Manila Standard - 2019 April 1 - Monday

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Angat reduces irrigation water to boost Metro supply—NWRB VOL. XXXIII • NO. 50 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Reds using IPs 14 farmers massacred, groups say to seek EU funds’ By Rio N. Araja COMMUNIST front organizations are exploiting indigenous peoples and fabricating human rights abuses as a pretext for asking for donations from the European Union and its member states, the military said Sunday.

“We are morally convinced that what [these communist] organizations are doing is simply to exploit our IPs, project a very dire human rights situation in our country, vilify our government by fabricating reports to cast doubt on the efficiency Next page

RIGHTS groups on Sunday condemned what they called a “massacre” of 14 farmers by police in Negros Oriental as authorities defended the incident as a legitimate operation against suspected communist rebels.

Police say the 14 men on Saturday shot at officers with search warrants for illegal firearms, prompting them to return fire. But rights groups insist the men were “farmers asserting their rights to land,” the latest victims caught up in a violent crackdown under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte’s administration has canceled peace talks with communist rebels—who

are waging a 50-year-old insurgency that has killed thousands—and has ordered his troops to “destroy” them.

The latest violence occurred in three separate incidents in Negros island, the center of the nation’s sugar industry and home to some of the country’s wealthiest landowners as well as some of its poorest farm workers.

Authorities say the operation was a response to communist rebel attacks in Negros, adding one policeman was wounded.

“They fought back against our operating units. We were forced to fire back.

Some of [the 14 men] are farmers but we cannot confirm how many,” provincial Next page

ANGAT Dam’s water allocation for irrigation has been cut to 35 meters per second from 40 to reserve more supply for Metro Manila, the National Water Resources Board said Sunday.

NWRB executive director Sevillo David Jr. told dzBB the cut will not affect farmland operations because in May the water needed for irrigation normally goes

down as farmers are about to harvest their crops.

Angat Dam irrigates several farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

David made his statement even as the Sulong Dignidad party-list said the Philippines’ water concession law must be repealed so it could provide stiffer penalties Next page

CONSERVING WATER. A farmer in Benguet uses a water hose to irrigate his seedlings, putting into practice a water conservation method in Tuba town, a vegetable growing area , amid the onset of El Nino weather phenomenon. Government oficials advise farmers in Benguet and other provinces to conserve water supply. Dave Leprozo

DOJ probes ‘narco-prosecutors’ Zeroes in on 10 whom PDEA linked to drugs

By Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

T

HE Department of Justice will investigate the alleged involvement of several prosecutors in the illegal drug trade, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Sunday.

POLISH PERFORMANCE. Fireworks display from Poland’s Surex Firma Rodzinna brightens the sky capping off a pyromusical performance of 10 contestants on March 30, at the SM City Clark during the 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition. Peter Paul Duran

Guevarra said he is planning to personally lead the fact-finding investigation against 10 prosecutors included in the so-called narco list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“Once identified and there’s A scintilla of evidence, I myself will lead the investigation against them. That [involvement of prosecutors in illegal drug trade] is just unacceptable,” Guevarra said.

The DOJ said the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to involvement of government officials in illegal drugs—especially in his department, which is tasked to prosecute drug suspects.

Guevarra said his office would coordinate with PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino for the conduct of a parallel investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation, the fact-finding and law enforcement arm of the DOJ. Next page

Zuckerberg: Gov’ts must regulate Net WASHINGTON— Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg called for governments to play a “more active role” in regulating the internet, urging more countries to adopt versions of sweeping European rules aimed at safeguarding user privacy.

Next page

Global standard for clean air?

Defense chief denies China ‘scare tactics’

By Nat Mariano

CAPE GRIM, Australia—As much of Asia wheezes, coughs and sniffles its way through another smog season, one isolated and windswept corner of Australia is serving as the global standard for clean air.

Next page

THE report that 600 Chinese vessels had allegedly been circling Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea since January this year was just an “exaggerated claim,” an official said Sunday.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines “never said” that hundreds of Chinese vessels were navigating around the Philippineclaimed Pag-asa Island.

“That [report] is according to the reporter who was there in Puerto Princesa during the RPOC [Regional Peace and Order Council] meeting,” Lorenzana told the Manila Standard. Next page

CHECKPOINT. Bontoc Police apprehend two people who have allegedly driven from Tinglayan, Kalinga—a known marijuana source in the Cordillera region—and seize marijuana bricks and some drug paraphernalia inside the suspects car. Suspects are undergoing investigation at the Bontoc Capitol PNP precint. Photo courtesy Bontoc PNP

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14 farmers...

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police spokesman Edilberto Euraoba said.

Police arrested another 12 men while they recovered various firearms from those killed, Euraoba added.

However rights and peasant groups said the 14 men killed on Saturday were farmers, some elderly, citing witness accounts contradicting the police’s statement.

“They were defenseless. It’s clear that it was a massacre. They are tagged as members and sympathizers [of communist rebels)]but they are farmers asserting their rights to land,” Maria Sol Taule, legal counsel for rights group Karapatan, said.

“President Duterte is attacking his critics including people fighting for their rights. It’s an all-out attack on all they suspect to be enemies, whether farmers or lawyers.”

Rows over land have become increasingly common as Manila faces criticism for its slow-moving program to redistribute farmland to millions of sharecroppers—tenant farmers who give a part of each crop as rent—who remain mired in poverty.

The Federation of Agricultural Workers condemned the latest deaths, saying it highlighted growing rights violations on Negros island.

The nation’s rights body said it would investigate Saturday’s incident, expressing “grave concern” over what it called a rising number of killings in the country.

Taule added that the incident was the latest in a series of attacks on farmers, following the killing of nine farmers by gunmen also in Negros in October.

Farm workers account for about 20-million people, a fifth of the population, who live on less than two dollars a day, the government says.

Leftist lawmakers denounced the latest killings.

Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao blamed Duterte’s Memorandum Circular 32 that directed additional troops to provinces with areas of lawlessness, saying it was a death warrant to civilians in Negros Oriental.

“The state-sanctioned terror act should be condemned by all sectors as [President Rodrigo] Duterte and his warmonger minions are hell bent to impose martial rule in a nationwide scale,” he said.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio believed the police operation against the 14 slain victims should not be called a “legitimate anti-crime operation.”

“What they are doing is nothing but the vilification and targeting as criminals and ‘terrorists’ of progressive farmers and their organizations whose only crime is to demand reforms and to criticize the anti-people policies of the current administration,” Tinio said in a statement.

Another ACT Teachers Party-list lawmaker, France Castro, said “it follows the rulebook of targeting civilians and innocents under the so-called Oplan Kapayapaan as well as tokhang and other bloody operations which the Duterte administration is waging against the people.”

Col. Raul Tacaca, the province’s chief of police, said eight of the suspect criminals were killed in Canlaon City, four in Manjuyod town and two in Sta. Catalina town.

He said policemen were serving search warrants when the victims fired shots at them.

Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate vowed to seek justice for the victims.

“State forces are on a rampage and activists and critics are in their crosshairs. We will not take this sitting down and we will seek justice for the victims and file charges against the policemen and their superiors who perpetrated this massacre,” he said.

Commission on Human Rights spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said they have already ordered the regional sub-office of CHR-Region VII to investigate the case.

“At this point, our interest is finding out the truth behind a police operation, which authorities claim to be meant to serve warrants of arrest, but resulted in the deaths of 14 farmers and a cop said to be injured,” De Guia said.

The claim that authorities were serving search warrants when the shooting began needed to be investigated, De Guia said. need to be looked into.

“Even claims of resisting arrest to justify fatalities need to be tried before courts to ensure that there are no lapses and ascertain if the circumstances really warrant the offense from the police, resulting the curtailment of life,” she added. With AFP and PNA

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China: Opportunity, not threat—SPGMA She said China was not a threat but instead a partner in development.

“The world must look at China’s rise as an opportunity rather than a threat,” Arroyo said.

With China poised to become the world’s leading economy, developing countries including the Philippines

should further boost their ties with Beijing instead of looking at it as a competitor or a threat, Arroyo said Thursday night.

Arroyo, who attended the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan, China, said China through the years had proven wrong the negative notions of its

policies toward reform, and that it had become a partner in development as a result of its opening up.

Arroyo is a member of the board of BFA, which gathers together leaders in government, business and academic institutions throughout Asia to share their thoughts on the most pressing issues in the region and the world.

Arroyo and Li met at the Boao Forum for Asia.

She said their discussion mainly covered the direction China was taking on its 40th year of reforms and its relationship with the rest of the world.

The meeting was one of the highlights

DOJ...

efforts on the case build-up against the 46 politicians named by President Duterte.

The PDEA chief said the list of judges, prosecutors and other drug suspects—including 31 celebrities—would still undergo validation, which he said would take time.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, said government officials and celebrities on the list should have been charged before their names were released.

Over the weekend, the Dangerous Drugs Board chief Catalino Cuy said the board would undertake a scientific study with the Philippine Statistics Autority to determine the real nature and extent of the country’s drug problem.

Cuy said such a study could address calls for evidence-based indicators of the success of the anti-drug campaign.

The study will entail the conduct of a census, instead of a survey, to be able to provide a real picture of the drug situation, he said.

Reports from all law enforcement agencies and intelligence information will also be included and integrated in the data analysis, he added.

“There were previous studies with similar intentions but the results did not include data from law enforcement agencies. This time, we will make sure that these will be included and integrated in analyzing data and coming up with statistical figures,” he said.

A survey is usually perception-based, he said.

“What we want is an actual census to provide the real picture of the drug situation in the country.”

vessels to sustain China’s assertive presence in the vicinity of the sandbars,” Factor told ABS-CBN News.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the public should await the initial findings of a Cabinet cluster about the matter.

“I think we should await the findings of the cluster to know the truth about it and know what are the recommendations of the President, Nograles told reporters in Romblon on Sunday.

“We should await the recommendations of the President. But of course, there are diplomatic procedures that we need to follow and we will have to run through the process of the Department of Foreign Affairs.”

Lorenzana said Malacañang would reject the report. “[Presidential Spokesman Salvador] Panelo will conduct a presscon tomorrow to clarify everything and to debunk this exaggerated claim, Lorenzana said.

This recent development came following a report that a Chinese coast guard vessel allegedly harassed Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal.

The Palace then expressed the possibility that President Rodrigo Duterte might

raise maritime issues in the disputed waters with China during his coming visit to Beijing next month for the 2nd Belt and Road Forum.

Senatorial candidate Gary Alejano criticized the Duterte administration following the issue, lambasting the government for its alleged failure to act on his warnings about the presence of Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island in the contested waters.

“The government has been warned two years ago, but [the] President and his cohorts only downplayed the incidents. Not once did the President take seriously the issue of China taking away our territory and abusing our fishermen and soldiers,” Alejano said in a statement.

“As I have said before, China will continue to assert control in the Pag-asa Island sandbars despite the ‘friendly’ relations that the administration is trying to foster,” Alejano said.

“The sandbars are critical to China’s claim on the Subi Reef. If China seizes Sandy Cay, they will be able to claim Subi Reef as part of the territorial sea of Sandy Cay.”

protection of elections, privacy and data portability.

Facebook has drawn fire over all four, from hate speech on the platform and the recent live streaming of attacks on mosques in New Zealand, to its use in foreign efforts to meddle in elections and concerns over its collection of personal user data.

Addressing protection of user privacy, Zuckerberg said he would support more countries adopting rules in line with the European Union’s sweeping General Data Protection Regulation, which gives regulators sweeping powers to sanction organizations which fail to adhere to heightened standards of security when processing personal data.

“I believe it would be good for the internet if more countries adopted regulation such as GDPR as a common framework,” Zuckerberg wrote, also calling for regulation to guarantee data portability between services.

On harmful content, Zuckerberg said he agreed with lawmakers who have argued that “we have too much power over speech,” saying that “third-party bodies” could set standards on distribution of harmful material and “measure companies against those standards.”

And on elections, Zuckerberg noted that existing laws are focused on candidates and elections instead of “divisive political issues where we’ve seen more attempted interference,” urging legislation to be updated to “reflect the reality of the threats.”

“The rules governing the internet allowed a generation of entrepreneurs to build services that changed the world and created a lot of value in people’s lives,” Zuckerberg wrote.

“It’s time to update these rules to define clear responsibilities for people, companies and governments going forward.”

AFP

trucks chugging down the dirt track from the nearest town—an hour away—are all logged, in case they potentially skew the readings.

Clean air economy While the world’s most polluted cities struggle to attract talent or manage chronic illnesses, residents around Cape Grim have made a virtue of their relatively pristine environment.

Local beef is marketed with links to scientific papers on air quality, the number of wind farms has increased, and tourism is a growing sector.

Mike Buckby, a “rain farmer” from the Cape Grim Water Co. has taken things to another level, harvesting water falling “from Earth’s purest skies.”

“Most waters of the world are spring waters,” he explains as he looks out over a system of tarps, sluices and reservoirs set back from the coast.

“The rain that comes off the Great Southern Ocean, that’s what we depend on,” Buckby said, adding that his remarkably sweet-tasting water is little more than H2O and trace amounts of sodium picked up from the sea.

“It will have a little bit of sodium but it’s very neutral and it’s very soft,” he said. “In normal spring water, you’ll have high magnesium, you’ll have some natural-

ly occurring nitrates, phosphorus, potassium.”

Buckby says the monitoring station and the clean air it measures have helped local produce stand out in a competitive market.

“This probably wouldn’t work without the monitoring station at Cape Grim,” he admitted.

“Yes, we sell the romance,” he said, adding: “But look, there’s 43 years of data that says this is the cleanest mix of air in the world.”

Changing planet But even Cape Grim is not immune to rising levels of pollution.

When the wind blows from the north— coming from Melbourne or Sydney—it is possible to pick up the chemical signature of individual factories in operation that day.

The facility has detected a rise in ozone depleting gases originating from as far away as China, Cleland explained.

Even the cleanest air from the southwest is changing rapidly.

“You can see over the last 2,000 years that Co2 levels in particular—but all of the major greenhouse gases—were at a fairly steady level,” he said.

Ice cores show that Co2 was around about 275 parts per million for most of the last million years. AFP

By Rio N. Araja

H

OUSE Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo recently met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to address the pressing issues in the world.

From A1

“PDEA and DOJ can do parallel investigations if PDEA is willing to share its initial intelligence information with us at this time,” he said.

The PDEA admitted last week that its narco-list includes 10 prosecutors and 13 judges, but did not release their names pending verification and further validation of their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Aquino aired frustration that their efforts are wasted with the dismissal of cases they have filed.

However, he said that the judges and prosecutors on the list are not yet a priority as they are focusing their validation

Defense...

From A1

He made the statement even as an analyst warned Sunday the Chinese vessels that had been circling Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea were part of the intimidation tactics meant to give Beijing control of the strategic waterway.

The Philippine military on Friday expressed alarm at the presence of some 600 Chinese vessels near the sandbar.

“They have been a critical part of Chinese intimidation around the Senkaku Islands in the South China Sea,” said retired US Navy captain Carl Schuster, former director of the US Pacific Command’s joint intelligence center.

In a report by ABS-CBN News, AFP Western Command chief Elpidio Factor said “the foreign vessels monitored in Pag-asa Island were all Chinese fishing vessels deployed in the vicinity of the sandbar.”

“These vessels are considered Chinese maritime militia and are occasionally complemented by Chinese Coast Guard

Zuckerberg:...

From A1

Facebook and other internet giants have long resisted government intervention, but the leading social network has reversed course amid growing calls for regulation, in an apparent bid to help steer the debate.

“I believe we need a more active role for governments and regulators,” Zuckerberg wrote in an op-ed published in The Washington Post.

“By updating the rules for the internet, we can preserve what’s best about it— the freedom for people to express themselves and for entrepreneurs to build new things—while also protecting society from broader harms,” he said.

Zuckerberg argues that new regulations are needed in four areas: harmful content,

Global...

From A1

With panoramic views of swaying tussock grass and the vast crystalline expanse of the Southern Ocean, Tasmania’s beautiful Cape Grim peninsula is an unlikely reference point for the scientific world.

But since 1976, this wild and blustery spot has been home to the Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station—a small Australian government facility with the seemingly eccentric task of bottling air.

“Our job is essentially to find air as clean as you’re likely to find anywhere in the world and measure just how polluted it is,” Sam Cleland, the officer in charge of the station, told AFP. Looking out from his office atop the high sea cliffs, the nearest landmass to the west is Argentina, and there is nothing to the south except Antarctica.

The facility’s isolated location makes it perfect for collecting what many have dubbed the cleanest air in the world— what air would be like without choking exhaust fumes or industrial smoke.

When the wind blows from the southwest, Cleland and his team capture a sample using finely tuned instruments.

Their kit is so sensitive that delivery

of the BFA Annual Conference 2019.

During the meeting, Arroyo cited China’s leadership in promoting “Globalization V.2” or the Belt and Road Initiative aimed to foster cooperation and development.

She praised the Chinese leadership’s implementation of Deng Xiaoping’s socialism with Chinese characteristics, saying China’s remarkable growth particularly in the past two decades showed the world that no development model could be applied universally, and that the diversity of historical conditions would determine the development paths that countries could choose.

‘Reds...

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of our government, and then what?

Ask for donations,” said Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., chief-of-staff for civili-military operations.

“This is a pattern they have established. A fake ‘bakwit’ to ask EU funding. A fake advocacy to Save Our Schools and ask for more funding. Kill IPs and attribute it to government then ask for support to HR Watch,” he added.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, meanwhile, told EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles De Kerchove that the Belgian government, through different nongovernment organizations, has indirectly and unwittingly partnered with NGOs that act as a legal front for the CPP-NPA. These Belgian NGOs include the SOLIDAGRO and Viva Salud and KIYO. SOLIDAGRO has partnered with Philippine NGOs Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV); IBON Foundation (IBON); Karapatan; Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc. (MISFI); Salugpungan Ta’tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Center Inc. (Salugpungan/ STTICL; and, the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP).

The Viva Salud, on the other hand, has partnered with the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW); Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU); Gabriela, IBON Foundation and ALCADEV. Lastly, KIYO has direct links with Gabriela, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), and Karapatan.

Parlade said RMP and the IBON Foundation partnered in the publication of subversive books being used

by IP children in the Salugpungan and ALCADEV schools, which are teaching IP children to become child warriors, the military said.

“We have to expose this because it is so unfair to the other lay workers and sisters whom we in AFP, PNP [Philippine National Police] and government partner with for our value formation and moral reforms,” he added.

These entities, he said, cannot continue to hide under the cloak of the church, of whatever faith, and then provide funds to the NPAs, and other CPP front organizations like Karapatan, Gabriela, ACT, KMU, Anakbayan, LFS, and Bayan.

Majority of these organizations are members of the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS), which is also chaired by CPP founder Jose Maria Sison. PNA

Angat...

From A1

to the companies that fail to comply with distribution agreements.

“We need to add a provision imposing clear-cut penalties for the concessionaires who fail to comply with the concession agreement,” said Sulong Dignidad president and first nominee Rico Paolo Quicho.

In a resolution dated March 28, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System ordered its Regulatory Office to study the imposition of penalties on Manila Water Co. Inc. when it failed to provide water 24 hours a day to customers.

David said they communicated with the National Irrigation Authority about the reduced allocation of water for irrigation, and it agreed.

“They [NIA] said it would still meet their needs, David said.

He said Angat Dam’s water level was at 193 meters, which is normal. But they were continuing to reserve more water to make sure there would be no water shortage in the next months.

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MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FVR lauds Rody, MWSS for decisive action Monsoon rain S Duterte likely despite El Niño, says weather bureau THE weather bureau has confirmed that the northeast monsoon is over for most parts of the country with the dry season having set in.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration stated on its website that “the extreme Northern Luzon may still experience occasional northeast monsoon.’’

“With this development, the dayto-day weather across the country will gradually become warmer, though isolated thunderstorms are also likely to occur,” according to the PAGASA website.

PAGASA said that the coming months will experience prolonged dry spell and hotter air temperatures due to the El Niño affecting wide areas of the country.

So far, El Niño has impacted on many areas in Mindanao and Visayas, with crop losses amounting to P3 billion so far, according to the Agriculture department.

At least 18 provinces are facing the threat of drought owing to El Niño, according to PAGASA. Weathermen urged the public “to take precautionary measures to minimize heat stress and optimize the daily use of water for personal and domestic consumption.”

They ruled out the occurrence of tropical storms in the Philippine area of responsibility within the next three days due to the dry weather, although the northeast monsoon could bring light to moderate rain in Nothern Luzon.

Rio Araja

TRESSING that Metro Manila’s water supply system was in much worse shape in the 1990s than today, former President Fidel V. Ramos lauded the Duterte administration and the current Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System officials for addressing with dispatch the water shortage problem and for decisively putting on track major water supply projects for sustainable water security.

Ramos made the statement following a courtesy call by MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco— FVR’s first Special Action Force commander and veteran EDSA 1 and 2 hero including quelling coup attempts against President Cory Aquino—who briefed the former chief executive on the various executive actions undertaken by MWSS to solve the water shortage that affected consumers in the east zone concession area of Manila Water.

“Always be two steps ahead and strategic in running the water agency.

I am confident that you can do the job better like a professional soldier who has won many battles in the field,” Ramos counseled the MWSS chief who in turn said “I will never fail you Sir and President Duterte.”

Admitting that the MWSS is on a catch-up mode due to the failures of past leadership to develop new water sources, Velasco also discussed with FVR the short-term, medium-term and long-term water sources projects as well as the progress on the 600 million liters a day, P12.2-billion Kaliwa Dam under China official development assistance; the 500 MLD new Wawa Dam proposed by business tycoon Enrique Razon and Oscar Violago in partnership with Manila Water; the 1,850 MLD “ABC Projects” as well asthe 350 Laguna Bay projects by Maynilad and Manila Water.

Angat Dam which supplies 96 percent of Metro Manila’s water

seen enacting budget into law this week

By Rio n. Araja

March celebrators. Former President Fidel V. Ramos and MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco hold a ’Happy Birthday’ fan poster of FVR and President Rodrigo Duterte at the RPDEV Foundation in Makati. Both Philippine Presidents were born in March: FVR observed his 91st birthday last March 18 while President Duterte celebrated his 74th birthday on March 28. The MWSS chief visited FVR to brief the former chief executive on the actions undertaken by MWSS to solve the water shortage as well as the various water supply sources projects now in the pipeline for water security. supply with 4,000 MLD was built in 1967.

The water privatization in Metro Manila began in 1994 with then President Fidel Ramos instructing officials to solve the water crisis in Manila by engaging with the private sector.

Until August 1997, water services in the Metropolitan Manila were ran by MWSS that was saddled with myriad problems: 1) US$880-million debt; 2) non-revenue water equivalent to 69 percent; 3) antiquated infrastructure such as pipes and distribution systems; 4) inability to provide water to onethird of the households or 53 percent coverage; and, those connected to the service had an intermittent supply of 17 hours a day on the average, according to the MWSS. Under the concession agreement, Metro Manila was divided into two areas: the east zone ran by Manila Water Co., Inc. with 1,600 MLD allocation and the west zone, ran by Maynilad Water Services Inc.—formed initially

by Benpress (Philippines) and Ondeo

Water, a Suez subsidiary (France), until it was taken over by Manny Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments in 2007 with 2,400 MLD allocation.

According to Velasco, 22 years after the Public Private Partnership was started, water coverage is now 98 percent in non-revene water was reduced dramatically from a high of 63 percent to 11 percent by Manila Water and less than 30 percent by Maynilad.

Velasco who along with his fellow Board of Trustees only assumed office in February 2017 reported that MWSS is back in the black as dividend remittance to the national government from 2017 to 2018 was unprecedented with P232.63M remitted in 2017 and P611.07 M in 2018, the highest remittance made by MWSS to the national government in its history.

MWSS also settled a long-standing dispute with the Department of Finance regarding “Equity vs. Loans Payable to the JBIC Loan” issue by paying the total subject amount of P2.089 billion to the national coffers in 2018. PNA

ZAMBALES Rep. Cherry DelosoMontalla on Sunday said President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to sign into law the proposed 2019 P3.757-trillion national budget anytime this week.

Montalla said the House leadership has informed lawmakers that the President would sign this year’s budget in the coming week.

“Our budget? We have long been waiting for it. There was an advice that anytime soon, the President will really sign it,” she added.

On March 26, the Senate and House of Representatives transmitted to Malacañang the budget plan after they both signed the ratified bicameral conference committee.

“We at the lower house, we will [always] support the decision of our leaders,” she said.

The Zambales legislator gave her constituents the assurance that funds for their districts have already been set in place regardless of when the 2019 national budget would be enacted.

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro described as fake news Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte’s allegations that the House leadership took away P92.3 billion from the 2019 national budget and distributed them to favored members of the House of Representatives.

“I can say with authority that Representative Villafuerte is peddling fake news. I pity my good friend LRay, but I understand where he is coming from. He is one of the former House leaders who stood to gain billions in projects had we not corrected the inequities in the National Expenditure Program,” Castro said.

Villafuerte, for his part, said “the funds that were originally allocated to my district represented funds for programs under the National Expenditure Program, which is the annual budget plan approved and submitted by President Duterte to the Congress.”

Enrile vows to protect consumers FORMER Senate President and returning senatorial candidate Juan Ponce Enrile vowed to scrutinize “watered down” laws to protect consumers and thereby drive down the high prices of goods that continue to burden Filipinos.

“I am against monopolies. I am against cartelization,” the four-term senator said in an interview.

As the first legislator to introduce the anti-trust law in the Philippines, Enrile said he had already pushed for consumer protection in his previous Senate term.

“That is why I filed an anti-trust law. I drafted it myself, combining the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and the Clayton Act and all the anti-trust, antimonopoly laws of the United States.

I improved on what the United States has,” Enrile shared.

Enrile cited that what is now known as Republic Act No. 10667 or the Philippine Competition Act is a “watered down” version of his original

proposal.

“Now, it cannot work. We have to go back and refine the law. I will review that again to see whether it is effective as a protection for the consumers of the country,” Enrile said, adding: “I am going to see to it that the consumers are protected.”

Among the industries which he plans to focus on are electricity and telecommunications, two sectors which he had already scrutinized in his previous terms as senator and Senate president.

“We have to review the cost of electricity especially the cost of generation,” Enrile shared.

The lawmaker also hit at the “very inefficient and very inexpensive” telecommunications system which continues to burden Filipinos with slow speeds and high subscription costs.

“We will have to exercise legislative power [to address these problems]. [We can do that through] inquiries in aid of legislation,” Enrile pointed out.

EARTH HOUR. Children display candles on recycled plastic bottles shaped like flowers beside art displays made by senior

high school students as they take part in the annual Earth Hour at the SM City Masinag in Antipolo City on Saturday night. Manny Palmero

PH, US, Australia join war games in Luzon provinces AT LEAST 7,550 Filipino, American and Australian troops will be participating in this year’s “Balikatan” exercises which will formally start April 1 and end on the 12th.

This was disclosed by Philippine “Balikatan” public affairs officer, Lt. Cmdr. Liezl M. Vidallon, in an interview

with reporters Sunday.

Vidallon said the number of participants can be broken down into 4,000 personnel for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 3,500 on the United States side and 50 from the Australian Defense Force.

Vidallon added that the Australian participation is possible as exercises are

multilateral for this year.

Exercise venues will be in Northern and Southern Luzon.

The “Balikatan” 2019 aims to enhance the inter-operability of participating forces aside from highlighting longstanding military relations between the Philippines and the US. PNA

JUICY OFFERINGS. A fruit dealer arranges tropical fruits on makeshift stall inside

Manila’s old ‘Walled City’ of Intramuros. Brisk demand has sent fruit prices rising. Ey Acasio

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Another stupid measure JUST before Congress went on a break, the Lower House approved on third reading, a bill that two lawmakers— ACT Teacher Rep. Antonio Tinio and Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento— had filed.

The bill is called "Minimum Overtaking of Cyclists Distance Act,” which, according to them, is intended to make cycling safer throughout the country. It mandates a minimum overtaking distance of 1.5 meters between a motor vehicle and a bicycle or its operator.

The measure provides that the driver of a motor vehicle overtaking and passing a bicycle that is traveling in the same direction shall maintain a mini-

The authors of this bill claim they want to ensure the safety of cyclists. mum overtaking distance of 1.5 meters between any part of the motor vehicle and any part of the bicycle or its cyclist.

For its implementation, the bill also mandates the Metro Manila Development Authority, Philippine National Police, local government units and other concerned government agencies and instrumentalities to be responsible for the enforcement of the foregoing provisions and shall render such assistance as may be required by the Department of Transportation-Land Transportation Office, the lead agency identified to implement the proposed law.

There is of course a corresponding

penalty for violators: P5,000 fine for the first offense; P10,000 fine for the second offense; P15,000 fine and suspension of driver’s license for three months for the third offense; and P20,000 fine and revocation of driver’s license for the fourth offense. The DOTr may raise these penalties every five years.

Tinio, one of the authors, justified his bill by saying that mandating a minimum overtaking distance is one way of protecting cyclists and other road users.

It will also encourage more people to take up cycling, whether for commuting, exercise, or leisure.

Due to lack or absence of cyclingfriendly infrastructure throughout the country, he said, cyclists are forced to journey side-by-side with motor vehicles, exposing them daily to the risk of serious or fatal accidents.

Now, the question is: From what planet did these lawmakers, especially the authors of this bill, come from?

With Congress holding session from Monday to Wednesday, I’m pretty sure they share the experience of encountering these cycylist and motorcycle riders along Commonwealth Avenue with other motorist en route to their offices in Batasan Pambansa.

And unless they are sleeping inside their cars as their drivers traverse the length of the Commonwealth Avenue.

Otherwise, they would have seen for themselves what lane these cyclist and riders are fond of taking—the inner lane of the road or the fast lane.

By logic, the inner lane, being the fast lane, should be the territory of the faster moving vehicles. But then, public utility vehicles, buses, jeepneys, and vans have seemingly adopted the outermost lane as their own, using every part of it as their terminal, these cyclist and riders, end even tricycles, have laid claim to the inner lane for their use instead.

Now, are these lawmakers aware that

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

T

MWSS should act fast

HE current water shortage in Metro Manila will not simply go away even if the rainy season comes in late June or early July. The rainy season will provide a respite but the shortage will reemerge every year during the dry season, unless the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System finds a new source of raw water to augment the supply from Angat and Ipo Dam in Norzagaray in Bulacan province.

The MWSS is mainly to be blamed for the water crisis.

The agency dilly-dallied for too long in identifying the next major source of raw water. It is doing the same now despite several offers from the private sector and the hardship being suffered by residents in Metro Manila and nearby towns.

The MWSS should be decisive in dealing with the problem at hand, instead of clinging to one prospective project that is taking forever to implement. Businessman Enrique Razon Jr., for one, offered a

practical solution to the water crisis. His company, Prime Metroline Infrastructure Holdings Inc., plans to develop the Wawa catchment area in Rodriguez, Rizal as a source of more than 500 million liters of potable water per day.

The old gravity Wawa Dam, built in 1909 during the American occupation of the Philippines, had provided the water needs of Manila. It was the only source of water for the metropolis until the construction of Angat Dam in 1968.

Wawa was abandoned as a wa-

ter source in the same year.

Mr. Razon was forthright in his offer. He says the Wawa option is not an immediate fix, but rather a medium-to-long-term solution.

He says the project is one of the fastest and most sustainable ways to solve the current water crisis, adding that if the government does not act now, the shortage will be a recurring problem.

Water experts have long cited Wawa as the best potential water supply source for Metro Manila. The dam is close to Metro Manila and is relatively easy to develop, unlike large-scale reservoirs that can submerge several barangays, displace people and sow unrest.

The MWSS, perhaps, should delegate the responsibility of developing other sources of raw water to the private sector to speed things up. The agency's inaction in the past has worsened the problem.

Turn to A5

Transactional politics

IN THE heyday of logging, Butuan City was called the “timber capital” of the country. This began in the ’50s until the late ’70s during martial law. By the ’90s, there was very little timber stand left, which until now, the illegal loggers feast upon.

Money came easy for a few loggers, whether native-born like the Plazas, Sanchezes and the Calos, or the migrants from Sorsogon, such as the Aquino brothers, from Panay and elsewhere.

The sawmill business, where logs that were deemed unacceptable to Japanese buyers were sawn for the domestic market was in the hands of mostly Chinoy businessmen who came from all over the country, though their ancestors were mostly Fujian-born.

Many poor migrants from the Visayas came to the then-undivided Agusan to work either in the logging firms or the sawmills. The Spanish-descended Don Luis Fernandez put up Nasipit Lumber and then Philippine Wallboard which cut logs in the highlands of Agusan centered in Tungao, and processed the same logs transported via the Agusan River in Nasipit by the bay.

The instant millionaires next engaged in politics, which was their lifeline for the national government to give them more logging areas, then called “concessions” dispensed by the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (later divided into two departments) called “timber license agreements.”

These millionaires, together with their other Mindanao counterparts from Davao, Surigao, Lanao and Bukidnon were the “toast of Ginza,” spreading cheer among the geishas of Tokyo because they spent money like it was going out of fashion. So did they populate the nightspots of then Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas), which operated 24/7, with a “day” club for politicians who had to go home to their families by nightfall.

Back in the mid-’50s, a logger-politician started the practice of buying votes at P10 to P20 apiece (big money at the time the national minimum wage was P120 a month), and won easily as

mayor of Butuan City.

The politicians took to transactional politics, elevating the practice to an art since then.

By the ’60s, the individual votebuying cost a hundred pesos or more.

Nowadays, it goes to multiples approaching even a thousand per vote.

By the ’90s, Mindanao, particularly the logging enclaves where vote-buying started, exported the “trade” to all over the country. First the poorer regions like Samar and Bicol; nowadays there is hardly a province or city where the practice hasn’t become customary.

Politicians buy their way to power, and spend the next three years to first, recover their expenses, and second, “make hay” for the next election where another round of vote-buying is neces-

How about getting paid for not running?

sary.

How do they recover and prepare for the next election?

Corruption, stupid.

The Local Government Code, which gave substantial IRAs or internal revenue allotments to local government units, while well-intentioned in the spirit of autonomy, has become the biggest source for mayors and governors who spread the gravy to their councilors and barangay chieftains.

For congressmen, the source came from the General Appropriations Act, by way of the so-called pork barrel.

From the ’90s to the present, politics has become a business enterprise for mayors and governors who have control of the IRA which they utilize for “projects” from which commissions are generated, or better still, they and their families are themselves the “contractors” for these projects.

Meanwhile the “pork” gets fatter and fatter. From some 50 million apiece during the time of Cory, the barrel has become laden with hundreds of millions apiece (multiply that by close to 300 and 24 minus one—Ping Lacson).

The “wiser” and the more powerfully ensconced in both chambers get a couple of billions, even more, apiece.

Turn to A5

Asia’s pollution exodus: Firms struggle to woo top talent

By Catherine Lai and Ruchika Chitravanshi FROM smog breaks to pollution bonuses, Asia's businesses are promising increasingly inventive perks in a desperate bid to lure executives to a region where toxic air engulfs major cities for much of the year.

Health concerns are putting off those initially attracted by Asia's growing economic opportunities, experts warn, so firms are struggling to recruit—and retain—people with the expertise they need.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, some 92 percent

of people in the Asia-Pacific region are exposed to levels of air pollution that pose a significant risk to health.

This means that on top of large salaries, businesses are having to offer extra incentives.

These include paying for smog breaks every few months, or allowing non-traditional working arrangements so people can commute from less polluted areas, says Lee Quane, Asia director for consultancy ECA International.

At "a location with a higher level of pollution, you're likely to see us recom-

mend allowances of anywhere between 10 to 20 percent of the person's base salary," he says.

This estimate, derived from a rating system his firm uses to help companies decide appropriate financial compensation for relocation, would also incorporate factors such as crime rates and access to services, he adds.

Other provisions employees could expect for moving to a highly polluted area include better insulated apartments, air purifiers for home and office, breathing Turn to A5

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Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Quality governance needs quality leaders OUR Constitution states that a senator should be “a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least 35 years of age on the day of the election, able to read and write, a registered voter, and a resident of the Philippines for not less than two years immediately preceding the day of the election” (Section 3, Article VI).

The same qualifications go for a congressman but with a younger age limit of 25 years (Section 6, Article VI). If you meet these qualifications, you can file your candidacy for the Senate or the House of Representatives. No reference to competencies, educational training, experience, track record or character, requirements that are basic to any job application even to the lowest positions of public service.

Less than two months before the 2019 elections, that circus known as the campaign period is truly upon us. Like all midterm polls, this one will no doubt serve as a referendum of sorts for the sitting administration, and in this case that includes the unique firebrand politics and populist tendencies that Duterte continues to represent. All signs indicate, at least for now, that the message this election will send out is an affirmative one.

A recent Pulse Asia survey showed eight officially endorsed candidates by administration ruling parties will make the cut if elections were held today. This puts to rest, at least provisionally, the question of whether the President still enjoys some measure of influence in the political landscape; the incumbent typically begins to surrender some of his or her political influence at this time, when he or she is pejoratively branded a “lame duck.” Clearly, for one reason or another, that is not the case with Duterte.

Most illustrative of this is the case of none other than former Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, whose main claim to fame is literally his physical association with the President in disseminated photographs and who surged from the sixth to the 12 brackets in the

January edition of the survey to the third to fifth bracket in February. Here is a senatorial aspirant whose only political capital is Duterte himself, and by virtue of that alone it had virtually guaranteed him a Senate seat, something that even the scions of political dynasties are fighting tooth and nail to get.

To a certain extent this should come as no surprise. The President continues to buck the odds and enjoy high approval and trust ratings way beyond the typical honeymoon period and despite the plethora of controversies that would have obliterated the standing of a less charismatic president.

Needless to say, this hardly bodes

Voters should see beyond the fiery rhetoric, the simplistic allure of populist policies and entertaining campaign sorties. well for the Senate, which many see today as the last bastion of checking a broadly powerful Malacañang. That Duterte’s endorsements can rake in votes for a candidate sends a dangerous message, as it rewards, as early as now, kowtowing to the powers that be instead of providing the necessary oversight and critique, which is the hallmark of a healthy democracy.

It is possible that voters may lose sight of the main functions of a senator, which include creating and reviewing laws and investigating issues in aid of legislation.

Loyalty to the sitting president figures nowhere in this set of tasks. Otherwise, a Senate filled with grateful administration allies reduces the chamber to a mere rubber stamp, the senators as puppets, the gateway to authoritarianism.

The responsibility thus rests on the voters, to see beyond the fiery rhetoric, the simplistic allure of populist policies and entertaining campaign sorties. The

quality of governance that we will see depends on the names that we will select in May. A Social Weather Stations survey commissioned by independent think tank Stratbase ADR Institute revealed that the top quality that Filipino voters look for in a senatorial candidate is someone who “will not be corrupt,” with 25 percent of the respondents answering so. This is followed by “concern for the poor” (22 percent) and “good personal characteristics” (21 percent).

While hardly surprising, these findings sharply contradict the names that currently occupy the top 12 or so spots in the surveys, which includes people who have been charged with plunder, who have blatantly launched a massive premature campaign, who have led the government’s bloody war on drugs, and who has continued to deny the well-documented plunder of the nation’s coffers by her late dictator father.

It’s clear then for many voters it is easy to be beguiled by either celebrity status or a ringing endorsement from an idolized political figure, in the process losing track of what elections are all about—finding the right people for the job, finding quality leaders for quality governance.

If the elections are in essence a job application process, foremost in the criteria ought to be qualifications. Does he have the skills necessary to do the job?

Will he be able to effectively debate on complex issues en route to crafting effective laws? What are his intentions in running? Who does he intend to serve when he assumes office? Does his closeness with the president compromise his loyalty to the public? Does he have a track record of integrity and honesty in his field of endeavor? Has he shown accountability for his actions?

It’s important to remember that government officials, be they senators or mayors or congressmen, represent the will of the people. The elections take place as a means of providing legitimacy to such representation. Thus, if we elect leaders who are morally rotten, patently unqualified, and who will serve the president more than the public, their ascent to office speaks also about our quality and decisions as citizens.

Mail Matters

Metro Pacific does not own Probe Data Processing and Research Services WE WRITE in relation to the news article entitled “Estrada on top of PDPRS poll for Manila mayor” published on your website and print on March 27, 2019.

The story claims that a certain organization called Probe Data Processing and Research Services is “a data and research company under the Metro Pacific umbrella.”

Transactional...

From A4

Naturally, since politics has become big business, and the Constitution limits terms of office, the business has to be passed on as hereditary “titles” to wife, son or daughter.

Dynasties perpetuate themselves.

But nowadays, there is another transactional permutation to vote-buying, which of course means buying councilor-candidates, or barangay leaders, or the individual voters.

These days, dynasts buy their rivals.

“Huwag ka na lang tumakbo. Gagasta ka pa…eto, pwede na ba 100 million?”

No substantive rival; sure win; no

Another...

From A4

1.5 meters is almost the same width as a car? And that mandating a minimum of 1.5 meters distance between a motor vehicle and a cyclist or rider, is tantamount to designating that particular lane to the cyclists or riders?

So if the cyclist or rider prefers to use the inner lane, the four-wheeled vehicle would be relegated to the outer lane or the slower lanes. And this would only result to much heavier traffic on the road.

And since it is the cyclist and the rider who prefer what lane to use even as there has already been a designated lane for riders, heeding the 1.5 meters minimum distance would resort to chaos on the roads as drivers of four-wheeled vehicles would be left to the mercy of these cyclists and riders.

Please be informed that Metro Pacific Investments Corporation does not own any company or organization with the name Probe Data Processing and Research Services.

RICARDO M. PILARES III VP-Legal/Compliance Officer Metro Pacific Investments Corporation

need to spend hundreds of millions.

A powerful Cabinet secretary in a previous administration needed to be congressman. He bought the potential rival who was the political hotshot in the district, for 30 million cash, plus a seat in a termed commission which his president accommodated. The Cabinet member won sin contra and sat in the HoR for three terms.

Scan the provinces, cities and municipalities where local elections will be held come May, and note how many incumbents are without opponents.

Of course, some incumbents or their families have become so entrenched either because they have served their constituents well or they have too much money, or both, so they are “sure win-

ners” and rivals see the contest as a nowin proposition.

Might as well concede at the very start, save money, or better yet, “sell” the prospective candidacy to one’s rival.

But now that the local campaign has started, the problem of senatorial candidates in provinces or cities which are “non contendre” is that voters might not have enough interest to go to the polls come May 13.

Tatamarin na, since his mayor or governor has no opponent anyway.

Thus the no-contest local elections could turn into a bane for the administration’s senatorial candidates, whether PDP or Hugpong, not that it would benefit the opposition either.

Expect low voter turn-out come the 13th of May.

If the proponents of the measure are really after the safety of these cyclists and riders, then they should file a bill mandating the construction of a fenced bicycle and motorcycle lane. If it is not possible, they should ensure traffic enforcers would strictly enforce the loading and unloading zone, abolish all illegal terminals so that these cyclists and riders would never be bothered by PUV drivers as they tread the outermost lane of the road.

An incident involving a motorcycle rider and his wife and that of another car should have enlightened the lawmakers on the implications of a slow-moving vehicle taking on the fast lane.

If we are to analyze the video, the motorcycle was navigating on the middle lane, which is a relatively faster lane.

However, the car, a fast-moving black Honda if I remember, caught up with him. In street parlance, “nabitin yung Honda dahil mabagal yung motor.”

That apparently pissed off the driver of the car and he sideswiped the motorcycle, resulting in the serious injury of its driver and the death of his backrider.

I’m not siding with the driver of the car. Let him rot in hell for all I care.

While a slow-moving vehicle has no business traversing that relatively fast lane, he should have never resorted to that kind of retaliatory action. he can never bring back the life of the rider’s wife, no matter how much he apologizes.

But the issue there is if there were enforcers around that time to ensure what vehicle should use a particular lane, that incident could have been avoided. Unfortunately, it seems traffic enforcers also are not aware of the use of the inner and outer lanes.

Maybe they should be reoriented on the basic traffic rules, etiquette and courtesy. But better still, let’s start with those lawmakers.

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Environmentalism’s danger EARTH Hour came and went. Media were filled with headlines about the coming end of the world because of climate change. However, a graver danger faces us. The danger is not from global warming, pollution, plastic, or the logging of rain forests, as environmentalists would have us believe. The danger to us is from environmentalism itself.

The fundamental goal of environmentalism is not clean air and clean water; rather, it is the demolition of technological/industrial civilization.

Environmentalism’s goal is not the advancement of human health, human happiness, and human life; rather, it is a subhuman world where “nature” is worshipped like the temple of some primitive religion.

Environmentalists have made “development” an evil word. They inhibit or prohibit the development of offshore drilling, oil and gas, nuclear power—and every other practical form of energy. Housing, business, and jobs are sacrificed to endangered animals.

Medical research is sacrificed to the “rights” of mice. Logging is sacrificed to the “rights” of trees. No instance of the progress that brought us out of the cave is safe from the onslaught of those “protecting” the environment from us, whom they consider as rapists and despoilers by our very essence.

Nature, they insist, has “intrinsic value,” to be revered for its own sake, irrespective of any benefit to us. As a consequence, we are to be prohibited from using nature for our own ends. Since nature supposedly has value and goodness in itself, any human action that changes the environment is necessarily immoral.

Of course, environmentalists invoke the doctrine of intrinsic value not against wolves that eat sheep or beavers that gnaw trees; they invoke it only against us, only when we want something.

The ideal world of environmentalism is not 21st century Western civilization; it is the Garden of Eden, a world with no human intervention in nature, a world without innovation or change, a world without effort, a world where survival is somehow guaranteed, a world where we have mystically merged with the “environment.” Had the environmentalist mentality prevailed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, we would have had no Industrial Revolution, a situation that consistent environmentalists would cheer—at least those few who might have managed to survive without the lifesaving benefits of modern science and technology.

The expressed goal of environmentalism is to prevent us from changing our environment, from intruding on nature.

Asia’s...

From A4

masks, and regular medical check-ups.

"If you look at the cost associated with even those smaller things... you’re probably looking at a minimum cost, on an annual basis, of maybe US$5,000 to $10,000 a year," Quane said, with location allowances an additional expense.

Lower caliber employees In 2014, Panasonic confirmed that it offered a "pollution premium" for those working for the company in China, while media reports revealed Coca Cola was offering an environmental hardship allowance of around 15 percent for employees moving there.

China has since taken measures to improve its air quality, but Beijing— along with other key urban centres in South Asia including New Delhi—routinely exceeds World Health Organization safe limits for air pollution.

As a result, these places are seeing a "reduction in calibre" of employees, Quane warns, arguing that firms are forced to opt for people who are less qualified.

Patrick Behar-Courtois, who ran an organisational behaviour consulting firm in Shanghai for more than a decade, agrees. He says "generous financial offers" were not enough to offset the pollution concerns of the highly skilled people he wanted to recruit.

"I basically had to revise my hiring policies and look for people locally, so obviously it means that I got profiles that were less experienced and I had to spend more time training them," he says.

Executives with families are often unwilling to put their children's health at risk however attractive the job offer.

World Health Organization experts have repeatedly warned the very young are particularly vulnerable to air pollution and could face a lifetime of illness because of it.

Eddy Tiftik built his career in China and held a senior position at one of the

That is why environmentalism is fundamentally anti-human. Intrusion is necessary for human survival. Only by intrusion can we avoid pestilence and famine.

Only by intrusion can we control our lives and project long-range goals. Intrusion improves the environment, if by “environment” one means our surroundings—the external material conditions of human life. Intrusion is a requirement of human nature. But in the environmentalists’ paean to “Nature,” human nature

We need to return to a philosophy of reason and individualism, a philosophy that makes life on earth possible. is omitted. For environmentalism, the “natural” world is a world without us. We have no legitimate needs, but trees, rivers, and bacteria somehow do.

They don’t mean it? Heed the words of the consistent environmentalists.

“The ending of the human epoch on Earth,” writes philosopher Paul Taylor in Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics, “would most likely be greeted with a hearty ‘Good riddance!'” In a glowing review of Bill McKibben’s The End of Nature, biologist David M. Graber writes: “Human happiness [is] not as important as a wild and healthy planet… Until such time as Homo sapiens should decide to rejoin nature, some of us can only hope for the right virus to come along.” Such is the naked essence of environmentalism: It mourns the death of one whale or tree but actually welcomes the death of billions of people. A more malevolent, human-hating philosophy is unimaginable.

The guiding principle of environmentalism is self-sacrifice, the sacrifice of longer lives, healthier lives, more prosperous lives, more enjoyable lives—the sacrifice of human lives. But we, as individuals are not born in servitude. We have a moral right to live our own lives for our own sakes. We have no duty to sacrifice it to the needs of others and certainly not to the “needs” of the nonhuman.

To save us from environmentalism, what’s needed is not the appeasing, compromising approach of those who urge a “balance” between our needs and the “needs” of the environment. To save us requires the wholesale rejection of environmentalism as hatred of science, technology, progress, and human life. To save us requires the return to a philosophy of reason and individualism, a philosophy that makes life on earth possible. eric.jurado@gmail.com

world's largest real-estate developers, but felt he had to leave for his family's wellbeing.

His then-five-year-old son was constantly unwell with asthma because of Beijing's very high levels of pollution.

"He literally would spend three weeks out of a month going back and forth from the hospital," Tiftik tells AFP. Children at risk India has one of the world's fastest growing economies, making it an appealing career option, but it is also home to seven of the most polluted cities, according to a recent report by Greenpeace and IQ Air Visual.

"All senior executives want to have India experience on their CVs. There is however, a fear of pollution related health issues," says Atul Vohra, managing partner of Transearch, a global recruitment firm.

Such concerns are not just an issue for expats, he says, adding that Indians are also turning down work in areas of the country with severe smog.

For many the rewards are simply not worth the risks.

Behar-Courtois recently left Shanghai, which has seen its air quality deteriorate in the past few years, after his wife developed thyroid issues he believes are linked to the smog.

"In the last three to five years, I've seen a lot of people, especially with kids, who basically chose to put an end to their career here and move," he reveals.

He now works as a professor in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai, where the air is cleaner.

Tiftik says his son's symptoms abruptly stopped after the family moved to Bangkok, which has air quality problems of its own, but are fall less severe than Beijing.

He would consider leaving the continent altogether if pollution worsens, he says, even though his Mandarin skills give him an edge in the Asian market.

He adds: "Although my career is very important, my family’s health is more important." AFP.

News

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 A6 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Aboitiz subsidiary releases 115 turtle hatchlings

BACK TO WHERE THEY BELONG. A total of 115 sea turtle hatchlings made their way to the sea on March 29, 2019 from the shoreline of a coal-fired power plant. TSI named this batch of sea turtle hatchlings ‘Team Stingray’ after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s son, whose birthday is on the same day the turtles were released.

DAR distributes 562 ha. of land

By Rio N. Araja

A

T LEAST 457 farmer-beneficiaries have benefited from the distribution of certificates of land ownership award covering 562 hectares of land in Roxas City, the Department of Agrarian Reform said on Sunday.

Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones said he, along with Undersecretary for Support Services Emily Padilla and Regional Director Stephen Leonidas, awarded to

new agrarian reform beneficiaries 549 land titles in Roxas City and in the municipalities of Panay, Pilar, Maayon, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Cuartero, Dao, Dumalag, Sigma,

Tapaz, Dumarao, Mambusao, and Jamindan.

After the distribution of the land titles, Castriciones also led the turnover of 14 farm trucks to 12 cooperatives under the agrarian reform community connectivity and economic support services program.

The DAR chief encouraged the farmers to make the best use out of their newly titled lands by establishing or join-

Pimentel seeks to ban trash importation

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Aquilino Pimentel III has filed a bill seeking to ban the importation of solid waste into the country, saying the Philippines is not a dumping site of more advanced nations.

Pimentel lamented the Philippines is "well in the path" of being known as a country in the "global waste trade" as evidenced by two incidents of trash dumping in 2017 and 2018.

Senate Bill No. 2144 proposes to ban the importation of trash even by recyclers located in Special Economic Zones.

Under the bill, any entity or person who imports any solid waste or otherwise use, treat or process the same in

violation of the act, faces imprisonment of 12 years and one day to 20 years depending upon the discretion of the court.

In case the offender is a foreigner, he or she shall be deported and barred from any subsequent entry into the Philippines.

In the event the offender is a corporation, association or other entities, the penalty shall be imposed upon the managing partner, prewsident or chief executive officer, in addition to the payment of an exemplary damage of at least P500,000.

If it is a foreign entity, the director and all its responsible officers shall be barred from entry to the Philippines, in addition to the cancellation of its license

to do business in the Philippines.

Pimentel also said that if the offender is a government official or employee, the penalties of automatic dismissal from office and permanent disqualification from holding any elective or appointive position shall be imposed, in addition to the penalties provided in the act.

A person or a firm responsible for or connected with the unlawful importation of solid waste shall have the obligation to send back to the port of origin the prohibited wastes.

"It is our Constitutional duty and inter-generational responsibility to protect and advance the right of the people to a balance and healthful ecology," Pimentel said.

JOINT EFFORT.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año spearhead the simultaneous cleanup of Metro Manila's esteros and waterways flowing into Manila Bay. Norman Cruz

LTO assures motorcyle riders will be consulted in crafting IRR A TRANSPORT official has assured motorcycle riders the implementing rules and regulations of a law requiring bigger motorcycle number plates will undergo public consultation.

Land Transportation Office chief Edgar Galvante made the assurance following criticisms from motorcycle riders who opposed the newly signed Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act. “To those who have concerns over the implementation of this law, especially riders, just think—what can you do to help? If you show a good example of following the law, others will be encouraged to do the same,” Galvez said.

“We just want to reiterate, in crafting the IRR of this law, we will ask about your experiences, your knowledge, so that you can suggest how we can make the implementation of this law more effective,” he added.

Last week, thousands of mo-

torcycle riders staged a unity ride along Edsa in Quezon City and other parts of the country to protest the requirement for bigger license plates.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan said aside from preventing crimes, the new law will also help protect motorcycle riders from road activities.

“We have to act on all of these deaths. We have these plates that are visible‚—it’s for your own protection,” Ablan said.

The new law mandates the LTO to produce bigger number plates that are readable from the front, back, and side of the motorcycle from a distance of at least 15 meters.

Law enforcers can apprehend motorcycle riders and seize their vehicles if it does not have the proper number plate. The motorcycle's owner can only retrieve it after complying with the requirement. PNA

Malacañang hits ‘hallucinating’ lawyer

Adamson’s BS in Commerce Batch ‘92 sets reunion on April 14 THE Genesis group of Adamson University’s Bachelor of Science in Commerce Batch ‘92 will be having a reunion party on April 14, 2019 (Sunday), 11 a.m. at the Century Park Hotel in Malate, Manila The event, spearheaded by Class President Lenra Gurango, will be hosted by Grace Panganiban and Mar-

ing an agrarian reformbeneficiaries organization.

"Support services are not given individually. It is important that you join cooperatives group yourselves into one so that you can readily avail of more aide from the government,” Castriciones said.

He advised the farmers not to sell or pawn their farm lots or convert them for other uses to ensure food security.

A TOTAL of 115 sea turtle hatchlings have made their way to the sea on Friday from the shoreline of a coal-fired power plant, no less.

Since December 2018, three pawikan or sea turtle nests were discovered along the coast of Aboitiz Power subsidiary Therma South, Inc. The first nest was found on December 14 and the second on Feb. 23 this year.

Since the discovery of the nests, TSI has worked with various groups, including the team from the group’s pawikan conservatory in Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, to ensure that the nests inside are wellprotected and well-cared for.

The sea turtle hatchlings released on March 29 emerged from an undiscovered third nest along the shore of the coal-fired power plant.

TSI named this batch of sea turtle hatchlings “Team Stingray” after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s son, whose birthday falls on the same day the hatchlings returned to the sea.

"This occurrence reinforces the diversity of our marine ecosystem in the city. Having a coal-fired power plant playing host to these hatchlings makes this event even more interesting,” Duterte-Carpio said.

“The hatching of the pawikans has been an eye-opening experience. It is a small indicator that our environmental stewardship efforts are bearing fruit. The presence of these endangered creatures inside the plant is proof of sustainable environmental conditions resulting from the steps we have taken to operate our power plants responsibly,” said Danel Aboitiz, president and Chief Operating Officer of the Aboitiz Power-Coal Business Unit.

Sea turtles come back to the place where they hatch through their magnetic imprinting. When the released hatchlings grow up, they may come back to the area to lay new nests and repeat the cycle.

Because of this, TSI plans to engage the community and experts to ensure that the shorelines remain pristine and conducive for pawikan nesting in the years to come.

vin Valencia. All members of this class are invited to join. Century Park Hotel 2016 and 2017 Inter Nuwhrain singing contests champion Cesar Cenit will grace the occasion For other details, please contact Millie Fajardo 09214507381 and Joel Senar 09297330071

MALACAÑANG on Sunday described Jude Sabio, the lawyer who filed acommunication before the International Criminal Court accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of committing crimes against humanity, as “hallucinating” after the former claimed he was being harassed by the administration.

Sabio, in a television interview, claimed he was in a “self-imposed hiding” after a Trece Martires court ordered his arrest for deficiency in his Mandatory Continuing Legal Education.

He also claimed there is a “very serious threat” to his life after he went to The Hague to lodge his complaint.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, denied a warrant of arrest for deficiency in MCLE exists.

“He is hallucinating and just wants to publicize himself. There is no such animal as a warrant of arrest for a deficiency in the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education,” Panelo said.

“I suggest you check the arrest warrant, it must be in connection with a criminal case filed against him and not due deficiency in the MCLE,” he added.

In 2018, Sabio filed his certificate of candidacy to run but the Commission on Elections declared him as a nuisance candidate. PNA

Sports

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MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Chicano tops TRI-Factor Duathlon tilt

HARDEN POWERS ROCKETS AGAIN.

James Harden of the Houston Rockets shoots the ball against the Sacramento Kings at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Harden’s 50-point triple-double powered the Rockets to a 119-108 NBA victory. AFP

Batangas regains home-court, blasts exec THE management of Batangas City Athletics-Tanduay went up in arms after losing home-court advantage on the heels of its team’s latest win over the Zamboanga-Family’s Brand Sardines late Saturday night and had to wait until the wee hours before heaving a sigh of relief.

Through the intercession of MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and the approval of league founder and chief executive officer Senator Manny Pacquiao, Batangas City was able to regain the home-court advantage and thwarted the plans of Zaldy Realubit, the league operations’, head, to change the schedule at the last minute.

In a statement, Batangas City Athletics management expressed their displeasure on how Realubit “unprofessionally” handled the situation.

The league executive, according to team manager Gerry Tee, left without addressing the issue concerning Batangas City’s protest of his decision to change the schedule at the last minute.

Commissioner Duremdes stayed on and resolved the issue and got an approval from Senator Pacquiao to give the Athletics the home-court advantage due them.

“Very unprofessional,” said Tee, who had to call up Realubit to get his explanation as to why the schedule was changed. “The home-court advantage is very sacred to us and there’s no way we’re going to give it come hell or high water.”

Assistant team manager Jean Alabanza added that there was an initial schedule sent to them last March 26, which stated that Game 3 of the door-die match in the north division will be played on Monday in Bataan, while Game 3 of the south division will be held on Tuesday in Batangas City.

“Ever since, Senator Pacquiao was telling all of us that the MPBL should be patterned after the NBA. How come you will put the other series in the northern division. Eh ‘di nawala ‘yung home-court advantage namin? Hindi excuse’ yung sinasabi niyang ‘para makatipid.’ Bayad na ‘yan kasama sa block time paanong para makatipid?

That’s a lame excuse,” added Tee. Tee said that although they now regained the home-court advantage as an incentive for finishing second in the south division against the No. 6 seed Zamboanga team, he still has apprehensions, citing the connection between Realubit and Bai Cristobal, who is now team consultant of their rival squad.

“Realubit was the one who brought in Cristobal, who became the technical head until early this season,” added Tee. “He still has his influence on the referees who are officiating there. For the sake of delicadeza, Realubit should inhibit himself from making decisions as far as technicality issues are concerned. As for Bai Cristobal, he should not be in any way, be given a chance to become an official of the MPBL because of his track record.

Malit lang ang mundo ng basketball and alam na alam namin ‘yan.”

Mavs’ forward Porzingis accused of rape in NY N

EW YORK—Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis is being investigated in New York after being accused of raping a woman last year, the New York Post reported on Saturday.

The Post, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, said the woman told police this week about the alleged assault in February of 2018, saying she didn’t come forward sooner because she had discussed getting $68,000 from Porzingis to keep quiet.

The Post said that the accuser was considered “believable” despite waiting more than 13 months to report the incident.

Porzingis’ attorney, Roland Riopelle, issued a statement to ESPN in the wake of the Post report denying the accusation.

“We are aware of the complaint that was made against Mr. Porzingis on Friday and unequivocally deny the allegations,” Riopelle said. “We made a formal referral to federal law enforcement on December 20th, 2018, based on the accuser’s extortionate demands.

“We also alerted the National Basketball Association months ago, and they are aware of the ongoing investigation of the accuser by federal law enforcement.”

Latvia’s Porzingis, 23, was traded to

the Dallas Mavericks on January 31. Mavs owner Mark Cuban told the Post in an email that the club was aware of the accusation.

“We have been instructed by federal authorities not to comment,” Cuban told The Post.

According to the Post, the woman accusing Porzingis was a neighbor who says he invited to his apartment on February 7, 2018.

The newspaper said the woman told police that after she entered the 7-foot3-inch p l a y e r ’s home he held her down and raped her.

Hours ea rl ie r, Por z i n-

gis had suffered a torn knee ligament while playing for the Knicks.

Porzingis didn’t play for the Knicks again, and has yet to make his debut for the Mavericks as he continues his injury recover y.

AFP

HARD work, dedication and strategies paid off for John Chicano and Phoebe Kee as they topped the inaugural TRIFactor Asian Series Run-Bike-Run 2019 National Duathlon Championship held this past Sunday in Clark.

For the Elite Male (Standard Distance 10 Km run – 40 Km bike – 5 Km run) title, Chicano led all the way from run 1 with no letup in the grueling 40km bike and to cross the finish line in 1 hour, 58 minutes and 24 seconds almost a minute ahead of surging Emmanuel Commendador (1:59:21) and Singapore’s mien Mau Lim (1:59:33).

Among the ladies in the event organized by TRI-Factor Philippines and co-presented by Clark Development Corporation, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the Triathlon Association of the Philippines and supported by Cignaland and Oakley, Kee of Singapore coasted to a surprisingly easy victory, clocking 2:20:53. She defeated former junior champion Jelsie Sabado and national standout Mirasol Abad, who finished 2nd and 3rd timing 2:22:15 and 2:25:06, respectively.

Other Standard Distance champions declared were Chrissa Borja and Carl Gutierrez (20-29), Jayline Balatibat and Dan Concepcion, jr. (30-39), Martes Christabel and Rene Tayag (40-49) and Jojo Macalintal (Male 50-above).

The Sprint Distance (5 Km run – 20 Km bike – 2.5 Km run) champions, meanwhile, were Mary Joy Trupa and Kim Remolino (Elite), Angelo Quitlong and Erika Nicole Burgos (16-19), Celina Constantino and Reymart Songco (2029), Noelle Frances De Guzman and Stephen Zarate (30-39), Jonalyn Unlayao and Alexander Luterio (40-49).

Super Sprint Distance (2.5 Km run – 10 Km bike – 2.5 Km run) champions were Moira Erediano and Matthew Hermosa (19-below), Jena Valdez (Female 20-above), Ryan Laurino (20-29), and Marc Dela Cruz (30-39).

For complete race results, visit https://trifactor.ph.

Coco Martin...

From A1 Kristaps Porzingis

proud owner of not one, not two, but 11 motorcycles.

Of the 11 bikes, he has a current favorite, which he says provides both comfort and an adrenaline rush.

He also treasures his very first bike, given to him by no less than actress Dawn Zulueta.

Coco says that whenever he gets the chance, he rides his bike to the countryside to relax his mind from the stress of work.

“Masarap po sa pakiramdam ‘yung mag-bike ka at magpunta sa mga lugar na tahimik para makapag-relax,” he said.

Being a responsible biker

SOLAIRE PH OPEN.

Solaire Resort and Casino executive vice president for Casino Marketing Cyrus Sherafat (second from right) and NGAP sec-gen Bones Floro (third from right) hold the Solaire Philippine Open logo during the launch of the 101st staging of Asia’s oldest National Open, set April 3-6 at The Country Club, at Solaire’s Waterside Restobar recently. With them are (from left) Solaire president and COO Thomas Arasi, local pros Jhonnel Ababa and Jobim Carlos, and organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. general manager Colo Ventosa.

Coco admits that he was a reckless driver when he started and has had a few accidents.

“Bata pa kasi ako nu’n, so medyo reckless ako magmaneho at sumemplang na din ako ng ilang beses,” he said.

Over the years, he realized the importance of being a responsible biker by undergoing proper safety training.

He added: “Base sa mga kamalian ko noon, naisip ko nga na kailangan mo talagang dumaan sa training, kasi hindi basta-basta ang paggamit ng motor. Maaring sa isang iglap may mangyari sa iyo na hindi maganda, kaya better talaga na mag-training ka, para maiwasan ‘yung mga aksidente.”

Part of being a responsible owner, Coco said, is making sure that your motorcycle is well-maintained and in tip-top condition.

“Siyempre, iniingatan ko ‘yung mga motor ko. Unang-una, ‘yung maintenance hindi dapat pinapabayaan. Shell Advance ang lagi kong ginagamit na langis para mapanatili kong malinis at malakas ang makina ng mga motor ko,” Coco said.

Riviera victory boosts Pagunsan’s Philippine Open campaign JUVIC Pagunsan will have all the motivation, not to mention momentum, when he sets out for the elusive Solaire Philippine Open crown against a stellar international field starting Wednesday (April 3) at The Country Club in Laguna.

By dominating the ICTSI Riviera Challenge in his very first Philippine Golf Tour Asia foray last Saturday, Pagunsan will be bringing in some cloak of invincibility to the $500,000 event whose composition remains as talent-

laden as ever despite the withdrawal of last year’s champion Miguel Tabuena.

“This (win) is a big boost heading to the Phl Open,” said the soft-spoken Pagunsan after beating fellow Japan PGA Tour campaigner and former Phl Open champ Angelo Que by seven at Riviera.

Without the injured Tabuena, observers note Pagunsan will have one less chief rival in his pursuit for a first ever Open diadem although Que will be there to shoot for a second champion-

ship along with the other local top guns and the rest of the cast that incudes some of the leading players from Australia, the US, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Colombia, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Indonesia, India, England and Canada.

In short, Pagunsan will still be in for a tough challenge with the TCC layout also to provide a true test of golf with its length, hazards and sleek putting surface with the wind also expected to come into play in all four days.

‘Winning your National Open again is always special,” said Que, hinting at a strong performance for the power-hitting shotmaker following a number of mediocre finish after reigning at Wack Wack in 2008.

Reigning Philippine Golf Tour Order of Meit winner Jobim Carlos and former OOM champion Clyde Mondilla, meanwhile, will seek redemption in the fabled event sponsored by Solaire Resort & Casino for the third straight year after missing the cut last week.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

PBA holds Homecourt in Pangasinan CALASIAO, Pangasinan—The Philippine Basketball Association held its first-ever ‘Homecourt’ during the All-Star weekend on Saturday with no less than fivetime Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo leading the way.

Residents of Barangays Longos and Ambonao got the thrill of their lives when Fajardo visited their places in the company of San Miguel Beer teammate Marcio Lassiter, Magnolia’s Jio Jalalon, and TnT Katropa’s Roger Pogoy, accompanied by Commissioner Willie Marcial.

The visit was even made more special as no less than PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas joined the group along with Alliances of Boxing Association of the Philippines secretary general Ed Picson and Cignal TV Inc. VP for Channels and Content Sienna Olaso.

PBA stickers were later posted on the basketball boards of both the Longos Elementary School and Ambonao Elementary School, respectively. The league also donated gallons of Rain or Shine paints for the beautification of the two playing courts.

Fans were later given a five-minute timeframe to have their photos taken with the players or sign autographs and paraphernalia.

It’s the first time the league held the ‘Homecourt’ program during the AllStar weekend.

After welcoming members of the North and South teams over lunch, the group proceeded to fulfill its Corporate Social Responsibility program later in the afternoon.

The North team was assigned to visit patients at the Region 1 Medical Center with Pozzorubio native Mark Pingris of Magnolia serving as the group’s spokesperson.

The South All-Stars meanwhile, went to the Heaven For Boys Orphanage where the group later had a feeding session in cooperation with the Alagang Kapatid Foundation.

Best Center summer sked is on THE BEST Center summer schedule begins today (April 1) at different venues in Metro Manila.

Basketball clinics, according to Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training (Best) Center founder Nic Jorge will fire off the activities at the Goodwill 2 Subd. Multi-purpose Hall in San Antonio (morning sessions) and at the International Christian Academy (afternoon sessions), both in Paranaque.

Volleyball clinics are also set at the International Christian Academy and at the Starmall Alabang.

On April 2, Starmall Alabang will start its basketball clinics sponsored by Milo and backed

by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ. On the same day, a volleyball clinic fires off at the Guadalupe Minor Seminary in Edsa, Makati.

For details, contact BEST Center at tel. nos. 411-6260 and 372-3065/66, Facebook bestcentersposrtsinc or email bestcentger. inquirymail.com.

PBA CARES.

Jayson Castro of the TNT KaTropa and a patient of the Region 1 Medical Center take a selfie as part of the PBA All-Star event’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program of bringing cheer to the league’s fans.

Weightlifters to get priority drug testing

By Peter Atencio

L

IFTERS, who have won medals in previous editions of the Southeast Asian Games weightlifting competitions, will be among those who will be tested for banned substances during the 30th SEA Games.

Dr. Alexander Pineda, head of the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization, said this as the Philippine Sports Commission started efforts to set up dope-testing programs and protocols for the biennial meet.

“We are having target testing depending on the risk categories, including weightlifting. Kasama iyan,” said Pineda.

Pineda talked about this after Thailand, which was rocked by a doping scandal, made plans to voluntarily ban their athletes from joining international weight-

lifting meets in the next two years.

And this could include the coming SEA Games, where Thailand is seen as one of the Philippines’ top rivals.

Talks on the anti-doping program for the SEA Games came at the end of the PHINADO’s one-day seminar and training program on Therapeutic Use Exemption, with Southeast Asia Region Anti-Doping Organization at the Philippine International Convention Center.

“Malawak ang events, kasi there are 56 sports. Kasamang matutukan ang

Farr, Belgira pump track champions

By Paul David L. Gelario

mga medallists,” added Pineda.

One of the seminar’s speakers in Dr. Marion Rivera will be part of doping testing, along Dr. Chin Sim Teoh of Singapore.

An anti-doping committee formed for the SEA Games, to be led by Pineda, will have two thrusts—control, and awareness and education.

Dr. Chin also spoke during the seminar, aimed at educating coaches, doctors, sports psychologist, nutritionists and sports administrators of the principles of granting exemptions to athletes, who have used banned substances which are in the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Pineda said there will be exemptions for athletes, who have tested positive if they are under medication, with allergies and with specific medical conditions.

WACK WACK ACE WINNER.

Jaime Panganiban receives a symbolic key from CATS Motors president Felix Ang tfor a a Mercedes-Benz C180D car he won as a holein-one prize (Hole No. 8 West course) in the 30th Bill Shaw Golf Classic held at Wack Wack recently.

Also in photo are the Club Board headed by president Lawrence Tan.

JERICH Farr and Lea Denise Belgira were crowned back-to-back champions of the Manila Qualifier of Red Bull Pump Track World Championship held at the Circulo Verde, in Quezon City recently.

Farr’s time of 31.67 seconds narrowly escaped Oscar Acdol Jr.’s 32.89 seconds in the finals to win the men’s category, while Belgira’s time of 35.83 outlasted the Singapore-raised Natasha Nadiah’s 39.96 seconds to win the women’s category .

Both Farr and Belgira will receive an all-expense paid trip to the World Final to be held either in the U.S. or Switzerland.

The close gap in the finals between Farr’s and Acdol’s finish time had the former admitting that this year’s championship was more competitive.

“Sobrang pressured ako. Lalo na ‘yung makita ko ‘yung mga kalaban ko na for sure bumilis,” Farr said.

“Lalo na po noong finals. Kung anuano na ‘yung pumapasok sa isip ko, pero I worked my way through it.”

Belgira shared the same viewpoint that the competition has indeed attracted more competent bikers. “’Yung mga kalaban namin magagaling po talaga,” she said.

Farr dedicated his victory to his parents for continuously supporting his passion, which sometimes sacrifices his education.

“Mahirap po sa isang magulang or sa isang family member na tanggapin ‘yung sport na ganito. Especially ‘yung igi-give-up ‘yung school. Sobrang thankful po ako sa kanila dahil nagtiwala po sila sa akin.”

At the conclusion of the event, Farr and Belgira shared their thoughts once again in the World Final.

“Last year sa U.S., sobrang galing po ng mga riders doon, lumabas po na parang beginner lang ako pagdating doon.

Hopefully, this year makapag-prepare ako ng mas mabuti at sana mag-up ng konti ‘yung game ko,” Farr said.

Coco Martin bares his “Biker” side

Coco Martin: Responsible biker

WILDLY popular for his long-running action TV series “Ang Probinsyano” and his acting skill that has earned him local and international recognition, Coco Martin admits that aside from his family and his craft, one thing that gives him pure joy is riding his motorcycle.

Whenever possible, Coco would be seen riding a motorcycle in his films or in TV dramas.

“Kung mapapansin niyo, lagi akong gumagamit ng motorsiklo pag gumagawa ako ng mga pelikula at soap opera kasi isa ‘yun sa mga trademark ko at isa

‘yun sa mga passion ko kaya pinapakita ko ‘to sa mga pelikula,” Coco said.

He started riding at the age of 16 when he worked as a tricycle driver to have money for school. Not one to hide his modest roots, Coco admits that he used to drive his lola’s tricycle at night until the wee hours of the morning so he could have “baon” for school.

“Bata pa lang po ako, ito na ang ikinabubuhay ng aming pamilya. Ang lolo ko ay jeepney driver at ang tatay ko po ay ganu’n din. Ang lola ko naman ay may tricycle na pamasada. Noong matuto akong mag-motor, ipinasada ko na ang tricycle

ng lola ko pangtulong sa pamilya, at pambaon ko sa eskuwela,” said Coco.

That started his love for motorcycles so much so that when he started earning, initially from doing indie films, his thoughts turned to making the future for his family which was why he bought three tricycles and a brand new jeepney for his father to continue the family business.

His passion for motorcycles

Coco’s passion for motorcycle continued through the years and he is now the Turn to A7

IN BRIEF More firms hiring in Q2—BSP survey THE employment outlook for the second quarter remains bright as more firms expressed their intention to hire more workers, results of the latest Business Expectations Survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

The survey showed the employment outlook index for the next quarter increased to 29.7 percent from 21.8 percent in the last quarter’s survey.

“This indicates that the number of firms with hiring intentions increased relative to a quarter ago,” said the Bangko Sentral.

But the percentage of businesses with expansion plans in the industry sector for the second quarter of 2019 declined to 33.2 percent from 36 percent in the previous quarter.

Earlier, the survey said the outlook of businesses on the economy improved in the first quarter this year compared twith the last quarter of 2018 as they expect more business activities during the start of the campaign period for the forthcoming midterm elections.

The businesses’ overall confidence index rose to 35.2 percent from 27.2 percent for fourth quarter of 2018, after declining for four consecutive quarters.

Julito G. Rada

Finance says PH will not fall into debt trap FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III again reassured the public that the Philippines will not fall into a “debt trap” to any country as the government expands its infrastructure investments through concessional loan financing from its development partners.

In a speech before members of the Rotary International District 3800 during their district conference Friday at the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel in Mandaluyong City, Dominguez said none of the pipeline projects funded with official development assistance from countries like Japan and China allowed the appropriation or takeover of domestic assets in the event of a failure to pay, which would never happen.

He said the government’s borrowing program remained “very conservative in the sense that we only borrow to invest in projects that will generate economic gains which are greater than the borrowing cost.” Julito G. Rada

Business Cavite eyeing P200-b bonds for new airport T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Cavite provincial government plans to issue P200 billion worth of bonds to raise funds for the proposed international airport in Sangley Point and meet the Transportation Department’s deadline to resolve its financial issue.

“We’re looking towards a bond float to start everything out with the province as one of the initiators of the bond float. We are looking towards a local consortium,” Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Catibayan Remulla said.

“Initially, we’re looking at P200 billion. It should be enough,” he said.

The Cavite provincial government’s planned bond float came after the National Economic Development Authority

returned its unsolicited proposal over the alleged unclear implementing arrangement for the project.

“We are pursuing all avenues possible to make the airport push through,” Remulla said.

He said, however, the Cavite provincial government might not meet the June 2019 deadline set by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on the submission on the new unsolicited proposal for Sang-

ley international airport.

“I’m not sure. We are doing everything right now to be able to comply with the requirement and we have to respect the secretary,” Remulla said.

“We cannot just submit something that is not thoroughly vetted out. You have to really prepare properly and the first thing that comes to mind is the financial framework necessary for this to happen,” he said.

Remulla, who will be leaving his office

by June 30, claims his successor would definitely push through with Sangley airport.

Remulla’s brother Jonvic Remulla is running for governor of Cavite and will face former governor Erineo Maliksi.

The Cavite provincial government submitted to Neda the full feasibility study for the project on Dec. 17, 2018. Sangley International Airport is expected to cost more than P500 billion.

PEMC assesses WESM operations PHILIPPINE Electricity Market Corp., the governing body of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, is conducting readiness assessment for the implementation of the enhanced WESM design and operations in Luzon and Visayas and in Mindanao starting April.

The PEMC audit committee has engaged Sapere Research Group Ltd. to help in the assessment. PEMC monitors the compliance of market participants with the WESM market rules.

The WESM is the country trading floor of electricity. It is a centralized venue for buyers and sellers that trade electricity as a commodity where prices are based on actual use (demand) and availability (supply).

The assessment aims will determine the readiness of the market operator, specifically the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, system operator, metering services providers, market participants (generators and customers) and PEMC for the implementation of the enhanced WESM design and operations in Luzon and Visayas and Mindanao. Alena Mae S. Flores

NEW HYDROPOWER PLANT. Ormin Power Inc. chairman Jolly Ting (second from left) briefs guests during the inauguration of the P2.4-billion Inabasan hydropower plant in Oriental Mindoro on March 23, 2019. With Ting are (from left) Calapan City Mayor Arnan Panaligan, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Oriental Mindoro Second District Rep. Ray Umali.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

B1

BSP sees March inflation falling to as low as 3.1%

By Julito G. Rada THE Sentral ng Pilipinas said over the weekend inflation rate in March likely eased to as low as 3.1 percent from 3.8 percent in February, pulled down by lower prices of rice and other agricultural products.

The BSP Department of Economic Research said the March 2019 inflation was expected to settle within a range of 3.1 percent to 3.9 percent.

“Higher domestic oil prices and upward adjustment in electricity rates, provide upside price pressures to inflation for the month,” the regulator said in a statement.

“These may be partly offset by lower prices of rice and other agricultural commodities due to the arrival of imports,” it said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is scheduled to release the March inflation data on April 5.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said earlier the March inflation likely decelerated from 3.8 percent in February, enough to hit a three-month average that is within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

Inflation in February eased to a oneyear low of 3.8 percent from 4.4 percent in January, on slower increases in the prices of key commodities such as food and beverage.

The February print brought the average inflation in the first two months to 4.1 percent, near the upper limit of the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year. It was the slowest inflation in a year since it was recorded at 3.8 percent in the same month of 2018.

“Slowdown in inflation remained to be primarily attributed to the slower annual increase in the index of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.7 percent,” the PSA said in a statement.

The Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, kept the benchmark interest rates steady amid the slowdown in the inflation rate in its meeting on March 21.

Bangko Sentral Governor Benjamin Diokno said the board maintained the policy rate at 4.75 percent. The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were also held steady.

Housing prices increased by 2.9% PSALM to collect P12.5b from power consumers in 2018—Bangko Sentral survey By Alena Mae S. Flores

By Julito G. Rada HOUSING prices rose 0.5 percent yearon-year in the fourth quarter, driven by strong demand for townhouses and condominium units, a study by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows.

The BSP said in a statement the residential real estate price index increased to 118.0 in the fourth quarter from 117.4 for the same quarter a year ago.

“Year-on-year prices of townhouses and condominium units grew by 11.4 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, prices of single detached housing units declined by 1.9 percent,” it said.

Prices of duplex units which accounted for only 0.37 percent of total new housing units in the quarter also decreased by 3.7 percent from a year ago.

The BSP said that for the whole of 2018, residential property prices grew 2.9

percent from the previous year.

The RREPI measures the average change in the prices of various types of housing units, which are comprised of single detached houses, duplexes, townhouses and condominium units, based on data from housing loans granted by universal, commercial and thrift banks.

By area, the average residential property prices in the National Capital Region increased 1.6 percent, while those in the provinces declined by 0.8 percent. In NCR, the rise in prices of single detached houses and townhouses more than offset the decline in prices of duplexes and steady prices of condominium units.

Data showed that in areas outside the NCR, the decline in prices of single detached houses outweighed the increase in prices of duplexes, townhouses and condominium units.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission allowed Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. to recover P12.477 billion from consumers to pay for the stranded debt of state-run National Power Corp.

The amount will translate into a power rate increase of P0.0163 per kilowatthour. The universal charge-stranded debt rate would rise from P0.0265 per kWh to P0.0428 per kWh. “Accordingly, all distribution utilities and the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines are hereby directed to collect the amount of P0.0428 per kWh [replacing the existing UC-SD rate of P0.0265 per kWh] from the consumers starting the next billing period,” the ERC said.

It said the UC-SD would be remitted to PSALM, the agency mandated to manage the assets and liabilities of Napocor, on or before the 15th day of the succeeding month until the stranded

debt true-up for 2011 and 2012 was fully recovered.

The Electric Power Industry Reform Act defines stranded debt as “any unpaid financial obligations of the National Power Corp. which have not been liquidated by the proceeds from the sales and privatization of Napocor assets.”

ERC also directed PSALM to create a special trust fund for the UC-SD and submit quarterly remittance reports and disbursements from the fund.

ERC acted on the motion for reconsideration filed by PSALM seeking to reinstate its total fuel and purchased power costs for 2011 and 2012 which was previously rejected by the regulator.

PSALM said it did not agree with the decision of the ERC which excluded fuel and purchased power costs associated with sales from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.

“The commission approves the reinstatement of fuel and PPC to the ex-

tent of P12.477 billion only, computed as the difference between the previous disallowance and the recomputed disallowance,” ERC said.

The P12.477 billion approved recovery amounted was lower than the P16.8 billion sought by PSALM. ERC earlier allowed PSALM to recover from consumers P24.198 billion from the UC-SD covering 2011 and 2012 excluding the fuel and purchased power costs for the WESM. The collection was spread over a nine-year period from July 2017 with a rate of P0.0265 per kWh which remains the UC-SD rate currently paid by consumers today.

PSALM said it continued to incur stranded debt and stranded contract cost because the proceeds from the privatization of Napocor and independent power producer generation assets were not enough to pay its contractual obligations with the eligible IPPs and lending institutions.

120 international hotels set to invest P23b in PH

By Othel V. Campos MORE than 100 international hotel chains are expected to invest over P23 billion in the Philippines in the next three years, according to the Philippine Franchise Association.

“Based on our estimates, there will be additional of at least 23,000 new rooms in the next three years. These will be more of the international hotel chain franchises. About 120 hotels will be built in the next three years,” Philippine Franchise Association chairman emeritus Samie Lim said over the weekend at the sidelines of the Franchise Asia Philippines 2019.

Lim said the big players in the hotel industry such as the Europe-

an Mercure Hotel chain were keen on expanding in the Philippines.

American hotel brands such as Madison, Marriott and Hilton were also expanding in the country, he said.

Asian hotel brands are also coming in, such as the popular capsule hotels in Japan.

Lim said of the cities in Metro Manila, Quezon City would likely host a big percentage of hotel expansion projects.

He said other tourism destinations in the Philippines were experiencing a “rebirth” of hotels as the industry expects more hoteliers to flock to Baguio, Cebu, Bohol and Clark.

Mactan in Cebu will be developed as a prime tourist destination which explains the big inter-

est of investors to build hotels in the city, Lim said.

“Laoag seems to be a laggard.

We try to get them to catch up.

There are too many opportunities available for this city,” he said.

Lim said the hotel industry could have another 23,000 to 40,000 new rooms over the next three years.

He said the hotel expansion in provincial megacities was an effect of the creation of more international and local airports as gateways to the country’s tourism destinations.

“Right now, 68 percent of hotels in the Philippines are familyor corporation-owned. In three years, foreign hotels will dominate the hotel industry with at least 65-percent share,” Lim said.

PORT EFFICIENCY. Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. adds four reach stackers to ensure efficient port operations and optimize container yard space of the Subic port terminal. The reach stacker, which can lift, shift and stack empty containers, will augment port—ability to securely and efficiently pile containers to optimize container yard space. SBITC is one of the leading port operators in the world which leverages on fast, reliable and cost-efficient system. It is the container port operator of the Subic Freeport Area in Subic, Zambales and serves the industries in Northern and Central Luzon.

B2

Business

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market eyes inflation, trade talks S

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected to move sideways this week on global growth worries.

Analysts said the market was facing strong resistance at the 8,000-point level on concerns about the US-China trade negotiations.

Investors at the start the second quarter are also expected to focus on the release of the March inflation rate figure this week.

The general consensus is the March inflation rate will be at 3.5 percent given the slower trend in consumer prices. But online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia said the market was anticipating a spike in inflation rate from April to June because of

election-related spending.

The damage to crops due to drought and the continued increase in fuel prices could also push the inflation rate higher in the coming months.

“Adjustments are also anticipated post-election or until 2019’s fiscal budget clearance is granted that would jumpstart infra-based construction initiatives,” 2TradeAsia said.

Investors are expected to position on stocks that will benefit from electionrelation spending, especially consumerrelated issues.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index ended the first quarter of 2019 at 7,920.93, up 6.1 percent year-to-date.

Except for the mining and oil and financials, all other sectoral indices posted yearto-date increases, led by property (+13.44 percent), services (+5.92 percent), industrial (+7.02 percent) and holding firms

(+4.83 percent).

Foreign investors were net buyers during the first quarter of the year at P32.6 billion.

The average daily value traded during the first quarter of the year stood at P8 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were SOCResources Inc., which jumped 40 percent to P1.05; International Container Terminal Services Inc., which advanced 5.3 percent to P130.70; and San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc., which rose 4.8 percent to P108 apiece.

The weekly top price losers, meanwhile, were PXP Energy Corp., which slumped 13 percent to P1.13; GT Capital Holdings Inc., which dropped 10.4 percent to P931.50; and Manila Water Co Inc., which fell 6.5 percent to P23.05.

Global stocks rallied Friday on optimism over US-China trade talks, while the pound fell further as Britain veered closer

to a potential “no deal” Brexit.

Bourses rose in the US and in major European and Asian centers, concluding the first quarter with a flourish.

Friday’s session was bolstered by upbeat comments from Trump administration officials following the latest round of trade negotiations in Beijing.

US and Chinese negotiators are working to find a binding agreement to address President Donald Trump’s complaints about years of unfair treatment of US companies by China, which would allow a rollback of the tariffs hitting businesses in both countries.

The White House reported “progress” in what it termed “candid and constructive discussions,” saying that the next round of talks will be held in the US capital on April 3.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the latest round yielded “new progress,” without elaborating. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

MARCH 25-29, 2019 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

58.65 133.80 84.20 2.28 1.31 26.85 19 12.16 4.27 7.84 0.69 1.4 785.00 0.445 79.9 0.93 13.8 21.45 57.00 57.8 110.1 198 26.7 173 1800.00 60.85 1.13

49,230 8,110,450 7,934,140 144,000 395,000 533,600 89,100 1,764,100 137,000 1,500 33,611,000 20,000 620 990,000 6,944,790 2,208,000 102,800 8,400 2,339,530 4,020 110 7,690 144,000 2,055,770 60 69,530 14,000

FINANCIAL 2,874,972.50 1,074,447,256.00 671,564,574.00 320,570.00 528,380.00 14,426,195.00 1,695,186.00 21,686,840.00 570,430.00 12,543.00 21,174,430.00 28,000.00 495,500.00 448,650.00 553,881,420.50 2,163,770.00 1,405,906.00 179,230.00 136,377,454.00 233,917.50 12,478.00 1,492,148.00 3,831,130.00 350,060,080.00 27,475.00 4,220,936.00 15,870.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Chemphil Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

Liberty Flour LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

35.4 14.88 0.95 1.47 0.244 97.75 15.28 2.62 15.64 118.9 29.35 75 87 43.2 1.9 5.51 6.24 11.240 16 9.21 7.38 1.64 21.8 79.25 29.05 2.4200 10.22 12.5 1.740 317.00 53.00 4.05 3.5 10.60 23.05 13.8 21.5 0.202 380.00 5.97 1.41 4.15 6.49 9.07 1.44 12.22 49.4 5.75 4.78 1.72 2.55 1.33 12 108 6.85 0.128 1.01 152 2.6 1.7 16.98 1.16

3,780,700 2,868,500 16,124,000 3,374,000 1,420,000 400 23,000 67,224,000 2,986,700 740 402,800 2,530 200 25,000 1,150,000 34,900 27,900 3,557,900 6,184,900 7,179,500 7,596,300 606,000 6,150,000 1,407,080 419,500 44,320,000 23,825,600 6,543,700 1,890,000 4,703,600 910 50,000 26,000 311,600 6,802,000 18,407,500 8,255,300 5,460,000 1,088,480 252,500 26,087,000 390,000 20,321,600 85,100 129,735,000 338,000 3,566,480 415,900 5,450,000 709,000 379,000 392,000 1,305,400 1,006,510 1,898,500 3,050,000 30,155,000 5,086,970 219,000 12,606,000 200 21,026,000

INDUSTRIAL 132,007,090.00 41,998,934.00 15,872,640.00 4,964,120.00 336,900.00 36,286.00 339,494.00 177,047,450.00 46,880,844.00 81,470.00 11,818,520.00 189,711.50 17,699.50 1,071,045.00 2,177,200.00 192,599.00 173,419.00 40,056,674.00 98,894,756.00 67,342,546.00 55,238,955.00 1,104,590.00 129,082,055.00 111,924,043.50 11,884,050.00 103,410,860.00 245,764,721.00 82,807,232.00 3,241,110.00 1,472,869,798.00 48,280.00 202,530.00 91,120.00 3,515,416.00 160,009,530.00 243,900,172.00 173,588,990.00 1,071,060.00 412,342,930.00 1,538,609.00 36,423,690.00 1,586,700.00 132,208,084.00 755,200.00 185,191,140.00 4,107,320.00 177,404,738.00 2,413,042.00 25,962,320.00 1,259,760.00 976,090.00 512,220.00 15,818,930.00 104,051,172.00 13,019,141.00 392,760.00 35,362,710.00 762,528,326.00 567,660.00 21,195,430.00 3,298.00 24,491,390.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ Asiabest Group ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings F&J Prince ‘A’ Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Prime Orion Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.610 58.95 16.16 0.81 6.50 20.25 1.430 1.450 940 7.65 12.00 4.4 15.08 0.244 931.5 7.00 63.50 5.36 0.55 5.25 16.1 0.550 4.85 2.8 0.0400 1.140 2.990 2.55 174.00 2.4 934.00 1.36 1.05 261.000 424.00 0.2400 0.370

58,190,000 2,971,870 30,578,500 154,753,000 382,900 176,000 30,479,000 7,263,000 908,290 3,099,900 16,365,100 42,000 18,711,000 2,580,000 656,720 930,700 8,513,120 177,900 5,310,000 6,439,400 10,355,400 4,350,000 118,170,000 18,000 724,000,000 147,000 9,836,000 4,000 1,669,180 20,000 959,270 985,000 191,964,000 335,670 4,030 8,410,000 325,300,000

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Cebu Prop. `A’ Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Keppel Properties Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil Infradev Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry

12.840 0.77 10.22 1.930 0.820 44.900 2.34 4.2 6.49 6.59 0.530 0.87 0.940 0.242 0.400 11.600 22.8 0.500 0.126 1.52 1.31 4.82 5.8 0.390 1.6900 0.4850 0.440 53.50

11,678,400 6,315,000 700 282,000 4,721,000 59,735,300 2,278,000 5,532,000 15,700 1,000 122,005,000 1,132,000 551,000 21,900,000 870,000 5,038,100 2,331,800 15,909,000 50,000 91,478,000 10,827,000 1,000 98,511,000 38,520,000 20,023,000 22,490,000 2,850,000 2,590

HOLDING FIRMS 36,038,050.00 173,912,586.50 490,148,988.00 166,948,760.00 2,488,792.00 3,550,001.00 44,175,770.00 10,570,280.00 845,699,890.00 23,597,142.00 198,655,790.00 178,420.00 301,273,444.00 589,560.00 636,730,640.00 6,318,124.00 531,334,143.50 1,045,282.00 2,835,070.00 33,640,647.00 170,640,848.00 2,540,860.00 565,747,260.00 50,470.00 30,770,300.00 168,900.00 29,384,510.00 10,210.00 290,356,053.00 48,000.00 902,304,110.00 1,304,640.00 252,071,220.00 90,110,682.00 1,743,590.00 2,034,880.00 133,037,150.00 PROPERTY 154,471,482.00 4,960,190.00 7,504.00 557,300.00 3,919,180.00 2,642,972,525.00 5,369,130.00 23,523,120.00 97,836.00 6,590.00 63,978,310.00 966,460.00 511,290.00 5,280,640.00 342,550.00 57,750,160.00 52,933,885.00 7,979,105.00 6,300.00 137,714,630.00 13,807,820.00 4,820.00 564,186,391.00 14,625,150.00 35,204,230.00 10,826,650.00 1,254,250.00 126,273.00

MARCH 18-22, 2019 Close Volume Value 58.85 133.90 88.00 2.25 1.36 27.45 19.1 12.6 4.3 7.83 0.6 1.38 800.00 0.465 81 0.98 13.86 22.00 60.10 58.3 112.1 185.5 26.5 171.2 1805.00 61.00 1.16

72,050 13,455,050 7,244,010 211,000 533,000 542,100 265,700 2,431,700 377,000 600 58,000 348,000 1,140 490,000 11,521,520 540,000 104,900 110,600 3,143,750 27,350 510 2,110 3,505,900 2,905,920 1,120 358,050 109,000

4,230,199.00 1,780,342,847.00 638,447,330.50 477,510.00 714,710.00 14,897,595.00 5,032,228.00 30,253,608.00 1,606,130.00 4,698.00 34,830.00 487,480.00 915,800.00 221,650.00 929,170,415.00 524,140.00 1,453,718.00 2,353,850.00 188,053,390.50 1,606,447.50 56,871.00 390,147.00 92,301,260.00 496,314,002.00 2,036,150.00 21,812,758.00 126,390.00

35.6 14.3 1.02 1.48 0.240 97.9 15.68 2.8 16.08 116 29.75 71.9 71.05 43 1.85 5.68 6.26 11.600 16.06 9.50 7.32

5,644,700 1,652,200 9,289,000 4,706,000 1,670,000 90 23,300 84,395,000 2,462,400 10,380 769,700 480 5,030 7,400 1,193,000 408,500 35,500 5,605,000 6,737,200 9,760,300 647,100

198,473,460.00 23,431,092.00 9,521,960.00 6,875,520.00 396,210.00 8,811.00 355,448.00 236,070,370.00 38,721,186.00 1,125,684.00 22,845,625.00 34,512.00 357,631.50 318,080.00 2,236,340.00 2,360,306.00 221,197.00 64,184,298.00 107,432,230.00 90,519,700.00 4,763,970.00

21.7 79.4 27.70 2.3200 10.40 13.2 1.630 312.40 53.00 4.05 3.56 10.88 24.65 12.78 21.35 0.193 387.00 5.89 1.41 4.00 6.65 8.92 1.38 12.26 50 5.85 4.80 1.81 2.66 1.35 12 103 6.64 0.134 0.99 149.2 2.52 1.69 16.00 1.28

9,227,400 2,230,550 218,900 72,691,000 22,477,700 6,383,300 800,000 2,827,430 2,000 139,000 55,000 72,700 6,999,700 3,076,300 12,358,100 1,740,000 1,305,620 62,200 17,812,000 2,002,000 34,764,600 23,000 108,846,000 637,900 3,329,000 296,300 13,548,000 2,029,000 218,000 1,010,000 850,700 1,391,280 475,500 420,000 1,161,000 4,352,430 118,000 7,017,000 3,100 8,654,000

175,061,545.00 174,458,138.00 5,960,820.00 168,027,930.00 223,845,039.00 85,259,628.00 1,317,360.00 888,163,812.00 104,923.00 563,300.00 189,250.00 774,746.00 178,663,040.00 39,111,138.00 258,440,204.00 337,960.00 493,053,772.00 370,388.00 24,896,230.00 7,835,520.00 232,123,528.00 204,117.00 147,641,400.00 12,153,616.00 165,629,820.00 1,732,213.00 63,414,880.00 3,665,880.00 575,310.00 1,336,260.00 10,293,152.00 143,223,061.00 3,075,708.00 54,090.00 1,140,400.00 642,129,320.00 303,650.00 11,559,990.00 49,600.00 10,987,240.00

0.630 59.55 16.30 0.73 6.50 20.85 1.440 1.440 940 7.7 12.40 4.14 15.98 0.242 1040 6.50 64.40 5.51 0.55 5.44 17.28 0.560 4.92 2.81 0.0390 1.200 3.120 2.67 173.90 2.37 970.50 1.36 0.75 280.000 443.00 0.2440 0.390

105,553,000 4,861,680 53,501,300 404,000 6,068,100 430,700 28,969,000 5,617,000 1,471,920 11,937,700 24,787,200 55,000 14,053,800 2,320,000 611,595 206,500 15,902,730 200 3,032,000 22,316,900 25,431,300 381,000 97,283,000 1,000 78,200,000 41,000 12,235,000 25,000 2,521,760 41,000 816,220 1,143,000 39,000 13,530 4,530 2,410,000 256,610,000

72,512,710.00 283,800,494.50 841,133,508.00 297,010.00 39,442,635.00 8,872,478.00 40,249,350.00 7,981,240.00 1,372,523,080.00 90,608,645.00 304,207,136.00 232,890.00 220,694,056.00 540,610.00 616,784,342.50 1,338,729.00 996,276,765.50 1,102.00 1,605,990.00 120,458,056.00 428,638,962.00 216,700.00 476,201,160.00 2,810.00 3,030,400.00 48,800.00 38,458,410.00 64,030.00 442,155,327.00 96,800.00 782,015,465.00 1,515,950.00 29,200.00 3,759,204.00 2,027,990.00 583,450.00 99,476,200.00

13.040 0.76 10.92 2.000 0.840 45.000 2.4 4.2 6.6

16,694,700 3,184,000 12,800 700,000 14,521,000 66,286,600 4,191,000 3,462,000 143,700

208,728,798.00 2,458,710.00 139,780.00 1,362,290.00 12,163,790.00 2,919,940,690.00 9,992,710.00 15,077,920.00 910,858.00

0.550 0.83 0.940 0.243 0.400 11.720 22.5 0.500 0.126 1.56 1.26

231,110,000 900,000 384,000 51,930,000 5,620,000 8,247,200 4,560,500 18,743,000 510,000 62,618,000 5,589,000

123,659,950.00 742,650.00 356,820.00 12,467,650.00 2,194,100.00 93,213,108.00 101,585,140.00 9,370,835.00 65,240.00 96,311,290.00 6,878,480.00

5.81 0.395 1.9100 0.4400 0.430 43.05

120,067,600 49,110,000 8,751,000 1,780,000 8,560,000 2,350

685,175,451.00 18,556,200.00 16,723,640.00 791,000.00 3,739,300.00 110,976.00

STOCKS

MARCH 25-29, 2019 Close Volume

MARCH 18-22, 2019 Close Volume Value

Value

Primex Corp.

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

2.68 24.50 2.05 3 39.90 1.55 6.74 0.750 7.230

668,000 12,785,900 872,000 3,226,000 30,550,200 10,830,000 1,244,000 728,000 25,347,400

1,795,330.00 313,289,000.00 1,778,500.00 9,750,290.00 1,206,190,170.00 16,504,030.00 8,267,746.00 541,190.00 181,665,778.00

2.75 24.65 2.05 3.1 39.50 1.6 6.86 0.760 7.320

512,000 20,555,800 801,000 692,000 37,281,700 4,378,000 2,083,000 399,000 30,246,300

1,421,630.00 492,130,420.00 1,782,270.00 2,139,800.00 1,462,889,360.00 7,048,570.00 14,190,767.00 303,400.00 222,285,091.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Grand Plaza Hotel Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. PH Resorts Group Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

12.2 20.65 1.25 0.440 0.044 15.76 2.77 12.00 0.0670 82.95 7.6 5.68 6.74 2.11 12.18 903 1938 5.79 370.60 11.92 2.99 130.7 1.88 10.8 7.10 0.131 5.2600 3.05 15.4 3.73 0.93 22.40 15.02 0.590 4.83 3.32 1.73 1.75 2.550 4.85 10.60 3.2 4.75 125.00 2.71 1150.00 1.010 0.850 48.10 79.00 8.95 2.37 0.710 0.41 5.64 0.670 15.480

155,700 951,800 28,000 9,020,000 57,300,000 661,400 1,563,000 12,239,600 413,630,000 730,080 29,800 2,355,400 553,800 6,000 1,395,700 30 107,680 2,422,300 10,390 1,600 10,983,000 12,600,760 211,000 5,100 59,900 87,720,000 8,910,600 34,000 51,300 20,566,000 125,518,000 10,645,000 900 35,372,000 124,000 10,079,000 347,000 20,000 4,034,000 2,099,600 108,400 98,000 260,000 153,720 14,343,000 602,165 191,916,000 29,795,000 2,015,500 3,970,230 57,800 10,808,000 10,721,000 15,620,000 2,689,400 4,840,000 25,680,800

12.6 21.45 1.24 0.425 0.044 15.76 2.8 12.20 0.0740 84.15 8.17 5.84 6.90

174,500 386,100 752,000 1,000,000 29,300,000 525,200 1,504,000 23,206,300 486,610,000 806,670 4,100 3,485,000 144,000

2,213,034.00 8,014,560.00 950,930.00 415,250.00 2,168,000.00 8,293,116.00 4,167,610.00 278,200,198.00 35,968,460.00 65,824,976.00 32,983.00 20,362,758.00 1,000,111.00

13.74 890.5 1996 5.73 380.00

1,179,100 50 120,295 1,272,000 9,240

15,086,850.00 44,525.00 236,927,490.00 7,276,078.00 3,481,946.00

2.99 124.2 1.93 10.74 7.10 0.127 5.5100 3.15 15.36 3.51 0.89 20.40 16.00 0.570 4.9 3.25 1.83 1.81 2.710 10.3 10.56 3.1 4.90 122.50 2.64 1185.00 1.160 0.890 48.30 82.00 8.79 2.37 0.690 0.425 5.63 0.700 15.620

6,253,000 13,530,730 40,000 14,300 17,500 12,800,000 10,743,500 97,000 15,100 2,847,000 96,000 4,376,200 400 8,328,000 28,000 17,253,000 811,000 10,000 14,269,000 1,928,700 121,800 12,000 438,000 128,540 5,084,000 501,215 402,199,000 12,285,000 2,796,500 5,004,090 78,900 20,654,000 5,845,000 25,030,000 6,521,600 4,008,000 4,166,800

18,158,570.00 1,646,611,867.00 78,520.00 152,850.00 124,130.00 1,636,230.00 58,537,744.00 299,940.00 232,134.00 9,789,830.00 85,660.00 90,989,045.00 6,400.00 4,731,880.00 132,440.00 54,909,390.00 1,451,090.00 19,170.00 37,279,840.00 19,842,918.00 1,271,264.00 36,960.00 2,065,910.00 16,013,173.00 13,388,910.00 583,559,275.00 444,447,180.00 10,885,270.00 134,816,125.00 403,998,865.00 681,077.00 49,329,690.00 4,056,110.00 10,460,600.00 36,695,537.00 2,672,470.00 64,909,784.00

Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0021 1.43 3.17 12.56 1.2700 1.4400 2.61 0.295 7.90 1.550 0.280 0.120 0.117 0.009 0.0090 1.06 2.49 1.05 0.6200 0.9100 0.0120 0.0120 3.43 12.28 0.0120 3.1800 21.95 0.0072

MINING & OIL 748,000,000 921,000.00 11,476,000 16,365,700.00 2,545,000 7,771,020.00 1,370,025,600 327,654.00 293,000 378,370.00 943,000 1,272,200.00 6,779,000 17,303,380.00 760,000 229,650.00 3,500 27,710.00 14,991,000 23,020,670.00 133,650,000 40,630,230.00 2,790,000 333,740.00 1,040,000 121,990.00 69,000,000 576,400.00 24,000,000 205,600.00 172,000 185,730.00 7,319,000 18,114,240.00 1,255,000 1,347,120.00 3,635,000 2,346,990.00 1,533,000 1,408,340.00 30,400,000 367,000.00 26,200,000 316,000.00 3,892,000 13,847,630.00 12,048,300 155,660,378.00 125,200,000 1,486,300.00 144,000 438,990.00 8,034,900 180,369,505.00 21,000,000 147,400.00

0.0021 1.45 2.90 13.16 1.1500 1.1100 2.47 0.300 7.82 1.550 0.255 0.120 0.125 0.008 0.0081 1.11 2.57 1.08 0.5800 0.9300 0.0120 0.0130 3.77 13.90 0.0120 3.0900 23.00 0.0076

1,965,000,000 5,392,000 3,070,000 11,800 201,000 11,000 4,004,000 300,000 6,800 19,219,000 8,800,000 10,430,000 3,170,000 16,000,000 12,000,000 442,000 13,851,000 474,000 920,000 1,159,000 66,700,000 875,400,000 6,012,000 3,949,500 19,700,000 258,000 13,056,800 27,000,000

4,157,600.00 7,783,860.00 8,839,320.00 153,064.00 231,220.00 12,220.00 9,595,700.00 89,800.00 53,587.00 29,134,780.00 2,132,210.00 1,243,310.00 389,240.00 129,300.00 98,100.00 479,780.00 35,824,470.00 503,160.00 532,380.00 1,086,650.00 801,200.00 10,952,100.00 22,743,300.00 55,402,940.00 220,800.00 807,240.00 297,258,915.00 192,200.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen G FPH Pref C GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred A PCOR-Preferred B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMC Preferred I

19.2 479.6 497 97.5 100.8 450.6 494.8 5.74 900 925 93 0.98 101.8 985 1050 99.5 106.4 980 75 75.9 71.6 72.5 73.6 73 72 74.5

791,800 7,070 12,500 33,690 3,700 1,400 6,010 447,900 2,680 10,360 41,480 5,931,000 180 230 40 15,470 790 10,940 8,410 48,830 80,020 387,960 738,230 381,990 537,900 144,910

PREFERRED 15,917,995.00 3,324,020.00 6,207,106.00 3,348,899.50 372,960.00 630,840.00 2,885,598.00 2,528,002.00 2,412,435.00 9,328,050.00 3,870,622.00 5,818,490.00 18,056.00 228,110.00 42,000.00 1,539,265.00 84,056.00 10,648,775.00 630,670.00 3,708,211.50 5,741,838.00 27,959,369.50 54,212,056.00 27,926,700.00 38,734,200.00 10,830,822.00

21 474.6 497.6 98.3 100.6 450.8 480 5.55 930 918 96 0.97 101.9 998 1020 99.5 106.4 980 75 76.4 71.9 75 74 73 72 72.05

285,500 4,090 1,620 9,730 8,050 2,480 2,150 475,100 1,290 38,690 2,920 1,479,000 130 160 16,040 37,230 550 6,480 7,310 116,320 574,950 2,520 77,770 7,150 58,790 709,500

5,859,805.00 1,909,642.00 784,354.00 949,532.50 810,163.00 1,117,572.00 1,032,000.00 2,645,915.00 1,152,780.00 34,891,155.00 280,325.00 1,446,360.00 13,247.00 158,640.00 16,008,390.00 3,715,370.00 57,126.00 6,334,685.00 550,388.50 8,803,752.50 41,335,737.50 185,592.50 5,815,149.00 521,891.50 4,366,959.00 51,518,305.00

LR Warrant

1.850

WARRANTS & BONDS 5,535,000 11,239,270.00

1.910

773,000

1,456,410.00

5.04 1.38

3,864,600 29,589,000

20,013,786.00 40,947,040.00

SERVICES 1,909,828.00 19,828,895.00 35,230.00 4,022,400.00 2,443,800.00 10,423,806.00 4,268,030.00 145,574,278.00 29,152,900.00 59,872,805.50 227,870.00 13,772,115.00 3,788,838.00 12,680.00 18,765,864.00 27,090.00 210,280,530.00 13,963,076.00 3,869,474.00 19,056.00 33,053,320.00 1,611,104,740.00 412,140.00 54,990.00 425,335.00 12,123,470.00 47,597,149.00 105,690.00 792,686.00 78,414,280.00 149,313,450.00 229,275,405.00 13,518.00 21,504,730.00 580,780.00 32,753,070.00 597,820.00 36,200.00 10,386,960.00 12,010,706.00 1,131,048.00 312,650.00 1,216,010.00 19,253,983.00 40,299,020.00 695,754,690.00 200,829,580.00 25,398,610.00 96,330,650.00 316,835,666.50 509,216.00 25,593,020.00 7,651,080.00 6,532,800.00 15,135,725.00 3,274,590.00 392,215,150.00

SME 10,760.00 8,776,147.00 408,138,170.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

2.69 4.86 1.13

4,000 1,798,500 83,801,000

First Metro ETF

118

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 31,060 3,645,141.00

119.2

37,400

4,409,995.00

10.3 10.2 0.99

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 11,810 121,643.00 10,230 104,306.20 13,620 13,510.00

10.3 10.02 0.99

1,600 17,800 22,040

16,625.00 179,001.60 21,840.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Abra Mining Pacifica `A’ Boulevard Holdings Zeus Holdings South China Res. Inc. PremiereHorizon Anglo Holdings A Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Phinma Energy

VOLUME 1,370,025,600 748,000,000 724,000,000 413,630,000 325,300,000 191,964,000 191,916,000 154,753,000 133,650,000 129,735,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ I.C.T.S.I. Jollibee Foods Corp.

SM Prime Holdings Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. SM Investments Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Universal Robina PLDT Common Bank of PI

VALUE 2,642,972,525.00 1,611,104,740.00 1,472,869,798.00 1,206,190,170.00 1,074,447,256.00 902,304,110.00 845,699,890.00 762,528,326.00 695,754,690.00 671,564,574.00

GT Capital allots P52b to support core units GT CAPITAL Holdings Inc. is spending P51.7 billion this year to support the growth of core subsidiaries in the banking, automotive and property businesses while looking for new opportunities.

GT Capital chief finance officer Franciso Suarez Jr. said during a recent investors’ briefing the conglomerate would spend the bulk of the spending, approximately P27.8 billion, at the parent level. The group plans to invest in automotive value chain and new business opportunities.

Suarez said the conglomerate had been evaluating offers for possible investments. He did not disclose the new investment opportunities.

The group is spending P12 billion for the expansion of real estate unit Federal Land Inc., which plans to launch eight new projects this year. Suarez said the new projects would have a total sales value of P15 billion.

The group’s automotive unit, Toyota Motor Philippines, is spending P6.8 billion in capital expenditures for 2019 primarily to fund the launching of new car models and logistics acquisition. GT Capital expects automotive sales to increase by seven to nine percent this year.

The group’s affordable housing arm, Property of Friends Co Inc. (Profriends), will also spend P2.3 billion this year for land development as well as construction of commercial and retail projects.

GT Capital’s banking unit Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. will spend P2 billion this year for IT systems upgrade, expansion of electronic banking channels, ATM installations and renovation and relocation of branch premises.

The conglomerate will spend the balance for other subsidiaries, namely Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corp., AXA Philippines, Toyota Manila Bay Corp. and Sumisho Motor Finance Corp.

GT Capital will fund this year’s capital spending from internally generated funds and bank borrowings.

The conglomerate reported a six-percent decline in net income attributable to equity holders of the parent company to P13.39 billion in 2018 from P14.18 billion in 2017 on lower revenues.

Consolidated revenues dropped 10 percent to P215.8 billion in 2018 from P239.8 billion in 2017 mainly due to lower sales from the automotive business. Jenniffer B. Austria

AirAsia readies daily flights from Manila to Osaka

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget airline will launch daily flights from Manila to Osaka, Japan starting July 1, 2019.

“The launch of direct flights between the Philippines and Japan is a milestone occasion, and we’re excited to connect our capital, Manila with Osaka,” said AirAsia Philippines president and chief executive Dexter Comendador.

“Being able to travel directly and affordably to Osaka is fantastic news for Filipinos and we’re confident this new route will serve as a gateway for guests to connect to other popular destinations in Japan such as Kyoto and Nara,” he added.

Osaka will become the airline’s eighth international destination from the Philippines, connecting Filipinos with the wonders of Osaka and the Kansai region in Japan.

“We are also excited to welcome guests from Osaka and its neighbouring regions to the Philippines. This international route will contribute to the government’s target of 8.2 million visitors this year,” Comendador said.

AirAsia is offering all-in promotional fares between Manila and Osaka starting at just P1,990.

AirAsia launched commercial flights at Clark in 2012 before transferring its hub to Metro Manila following a strategic partnership with ZestAir in 2013.

The airline operates several flights to and from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Clark, and Iloilo in the Philippines, with international flights to and from Shanghai, Taipei, Incheon (Seoul), Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Guangzhou, Vietnam, Shenzhen, Kaohshing, Bali, Shenzhen, Indonesia and Singapore.

Malaysia’s Air Asia, through AA International, owns 40 percent of Philippines’ Air Asia Inc., while Filipinos Marriane Hontiveros, Michael Romero, Antonio Cojuangco and Alfredo Yao hold the balance of 60 percent.

World/Business

Turkey election seen as a test for Erdogan as recession looms

SECOND DAY. Pope Francis greets locals during a visit to the Rural Center for Social Services on March 31, 2019, in Temara, near the capital Rabat, on the second day of the pontiff's two-day visit to Morocco. AFP

Pope to hold mass for Morocco’s Catholics RABAT―Pope Francis will hold mass Sunday for nearly 10,000 members of Morocco’s Catholic minority, on the second day of a visit during which he has already met migrants and trainee imams.

The Argentine pontiff will begin the day at a social center near Rabat, before meeting religious leaders at the cathedral in the Moroccan capital.

The highlight for the Catholic community will be the mass held at a city stadium that marks the conclusion of the pope’s two-day visit.

Francis is the first pontiff to visit the North African country since John Paul II in 1985, and his arrival drew thousands to the streets on Saturday.

Christians are a tiny minority in Morocco where 99 percent of the population is Muslim, with sub-Saharan Africans making up a large part of the country’s 30,000-strong Catholic community.

There are a few thousand Christian converts in Morocco, who since 2017 have called openly for the right to live “without persecution” and “without discrimination”.

Speaking at Saturday’s welcome cer-

IN BRIEF Burned tower’s owners arrested DHAKA―Police in Bangladesh said Sunday they had arrested the owners of an office tower in Dhaka that caught fire earlier this week, killing 26 people and renewing the country’s debate over lax safety standards.

The latest deadly blaze to hit Bangladesh’s congested capital tore through the 22-storey FR Tower on Thursday, leaving some of the hundreds trapped inside screaming for help as horrified onlookers massed outside.

Police said they had detained two men, S.M.H.I. Faruque and Tasvir Ul Islam -- who is district leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -- in the capital, after filing charges against them for criminal negligence.

“We arrested Faruque just after midnight. He is the 45 percent owner of the building. He also owns the land on which the building was constructed,” deputy commissioner Mashiur Rahman told AFP. AFP

Israel reopens Gaza crossings JERUSALEM―Israel reopened its crossings with the Gaza Strip on Sunday after having kept them closed for nearly a week following a rare longdistance rocket strike from the Palestinian enclave, an official said.

The Erez crossing for people and the Kerem Shalom crossing for goods reopened Sunday morning, a spokeswoman for COGAT, the defence ministry unit that oversees the crossings, told AFP. They were closed on Monday after the rocket fire that wounded seven Israelis and led to Israeli retaliatory strikes.

The reopening comes after tens of thousands of Palestinians protested along the Gaza border with Israel on Saturday, to mark the one-year anniversary since demonstrations and clashes erupted there.

Four Palestinians were killed on Saturday during protests and clashes, but unrest was limited and fears of mass bloodshed were averted after Egyptian-led negotiations. AFP

B3

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

emony, the pope defended “freedom of conscience” and “religious freedom”.

The pontiff also highlighted the suffering of migrants, denouncing “indifference and silence” while calling on people to consider them “as people, not numbers”.

The fate of migrants has been a focal point of Francis’s papacy and he concluded his Saturday schedule at a Caritas charity centre which offers them support.

While at the centre, where children donned colourful hats to greet the pope, Francis criticised “collective expulsions” and said ways for migrants to regularise their status should be encouraged.

Morocco says it has a “humanistic” approach to migration and rejects allegations by rights groups of “brutal arrest campaigns” and “forced displacement” to the country’s southern border.

Francis was welcomed to Morocco by King Mohammed VI—who describes himself as “commander of the faithful” —and the two on Saturday addressed the “sacred character of Jerusalem”.

The city should be a “symbol of peaceful coexistence” for Christians, Jews and Muslims, they said in a joint

statement released by the Vatican.

“The specific multi-religious character, the spiritual dimension and the particular cultural identity of Jerusalem... must be protected and promoted,” said the text, which was jointly signed at Rabat’s royal palace.

The Moroccan king chairs a committee created by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to safeguard and restore Jerusalem’s religious, cultural and architectural heritage.

Jerusalem’s status is perhaps the most sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel sees the entire city as its capital, while the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

US President Donald Trump sparked anger across the Muslim world when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017.

Francis’s palace meeting with the king was followed by a visit to an institute which hosts around 1,300 trainee imams and preachers.

There they heard from a French and a Nigerian student of the institute, which teaches “moderate Islam” and is backed by the king. AFP

I

STANBUL-Turkey voted in local elections on Sunday in a test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with his ruling party risking defeat in the capital as an economic slowdown takes hold.

Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) have won every vote since the party first came to power in 2002 but this time, analysts say the party could lose Ankara and even Istanbul.

Sunday’s vote was the first municipal ballot since Turks approved constitutional reforms in 2017 to create an executive presidency that gave Erdogan wider powers after a decade and a half in office.

But Erdogan, whose ability to win continuously at the ballot box is unparalleled in Turkish history, appears more vulnerable with the country’s economy in recession, unemployment up and inflation in double digits.

Much of the AKP’s success has been down to his perceived economic prowess, but days before the vote, the Turkish lira has been sliding again, provoking memories of the 2018 currency crisis that badly hurt Turkish households.

Erdogan, who began his own political career as Istanbul mayor, campaigned hard across Turkey, often with several rallies a day, even though he is not on the ballot.

Looking to rally his base among conservative Turks, the president cast the election as a matter of survival, attacking opposition candidates by branding them as linked to PKK Kurdish militants.

“The economy is terrible, the econo-

my is finished... They are the ones with a survival problem,” said Husnu Acar, 53, referring to the AKP, after voting in a school in Beylikduzu on the outskirts of Istanbul.

Voters are to elect scores of mayors, municipal councils and other local officials.

For his supporters, Erdogan remains the strong leader Turkey needs and they tout the country’s economic development over the 16 years he and the AKP have been in power.

But rights activists and even Turkey’s Western allies say that under his leadership, democracy has been eroded, particularly after a failed 2016 coup that led to tens of thousands of people being arrested.

The vote will be the first time since 2002 that the AKP is fielding candidates with its alliance partner, the rightwing Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has refused to field candidates in several cities, saying the elections are unfair. Some of its leaders have been jailed on terror charges, accusations they reject.

Critics say that with most media either pro-government or controlled by Erdogan supporters, opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage because Erdogan’s daily rallies dominated TV coverage. AFP

Unimpressed by EU’s green record MARSEILLE―Outside the French Mediterranean port of Marseille, at Fossur-Mer, one of the largest industrial and port zones in Europe has been spewing a noxious cocktail of fumes for years. And few residents think EU pledges to clean up the continent will make a difference anytime soon.

Environmental concerns are expected to be a major issue in the European Parliament elections in May, when analysts say green parties could score better than they do in national contests.

Yet anti-pollution activists say that despite EU claims of having the toughest standards in the world, its actions are far too feeble against places like Fos-surMer, home to dozens of oil refineries, chemical factories and steel companies.

“I’m fed up with the European Union —what are they waiting for to raise awareness about this?” said Daniel Moutet, who has spearheaded the campaign to force Fos-sur-Mer to clean up

AFTER THE SERVICE.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves with her husband Philip after attending a church service near her Maidenhead constituency west of London on March 31, 2019.

May on Saturday mulled a possible fourth attempt to get her Brexit agreement through parliament, faced with the growing risk of a chaotic no-deal exit in less than two weeks' time.

AFP

its act.

Rates of cancer and chronic diseases are higher in this area than the average in France -- last year Moutet was diagnosed with diabetes, which he believes could be linked to the dire air quality.

In March 2018 the regional health agency (ARS) acknowledged that the health of residents of the area had been hit by the pollution levels.

A year earlier an independent study concluded that women questioned in the area had cancer levels three times higher than the national average.

According to Moutet, mercury, benzene, sulphur and nitrogen oxides are all part of that toxic cocktail along this stretch of the French Mediterranean coastline.

Last May, the European Commission took France and five other countries to the European Court of Justice for failing to apply long-sought steps to improve air quality. AFP

Beautiful leadership and the need for artistic vision DENVER BINGSKI D. DARADAR

Green LiGht

STRATEGIC visioning, whose outcome is a vision statement, has gained a stronghold among organizations since it caught the world by storm in the late 1980s. The results were initially fantastic—suddenly organizational life, especially for profit companies—were about more than just the money. There was purpose and meaning.

Then, these visions, set into concise vision statements, found their way into the lobby walls of corporate headquarters and branches, and into employee on-boarding programs. Some organizations, like one personal care manufacturing conglomerate I got to consult with in the early 2000s, launched programs to communicate and secure understanding—if not support— from various stakeholders such as suppliers and key accounts.

Time, however, proved the ever-accurate judge. As vision statements got hung on office walls, so did it fade, tarnish and accumulate dust and cobwebs. How many on-boarding sessions have I seen when visions are only briefly discussed, in a by-the-way or in-passing fashion, and never critically dissected and communicated in a manner that is relevant and valuable? Some sessions even just

ask their employees to read through the manual, declare that they understood it, and sign-off on an undertaking! And underpinning the entire buy-in process is the classic question: what’s in it for me? Organizations scrub employee backs if they do likewise. Where are the other stakeholders in this vision? How can this mutual scrubbing be more than just about the money?

Did it show in the pudding? From the late 1990s to the first decade of the 21st century, we have seen only a continuous explosion of corporate, financial and economic debacles that destroyed legacy corporations, put executives in jail, made countries bankrupt and left hundreds of families homeless and hungry. These, and more, are only evidences of what Nancy Adler refers as “the results of the twentieth century’s long experiment in ugliness” (2015).

Without having to trivialize the various external factors that have contributed to these tragic events, I propose that byand-large, the inability of organizations to translate vision into visionary and valueladen processes and leadership hastened the experiment in ugliness. The utilitarian mindset in businesses still prevail. All elements must lead to profit, even if it means compromising or sacrificing elements of their vision, some of those values, and worse, some of their people.

Reversing the observations of the likes of Adler requires a commitment of lead-

ers to experiment, if not create, beauty.

This kind of beauty is not the mundane notion of aesthetic taste, but that of a strong sense of proportion, harmony and clarity. It means forging organizations beyond money-making machines.

This means creating organizations from the vantage point of an artistic vision. The leader does not see the financial value of the firm twenty years down the road, just as no artist creates with a vision of how much his or her painting will fetch fifty years later at an auction.

Rather, the leader embraces a message, value, an idea that will always be meaningfully part of society, of cultural life, without detriment to any stakeholder, but a positive force in all its areas of operations. He then orchestrates all the important elements and incorporates—yes incorporates, which means to fully embed and make a necessary part of the organization—each stakeholder to make the artistic vision a realized work of art.

To think that this is impossible is sweeping haste. There are companies out there, just on or below the public radar, who have gradually begun embracing the principles of what I have come to label as beautiful leadership, focused on realizing what can be accurately called an artistic vision.

One personal and home care manufacturing company has strengthened its commitment to use only organic materials for their products, and has slowly

adopted sustainability initiatives such as product refilling stations. They have made it an organizational policy that 70 percent of their manpower complement should be composed of youth-at-risk who have been hired, and provided a chance to go to college while receiving companysponsored counseling services. Top management scorecards are broken down into three non-negotiable components: profit, time and effort spent with youth-at-risk mentees, and the manager’s self-care commitment. The founder and chief executive mandated: we must be profitable and grow our sales if we are to help more youth.

This is beautiful leadership creating a work of art, founded on a clear artistic vision. If it is possible for them, it can be possible for many. Let’s start dreaming our artistic visions, work with others to make them real, and make a better, more beautiful world.

Denver Bingski Daradar is an assistant professorial lecturer at the Management and Organization Department, Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University. His current areas of interest and reflections cover the broad, emerging discussion on beautiful leadership, grounded in metaphysics, and expressed in strategic management. The views stated in this article are the author’s and do not represent the views of the university or its administrators. dbddaradar@gmail.com.

LGUs

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

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

CHOSEN ONE. Incumbent Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista endorses the candidacy of Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte for the mayoralty during the proclamation rally attended by thousands of supporters of Belmonte’s Serbisyo sa Bayan Party on Friday. Manny Palmero

Romblon’s united opposition backs Firmalo for House DAYS before the start of the local election campaign, the so-called United Opposition in the province of Romblon declared its full and unconditional support to the candidacy of incumbent Governor Eduardo Firmalo, who is running for the lone congressional seat in the May 13 elections.

The opposition, led by former Gov. Natalio Beltran III, declared that the province needs Firmalo in the House of Representatives to advance the welfare and interests of Romblomanos who have been neglected for the past two decades.

Expressing their support for Firmalo’s bid were Vice Governor Mel Madrid, former Looc Mayor Juliet Fiel, Alcantara Mayor Ramon Galicia, former Provincial Board Member Benjamin Irao Jr., and several reelectionist mayors and councilors in different towns under the Liberal Party.

The provincial genuine opposition also officially endorsed Firmalo’s teammates, former Calatrava Mayor Bong Fabella for governor and incumbent provincial Board Member Dongdong Ylagan for vice governor.

Firmalo, who is on his last term as provincial chief executive, is running against former Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, who is facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for his alleged involvement in the fertilizer scam.

“Romblon’s united opposition is fully supporting the candidacy of Gov. Firmalo for congressman,” said Beltran, son of former Rep. Natalio Beltran Jr. “We believe that Firmalo will be compassionate voice in Congress for the Romblomanons,” the former governor added.

DILG: Manila anti-drug rating ‘low’ Catholics flock to Limasawa, mark first Mass

By Ronald O. Reyes LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte—An estimated 3,000 Catholics flocked Sunday to this historic small island to celebrate this year’s 498th first Mass celebration in the country.

Most. Rev. Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, said the presence of the Church and the presence of Christianity “has shaped this country and the entire world.”

“Almost 500 years ago, they just said the mass with few people. It was like a seed put in the soil. Now, that seed has become a big tree,” said the apostolic nuncio, referring to the first Catholic mass held by Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish army along with the local settlers on March 31, 1521.

Caccia said the event “reminds us that the beginning is always small, something

that seems not so important.”

“Who knew at that time that in a remote island in the Pacific somebody was saying the mass? Back there, they didn’t even know that there were lands and islands here,” he said.

“We are grateful to those who came.

But as they came, they went. But faith stays,” said Caccia He added the legacy of the first mass “is not only language and culture but the gift of knowledge of true God.” Caccia led the holy mass together with Maasin Bishop Precioso Cantillas, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Palo Archbishop John Du, diocese priests, and other religious groups.

Southern Leyte Representative Roger Mercado, Governor Damian Mercado, and other local officials also attended the event.

Cantillas asked the Catholics to “conApostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Most Rev. Gabriele Giordano Caccia, D.D., meets with Catholic faithful after officiating in the 498th First Mass Celebration in Limasawa Island in Southern Leyte on Sunday. Caccia was accompanied by Maasin Diocese Bishop Precioso Cantillas, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Palo Archbishop John Du, priests, religious groups, Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado, Governor Damian Mercado, and local officials.

Ronald O. Reyes

Cauguiran lashes at Angeles foes who ditch mayoral debate series

By Romeo Dizon ANGELES CITY—Two mayoralty candidates ignored a series of public debate aimed to educate voters on their policies organized by the academe and non-government organizations here yesterday.

“In a functioning democracy, people must be involved in the decision-making process through a series of public debate,” Alexander Cauguiran, the mayoralty bet of local party Kambilan, said.

Cauguiran said refusing to engage in public forum is tantamount of ignoring people’s opinion, interests and expectations on how the city should be governed.

This was the reaction of Cauguiran for the non-appearance of Vice Mayor Bryan Matthew Nepomuceno and his running mate Edgardo Pamintuan Jr. during a forum sponsored by the Angeles University Foundation .

The three-term councilor Carmelo G.

Lazatin Jr. who is also running as city mayor and his running mate Vicky Vega attended the forum.

Nepomuceno and Lazatin who ruled the city alternatively for several decades are now being challenged by Cauguiran, former chief of Clark International Airport Corp. and veteran street parliamentarian.

Vice Mayor Nepomuceno is a holder of political Science and law degree (Juris Doctor) and a dean’s lister from Ateneo de Manila School of Law while Lazatin is a holder of master’s in business administration from Republic Central College in Angeles City.

Cauguiran, is a holder of commerce and public administration courses from the Holy Angel University and held several executive positions both in national and local government including the private sectors.

The current Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan is now on his last term of office.

tinue to share the faith.”

“As a youth leader, we are looking at this celebration as a stepping stone for our youths to further understand and embrace their Catholic belief,” said Abbie Jean Tampos, 26.

“The first mass activity strengthens my religion,” added Rommel Labastida, a parent from Limasawa.

Meanwhile, Karen Tiopes, Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director in Eastern Visayas said they are now “trying to drumbeat the activities on an escalating level in anticipation of the 500th year celebration of the first mass on 2021.”

“We even say, this event actually gave birth to tourism. Because this is where the first cultural encounter happened between the natives who were here in Limasawa and the Westerners who were part of the fleet of Magellan,” said Tiopes.

Manicad: Don’t forget lessons of superstorm THERE may be fake news surrounding the misuse of funds following Typhoon “Yolanda,” but the public must not forget the incompetence and negligence of the government response during the crisis, broadcast journalist and senatorial candidate Jiggy Manicad said Sunday.

Manicad, who led the TV broadcast which first penetrated airwaves after the superstorm hit the Visayan region, said this in response to former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas warning the public on “fake news” surrounding the Yolanda funds.

“We were with the people of Leyte when the storm hit. We thought we were going to die. We were the first and only network to go live then. To the horror of the victims in the hours, days following the typhoon, no help was coming. Only a few responded,” Manicad said.

“Us reporters, we all knew that the biggest typhoon on record was coming.

Surely the DILG knew this. How come supplies of water, electricity, and food were lacking after the storm?” the journalist pressed.

On Thursday, Roxas’ spokesman, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said that Senator Panfilo Lacson’s testimony exonerating Roxas on the latter’s alleged theft of Yolanda funds dispels any “fake news” on the matter.

Lacson, who was appointed as rehabilitation czar, cleared Roxas’ name in the purported misuse of funds meant to reconstruct the towns most badly hit by the typhoon in Eastern Visayas.

T

HE performance of the Manila government under the stewardship of Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada is moderately low when it comes to the fight against illegal drugs based on the functionality of its Anti-Illegal Drugs Abuse Council, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said.

According to DILG Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Echiverri, Manila got a low rating grade of 65, speaking of functionality, a little over than the borderline of 50.

Echiverri said a rating of 50 or below merits a filing of administrative charges against a local government unit for being non-compliant or “low-functionality” in its ADAC implementation.

The DILG and the Dangerous Drugs Board on May 21, 2018 issued Joint Memorandum Circular No. 201801, mandating all LGUs to activate, strengthen and ensure the functionality of their local ADACs; approve a comprehensive local anti-drug plan of action to eliminate drug affectation; and appropriate a substantial amount of funds for anti-illegal drugs related programs, activities and operations.

This was followed by numerous DILG directives and DDB regulations, which have been cascaded to LGUs to remind and direct local chief executives to organize their respective ADACs. In the case of Manila, Echiverri said Estrada’s ADAC is far from the functions expected in this LGU, which is equivalent to three or four cities in Metro

Manila, not to mention how high it is affected with illegal drugs.

Although a grade of 65 does not merit a filing of an administrative charge against Estrada, the DILG official said he is far from satisfied with Manila’s functionality performance compared to other cities with big populations such as Quezon City, Caloocan and Pasay.

According to the DILG, Quezon City got a rating of 100, while Caloocan obtained a 95 functionality grade.

Echiverri said the rating covers year 2018.

Last Wednesday, Echiverri led the filing of charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against 51 local chief executives in the country for their being non-compliant or low-functionality on the implementation of their respective ADACs. Filed ahead of the May elections, Echiverri expects this move to influence other towns in “taking seriously” the organization and strengthening of ADACs in their respective areas.

He underscored the importance of setting up an ADAC in every community, saying it signifies commitment and collective action to eliminate the problem of illegal drugs. PNA

SWITCH OFF. SM City San Mateo switches off half of its lights on Saturday in support of the annual Earth Hour global effort. In photo during the switch off ceremony (from left) are San Mateo Councilor Roger San Miguel, SM regional operations manager Dennis Martel, Rizal Gov. Rebecca Ynares, San Mateo Mayor Cristina Diaz, SM City San Mateo mall manager Lorna Paderon, and artists Ella Hipolito and Alberto Magsumbol. Manny Palmero

LARC donates cleaning stations to Los Baños LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—Laguna Aquatech Resource Corp. led the inauguration of the recently completed cleaning station at Makiling Rainforest Park and Makiling Botanic Garden last March 27.

The cleaning stations were donated by Laguna Water LARC to the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems that will benefit the visitors of both parks.

Anna Karenina Lim-Puerto, Com-

munity Relation & External Affairs of LARC, said this event was part of the World Water Day Celebration.

“Also, this is the part of LARC’s program to give a wash area cleaning station at UPLB Makiling center for Mountain Ecosystems and one in Los Banos National High Schools as part of (Alalay sa Brgy. Programs) to give a water supply and clean potable water,” she said. Roy Tomandao

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

BREAKFAST MADE BETTER.

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Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant introduces new delectable breakfast items, including Bacon Bagnet, Croque Madame, Classic Skinless Longganisa, and Salmon Belly in Olive Oil.

Life FOOD

Mornings at Conti’s F

ROM its humble beginnings in a garage 22 years ago, Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant continues to grow by introducing something delectable and unforgettable to its loyal patrons and new customers.

The homegrown restaurant prides itself on having a warm, homey ambience, where eating is in itself an experience.

Conti’s brings these two things together and offers new breakfast items that would remind diners the joy of eating them right at the quiet and comforts of home.

“Growing up in a family where we savor eating together, I would always enjoy the smell of fried rice, eggs, and different types of viands, every morning. It was always an experience that I look forward to,” shared Michael C. Martinez, business development and marketing director of Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant.

The restaurant introduces four new additions to its well-loved breakfast favorites.

Bacon Bagnet is made with homemade pork belly slices naturally cured and crisped to perfection, served with sweet and salty sauce, garlic rice, eggs, and atchara.

Conti’s is bringing back its Classic Skinless Longanisa, made with sweet and savory skinless longganisa, served with lemon rice, eggs, and atchara.

Salmon Belly in Olive Oil, meanwhile, is a delectable seafood dish made with Norwegian salmon belly strips in seasoned olive oil and served with lemon rice, eggs, and pickled ubod.

The bakeshop and restaurant, famous for its indulgent Mango Bravo cake, also rolls out a new item under its Continental Breakfast fare—the

Croque Madame, which is made with meaty slices of Conti’s homemade ham roll in between toasted brioche, topped with sunny-side-up egg and hollandaise sauce and served with potato shoestrings and fresh fruit cup.

According to Martinez, the restaurant changes/updates menu three times a year, “to inject new selections and enhance the variety of our menu.”

Marketing manager Patricia Tan during the launch revealed Conti’s, which currently has 22 stores in Metro Manila and one in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, is set to open 10 stores in the next six months.

“We will be opening a cluster of stores in Pampanga, first in Marquee.

Then in SM Bacoor, Cloverleaf,” disclosed Martinez.

In a bid to attract the younger market, Martinez said, “We’re bringing a new look to the stores: brighter, fresher, more millenniallooking.” – Bernadette Lunas

Shazam! Just say the word and eat

By Peter Paul Duran PRIOR to the Philippine premiere of the latest DC movie Shazam!, DC Super Heroes Café released a special menu inspired by the mighty mortal.

The restaurant formally introduced the new menu items in an exclusive media event on March 22 at its Megamall Fashion Hall branch in Mandaluyong City.

The event also ushered the release of the third printing of DC Super Heroes Café’s menu that features the DC Comics design of Shazam! on the cover.

“We conceptualized this menu from our desire to offer something new to our customers,” said DC Super Heroes Café owner Edric Chua.

He continued, “This menu offers grilled varieties which is something that we are introducing with this new Shazam!-inspired menu which gets

DC Super Heroes Cafe’s menu features a DC Comics design of Shazam.

inspiration from Shazam’s divine powers.”

The six-selection chef specials include Wisdom of Solomon Beef Kebabs, Strength of Hercules Baby Back Ribs, Stamina of Atlas Mango Float, Power of Zeus Grilled Pork Chops, Courage of Achilles Honey Butter Drumstick, and Speed of Mercury Macaroni Soup.

Shazam! is a 2019 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Produced by New Line Cinema and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the seventh installment in the DC Extended Universe.

It follows the story of Billy Batson, a streetwise 14-year-old who can magically transform into the adult superhero Shazam by saying the word “Shazam!” His newfound powers are soon put to the test when he squares off against the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

Shazam!-inspired menu includes (clockwise) Courage of Achilles Honey Butter Drumstick, Strength of Hercules Baby Back Ribs, Stamina of Atlas Mango Float, and Speed of Mercury Macaroni Soup.

Life

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MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

O

N THE second floor of the North Wing of Estancia Mall sits the fifth Alba Restaurant. And on the wall of the 170-seater restaurant, its biggest to date, is the word “Reunirse” from the Spanish word “reunir.”

“It means to meet, assemble and get together,” explained Chef Miguel de Alba, president of Alba International Incorporated and general manager of Alba Restaurante Español.

He added, “This branch is envisioned to be a bigger and more celebration-centric venue for families and friends in the nearby residences and corporate offices within the Capitol Commons township.”

Greeting entering customers is a big tapas bar adorned with beautiful Mediterranean-patterned tiles. This corner is for young corporate groups who want to unwind and spend happy hours with liquors and tapas.

A deli bar, also by entrance, is for those who want to bring home Alba’s delicious chorizo, other Spanish cold cuts, and the newly introduced chorizo burger patties and frozen, ready-to-heat dishes. Beside it is a dessert bar/coffee corner where mall-goers can have a cup of coffee with Alba’s famous postres (desserts) like Canonigo and Tarta de Santa Teresa.

Walk further inside and the spacious function rooms, named after Spanish cities, beckon. Alicante, with modern blue couches combined with red-colored chairs can sit up to 60 guests. Andalusia can sit 30 persons.

At Segovia, Alba’s main dining room that can accommodate up to 50 guests, one cannot miss the larger-than-life sepia photograph of Don Alba, serving his friends and guests in one of his restaurants.

The ambiance of the restaurant showcases Spanish influences with modern accents for a more contemporary yet cozy feel. Side by side with charming

Get together at Alba in Estancia Alba Restaurante Español opens its fifth and biggest branch to date at Estancia Mall in Pasig City.

Spanish chandeliers are modern drop lights that lend a more modish, upbeat vibe.

The Estancia branch carries Alba’s famous and best-selling dishes including of Spanish chorizos and cured meats, its carnes: the stewed ox tongue, Lengua Sevillana; stewed ox tripe, Callos a la Madrilena; beef stew, Caldereta de Vaca; and its centerpiece Cochinillo Asado, oven-roasted suckling pig.

Alba is also famous for its authen-

tic paellas such as the house specialty, Paella Valenciana. Other popular choices are Paella Negra (squid ink and shrimps), Paella Marinara (seafood), Paella de Bacalao (dried salted cod fish and potatoes) and Paella de Verduras for those who prefer vegetables.

A visit to the restaurant also means partaking of Tapas Calientes and Tapas Frias, bite-sized appetizers that are big on flavor. There are about 55 choices of tapas such as chorizos, jamon, gambas,

champignon, Pamplona, mortadela, salchichon, mahi-mahi, and Pa amb tomaquet, among others.

Despite other Spanish concepts that abound in the country, Alba’s staying power remains unmatched.

“Competition keeps us on our toes but we have always been clear about the direction of Alba. We serve traditional Spanish comfort food. This is what we do best,” said Chef Miguel.

He added, “Nothing much has

changed through the years. We still follow the same recipes that my father has created. We may tweak the presentation here and there but the taste, the flavor, and the quality of food remain the same.

Most of all, it’s about putting our heart into everything we do and the relationships we build with people. We just want our guests to leave the restaurant happy.”

Go to alba.com.ph for more information.

The Spanish restaurant offers well-loved dishes including (from left) Canonigo, Cochinillo, Callos, and Paella Valenciana.

Cebu Pacific rolls out new inflight meals BEGINNING today, all guests aboard Cebu Pacific flights can savor new hot and fresh Asian dishes.

Prepared with its new culinary partner, Macrosia SATS Food Industries, the new menu of Cebu Pacific is composed of a wide array of scrumptious Chinese, Japanese, and Korean snacks and meals Chinese, Japanese or Korean delights. This new menu also includes vegetarian options.

“As our earlier menu celebrated Filipino classics, we thought it’s time to highlight cuisine from other countries we travel to. We heard what our cus-

tomers wanted—thus this revamped menu catered to our passengers’ preferences and tastes,” said JB Bueno, director for inflight catering and sales at Cebu Pacific.

Among the new line-up is the Beef Bulgogi, a famous Korean dish that is well-loved by Filipinos as its sweet and savory mixture of soy sauce and sesame oil is a taste close to home.

Chicken options have two new twists—one with sweet chilli sauce, and another with Japanese sauce and egg— perfect for those craving for a quick Japanese fix. Those looking for a famil-

BITES

Mini cupcakes in banana, strawberry, and carrot flavors

Sweet summer delights Andrew Café brings the flavors of summer in its delectable mini cupcakes.

Concocted by resident pastry chef Erna Canatoy, the Sweet Summer Series offers a delectable array of mini cakes in banana, strawberry, and carrot flavors.

Each confection brings a mouthwatering blend of the iconic favorites and a whip of finger-licking cream cheese topped with exciting treats—a drizzle of walnut brittles, a tangy slice of fresh strawberry, and a toothsome carrot candy made of butter cream.

Andrew Café is open Mondays to Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

iar Chinese dish may enjoy the classic fried rice with dumplings, served with a side of vegetables.

The Fish Steak is an ideal option for pescetarians as the boneless milkfish is covered in a tangy sauce seasoned with Philippine lime (calamansi) and onions, served with yellow rice. Vegetarians, on the other hand, can now enjoy Cebu Pacific’s own version of Tofu and Rice Biryani.

For lighter options, the Kung Pao Chicken Noodles is another Chinese classic, spiced just right on a bed of egg noodles; while the Korean-style StirFried Noodles uses rice noodles and fresh vegetables tossed in Korean-style sweet sauce.

For quick bites, there’s the Japanese Chicken Mayo Sandwich, a triple-decker sandwich with distinctly flavored coleslaw on black bread; and the Seafood Quiche, an egg tart perfectly baked with bits of crabmeat and egg, and a crispy outer crust.

CEB also showcases two turnovers— one with meaty chicken sausage with cheese, and another that pays homage to the roots of Cebu Pacific—a turnover filled with Cebu-style lechon, cooked with the finest local herbs and spices.

As the month-long Super Seat Fest celebration of Cebu Pacific continues, passengers can avail of these new dishes at P100 off, applicable to new and existing bookings within April 1 to September 30.

The new on-board meals are available for pre-order upon booking a flight, or managing a booked flight on the Cebu Pacific website.

“Our meals being on pre-order also guarantees less food wastage in line with our continuous efforts to keep our operations as sustainable as possible,” added Bueno.

The new on-board palate pleasers are all Halal-certified, and adhere to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system for international food safety.

Moreover, the on-board meals come with nutritional and product information, as reference for an increasing number of health-conscious passengers on CEB.

Sweet Chili Chicken

Cabu Pacific’s new inflight meals include Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dishes.

Entertainment

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

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Omnibus film

‘LAKBAYAN’

opens Sinag Maynila’s 5th edition

T

HE annual Sinag Maynila opens on Wednesday, April 3, at the Podium cinemas with Lakbayan, a three-part omnibus film by National Artist Kidlat Tahimik, Brillante Mendoza, and Lav Diaz— all of whom are awardees at the Berlin International Film Festival and have made their marks in several international film fests.

Now on its fifth year, Sinag Maynila continues to showcase quality and thought provoking full length movies, documentaries, and short films from young, non-mainstream Filipino filmmakers from April 3 to 17 at select SM Cinemas.

A joint project of Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, and SM, the festival seeks to inspire, educate, and enlighten the viewing public. In its fifth year of providing independent filmmakers a brand- new platform to showcase their stories, Sinag Maynila features three competition sections, noteworthy international exhibition films and a variety of cinemarelated activities.

The roster of finalists, which were presented during the recent press conference in the Podium was handpicked by Sinag Maynila CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng and worldrenowned and internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Ma Mendoza.

These include full-length five features

ARIAS

Akin ang Korona by Zig Dulay, Jesusa

by Ronald Carballo, Jno To Mari by Joselito “Jay” Altarejos, Pailalim by Daniel Palacio, and Underground by Ralston Jover.

The finalists for the Documentary category includes At Home by Arjanmar H. Rebeta, Entablado

by Lie Rain Clemente and Nori Jane Isturis, Hope Sports by Joseph Dominic Cruz, Hyatt: Mga Kwento, Lihim at Katotohanan by Jayvee V. Biscuit, and Tata Pilo by Dexter Macaraeg.

Competing in the short film category are Bisperas by Raph Quincena, Dana Jung by John Rogers, Dude Pare Bro

by Lora Cerdan, Kiss by Harlene Bautista, Kilos by Marjon Santos, Marian by Patrick Lim, Memories of the Rising Sun by Lawrence Fajardo, Nagmamahal, Sal by Jeff Subrabas, Ngiti ni Nazareno by Louie Ignacio, and Panaghoy by Alvin Baloloy.

Winners of the competition will be announced at the Gabi ng Parangal to

BAIL has been posted at P3,000. As of this writing, Migo Adecer is literally “free.”

Rogelio Castillano and Michelle Papin are not pressing charges. They are the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) employees who were hurt and bruised when accidentally hit by the car that Migo was driving.

Thus, I cannot help but wonder, are there lessons and truths that we can decipher, most especially for the millennials, with regard to this somewhat wake up call for the young and the reckless with Migo as the perfect example?

His legal team will definitely address the case filed by the Makati police, “reckless imprudence resulting in physical injuries and damage to properties and disobedience to a person in authority.”

How will this case affect the life and career of this man of 19 summers who stars in Sahaya and the forthcoming movie Black Lipstick? The truth of it all will manifest at its most opportune moment.

First lesson, “If you drink, don’t drive.”

Self-explanatory, no need to expound on this one. The only worrisome aspect about this, a nagging question: Was Migo intoxicated as early as six in the evening that is why this unfortunate event transpired?

First truth, because of this incident, bad as it is, Migo is the young stud of the moment, an instant sensation. If being GMA 7’s last StarStruck male grand victor

did not make him a “star,” overnight, he has become the millennial bad boy.

Why is he being labelled as such? Let me enumerate the ways - accidentally bumped off people, allegedly tried to run away from the scene, chased by the authorities, and when captured, per police reports, cursed and shouted at the ones who apprehended.

Adding more “badness,” how true are the reports that the driver’s license he carries is “fake?”

I know that this unexpected turn in his young life, for some unknown and twisted reason, made him more desirable and hotter.

Some of us love it when men behave badly. The bonus here is Migo’s good looks and nubile figure. His photos in hand cuffs and mug shots were paraded in newspapers and the internet. A fresh faced hottie in trouble does not only bring the maternal side of women and gay men, it also stir longings from the loins of a handful, or even more, In a snap, Migo has become the juvenile many women and gay men want to care and covet. He is no longer the bland manufactured matinee idol. He has a man with so much testosterone that drives him to be fearless.

Second lesson, if you accidentally hit someone while you were driving, this is a no brainer, you must help and bring to the nearest hospital the person or persons you afflicted.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, April 1, 2019

55 Box-office sign 58 Carol 59 Bargained 62 Squabble 63 Be generous 64 Zealand resident 65 Famous lioness 66 Down at the heels 67 Change for a five DOWN 1 Units of resistance 2 Spruce 3 Nudge forward 4 — Antonio 5 Had poison ivy 6 Flow out 7 Galley slave’s tool 8 Lo-cal 9 Basketball shot (2 wds.)

10 Gave forth 11 Map detail 12 Coconut bearer 13 Barely makes ends meet 18 Did something 23 However 24 Epoch 26 Bouquet holder 27 Dirt 28 Horned animal 29 Tunes from an

Sylvia Sanchez and Ynez Veneracion

be held on Sunday, April 7.

True to its mission of bringing “sine lokal, pang-international,” Sinag Maynila has become an important pathway for Filipino Films artists to communicate their stories, and an irresistible opportunity for enthusiasts to watch unique and exciting films.

Sinag Maynila 5 also features a forum on Saturday, April 6 at SM City North EDSA with speakers Joanne Goh, Chairman of the Malaysia International Film Festival and Young-woo Kim, Programmer for the Busan International Film Festival.

From left: 'Pailalim' Director Daniel Palacio with Mara Lopez, Ryan Sandoval, Joem Bascon, and Direk Brillante Mendoza.

Other workshops include an environmental film screening and forum with resource speaker Fiona Faulkner, Environmental and Community Development Officer of The Plastic Solution as well as a Film Editing workshop to be conducted by John Anthony Wong, Managing Director of Edge Manila Creatives Corporation.

These will take place on April 12 at Solar Century Tower.

Finally, Sinag Maynila closes with the film Journey, an Asian Three-Fold Mirror project by the Japan Foundation on April 8 at The Podium.

Has Migo become hotter and more desirable?

ALWIN IGNACIO

ACROSS 1 Blame 5 Superstars 10 Cry of surprise 14 Vindictive goddess 15 Nature walk 16 Baroness Karen 17 Runnymede document (2 wds.)

19 High-fashion magazine 20 Fr. holy woman 21 Greek letter 22 Badges 24 — — -foot pole 25 Lead balloon 26 Bordered on 29 Sharply 33 Oohed and — 34 Where Tabriz is 35 Usual food 37 Title of respect, in India 38 Weasel out of 39 Remote 40 Active volcano 42 Warty critter 43 Starry prefix 45 Robberies 47 Slick 48 Craze 49 Maritime slammer 50 Chalets, often (hyph.)

54 Umbrella part

The Sinag Maynila Team. Award-winning filmmaker Brillante Mendoza; Millie Dizon; SM Senior Vice President for Marketing Communications; Butch Ibañez, Solar Pictures General Manager; and Kate Villena, Solar Entertainment Marketing Director with The Plastic Solution Fiona Faulkner (1st from left).

opera 30 Demand to see some ID 31 Hitchhikers’ needs 32 Time periods 34 Flapjack chain 36 Actor — Donahue 38 Grade-schoolers 41 Hay crop 43 Perpetrator’s need 44 Mattress problem

46 Stop up 47 Like sandpaper 49 Wide 50 Part of a.m.

51 Shiny wrap 52 TKO officials 53 Withered 55 Bandleader — Kenton 56 Painter — Magritte 57 Poet’s tributes 60 Gosh!

61 Excitement

Second truth, is “youth indeed wasted on the young” rings true again because there is a claim that he under the influence of alcohol while driving?

Third lesson, if you know that you committed an offense or misconduct, learn to eat humble pie. Most of all, pull yourself together and request for two things, a phone call and a lawyer. It is pointless to argue with the authority because whatever you say or do, might incriminate you further.

Third truth, Migo is “young and is supposed to do stupid things.” However, even if you are a man whose manhood is still budding, one must face the consequence of your being inexperienced in life.

What happens now to the electric youth that is Migo Adecer? Will we no longer see him in Sahaya? His being a contract star of GMA Artist Center, will there be repercussions on his part as a talent? How will he deal with the judgement, most especially the bullying and hating?

Will his star truly rise to stellar and relevant proportion?

Migo’s altercation with the authorities is a cautionary tale for the young. It has become sensational because Migo is a star and part of the entertainment Young actor Migo Adecer

industry. It is hoped that this relatively young man earns and learns wisdom from all of these.

The film fest is presented by McDonald’s and Co-presented by Nissan. In partnership with the Film Development Council of The Philippines (FDCP), and in celebration of 100 years of Philippine cinema. Special thanks to: The Plastic Solution, Cinema 76 Film Society, Black Maria Cinema, Edge Manila Creatives.

SM and SM Cinema is the official event venue partner. For more information, log on to www.sinagmaynila.com and www.facebook.com/SinagMaynila/ and follow @SinagMaynila on Twitter and Instagram.

Very Wang...

From C4

Ho also mentioned the versatility of the line and how the trendy generation inspired the brand’s newest collection.

“We want to offer choices especially to the ever so discerning Filipino women.

We want to also let them know that we hear them and that we do take note of their current style preferences,” adds Mr. Ho. Relatively, the last of the five collection is tailored for the young and the bold which is called the Millennial line which has a clean, unique, brushed dial with a sleek strap.

Catch the latest ESPRIT Time Collection available in all SM Stores nationwide.

••• Whiff of Perfume’s limited edition fragrance After three years of success, launching a re-imagined line in 2016 and adding a room spray line last year, on-line sensation artisanal fragrance line, Whiff of Perfume, launched a limited edition Cherry Blossom perfume.

Five years ago, the perfumery started selling blended artisanal fragrances on the popular social media app, Instagram. It all began when Whiff’s founder was heartbroken. After a trip to Grasse, France, she realized how powerful fragrances were and how they could evoke memories, both good and bad.

The perfumery that was born out of a painful break up, quickly gained a cult following on-line. Celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and perfume enthusiasts loved the sweet, subtle and long-lasting fragrances. They often compared it to international brands and appreciated the fact that Whiff did not break the bank.

Whiff successfully collaborated with Heart Evangelista and RJ Lopena; the first Filipino perfumer trained in the Grasse Institute of Perfumery; for the fashion icon’s first perfume project, Linger.

The Cherry Blossom fragrance bursts with the freshness and optimism of spring. This perfume starts with citrus and cherry notes, followed by a delicate cherry blossom heart, finishing with a powdery amber musk and green tea base that transports you to Tokyo at the height of the Hanami.

Their fragrances are perfect for people who wants to stand out in a crowd without breaking the bank.

Whiff of Perfume also offers artisanal room sprays and for a limited time offer, scented candles, which they produced thru a partnership with Gawad Kalinga as a CSR project.

It comes in four scents: Flora Bianca, Mango Verde, Green Tea and Mandarin Grove. They are available in Retail Lab in Glorieta 3 and Powerplant Mall, also in Market Liberty at Evia Lifestyle Center.

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

C4

Entertainment

MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2019

Celebrity moms imbibe the ‘takumi’spirit CELEBRITY moms Christine Jacob-Sandejas, Daphne OseñaPaez, and Asia’s Best Female Chef for 2016 Margarita Fores joined the launch of Toshiba’s latest line of state-of-the-art home appliances held at the Whitespace recently—imbibing the “takumi” spirit, a craftsman’s approach to work in his relentless pursuit of perfection, that they posses.

Jacob, mother to five kids, Olympian, and co-anchor of New Day on CNN Philippines, served as the event’s host. Oseña-Paez, mother of three, TV host, author, and entrepreneur, was seen admiring the appliances on display. While Fores, through her Cibo di Marghi Signature Caterer, provided the scrumptious and fabulous Japanese cuisine served during the event.

Much like the takumi spirit, these celebrity moms give their all in everything that they do, especially in raising their children, striving to be the best they can be.

With its impressive line of stateof-the-art appliances, Toshiba brings to our shores the distinctive takumi spirit, cognizant of the needs of sensible Filipino consumers who seek nothing less than superior Japanese reliability, durability, and harmonized design.

Toshiba’s state-of-the-line of home appliances include the signature T-07 Washer and the flagship T-07 Washer/ Dryer, the 3-SystemOrignFRESH™ Refrigerator, and top-loading water dispensers, all designed, engineered, and manufactured with an uncompromising attention to detail— boasting superior Japan quality, design, safety, and reliability—a perfect fit for contemporary lifestyle needs.

The series, which premieres this afternoon, also stars Sophie Albert, Ryan Sese, and Mark Herras, playing pivotal roles.

It’s love and bittersweet revenge in newest series

‘BIHAG’

L Christine Jacob-Sandejas graces the launch of Toshiba’s latest line of state-of-the-art home appliances

Educators, students choose ABS-CBN MEDIA giant ABS-CBN again earned the approval of the academic community, winning TV Station of the Year and Best Radio Station (AM) for DZMM Radyo Patrol for the third straight year and 19 other awards for its various shows, movies, content, and personalities at the third Guild of Educators, Mentors, and Students (GEMS) Hiyas ng Sining Awards.

In the news and current affairs category, Anthony Taberna won Best Male News Program Anchor for Umagang Kay Ganda while Boy Abunda won Best TV Program Host for The Bottomline.

For entertainment, top-rating primetime show FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano led all Kapamilya winners as it won Best TV Series while ASAP Natin ‘To took home the award for Best TV Program and Ipaglaban Mo won Best TV Program (Drama).

ABS-CBN actors also dominated the TV category, earning recognition for their performance in dramatic roles.

Jericho Rosales won Best Actor (TV Series) for Halik, while Julia Barretto won Best Actress (TV Series) for Ngayon at Kailanman.

Kim Chiu won Best Actress (Single Performance) for her performance in Maalaala Mo Kaya episode Mata, while Joross

Gamboa won Best Actor (Single Performance) for Maalaala Mo Kaya episode Alkansya.

Iza Calzado won Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Female) for Ngayon at Kailanman while Jhong Hilario nabbed the same award for the male category for his performance in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.

In the film category, Cinema One Originals production MAMU: And a Mother Too won Natatanging Pelikulang Pangkasarian while lead actors Iya Minah and Arron Villaflor won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

Veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who last appeared on TV on FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, was also honored with the Natatanging Hiyas ng Sining sa Pinilakang Tabing for his extensive body of work while newcomer Xia Vigor took the BATA (Bibo, Aktibo, Talentadong Anak ng Sining) award.

Completing the winners from ABSCBN are DJ Chacha of MOR 101.9, who won Best Female Radio DJ, DZMM anchor Maresciel Yao, who received the Best Female Radio Broadcaster award for Usapang de Campanilla, and Star Studio, which took home Best Magazine.

The Hiyas ng Sining is given by GEMS, an organization composed of teachers, academic professionals, and students from prestigious academic institutions in the Philippines.

It aims to recognize excellent projects and personalities in the field of television, film, radio, literature, and theater.

Kapamilya actress and TV host Kim Chiu receives the Best Actress plum for her role in an episode of 'Maalaala Mo Kaya.'

AST weeek, we had the chance to see the AVP for Bihag, GMA Network’s newest afternoon soap. The video, which runs for several minutes, gave us a glimpse of what to expect from the drama that stars Max Collins, Jason Abalos, Mark Herras, Ryan Sees, Sophie Albert, and child actor Raphael Landicho.

The AVP presents the main cast: Max Collins is Jessie, a simple and loving wife and mother; Mark Herras is SPO1 Larry Pineda, an honest police officer and Jessie’s high school classmate; Jason Abalos is Brylle, Jessie’s perfect husband who is a pediatric surgeon; Neil Ryan Sese is Amado, a short-tempered man who mourns the loss of his daughter; Sophie Albert is Reign, the woman who will come between Jessie and Brylle; and Raphael Landicho plays the role of Ethan, Jessie and Brylle’s cheerful and cute son.

The first scenes feature fun bonding time of the small family until the drama starts to unfold. Every character has a defining moment and their acting instantly affected the viewers. Bihag is a thought-provoking tale of how one mistake can lead to another.

Jessie, Brylle and their son Ethan is the image of a happy family. Jessie is a loyal wife who chose to be a stay-at-home mommy blogger. Brylle, on the other hand, is a pediatric surgeon

and her faithful husband. But when an unfortunate hostage-taking involving their son happens, lives are lost, betrayal arises, and soon they find themselves and their perfect family falling apart.

Innocent lives will be ruined and everything Jessie has will be taken away from her. How far will she go to take back what is rightfully hers? That’s what the series is going to answer as it unveils the interesting characters that are also “trapped in their own dilemmas and circumstances.”

The show’s creative team is composed of creative director Aloy Adlawan, creative consultant Kit VillanuevaLangit, concept creator and headwriter Suzette Doctolero, writers Zita Garganera, Jason John Lim, and John Roque, and brainstormers Honey Hidalgo and Brylle Tabora.

Under helm of director Neal del Rosario, this original series, created by the GMA Drama group headed by the SVP f o r

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, VP for Drama Redgie A. Magno, AVP for Drama Cheryl ChingSy, Senior Program Manager Redgynn S. Alba, and Executive Producer KJ Corpus premieres today at 3:25 p.m. right after Dragon Lady.

It will be telecast across other territories via GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com. *** Esprit welcomes summer with new collection

TV host and model Kelly Misa at the launch of Esprit's latest collection

Newtrends International Corporation (NIC), one of the country’s leading distributors of international fashion branded accessories, unveiled Esprit’s newest line of watches during the 2019 Spring/ Summer Esprit Time Collection Launch held on March 16 at SM Makati.

As a staple in the fashion industry, Esprit never fails to deliver trendy and timeless pieces. This year, the brand found the launch befitting as it was held in line with the celebration of Women’s Month in March. Avinash Uttamchandani, General Manager of NIC and Horace Ho, General Sales Manager of Time Management Services Limited for Asia Pacific, revealed the new collection that comes in summer hues combined with soft leather and stylish metal straps. Simple yet elegant, the latest Spring/Summer collection has time pieces crafted for women of all ages with different lifestyles.

For the fashionable and sophisticated, there is the Modern Classic line which features subtle dial graphics combined with a simple watch case and stone accents. A definite head turner and conversation starter, the Magnolia Mini Stones line is perfect for those who would like to be the life of the party yet would prefer to maintain that retro look.

“We matched our current collection with the modern Filipino woman whose style and taste are truly remarkable,” says Mr. Ho. The brand’s Spring Summer collection also appeals to the classy purists, with the Timeless line which comes in either full gold-plated or two tone watch case set with stones. Functional and hip, the Active line is perfect for those who enjoy an active lifestyle as it comes with a fully-operational chronograph timer. Continued on C3 'Bihag' sees Jason Abalos and Max Collins playing parents to child actor Raphael Landicho.