farmers and fisherfolk will be given a bigger share of the national budget next year.

The DA’s budget is currently pegged at P49 billion. Piñol, in news reports, said he was asked by the President to submit 10 times his current budget for 2020.

Manicad lauded the move, saying: “Giv-

en Mr. Duterte’s statement, the DA could get an allocation of some P500 billion.”

“My advocacy for more ‘bagsakan’ centers, more farm-to-market roads, more farm implements, and fresh technology for the farmers might not be hard to come by,” Manicad said.

He noted that the budget could also be used to improve existing irrigation facilities and put up new ones in areas that are prone to drought.

The neophyte politician, who graduated from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna, said irrigated farm lands could harvest three times a year compared to those that depend on rain and only harvest once a year.

With the El Niño climatic changes this year, unirrigated areas may not be able to plant and harvest anything, Manicad noted.

GLITTER STARS. Young women from the Autism Society of the Philippines wear Barbie clothing in celebration of 60 years of the iconic

doll at SM City Masinag in Antipolo City, Rizal, as the mall marked Women’s Month through a ‘Glitter City’ program at its atrium, where ‘every woman deserves to ‘smile, shine and sparkle.’ Manny Palmero

Nueva Vizcaya sustains programs, forums for local women’s welfare Navotas gifts big 50-inch TVs to city schools

By Ben Moses Ebreo

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Programs for the welfare of women is being sustained by the provincial government here in partnership with other government agencies to uplift the plight of the women sector in nation building.

Empowerment forums were offered re-

cently for the province’s women as part of the Women’s Month celebration this month.

In March 8, a forum sponsored by the provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development at the 24/7 Hotel and Resort in Solano town was attended by close to 500 members of the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina from the 15 towns of the province.

The forum provided inputs for women’s welfare and rights through the lectures on Gender Sensitivity, anti-Child Pornography and Cyber Sex Crime Prevention Acts by lawyer Susan Flore-Danao, Assistant City Prosecutor in Tuguegarao City including Rep. Tomasito Villarin of the Akbayan Party-list and principal author of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino

Program law among others.

“We are truly grateful because the advocacy for women is being sustained by the provincial government and other concerned agencies. With these lectures, we can improve our role and responsibility in our family and community as well,” said Merly Pescasio, Federation president of the KALIPI Association Inc.

IT skills to help ‘life-proof’ young pupils

Mano Amiga Academy students learned how to assemble and program mBots, which are educational robot kits designed for kids who are just starting to learn about robot software.

A SMALL nonprofit K-to-12 school for students from low-income families has teamed up with an information technology advocate to impart IT skills to students at an early age.

Mano Amiga Academy has collaborated with Developers Connect Philippines (DevCon) to pilot a program, called DevCon Kids, that seeks to impart tech skills and “life-proof” young students.

The academy, which opened in the Philippines in 2008 in Taguig City and now runs a campus in Parañaque City, offers international quality education to help marginalized youth cope with and even become globally competitive in today’s digital environment.

DevCon, meanwhile, is dedicated to promoting information technology in the country by bringing tech professionals together to actively provide digital opportunities to more Filipinos.

Mano Amiga Academy’s teaching philosophy includes project-based learning (PBL), a method that develops critical thinking, communication, and collaboration in students, as they work together to solve the problems that are relevant to their communities.

“PBL is just one of the many means by which we are life-proofing our students so that they are equipped to deal with real problems,” said Lynn Pinugu, executive director and founder of Mano Amiga.

By Jun David LEARNING is now more fun in Navotas following the city government’s distribution of 225 50-inch smart TVs to the city’s public elementary and high schools.

This was in addition to the 320 smart TVs distributed to public schools in 2018.

“Students learn more if they enjoy what they do. Putting TVs inside our classrooms will not only make teaching easier and more convenient; it will also make learning more interesting and enjoyable,” Mayor John Rey Tiangco said.

Previously, the city government gave 70 laptops to public elementary and high school teachers in Navotas to help promote the use of information and communications technology in class.

The teachers attended a seminar on how to integrate ICT in teaching and create 7-to-10-minute capsulized lesson videos.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

FASHION AND BEAUTY

@MStandardLIFE

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IME to stash away those chunky cable knit sweaters and warm jackets, as it is the season of lightweight and vibrant and fun ensembles.

Warmer weather doesn’t have to ring synonymous to sparse clothing choices.

Rustan’s women’s selection serves up an answer to every summer occasion.

Stay cool and chic in breathable summer pieces from Bardot, Finders Keepers, and Nicole Miller, or go for a dip in the pool in a colorful swimsuit by Seafolly.

Finding sartorial solutions for the upcoming beach weddings should be no struggle either, what with a variety of options from Adriana Papel, Aidan Mattox, Bari Jay, Josie Natori, Keepsake, and Tadashi.

Women can complete their summer looks with shoes and bags from the likes of Arezzo, Aquazzura, Chiara Ferragni, Danse Lente, and Sergio Rossi, and top things off with showstopping jewelry from Swarovski.

Over at the men’s section, the style philosophy is all about striking that perfect balance between form and function.

Go casual and sporty for country club afternoons or summer road trips with pieces from Adidas, Dorfman Pacific, Hackett, New Balance, and Pedro del Hierro.

Go beyond the typical crisp, white shirt with modern iterations from Ricardo Preto—a sartorial staple made for dressing up from morning to evening.

Show up to every formal occasion well-equipped with a smart, event-appropriate pair of lace-up brogues from Tricker, and find a trusty companion for every journey in the top-notch leather bags by Smythson.

Always keeping the rest of the family in mind, Rustan’s also de-

livers an extensive roster of items for children.

Keep the kids looking their best for those family gatherings and day trips with shirts and dresses from Rustan’s Jr. and Neck and Neck, and footwear from Bibi.

Make the most of their summer trips by making poolside memories with bathing suits from Banz, oh-so-adorable hooded toddler towels from Zoocchini, and toys and goggles from Stephen Joseph and Zoggs. Lastly, count on handy carries from So Young and top-of-the-line childfriendly from Chicco and Good Baby for out-of-town vacations with the little ones.

As part of summer promotion, Rustan’s brings back its Travel Fair.

From March 29 to 31, patrons can enjoy special offers from Rustan’s Department Store brands and its partners. Discounted airline tickets, tour packages, dining deals, and hotel and resort staycations from Crimson Hotels, The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts, Club Paradise Palawan, Discovery Shores Boracay, Discovery Primea, Adventure International Tours, Inc., Dream Cruises, Raffles and Fairmont Makati Hotel, Luxe Nomad, Shackleton, AirTaxi.ph, Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate, and The Farm at San Benito, among others, await.

For every P3,000 spent, customers earn raffle entries and stand the chance to win some of the best summer getaway packages.

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Get your summer WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

style

ON SUMMER STYLE.

Rustan’s department stores carries a wide variety of summer ensembles, including this one-shoulder midi dress in sage from Aidan Mattox.

Women

sparkle

Neck and Neck button-down coat in yellow (left); Zoocchini Sheman Shark hooded towel

Men and women are spoiled for choice this season with outfits and accessories from (clockwise) Smythson, Dorfman Pacific, Swarovski, Seafolly, Aquazzura, New Balance, and So Young.

HONOR the special woman in your life, or treat yourself to something that perfectly represents your strength and brilliance with these stunning jewelry pieces.

Nothing will turn heads quite like My Diamond’s beautiful 18K white gold flower-shaped cocktail ring featuring 508 pieces of 3.71 carat diamonds and 475 pieces of 2.13 carat black diamonds.

Any woman would feel like a queen with a lavish and intricate 18K white gold halo ring featuring 65 pieces of 0.6 carat diamonds; or an extraordinary 18K white gold illusion ring with two pieces of princess cut diamonds, eight pieces marquise cut diamonds, and two pieces round brilliant diamonds with

total carat weight of .79 carats.

My Diamond concept store is at Ayala Center Cebu, Festival Supermall, Gateway Mall, Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 3, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Robinsons Place Manila, SM Lanang Premier Davao, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and SM Aura Premier.

Express adoration with an extraordinary pearl to cherish for a lifetime. Jewelmer’s enchanting Petit Coeurs collection features lustrous golden South Sea pearls adorned with hearts in 18K yellow gold and diamonds With lightness and grace combined, each unique piece is a memento of pure love.

Visit www.jewelmer.com for more information.

Necklace, rings, and earrings from Jewelmer’s Petit Coeurs collection (top); My Diamond statement rings.

Life

C2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

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JAPANESE skin care salon takes pride in its treatments that address major skin concerns.

A visit to the Miss Esthe begins with skin analysis to determine the client’s real skin “age,” including spot age (age of the skin based on the appearance of age spots), wrinkle age (age of skin based on the appearance of wrinkles), and skin texture age (age of the skin based on its texture).

The esthetician then suggests the treatments needed to address the customer’s present skin conditions.

Two of the most sought-after treatments at the facial salon are Pore Reduction and Instant Lift.

“If pores are your problem, stop squeezing or picking at your face as it may cause longterm damage and impair your skin’s natural ability to heal itself,” the facial salon said in a statement.

Miss Esthe uses a D-Sonic probe that brushes off blackheads and whiteheads through ultrasound micro-vibrations that result in a clear face with tightened, decongested pores. This deeply cleanses the skin in a gentle, non-invasive way (which means no pricking to remove blackheads and whiteheads), followed by the use of Miss Esthe’s house refining essence and mask, after which an ion brush is used to close the pores.

Instant Lift, on the other hand, provides an immediate picture-perfect skin. Miss Esthe uses the latest ultrasonic micro-vibrations technology that painlessly and safely stimulates dermal collagen production making skin look good sans the sagging.

In addition, it is also known for its Whitening, Acne, Sensitive Skin, Glass Facial, Deep Whitening, and Deep Acne treatments.

The signature face and décolletage massage is included in all treatments.

It also offers a wide range of facial and skin care products—including the Wrinkle Care Serum and Gel with anti-inflammatory and anti-aging peptides, Cleansing and Foam Essence Lotion that addresses different skin needs, and the moisturizing Perfect Oil Serum that corrects texture and prevents formation of wrinkles. All of its products are fragrance-free, coloring-free, paraben-free, and surfactant-free.

Miss Esthe is located on the second floor of Uptown Bonifacio Global City. Call 09353364720 to make a reservation.

Facial salon offers treatments for smaller pores, younger skin

Miss Esthe skin care salon uses a D-Sonic probe that brushes off blackheads and whiteheads for its Pore Reduction treatment, while (inset) it uses the latest ultrasonic micro-vibrations technology that painlessly stimulates dermal collagen production for its Instant Lift treatment.

Hair-cutting workshop empowers communities

The coloring specialist C Salon Manila offers hair color services by international brands whose products are used by the finest salons all over the world.

By Robbie Pangilinan AT THE newest haven of pampering and styling, C stands for convenience, client-focused, and color.

The newly opened C Salon Manila, a go-to place for men and women who want to look good and feel good, stands by being “The Coloring Specialist.” It offers color services by Schwarzkopf and Milbon, international brands whose products are used by the finest salons all over the world.

“We have roots color, regular full color and organic color, highlights with two or three colors, streaks, lowlights, and Balayage,” says C Salon’s head stylist and makeup artist Jomar Flores, Hair Asia Competition’s 2016 Champion in Ladies Creative Color and Haircut and Most Outstanding in Men’s Creative Color Hair Cutting and Blow-dry.

Hair treatments include Head Spa, Repair Rescue for extremely damaged hair, Color Freeze for ultimate color retention and hair gloss, Moisture Kick Treatment, Smooth Perfect Treatment, Time Restore Q10 Plus Treatment, and Scalp Genesis Self Warming Detox Prep Treatment.

C Salon also has Hair Restructuring by Schwarzkopf and Milbon that includes rebond with treatment, perm, hair relax, Keratin treatment, and Brazilian blowout.

“Of course we also cut, style, and do makeup,” adds Jomar, who has extensive experience and intensive training from Angelo Justine Salon, L’Oreal, Davines, Elle Hair Academy, and H.I. Signature Salon and Academy (both in Malaysia).

The hair salon aims to make its clients happy and satisfied.

It promises to give its clients “an unparalleled beauty experience” with its serene and elegant interiors, a team of experienced and highly trained stylists, and a menu of well-priced products and services.

“The best news is all our clients are entitled to free membership where they enjoy huge perks such as 30 percent discounts on selected hair coloring and treatments, plus surprises on their birthdays,” beams former actor and politician Jose Mari Gonzales, president of C Salon.

A BEAUTIFUL haircut can instantly boost a person’s confidence. And knowledge on the trade can provide them not only confidence but also source of livelihood.

Earlier this year, hairbrushes brand Denman and nonprofit organization Hair Aid went to Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon in Novaliches for a haircutting community program.

Denman Philippines ambassadors Lourd Ramos and Anton Papa, along with a handful of Hair Aid volunteers, headed by Lisa Polini, lent their expertise in a week-long workshop that taught participants about the proper tools and techniques in cutting hair.

More than 25 participants gathered at the basketball court of Brgy. Nagkaisang Nayon for the program, which offered unemployed men and women the opportunity to learn new skills for livelihood.

Hair Aid, established in 2010, has been offering its services in Metro Manila and has been working with Denman Philippines for the past three years. Since its inception, Hair Aid has helped over 2,300 individuals in Quezon City, and in its recent tour, aims to train 210 more.

“With Hair Aid, we want to go beyond mere charity and dole outs. We want to empower men and women by providing them the skills for livelihood. We started teaching hair cutting classes here because it’s a much-needed service that can be learned, and everyone needs a haircut,” enthused Hair Aid founder Selina Tomasich.

Twice a year, Hair Aid heads to Manila to train Filipinos. In addition to the Philippines, Hair Aid also hosts

A workshop participant from Brgy.

Nagkaisang Nayon

programs in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, and soon Vietnam.

“We love coming back here to the Philippines, because it’s very fulfilling. We’re here because we want to help and we want to give women and other Filipinos the chance to lead dignified lives where they are able to provide for their families and themselves,” added Tomasich. “As a mother, I understand their fears and want to give them the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”

Selina and Hair Aid volunteers offer their time and expertise for free, even raising their own money and airfare so that they may share their gifts. Polini, for instance, flew all the way from Australia to be one of the 20 stylistteachers at this workshop.

The multi-awarded trainer and hair dresser has made several trips to Manila, and with each trip, she’s become even more inspired and driven. “It’s all about giving back and making a difference. Hair dressing may start out as a hobby or as a curiosity, but it can be a fulfilling livelihood.”

Alyssa Muhlach Alvarez, the face of C Salon.

Convenience is another thing that C Salon offers. Located at the Ortigas business district, clients can just drop by on their lunch break for a quick beauty fix, or better yet, a muchdeserved pampering session after a grueling work day.

C Salon is on the level 3 of Beauty and Wellness Zone of Robinsons Galleria. Call (02) 366-1613 or 0917-9772455 or 0918-3678893 for bookings and inquiries.

Hair Aid volunteer Lisa Polini and Denman Philippines ambassadors Anton Papa and Lourd Ramos lead a hair-cutting workshop in Novaliches, Quezon City.

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

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Rayver’s scented confidence FOR charismatic and goodlooking Rayver Cruz, smelling nice is important in boosting a person’s self-confidence.

The newest addition to the Blackwater family, Rayver, who is a promising actor and soughtafter dancer, works hard at staying fit for his dance routines and is as fastidious about smelling good.

“Smelling good is very important for me. When I’m wearing cologne, then I pass by, I make some people’s head turn. It boosts my confidence,” he says.

With his looks, talent and personality, Rayver embodies Blackwater’s Deo lines. Like Blackwater’s image, Rayver reveals his quirky, funny side as he promotes Deo Soap, Deo Mist, Deo Spray, and Deo Splash.

For those who have an active lifestyle like Rayver, Blackwater’s Deo Soap and Deo Mist are the most suitable products to help fight odor-causing germs. Known as the “Dynamic Deo”, the products moisturize and clean the skin. For the spray or cologne guy, a dash of Blackwater Deo Spray can keep the user smelling great and stay confident all day.

Aside from the products mentioned, Rayver’s favorite and go-to product is the Deo Splash — Ace, Dream, Dusk and Force—a body deodorizer that reduces unpleasant odor. “Ang bango!

Saktong-sakto yung cologne sa akin kasi kumakapit talaga.

Perfect for busy days.”

Like Rayver, get boost of confidence and smell fresh all day with these great selection of personal care products and fragrance sprays from Blackwater.

Stay confident all day with Blackwater grooming products for men! Try the fragrances, hair and face products, and deo soap.

For more information, visit Blackwater’s official website http:// blackwater.com.ph/, Facebook page https://www.facebook. com/BlackwaterForMen/, and Instagram page https://www. instagram.com/blackwaterelite/.

Actor and dancer Rayver Cruz

HA JUNG-WOO

K

tries to stop a new world war in ‘TAKE POINT’ OREAN superstar Ha Jung-Woo (Along With the Gods franchise) brings a different kind of action in a new film titled Take Point.

The cast of 'Take Point' composed of South Korean and American actors.

CCP presents Performance Literature Festival THE Cultural Center of the Philippines brings back the Performatura: Performance Literature Festival on April 5 to 7. Free and open to public, it is a threeday event that will feature performances, poetry readings, literature classes, art talks, chanters from the regions, slam poetry contest, film screenings, book fair, art exhibit, and interviews with renowned writers at various venues in CCP. True to the CCP’s mission of bringing our country’s diverse traditions for the common Filipino to experience, entrance to the festival will be practically free.

However, everyone is encouraged to donate a book which will serve as admission ticket. One book is equal to a whole day admission. Collected donations will go to the CCP’s partner libraries.

Performatura 2019 is the CCP’s way of highlighting the rich tapestry of Philippine artistic traditions that leap beyond the written word while welcoming writers and performers from diverse communities of the country.

Performatura 2019 is a performance literature festival celebrating the intersections of the written word and performance. The word Performatura is

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, March 20, 2019

ACROSS 1 Imitate 6 Waterfront event 10 Bulk 14 Put up with 15 Timetable info 16 Brand for Bowser 17 Truck stop 18 Learning 20 Probate concerns 22 Rangers org.

23 Lingerie item 24 Just a little 25 Not so wobbly 27 Cargo 30 Lopsided 31 Sweet murmur 32 Advances 34 Compassion 38 Starfish features 40 Clock fronts 42 Mete out 43 Says hoarsely 45 Debt securers 47 Maple-tree product 48 Gun the engine 50 Plucked a guitar 52 Unoriginal ones 56 Raccoon’s coat 57 Rx writers org.

58 Prefix for dent 59 Pertaining to volume

63 Bank customer 66 Hold responsible 67 Major Hoople’s word 68 La senorita 69 Dainty 70 Fish story 71 Look as if 72 Acts DOWN 1 Produced 2 Sacred bird of the Nile 3 Make coins 4 Form a thought 5 Sure 6 Short-sleeved garments 7 — take forever 8 Intimidate 9 Forgo 10 Get tangled 11 Suspect’s need 12 Mushroom-tobe 13 Whale finder 19 Watch feature 21 Sidled past 25 Channels 26 Changed hair color 27 — — song (cheaply) 28 CD- — 29 Icy precipitation

The story is set in the year 2024, on the day of the US Presidential election. Ahab (Ha Jung-Woo) and his team of elite mercenaries were ordered by the CIA to take on the secret mission of abducting a highprofile North Korean official.

Ahab’s team sneaks in an underground bunker below the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and suddenly gets caught in crossfire between China and the US. Ahab and his team have to deal with abandonment, betrayal and at the same time have to stop tensions from escalating that could likely start a third World War. Ha Jung-Woo and fellow Korean actor Lee Sun-Kyun are joined by American actors Jennifer Ehle, Malik Yoba, and Kevin Durand (CSI and Lost TV series) in the movie which screens in the Philippines starting today.

Presented by VIVA International Pictures and MVP Entertainment, Take Point is directed by Kim Byung-Woo, the director of the 2013 award-winning movie, The Terror Live.

With Kim Byung-Woo at the helm, Take Point has combined a clever plot of action and political power games.

31 Yaris or Civic 33 Multitude 35 Light pink wine 36 Sheathed with metal 37 Nope opposite 39 Nimbly energetic 41 Foul-up 44 Factions 46 Ignored rudely 49 Alters 51 Protective screen 52 Student in uniform

53 Sweater letter 54 Of the bishop of Rome 55 Kind of role 59 Stuff 60 Outdoor eatery 61 During 62 Part of the eye 64 Kind of poem 65 Flamenco shout

a mash up of the word performance and orature or oral literature. Orature is a term coined by Ugandan linguist Pio Zirimu who wanted to raise oral literature to the level of written literature. The festival’s director is poet and performer Dr. Vim Nadera, Jr. Last Line, Lasting Lines The theme “Ang Mamatay Nang Dahil Sa Iyo” is an attempt to tackle the issue of changing the last line of Philippine National Anthem through literature and performances. The theme also alludes to issues that are relevant and being discussed in our society today.

The first day of the Performatura is dedicated to literature in general and spoken word performances. Slam poets will have a battle of words in the first ever Performatura Slam Poetry Contest; Resil Mojares will be having one of his first interviews after receiving the National Artist for Literature Award last year; Dumagats from MAUBAN, Quezon Province will stage the epic of Gat Uban; and the audience will witness the launching of the official website of Huseng Batute, the first king of balagtasan. At 12:00 noon, the literary group Kuwit of the Philippine

Performatura: Performance Literature Festival is a three-day event happening this summer at the CCP.

High School for the Arts will lead a set of literary performances such as storytelling for children.

KomiCoching and Tiempoets The second day of the Performatura is in honor of National Artist for Visual Arts and Dean of Illustrators Francisco V. Coching. As part of the first segment called CCP Café, the family will give an

intimate portrait of Coching as father, uncle and lolo. Amassing more than five million views on Facebook in their radio broadcast, Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School students will read Lapu-lapu, one of Coching works, in a dramatic fashion in front of a live audience. Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books Book Club will lead a book discussion about Coching’s El Indio. At 12:00 noon, Tadhana, a spoken word group, will lead a set of literary performances by women spoken word artists.

Noted komiks artists such as Randy Valiente will give tribute to Coching through workshop, talks and art activities. Performatura visitors may view the ongoing Coching Birth Centennial Exhibit entitled Nasaan ka na, Mara-bini? curated by Alice Sarmiento.

The last day of the festival is in honor of the National Artist for Literature Edith Tiempo in commemoration of her birth centennial. Fictionists and poets who were influenced by Tiempo will be having a tribute performance to their beloved mentor through poetry reading and talks. Dumaguete’s Kahayag Dance Company will perform Tiempo’s Bonsai.

Featuring Tiempo’s life and works, an interactive centennial exhibit curated by Prof. DM Reyes and Gwen Bautista will also be launched. Performance literature experts Chris Mooney of Singapore and Azam Rais of Malaysia will perform and facilitate a workshop.

CCP partnered with the Book Development Association of the Philippines for the three-day Aklatan All Filipino Book Fair.

For details, check the CCP Intertextual Division Facebook page or contact Markus Aserit at ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com, 551-5959 or 0919317570

Entertainment

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

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

Maja Salvador strums new style as latest Guitar endorser IN CELEBRATION of its 60th year in the apparel business, Guitar has launched a fitting face to represent its brand through multi award-winning actress, celebrated performer and TV personality Maja Salvador.

The brand welcomed the Dance Princess as part of its family in a grand media launch in Trinoma event center last March 1 with a head-turning fashion show showcasing its old and new collections together with past endorsers Gloc-9 and Carlos Agassi.

Just like the brand that continuously evolves, Maja has changed and excelled in her career, initially as an actress, then branching out into dancing and singing and eventually into performing on the concert stage. She even earned her own stripe abroad through her various portrayals, more recently through her phenomenal performance in the now defunct top-rating series, Wildflower.

“It’s a dcome true for a local brand to choose me as their endorser.

I’m very proud of the

brand because it’s available para sa mas nakararami nating mga kababayan. As an artist it makes me relate well with the mass audience. That’s why I’m thankful to Guitar family for choosing me as their ambassadress,”Maja says.

The 30-year-old actress is now officially part of the league of other accomplished and diverse artists namely Gloc 9, Carlos Agassi, and Jake Cuenca, whose characters gave justice to the brand and has been part of its six decades of triumph.

Apart from celebrating its strong presence in the local scene for 60 strong years, Guitar is also launching its first denim collection. The denim series is focusing on providing style without displacing comfort.

The denim series is the latest member of the Guitar collections such as De Hilo, 800, 900, Underwear, Polo Shirt, Socks and the Uniform series that have been one of the most patronized innerwear and casual wear by Filipinos through the years.

From underwear and its breakthrough De Hilo series, Guitar is now ready to take on the world of overall clothing and apparels while maintaining the best quality products and best business practices.

Guitar apparel is available in leading department stores nationwide.

For updates about their latest collection and sales, follow Guitar on Instagram at @guitarapparel1960.

Maja Salvador launched as the new face of local apparel Guitar, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

‘Captain Marvel’ clobbers competition to stay atop box office FEMALE-LED superhero movie Captain Marvel took in an estimated $69.3 million over the weekend, outearning the combined North American totals of the next nine films, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

The Disney/Marvel blockbuster had a huge opening last weekend—the biggest ever for a female-fronted superhero flick —and, with the foreign total of $494 million added in, “is now assured of ultimately earning $1 billion,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The film, which stars Brie Larson as a former fighter pilot who gains superpowers and finds herself embroiled

American actress Brie Larson stuns spectators at the London premiere of her film, "Captain Marvel.'

in a galactic conflict, has already passed the lifetime takes of superhero adventures including Ant-Man and the Wasp and Iron Man 2, according to Variety.

Far back in second spot for this threeday weekend was a new animated production from Paramount, Wonder Park, at $16 million.

The film, set in an amusement park based on the imaginings of a young girl (Brianna Denski), has far to go to make up the nearly $100 million Paramount spent to make it. Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick, Mila Kunis, and John Oliver also provide voices.

In third was another new release, CBS and Lionsgate’s teen drama Five Feet Apart, at $13.2 million. It stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as teens who fall in love while being treated for cystic fibrosis, a disease that requires them to keep a distance from each other.

Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World took in $9.3 million for fourth place.

Voiced by Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, and F. Murray Abraham, it tells the story of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless on their quest to find a dragon utopia.

And in fifth was Lionsgate’s A Madea Family Funeral at $8.1 million.

Actor/director Tyler Perry, who plays the irreverent title character, says it will be the last in the profitable Madea series. AFP

The lead cast of Regal Entertainment's 'Papa Pogi,' a romantic comedy about a not-so-handsome guy cursed to look attractive in the eyes of beautiful girls.

TEDDY CORPUZ

improvises jokes in launching movie

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

R

OCKSTEDDY frontman Teddy Corpuz is hopeful that his launching movie, Papa Pogi, will entertain people on the big screen.

The film, a Regal Entertainment, Inc. offering, explores a single man’s search for his one true love. It also presents a concept that while we all want love, looking for someone we want to spend our life with is not an easy task.

Though the premise of the movie is not new to the viewers, Papa Pogi’s trailer has garnered more than nine

Myrtle Sarrosa tries comedy anew in 'Papa Pogi.'

Donna Cariaga is a lead actress in the movie.

million views on Facebook, which indicates netizens are intrigued by what the movie presents.

“What makes our movie special is all of us, the cast’s amazing wit and talent, plus we have a script written in a crazy way. We believe na maganda ‘yung movie na ‘to na steady laughter trip na magugustuhan ng madlang people,” says Teddy, who plays the character Romeo in the movie.

Donna Cariaga, who plays one of the leading ladies in Papa Pogi, agrees that the strength of the movie lies on the story itself.

“Let’s say all is fair in love, it’s not even the looks of a person that will define your chances in finding that person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with,” shares Donna.

“Like the role I am playing, I’m glad that they chose me to play Romeo’s love interest. Nagpapasalamat ako naging bida ako sa film. As a comedienne, it fulfills my mission to make more audience laugh,” The Funny One Grand Champion adds.

For Myrtle Sarrossa, she believes that there are choices that we have to make towards finding love.

“You do crazy things in the name of love, and that’s the mantra of my character, Helena. She’s not the type of character that would make you laugh when she tells a joke, but she will still make you laugh because all of us can do funny things unintentionally when you are in love, and heartbroken,” Myrtle explains how people can relate to her character.

Directed by Alex Calleja, the film is about a family cursed by an unattractive woman. After their patriarch’s (played by Joey Marquez) multiple affairs in the past, he encountered a woman that would change their family’s destiny forever – every next generation member of their family would be born ugly if the mother of the child is beautiful.

“Romeo is the only hope of their family to break the curse.

He needs to marry an unattractive woman,” the director explains.

While he seriously contemplates on finding the right girl, he does not pay attention to Venus (Donna), his secretary, who is secretly madly in love with him. Eventually, Romeo meets Helena (Myrtle), a beautiful and attractive woman, who gets employed as Romeo’s secretary after Venus disappears.

In the course of events, Romeo realizes that he needs to choose between Venus, a woman who has been loving him for a long time, and Helena, the woman whom Romeo holds his affection to.

Papa Pogi unspools in cinemas nationwide today.

Teddy Corpuz gets his big break in the new film.