Manila Standard - 2019 March 28 - Thursday

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RODY GIVES SELF PASSING RATE; NO B-DAY BASH

By Nat Mariano

CASH TRANSFER. President Rodrigo Duterte shares a light moment on stage with an unidentified beneficiary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Unconditional Cash Transfer program while leading the ceremonial distribution of grants at the Provincial Capitol compound in Koronadal City, South Cotabato on Tuesday. With the President is DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista. Presidential Photo

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, who marks his 74th milestone today nearly three years to the day he took the presidential oath of office, has given himself a passing rate after spending three years in his term leading the government.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo told a news briefing the President would likely spend his birthday celebration in a simple party in his home city of Davao.

In a speech during the campaign rally of the ruling PDP-Laban party in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, the

President gave himself a fair assessment.

“I will be through in three years. For me, I am, if I rate myself now, about five or six,” Duterte said.

The President also recalled the promise he made during the presidential campaign in 2016, vowing to eradicate illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption.

“But I remember I said, if elected president, and I emphasized this during the presidential debates that I will deal with corruption and I will deal with law and order, particularly crimes,” he said.

“That was the main course all over

the country. Crimes generated by shabu use,” he added.

As part of his so-called “campaign promises,” the President maintained his administration’s crackdown on drugs and the fight against criminality and terrorism would continue in the remainder of his presidency.

“Even if you give a president—you can amend the Constitution—we are not qualified. But if you give a term of even five, even seven terms, six years each, you would still have no progress and development in the Philippines.

Believe me. That’s what I can leave Next page you with,” Duterte said.

Ayala siblings take the blame for Manila Water shortcomings

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 46 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

State of calamity in 18 El Niño areas NDRRMC: Losses hit P2.6b; cloud seeding pushed

P

RELIMINARY damage wrought by El Niño, which placed 18 areas nationwide under a state of calamity, has hit P2.675 billion, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

In the Council’s latest ledger released Wednesday, Region 12 suffered the most damage with an estimated cost of P808 million followed by Region 5 with P793.9 million.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region

in Muslim Mindanao, Region 8, MIMAROPA, Region 6 and the CALABARZON also suffered great loss due to El Niño, although specific figures were not immediately available.

In related developments:

• The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System mulls over conducting cloud seeding over Angat Dam as El Niño whips Metro Manila and surrounding provinces.

Engineer Patrick Dizon of the MWSS on Wednesday said the office had written the Bureau of Soils and Water Management and the government-run weather bureau for cloud seeding activities over the dam.

During the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum, Dizon recalled that Next page

SPEAKING out for the first time on the water service interruptions suffered by 1.2 million Metro Manila households, tycoons Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala and his brother Fernando took responsibility for the shortcomings of their company, Manila Water, and vowed to restore services and to prevent a recurrence of the shortage.

“A multitude of factors resulted in this lack of supply, and we take responsibility for our own shortcomings in the company. We recognize and understand Next page

JAIME AUGUSTO ZOBEL DE AYALA

FERNANDO ZOBEL DE AYALA

NPA turns 50: No end to killings?

POLICEWOMAN Ruby Buena’s introduction to one of the oldest communist insurgencies in the world was a roadside bomb blast followed seconds later by an eruption of gunfire.

“I thought it was my time to die,” said 25-year-old Buena, who instead woke up in a hospital with a cracked pelvis to learn three of her colleagues were dead in the 2018 attack in the central Philippines.

In a nation plagued by armed groups ranging from kidnap-for-ransom outfits to Islamist secessionist movements, the communist New People’s Army is among the deadliest.

Yet after decades of failed peace efforts there is no end to the killing in sight as the campaign marks its 50th year.

• Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and other ranking military officials on Tuesday rejected Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison’s claims that the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and other progressive organizations were not part of the

revolutionary movement.

• Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday said the government’s agreement with the Rebolusyonaryong Partido Ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian ArmyAlex Boncayao Brigade-Tabara Paduano Group was a successful example of the localized peace engagements being advocated by the government.

The NPA launched its rebellion to create a Maoist state on March 29, 1969― months before the first human landed on the moon.

It grew out of the global communist movement, finding fertile soil in the Philippines’ stark rich-poor divide.

The rebellion also benefited from Ferdinand Marcos’ 1972-1986 dictatorship, when the legislature was shuttered, the free press muzzled and thousands of opponents were tortured or killed.

At its peak in the 1980s, the group had some 26,000 fighters in its ranks, but the number is now around 4,000, the military Next page says.

HISTORIC MOMENT.

SOMEWHERE, DOWN THERE. Cousins Archie Baran and Angel Bataanon patiently search for root crops from a parched sweet potato farm in Barangay Kapatagan in Carcar, Cebu on Tuesday—among the many areas in the country that has been whipped by dry spell from the weather phenomenon El Niño. Norman Cruz

Lakas-CMD Party president Martin Romualdez (right) shares a photo-op with Communist Party of China Rep. Minister Song Tau after the Neighborhood Party Talk at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel In Makati City intended to implement the President’s Consensus to Promote ChinaPhilippines Friendship.

Ver Noveno

Package delivery SC justice, Palace clash over Sino loans by drone a UPS first By Rey E. Requejo were misplaced, since Recto Bank is WASHINGTON—American delivery giant UPS on Tuesday launched the first authorized use of unmanned drones to transport packages to recipients.

Next page

and Macon Ramos-Araneta

SUPREME Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Wednesday brushed aside assurances from the Palace, insisting that China could seize the country’s natural gas deposits in the Reed or Recto Bank if the Philippines defaults on its $62-million Chinese loan.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo had earlier claimed that these fears

“public property” that could not be sold or given away unless converted into patrimonial property by law.

But Carpio said Wednesday that a 1972 law already covers the oil and gas deposits in Recto Bank, which the Permanent Court of Arbitration declared in its 2016 ruling as part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone—making it the country’s patrimonial property.

Next page

Caloocan dress code: Shorts OKd Duterte trains gun on ex-cop accuser

By Jun David

By Nat Mariano and Francisco Tuyay

THE short of it is this: The Caloocan City Government 2007 Dress Code in Public Places Ordinance only requires residents, especially in government offices, to be “decently attired” but they are not prohibited from wearing shorts.

Next page

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday evening told the public not to believe the claim of dismissed Sr. Supt. Eduardo Acierto linking Chinese businessman Michael Yang to the illegal drug trade, and asked the police why the former cop was still alive.

“Do not believe it, especially this Acierto. F*** it,” Duterte said in a speech during the distribution of financial grants in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. “I should ask the military and police, why is that son of a b**** still alive?”

The President’s remarks came after Acierto, who went into hiding for his alleged involvement in the smuggling in Next page

‘Lakas one with China party in pursuit of mutual interests’

By Maricel V. Cruz and Nat Mariano LAKAS-CHRISTIAN Muslim Democrats president Martin Romualdez, an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, on Tuesday assured China’s top officials they would achieve their goals and mutual interests for the Philippines and China’s greater progress.

In his speech before the Neighborhood Party Talk to Implement the President’s Consensus to Promote China-Philippines Friendship and Banquet held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City, Romualdez made a commitment to the representatives of the Communist Party of China, led by Minister Song Tau and Sun Haiyan, that his Lakas-CMD will work on further strengthening Philippine-China relations. Next page

A2

News

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace torn between 2 fronts, seeks pact with Nur

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he was “in a hurry” to make a pact with Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari days after the MNLF threatened to “go to war” once the government failed to push for federalism.

In a speech during the campaign rally of the ruling PDP-Laban party in South Cotabato on Tuesday night, Duterte said the government had to arrange an agreement again with the MNLF. “Here in Mindanao we were also grappling with so many fronts. I am dealing with the drug problem and at the same time I am in a hurry to strike a deal with Nur Misuari,” Duterte said.

He said the Bangsamoro Organic Law was “satisfactory” to Moro Islamic Liberation Front chairman Murad Ebrahim.

However, Misuari seemed to have a different take on the new Bangsamoro government.

“The BOL is satisfactory according to Murad, as it is. So long as it is implemented correctly,” Duterte said.

“Meanwhile, for Misuari, we have to deal with him again. And I hope that we could find the space, the time,and the issues that would be more acceptable to everybody, to both the Lumads, the Christian and the Moro.”

Ressa indicted for anti-dummy law violation

By Rey E. Requejo MARIA Ressa is facing prosecution for another criminal case after the Department of Justice indicted her before a regional trial court for violation of antidummy and security regulation laws over foreign ownership in her online news outfit Rappler.

Ressa and six other executives of Rappler were charged with cases for violations of Commonwealth Act No. 108 or the Anti-Dummy Law and Securities Regulations Code before the Pasig City RTC last Tuesday.

The Pasig RTC Branch 265 under Judge Acerey Pacheco set the arraignment on April 10 after several of the accused appeared before the court on Wednesday and posted bail amounting to P90,000 for the anti-dummy case ahead of the issuance of the arrest warrant.

The other accused in this case are Manuel Ayala, Nico Jose Nolledo, Glenda Gloria, James Bitanga, Felicia Atienza and James Velasquez.

However, Ressa has yet to appear in court and post bail as she is currently out of the country.

It was learned the case for SRC violation was still being raffled to a judge as of yesterday afternoon.

Rody...

From A1

“You know why? It’s very hard to really develop [the country] if there’s no law and order. If there’s no law and order and everything [and] everybody is in a quandary.

What would they do? And I think [we are] being swallowed by the biggest threat of them all and that is the drug problem which is worldwide,” he added.

While admitting last weekend that drug situation in the country had worsened, the President renewed his threat to stop drug traffickers and proliferators, vowing not to let them destroy the country.

“Do not destroy the young and feed them with drugs to no end because I will really kill you,” he said.

Duterte, the 16th President, assumed the presidency on June 30, 2016.

Having a character of being a populist and nationalist, Duterte won the 2016 presidential elections with 16,601,997 votes, winning against four other presidential candidates.

In a separate statement to honor the President’s birthday, Panelo, wishing the Chief Executive well, said the presidency had not changed the President’s simple lifestyle.

“We pray the Almighty to continue (sic) giving him a sound mind and a healthy body, that he may finish the goals he had set for the betterment of the country and people that he loved so well towards a future of progress and prosperity,” Panelo said.

“We are certainly blessed and privileged to have someone as dedicated as President Duterte as the captain of our ship steering our flag carrier safely to a land [where] he vowed to free from drugs and crimes where each Filipino will enjoy a comfortable life,” he said.

‘Gov’t winning war on illegal drugs’ D

By Rio N. Araja and Nat Mariano

flooding our streets,” he said.

PDEA director general Aaron Aquino said most of the 31 show business celebrities on their watchlist are very popular and young, in their 20s or 30s, and have their own shows and movies.

“They are all popular, except for one— the old one—who is already a has-been,” he told the ANC’s Headstart.

He said 11 of those on the list were actresses.

Aquino has declined to name the show business celebrities, saying their inclusion in the list had yet to be validated.

Meanwhile, a governor 50 mayors are facing administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for “low functionality” of and failure to activate their anti-drug abuse councils [ADACs].

Assistant Secretary Ricojudge Echiverri of the Department of the Interior and Local Government filed complaints of derelic-

tion of duty for neglect and misconduct to activate their ADACs in compliance with Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. The only governor facing a complaint was Tawi-Tawi Gov. Rashidin Matba.

The DILG is still looking into the possible filing of criminal complaints against the local officials, Echiverri said, noting that nine of them were supposedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

On May 21, 2018, the DILG and Dangerous Drugs Board signed a joint memorandum, directing local governments to form the ADACs. “The failure of the respondent to create the local ADAC can be classified as a misconduct in office or a dereliction of duty which is among the grounds for discipline, suspension, or removal from office of a local official,” the complaint read.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Andaya: Budget within legal bounds

State...

By Maricel V. Cruz

cloud seeding operations to increase the Angat Dam’s water level during 2015’s El Niño cost around P3 million.

Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification that aims to induce precipitation by dispersing substances into the air.

Dizon said PAGASA, which would assess which clouds were seedable, recommended the series of operations to be done in May, when little rainfall was expected.

•The Cordillera Administrative Region has recorded a total damage of P1.2 billion worth of agricultural products as the municipality of Paracelis in Mountain Province declared a state of calamity due to El Niño.

“As of today, the estimated damage in the agricultural sector is at P1.2 billion, but it is still subject for validation,” Department of Agriculture senior agriculturist Lito Mocati told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday.

Most of the damage had been inflicted on high-value crops like corn, rice and vegetables.

• In North Cotabato, four hectares of fishponds have dried up due to El Niño which left thus far an estimated P2.2 billion in damage to agricultural crops.

Based on NDRRMC records, 16 provinces, towns and cities have already declared a state of calamity due to the dry spell since Feb. 11, with Datu Abdullah Sangki in Mindanao the latest to do so on March 13.

In Santo Niño town in South Cotabato, four hectares of fish farms have dried up since the National Irrigation Administration cut the water supply to the town due to scarcity.

Fish farmers said the town’s fish produc-

tion would surely suffer delay. Particularly affected, they said, was the production of tilapia, News To Go, beamed nationwide, reported Wednesday.

In Mountain Province, Mocati said that damage recorded for corn was more than P900 million; P380 million for rice; and more than P10 million for highland vegetables.

He said the provinces of Ifugao, Apayao and Abra had submitted their reports for their agricultural damage loss.

Mocati said they were currently coordinating with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management for the schedule of cloud seeding in the region.

Meanwhile, the municipal government of Paracelis in Mountain Province has declared the town under a state of calamity due to the extent of damage that the drought has caused.

“The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recommended the declaration of the entire municipality of Paracelis under a state of calamity due to dry spell,” Councilor Djarma Rafael told PNA on Wednesday.

The resolution said that crops were already wilting due to the prevailing dry spell and has caused widespread damage in the agricultural sector.

“Not only with our agricultural products but also the prevailing dry spell has caused outbreak in our poultry, livestock and fishponds representing 70 percent in total damages in the agricultural sector of the municipality,” she said.

She said the resolution for the declaration was approved during the regular session on March 26, which Mayor Avelino Amangyen also signed on the same day.

Paracelis, a second-class municipality, relies heavily on agriculture with majority of its products being corn. PNA

ESPITE President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration that the drug problem was worsening, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Wednesday that a spate of seizures of illegal drugs worth billions of pesos is “a positive indicator that the government is very effective in carryout out its war against drugs.”

With the recent seizures, it was normal for the President and the public to think the drug situation was worsening, PDEA spokesman Derrick Carreon said.

PDEA discovered 12 incidents of floating cocaine packages in the eastern seaboard of the country between February and March, and arrested several Chinese nationals in buy-bust operations.

“These syndicates cannot evade our au-

THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations on Wednesday said the P3.757-trillion national budget for this year was constitutional and transparent.

Rolando Andaya made the remark following the move by Senate President Vicente Sotto III to sign and submit the 2019 General Appropriations Bill―with reservations—for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature.

“The enrolled copy of the 2019 General Appropriations Bill has been transmitted to President Duterte for his study and signature,” Andaya said in a statement.

“Once enacted into law, I assure the taxpaying public that the national budget for 2019 will pass not only the test of constitutionality and legality but also of transpar-

NPA...

From A1

Its main stronghold is in the Philippines’ restive south, but it is also scattered in the nation’s center and a few areas in the north.

According to the rarely revised official figures, the Maoist insurgency has killed up to 40,000―less than a third of the estimate for the Muslim separatist rebellion in the south.

But while the killing in the so-called Moro insurgency dropped off significantly even before a landmark 2014 peace deal, the NPA has maintained its campaign of violence.

Complete statistics on police and civil-

thorities. Before, drugs could pass through the Bureau of Customs unnoticed, but we now have a collaboration with the bureau and other law enforcement agencies to be able to immediately respond,” Carreon said.

“We have coordination and intelligence sharing with our international counterparts,” he added.

“What is important is that authorities are able to prevent these illegal drugs from

ency and accountability.”

In his letter, Sotto urged Duterte to exercise his veto powers to remove what he called “unconstitutional realignments” in the enrolled copy of the budget bill.But Andaya said the House leadership had worked hard on the budget measure so that every House member would get their equitable share of their congressional entitlements, and that every item in the budget bill it approved was properly itemized.

“We may have locked horns with the senators on the contentious issues, but both sides chose to work on our commonalities rather than waste precious time over disagreements. That is democracy at work,” Andaya said.

“We are confident that the product of this democratic process will help improve our economic situation and uplift the lives of ordinary Filipinos.” ian deaths are not available, but military figures show the communists were at their deadliest in the period 2014-2018, when they killed 444 soldiers.

This outpaced kidnap-for-ransom group Abu Sayyaf and Islamic State groupaligned factions responsible for periodic spikes in killing like the 2017 Marawi siege.

The five-month siege―where militants seized the southern city of Marawi last year―killed about 1,200 people, most of whom were enemy fighters, according to government figures. It destroyed much of the center of the city.

“In terms of threat to national security, the NPA is the biggest for now,” military spokesman Noel Detoyato told AFP. AFP, with PNA and Nat Mariano

Duterte...

From A1

Ayala...

From A1

of P11 billion worth of shabu, resurfaced to show documents detailing supposed links between Yang, Duterte’s former economic adviser, and another Chinese national, Allan Lim, with the illegal drug trade.

The President said Acierto was sacked since August 2018 due to the procurement of AK-47 rifles, which eventually landed in the possession of the communist New People’s Army.

“This Acierto, he was the broker of AK-47, about 1,000 pieces. He imported [them] and gave [them] to the NPA,” Duterte said.

“I ask the military and police, why is he still alive? You don’t want to kill him?

Then tell me,” the President said.

On Sunday evening, Acierto, former deputy director for administration of the Philippine National Police Drug Enforcement Group, accused the President and the PNP of ignoring an intelligence report and blocking an investigation into Yang’s alleged drug links.

The Palace, however, maintained that Acierto was merely “pointing fingers at whoever” he wants “to get back” at the PNP. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said if Acierto’s report were true, the President would “go to the ends of the earth” to put him behind bars “or worse.”

Duterte said he has known Yang, a Chinese businessman, for a long time.

“I know that Michael Yang for a long time. [Since] 1989 or ‘99, he already had businesses such as phones, appliances, everything. Just in small stores,” Duterte said, recalling that he even told Yang to do “legal business” or he will bury him alive.

the difficulties that all our customers are going through,” the Zobels said in a statement.

The shortage affected Metro Manila’s east zone, but not its west zone, which is served by another private concessionaire, Maynilad.

On Tuesday, Manila Water said it would suspend the minimum charge for all customers affected by the service interruptions and waive fees for the whole of March for those that did not have water for seven days straight.

The Zobels said Manila Water has restored supply to 97 percent of its customers with a supply good for eight to 12 hours a day.

Under its concession agreement with the government, however, Manila Water must provide 24/7 water service to its customers with a minimum level of water pressure.

“Please be assured that Manila Water is exploring all possible options to bring back services to the high levels that we are all accustomed to,” the Zobels said. “We continue to appeal for everyone’s patience as our teams at Manila Water are working hard and overtime to immediately and comprehensively remedy the situation. Resolving this situation requires support from all sectors.”

“We will double our efforts to restore services to the high levels that we have had and to ensure that future shortages such as these will not be repeated. We are deeply grateful for your understanding,” the Zobels said.

Senators Grace Poe and Panfilo Lacson said the waiver of fees was not enough.

Package...

From A1

The company said the shipment of medical samples at the WakeMed hospital campus in Raleigh, North Carolina was the first of “numerous planned daily revenue flights.”

UPS has teamed up with Matternet, which makes autonomous drones and already has operations in Switzerland, for the same-day delivery service, the company

said in a statement.

The company called the inaugural flight “a major milestone for unmanned aviation in the United States.”

It will provide “the ability to avoid roadway delays, increase medical delivery efficiency, lower costs and improve the patient experience with potentially life-saving benefits,” the company added.

The “quadcopter” drones can carry medical payloads weight up to five pounds (2.3 kilograms) for distances up to 12.5 miles (20 kilometers). AFP

From A1

SC justice,...

’Lakas..

The government has in fact already granted a service contract to Forum Energy to exploit the gas in the area pursuant to section 8 of the Oil & Exploration Development Act of 1972, Carpio said.

The law states that “the (service) contract may authorize the contractor to take and dispose of and market either domestically or for export all petroleum produced under the contract subject to supplying the domestic requirements of the Republic of the Philippines on a pro-rata basis.”

“This law proclaims the oil and gas covered by a service contract as subject to sale to the market— which makes such oil and gas patrimonial,” the associate justice said.

“The power to reclassify from public domain to patrimonial is a legislative power.

The President’s power to so reclassify was merely delegated by Congress,” Carpio added.

Carpio also disputed the argument of administration officials that the loan amount for the Chico River irrigation project is relative small and it would be unlikely for the government to default on the loan.

“The total loan from China will be from $12 billion to $24 billion. If all loan agreements will follow the Chico River template, that will be a huge problem,” Carpio said.

He suggested that future loan agreement with China must not include patrimonial assets of the country as collateral, saying they are “not standard in official development assistance loans.”

Carpio also reiterated that the Philippines would be in a disadvantageous position in case of dispute because the contract provides for arbitration to be held in Beijing and conducted by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, using CIETAC arbitration rules.

”With confidence we declare: The LAKAS-CMD Party stands in solidarity with the Communist Party of China in the realization of our shared values, the advancement of both our local and national goals, and the continuation of developmental programs across our nations, Romualdez, who was endorsed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as the Speaker of the incoming 18th Congress, told the crowd.

“We move forward with pride and confidence, knowing that we are walking with one of the most progressive and crucial movers in the Asian region, Romualdez said.

“I am deeply honored to be invited here. As the president of the Lakas-CMD Party, we proudly accept the invitation of the Communist Party of China to become partners for change and all for the betterment of the Filipino society.

Meanwhile, the alleged latest harassment of Chinese coast guard patrols on Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal may be raised by the President during his visit to Beijing next month, the Palace said on Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the remark after senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares posted a video on Facebook showing the narratives of local fishermen on how the Chinese coast guard personnel would seize their catch and drive them away from the resourcerich waters.

“I think he (Duterte) will raise that as an issue during the visit [to China]. The President immediately raises issues like that, but not in a way that he’d seem to be running amok,” Panelo told ANC in an interview.

From A1

Caloocan...

From A1

This was the clarification by Mayor Oscar Malapitan who said the measure was not new as it was signed in 2007 and was authored by a former city councilor and passed by the previous administration.

This was not approved during Malapitan’s time.

Malapitan had ordered the city councilors to discuss and review the ordinance.

“For me, I really want the ordinance

From A1

to be repealed as I stand for equal rights to freedom and I believe that all women should be respected no matter what they wear,” Malapitan said.

Meanwhile, on the issue of sexual harassment on women, the city mayor encouraged victims to stand up for themselves and report to the police.

With the summer heat reaching sometimes 40 degrees Celsius, fashion observers said people tend to wear light clothes, with women preferring to wear shorts while men would wear just undershirts, in isolated cases sometimes going shirtless.

Happy

74

th

Birthday

to our honored

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte

Birthday Greetings from Cong. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez of the First District of Leyte and Congwn Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, 1st Nominee of TINGOG Partylist.

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Losing the war on drugs, corruption PRESIDENT Duterte has admitted that he may not be able to fulfill his promise of eradicating illegal drugs. I am not sure if he was quoted correctly, but if he was, he was probably reacting to news of the continued entry of various drugs to the country.

From the start it was a huge mistake to have considered the war on drugs a matter of law and order. It was an oversimplification of the issue that required the police to step in, and brutally.

President Duterte is doing it the wrong way.

The drug problem is a health issue that necessitates health solutions like, for instance, the establishment of communitybased rehabilitation centers.

This is why I could only shake my head when Mr. Duterte made that sweeping promise that he would end the drug problem soon. I thought then that he was doing it wrong. Look at what happened to Colombia. It was beset by the drug menace for a long time, until the government went after the cartels. After this, the cartels moved to other places.

Why do you think drugs continue to enter our country?

First, the demand remains, and the suppliers are only too happy to respond to that demand.

And then, there is the fact that the Philippines has become a transshipment point for worldwide distribution of drugs.

As I said, the answer is communitybased rehabilitation centers.

Why? In rehabilitating an addict, the family is needed. I know this for a fact since I worked at DARE Foundation of former priest Bob Garon.

That rehab center in Laur, Nueva Ecija is not working because it is not community based.

I can understand the President’s frustration. The war does not seem to end. It’s because he is going about it the wrong way. The cops can kill the last pusher, but so long as there is demand, the problem will not end.

What should be done, then? This is why I support Duterte’s move to make public the list of narco-politicians.

As for the continued entry of drugs here, the police and the PDEA need to be vigilant.

Unfortunately, Mr. Duterte has focused on poor communities because they are easy to detect.

The President indeed has to rethink his war on drugs. *** Another promise was to end ecoruption. We all cheered when the President fired his close friends and allies upon a mere whiff of corruption.

Well, he did fire some, but he reappointed others or simply transferred them.

Now at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, with the resignation of general manager Alexander Balutan, now comes Sandra Cam with an alleged P500-million resort in Masbate. *** If the public has little confidence in the war against corruption, only the President is to blame. It was in the aftermath of a Commission on Audit report that flagged the lawyers of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel for having excessive allowances from the GOCCs to which they were assigned.

When the head of the OGCC started inquiring into this anomaly, a whispering campaign against him started. Somehow his enemies succeeded in maligning him and he was fired.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

W

The least it could do

HEN they receive their bill in April, customers of Manila Water will find that they will not be charged for their first 10 cubic meters of water consumption in March.

Manila Water president and CEP Ferdinand dela Cruz announced this at a press conference Tuesday as he sought to quiet the anger of those in the East service zone that experienced a water shortage in the past few weeks.

Severely affected customers will not be charged at all, Dela Cruz said. “Severely affected” is defined as those which had 24-hour water supply interruptions for seven days or more.

Dela Cruz acknowledged that he can never fully pay back customers who were

inconvenienced by the shortage. But it was more than inconvenience—it was financial or productivity loss as well. For instance, some water-dependent commercial establishments were not able to operate, or people were not able to work in the same level because they were agitated by the loss of water in the area.

The apology and the gesture of waiving charges are most welcome. After all, the bright executives of Manila Water should always be mindful that the business of water is not just

any other business. It's a public utility without which individuals, households and industries will not be able to function effectively.

Consumers deserve every centavo of the money they will not pay Manila Water next month—they do not owe anybody profuse thanks. It’s a penalty that the company has rightfully imposed upon itself.

But what customers deserve even better is seamless service regardless of adverse weather patterns or plain poor planning.

The summer months loom long and large, compounding the need for reliable water from the tap.

Here’s hoping there will no longer be a repeat of the nightmarish scenarios that those from the East Zone encountered this month.

Turn to A5

What rape culture looks like POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE “IT WAS her fault.”

This is the contention of many regarding the gang-rape of a 16-yearold girl in Tondo in the early hours of March 19.

The victim’s best friend invited her to a drinking session with seven men.

Sometime during the party, she lost consciousness, was brought to another room, and assaulted.

Police surmise she was drugged, and that she was not the first victim of the group calling themselves the ‘Tondo F**ckboys.’

What makes this crime even more abhorrent is that the group took videos of the assault and posted images of the young woman’s intimate parts to their private online chatroom while proudly boasting of the rape.

On Twitter, feminists of all genders said that a woman should be able to drink or do what she wants freely without being molested or harassed by men.

Dissenters, mostly men, felt that it was the young girl’s fault, that she was looking for trouble by being the lone female in a drinking session with seven men.

One of the most engaged commenters, @IAmTholits, disparaged the feminists’ views with, “To think ok lang makipag-inuman sa 6 na lalaki. Wow eh di ikaw na hindi puta.”

He excused the men’s behavior by blaming the alcohol they consumed: “Kung aware yung babae sa effect ng alak sa katawan I don’t think papayag siya na mag-isa lang siya.”

He shamed the victim for her predicament by casting aspersions on her character: “Kung disente ka di ka makikipag-inuman sa 6 na lalaki.”

He said the rape was practically inevitable given the context: “Kung prayer meeting yung pinuntahan may mali talaga kung nangyari pa rin but the fact na inuman yun tapos mag-isa lang siya.”

He accused the victim of deliberately inviting the assault by going alone:

“Socializing with men tapos mag-isa ka? Kabobohan 101.”

Not content with that, he blamed her for existing: “Kung wala siya, may rape?”

Rape, a word used also to mean ‘sexual assault’, is conducted with use of force, coercion, threat, or intimidation by someone in authority. Sometimes the abuse is carried out against people who cannot defend themselves or are incapable of giving consent, such as unconscious or incapacitated people or those who are mentally disabled.

Rape is rape when there is a lack of consent. Consent is a freely given agreement to sexual activity. In the case of the 16-year-old from Tondo, there was no consent given because she was unconscious.

The world should be safe for everyone.

In feminist theory, male-female rape is not so much the urge for sexual release, because masturbation can satisfy that. It is an abuse of authority and power, a need to manifest dominance, male superiority, and control.

Rape is also related to male sexual entitlement, and this is where many of the apologists for the Tondo rapists are coming from. They believe it is men’s right and privilege to access women’s bodies when they wish, framing their actions as ‘normal’ particularly when given a situation where a woman is ‘asking for it,’ for instance, by being the lone woman in a group of drinking men. @IAmTholits’ views and mindset are not unusual for Filipinos, both men and women. This ‘rape culture’ is a result of the patriarchal nature of society that privileges men and considers women fair game.

A question for women is going around Twitter: “If all men had a 9:00 p.m. curfew, what would you do?” The Turn to A5

Stupid is as stupid does LAST week, former foreign affairs Albert del Rosario and former government Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales filed a case at the International Criminal Court against China’s President Xi Jinping for so-called “crimes against humanity.”

A DFA undersecretary who used to closely work with Del Rosario confided his bewilderment about this action of the former secretary, “This can be anything

Del Rosario and CarpioMorales should have known better. but be called a ‘stunt.’”

However, the problem for our coun country is that this stunt can be a source of ridicule for the entire Philippines, aside from the fact it could disrupt the gains of the fledgling China-Philippines cooperation today.

While I may not be aware of Del

Rosario’s background in legal expertise, Carpio-Morales, being a former Supreme Court justice and top honcho of the Office of the Ombudsman, is ex expected to be a luminary in legal affairs.

She should thus know that is the ICC has no jurisdiction over China, the latter not being a member of the ICC. In fact, when ICC declared it would continue its investigation of President Rodrigo Duterte’s alleged human rights violation arising from his war against illegal drugs, despite the country’s withdrawal as the alleged crime took place when the Philippines was still an ICC member, it was meant to connote that any crime that takes place after the Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

Edsa one more time ACCORDING to reports, the Metro Manila Development Authority intends to revisit EDSA in an attempt to ease the traffic gridlock along the road.

After so many attempts in the past that all ended in failure, that even President Duterte has given up, MMDA will try one more time. Specifically, MMDA wants to relaunch carpooling and reduce the width of the road lanes from 3.5 meters to 3 meters so that another lane could be added exclusively for motorcycle use. Yesterday, there was a new report that all bus stations located along EDSA will be removed by June of this year. For starters, it is doubtful whether the first two schemes will reduce congestion at all. Carpooling could indeed reduce congestion along EDSA but motorists have always resisted the program and there is no reason why they should this time.

There are many reasons why carpooling has not gained traction. After-work appointments could be one reason. People who use their car to go to work do not necessarily head home immediately after work. Difficulty in making arrangements could be another reason. Still, MMDA should pursue the plan or a variation of it. MMDA could prohibit single-occupancy vehicles along EDSA but could sell road space to those unwilling to carpool but are willing to buy road space on a daily or monthly basis.

This way, MMDA could hit two birds with one stone. Reduce vehicles and raise revenue. Reducing the width of the road, however, is another matter. It could be dangerous. Narrower lanes will further reduce travel time and could increase road accidents.

Assigning a lane exclusively for motorcycles has been tried before but discontinued. EDSA right now has exclusive lanes for public and private vehicles but is not being followed.

Most of all, it is important that we keep and follow international standards on measurements in our road system and the DPWH should therefore not agree. The traffic congestion along EDSA is admittedly critical and every means must be found to try to alleviate problem but MMDA should look for solutions that will solve not add to the problem.

If the report yesterday is accurate that bus stations along EDSA will all be removed by June, this will eliminate about 250,000 trips to EDSA a day and greatly lessen traffic gridlock. This is a much-needed step that should have been taken long time ago but it is never too late and if successful would be a feather in the cap of

Unfortunately, discipline is a rare commodity.

MMDA Chairman Danny Lim. Right now, the only solution in the horizon is the SLEX-NLEX connector road which will eliminate all vehicles traversing EDSA originating from the south going north. Vehicles coming from the west or east could also enter the connector road to go either north or south thereby avoiding EDSA. The connector road will not be completed in the next 18 months but when completed, it can provide relief on the congestion along EDSA together with the other steps being planned by MMDA. What everybody wants, however, is relief right now. Even with the opening of the connector road and the successful implementation of traffic plans, vehicles using EDSA must be reduced to make road use more efficient. Also, one of the causes why after compromising starts of some traffic plans implemented by MMDA fail or are discontinued, is that enforcement was not vigorously continued.

To solve this weakness, MMDA should enhance technology use to help

enforcement like more cameras along EDSA so that the agency can go after violators. This will require making a computer program that can do the job and coordinating with agencies like the LTO and PNP so that enforcement can be coordinated. Right now, enforcement agencies have different systems. There is no single enforcement program and is the reason why violators often get away with many violations. A single program can track violators wherever they are even if they are not from the Metro area so that they are forced to pay their fines.

It is also time to ban jeepneys and tricycles using any portion of EDSA because of their discipline. Jeepneys and trycycles were banned from EDSA before but slowly but surely, they managed to get back and are now all over the place. This ban, however, will require a strong political will on the part of MMDA. There is bound to be resistance but it is necessary.

Anyway, the track record of the MRT continues to improve. There are now less stoppages of service and hopefully, the MRT management can provide reliable service in the future.

With regard to the buses, LTFRB and MMDA should get together for the purpose of studying how to reallocate bus lines to reduce the number of buses using EDSA if not for now, at least for the future. There really are no quick solutions to alleviate the EDSA gridlock. MMDA I am sure is trying its best to come up with solutions under very trying conditions.

For one, the law that created MMDA needs amendment to give it more teeth to solve the daunting traffic problem.

The MMDA law is weak. It only gives the agency limited authority to solve the traffic problem in its entirety.

As I have written in the past, there is no major city on earth that can claim to have solved its traffic problems to the satisfaction of everyone and Metro Manila is no exception.

The Metro road system is very limited as everyone knows. Traffic discipline can alleviate many of our traffic miseries and can make road use more efficient. Unfortunately, this is now a rare commodity and it is a shame.

Feature

Bodybags, rats, waste: Disaster response turns to VR for grim training

By Delphine Thouvenot

A THAI policewoman trudges through waste and ruined buildings looking for bodies—but she needs only a joystick and a virtual reality headset for the grim task, as technology comes to the aid of disaster management training.

As around 40 police officers watch her progress on a large screen, officer Chanika Sookreang's digital double goes from body to body in the ruined city, photographing tattoos, faces—anything that can later be used to establish who the victim was.

"VR is good as it allows us to be trained before we go to the actual scene," says Chanika, who has firsthand experience in relief work from the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) developed the new "game" and is testing it out for the first time on teams in Thailand's Chonburi province in a bid to recreate the daunting challenge of identifying bodies, which can help in repatriating them to families.

Dozens of forensic experts from the Red Cross are stationed around the world to help countries respond to tsunamis, earthquakes and other disasters.

Training for refugee camps and highrisk disaster hotspots like Indonesia have long relied on heavy mannequin models.

But a former Swiss army officer turned video gaming enthusiast has recruited graphic designers from the gaming industry to help create the ICRC's first Virtual Reality unit in Bangkok, which will allow teams to reach a wider audience.

Losing...

From A4

"If you do training in a classroom, like how to put a body into a bodybag, it is excellent because you can have the weight," says Christian Rouffaer, head of the VR team.

By contrast, the new simulation is "weightless, but what you will have is all the risk factors" complicating searchand-rescue missions such as the presence of animals and dangling electrical cables, he tells AFP. In one sequence a rat scurries across the ground as the rescuer tries to retrieve the corpse of a woman, whose arm comes detached when the body is flipped over.

'Lost forever' To make the training more realistic, the ICRC team worked with forensics specialist Ivett Kovari.

She explains that she came up with the idea for the rat "because that's what happens in reality".

In the field, responders have to search for remains, take notes and photographs, and transport bodies.

A diligent inventory of the victim's belongings from phones and jewellery to family photos and ID cards is also crucial, Kovari tells participants in Thailand, warning that otherwise "this information is going to be lost forever".

Virtual reality is increasingly sought after for skills training, from hospitals to industry. Disaster zone rescue is the latest in a series of VR simulations from the Red Cross.

Trainees can already visit overcrowded prison cells to check on conher appointment right away. Thus, former UP Law Dean Raul Pangalangan eventually took her place.

For Panelo to say that Miriam’s appointment to the ICC was void is fake news. Santa Banana, the Philippine government even lobbied for Miriam’s appointment!

When Panelo said that the government need not pull out Pangalangan’s appointment because we were never an ICC member, he simply displayed his ignorance, Santa Banana!

Note also that the COA had found that Solicitor General Jose Calida and other lawyers were getting excessive allowances. But the President did not do anything. *** Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo claims that the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was never appointed to the International Criminal Court.

The truth was that she did not accept www.emiljurado.weebly.com

ditions—one of the group's global mandates—or plunge into the chaotic world of a refugee camp to assess needs of those displaced by conflict.

Some are even intended for mainstream use, such as an immersive first aid game created at the request of the British Red Cross. Another game looking at earthquake response is currently in production.

A decade ago the ICRC produced research on gamers committing war crimes in the virtual world, which sparked ridicule.

But the uproar led to the agency working with the creators of war video game "Arma 3" to create a new iteration that included a more humanitarian perspective, from the workers on the ground to the complex rules of engagement in conflict.

Countries like Thailand, which lack big budgets for quick relief response, are keen to take advantage of VR's costsaving measures.

The head of Thailand's disaster victim identification department Nithi Bundhuwong attended the training in Chonburi and was enthusiastic about a virtual crime scene immersion program he showed off on his smartphone.

"In the past, training was based on repeating (the same exercise) again and again, and it was a waste of time and money," he tells AFP. "Thanks to virtual reality, we can simulate different scenarios" from crime scenes to the chaos of a natural disaster, he added. AFP

What...

From A4

majority of answers are, simply: “I’d go for a walk.” That is because women feel unsafe in a world with men in it.

This is not how it should be. The world should be safe for everyone.

Women, just like men, should feel confident about walking out at night, about being the only female in a group of drinkers. As Vice President Leni Robredo said, “Rape exists because of rapists,” and even that simple sentence was too difficult for many men—and women—to comprehend.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Climate change reports are getting scarier entist, it is almost surreal.” Dr. Hayhoe doubtless had the wildfires in California, the hurricanes in Louisiana and Puerto Rico and the unprecedented floods in the Midwest—among many other disasters in mind.

The report could well have had the THE world’s scientific men and women continually produce reports detail- Philippines and other island countries in ing conclusions derived from their re- mind when it said that climate change searches and observations. Some are would be especially costly for a nation’s looked-forward-to with greater intensity coasts because of rising seas and severe than others. With the passage of time the storm surges, which will lower property reports of elements of the climatologi- values.” In some areas … coastal floodcal community have, arguably, become ing will likely force people to relocate,” the most looked-forward-to of scientific it said.

Another co-author, a University of reports.

There are two reasons for this de- Illinois climate scientist, said this in the report: “We are velopment. The going to continfirst is that cliue to see severe mate change has The reports of weather events get become Earth’s stronger and more No.1 problem—he the climatological intense.” tweets of President community have As in the rest Donald Trump to become more of the planet, the country notwithstanding. The agitated—even almost temperatures in the US have been second reason is despairing—in tone rising at a prothat the world’s gressively faster with every year that knowledgeable rate during the people, seeing the passes. past century, acincreasing frecording to the quency and ferocNational Climate ity of natural disasters, want a blow-by-blow account of Assessment. “The (mainland) 48 states how rapidly Earth’s physical condition is have warmed one degree Celsius since 1900 and slightly higher in the last few deteriorating.

The reports of the climatological decades, (and) by the end of the century community have become more agi- the US is projected to be from 1.6 to 6.6 tated—even almost despairing—in tone Celsius hotter, depending on how much with every year that passes. A case in greenhouse gasses are released into the point is the National Climate Assess- atmosphere.”

That should be a terrifying thought ment, which is mandated by US law.

The last Assessment was released to the not only for Americans but for all the public last year. It is a massive report; the world’s people. Everyone, i.e., except the findings of more than 1,000 previous re- President of the country that accounts for approximately 20 percent of total greensearch studies are incorporated in it.

Says the report: “Climate change is house gas emissions. Donald Trump’s transforming where and how (people) tweet on the most recent Northeast live and presents growing challenges US cold spell ended with the question: to human health and quality of life, the “Whatever happened to Global Warmeconomy and the natural systems that ing?”

Reacting to the tweet, another co-ausupport (people).” These challenges include worsening air pollution causing thor of the report, an international policy heart and lung problems, more diseases expert of the World Resources Institute, from insects, nastier allergies and po- said that the Trump administration was tential for a jump in deaths during heat “continuing a campaign of not only denying but also suppressing the best of waves, the report states.

One of the report’s co-authors, Dr. climate science.”

Scary does not begin to adequately Katherine Hayhoe, had this to say: “We are seeing the things we said would hap- describe the latest report on global warmpen now in real life.” (To) a climate sci- ing and its impact on the world’s climate.

Stupid...

From A4

country withdrew its members from the ICC, would no longer be subjected to any investigation or prosecution as it is no longer under the jurisdiction of the International Court.

Further, when the ICC was established in 2002, the member countries adopted the Rome Statute which provided for the ICC to have jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Article 7 of the Treaty clearly defines the scope of “crimes against humanity” and it lists the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack: (a) murder; (b) extermination; (c) enslavement; (d) deportation of forcible transfer of population; (e) imprisonment or severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law; (f) torture; (h) persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural,religious,genderas defined in paragraph 3, or other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, in connection with any act referred to in this paragraph or any crime within the jurisdiction of the Court; (i) enforced disappearance of persons; (j) apertheid; and (k) other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or

If the situation had been reversed and it had been a a party of one man and seven women, would he have been raped? Mostly likely, if he had passed out drunk, the women would have just lifted him onto a couch and let him sleep it off. Why can’t men care for the women in their company? Why can’t men control themselves from molesting and hurting women?

Men all over the world are asking themselves these hard questions, and some are mobilizing to end violence against women with education and training, through such organizations such as

physical health; I just cannot see where the territorial dispute with China fits in with the accusation of a crime against humanity.

Of course I would be more than happy when the day comes that those disputed territories will finally be under the sovereignty of the Philippines. Who wouldn’t be?

But please file the proper case in a proper venue. Filing a case just like the one filed by del Rosario and CarpioMorales just for the sake of filing one, in a venue which doesn’t have even an iota of authority, could betray its very purpose. That it could have been done in furtherance of the opposition’s propaganda against the administration especially now that the opposition candidates in the forthcoming elections hdon’t even have a chance of winning even as the first ballot in the May polls has yet to be cast.

But what aggravates the matter was when Vice President Leni Robredo opened her mouth in support of the del Rosario-Carpio-Morales case, with her ignorance of the issue in full display.

According to Robredo, the complaint filed by Del Rosario and Carpio-Morales against Xi Jinping shows that the Philippines can stand against China.

Is Robredo aware the case filed was grossly inappropriate and the venue in which it was filed was extremely wrong?

And that the act of filing that particular case did not highlight our patriotic sense but showcased our stupidity?

This is not the words of wisdom we expect to hear from the second highest official of the land.

HeForShe and Men Can Stop Rape.

Such advocacy groups should be established here because women need men as allies in the struggle for women’s rights and an end to patriarchy.

There must be an end to sexual aggressiveness, toxic masculinity, and misogyny. There must be an end to male-onfemale violence—and only men can do something about it.

TAGLINE:‘Rape is a special kind of evil,’ TV Tropes says. It’s the crime that writers ascribe to villains of the darkest character. /FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

News

A6

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DOH posters with bets’ pics hit

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Commission on Elections on Wednesday received an assurance of cooperation from the Department of Health that it would take down all DOH posters with pictures of candidates running for national and local positions for the May 13 2019 local elections.

The Comelec earlier asked the DOH to remove all Malasakit Center posters bearing the name of former Special Assistant to the President and senatorial bet Christopher “Bong” Go. Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said that they already sent notices to all candidates to remove illegal posters, including posters in Malasakit centers government hospitals.

A Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop

housing all concerned government agencies to make it easier and faster for poor and disadvantaged patients to avail themselves of medical and financial assistance from the government.

In his letter, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has assured the Comelec that all of its health personnel would comply with the campaign rules set by the poll body.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez

said that the DOH issued a memorandum dated March 25, 2019, reiterating to all DOH officials and employees the policy against visual displays and campaign paraphernalia in all DOH Centers for Health Development, Medical Centers and other Public Buildings.

“With this, Secretary Duque has assured the Comelec that all officials and employees will comply with all relevant Comelec Rules and Regulations in relation to the May 13, 2019 national and local elections,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez said that under the Omnibus Election Code, the use of public funds, equipment, facilities that are owned or controlled by the government for an election campaign or any partisan political activity is prohibited.

If found guilty, a violation can be

considered an election offense.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines on Wednesday reminded candidates not to pay permit to campaign fees to the New People’s Army.

In a joint statement, the DILG and ULAP reminded aspirants in the May 13 midterm polls that “financing the NPA and their terror activities will make them criminally and administratively liable under our laws.”

The candidates have also been advised to immediately report to the authorities the extortion activities of the NPA, the armed group of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which is listed as terrorist organization by the United States and European Union. With PNA

IN BRIEF Travel tax exemption for seniors okayed A PANEL in the House of Representatives has approved a bill granting tax exemptions to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

The House Committee on Tourism, chaired by Rep. Corazon Nuñez-Malanyaon of Davao Oriental, recommended for plenary approval House Bill 7964 or the proposed Tax-Free Travel for Senior Citizens and PWDs Act. The bill is principally authored

by Rep. Greg Gasataya of Bacolod City.

Gasataya expressed optimism that the bill's enactment will improve the lives of senior citizens and PWDs. “Those who have less in life should have more in law. While there are existing benefits for Senior Citizens and PWDs provided by law, the State can further develop policies that would induce a more satisfactory life for them,” said Gasataya, vice chairman of the House committee on technical and higher education.

These individuals, he said, are the most likely to require special medical intervention that may be better acquired in other countries. Maricel V. Cruz

UAE-bound OFW with fake papers nabbed IMMIGRATION officers intercepted an overseas Filipino worker from going to the United Arab Emirates who presented fake travel documents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said the female OFW, believe to be a victim of human trafficking, was offloaded for presenting a fake clearance from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

“It appears that the syndicates are now faking the stamp and signatures of POEA personnel at the airport in order to dupe immigration officers into believing that the employment papers of their victims are genuine,” Medina said.

He warned OFWs against falling prey to the said scheme, saying “it will not escape the watchful eyes of our vigilant immigration officers at the airport.”

The passenger was about to board her Cathay Pacific flight for Dubai when she was intercepted by members of the BI’s travel control and enforcement unit at the NAIA Terminal 3.

When questioned, the passenger confessed that she received from her “handler” the OEC as well as her job contract and working visa at the airport a few hours before her scheduled flight. Vito Barcelo

FLUVIAL PROTEST. Various environment advocate groups, officials of the Manila Yacht Club and members of the Philippine dragon boat team hold a fluvial protest against the proposed reclamation project at the Manila Bay on Wednesday. Norman Cruz

PAF cargo plane bound for WPS catches fire

By Francisco Tuyay AN ENGINE of a Philippine Air Force cargo plane bound for the hotly-contested frontier of the West Philippine Sea, caught fire while taxing for takeoff at Clark Air Base Wednesday morning.

All 122 people, including seven crewmen on board, successfully evacuated with no injuries minutes after the incident involving an Air Force C130 cargo aircraft.

Philippine Air Force spokesman Maj. Aristides Galang said the C130 plane under the 220th Airlift Wing with registry No. 4726 was preparing for takeoff at the Clark Air Base when its

left engine caught fire, forcing the pilot to abort the flight.

Galang said the cargo plane was carrying students taking Master of National Security Administration courses at the National Defense College of the Philippines bound for the largest Philippineheld Pagasa Island in Palawan.

“I think they will be visiting the Spratly Island as part of the curriculum of the NDCP,” Galang said.

Reports said the MNSA students will be briefed on the present situation on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) including the security environment at the Pagasa Island which is also being claimed by Beijing.

China has virtually converted all float-

Solon bats for OFW help desks in brgys A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on Wednesday vowed to make available overseas Filipino worker assistance desks in all barangays across the country to address the demands and expectations of OFWs and their families.

ACTS-OFW Party-list Rep. John Bertiz III said he wants to bring immediate assistance to migrant workers and their families by putting up assistance desks in every barangays in the country, bring their programs and services closer especially to barangays located away from the city center.

“Our barangays are the front-liners in delivering basic government services to our people. We hope we can bring the government closer to our OFWs and their families by setting up OFW assistance desk in each barangay,” said Bertiz, member of the House minority bloc.

“It is safe to say that most, if not all, of our barangays have families with migrant workers risking their lives abroad and enduring all hardships to provide for their loved ones in the country. We want to get our people feel their government,” he added. Maricel V. Cruz Manila

Standard

TODAY

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that BASIC HOUSING SOLUTIONS, INC., with office address at 15th & th 16 Floor Westar Building, 611 Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as a expanding developer of economic and low-cost housing project (Hillsview Royale Subdivision Phase 4) with a capacity of 82 economic and low-cost units on a Non-Pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Timalan Balsahan, Naic, Cavite.

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 (MS-MAR. 28, 2019)

ing shoals, reefs and islets situation in the hotly-contested South China Sea as military garrisons which has threatened freedom of navigation to all ocean going vessels.

Galang could not ascertain the cause of the fire prompting ranking technical Air Force officials to suspend all C130 flights pending the result of the investigation of the incident.

“At this point we could not really guess the cause and what triggered the fire. As of now we are conducting investigation,” Galang said.

As a safety procedure, all C130 planes will undergo rigid inspection to determine its airworthiness before they are allowed to operate.

RANK-AND-FILE employees of Duty Free Philippines Corp. on Wednesday filed a petition with the Office of the Ombudsman to seek the resolution of their two-year-old plunder, graft and administrative complaints against top officials of the state-owned retail firm.

In a motion for early resolution, the complainants invoked Section 16, Article 3 of the 1987 Constitution guaranteeing the rights of all persons to a “speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative bodies.”

Alexander Sablan, Nestor Zabala,

Eric Oracion, Carlito Ardales, Nilo Duarte and Joaquin Vibal, stock keepers under the logistics division; Ernesto Mangalindan and Francis Daco, store personnel, Romeo Silva Jr. and Rizalino Santos, merchandising assistants, urged the Ombudsman to swiftly act its investigation, saying respondent DFPC chief operating officer Vicente Pelagio Angala resorted to retaliatory acts against them.

The March 16, 2017 accused Angala and ex-COO Lorenzo Formoso of profiting from their positions by maintaining the manpower contracts with DFP Services Inc., a private company, wherein Angala was the president and

By Vito Barcelo THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has removed the “window hours” policy for the number coding scheme in all major thoroughfares and Mabuhay Lane routes in Metro Manila.

This after its policy-making body, Metro Manila Council, has agreed to standardize the enforcement of the “no window hours” scheme on national roads and roads listed as Mabuhay Lanes following its meeting last Tuesday.

“MMDA traffic enforcers will apprehend violators on national roads while counterpart traffic enforcers of local government units will do the apprehension in their jurisdiction,” MMDA general manager Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia said in a statement on Wednesday.

The apprehension of violators is effective immediately upon the approval of the resolution by the MMC. The MMC, composed of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila, will also amend their existing number coding schemes and traffic codes implemented in their jurisdiction.

The Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or the number coding scheme is enforced during weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, including EDSA. Under the scheme, vehicles banned on a certain day of the week depending on their license plate or conduction sticker ending digits cannot traverse major thoroughfares and Mabuhay lane routes for any hours between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, the MMDA said it is set to implement a 60 kilometers per hour speed limit in major roads at Metro Manila following its approval by the MMC. “This 60 kilometers is basically on lean hours if there is no traffic to reduce the speed and avoid accidents,” MMDA traffic chief Edison “Bong” Nebrija said in a television interview.

The Metro Manila mayors have yet to sign the resolution approving the speed limit in the metropolis as this is needed to be published first before its implementation. With PNA

14 GenSan cops relieved over P2-b scam

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—The Police Regional Office-12 (Soccksargen) has relieved 14 police personnel in connection with the ongoing investigation into the nearly P2-billion investment scam here.

Lt. Col. Aldrin Gonzales, PRO12 public information officer, said Wednesday the relieved personnel who were named as allegedly involved in the NEW CAVITE ROAD. DPWH Ponzi-like investment scheme dubbed Secretary Mark Villar, Metro Pacific Pulis Paluwagan Movement (PPM).

Tollways president and CEO He said the relief order was issued Rodrigo Franco, Cavite 1st District

by PRO-12 regional director Brig.

Rep. Alex Advincula and Cavite Gen. Eliseo Tam Rasco.

Gov. Jesus Crispin Remulla led the Relieved were deputy city police groundbreaking rites of the Cavite director, Lt. Col. Henry Biñas, Sesegment of the 45-kilometers nior Master Sgt. Marigold Aranas, Cavite-Laguna Expressway Master Sgt. Dervin Baluran, Master (CALAEX) at Barangay Alapan-B in Imus, Cavite on Wednesday, Sgt. Francis Gee Caravalle, Master March 27. The Cavite segment Sgt. Roderick Ringon, Staff Sgt. Jocomprise of 27 kilometers of the emar Abella, Staff Sgt. Roger Ago45-kilometer CALAEX which will dania, Staff Sgt. Jeannette Dosdos, stretch from Kawit, Cavite and will Cpl. Rhodora Bombita, Cpl. Richelle traverse the Imus Open Canal, Reyes, Cpl. Joy Butchie Mae CaraGovernor’s Drive, Dasmariñas, valle, Cpl. Daisy Babe Javierto, PaAguinaldo Highway and Silang trolman (Pat) Kristin Buta and Patroland will connect to the Laguna man Venus Amor Velasco. segment which is comprised of “They were transferred to the Sta. Rosa exiting Mamplasan in RPHAU (regional police holding and Biñan, Laguna towards SLEX. Upon accounting unit) while the investigation completion in 2022, CALAEX will is being conducted,” he told reporters. cut travel time from 2.5 hours to Philippine National Police chief under 45 minutes and could help Gen. Oscar Albayalde relieved on decongest approximately 50,000 Monday the chief of the PRO-12 difour-wheel vehicles. Ey Acasio rectorial staff, Col. Manuel Lukban CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Jr., and city police director, Col. Raul Supiter in line with the investigation into the PPM. The two were transferred to the police holding and accounting unit of Formoso was then an incorporator and the Directorate for Personnel Records director. and Management in Camp Crame.

The complainants said both officials “This is a standard operating procerefused to comply with the Supreme dure to prevent them from influencing the Court decision in DFP vs DFPEA isinvestigation in any way and make it sued on Dec. 7, 1998 giving them and transparent,” Gonzales said. other similarly-situated “contractual He assured that the investigation employees” regular status as direct hires into the PPM, which is spearheaded of Duty Free Philippines (DFP, later by the Criminal Investigation and DeDFPC) dating back to 1997. tection Group-12, will be extensive According to the complaint, as a reand conducted in a fair manner. sult of the SC ruling, former DFP general The National Bureau of Investimanager Faustino Salud issued a notice gation-Sarangani district office has of termination on Nov. 25, 1999 directing also launched a separate investigaDFPSI to account for the funds intended tion based on the complaints from for employees’ benefits paid by the DFP civilian victims. PNA to the private manpower firm.

DFPC employees file plea to resolve case vs top execs

By Rio N. Araja

MMDA shutters ‘window hours’ on major roads, Mabuhay Lanes

Sports

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sotto to focus on Batang Gilas

By Peter Atencio

T

RAINING and playing for the Batang Gilas national squad that will see action in the FIBA World Under-19 Championship in Greece will be 7’2” Kai Sotto’s first priority.

This is what he initially intends to do when he flies to Atlanta, Georgia in the United States in the first week of April.

“May under-19 tournament pa siya.

Tatapusin niya ito. At saka siya babalik ulit ng US,” said Kai’s dad Ervin Sotto, who spoke on his behalf.

The 16-year-old Sotto is taking steps to become a better player after he was shown opportunities that may someday allow him to play in the National Basketball Association.

Training full time for the next two months will be his goal at the moment.

Studying and possibly playing for a

college or a university that is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association is still out of the question.

Signing a contract with an agent could reportedly nullify any plans for Kai to become a student-athlete while in the US. The family of Kai made their plans known on Tuesday through Ervin during a sendoff party held at the Marquee Tent of the EDSA Shangrila Hotel in Mandaluyong.

The sendoff party, which was attended

by Sotto’s friends, relatives, supporters and teammates from the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, was hosted by Bounty Agro Ven-

tures, Inc president/CEO, and Chooks to Go executive Ronald Mascarinas.

Mascarinas, who is one of Sotto’s top supporters, is bankrolling Sotto’s US trip.

“Unang stop namin ay sa US. Kasi, kailangan ni Kai na magpalakas ng katawan.

Alam natin na ang basketball ay isang physical game,” said the elder Sotto.

The young Sotto will be in the US for two months, not just to train, but find a camp that’s tailor-made for tall players.

Sotto will be back home by June to be with the Batang Gilas squad that’s being prepared for Greece.

“Masaya po ako at nakasama ko kayo sa aking pag-alis,” said Sotto on the big turnout of wellwishers during his sendoff.

Mascarinas and his roasted chicken business Chooks-to-Go promised to fund Sotto’s overseas training.

“We’re very excited about Kai Sotto. He’s the Yao Ming or the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Philippines. We’re excited to be

part of his development. Whether nandito si Kai or sa labas ng bansa, our support will continue,” said Mascarinas.

Sotto, who played for three years with the Blue Eaglets, averaged 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 blocks in 29.7 minutes on his final season.

Sotto has plans of making it to the NBA by 2021.

The Blue Eaglets went on to settle for runner up honors in the last season of the UAAP junior basketball tournament after losing to the Nazareth School-National National University Bullpups.

Despite the loss, Sotto still claimed the season MVP award.

Ervin confirmed that clubs like the EuroLeague’s Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Baskonia, Bundesliga’s Alda Berlin and Liga ACB’s Movistar Estudiantes are interested in his son.

But their camp has not made a final decision on the offers.

Arellano U cheerdancers seek 3-peat THE Arellano University Chiefsquad will take to the floor and go for a threepeat in the NCAA Cheerleading competition, which will air live on ABS-CBN S+A and S+A HD with livestreaming on iWant Sports on Thursday (March 28) starting at 3 p.m. from the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

With six titles under its belt, including back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018, the Chiefsquad remains the favorite in the competition that signifies the closing of the current NCAA season.

Among its top competitors are 12time champion Altas Perpsquad of the University of Perpetual Help System Daltas’s (UPHSD) and the San Beda Red Corps of the San Beda University’s (SBU), which placed second and third respectively in Season 93. Also aiming for a win are the Lakas Arriba Cheerleading Team of Colegio De San Juan de Letran (CSJL), the College of Saint Benilde (CSB)Pep Squad, the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals Pep Squad, the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Pep Squad, the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), Mapua University Cheerping Cardinals (MU); and the Golden Stags Cheerleading Squad of San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R).

The final competition for the NCAA this season will be hosted by NCAA panelist Andrei Felix and former PBB housemate Dawn Chang. Meanwhile, the special performances during the event will be led by Kapamilya actress, and Star Music artist, Janella Salvador along with champions of the Japanese Cheerleading Open 2018, the Taguig Science High School Sinag Pep Squad.

Don’t miss the beats, cheers, and the awe-inspiring stunts of the students of the NCAA as the NCAA Season 94 Cheerleading Competition beams LIVE on S+A, S+A HD, and via livestream on iWant Sports and ABS-CBN Sports’ website starting at 3 p.m. from the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

For more stories and news on the oldest collegiate league in the land, the NCAA, follow @ABSCBNSports on Twitter and Facebook or visit sports. abs-cbn.com. For updates, follow @ ABSCBNPR on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr.com.

A young Jr. NBA participant keeps her eyes locked on the ring as she tries to escape her opponent’s pesky defense.

9 North Luzon bets join Jr NBA camp OVER a thousand young basketball players from Baguio, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan and other nearby provinces joined the Jr. NBA Philippines North Luzon Regional Selection Camp at Benguet State University in La Trinidad on March 23 and 24.

After two days of basketball drills and exercises, seven boys and two girls exhibited outstanding oncourt skills and embodied the core values of the game and will move on to the next stage of the program—the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp-- in Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati on May 17 to 19.

A roster of 40 boys and 40 girls will be gathered from the Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camps in Benguet, Butuan, Dumaguete, Lucena, and Metro Manila, and a select group from the Alaska Power Camp. Players from across the archipelago will showcase their talents and vie to be named as Jr. NBA Philippines All-Stars.

“What I’ve noticed here in Baguio is

that there are a lot of good dribblers. The kids here are very competitive, very enthusiastic. They’re working hard. The three questions I always ask the kids —Did you have fun? Did you give your best? And the last one is, do you love basketball? And it’s all, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” and I think that’s our goal here, making sure that the kids are learning basketball, they’re having fun and more importantly they are giving their best,” said former PBA player Tony dela Cruz from presenting partner Alaska.

This year, Jr. NBA Philippines AllStars—comprised of as many as five boys and five girls—will compete in the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Selection Camp, a week-long camp in June that includes top youth players from North Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.

The Asia Pacific regional competition will provide the 2019 batch of Jr. NBA All-Stars the opportunity to represent the region in the Jr. NBA Global Championship that will be held Aug. 6 to 11 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt

Disney World near Orlando, Florida. The international event will feature talented youth from the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Mexico, Africa, India and the Asia-Pacific.

Boys and girls aged 10-14 years old can join the remaining Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camps in Dumaguete (March 30 and 31), Butuan (April 13 and 14) and Metro Manila (April 27 and 28) by registering at www.jrnba.asia/philippines.

Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 is presented

by Alaska, with AXA, Gatorade, Globe, Panasonic, Rexona and Vivo as official partners. ABS-CBN S+A, Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV are the official broadcasters of Jr. NBA Philippines.

For all things NBA, fans can follow Jr. NBA on Facebook and the NBA at www.nba.com and on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can visit www.alaskamilk. com to learn more about the Alaska Milk Corporation, and follow Alaska Milk on Facebook for more information about Alaska Sports.

GoPilipinasGo pep rally unites Phisgoc, PSC PHILIPPINE Southeast Asian Games organising committee chair Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday night vowed to leave behind the bickering among sports officials as he tried to rally Team Philippines toward the overall title in the coming Games.

Speaking before some 1,300 national athletes and coaches during the pep rally and concert spearheaded by GoPilipinasGo movement, Cayetano said: “We will try work harder. We will try to get along better, we will try to get more funds.’

It was a show of solidarity among sports officials as Cayetano shared the stage with Philippine Sports Commission Butch Ramirez, chief of mission Monsour del Rosario, Philippine Olympic Committee board member Jonne and Philspada head Mike Barredo.

Cayetano told the athletes to just stay focused on training as they released white doves in a symbolic gesture of unity.

“It’s a humbling experience for myself, for chairman Butch, and

for everyone here on stage because you the athletes continue to teach us a lot,’’ said Cayetano. ``It’s easy to say win as one, but there’s a lot of hard work that we should put into winning as one,’’ added the former senator and secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Leading the Filipino legends who took the stage and inspired the athletes were bowling Hall of Famer Bong Coo, Olympic bronze medalist in taekwondo Stephen Fernandez, SEA Games and Asian Games wushu champ Willy Wang. ``We have two objectives. One is we need to win the overall title and secondly, we want the 10 other countries to say na iba talaga maghost ang pinoy,’’ said Cayetano.

Olympic weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, SEAG backto-back triathlon gold winner Nikko Huelgas and World gymnastics bronze medalist Caloy Yulo also exhorted their fellow athletes through videos they made while training abroad.

(From left-right) POC board member Jonne Go, chef de mission Monsour del Rosario, Mike Barredo of Philspada, Phisgoc chairman Alan Peter Cayetano and PSC chairman Butch Ramirez.

SuBIT part of One Belt One Series THE 2019 NTT ASTC Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) Asian Cup slated on April 27 and 28 gained added significance as it ushers in the 2019 One Belt One Road Triathlon series.

This arrangement highlights the enduring relationship for decades between the Triathlon Association of the Philippines, the Chinese Taipei Triathlon Association and the China Triathlon Sports Association.

The CTSA, for this year, will dispatch the Chinese national team to compete in the SuBIT with TRAP reciprocating with a team of triathletes seeing action in the 2019 Lianyungang ASTC Triathlon Asian Cup and 2019 Jiayuguan ASTC Triathlon Asian Cup. The latter events serve as the second and third legs of the One Belt One Road Triathlon series.

“For the past years, Triathlon Association of Philippines and China Triathlon Sports Association have been keeping a good relationship and communication. Thanks for the invitation and help from TRAP, Chinese National Triathlon Teams participated in Subic Bay ASTC Triathlon Asian Cups for many times and got good results.

“Meanwhile, our two national federations have always been supporting each other during ASTC Congress elections and other international activities,” CTSA Secretary General Chen Xiaoran stated.

For its part, the CTTA is sending the Chinese Taipei national team and a good number of age-groupers to join the SuBIT. Registration for the SuBIT is ongoing with entry fees now set at P5,500 per participant for Standard Distance, P5,000 for Sprint Distance, P4,000 for Super Sprint Distance and P9,000 for Team Relay.

Listup ends on March 31 or earlier when all slots have been filled up.

Online registration can be done at https://regonline.activeglobal.com/ subit2019 For more information, visit Triathlon.org.ph or send email at trapsecretariat@gmail.com

Chan, Gabasa prepare for intense golf duel AIDRIC Chan and Junia Gabasa gear up for a fierce duel with the best of the rest while a mix of young, promising players seek to grab the spotlight in the 2019 Philippine Junior Amateur Open Golf Championship slated April 2-5 at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite.

Chan, who has posted a number of low amateur honors in the country’s pro circuit, goes all out for one title in his final year in the junior ranks as he faces a slew of young but talented rivals, led by Sean Ramos and Josh Jorge, in the centerpiece Albatross (1518) division of the stroke play competition serving as leg of the PLDT Group National Amateur Tour.

Ramos, 15, claimed two victories last year, ruling the Cangolf Am Open in wire-to-wire fashion then nipping the 16-year-old Jorge, a former winner of the Veritas World Junior Golf International in California, for the NGAP’s Northern Luzon Regional plum at Beverly Place in Pampanga.

Others tipped to vie for the crown in the event, sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific, are Carl Corpus, Paolo Wong, Joaquin Barro, Joaquin Gomez and Jacob Rolida, both 17, David Guangko, Rald Sarmiento and Joachim Yu, all 15, and Riggs Illescas, Masaichi Otake and Pierre Ticzon and Koreans Kim Sang Jin, Kwon Tae Yon and Lee Sang Min. Listup is ongoing. For details, call NGAP at telefax (02) 706-5926 or Sherwood Hills Golf Club at (049) 419-0578, email ngap2009handicap@yahoo.com or visit www.ngaponline.net. Deadline for registration is on March 29 at 12 noon.

Gabasa, on the other hand, shoots for a follow-up to her WExpress RVP Cup romp last February against Kristine Fleetwood, Sophia Blanco, Isabela Tee, Kayla Nocum, Rafaela Singsoin and Korean Kang Da Yun in the girls’ premier side of the event that features seven other categories as part of the National Golf Association of the Philippines’ grassroots program.

Sports

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

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

Pangasinan hosts PBA All-Star event CALASIAO, Pangasinan serves as home of the Philippine Basketball Association for the next four days when it plays host to this year’s All-Star weekend spectacle.

The league delegation troops to Pangasinan’s first class municipality starting on Thursday to kick off the festivity, whose highlight is the traditional clash between the North and South All Stars set on Sunday at the Calasiao Sports Complex.

Coach Louie Alas of Phoenix will handle the North selection, while Rain or Shine’s Caloy Garcia calls the shots for the South squad.

Upon arriving in the province known for its famous rice cake, the entire contingent will have a courtesy call on Mayor Joseph Bauzon at the Calasiao Municipal Hall.

All-Star participants then will have a motorcade followed by a meet and greet at Robinson’s and CSI Mall, respectively.

Action begins the following day with the holding of the three skills challenge — the Obstacle, Three-Point Shootout, and the Slam Dunk contest. Big Beau Belga is the defending Obstacle course champion, James Yap is the current Three-Point shootout king, and Rey Guevarra as the reigning Slam Dunk title holder.

Friday night will be highlighted by the revived Rookies/Sophomores versus Juniors selection in celebration of the 30th anniversary when the league finally institutionalized the yearly staging of the All-Star game.

There will also be referees and basketball clinics, as well as visits in barangay, medical center, and orphanage as part of the league’s Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

Finally on Sunday, All-Star week caps with the staging of the North versus South All-Star game. The North won, 154-151, the last time the two teams met during the 2016 edition of the meet.

The Shooting Stars and 3x3 matches will be held in between the main game.

Jhonnel Ababa clings to share of early lead despite shaky finish.

NorthPort clobbers Alaska, stays in hunt

By Jeric Lopez

S

TILL alive and kicking, rejuvenated NorthPort continued its streak, winning its second straight after scoring a critical 94-84 victory over Alaska to help its bid alivefor a quarterfinals berth in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Batang Pier main weapons Sean Anthony, Stanley Pringle and Mo Tautuua once again carried the fight for their squad, producing stellar performances to keep NorthPort in the running for a berth in the quarters.

Anthony was splendid, unloading a monster double-double showing of a game-high 24 points and 17 rebounds,

while Pringle was not far behind, scoring 21 points.Tautuua almost had a doubledouble himself, tallying 14 markers with nine boards.

NorthPort’s decisive 19-4 surge in the middle of the payoff period did the job as Alaska simply had no answer for the dynamic triumvirate down the stretch.

The Batang Pier lost their double-dig-

it lead after the Aces started out the fourth with a torrid 14-0 bomb to steal the lead temporarily, 74-71, with under nine minutes left.

Not losing its focus, NorthPort swiftly answered with the dagger run to finally put Alaska away for good.

Now, the Batang Pier improved to 4-6 with a game left in their schedule. They still need to win their last assignment to be in the hunt for a place in the top eight.

As for the Aces, the costly setback was deflating as they finished at 4-7.

They now have a very slim chance of forcing a playoff for a berth in the next round, depending of the results of the other teams’ remaining games.

If the results do not favor Alaska, it will get the early boot as well.

Pagunsan ties Ababa for PGT lead SILANG, Cavite— Rey Pagunsan hit a late birdie at the front to card a one-under 70 to catch Jhonnel Ababa at the helm, one stroke ahead of a mix of aces that stumbled at the finish at the start of the windy ICTSI Riviera Golf Challenge here yesterday.

Pagunsan, a former member of the national team seeking an end to a long, title drought, made just one other birdie against a bogey at the back but spiked his 34-36 card with eight scrambling pars at the unreceptive greens that proved as the norm at the exacting Langer layout.

Ababa actually blew a three-under card in an early start with two bogeys in the last four holes then watched a number of bidders surge and plunge with shaky finishes in hot, tough conditions.

“The wind was strong and the greens don’t bite. I was lucky to have shot a 70,” said Ababa, who won the last Philippine Golf Tour Asia event with a successful titleretention feat at Pradera Verde last January.

“The course is tough and the strong wind made it tougher, especially for the late starters,” said Rey Pagunsan, who only three times (Aguinaldo, Midlands and Southwoods) in 22-year pro career.

Seven players churned out identical even par 71 outputs, including fancied Juvic Pagunsan, Ira Alido, Jerson Balasabas, Rolando Marabe, Tony Lascuña and Elmer Salvador and American Lexus Keoninh, while eight turned in 72s and a host of others stood just a stroke of two behind in a kind of wild start expected at the hazard-laden, rolling par-71 course.

Juvic Pagunsan, priming up for next week’s Solaire Philippine Open like majority of the rest, mixed three birdies with the same number of bogeys while saving pars six times that he went out of regulation, putting himself in early contention for a follow-up to his victory in PGT Bacolod last year.

IN BRIEF

AUB increased profit 17% to P3.3b in 2018

ASIA United Bank, the financial arm of the Rebisco Group of companies, said net income in 2018 rose 17 percent to P3.3 billion from P2.8 billion a year ago, driven mainly by strong core lending businesses.

Bank president Manuel Gomez said the remarkable performance last year further solidified its position as among the top fastest-growing publicly-listed universal banks in the country.

The net income of AUB and its subsidiaries translated into a return on assets of 1.5 percent and a return on equity of 11.8 percent.

Gomez attributed the double-digit profit growth to AUB and its subsidiaries’ core lending businesses, which remained robust despite the growing competition within and outside the industry.

He said customers were starting to feel the difference in using AUB’s innovative digital platforms such as using AUB Paymate’s QR code in transactions using their mobile wallets.

AUB is the only Philippine bank that has so far teamed up with three of the world’s mobile payment networks and actively in partnership with financial technology companies. Julito G. Rada

Business

Century Pacific posts net income of P2.8b

CENTURY Pacific Food Inc., one of the Philippines’ leading food companies, booked a net income of P2.8 billion in 2018, up nine percent from the level in 2017, on record-high revenues.

CNPF said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated sales increased 15 percent to P39.7 billion, driven primarily by the strong growth in branded sales.

The branded food business accounted for 75 percent of total revenues equivalent to P29.8 billion. This translates into a 20 percent increase year-on-year in branded with all three subunits of marine, meat, and milk registering higher sales on an expanding base.

“Despite some headwinds last year in consumer sentiment due to inflation, demand for our products remained robust—exhibiting even faster than expected growth,” said CNPF’s chief finance officer Oscar Pobre.

“Sales volumes sustained their upward trend in an environment of relatively high food prices which highlighted the affordability and quality of our products,” he added. Jenniffer B. Austria

NGCP sees power demand hitting new high of 11,403 MW

By Alena Mae S. Flores GRID operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said Wednesday it expects Luzon’s power demand to hit an all-time high of 11,403 megawatts this year.

Under the Energy Department’s power development plan, demand is seen to rise 4.85 percent this year from the actual peak demand of 10,876 MW recorded on May 28, 2018.

“The demand for power has been increasing year-on-year. With DoE’s forecast breaching 11,000 MW, NGCP’s system operations are working round-the-clock to ensure the sufficient supply of power during the critical summer months,” NGCP said.

NGCP said it was constantly coordinating with power generating plants to make sure that the maintenance schedule would not coincide with the peak periods during summer months when demand is high.

NGCP said it was expecting a peak demand in Luzon in April and May amid the rising temperatures.

Visayas and Mindanao also reached new highs in terms of peak demand in 2018. The Visayas grid peaked at 2,053 MW on May 24 last year, while the Mindanao grid had a peak demand of 1,853 MW on Dec. 13.

The Energy Department expects the Visayas load to increase 11.98 percent this year to 2,299 MW while demand in Mindanao is estimated to reach 2,130 MW by the fourth quarter of 2019.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

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Filinvest’s income jumps 31% to P13.4b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Hyundai opens first QC truck dealership

HYUNDAI Asia Resources Inc. opened Tuesday its first dedicated commercial vehicle dealership in Metro Manila—Hyundai Trucks and Buses Commonwealth, The dealership has a full line-up of commercial vehicles and world-class facilities to cater to freight, payload and mass mobility requirements of all business enterprises, government and institutional customers.

“It is only fitting that we open our first CV Metro Manila dealership here in Quezon City, along this bustling growth corridor at the heart of the National Capital Region,” said Hyundai president and chief executive Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

“This state-of-the-art facility will not only showcase Hyundai trucks and buses known worldwide for their safety, quality performance, and durability but also the unrivaled Sales, After- Sales Service and technical expertise of its highly trained and certified dealer personnel,” she said.

The new CV dealership complies with Hyundai Motor Company’s global dealership space identity standards to complement its best-selling models.

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

BEST SECURITIES DEALER. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. garners the prestigious Cesar EA Virata Award–Best Securities House (Bank Category) at the 14th Philippine Dealing System Annual Awards. The Cesar EA Virata Award is the highest honor bestowed by the PDS Group to a fixed-income securities dealer with exceptional performance in trading, distribution and settlement activities for the year. Receiving the awards are (from left) Metrobank senior vice president Anton Yap, senior executive vice president Fernand Antonio Tansingco, senior vice president Jikee Reyes, first vice president Kathryn Abes and first vice president Ricardo Pedrosa.

MPIC unit breaks ground on Cavite segment of Calax

By Darwin G. Amojelar

M

PCala Holdings Inc. on Wednesday broke ground on the P12-billion Cavite segment of the Cavite Laguna Expressway Project.

“We are pleased that our project is moving as it should and jobs are being generated. As a socially responsible corporate citizen, we would like to add value to our presence, not just in terms of bringing solutions to the traffic congestion but as a source of livelihood for the provinces of Cavite and Laguna,” MPCala president and general manager Roberto Bontia said.

The construction of the Laguna segment is now in full swing, employing up to 1,200 personnel. “We expect to addi-

tionally employ close to 1,300 site and office personnel as construction progresses for the Cavite Segment,” Bontia said.

He said the construction of the Cavite side was expected to be completed by 2022, while operations and maintenance would last until 2050.

MPCala tapped Leighton Holdings of Australia to build the Cavite side and local contractor DMCI Consunji Inc. to construct the Laguna segment.

The Cavite segment comprises 27 kilometers of the 45-kilometer CaviteLaguna Expressway.

The construction of the Laguna segment is on-going.

The Cavite segment starts from Kawit, Cavite and traverses the Imus Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, Dasmariñas, Aguinaldo Highway and Silang which will connect to the Laguna segment from Sta. Rosa exiting to Mamplasan, Biñan Laguna towards South Luzon Expressway.

Upon completion, Calax is expected to cut travel time from 2.5 hours to less than 45minutes and help decongest about 50,000 cars.

“The DPWH team and the ‘Build, Build, Build’ team are truly making the Public-Private Partnership work with ease as we witness another milestone for Calax,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

“With the Laguna segment well underway and substantially completed by July of this year, we will simultaneously push for the Cavite segment to meet Laguna in a timely manner, completing the project by 2022,” Villar said.

Calax is a part of the network of toll roads which the MPTC is constructing and developing. It will connect to Manila-Cavite Expressway and the C5-South Link which will make transfers from Laguna, Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque and CP Garcia Ave. seamless.

GSIS accuses PPA of giving away North Harbor property

STATE-RUN pension fund Government Service Insurance System on Wednesday accused the Philippine Ports Authority of allocating the former’s property at the Manila North Harbor to social housing without the knowledge and consent of the fund.

It said PPA executed a memorandum of understanding with the National Housing Authority City of Manila and port operators International Container Terminal Services Inc. and Manila North Harbor Port Inc. covering a fivehectare land as the resettlement site of informal settlers along Isla Puting Bato and its surrounding areas without indicating nor disclosing that the GSIS owned 1.2 hectares of the property.

“GSIS supports the government’s social housing program but it has to be done within the purview of the

law. The property is registered under the name of the pension fund. PPA cannot commit a property that it does not own,” GSIS president and general manager Jesus Clint Aranas said.

Aranas, in a letter to PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago, demanded that PPA rescind, modify or revise the MOU to exclude the portion of land owned by GSIS. He said if the MOU would not be rectified, the pension fund would be constrained to file the appropriate legal action to protect the interest of GSIS and its members.

Santiago, in its reply to Aranas, questioned the validity of the GSIS title.

“The title speaks for itself. PPA’s argument questioning the validity of GSIS’s original certificate of title is a collateral attack not allowed by law.

GSIS’s title may only be questioned in a direct attack filed before a regular court. This has already been ruled upon by the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel in 2015,” Aranas said.

Aranas said that from the start, GSIS was made to understand that its property would not be included in the land committed by PPA as a resettlement site of informal settlers along Isla Puting Bato and its surrounding areas.

Aranas said it was long established that the five-hectare land assigned for social housing partly covered the GSIS property. This was discussed repeatedly in the interagency committee meetings on the disposition of the Parola Estate where PPA, GSIS, the National Housing Authority and other government agencies sit as members, he said.

FILINVEST Development Corp., the holding company of the Gotianun family, said Wednesday consolidated net income climbed 31 percent in 2018 to P13.4 billion from a year ago, boosted by the strong performance of the property and power generation businesses.

FDC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the bulk of the group’s gross revenues came from the property unit, which accounted for 43 percent. It was followed by banking which contributed 41 percent.

The group’s power generation operations accounted for 13 percent of revenues and the sugar business contributed the balance of 3 percent.

“Our investments, not only in power but also in property, banking and infrastructure are now being reflected in our healthy year-end net income,” FDC chairman Jonathan Gotianun said.

FDC said income from the property business under Filinvest Land Inc. reached P8.8 billion, driven mainly by the 27-percent growth in the recurring income portfolio.

Banking subsidiary EastWest Bank delivered solid results, ending the year with a net income of P4.5 billion.

The group’s power business posted a net income of P1.2 billion, contributing 16 percent of total net income as energy sales from the FDC Misamis power plant increased 24 percent in 2018.

FDC Utilities Inc. operates the largest operating baseload power plant in Mindanao with a capacity of 405 megawatts.

FDCUI teamed up with Engie, one of the world’s largest power generation and distribution firms, in 2018 to establish Filinvest-Engie Renewable Energy Enterprise Inc., a joint venture providing solar energy solutions in the Philippines.

Free signed up three solar roof panel projects with a total of 5.4 MW. Engie also teamed up with the group in establishing the Philippines’ largest district cooling system with up to 12,000 tons refrigerant supplying FLI’s business process outsourcing complex.

“The Filinvest group’s entry into airports, hospitality and logistic parks marks the start of a new phase for FDC, as we kick off our involvement in tourism and infrastructure,” said FDC president and chief executive Josephine Gotianun-Yap. “This adds another layer of diversity to our income mix while also complementing investments in the region,” she said.

FDC together with FLI is currently developing the 201-hectare Filinvest Mimosa+ Leisure City in Pampanga province.

The group also has a provisional license from the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. for a casino integrated resort in Filinvest Mimosa+.

FDC budgeted $200 million for the project which includes a casino, lifestyle mall, five-star hotel and events venue. FDC intends to engage a third-party casino operator to manage casino operations.

Aboitiz taps Irish firm for two airport projects ABOITIZ InfraCapital Inc. teamed up with airport operator Daa International of Ireland for the upgrade, expansion, operations and maintenance of the Bohol-Panglao Airport and Laguindingan Airport.

Daa International is the global airport operations management subsidiary of Ireland’s Dublin Airport Authority with more than 75 years experience in airport management ownership and development. Its principal activities include airport management and development growth, routes development, international travel retail and associated aviation services.

“We are very excited to be working in the Philippines and in particular, with Aboitiz. Our team strives to build and continually improve successful operations in the airports in which we operate for the benefit of the passenger and client,” Daa International said.

“The Philippines represents a new environment with great potential and promise for Daa International. It fits

perfectly with our model and long-term strategy of sharing international and regional airport management and operational expertise. We will be working with Aboitiz in building sustainability and unlocking value for these airports and their surrounding environs,” the Irish company said.

Daa International operates Ireland’s main gateway Dublin Airport which accommodates about 31 million passengers and the award-winning Cork Airport, a regional airport which can accommodate 2.3 million passengers— similar to the Philippines’ own regional airports. More than 85 million passengers travel through the company’s airports worldwide including Terminal 5 in Riyadh and several other investments across Europe.

The European operator boasts of an untarnished record in various airport activities from project design, execution and operations to retail.

Darwin G. Amojelar

LAZADA-MASTERCARD PARTNERSHIP. Lazada, Southeast Asia’s leading online shopping and selling platform, and Mastercard, announces a fiveyear partnership to grow the e-eommerce ecosystem in Southeast Asia. Sealing the agreement are (from left) Eunice Yue, head of partnership and business development, Lazada Group; Ideo Krisnanto, vice president, digital and emerging partnerships and new payment flows for Asia Pacific, Mastercard; Mary Zhou, chief marketing officer, Lazada Group; Rama Sridhar, executive vice president, digital and emerging partnerships and new payment flows for Asia Pacific, Mastercard; Jorn Lambert, executive vice president for digital solutions, Mastercard; and Griffin Peng, head of payments, Lazada Group.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market down in dull trading

S

HARE prices retreated Wednesday in listless trading as investors wait for a catalyst that could push the market back to the 8,000-point level.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 45.98 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,861.05 on a value turnover of P5.6 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 139 to 71, with 49 issues unchanged.

GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty Group declined 3.3 percent to P959.50, while unit Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, lost 2.2 percent to P79.

Conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. dropped 2.5 percent to P4.72, while major property developer

Ayala Land Inc. slipped 2.1 percent to P43.55 The rest of Asian markets mostly rose Wednesday following a strong lead from Wall Street but traders remained on edge about the global economy, while oil prices extended gains after Russia reassured over its intention to cut output.

Trading remained choppy across the region after a key US gauge raised a red flag warning of recession, adding to Federal Reserve worries about growth, uncertainty over Brexit and China’s stuttering economy.

After fluctuating through the morning, most Asian markets were higher.

Hong Kong rose 0.6 percent in the afternoon and Shanghai finished 0.9 percent higher with Sydney adding 0.1 percent and Singapore up 0.4 percent.

Mumbai rose 0.5 percent and Wellington surged 1.3 percent after

the New Zealand central bank hinted at an interest rate cut. However, Tokyo and Seoul each slipped 0.2 percent, while Taipei and Bangkok also retreated.

While the optimism that has characterized most of 2019 has been shaken in recent weeks, a weak round of US data was unable to prevent a rebound in New York Tuesday, with all three main indexes ending higher.

And OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley said the reaction to the so-called yield curve inversion―which was last seen ahead of the financial crisis a decade ago―had been “quickly consigned to history.”

He added that “the volte-face in sentiment suggests to me that despite all the noise, markets are flip-flopping on short-term data as we await the conclusion of the only real game in town: the US-China trade talks”.

Top-level negotiators will this week meet up again to try to hammer out an agreement with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer telling National Public Radio: “If there’s a great deal to be gotten, we’ll get it. If not, we’ll find another plan.”

There are hopes for some sort of deal for Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to sign off on as soon as next month.

The US president “is desperate for a deal”, Clark Packard at the R Street Institute think-tank said. “I don’t think he wants to go into 2020, running for re-election, without something here.”

Regional energy firms have been given a lift by rallying oil prices after major producer Russia said it was on track to slash output this month, keeping it on track to fulfilling commitments to a deal with Opec. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK VANTAGE

55.1 85.5 2.23 132 27.2 19.08 12.42 4.16 1.4 0.465 80.8 0.99 13.7 21.3 59.05 189 58.6 26.5 171.9 60.85 1.14

58.5 85.55 2.27 133 27.2 19.1 12.42 4.29 1.4 0.465 80.8 0.99 13.72 21.5 59.3 195.8 58.6 26.9 171.9 60.85 1.14

55.1 83.8 2.23 131.2 26.8 18.8 12.22 4.14 1.4 0.45 79 0.96 13.7 21.3 57.25 189 58 26.5 168 60.5 1.13

FINANCIALS 58 12,680 83.9 2,311,000 2.23 11,000 132 1,665,240 26.9 292,500 19.1 41,600 12.22 182,400 4.27 61,000 1.4 6,000 0.45 660,000 79 1,277,730 0.99 488,000 13.72 3,300 21.5 3,400 57.9 429,290 195.6 960 58 1,790 26.6 6,200 171 435,600 60.5 8,740 1.13 14,000

735,741 194,392,456 24,570 219,921,388 7,900,095 786,764 2,233,962 253,340 8,400 298,350 101,434,562.50 478,560 45,252 72,700 24,890,910.50 185,431 104,180 164,845 74,114,554 529,975.50 15,870

154,977 -115,556,976.50 -11,150 -16,518,111 -325,400 -754,052 -22,750 -43,622,918 -49,030 1,936,295.50 11,742 9,720,053 -114,818.50 -

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

35.3 14.56 1.01 1.44 0.238 97.9 2.64 15.52 29.75 14.66 42.5 76 1.9 5.51 6.25 11.32 15.9 9.3 7.4 1.75 21.25 79.6 27.8 2.35 10.28 12.92 1.71 316.6 3.5 10.42 24.75 13 21.05 375.2 0.198 6.15 1.39 3.96 6.53 8.92 1.42 12.2 50 5.85 4.7 1.78 2.62 1.29 12.02 103.5 7 0.13 0.96 149 2.5 1.67 16 1.18

35.3 14.7 1.02 1.44 0.238 97.9 2.64 15.7 29.75 15.26 42.5 76.8 1.9 5.51 6.25 11.34 16 9.5 7.42 2 21.4 80 27.9 2.35 10.38 12.92 1.72 317 3.5 11.2 24.8 13.12 21.3 378.4 0.198 6.16 1.4 4.04 6.56 8.92 1.42 12.26 50 5.85 4.8 1.78 2.62 1.34 12.18 104 7 0.135 1.38 149.7 2.5 1.67 16 1.18

34 14.3 1 1.42 0.233 97.9 2.51 15.52 28.8 14.6 42.5 76 1.87 5.51 6.24 11.26 15.86 9.2 7.18 1.65 20.5 79.5 27.7 2.25 9.9 12.52 1.68 313 3.5 10.2 23.6 12.9 20.9 375 0.191 6.15 1.36 3.96 6.37 8.91 1.39 11.94 49.65 5.8 4.7 1.75 2.5 1.29 12.02 103 6.7 0.13 0.96 147.4 2.5 1.63 16 1.08

INDUSTRIAL 34 734,700 14.68 667,400 1.01 1,003,000 1.42 539,000 0.238 550,000 97.9 50 2.58 18,949,000 15.7 491,000 29.4 122,600 14.6 5,800 42.5 10,000 76.8 100 1.89 46,000 5.51 2,000 6.24 600 11.34 187,200 15.94 92,500 9.45 1,384,400 7.26 5,410,500 1.68 563,000 20.8 1,981,300 79.8 391,470 27.9 17,900 2.32 6,887,000 10.04 3,687,600 12.52 1,220,300 1.68 58,000 316 334,490 3.5 17,000 11.2 72,800 23.65 2,273,500 13 4,440,500 21 543,700 376 226,730 0.191 960,000 6.16 100,000 1.38 4,860,000 4 68,000 6.43 5,142,500 8.91 4,700 1.41 11,009,000 12.26 72,800 49.7 480,500 5.8 76,900 4.8 1,731,000 1.75 248,000 2.5 288,000 1.34 105,000 12.04 16,700 104 95,090 6.8 310,600 0.135 320,000 1.06 25,112,000 149 485,630 2.5 6,000 1.64 1,245,000 16 100 1.12 11,276,000

25,344,230 9,718,782 1,010,160 769,540 130,670 4,895 48,454,870 7,695,294 3,573,120 84,766 425,000 7,630 86,620 11,020 3,749 2,117,390 1,472,852 13,052,952 39,299,013 1,033,950 41,039,390 31,241,815.50 496,600 15,863,710 37,253,407 15,405,490 98,240 105,627,558 59,500 800,104 54,113,235 57,735,378 11,428,340 85,496,818 183,530 615,900 6,694,390 272,370 33,235,704 41,882 15,443,890 881,128 23,943,090 446,412 8,135,800 436,230 736,290 136,640 201,106 9,875,148 2,122,664 42,200 30,263,510 72,368,365 15,000 2,056,460 1,600 12,752,680

-8,716,195 -402,762 -196,870 -7,203,000 -9,900 -1,138,870 331,500 43,410 1,494,724 119,780 -57,850 -2,382,273 874,075 17,304,582 438,070 641,020 -12,975,574.00 4,826,530 23,741,830 -18,750,930 -10,255,800 8,388,845 1,705,278 2,466,520 -1,071,503 -1,068,330 2,182,675 -116,080 -4,800 -30,780 12,900 -62,636 -1,561,674 6,710 -266,000 31,038,764.00 15,000 -90,530 388,380

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

0.63 58.75 15.94 1.18 6.5 20.45 1.48 1.48 933 7.6 12.4 16.2 4.15 0.225 989 6.61 62.75 5.43 0.54 5.25 16.52 0.55 4.83 0.04 1.14 2.95 2.56 176 2.4 946 1.4 1.34 449 268.6 0.246 0.405

0.64 59.5 16.04 1.37 6.5 20.8 1.49 1.49 934 7.65 12.4 16.2 4.15 0.238 989 6.91 62.8 5.74 0.54 5.36 16.62 0.64 4.83 0.041 1.14 3.02 2.56 176 2.4 946 1.4 1.35 450 270 0.246 0.435

0.61 57.6 15.78 0.87 6.5 19.9 1.44 1.46 925 7.5 12.02 15.9 4.11 0.225 950 6.6 61.2 5.43 0.51 5.11 16.18 0.55 4.71 0.038 1.14 2.93 2.55 175 2.4 935 1.08 1.32 449 265 0.241 0.405

HOLDING FIRMS 0.61 6,061,000 58.7 417,490 15.94 4,667,000 0.9 98,899,000 6.5 20,000 20.1 36,500 1.46 6,542,000 1.48 1,539,000 930 116,270 7.5 528,300 12.02 646,400 15.96 554,500 4.11 6,000 0.238 600,000 959.5 142,650 6.87 211,600 62.8 1,291,730 5.45 9,100 0.54 1,265,000 5.2 1,626,600 16.5 1,173,800 0.58 3,083,000 4.72 25,867,000 0.04 25,100,000 1.14 8,000 2.98 3,716,000 2.55 4,000 175.4 470,630 2.4 20,000 945 236,160 1.12 28,307,000 1.35 867,000 450 1,080 268 5,460 0.241 480,000 0.41 168,560,000

3,763,130 24,400,733.50 74,343,394 111,878,440 130,000 735,022 9,560,480 2,259,240 108,024,150 3,983,346 7,807,466 8,865,338 24,860 140,200 136,819,280 1,434,397 80,415,075 49,464 654,860 8,408,317 19,295,948 1,837,490 122,552,460 994,500 9,120 11,022,650 10,210 82,608,003 48,000 223,004,800 34,189,590 1,146,780 485,650 1,461,660 116,470 71,119,300

9,680 -1,852,533.50 13,694,054 387,040 130,000 519,760 -56,763,110 1,693,524 -4,342,200 -3,322,994.00 -98,797,480 14,889,961.50 -4,283,677 -4,874,282 550 -42,283,100 645,930 -1,174,703 -61,803,980 33,430 -1,043,940 485,650 -921,920 -10,200,650.00

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

13.3 0.82 1.95 0.82 44.8 2.36 4.28 6.3 0.51 0.89 0.92 0.245 11.4 23 0.5 1.53 1.26 4.82 5.71 0.375 0.46 1.86 0.44 2.7 70 24.5 2.02 3.09 39.55

13.44 0.82 2 0.87 44.9 2.36 4.28 6.55 0.53 0.9 0.94 0.245 11.5 23.3 0.52 1.53 1.27 4.82 5.78 0.38 0.465 1.86 0.465 2.74 70 24.85 2.05 3.12 39.7

13.24 0.77 1.95 0.81 43.55 2.34 4.22 6.22 0.51 0.85 0.92 0.237 11.2 22.15 0.5 1.48 1.22 4.82 5.55 0.37 0.46 1.72 0.44 2.65 53.5 24.1 2.01 3 39.1

15,095,988 1,773,840 102,720 2,186,750 518,709,300 1,066,300 671,400 97,187 8,492,910 198,520 414,700 1,140,240 10,980,868 15,965,570 5,416,990 66,627,770 3,357,140 4,820 92,184,686 2,276,300 184,350 13,196,090 570,450 230,530 52,348 60,956,835 191,360 992,050 127,111,995

-2,067,926 28,240 3,867,595 -637,780 -21,130 1,322,980 -900 15,640 5,134,030 4,586,405 -2,061,180 -61,370,530 34,200,680 -105,000 648,850 -61,110 11,000 9,580,480 4,080 186,540 57,879,380

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

1.6 6.68 0.75 7.15

1.6 6.68 0.75 7.25

1.49 6.53 0.75 7.11

1.51 6.65 0.75 7.24

5,469,000 454,400 60,000 2,113,700

8,349,940 2,996,645 45,000 15,181,384

-16,406 1,404,578

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

12.16 21.3 1.25 0.43 0.042 15.78 2.73 11.9 0.074 81.9 7.7 5.92 6.89 12.58 1,945 5.7 371.2 11.9 2.96 2.04 125.5 10.8 7.1 0.125 5.43 3.22 15.44 3.99 0.98 21.05 0.56 4.71 3.19 1.75 1.81 2.55 5.29 10.6 3.18 4.93 125 2.56 1,168 0.88 1.05 47.7 81.5 8.5 2.39 0.73 0.42 5.6 0.69 15.18

12.38 21.3 1.3 0.43 0.043 15.78 2.75 11.9 0.074 82.25 7.7 5.92 6.95 12.58 1,990 5.73 378.8 11.92 2.99 2.12 127.8 10.8 7.1 0.128 5.43 3.22 15.44 3.99 1.45 21.05 0.69 4.85 3.24 1.84 1.81 2.55 5.29 10.6 3.2 4.93 125.5 2.69 1,187 0.88 1.06 47.7 81.5 8.9 2.39 0.73 0.43 5.63 0.69 15.38

12.12 20.85 1.25 0.425 0.042 15.76 2.71 11.54 0.072 81.35 7.6 5.8 6.85 11.8 1,939 5.7 371.2 11.9 2.9 1.87 125.1 10.8 7.07 0.125 5.25 3.22 15.44 3.63 0.97 20.55 0.55 4.7 3.19 1.67 1.8 2.5 4.45 10.24 3.1 4.6 125 2.55 1,160 0.85 1 47.35 77.9 8.5 2.36 0.71 0.415 5.6 0.66 15

SERVICES 12.2 21.2 1.25 0.43 0.043 15.76 2.72 11.68 0.073 81.45 7.6 5.81 6.88 12.14 1,945 5.7 378 11.92 2.93 1.91 127 10.8 7.07 0.125 5.26 3.22 15.44 3.63 1.04 20.95 0.61 4.7 3.2 1.78 1.8 2.53 4.66 10.46 3.2 4.65 125.4 2.68 1,167 0.85 1.04 47.5 80 8.9 2.37 0.72 0.415 5.63 0.67 15.3

19,700 325,400 11,000 660,000 4,400,000 421,500 293,000 2,199,600 40,040,000 108,590 29,200 540,600 79,900 264,000 12,350 209,600 2,100 1,600 1,095,000 107,000 2,560,760 100 11,000 1,090,000 3,179,200 11,000 300 2,898,000 106,600,000 237,300 20,330,000 72,000 494,000 175,000 8,000 862,000 556,900 27,000 26,000 49,000 77,840 533,000 56,825 8,898,000 69,670,000 289,400 737,560 8,800 2,423,000 3,282,000 4,250,000 342,000 1,858,000 1,447,000

240,250 6,865,985 14,150 281,700 186,600 6,642,884 797,880 25,622,580 2,912,410 8,873,712 223,261 3,163,744 550,318 3,178,606 24,028,625 1,196,593 788,132 19,056 3,196,230 215,760 324,892,279 1,080 78,000 136,590 16,850,569 35,420 4,632 10,944,290 130,501,850 4,955,080 12,881,150 338,760 1,583,380 299,010 14,420 2,171,020 2,600,193 278,270 82,470 227,660 9,767,850 1,399,170 66,407,925 7,619,930 71,047,860 13,742,865 58,267,850 77,924 5,753,200 2,357,500 1,782,650 1,925,160 1,243,950 22,026,308

-20,612 6,576,648 -201,510 -6,885,492 211,700.00 -1,950,076 5,850 120,000 -6,273,550 -559,520 153,276,514 181,345 2,259,530 -246,950.00 -640,990 -240,150 2,370.00 -148,412 10,280 -37,200 327,780 -216,530 7,982,260 -3,161,050 2,845,930 2,381,755 -25,565,867.50 -40,940 969,040 -233,330 -380,250 220,396

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

0.0021 1.44 2.97 13.18 1.12 1.33 2.6 0.305 7.93 1.51 0.247 0.119 0.0081 0.0087 1.09 2.51 1.05 0.64 0.91 0.012 0.012 0.011 3.03 3.6 13 22.7 0.0072

0.0021 1.44 2.97 13.18 1.29 1.38 2.6 0.305 7.99 1.53 0.29 0.122 0.0086 0.0087 1.1 2.55 1.05 0.67 0.93 0.013 0.012 0.012 3.08 3.6 13.04 23 0.0072

0.002 1.39 2.9 12.56 1.12 1.33 2.55 0.3 7.83 1.51 0.247 0.118 0.0081 0.0087 1.07 2.45 1.02 0.61 0.91 0.012 0.012 0.011 3.02 3.48 12 22.5 0.0072

MINING & OIL 0.002 35,000,000 1.4 4,476,000 2.9 215,000 13.16 13,700 1.28 127,000 1.33 677,000 2.55 1,820,000 0.3 390,000 7.88 1,400 1.51 747,000 0.27 13,560,000 0.122 480,000 0.0086 19,000,000 0.0087 3,000,000 1.07 80,000 2.49 965,000 1.05 60,000 0.62 861,000 0.93 357,000 0.013 6,000,000 0.012 2,000,000 0.012 11,300,000 3.08 80,000 3.48 1,481,000 12.2 4,182,700 22.8 2,272,800 0.0072 2,000,000

73,000 6,319,670 632,920 177,992 158,360 903,010 4,681,090 118,750 11,049 1,130,940 3,646,320 56,700 158,500 26,100 86,890 2,400,740 62,810 546,190 327,190 72,200 24,000 132,300 242,460 5,234,680 51,911,934 51,719,320 14,400

-4,764,280 265,640 734,160 129,100 -45,700 311,000 -918,100 -50,960 -24,000 -21,260 -197,930 -884,310 1,237,950 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

20.8 474 490 99.5 450.6 481 5.55 900.5 94.5 0.98 101.8 985 1,050 99.5 975 75.3 76 71.85 74 73 72 73.95

20.8 474 497 99.9 450.6 481 5.55 900.5 95 0.99 101.8 985 1,050 99.5 975 75.3 76 71.85 74 73 72 75

20.2 474 490 99.5 450.6 478 5.55 900 94.5 0.98 101.8 985 1,050 99.5 966 75.3 75.55 71.55 73 73 72 73.95

PREFERRED 20.7 323,800 474 210 497 1,020 99.9 21,920 450.6 400 478 6,000 5.55 15,900 900 1,000 94.8 2,280 0.99 1,566,000 101.8 10 985 30 1,050 10 99.5 30 967 7,000 75.3 2,150 75.55 7,060 71.8 73,520 73 79,730 73 350,000 72 526,700 75 93,260

6,649,710 99,540 499,940 2,185,308 180,240 2,880,650 88,245 900,005 216,150 1,539,840 1,018 29,550 10,500 2,985 6,794,770 161,895 536,528.50 5,276,712 5,865,762 25,550,000 37,922,400 6,977,871

-4,306,000 4,900 -1,018 -4,308,000 -4,497

LR WARRANT

2.14

2.15

1.84

WARRANTS 1.9 1,419,000

2,788,080

-

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

4.92 2.69 1.23

4.92 2.69 1.23

4.8 2.69 1.09

4.86 2.69 1.13

2,648,240 10,760 34,832,840

-140,970 -6,226,580

FIRST METRO ETF

117.9

118

117

MS

PROPERTY 13.44 0.77 2 0.84 43.55 2.36 4.28 6.49 0.52 0.87 0.92 0.241 11.3 22.8 0.5 1.49 1.26 4.82 5.75 0.38 0.465 1.73 0.44 2.74 53.5 24.25 2.04 3.01 39.55

1,128,600 2,232,000 52,000 2,613,000 11,748,200 454,000 158,000 15,600 16,393,000 231,000 446,000 4,750,000 971,300 698,900 10,773,000 44,666,000 2,702,000 1,000 16,039,000 6,050,000 400,000 7,433,000 1,270,000 86,000 940 2,481,100 94,000 327,000 3,216,300

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.3 10.2 1

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

10.3 10.2 1

SHARES 8,554,984

INDUSTRIAL

118,851,965

HOLDING FIRMS

459,901,324

PROPERTY

176,873,119

SERVICES

293,770,228

MINING & OIL

111,754,619

GRAND TOTAL

1,200,003,107

10.3 10.2 1

SME

548,000 4,000 29,732,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117 6,180 10.3 10.2 1

DDS

10,160 1,000 2,520

725,551

-

104,648 10,200 2,520

-

VALUE 1,747.50 (down) 16.45 689,826,224.70 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,587.62 (down) 94.54 896,963,184.34 HOLDING FIRMS 7,745.03 (down) 33.64 1,324,776,877.24 PROPERTY 4,054.77 (down) 30.56 SERVICES 1,595.51 (up) 0.61 1,564,250,228.74 MINING & OIL 8,039.35 (down) 73.48 952,688,263.005 PSEI 7,861.05 (down) 45.98 130,892,829.956 All Shares Index 4,835.90 (down) 24.55 5,597,630,027.21 Gainers: 71; Losers: 139; Unchanged: 498; Total: 259

GT Capital’s ‘18 net profit dropped 6% to P13.39b

By Jenniffer B. Austria GT CAPITAL Holdings Inc., the listed holding company of the Ty family, said net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company declined six percent in 2018 to P13.39 billion from P14.18 billion in 2017 on lower revenues.

GT Capital said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues fell 10 percent to P215.8 billion in 2018 from P239.8 billion in 2017 due to lower sales from the automotive business.

Vehicle sales from units Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and Toyota Manila Bay Corp. decreased 15 percent to P179.2 billion from P211.69 billion.

The decline in automotive sales was tempered by 28-percent increase in real estate sales from property units Federal Land Inc. and Property Company of Friends Inc. Equity earnings from associates and joint venture grew 32 percent to P1.52 billion from P8.7 billion.

“GT Capital weathered strong headwinds in 2018 as soft vehicle unit sales were cushioned by noteworthy results in our financial services, property and insurance businesses,” GT Capital president Carmelo Maria Luza Bautista said.

“Tapering inflation, declining interest rates, persistent growth in overseas Filipino remittances, and election-related spending should reboot consumer confidence. Thus, we are optimistic for the rest of 2019,” Bautista added.

Units Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp., AXA Philippines and Sumisho Motor Finance Corp. posted growths in their respective net income.

Toyota Motor, TMBC and Federal Land reported declines in their respective net income for the year.

GT Capital Auto Dealership Holdings started commercial operations only in November last year.

Consolidated costs and expenses decreased nine percent to P193.7 billion from P214 billion.

BDO Unibank begins sale of P5-b LTNCDS

By Julito G. Rada BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender controlled by the Sy family, started Wednesday the offering period for P5 billion worth of long-term negotiable certificates of deposit to lengthen the maturity of its funding sources and support business expansion plans.

BDO said in a press statement Wednesday the latest tranche of LTNCDs would have a term of five and a half years with indicative pricing of 5.125 percent to 5.50 percent.

“The final coupon rate will be set prior to or at the end of the offer period. Interest will be paid quarterly in arrears,” the bank said.

BDO has the option to increase the issue size, depending on market demand. BDO last issued P8.2 billion worth of LTNCDs in May last year.

The minimum investment is P100,000 with increments of P50,000.

The offer period is set from March 27 up to April 5, with the issue date on April 12, 2019. The bank, however, reserves the right to adjust the timing of the offer as needed.

Deutsche Bank AG, Manila branch is the sole lead arranger and selling agent for the issue, while BDO and BDO Private Bank are the other selling agents.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp. serves as BDO’s financial advisor.

LTNCDs are negotiable certificates of deposit with a designated maturity, and represent a bank’s obligation to pay the face value upon maturity, with periodic coupon or interest payments during the life of the deposit.

LTNCDs are an attractive investment especially for individuals, as interest income is exempt from withholding taxes if the LTNCDs are held for at least five years.

LTNCDs are covered by deposit insurance with Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., subject to PDIC’s applicable rules and regulations, including maximum insurance coverage per depositor.

World

B3

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Talks held over downed jet

DAFFODILS IN BLOOM. Cyclists ride

past a field of blossomoed daffodils in Lisse in the Netherlands on March 26, 2019. AFP

Mosque attack links probed after man dies in a stand-off

C

HRISTCHURCH― Christchurch police launched an urgent investigation Wednesday to find out whether a man who died after an early morning stand-off with armed officers had links to mosque attacks which killed 50 people.

Police raided the 54-year-old man’s home on Tuesday night and found a cache of firearms after receiving a tipoff from the public about “suspicious behavior”.

They stopped the man in his car in the Richmond Park area, just outside central Christchurch, and began negotiations that lasted for about three hours.

Police eventually approached the vehicle and found the man critically injured with a stab wound that soon claimed his life. They did not explain

how he got the wound.

They said there were no firearms in the vehicle, which was also cleared by explosives experts.

“A high priority investigation is underway to determine whether or not the deceased man posed a threat to the community,” police said.

With the South Island city on alert after New Zealand’s gun massacre less than two weeks ago, police said they would also look for any links to the mosque attacks.

“At this time there is no evidence to suggest this person had any involvement in the attacks of March 15, however this forms an important part of the investigation,” they said.

Christchurch will host a national memorial for the attack victims on Friday and police have urged the public to remain vigilant.

It comes as New Zealand’s intelligence minister said he was allowing spy agencies to carry out “intrusive” activi-

ties following the gun rampage.

The government this week ordered a judicial inquiry into whether the South Pacific nation’s intelligence services could have prevented the attack amid criticism the white supremacist gunman went unnoticed as they were too focused on Muslim extremists.

Andrew Little—the minister responsible for the GCSB and SIS intelligence services—said he had signed powerful surveillance warrants as information gathering continued in the wake of the attack.

“I have given authority to the agencies to do intrusive activities under warrant, the number of those [warrants] I’m not at liberty to disclose,” he told Radio New Zealand.

Little said intelligence services typically monitored 30-40 people but that number had now increased, although he was unwilling to reveal by how much.

He said a warrant permitted anything from physical surveillance to the monitoring of telecommunications activity.

“The whole gambit of what would otherwise be described as intrusive activity,” he told the New Zealand Herald.

“The purpose of a warrant is to authorise and effectively make lawful what would otherwise be unlawful activity.”

Little denied New Zealand had proved a “soft target” for the accused gunman, an Australian with apparent links to right-wing groups who reportedly moved to the country with the intention of carrying out an attack.

Little said he maintained confidence in the intelligence services, adding it was “premature” to say they had failed until the inquiry into their actions was complete.

“Until there’s a very microscopic look at what the agencies have been doing and whether they’ve missed anything, I can’t say for certain,” he told RNZ. “It’s important for me, the agencies, but ultimately for public confidence that we let that commission of inquiry do its job and reach its conclusions.” AFP

SYDNEY―Australia and the Netherlands on Wednesday said they were in talks with Russia over the ongoing investigation into the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine.

The Malaysia Airlines jet was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile over war-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers.

Close to two thirds of those killed on the flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur were Dutch, while 38 Australians were also lost.

Last year Australia and the Netherlands blamed Russia for the disaster.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and her Dutch counterpart Stef Bok said Wednesday they were making progress on finding those responsible for the disaster after starting trilateral meetings with Russia earlier this month.

“We cannot go into the content of the process because confidentiality is vital here,” Bok told reporters in Sydney.

“But I can say this: we remain committed to achieving truth, justice and accountability.”

International investigators concluded that the BUK came from a Russian military brigade based in southwestern Kursk which had crossed into Ukraine.

Moscow has vehemently denied any responsibility.

Five countries—Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine—continue to investigate the disaster.

“Australia remains a strong supporter of the prosecution of the individuals responsible,” Payne said. AFP

Parties form anti-junta coalition BANGKOK―Several anti-junta parties formed a coalition in Thailand on Wednesday, vowing to thwart a military-backed party in a bid to end years of junta rule following the country’s first vote since a 2014 coup.

Thai politics are deadlocked after Sunday’s vote, with two main rival parties claiming the right to govern amid allegations of ballot irregularities and the full official results yet to be released.

Seven anti-junta parties, led by the Pheu Thai Party, said they would join forces, claiming to win enough parliamentary seats to form a government and sideline military-backed allies led by the Phalang Pracharat Party.

“We want to stop the regime from hanging onto power,” Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan said at a press conference Wednesday announcing the coalition.

The bloc of seven—which includes the youth-focused Future Forward Party that did surprisingly well in the elections—claimed it would take 255 out of the 500 lower house seats that are up for grabs.

“It is a complete process of setting up a government,” said Future Forward’s telegenic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.

Pheu Thai has won every election since 2001 and is affiliated with self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin’s sister Yingluck was herself ousted in the 2014 putsch, and is also living in self-exile.

The newly-formed coalition said it wanted to usher in an era of pro-democracy politics following Sunday’s vote.

“We will cooperate with parties that are at this press conference today no matter what obstacles ahead... we are ready to stop the regime from holding on to power,” Thanathorn told reporters. AFP

Dissidents claim responsibility for raid on embassy

Stockholders force Korean Air chief off board

SEOUL―A shadowy group committed to overthrowing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed responsibility Wednesday for a raid on the reclusive nation’s embassy in Madrid last month, saying it shared “information of enormous potential value” with the FBI. The incident had been shrouded in mystery, but a dissident organization known as the Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) said Wednesday it had orchestrated the raid to end the illicit activities rampant in North Korea’s foreign missions.

The claim comes after a Spanish court named Adrian Hong Chang, of Mexican nationality, as being the leader of the group―the first official account of the incident, which came days before the summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi.

Previous media reports said a group of men burst into the diplomatic mission and roughed up employees before making off with documents and computers.

According to investigating judge Jose de la Mata, two of the assailants took the embassy’s commercial attache to an underground room and urged him to defect, which he refused.

CCD denied using any violence, saying in a statement on its website: “We were invited into the embassy, and contrary to reports, no one was gagged or beaten.

“Out of respect for the host nation of Spain, no weapons were used. All occupants in the embassy were treated with dignity and necessary caution.”

The group—which offers to assist people attempting to defect from North Korea—emerged in 2017 when it posted an online video of the son of the North Korean leader’s assassinated brother, saying it had guaranteed his safety.

Last month the group declared itself a government-in-exile for the North called “Free Joseon”, using an old name for Korea. AFP

SEOUL―The head of South Korea’s flag carrier Korean Air―whose family have been embroiled in multiple scandals, including one involving a “nut rage” tantrum―lost his board seat after shareholders voted against extending his term as director, the airline said Wednesday.

Cho Yang-ho, who is currently on trial for corruption, failed to secure a required two-thirds majority, becoming the first controlling shareholder of a South Korean conglomerate to be forced off the board.

The super-wealthy owners of chaebols―the sprawling conglomerates that dominate the world’s 11th-largest economy-are no strangers to controversy, but a string of high-profile scandals have vaulted the Cho family to notoriety in South Korea, even sparking protests by their employees.

The 70-year-old tycoon is the chairman of the Hanjin Group, which used to own the now-bankrupt Hanjin Shipping line.

Cho controls around 30 percent of Korean Air through its parent company Hanjin Kal. But the National Pension Service, the airline’s second-biggest shareholder, had said Tuesday it will oppose Cho’s re-election, citing his records of “undermining corporate value and infringing upon shareholder rights”.

“It is correct that he has lost his seat as the director of the board,” a Korean Air spokeswoman told AFP. The vote had put “slight brakes” on Cho’s management of the airliner, she said, but stressed that he still had control over the company.

“He maintains his post as the chairman and is the biggest shareholder of Korean Air so he will continue participating in the management,” she added.

But analysts say that without a seat on the board, Cho will not be able to wield power over key management issues such as appointing directors and CEOs. AFP

SPRING IN TOKYO. Two women take pictures near Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on March 27, 2019. AFP

Syria requests urgent Security Council meeting on Golan UNITED NATIONS―Syria asked the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognized Israel’s annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel’s withdrawal from the Golan.

In a letter seen by AFP, the Syrian mission to the United Nations asked the council presidency, held by France, to schedule an urgent meeting to “discuss the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan and the recent flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council’s resolution by a permanent member-state.”

The French presidency did not immediately schedule the meeting and diplomats said there would be a discussion at the council about the request.

On Friday, Syria wrote a separate letter urging the council to uphold resolutions demanding that Israel withdraw from the Golan.

The council is scheduled to discuss the latest crisis on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF. The head of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, a key Syrian ally, called for resistance against the US decision.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the only option left to Syrians to take back their land—and for Palestinians to achieve their “legitimate rights” —was “resistance, resistance, and resistance.”

He described Trump’s move as “a crucial turning point in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.”

Trump’s decision “deals a knockout punch to what is called the peace process in the region, which is built on (the concept of) land in exchange for peace”, he said in a televised address.

He called on the Arab League, which has suspended Syria’s membership over the bloody repression of protests leading to the war, to take action at a summit at the end of the month in Tunis.

Five European countries with seats on the council earlier rejected Trump’s decision and voiced concern that the US move would have broad consequences in the Middle East.

Two of Washington’s closest allies— Britain and France—joined Belgium, Germany and Poland to declare that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israelioccupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions. AFP

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

B4

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Makati holds peace walk

Estrada on top of PDPRS poll for Manila mayor

By Vito Barcelo INCUMBENT Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada remained on top in the latest survey conducted by the Probe Data Processing and Research Services, garnering 45.9 percent of those polled, 11 percent higher than his closest, rival former Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

PDPRS, a data and research company under the Metro Pacific umbrella, is an independent firm that conducted poll surveys for local candidates in Metro Manila.

Of the 1,800 respondents surveyed, 45.9 percent wanted Estrada to continue to lead the city government for the next three years. Moreno, who recently served as social welfare undersecretary got 34 percent, while former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim got 17.8 percent.

Independent mayoralty candidate Francis Villegas received 1 percent, while Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, who is not running for mayor, received 1 percent.

For vice mayor, former congressman Amado Bagatsing topped the survey with 49.6 percent. Rival Honey Lacuna, the incumbent vice mayor, received 46 percent. Other vice mayoral bets Elmer Jamias and Manoy Verlie Anonuevo got one percent each.

In the December 2018 and January 2019 Probe surveys, more than 1,800 respondents were asked on who would they want to be mayor in the next three years, with Estrada scoring 43 percent compared to Isko, who garnered 21 percent. In third place was Lim with 16%.

Agency to boost Bicol commodities

By Butch Gunio

M

AKATI Mayor Abigail Binay, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, and other candidates of Team Performance took part in Tuesday’s signing of a Peace Covenant and Walk for Peace at the University of Makati.

The elder Binay is part of Mayor Abby’s “Team Performance,” which also includes re-electionist Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo, and reelectionist 2nd District Rep. Luis Campos.

“The peace covenant symbolizes our hope for a clean, peaceful and violencefree elections in Makati. It’s 2019 and our electorate is intelligent and discerning.

They are no longer swayed by threats or acts of violence. I and the rest of Team Performance are fully committed to this covenant. No blood needs to be spilled in any election, and innocent people do not have to die,” Mayor Abby stressed.

Mayor Abby also appealed to all candidates, especially their political opponents, not to resort to scare tactics or spreading false information to confuse the public.

She said that while politics can get dirty, it does not have to hamper the delivery of social services and benefits due

to the people of Makati.

Attendees likewise signed the Integrity Pledge document and wall. The peace covenant signing was witnessed by representatives from the Philippine National Police-Makati, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and Commission on Elections.

Team Performance members came in full force for the covenant signing.

They are 1st District Councilors Virgilio “Jhong” Hilario, Luis “Jojo” Javier, Martin Arenas, Carmina Ortega, Armando Padilla, Rene “Rebo” Saguisag, Jose “Joey” Villena, and Alcina “Alcine” Yabut; and 2nd District Councilors Dennis Almario, Maria Dolores “Doris” Arayon, Benedict “Bodik” Baniqued, Joel “Bong” Ariones, Arnold “Sammy” Cruz, Ives Ebrada, Edralyn “Ed” Marquez, and Kristina “Ina” Sarosa.

Meanwhile, former mayor Junjun Binay and his running mate Monsour del

Mayor Abby Binay leads Makati City candidates in signing the Integrity Pledge wall for a free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible local elections. Mayor Abby, her father—former Vice President Jejomar Binay (inset, second from right) and the rest of her Team Performance participated in a Unity Walk held at the University of Makati grounds along with representatives from the Makati Police, PPCRV, Comelec and other civic groups.

Rosario, along with their candidates for councilor, were no-shows at the peace covenant signing.

Candidates for the May elections walked together and met in the middle of the UMak track oval to release white doves, a symbol of peace and integrity.

They also recited a pledge of integrity which reads: “I sign this integrity Pledge for free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections, and through my words and actions, commit to abide by the tenets of our Constitution, election laws, rules and regulations, respecting the sanctity of our

electoral exercise.

“I will not employ any form of violence force, or threat that may impair, impede, or unduly influence the free exercise of the people’s right of suffrage. I will ensure the prompt and accurate reporting and disclosure of campaign-related expenses. I will not offer or give bribes or gifts to corrupt the integrity of our democratic process.

“As a candidate seeking the people’s mandate in order to serve them, I shall respect the norms of conduct expected of public servants and commit to run a clean campaign, observing, fairness, common decency, honesty and good faith.

LOS BANOS, Laguna―The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) aims to upgrade production of primary commodities in Bicol region though science and technology researches.

In partnership with Bicol Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development production of three basic commodities namely coconut, sweet potato, and queen pineapple, in the region is being improved, said PCAARRD Applied Communication Division Director Marita Carlos in a presentation to newsmen here.

She said farmers recounted their success stories adopting the science and technology-based farming during the conduct of Farmers Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda at Farmers Bounty Village, Camalig, Albay last month.

She cited the case of farmer Henry Regalario, a graduate of Marine Transportation, who chose to stay on the land to venture into farming of sweet potato.

He is currently the president of the Libon Camote Growers Association with 400 active farmer-members in Albay.

Carlos said the farmer shared how he started supplying sweet potato to smallscale enterprises and then managed to produce for big businesses like Ayala Malls.

Navotas sets more Scan candidates well, Joy B tells voters tech-voc courses By Rio N. Araja

By Jun David FOLLOWING the inauguration of its third training center, Navotas now offers more technical-vocational courses to Navoteños.

Mayor John Rey Tiangco and Rep. Toby Tiangco, together with Vice Mayor Clint Geronimo and other city officials, Monday led the blessing and inauguration of the NAvotas VOcational Training And Assessment (NAVOTAAS) Institute Annex II at Brgy.

Daanghari.

“Our tech-voc courses are free for Navoteños. All they have to do is enroll and attend the training. After graduating from the program, they may also take the assessment exam for free,” Mayor Tiangco said.

“Tech-voc skills are in demand here and abroad. While we cannot hire everyone who is interested to work at the city hall, we hope to provide opportunities to Navoteños so they could have gainful livelihood,” he added.

Courses at the NAVOTAAS Institute Annex II include Food and Beverage Services NC II, Cookery NC II, Barista NC II, Hilot (Wellness Massage), and Massage Therapy NC II. Also available are Contact Center Services NC II, Housekeeping NC II, Bread and Pastry Production NC II, Beauty Care NC II and Hairdressing NC II.

QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, who is running for mayor in the May 13 elections, on Wednesday urged the public to look into the track record, integrity and platform of any candidate in the upcoming midterm polls.

“The people must be reflective in electing their leaders and consider looking into the candidate’s personality and background to assess their viability for office,” Belmonte said.

Voters could check the integrity of a candidate even through the internet, adding the people should see if a candidate’s platforms are realistic, she said.

According to the vice mayor, as a leader, she aims to change the culture of governance so that people could put their trust and confidence in the government.

“It is hard to make promises. Once you

fail to make on good on your promises, that could lead to distrust,” Belmonte said.

Meanwhile, the City Council has passed four resolutions authorizing Mayor Herbert M. Bautista to acquire parcels of land in different barangays of the city.

City Resolutions 7517-2018 and 75182018, introduced by Councilors Alexis Herrera and Franz S. Pumaren, allow for the acquisition of the adjoining parcels of land measuring 13,454 square meters located at Lots 48-F and 48-G, PSD 20202, Barangay Bagong Silangan for the benefit of the on-site and other informal settler families of Quezon City.

City Resolution 7519-2018, introduced

by Councilor Alexis Herrera, authorizes the city government to purchase 17 adjoining parcels of land with a gross area of 10, 292 square meters located at Lots 2-A to 2-P, all of LRC PSD-145009 and Lot 16, Block 6, LRC PCS-4763 for the benefit of the ISFs in Quezon City.

ROVING ‘BATO.’ Senatoriable candidate Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa engages with vendors at the Dumaguete City public market during one of his sorties in the Visayas. The former national police chief explained his advocacy of fighting criminality and illegal drugs, while emphasizing that peace and order and security are fundamental to any country’s progress.

Negros Oriental celebrates first Renewable Energy Day THE province of Negros Oriental commemorated its first ever Renewable Energy Day following Governor Roel Ragay Degamo’s Executive Order No. 22-18, establishing the event every 5th of March annually.

The declaration made Negros Oriental the first province in the PhilipNegros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo (center) leads pines to legislate unequivocal supprivate and public sector representatives and special guests port and commitment to renewable in a ceremonial pledge to the province’s commitment to energy sources through an annual commemorative event. renewable energy.

This year, Degamo also signed an executive order declaring Negros Oriental as an environment-friendly and clean energy province committed to utilizing only clean and renewable energy sources such as geothermal, hydro, wind and solar, as well as shunning the use of fossil fuels and coal operations in power generation.

The first Renewable Energy Day in Negros Oriental was held at the

Lamberto Macias Sports and Cultural Complex in Dumaguete City, led by Degamo and the local provincial government.

A highlight of the event was an exhibit of renewable energy players, such as geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation, along with other organizations and proponents of green and sustainable business practices such as organic farming.

Life

Happy Concept founder Happy Ongpauco celebrated her 20th anniversary with a gathering featuring her dishes and Pottery Barn’s latest collection.

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

C1

Bring summer N

into your home

OTHING says summer at home like coastal motifs and furniture in light colors. As the warmer months roll in, home furniture and furnishings brands Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and West Elm recently launched their spring/summer 2019 collection.

for those who love hosting intimate dinners at home.

Furniture pieces and décor from Rustan’s Home and Pottery Barn’s spring/ summer ‘19 collection, as well as Pottery Barn’s sister companies, Pottery Barn Kids The launch coincided with the celebration Guests were served scrumptious canapés and West Elm, were displayed for selling of Happy Concept Group founder Happy from Happy Concept Group and were treat- during the event. Shopping proceeds of the Ongpauco’s 20th anniversary in the food ed to a live demonstration by Ongpauco on day’s sale went to Ongpauco’s chosen charbusiness. how to make a table spread—an inspiration ity, MOVE.Org Foundation Inc.

Pottery Barn’s (from left) Beachcomber Basket, Hyannis Lantern, and SoMa Valerie Armchair evoke coastal vibe.

Nostalgic coastal dreams Pottery Barn’s latest collection for the season is highlighted by pieces that embrace the cool and carefree vibe of coastal living.

Deep blue-toned pieces like SoMa Valerie Armchair, with its gently sloping profile and tapered legs, calls to

mind calm and serene afternoons by the ocean. Finish off the laid-back coastal vibe with vases, decorative wicker baskets, coral embroidered pillows, faux botanicals, and the tall and slender Maxwell Lantern, best paired with flameless candles to set the mood.

Monique Lhuillier’s Easter Tabletop Collection, in collaboration with Pottery Barn Kids, features (from left) tablecloth, plates, and napkins whimsically designed with curious cheery rabbits surrounded by flowers.

Whimsical days and nights A new collaboration with renowned designer Monique Lhuillier is featured in Pottery Barn Kid’s spring/summer collection. This collection stays true to the designer’s ethereal, classic style while adding a hint of whimsy and imagination.

Sweet springtime style comes to children’s table in time

The art

for Easter Brunch with Lhuillier’s Easter Tabletop Collection including shatterproof plates and tumblers, placemats, napkins, and tablecloth. The pieces are whimsically designed with curious cheery rabbits surrounded by flowers that celebrate all things spring.

of corporate

dressing

Arthuro Reyes De Leon, program and training head of International Cabin Attendant Training School

By Peter Paul Duran

West Elm’s indoor and outdoor pieces for summer include (from left) Lana Bed, Playa Outdoor Reversible Sectional, and Halden Outdoor Dining Table.

Light and airy with pops of color Neutral with light airy looks peppered with pops of color and metal accents dominate West Elm’s spring/summer collection. Pieces for indoors and outdoors include Scandinavian-inspired Halden Wood + Metal Collection complete with roomy dining tables made for al fresco entertaining.

Modern tablescapes featuring the Aaron Probyn Melamine dinnerware in pink grapefruit, citrus yellow, and silver pine and West Elm’s Gold Flatware set off the wood and metal dining tables.

Outdoor sectionals and lounge chairs from the brand’s Playa Collection features a slim profile and modern finish.

Finish off the outdoor lounge area with faux botanicals.

For the inside, the best-selling Andes Sectional marries sleek modern elegance with surprising comfort. While the Lana Bed’s soft, sweeping curves are a modern update to the classic wingback. The iron-legged bed looks even prettier paired with the softly curved Pink Grapefruit Valentina Chair or the Wire Frame Slipper Chair.

Pottery Barn is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Tower in Shangri-La, and Estancia in Capitol Commons. Pottery Barn Kids is at Central Square, Rustan’s Tower in Shangri-La, and Estancia. West Elm is at Central Square, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Tower in Shangri-La, and Estancia.

“WE ARE judged based on 55 percent of our appearance,” said Arthuro Reyes “Arth” De Leon, program and training head of International Cabin Attendant Training School (ICATS).

“So it’s important for us to work on our image to become successful,” he told Manila Standard in an exclusive interview at his office in Ortigas.

Prior to becoming an expert on personal image and appearance, De Leon shared he also had his fair share of corporate dressing faux pas.

“I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know that there were actual step-by-step guides on how to dress for your corporate image, let’s just say that my first [job] interview was a bust,” he related.

“I also had the same experience,” interjected Princess Joy Garcia, who founded the training school with De Leon and Carmelita Guiao.

She recounted, “When I applied for

my first job interview, I went through all the steps in the application, but in the end, there was still something lacking. Maybe looking back it had to do with my blonde hair.”

De Leon recently completed a Corporate Image Consultant Certification Course at the Sterling Style Academy in New York City. The course enables De Leon to expand ICATS’ Campus and Corporate Image Program that helps students and professionals look good and become more successful in life.

The expanded dress for success program is open to those who want to improve or enhance their corporate image, and is exclusively being offered

by ICATS, the country’s premier learning institution for flight attendants that helps one of the few TESDA-accredited flight attendant schools in the country.

“Among others, I was taught how to choose the right clothes based on the color of the eyes, hair, and skin; how Turn to C2

Life

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Keeping homes termite-free T

ERMITES may be small in size, but these little pests can cause big and serious damages to a home, especially those with wooden structures and furniture. To make matters worse, these unwelcome house guests can also destroy other prized possessions like clothes, money bills, important documents, and electrical wirings.

Jardine Distribution, Inc. helps prevent termite infestation with its Total Termite Solution: Solignum and Soilguard.

Aside from working against termites, the Superbrand-recognized Solignum has insecticidal and fungicidal properties that can also work against fungi and woodborers.

And while wood preservation is a common step when dealing with termites, termites come from soil, too.

These pests might be destroying a house from under.

Soilguard—an odorless water-based soil termiticide—creates a termite-lethal barrier that prevents termites from entering the structure. This easy-to-use and cost-efficient termite solution kills any termite with which it comes into contact.

JDI’s line of home pest solutions is available at leading supermarkets and DIY stores nationwide.

Jardine Distribution, Inc.’s Soilguard creates a barrier that prevents termites in the soil from entering a structure.

Fruits and other fresh produce at Landers Alabang West and Arcovia City will be offered at 50 percent off on March 30.

The cool mom’s

Anniversary sale at Landers Alabang West, Arcovia City

checklist to throwing an awesome

children’s party CHILDREN’S parties nowadays have evolved from the typical pabitin and Trip to Jerusalem games and birthday party fare of fried chicken, Pinoy-style spaghetti, hotdogs and marshmallows on sticks.

Today’s parents are spending time and money on themed decorations, costumes, games, entertainment, and menu to make sure their kids’ party is the best. Here’s how to throw a birthday bash that deserves its trending hashtag.

Find out what kids find cool to determine the party’s theme.

Choose a location

Decide whether to throw the party at home or at another venue. Choose a location the soonest since you need enough time to prepare the place. You need time to look for venues and make reservations if you want to have the party elsewhere. Whichever you choose, Decide on the theme what’s important is to stick to your Find out what kids are into these days: budget and theme. the shows they love, the songs to which they sing along, the things that pique Make a guest list their interest. Knowing the things that Prepare a list of invitees and do RScurrently interest your little one and VPs. Make sure you keep your kids’ making that the overall theme of their friends and favorite people on top of birthday bash can help ensure your kids the guest list. Having guests RSVP also and all the invited guests, who majority helps you in deciding the menu, the loare kids as well, will have a blast. cation, the games, and the loot bags.

Serve party food with a twist

Does the young celebrant love pasta?

Add a fun twist to their favorite by using El Real Pasta and experimenting on some Spaghetti and Meatball on a stick—it’s basically the classic spaghetti pasta wrapped around a stick, with a meatball stuck on top of it. There’s also the Hotdog Pasta which you can make by sticking pasta on hotdogs before boiling them.

Score smiles from your kids by being extra creative with colorful pasta dishes using the El Real Rainbow Pasta. You can also try making the El Real Fruity Pasta and Brown Sugar Pasta by checking out the recipes at the brand’s Facebook page.

SHOPPING center Landers’ Alabang West and Arcovia City branches celebrate their first anniversary with exciting activities for its members on March 29-31.

All pastry items by Dough & Co and Doppio will be available at 50 percent off, while the Fresh and Produce section slashes half of its prices on March 30.

Further, plush towels, cozy beddings, quality kitchens and all Home items will be on 50 percent discount as well.

New applications and renewals (except for extensions) will be available Dough and Co.’s pastries will be for as low as P400 during the anniver- available at 50 percent off during sary period. the anniversary period.

Determine how much the household spends every month to know how much money they can save.

4 saving tips for millennials and young families afraid to get a credit card, mostly because they don’t trust themselves with one. However, credit cards are actually a good way to help one pay for important big-ticket items like appliances for a home as it breaks the cost Budget wisely down into easy installments that are The best way to manage spending eve- friendlier to the wallet than if a person ry month is to prepare a budget plan at the had paid in full. start and stick to it all the way until the end. While others try the crude “spend Use credit card half, save half” method, smarter people when it counts know that budget trackers and tools are Modern banking innovations have the best way to keep one in check when made present-day credit card a techit comes to taking control of their financ- nological miracle. Use credit card for es. Determining how much a person or purchases that reward with points, a household spends in a month allows travel miles, and other perks. For them to control their expenses and figure instance, RCBC Bankard Flex offers out how much money they can save. its users twice the rewards points on two categories that they choose: Never say no to a freebie dining, clothing, travel, or transNew things don’t always have to mean portation. Its other variant, RCBC “bought” things. Swallowing a little bit Bankard Flex Gold, gives cardholdof pride and accepting things like sec- ers double rewards points on three ond-hand clothes, bags, or even appli- categories that they’ll pick: grocery, ances and furniture can go a long way in gas, department store, household aphelping an individual save money. pliances, or travel. It also has f lexible rewards redemption options that Get a credit card allow the cardholder to get the most Millennials are known for being out of their spending.

TRYING to survive in the big city as a working adult or a young family while saving money? It’s possible to save despite the rising cost of living in major urban cities.

Serve party fare with a twist, like El Real Brown Sugar Pasta and Fruity Pasta.

The art...

From C1

to select the best fabric and texture of clothes to stand out in the corporate world; and how to pick the right outfit based on a person’s body. These are just some of the things you will also learn if you study at ICATS,” shared De Leon.

De Leon was trained in Professional Degrees of Dress for Men and Women, Color Analysis, Body Analysis, Fashion Styles, Individual Personal Style Evaluations and Corporate Image Seminars, and Corporate Communication Style Development.

He expects his training to help ICATS develop a more comprehensive

and effective campus and corporate branding programs.

“With this course, we can strengthen our program and become more credible.

Aside from flight attendants, we like to improve the customer service of other companies like what we did for Victory Liner. By dressing right, employees can look professional and level up to the high standards of flight attendants when it comes to the clothes they wear,” he explained.

With ICATS’ Campus and Corporate Program, De Leon hopes that fresh graduates will get the jobs they deserve. Company employees will also benefit from the program since it will improve their appearance and contribute to a high degree

of professionalism in the workplace.

Other companies that have benefitted from ICATS Corporate Image Program are SEAAir, Megaworld Corporation, China Bank Savings, United Pharma Plus Inc., and the Philippine National Bank Savings.

Studies show that wearing the right clothes will not only make an individual look good, they can also make them more productive and more successful in life. Scientific American said a good wardrobe can improve thinking and negotiating skills as well as boost hormone levels and heart rate to give a person the confidence to succeed.

“When you look good, you feel good and you do well,” ended De Leon.

Entertainment

Search is on for Catriona Gray’s successor BEVY OF BEAUTIES. The 40 official candidates in this year's Binibining Pilipinas beauty tilt have been named. One of them will vie for the Miss Universe Philippines crown to become Catriona Gray’s successor.

By Eton Concepcion

T

HE Binibining Pilipinas 2019 search kicked off with the announcement of the 40 official candidates from nearly 90 screened applicants held on March 18 at the KIA Theater in Cubao, Quezon City.

This year’s batch, which is a mixture of veterans and newcomers, was welcomed

by BPCI Chairperson Madam Stella Marquez-Araneta. They are aiming for six titles at stake namely Bb. Pilipinas International, Bb. Pilipinas Supranational, B b .

Pilipinas

Intercontinental, Bb. Pilipinas Globe, Bb. Pilipinas Grand International and the most coveted Miss Universe Philippines crown, currently held by 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray.

Victoria Marie Rushton and Samantha Mae Bernardo, last year’s first and second runners up, respectively, are in the running again, together with Top 15

finalist Maria Andrea Abesamis and Bb. Pilipinas 2014 Top 15 finalist Emma Mary Tiglao.

Mutya ng Pilipinas titlists Leren Mae Bautista, who won Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International 2015 in Malaysia, and Ilene Astrid de Vera, Miss Asia Pacific International 2017 3rd runner-up, are also among the early favorites along with Miss World Philippines semi-finalists Marianne Marquez (2018) and Gazini Christiana Ganados (2014).

Other early favorites by pageant aficionados are Bachelor of Applied Science in Forensic Studies at the University of Canberra, FilAustralian Hannah Arnold and Bea Patricia “Patch” Magtanong, a Cum laude graduate at the UP College of Law.

The rest of the 40 candidates are Jane Darren Genobisa, Samantha Poblete, Danielle Joi Magno, Mary Faye Murphy, Joanna Rose Tolledo, Jessica Marasigan, Marie Sherry Anne Tormes, Dia Nicole Magno, Honey Grace Cartasano, Francia Layderos, Cassandra Chan, Danielle Isabelle Dolk, Jessarie Dumaguing, Maria Isabela Galeria, Julia Eugene Saubier, Melba Ann Macasaet, Alanis Reign Binoya, Louisielle Denise Amorog, Joahnna Carla Saad, Pauline Anne Cordero, April May Short, Rubee Marie Faustino, Larah Grace Lacap, Martina Faustina Diaz, Malka Shaver, Kimberly Penchon, Jean Nicole Guerrero, Samantha Ashley Lo, Rosham Ramirez Saeed, and Sigrid Grace Flores.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘NANG NGUMITI ANG LANGIT’ wins hearts of viewers nationwide MORE Filipinos tuned in to the pilot episode of the newest Kapamilya series, Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit last Monday morning, instantly captivating viewers as it scored a national TV rating of 15.8 percent compared to Hiram Na Anak which only got 8.9 percent, according to data from Kantar Media.

Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit also conquered social networking sites such as Twitter where the hashtag #NNALUnangNgiti became a nationwide trending topic. Netizens were happy to seeKaye Abad again on television after her last series, Two Wives.

In the first episode, Ella (Kaye), the illegitimate daughter of David, the patriarch of the Salvadors, saw how the rift between her family and the Villaluna started. The disagreement between the two families intensified when Ella’s father was killed by David.

But over time, Ella fell in love with the eldest of the Villalunas, Michael (RK Bagatsing), who did not leave her side.

However, she did not expect that their love would result to her brother’s death after Michael accidentally shot Eric (Rafa Siguion-Reyna).

With Eric’s passing, find out what will happen to Ella and Michael. Will this be the end of their love story?

Watch Nang Ngumit Ang Langit every morning before It’s Showtime.

Kaye Abad in a scene from the daytime drama 'Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit'

GMA Network wins big at the 50th Box Office Entertainment Awards Primetime Queen Marian Rivera receives the Bert Marcelo Lifetime Achievement Award

Maine Mendoza is recognized as the Box Office Queen

BROADCAST giant GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) received honors from the Guillermo M e n d o z a Memorial Scholarship Foundation (GMMSF) at the recently concluded 50th Box Office Entertainment Awards held at Star Theater, Pasay City.

Among the big Kapuso winners were Primetime Queen Marian Rivera who received the Bert Marcelo

ACROSS 1 Head off 6 Little creek 10 Flat boat 14 Drills 15 Theory 16 Try to influence 17 Turn pink 18 Hunk of cheese 19 Expose or reveal 20 “Daddy” Warbucks servant 21 Ticked off 23 Evaluated 24 Running late 26 Social customs 27 Clowns’ props 29 Sea World orca 31 Hotcakes acronym 32 Pantyhose shade 33 Pale gray 36 In a diligent manner 40 Almost-grads 41 Choral section 42 Octagonal sign 43 Traveler on foot 44 Appear 46 Eavesdrops 48 The “March King” 49 Orchestra member 50 Talk boastfully 52 Genetic mate-

rial 55 Fissure 56 Tubular pasta 57 High mountains 59 Comics canine 60 Oodles (2 wds.)

61 Roofing pieces 62 Breeze 63 Mr. Roddenberry 64 Try extra hard DOWN 1 “Dancing Queen” group 2 Tenn. athletes 3 Volcanic activity 4 Legal matter 5 Weekend wear (hyph.)

6 Hazardous 7 Like gossip 8 Go first 9 Science room 10 Outback maker 11 Orange box 12 Human eaters 13 Lawn invader 22 Hwys.

23 Shakespearean teen 25 Matterhorn’s mountains 26 Astrologers of yore 27 Sets the dog on

28 Son of Odin 29 Pedro’s honorific 30 Collides with 32 — noire 33 With a leg on each side of 34 Work doggedly 35 Intensive promotion 37 Nile capital 38 Sorts 39 Depletes 43 Ceased 44 Years on end 45 Change geneti-

cally 46 Alpine moppet 47 Fairylike 48 Hotel offering 49 Boast 50 Obnoxious 51 Egyptian sun god 53 “Faint heart — won ...”

54 Type of prof 56 Zig’s opposite 58 Slangy refusal

Lifetime Achievement Award, Stories for the Soul host and Senator Manny Pacquiao who took home the Global Achievement by a Filipino Award, and Superstar Nora Aunor who received the Corazon Samaniego Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dingdong Dantes was hailed as one of the Phenomenal Stars of Philippine Cinema, while Dennis Trillo brought home the coveted Film Actor of the Year award.

Glaiza de Castro won the TV Actress of the Year (Daytime Drama) award for the soap Contessa, while Ken Chan was hailed as the TV Actor of

the Year (Daytime Drama) for his outstanding performance in the wellloved drama series My Special Tatay.

The lead stars of GMA’s newest epic drama series Sahaya - Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix - received the Most Popular Loveteam for Television award.

Award-winning comedienne and Dear Uge’s host Eugene Domingo took home the Comedy Actress for Television award. Veteran actress and Pepito Manaloto star Nova Villa bagged the Movie Supporting Actress of the Year award.

Queen of Philippine Movies and

Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko’s host Gloria Romero received the Golden Jury Award for All Time Favorite Actress.

Jo Berry marked a milestone in her career by winning the Most Promising Female Star for Television award for the hit primetime soap Onanay, while Inagaw na Bituin lead star Kyline Alcantara won the Promising Female Concert Performer of the Year award.

Rap group Ex Battllion went home with the Most Popular Recording/ Performing Group award.

Eat Bulaga Dabarkads also took home awards. Seasoned actor and TV host Vic Sotto was hailed as one of the Box Office Kings, while Phenomenal star Maine Mendoza was recognized as the Box Office Queen.

Joining them are Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros who were hailed as Comedy Actors of the Year for Movies and Baeby Baste who received the Most Popular Male Child Performer award.

Receiving the Box Office Entertainment Awards nod as well are various GMA programs. Multiawarded magazine show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho brought home the Popular TV Program (News & Public Affairs) recognition. Top-rating inspirational drama series My Special Tatay was chosen as this year’s Popular TV Program (Daytime Drama), while breakthrough comedy-variety noontime show Sunday Pinasaya received the Popular TV Program (Musical Variety/ Noontime/Primetime) award.

Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix receive the Most Popular Loveteam for Television award.

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

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Entertainment

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019

Three in one

Sam Concepcion, Billy Crawford and James Reid come together in one major concert happening on April 5 at the Big Dome

VERY WANG

Pinky Amador as the Angel

NICKIE WANG

‘ANGELS IN AMERICA,’ timely and transcendent Art Acuńa as Roy Cohn

“W

Nelsito Gomez (left) as Louis Ironson and Topper Fabregas as Prior Walter

HY is Angels in America still resonating almost 30 years later? Because it still matters today–the story is still very much relevant.”

This was the main message that all cast members of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches conveyed during a recent media conference. The groundbreaking play, which is set in the ‘80s, features a phenomenal cast ever assembled, including (in alphabetical order): Art Acuńa as Roy Cohn, Pinky Amador as the Angel, Angeli Bayani as Harper Pitt, Topper Fabregas as Prior Walter, Cherie Gil as Hannah Pitt, Nelsito Gomez as Louis Ironson, Andoy Ranay as Belize, and Markki Stroem as Joe Pitt. The entire cast will also be playing multiple roles throughout the show.

“Angels in America is about life and hope in the face of death and despair; and about our interconnectedness as a community and how we need to find a way to discuss our differences by finding common ground,” director Bobby Garcia said.

The play focuses on the stories of two troubled couples, one gay, one straight: Prior Walter is abandoned by his lover,

Louis, as he contracts the AIDS virus, while a closeted gay lawyer named Joe Pitt struggles in his marriage to his pill-popping wife, Harper. Their fates intertwine as they explore the questions of love, justice, identity, and change.

Among the twentieth century’s defining works of dramatic art, Angels in America is the most Tony Award-nominated play, breaking records in Broadway’s history with 10 Tony Awards including Best Play and Best Revival of a Play. It has also won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, proving Tony Kushner’s work remains as transcendent and as potent and timely in its concerns as when it premiered on Broadway over 25 years ago.

The cast share a new understanding coming from working on the epic masterpiece. With no time to spare, they are hard at work at rehearsals to prepare for opening night.

Cherie Gil calls Tony Kushner’s writing “metaphorically amazing and humanly precise”, while according to Topper Fabregas, “it goes straight for

Markki Stroem as Joe Pitt and Cherie Gil as Hannah Pitt

your gut.” Art Acuña calls it a “story that deals with our humanity,” and Angeli Bayani regards it as a show that will “stir people’s consciousness about the world.”

Pinky Amador says that there will be a “paradigm shift” with the characters in the story, as well as the audience’s perception of life, death, and everything in between.

For Andoy Ranay, taking on such a role is a new experience for him, “I am most of all, excited, nervous, and challenged to take on this endeavor outside my comfort zone.”

As for the message that the play imparts, Nelsito Gomez simply hopes that it will “encourage people to be kinder. It’s the least we can do, but it will go a long way.”And as Markki Stroem states, it will show audiences what it’s like “to be true to who they are and grow as people.”

Having worked on the play before, director Bobby Garcia says, “We have what is really a dream cast for Angels in America.

It’s a cast I would not have thought I could assemble in the same room”.

Angels in America: Millennium Approaches kicks off the 20th anniversary of Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group that mounts the Manila production of the play. It runs until April 7 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.

Lea Salonga starrer ‘Yellow Rose’ to open 35th LA Asian Pacific filmfest ONE of the first two winners of ABSCBN Cinematografo Originals, Yellow Rose starring Broadway icon and Tony awardee Lea Salonga and nominee Eva Noblezada, will have its grand world premiere by opening the prestigious 35th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) on May 2.

Yellow Rose tells the story of headstrong but talented Rose (Eva), a Filipina teen from a small Texas town, dreaming to leave and fighting to pursue her country music dreams while facing the threat of deportation.

The film is written and directed by Filipino-American award-winning film documentary and commercial director Diane Paragas and co-written by another award-winning writer Annie J. Howell.

Yellow Rose also features a top tier cast including country music star Dale Watson, Liam Booth, Gustavo Gomez (The Walking Dead), Libby Villari (Boyhood), and Princess Punzalan.

The full-length feature becomes the first film by a Filipina American

Tony awardee Lea Salonga (right) and nominee Eva Noblezada, stars of the musical film and ABS-CBN Cinematografo Originals, ‘Yellow Rose.’

director to be selected as Opening Night presentation at the LAAPFF. It is also the award-winning director’s first attempt to do a full-length movie.

The Cinematografo International Film Festival is an annual film exhibition series that aims to showcase emerging filmmaking talent from around the world, focusing on issues of representation and

inclusivity.

Yellow Rose screens on Opening Night at the Aratani Theatre at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles on May 2 at 7:00 p.m.. The LAAPFF will present films in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles, and the L.A. Live Entertainment Center from May 2 to 10.

NORMALLY, a boyband is a group of sing-and-dance, good-looking boys under a collective name. The concert happening at the Araneta Coliseum on April 5 employs a set-up in reverse fashion as The CR3W is obviously way less familiar a name than the individuals in it.

Yet, putting together James Reid, Sam Concepcion, and Billy Crawford is a 3-in-1 mix that should set the stage on fire the moment they stand together —at least to the fascination of their fans who, not surprisingly, are mostly girls anticipating every handsome move.

The organizer-producers, Scratchit and Viva Live, Inc., described The CR3W Live In Concert as featuring “three of the country’s most popular singers, actors, and all-around media personalities.” Or in their separate take, “three of the hottest and most talented male stars in show business today.”

Both are not far from the truth and no exaggeration. All three names ring a bell and have each made a career journey worth-celebrating.

Billy has been a household name since his performing days on the good ol’ “That’s Entertainment,” in one number even grooving to that Duran Duran classic “Wild Boys.” Sam is a persona and theater talent long regarded as a role model for the youth.

And then there’s James, the other half of popular loveteam JaDine.

To start at 8:00 pm next Friday, The CR3W is surely a value-for-money spectacle to be rightfully staged at a venue more than big enough and accessibly familiar to the public. The girlish screams to come necessitate

an atmosphere spacious enough to accommodate such.

Whether it is “the coolest, mood-filled” YUGEL show the fans can put LOSORATA their bet on depends on the chemistry of the three and the stewardship of director Paul Basinillo.

Billy was quoted as saying, “It’s going be a great, great, great opportunity for us three to actually jive together.”

That’s easier said than done. Like a basketball team, most of the work comes during practices. The players should be seen just having fun doing it together in the actual game.

While egos and status should be left off backstage, it’s good to know the high level of talents to come as one that night. Billy was a one-time teen idol in Europe and has become a Philippine TV fixture through his hosting stints on mainstream shows. He has a new album with a track called “Filipina Girl” that has James singing.

A big and small screen star, James is so far best remembered for Diary Ng Panget and On The Wings Of Love.

He is a songwriting producer who recently unloaded a cool duet called “Summer.”

Sam made his mark in musicals, having played Peter Pan and the lead act in I Do Do Bidoo-Bidoo.

His voice is heard on the Philpopwinning hit “Dati” as he releases a new ballad called “Bukas Makalawa,” off the soundtrack of Para Sa Broken Hearted movie which he also stars in.

Hearts get unbroken with The CR3W welcoming as guests Yassi Pressman, Coleen Garcia, and Nadine Lustre.

(Tickets are available at TicketNet 911-5555.)

Jordan Peele scores another hit with new film ‘Us’ WITH his new film Us blasting to an estimated $70.3 million opening in North American theaters in one of the best launches ever for a horror film, director Jordan Peele has done it again.

Website BoxOfficeMojo called the film’s three-day ticket sales “mindblowing.”

The Universal production, which stars Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, and Elisabeth Moss in the story of a family that encounters horrifying versions of themselves, had the secondbest launch of the year, trailing only blockbuster Captain Marvel, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations.

Peele had impressed Hollywood with his first production, Get Out, another horror film with heavy social commentary that won an Oscar as Best Original Screenplay and was the 10th most profitable film of 2017.

The new film has a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, rare praise for a horror flick.

Us pushed Disney’s Captain Marvel

Lupita Nyong’o in her spellbinding role in ‘Us’

down to second place, at $35 million for the weekend, but that female-led blockbuster had little to complain about. With Brie Larson starring as a former fighter pilot with superpowers, the film has taken in a combined $910 million at home and abroad.

In third spot was Paramount’s animation Wonder Park, at $9 million.

The film, about an amusement park based on a young girl’s imaginings, is voiced by Brianna Denski, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick, and John Oliver.

Fourth spot went to CBS/Lionsgate’s teen drama Five Feet Apart, at $8.8 million. It stars Haley Lu Richardson and Cole Sprouse as teens who fall in love but must keep their distance while being treated for cystic fibrosis.

And in fifth was How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, at $6.5 million. It tells the story of young Hiccup and his dragon Toothless on a quest for a dragon utopia. Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, and Cate Blanchett provide the voices. AFP