Manila Standard - 2019 April 5 - Friday

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SARA BARRED FROM SORTIES AMID KILL-DUTERTE PLOT

(Story below)

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 54 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ANTI-TERRORIST DRILL. A Special and Weapons Tactics law enforcement unit from the capital city takes position during a simultaneous exercise against terrorism, spearheaded Thursday by the Manila Police District, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, with a bomb disposal expert (inset) in a thumbs-up gesture after detonating a bomb in front of the Manila Cathedral. Norman Cruz

DFA rebukes China anew Immigration dared to revoke ‘Swarm of Chinese vessels in WPS illegal’ permits for Sino infra workers

By Rey E. Requejo

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo REELECTIONIST Senator Nancy Binay on Thursday called on the Bureau of Immigration to cancel the special working permits it issued to Chinese construction workers working in differ-

Flood of drugs alarms Duterte: It’s frustrating

By Nat Mariano

ent infrastructure projects in the country.

Binay said that the BI’s issuance of SWPs is illegal and contrary to law, and the agency should start detaining and deporting these workers.

Construction workers and other work connected to manual labor are not Next page

T

HE Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday labeled as “illegal” the presence of hundreds of Chinese vessels swarming around the Philippineoccupied Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.

“The Pag-asa Islands are part of the it has sovereignty, sovereign rights and Kalayaan Island Group, which is an in- jurisdiction,” the DFA said in a statement tegral part of the Philippines over which sent to the media Thursday afternoon.

“Accordingly, the presence of Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa and other maritime features in the KIG is illegal,” it added.

Such actions are a “clear violation of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” as defined under international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the DFA statement read.

Ahead of the release of the statement, Next page

Power price hike impends in aftermath of ‘yellow alerts’

TITLE HOPEFUL.

Bb. Pilipinas 2019 candidate Vickie Marie Rushton, 26, from Negros Occidental, during the candidates’ Press Presentation Thursday at the Novotel Manila in Cubao, Quezon City.

Sonny Espiritu

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy department on Thursday warned that electricity prices could go up due to the series of yellow alerts this week.

“The yellow alert is caused by higher demand and low supply,” Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said when asked about the impact of the yellow alerts in the Luzon grid in the past four days.

“If we talk about the [impact on the] rates, it will really go up.”

Fuentebella made his statement even as Alsons Power and Western Mindanao Power Corp. said in January 2019, Crown Investment Holdings,Inc. formally began its Investment and Management Contract with the Zamboanga City Electrical Co-

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is still frustrated by the continued entry of illegal drugs, the Palace said Thursday.

Despite the government’s relentless efforts in continuing the war on drugs, the President remains exasperated by their proliferation, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“The President is frustrated because it [drugs] keeps on entering [the country].

It’s like the bastards aren’t discouraged at all. In a way, that’s the President’s point,” Panelo said in a radio interview with dzMM. Next page

operative.

They said that made Crown Investment Holdings, and its partner Desco Inc. legally responsible for all the debt, financial and contractual obligations of Zamcelco.

“Within 30 days of the Crown takeover of Zamcelco, Zamboanga City was suffering from daily rotating blackouts of up to 6 hours, disrupting economic, commercial and security processes of Zamboanga City, Alsons Power said.

Fuentebella said he could not say how much prices would go up as the movement in electricity prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity, was difNext page ferent at hourly intervals.

Mayor Sara barred from sorties

Post-bicam budget adjustments bared

By Nat Mariano DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday said she was barred by the Presidential Security Group from attending a campaign rally in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, amid reports of an assassination plot against her father, President Rodrigo Duterte.

The mayor, the campaign manager of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago coalition,

By Maricel V. Cruz THE chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations said Wednesday the Senate led

by Senate President Vicente Sotto III made adjustments to the proposed 2019 Next page

Curtains up at auto show MOTORING C3

Poor diet can lead to death PARIS—One in five deaths globally are linked to poor diet, experts said Thursday, warning that overconsumption of sugar, salt and meat was killing millions of people every year.

The United Nations estimates that nearly a billion

Red-hot Ferrari takes center stage as the four-day MIAS opens. Lino Santos

Next page

said the security group did not say why she could not proceed, noting that the order came from “the highest officer of the PSG.” On Tuesday, the President spoke during a campaign rally behind bullet-proof glass, also upon the insistence of the PSG. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said whether the threats to kill the President are real or imagined, the government takes them seriously. Next page

Protein power, youthful skin TOKYO—Beauty might only be skin deep, but for those wondering how to keep that skin young, scientists may have found an answer in the form of a protein that encourages cell competition.

Next page

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FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Militants seek probe of Negros 14

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday assailed the killing of 14 farmers during police operations in Negros Oriental on March 30, 2019.

The group slammed the killing even as party-list Representatives Antonio Tinio and France Castro of ACT-Teachers, Ariel Casilao of Anakpawis, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela, and Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna filed three resolutions calling for the investigation, in aid of legislation, of the killings.

In another development, the Philippine National Police on Thursday condemned the people who continued to support the “enemies of the state” by taking advantage of the search

warrant operations that resulted in the death of 14 suspects in Negros Oriental for their alleged propaganda against the government.

“We should vehemently send our condemnation against these people supporting the perceived enemies of the state to gain power themselves, even sacrificing the innocent lives of young students to attain their own propaganda against our country and government, Police ChiefOscar Albayalde, said in a statement.

Mayor Sara...

DFA...

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“There have always been threats against national leaders... It is public knowledge that the Chief Executive has made many powerful enemies for spearheading this reform agenda in the two-and-a-half years of his presidency,” Panelo said.

“There is also no denying that the President is a man of the masses and has made himself accessible to the public, and will do so at every opportunity,” he added.

While Duterte “could not care less” about the threats against his life, the Chief Executive is still bound by mandatory security protocols, Panelo said.

“Whether he likes it or not, these protocols are mandatorily attached to the position he holds. It is the duty of the PSG to provide the highest level of security protocols, which includes putting up a bullet-proof glass panel if it deems necessary at a given situation, to keep the man holding the most powerful position in the country safe,” he added. “[Also,] whether the threats are real or imagined, we take them seriously and the Palace commends the PSG for doing a good job,” Panelo said.

Brig. Gen. Jose Eriel Niembra, deputy commander of PSG, earlier said the bullet-proof glass was needed as the venue during the President’s recent engagement was held in an open area.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the use of bullet-proof glass is a normal precaution, especially in open areas.

“Is there a threat to the life of the President? We always assume the existence of threat to the President. Assuming otherwise would be foolhardy, reckless, and irresponsible,” Lorenzana said.

The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, said it has yet to receive any validated information on threats to the life of the President. With PNA

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday noted that “such actions when not repudiated by the country concerned, are deemed to have been adopted by it.”

“When a country lets its countrymen swarm into foreign territory and does nothing to drive them out, it is deemed to have endorsed and in effect adopted that aggressive act against a foreign country,” he said on his official Twitter account.

The Philippine government has observed that the Chinese vessels have been present in large numbers for sustained and recurring periods.

The DFA said these “swarming” tactics raise questions about their intent as well as “concerns over their role in support of coercive objectives.”

In its statement, the DFA asserted that the presence of Chinese vessels within the KIG, “whether military, fishing or other vessels,” will continue to be the subject of appropriate action by the Philippines.

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana on Thursday confirmed that the country raised this issue during the two nations’ fourth meeting of the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism.

“It was discussed during the Philippine-China bilateral talks on the South China Sea held in Manila on April 2 to 3,” he told the Philippine News Agency in a text message.

Meanwhile, leftist lawmakers asked the Supreme Court to strike down as

Flood...

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The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has seized at least P2.8 billion worth of illegal drugs and P1.8 billion worth of shabu in separate antinarcotics operations in Metro Manila alone. The Philippine Coast Guard also intercepted cocaine bricks alleged worth millions of pesos floating in the coastal waters of Catanduanes.

With the rise of intercepted drugs, Duterte last week admitted the country’s drug menace has worsened, with policemen “on the brink of surrendering.”

In a speech during the campaign rally of ruling PDP-Laban party in Malabon City, the President, who vowed to eradicate the drug problem in three to six months, said his crackdown against illegal drugs has “failed,” adding he cannot control it.

“It’s swallowing the country. You can read it every day, even in the crawler of the TV networks. There are billions worth of drugs. Before, there were only thousands. I cannot control those drugs, son of a b****h. Even if I ordered the deaths of these idiots, drugs remain, still intensifying,” Duterte said Tuesday evening.

“The other officials are asking: Is it successful? Now, I tell you it’s not [successful] because it’s happening worldwide. Drugs are a worldwide problem now even China, Taiwan, and others are also affected,” he added.

The President said errant local police officials contribute to the reasons why his government is having a hard time stopping the drug problem.

He said some cops, who are allegedly linked in the narcotics trade, were causing the drug war to fail, and vowed to release a list of policemen tagged in the narcotics trade. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

He made the statement amid the calls for his resignation over the incident.

The lawmakers condemned the killing that they described as “political tokhang.”

Casilao said Anakpawis was outraged over the incident, adding that the victims were leaders and members of the different local organizations in Negros Oriental.

Casilao said the incident could be the implementation of Memorandum 32 that he described as a type of martial law, an open crackdown on legitimate organizations that the police had tagged as communist fronts.

He said the victims, who were civilians and members of active organizations and local organizations of peasants, “became the sacrificial

lamb of the police counter-insurgency operations.”

Casilao said Makabayan was calling for an independent investigation and would not accept the investigations conducted by the National Police’s Internal Affairs Service or IAS. He did not say how his group would react should the National Police’s IAS find the policemen implicated in the killing guilty.

“This will lead to a whitewash only.

We know the script, Casilao said.

He said they were collating the testimonies of the survivors and the victims’ families which would form part in the case buildup against the policemen.

Tinio also called on the House to take action on the killing of the 14 farmers.

With PNA

unconstitutional the government’s $62-million loan agreement with China to fund the construction of the Chico River irrigation pump project in the Cordillera region.

In their petition, lawmakers led by senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares also sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order to stop the implementation of the loan deal where China could seize natural gas deposits in the Recto Bank if the Philippines defaults on its loan.

Taking the cue from arguments publicly raised by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the petitioners said the agreement violates several provisions of the 1987 Constitution as it contains an express waiver of sovereign immunity over the country’s patrimonial assets in favor of China.

They cited provisions of the contract showing that the government “has allowed its patrimonial assets to stand as security for unpaid obligations under this loan agreement. ‘Collateralization’ of patrimonial property for unpaid obligations under a foreign loan contract or as an award in an arbitral proceeding is unconstitutional and illegal.”

Specifically, they said, the contract violates Section 2, Article XII of the Charter, which reads: “All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the state.

With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated. The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall

be under the full control and supervision of the state.”

Carpio on Thursday urged the government to file a diplomatic protest against China to preserve the country’s sovereignty over its territorial sea.

“To preserve our sovereignty over our territorial sea around Pagasa, the Philippines should file a diplomatic protest. Otherwise, the Philippines will be deemed to have acquiesced to China’s claim that the waters around Pagasa belong to China under its nine-dash line claim,” Carpio said in a statement.

Carpio said China’s fishing vessels have no right to fish within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Pagasa.

“They can only exercise innocent passage in our territorial sea—meaning these vessels must transit in a straight, continuous and expeditious passage. These vessels cannot stop, loiter or even zig-zag in [and] out [of the] territorial sea,” he said.

The Court’s most senior magistrate also insisted that the country should also protest China’s seizure of Sanday Cay and two other sandbars.

“Sandy Cay, a high-tide sandbar, and two nearby low-tide sandbars, are less than two nautical miles from Pagasa.

These sandbars emerged within our 12 nautical mile territorial sea in Pagasa,” Carpio pointed out.

“Anything that emerges within our territorial sea is also our territory. That is well recognized under international law,” he said.

Sandy Cay was seized by China two years ago. However, no protest was filed by the Philippines despite its promise that it will do so. With PNA

AsPac nations warned not to aid Reds THE Philippines flagged terrorists’ global funding schemes to homeland security authorities of Asia-Pacific countries, seeking cooperation to combat a wide international network of communist-infiltrated front organizations.

Major General Antonio Parlade Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, in his speech at the Milipol AsiaPacific 2019 Conference in Singapore on Thursday, warned that the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed units, are masking themselves as humanitarian non-government organizations to secure funds from international donors—which are then used to conduct terrorist activities.

He said the 50-year-old CPP has already established an international network, named the International Department, comprised of some 252 member-organizations based in 39 countries.

The group established 16 chapters abroad through the International League of Peoples’ Struggle headed by CPP chairperson Jose Maria Sison.

“We foresee that this problem, if not checked can turn out to be a hybrid scheme that can be a transnational crime problem. The purpose of this presentation is to make you aware that there is such a thing, and because of how intricate these international funding is being done. It may not be in our radar,” Parlade said.

He also named local organizations that are affiliated with the ILPS, such as the IBON Foundation, General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, KARAPATAN, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, among others.

Parlade said these organizations conduct international solidarity missions where they publish inaccurate reports to portray a tyrant and oppressive Philippine government. At the same time, they lobby for funds from foreign institutions claiming that they will be used for projects to solve the fabricated issues, but will rather be used to fund terrorist activities.

Protein...

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Immigration...

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included in the issuance of SWPs, Binay said.

Foreign construction workers, cashiers, waiters, janitors, household workers, carpenters, garbage collectors, security guards, and warehouse caretakers are forbidden in the SWP’s supplemental guidelines.

The senator also wants the Department of Labor and Employment to start inspecting construction sites to find out if Chinese workers there have permits.

Some reports said Chinese construction workers working in Chinese-funded infrastructure sites under the “Build, Build, Build” program have no working permits.

There are around 138,000 foreign na-

tionals that have been given SWPs in 2018, and 56,180 of these are Chinese working in online gaming operations in the country, according to combined data from the BI and DOLE. DOLE said Thursday it will issue new guidelines on foreign workers drafted in coordination with other government agencies, including the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

An interagency committee met last week and reviewed a list of foreign workers and their job description submitted by the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, and those working without the required SWP from the BI or alien employment permit from the department.

“This will all be addressed when we release a memorandum or guidelines governing the entry of foreign workers.

Power price...

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Manila Electric Co. spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said the sport market was part of Meralco’s pricing. Meralco sources part of its power requirements from the spot market.

“At this point, we cannot tell you the impact of prices for April, but rest assured once all the billings are in, including the sourcing we have from WESM, we will give it,” he said.

Grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has issued a yellow alert for the Luzon grid for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday.

The yellow alert was raised from 2 p.m. To 4 p.m.

Post-bicam...

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General Appropriations Bill after the ratification of the bicameral report.

The senators also increased by P83.9 billion the allocation for their pet programs and projects under various departments and agencies.

“These adjustments were submitted to the House appropriations committee by the members of the Senate’s Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office beginning February 11, or three days after Congress ratified the 2019 budget on February 8. The Senate adjustments were submitted piece-meal until March 8, 2019,” Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. said in a statement.

He made the statement even as Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Thursday President Rodrigo Duterte had no choice but to veto the P75-billion

It’s not about the nature of the job, it’s whether the job can be done by Filipinos,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

He said that strict monitoring of the foreign workers will require more DOLE personnel to validate the list of workers submitted by the companies who were given license to operate POGOs. Bello recommended the hiring of 5,000 additional labor laws compliance officers to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to supplement the monitoring workforce for foreign workers and private establishments in the country.

Dominguez said the hiring of additional labor inspectors will entail around P2.5 billion, but the government is expected to collect around P22 billion to P40 billion in taxes from the foreign workers in the Philippines.

due to insufficient operating reserves brought about by the high system demand and the forced outage of Pagbilao 3.

The power plants that are still on unplanned outage are SLTEC 1(150 MW) and Malaya 2. The de-rated plants, or those operating below their capacity, are Masinloc 2 250 MW (344 MW), Calaca 2 at 200 MW from its declared 300 MW capacity, Malaya 1 at 150 MW from 300 MW, and SLPGC 2 at 100 MW from 150 M W. The plants went off-line due to several reasons, including burned air heater, boiler slugging, boiler tube leak, turbine oil leak, high turbine and vibration.

Fuentebella said the Energy department had already asked the owners of the plants to explain the unplanned and forced shutdown. “pork insertions” made by congressmen in the P3.8trillion national budget for 2019.

The insertions by House members were done after the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report.

“The President has no choice but to veto the questionable items in the budget, particularly the P75 billion worth of pork barrel funds, which was illegally inserted into the budget after both houses ratified the bicameral conference report,Drilon said.

Andaya said the biggest increase, totaling P26 billion, was realigned to the Department of Public Works and Highways to finance infrastructure projects that were also itemized by the Senate.

Next was the Department of Health, which was given additional allocation of P17 billion. Of this amount, P10 billion was earmarked for the Health Enhancement Program and P1 billion for the Malasakit Centers, Andaya said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

The prosaically named COL17A1 might not sound like a fountain of youth, but the new study suggests it does the heavy lifting when it comes to keeping skin intact and unimpaired.

The protein works by encouraging cell competition, a key process to maintain tissue fitness. That effectively “drives out” weaker cells while encouraging replication of stronger ones.

“Damaged or stressed stem cells can be selectively eliminated by intact stem cells every day in our skin,” said Emi Nishimura, a professor at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University’s Stem Cell Biology department, who led the research.

But ageing results in a depletion of COL17A1, as do familiar enemies of youthful skin, like UV radiation and other stress factors. AFP

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people” worldwide are malnourished, while nearly two billion are “overnourished.

But the latest study on global diet trends, published in The Lancet, showed that in nearly every one of the 195 countries surveyed, people were also eating too much of the wrong types of food—and consuming worryingly low levels of healthier produce.

For example, the world on average consumes more than 10 times the recommended amount of sugar-sweetened beverages, and 86 percent more sodium per person than is considered safe.

The study, which examined consumption and disease trends between 1990-2017, also cautioned that too many people were eating far too few whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Of the 11 million deaths attributed to poor diet, by far the largest killer was cardiovascular disease, which is often caused or worsened by obesity.

“This study affirms what many have thought for several years—that poor diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor in the world,” said study author Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

“Our assessment suggests the leading dietary risk factors are high intake of sodium, or low intake of health foods.”

The report highlighted large variation in diet-related deaths between nations, with the highest-risk country Uzbekistan having ten times the food-based mortality rate of the lowest-risk, Israel. AFP

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FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace condemns bombing in Sultan Kudarat town of Isulan

4 BIFF fighters killed, 11 wounded in Maguindanao

By Nat Mariano

By Francisco Tuyay

THE Palace on Thursday condemned a recent bombing incident in Sultan Kudarat that left at least 18 people wounded.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said, “The Palace deplores yesterday afternoon’s explosion in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat which wounded scores of individuals who are currently receiving medical treatment.”

On Wednesday afternoon, an improvised explosive device went off in front of Carlito’s Chicken restaurant along Barangay Kalawag 2 in Isulan town, leaving several people, including six minors and a pregnant woman, wounded.

Isulan Mayor Maritess Pallasigue said that her office did not receive any threat prior to the blast, admitting that she had no idea what the purpose of the incident was as the town is known as a “peaceful place.”

Panelo said that the police is looking at extortion as the possible motive behind the “dastardly act.”

This was the third explosions which occurred this year in the third year of the imposition of the martial law in Mindanao.

In January, twin explosions near a Roman Catholic Church in Jolo, Sulu killed 21 people and wounded 100 others. A bomb also went off inside a mosque in Zamboanga City, killing two and injuring four others.

The Palace is calling on the public to remain vigilant and to report to the authorities any suspicious behavior.

“While we commit to bring the perpetrators to justice, we also continue to advise the public to remain vigilant in their surroundings and not to be hesitant in reporting any unusual behavior that they may observe to proper authorities,” Panelo said.

MWSS bares new water security roadmap AS PART of its overall goal to achieve water security during and beyond the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has a crafted a water security roadmap that will provide potable and sustainable water supply in the next 10 years.

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco presented the new MWSS water security roadmap in a Cabinet meeting last Monday including much needed complementary projects.

“Let me emphasize that it is only under the Duterte administration that has put premium on the need to construct new water supply sources starting with the 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam since Angat was last built in 1967 that continue to supply 4,000 MLD of water to Metro Manila and adjoining provinces,” said Velasco .

The present MWSS Board of Trustees and management have buckled down to work to insure that there will be water security during the Duterte administration with at least 1,518 MLD by 2022.

The MWSS chief identified the following short-term and medium water sources projects that are being fasttracked, doable and implementable, namely: 150 MLD Putatan (2019); 100 MLD Cardona (2019); 188 MLD Sumag (2020); 50 MLD Rizal Wellfield (2020); 80 MLD Calawis Wawa (2021); 100 MLD Putatan 3 (2022); 250 MLD Lower Ipo; and, 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam (2023).

CONNECTIONS. DPWH Secretary Mark Villar (left) inspects the 7.7 kilometer six-lane C5 South Link expressway which now connects C-5 road to Manila- Cavite toll Expressway. Since it started April 2017, segment 3A1, which connects Taguig to Melville.

Parañaque is now 87 percent complete. Norman Cruz

SC asked to create special court for Dengvaxia cases T

By Rey E. Requejo

HE Supreme Court has been asked to designate a special court to handle all criminal cases on deaths related to the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine during the previous administration.

In a 25-page petition, the Public Attorney’s Office appealed to the SC to designate a family court in Quezon City to hear and decide on cases of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide filed by the Department of Justice against former officials led by former Health Secretary Janette Garin.

The PAO, which acts as counsel of families of victims of the Dengvaxia mess, seeks the consolidation and transfer to the designated court of the initial cases filed in various trial courts in Quezon City, Caloocan City, Muntinlupa City, Laguna and Bataan in the first batch of cases to the designated court.

It also asked the SC to assign another regional trial court in Quezon City to handle the civil cases already filed and still to be filed by the victims in different court venues.

“In asking for a change of venue, the petitioners invoke the high probability that there will be miscarriage of justice if the instant cases are heard by various

courts in three different judicial regions of the country,” stated the petition signed by PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta.

The PAO argued that hearing the cases in different venues would “unduly delay the proceedings as the handling prosecutors, private complainants, accused, witnesses and assisting counsels will have to run around to attend hearings.”

“The trial of the instant cases will call for substantially the same set of witnesses, particularly on the technical aspect of the procurement of the Dengvaxia vaccine and implementation of the mass immunization program, as well as medical aspect of the case to prove the legal and proximate causation between the inoculation of the herein minor-victims and their eventual deaths,” PAO said in a statement.

The petition came after the DOJ indicted Garin and other former health officials over the first batch of Dengvaxia cases involving eight schoolchildren.

Cases for eight counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide were filed

against Garin and nine other health officials—Dr. Vicente Belizario Jr., Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, Dr. Gerardo Bayugo, Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, Dr. Irma Asuncion, Dr. Julius Lecciones, Dr. Maria Joyce Ducusin, Dr. Rosalinda Vianzon and Dr. Mario Baquilod.

Also indicted were Dr. Socorro Lupisan and Dr. Maria Rosario Capeding, both from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; and Carlito Realuyo, Stanislas Camart, Jean Louis Grunwald, Jean Francois Vacherand, Conchita Santos and Jazel Anne Calvo from the Dengvaxiamanufacturer Sanofi Pasteur Inc. Meanwhile, four counts of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide were recommended against Ma. Lourdes Santiago and Melody Zamudio of the Food and Drug Administration.

The DOJ panel said it found “Garin and the other respondents to have exhibited ‘inexcusable lack of precaution and foresight’ when they facilitated, with undue haste, ‘the registration and purchase of Dengvaxia’ and used the vaccine in implementing a school-based dengue mass immunization program.”

It also said that Garin and the other respondents reportedly circumvented various regulations in the purchase of P3.5 billion worth of the anti-dengue vaccine that constituted proof of their reckless imprudence.

TUCP bats for ‘affordable’ in-city tenement housing

By Vito Barcelo THE labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said on Thursday that it would propose to the government the construction of affordable in-city tenement housing for minimum-waged earners near their working places, which would not only help decongest traffic but provide workers decent houses to live.

“In the light of growing inadequate mass transport problems and worsening traffic congestion, we shall also demand that Pag-IBIG expand its services and benefits to members by initiating development of an affordable in-city tenement housing for lowly-paid workers and develop housing projects for workers in the regions and the countryside, in the export processing zones, Overseas Foreign Workers, and government employees,” TUCP president Raymond

Mendoza said.

The in-city housing program for workers will help working people and their families cope with rising cost of living in metropolis and minimize a range of stress-related disorders and diseases caused by travelling and commuting in a problematic mass transport system environment, Mendoza explained.

“We are not closing our doors to an increase in contributions in Pag-IBIG as we have yet to see the proposal from them. We shall wait for their presentations before we make the decision to support it or not,” the TUCP said.

Mendoza said that any increase should redound to lower home loan interest rates, higher maturity savings returns for members, increased efficiency in Pag-IBIG operations, greater accessibility to home loans particularly for minimum wage earners and

low income workers.

Mendoza said they are looking at utilizing idle government-owned lands in the National Capital Region to build tenement housing units similar to tenement housing in Taguig and Tondo, Manila to reduce workers’ daily expenses in the face of their meager daily salary.

“We also acknowledge that the dividends that they have been giving out to members have improved in the past several years which is good for the workers and their families because their contributions is considered forced savings and Pag-IBIG should sustain this,” Mendoza said.

“We also understand from their last Chairman’s report that the number of home loan borrowers have increased substantially and it is important to ensure the sustainability of Pag-IBIG.”

Pag-IBIG may raise monthly savings

FARMERS’ PROTEST. Farmers from different provinces stage a protest rally in front of the Department of Agriculture office in Quezon City to condemn the presence of the International Rice Research Institute in the country, stating that its program such as green revolution, did not lead to rice self-efficiency. Manny Palmero

PAG-IBIG Fund is considering raising the decades-old P100 monthly savings in 2021 to answer the increasing demand for its low-interest housing and calamity loans. Top executives of the agency, however, explained that they will hold consultations first and vowed improved members’ benefits if the savings hike is to proceed.

Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario, Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees said that the Fund achieved another banner year in 2018 as the agency earned P33.17 billion in net income. The increase in the demand for loans, however, may soon outpace the growth in collections derived mostly from the mandatory P100 monthly savings of its members.

In the Pag-IBIG Fund chairman’s Report held recently, Del Rosario said that Pag-IBIG plays a major role in the gov-

ernment’s housing efforts because the Fund is recognized as the single largest source of housing loans in the country.

In 2018 alone, the Fund released P75.31 billion in housing loans.

“We offer the lowest housing loan and calamity loan interest rates. The demand for housing loans alone has seen consistent double digit growth over the recent years as it averaged 19.8-percent growth since 2016. So we’re exploring all sources of additional funding. We might have to increase the P100 monthly savings in order to continue providing the low interest rates. But because President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has standing orders to consider the plight of the Filipino workers, this will not happen immediately. If we have to increase, the increase will happen in two, maybe three years, from now because we have to consult our stakeholders first,” said chairman Del Rosario.

FOUR members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, including a brother of a top terrorist leader, were killed while 11 others were wounded following a running gunbattle against government troopers in Maguindanao early Monday.

The military said one of those wounded was a nephew of another terrorist leader belonging to a separate radical group.

Major Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division identified the slain terrorists as Ali Abdul Malik, brother of BIFF leader Abu Toraype; and three others who have yet to be unidentified Citing intelligence reports, Sobejana identified two of the wounded terrorists as Hairudin Abubakar and a certain Maranao, all members of the Bungos group, a separate faction of the BIFF. The killing of the four BIFF members came after security forces launched search and destroy operations against terrorists operating in the outskirts of Maguindanao, particularly in Datu Unsay town.

While searching for the terrorists’ lair, ground troops launched indirect fire which hit the supposed hideout of Ali Abdul Malik, triggering a fierce firefight.

After a lull in the fighting, ground troops conducted clearing operations, which led to the recovery of war materiel, including Improvised Explosive Devices.

Hours later, the BIFF Bungos faction tried to reinforce their comrades under the Toraype group, triggering renewed firefight which led to the deaths of the terrorists

CAAP to enforce 18-day security alert for Lent

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will enforce an 18-day travel security and safety measures in anticipation of an increase in passenger traffic in 44 commercial airports in major cities and provinces around the country this coming Holy Week.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the agency has regularly prepared for the increase in passenger influx during the holiday season. He added CAAP will start its implementation of Oplan Byaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2019 next week in compliance with the directive from the Department of Transportation.

“This is in anticipation of the increase in passengers as Filipinos fly home to their provinces for the approaching Holy Week,” he said.

CAAP expects an increase in the number of passengers this year. On April last year, Philippine airports welcomed a total of 5,508,498 domestic and international passengers with 3,036,274 of these passengers arriving and departing through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“Security measures will be in place to ensure safe, reliable, and convenient operations at all 44 commercial airports in the country from April 8 to April 25,” said Apolonio.

Apolinio said coordination has also been made with airlines regarding the efficient processing of their passengers, especially at the check-in counters. Additional airline personnel will be deployed as needed to accommodate the increase in travelers.

Two minors, mom killed in Bulacan TWO minors and their mother were mercilessly killed inside their residence by two drunken men in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Monday evening.

Bulacan Police Provincial Director, Col. Chito Bersaluna identified the victims as Jaymee Casabuena, 28, and her children Anton Gabriel, 8 and Joaquin Mateo, 4, who are residents of Carisa 2A, Barangay Kaypian, San Jose Del Monte.

The victims, who were believed to have died several hours after the incident, had bloated bodies when found.

A day after the killing, two suspects were arrested following two separate police operations in an area near the victims’ residence.

Bersaluna identified the suspects as Wilson Nosal, 23, a resident of Norzagaray, Bulacan and Joselito Cortez, 48, of Area D, B12, Brgy Terona, Cavite, who was intercepted at the boundary of Barangay San Manuel in SJDM. Francisco Tuyay

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Opinion

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Atienza vs. Bagatsing

AN INTERESTING political contest is shaping up in Manila’s fifth congressional district, pitting an Atienza against a Bagatsing. No, it’s not between the two big names in Manila politics. It is a battle of their offspring.

Ali Atienza, son of two-term Manila mayor and current Buhay Party List Rep. Lito Atienza, is challenging incumbent Fifth District Rep. Amanda Christina Bagatsing, the daughter of Amado Bagatsing who himself had served as the district representative

Ali wants to harness his competitive nature to transform Manila into a vibrant community.

Ali and his supporters claim Bagats Bagatsing, popularly known as Cristal, has not done enough for the people in the three years she represented the district.

Ali is a taekwondo gold medalist in the Asian Games. He defeated a South Korean. Proving that the two of them were high-caliber competitors, the South Korean later went on to win an Olympic gold medal in the same event.

Atienza is aspiring to harness his competitive nature into transforming Manila’s Fifth District into a vibrant community where athletes could win the Philippines its first Olympic gold medal by pushing for sports programs in city schools. He has the experience in this field since he was the community coordinator for sports when his father was Manila mayor.

One of Ali Atienza’s ardent advoca-

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

cies is the rehabilitation in time for the Manila-hosted Asian Games of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Vito Cruz and Adriatico streets in the Malate area.

The fifth congressional district is composed of Malate, Ermita, Paco, San Andres Bukid, Intramuros and Port Area. It is a densely populated area with the influx of informal settlers, particularly in Intramuros.

A real estate developer wants to buy the prime-property location of the Rizal sports complex and turn it into a shopping mall cum condominium towers. Ali frowns on the idea saying there are already enough shopping malls in Metro Manila that aggravate the monstrous traffic problem. He also deplores the non-urgent legislative proposals passed by the House supermajority that includes Cristal Bagatsing. These measures as divorce, samesex marriage, legalized use of marijuana for medical purposes, the prohibition of physical punishment by teacher against unruly school children are not urgent and essential to the basic needs of the people, said Ali Atienza who is also against the law requiring big registration plates on the front and back of motorcycles.

“This is clearly against the system of aerodynamics because those wide metal mo plates block the wind and hamper a motorcycle’s mobility, “ said Ali, adding it would entail additional expenses for the plates, registration and renewal of driver’s licenses and more time time spent lining up at LTO agencies.

If the LTO officials could be more innovative, they could, instead of the metal plates, require that the registration number of motorcycles be printed big on the back of body vests to be worn by the driver and his piggy back passenger. This would serve closed circuit TV cameras better in recording and identifying riding in tandem criminals who commit assassinations and robberies.

Traffic enforcers who accost a suspicious riding-in-tandem motorcyclist can check if the printed number on the back of the body vest is the same as the smaller registration plate to preclude being misled by criminal elements.

T

Growth restraints

HE country's economic growth this year may not be as robust as many expect it to be because of at least three major factors. Government and private economists agree that the delay in the approval of the 2019 budget, the slowdown in global trade and the El Niño phenomenon will make a dent on the gross domestic product.

The inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee was the first to make the adjustment on the economic growth target. It reduced its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to a range of 6 percent to 7 percent from the previous target of 7 percent to 8 percent, taking into account the delay in the approval of the national budget and external risks, including the lingering trade war between the US and China.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has noted that the budget impasse will affect the creation of more jobs

from the Build, Build Build infrastructure program of the Duterte administration.

Estimates by the National Economic and Development Authority showed that a reenacted budget until April would bring down full-year GDP growth to 6.1 percent to 6.3 percent. The NEDA said if the budget was passed in August, growth could be expected at 4.9 percent to 5.1 percent. It said that with a full-year reenacted budget, the growth could go as low as 4.2 percent to 4.9 percent.

The current El Niño, meanwhile, is already wreaking

havoc on farm production.

The Department of Agriculture department is now assisting some 138,000 farmers grappling with the lack of rain. El Niño, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, had caused some P5 billion in agricultural losses in about 149,000 hectares of farmland. The worst-hit areas included Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Northern Mindanao and Occidental Mindoro.

Both the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank made their respective downward adjustments on the country's growth forecast, citing the weaker global growth and the budget delay.

A lower economic growth simply means lesser creation of jobs than what the government originally projected.

Lower employment opportunities, in turn, will worsen the poverty incidence in the Philippines.

Onerous contracts PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte told his Cabinet April 1, to review the contracts of the government—with companies and other countries, including “concession agreements on public utilities and foreign loan contracts.”

Some quarters have denounced the terms of the Chinese loan for the P12billion Kaliwa Dam, which will provide backup water supply (600 million liters a day) to Metro Manila when completed, and the Chico River loan agreement. Specifically, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General are to do the review.

“Even if it [the loan] is executed, if it’s in violation of the Constitution, you can rescind and strike it down. We’ll ask the court to rescind it,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo told a press conference.

It seems to me Duterte’s contract review order is very comprehensive. It could include not just the Kaliwa Dam and the Chico River loans—both provided by the Chinese, who Duterte said just want to be friends with the Philippines. It could include contracts of the two water concessionaires—Manila Water and Maynilad Water, whose contracts include sovereign guarantees, unlimited pass-on costs to consumers, and it seems, a ban on their payments of penalties for non-delivery of contracted water to consumers.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio told the Integrated Bar of the Philippines that in the Chico River loan agreement, China can seize, to satisfy any arbitral award in favor of China, “patrimonial assets and assets dedicated to commercial use” of the Philippine government, in case of default.

Such patrimonial assets include oiland-gas-rich Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea. According to Carpio, it will be easy for the Chinese to get hold of them because according to the loan agreement, (1) any arbitration will be held in Beijing; and (2) any court cases will have to be brought in China, because Chinese law will apply.

“The Chinese loans are onerous,”

maintains Inquirer columnist Solita Monsod. The (loans) say specifically that the laws of China will obtain in any disagreement, and we have to go through their courts; their grounds for default are definitely in favor of China; arbitration is to be held in Beijing (Chico River) or Hong Kong (Kaliwa Dam); and the waiver of immunity over patrimonial assets is not mentioned in any other contract.

Japan and Korea loans carry a 40-year tenor (with 10 or 12 years grace), before you pay the principal), at interest rates ranging from 0.09 percent to 0.26 percent per year.

China gives 20 years to pay (with seven years’ grace), at an interest of 2 percent per year.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has denounced critics who he says have

The Finance secretary insists it is unlikely we would default on our loans.

raised the false spectre of the Philippines defaulting on its concessional loans to China have no faith in their own country.

“Fears of the Philippines defaulting on any of its loans are unfounded, given that the government has never failed to pay its debts even during the worst of times,” the DOF chief insisted.

“The Philippines has never, never defaulted on its loans. The Philippines has not done it even in the worst time and the worst time was right after Marcos,” Dominguez told reporters.

He recalled that even when the Philippines was cash-strapped, it never defaulted on any of its loans, recalling that the country paid its obligations on the $2.2-billion Bataan Nuclear Power Plant project despite it turning out to be a “white elephant.”

“The Philippines has no history of defaulting on its loans. So why are people saying now that we will default? They have no faith in the Philippines? I don’t know why people are saying ‘There might Turn to A5

If the SC says so, then do it

AMPLE proof that the judiciary, represented by the Supreme Court, remains an independent branch of government and not, as feared by critics, totally beholden to the President and the executive branch, is the High Tribunal's en banc ruling this week that the Solicitor General should release documents on the thousands of killings directly attributed to President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

the Free Legal Assistance Group—on the more than 20,000 killings since mid-2016 Kudos to the justices by policemen and suspected vigilantes. for reassuring the Calida had blocked the release of the documents by invoking national security, citizenry that it upholds claiming that the release of the reports of accountability, justice a big number of killings "may lead to the and the rule of law in this inference that these are state-sponsored."

He also argued that CenterLaw and FLAG country. were not entitled to the rest of the documents as their cases only cover specific killings in Metro Manila.

According to CenterLaw, however, the The ruling directs Solicitor General Jose Calida to submit to the Supreme Court release of documents is important to shed the police reports, copy furnished the peti- light on the killings: "This is an emphatic Turn to A5 tioners—Center for International Law and Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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Opinion Victim blaming of women gets men off the hook POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE WHY is it that when a man rapes a woman, it’s the woman’s fault and not the man’s?

This phenomenon is called victimblaming, and is an attitude common all over the world, particularly manifested in cases of rape, incest, and other forms of sexual assault.

Two recent cases of gang-rape brought this attitude to light—first, the case in Tondo where the 16-year-old victim engaged in a drinking party with seven men; second, the horrific assault on a nine-year-old in Cebu by her 40-year-old uncle and six of his construction-worker mates.

The 16-year-old was blamed for putting herself in a risky situation, being the only female in a group of carousing men, and that she consented to the sex because she joined them in the first place knowing that could happen.

This is another way of saying that a group of men under the influence of alcohol cannot be trusted, that they turn into depraved monsters when drunk.

In the case of the nine-year-old, her uncle said she was seducing him by playing with his shorts and pulling them down, and by sitting on his lap. This presupposes that the girl at that very young age was performing a sexually overt act instead of playing a funny prank on her uncle. This is a far-fetched tumbling of the imagination and a stupid excuse on the incestuous rapist’s part.

Victim-blaming contends that it is a woman’s responsibility to stay safe.

Women are “told to change their own behavior in order to avoid being assaulted or raped,” says the Women’s Health Re-

search Institute of Northwestern University.

“Women are told repeatedly to dress less provocatively, drink less alcohol, and not put themselves in risky situations.

This proliferates the belief that women are at fault when they are attacked, and leads to a lack of accountability for men.”

There we have the ‘why’ of victimblaming of women: It absolves men of wrongdoing on their part. That is why they point the finger—“She was asking for it.” “She was a slut.” “She was stupid to have gone drinking with a group of men.”

It’s an attitude common all over the world.

Most men who rape know what they do is wrong. In the Tondo and Cebu crimes, not all the suspects were found immediately and some are still at large, meaning that they fled punishment.

But rapists don’t believe they are the problem. And if they aren’t the problem, then it’s the victim—the girl or woman— who is. Through victim-blaming, the perpetrator justifies his anti-social, misogynistic act. They shift the accountability onto the victim.

What’s difficult for women is that most rapes are committed not by violent strangers but by men known to them— relatives, people they consider friends.

This is opportunistic rape that takes advantage of the victim’s vulnerability.

Diana Scully’s ‘Understanding Sexual Violence’ (1990) found that “most rapes are the result of a ‘rape culture’ that tells men that, in many situations, raping

women is not only normal behavior, but completely safe.”

Because most rapes are not reported—likely because they are committed by men known to the women—men consider rape and harassment to be low-risk crimes they can get away with.

This is true in the Cebu case—this was not the first time the nine-year-old was raped by her uncle, but her parents didn’t tell the police about the prior incidents.

What’s a solution to rape?

Sandra Newman, writing for Aeon in 2017, said that when studying cases of rape in history—from the Rape of Nanjing when Japanese soldiers raped 20,000 women, to the civil war in El Salvador where United Nations investigators in 1981 “found no reported cases of rapes being committed by insurgents”—the telling factor was the existence of a deterrent.

“Apparently, even in the midst of war,” said Newman, “men are capable of refraining from sexual assault if they know there will be consequences.”

Is this what is needed—a harsher deterrent? There are already laws that punish rape and sexual assault. What’s needed is for these crimes to be reported and for perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Men should never get away with rape.

They should never get away with passing the blame for their own violence, misogyny, and entitlement onto their victims.

They should not get away with making women culpable for their own mistreatment.

“Rape is one of the most terrible crimes on earth and it happens every few minutes. The problem with groups who deal with rape is that they try to educate women about how to defend themselves.

What really needs to be done is teaching men not to rape. Go to the source and start there.”―Kurt Cobain /FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Heaven sent: Taiwan honors dead with lavish paper models

By Amber Wang

FROM a modern summer villa with an outdoor pool to a fully equipped film studio or a casino, paper model makers in Taiwan are ensuring the dead enjoy an eternity of luxury.

Across the global Chinese diaspora, burning paper offerings has long been seen as a way to send ancestors gifts that they can use in the afterlife.

In recent years, traditional paper incarnations of money and gold bars have given way to the more modern—paper iPads and mobile phones, washing machines, cars, televisions and credit cards.

But a handful of paper model makers in Taiwan are taking the art to a new level and crafting offerings that bestow on the dead the kind of trappings only experienced by the truly rich and famous in the land of the living.

"We believe that people will move on to another world after they die," explained Taipei businessman Chen Shuhsuan, as he attended his uncle's funeral.

Moments before, family members prayed as a detailed model of a twostorey mansion created for the deceased went up in flames, complete with working lights, paper staff and a luxury car tucked away inside an attached garage.

"We hope he would live a good afterlife in that world so we prepare a paper house and a lot of paper money so he could have the means to live well," Chen said.

Complicated demands The practice of burning offerings originated in Taoism, a leading faith in Taiwan, with the gifts primarily offered at funerals, death anniversaries and during key festivals when ancestors are honoured.

Onerous...

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be a default.’ That means to say those people have no faith in their own country,” Dominguez sneered.

The Finance chief also said there is no collateral involved in the loans that the government has entered into with any country.

He invited the public to examine the terms of all the loan accords that the Philippines has signed with its development partners, which are available for viewing at the Department of Finance website, www.dof. gov.ph.

Meanwhile, lawmakers have dismissed concerns about the Philippines defaulting on its loans and China seizing the country’s public assets. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon points out “default will never happen.”

Presidential Decree 1177 mandates the automatic appropriations for debt servicing, which means the Philippines will al-

Chen said his family intended to burn more offerings for his uncle on Friday's Tomb Sweeping Festival when ethnic Chinese traditionally visit and tidy the graves of their ancestors to pay respect.

Model maker Lin Chien-chiang, 55, has been in the business for 30 years and says consumer demands are becoming increasingly complex.

These include miniature banks, a space shuttle, and even an entertainment complex featuring a casino and a hostess club complete with ladies dressed in figure-hugging outfits.

His most popular offerings include realistic miniature gadgets such as smartphones and laptops to a "mini vault" containing a wad of US dollars, gold bars and credit cards.

Lin's company is also one of a handful in Taipei that still manufacture bigger, traditional Chinese-styled houses made with paper and bamboo. But they fell out of fashion because of environmental concerns, as they used to contain styrofoam.

"We are making changes to produce smaller and more intricate models to better suit the times. And using more environmentally friendly materials," Lin said, adding that fewer than 20 percent of his orders now are for traditional houses.

Dead but not forgotten Veteran craftsman Chiang Yueh-lun, 51, recalled his most unique order: A lifesize paper double of a young man killed in a car crash to be placed on top of the badly damaged body inside his casket.

"Some people think our business is ill luck because it has to do with the dead but I believe we are accumulating good

ways have to pay its debts.

Earlier, Dominguez assured 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 the region.

He also reiterated that in conformity with the Constitution and our laws, none of the pipeline projects funded with official development assistance from countries like Japan and China allow for the appropriation or takeover of domestic assets in the event of failure to pay, which is unlikely.

The government’s borrowing program, Dominguez pointed out, remains “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.”

According to Dominguez, no infrastructure project is funded through ODA without going through a rigorous system

karma for the services we provide," he said.

Han Yean, 40, started her business Skea (Spectacular Kind of Elysium Accessories) after she could not find an ideal paper house for her grandfather when he passed away 12 years ago.

She eventually made a paper villa with an outdoor hot spring which her grandfather had loved.

Han believes that the offerings not only serve as a tribute to the deceased but also help the living cope with loss.

"We can continue to express our love," Han says of the paper gifts, adding: "We are not forgetting our loved ones and they are living in our hearts."

Han offers a variety of handcrafted everyday items such as paper clothes, bags and cosmetics priced from around $100.

But at the other end of the spectrum the price tag can be steep.

She once built an elaborate filmstudio boasting sets from different time periods for the family of a deceased entertainment tycoon. The bill came to $64,000.

The tradition has crossed over into Taiwan's other faiths. Han estimates 20 percent of her customers are Christian.

She will display some of her designs at an exhibition on Taiwan's funeral culture in Paris from June, including a dim sum restaurant based on a product she previously made for a customer.

"I hope western societies will understand our practice," she said. "Paper offerings are not something scary. I want to make beautiful items that make people feel their loved ones are living a better life in heaven." AFP

of reviews and approvals by the Cabinet and the President, and unless there is certainty that the project is economically viable and highly beneficial for the Filipino people.

Dominguez said the government’s debt is carefully structured to ensure that it does not borrow without raising its own capital for infrastructure projects, while at the same time sourcing a significant portion of financing from the local debt market to minimize exposure to adverse external factors.

He said that as of 2018, the government’s project debt exposure was only 0.66 percent to China and 9 percent to Japan in relation to the total debt. By 2022, when most of the financing for the “Build, Build, Build” program will have been accessed, the country’s project debt to China will account for 4.5 percent, while that of Japan’s will be twice as large at 9.5 percent of the total debt. biznewsasia@gmail.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

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If the...

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ernment can collect an estimated P22 billion annually in income taxes from foreign workers, mainly Chinese, employed in the country's booming online gaming industry.

The DOF has created an interagency task force to monitor the number of foreign nationals employed in Philippine offshore gaming operations and compile a list of these workers with the goal of taxing their wages.

This after members of the task force consisting of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Department of Labor and Employment, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Immigration, and the various special economic zones, discovered gaps or inconsistencies in the figures they had initially submitted to reconcile their records.

Authorities would like to determine whether POGO workers could possibly exceed 100,000 in number.

A recent news report quoted BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa as saying that an initial list of 64 out of 205 service providers of POGOs showed that they employ a total of 33,000 foreign workers or an average of 515 per service provider.

Hence, with 515 foreign workers employed in about 200 service providers, the government should be collecting income taxes from about 103,000 aliens working here.

The BIR calculates that if foreign workers in POGOs receive an average of 10,000 yuan, equivalent to about $1,500 or P78,000 a month, then an average income tax of 25 percent of their salaries would yield an estimated amount of P18,750 a month that can be collected from each foreign worker—or a total of roughly P22.5 billion a year in foregone income tax revenues. This estimate does not include allowances and fringe benefits that are also taxable.

The government needs all the taxes it can collect from all sources, including foreign workers, to fund vital infrastructure projects and social services like education and health.

statement by the highest court of the land that it will not allow the rule of law to be trampled upon in the war on drugs. It is a very important decision."

We agree completely.

The ruling is a welcome development as the Philippine National Police has acknowledged only more than 5,000 alleged drug traffickers and addicts have been killed after they resisted arrest and fought back in legitimate law enforcement operations.

Human rights groups and media have documented more than 20,000 deaths under Oplan Tokhang. These have been classified by police as "deaths under investigation," ostensibly carried out by vigilante groups. Curiously, though, none of the cases appears to have been thoroughly investigated.

What's disturbing is that of the 5,000 drug suspects claimed to have been killed in legitimate police operations, the government has prosecuted only 76 cases.

In other words, the rest of the 5,000 are mere statistics, with their families unable to seek justice in court.

The Commission on Human Rights is correct in pointing out that the Supreme Court ruling is a "reminder to the government to observe the rule of law in the face of rising human rights violations."

Kudos to the members of the Supreme Court for reassuring the citizenry that it upholds accountability, justice and the rule of law in this country.

Pay up, or else...

Where can an additional P22 billion in the form of taxes go these days?

Low-cost housing for the poor, for one. That amount can be used to jumpstart the construction of subsidized housing for those now living along esteros leading to the Pasig River, thus also helping in the ongoing rehabilitation of Manila Bay. Where it shouldn't go is to the pockets of the hopelessly corrupt and the interminably greedy.

We're talking about the projection of the Department of Finance that the gov- ernhil@yahoo.com

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Romualdez promises to protect PH Eagle

Albay mayor indicted over slaying of Batocabe

By Angelica Villanueva

By Rey E. Requejo

FOLLOWING the film viewing of the documentary “Bird of Prey” last Wednesday, former Tacloban Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez took an oath to support conserving and protecting the Philippine Eagle.

“I’m supporting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the preservation of the forest because of the habitat of this particular specie, the Philippine Eagle, very rare and endanger, and our national symbol, so we definitely have to continue in enforcing the laws, and the policies of national government will be on our pronouncement on the protection of forest cover, which is the natural habitat of the Philippine Eagle and other species,” said Romualdez in an interview with Manila Standard.

Before being changed into Philippine Eagle in 1987 by then President Ferdinand Marcos, it was called as the monkey-eating eagle as it targeted monkey as its prey.

Later, then President Fidel Ramos declared the Philippine Eagle as the national bird on July 4, 1995 since it was the largest and most powerful eagle in the world and it could be found on the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.

However, in 2010, the Philippine Eagle was considered as critically endangered specie by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, caused by the continuous deforestation and illegal shooting and hunting in their natural habitats across the country.

“I think we can follow international best practices wherein hunting should be regulated...will be done responsibly and not illegally...” said Romualdez.

Under RA 9147, the Wildlife Act, and RA 6147, the Philippine Eagle is declared as a protected bird which means “the killing, hunting, wounding or taking away of the same and/ or destroying, disturbing, or taking away of the nests or eggs of such a bird” is punishable, with the violator risking jail of 12 years apart from hefty fines.

“The laws and policies are very, very well in place. However, the continuing education, internalizing, not just awareness, is also changing the attitudes of people.” said Romualdez.

THE Department of Justice on Thursday said Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo had been indicted for the killing of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe in December last year.

Acting Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon revealed that cases for counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder had been filed against Baldo and six others tagged in the killing before the Legazpi City regional trial court.

Fadullon, head of the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service, said the investigating prosecutors from Albay prosecutor’s office found probable cause in the charges against the mayor and other respondents.

Batocabe and his security escort, Senior Police Officer 1 Orlando Diaz, were shot dead by unidentified men in a remote village in Daraga last Dec. 22.

The 52-year-old lawmaker, who was running for mayor in his hometown in the polls in May next year, was about to board his vehicle after attending a gift-giving event for senior citizens in Barangay Burgos when two masked men approached and shot him and his aide at close range.

Both Batocabe and Diaz succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds while being treated at a local hospital.

The Philippine National Police filed the complaint after several persons involved in the slay surrendered to police and identified Baldo as the mastermind.

The other suspects tagged in the killing were Emmanuel Rosillo, Jaywin Babor, Danilo Muella, Henry Yuzon, Gilbert Concepcion, Agaton Concepcion, Christopher Cabrera Naval and Emmanuel Judavar.

EAGLE PROTECTION. (From left to right) Dr. Laura Johnson, Bird of Prey field coordinator, with Bird of Prey cinematographer Neil Rettig, and former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, during the film viewing of the documentary ‘Bird of Prey’ where Romualdez promised to support protecting the Philippine Eagle. Angelica Villanueva

GMA activates interagency body to address housing

By Maricel V. Cruz

S

PEAKER Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday activated the Local Inter-Agency Committee on Housing Proclamations to address problems in the implementation of her housing proclamations for the urban poor.

Arroyo herself presided over the LIAC hearing at the House of Representatives as she moved to resolve issues in the housing proclamations, particularly in Pasay and Parañaque City, which are covered by Proclamation 9964 and Executive Order 67 signed by the Speaker during her presidency.

The issuance of titles for the estimated 10,000 housing beneficiaries in those projects had been delayed for various reasons.

Arroyo said she wanted to speed up the process to enable the beneficiaries to get their titles to their properties before

she steps down from office in June 2019.

During the hearing, Arroyo initiated the overall simultaneous planning, census survey and lot survey of the properties which were undertaken from March 29 to April 3, 2019.

The prices of the lots, ranging from P1,000 to P4,000 per square meter, one of the contentious issues in the negotiations, were also agreed upon during the hearing.

She also pushed that some developments make use of the Medium Rise Building system rather than single detached homes in order to accommodate more informal settlers.

In the end, Arroyo was able to resolve the issues and schedule the issuance of titles to beneficiaries in two of the three areas within April 2019.

“We were able to solve some policy issues, very good. [The awarding process] will be a lot smoother like the pricing has been agreed, the MRB versus single-detached. A lot of things. I’m so glad, you know the LIAC is something to my knowledge, the LIAC is a mechanism that was constituted before when I was president and as you can see, it really works a lot. You discuss a lot and solve problems,” Arroyo said.

The hearing was attended by representatives from different agencies particularly from the first and second districts of Parañaque City, the National Housing Authority, Philippine Commission for the Urban Poor, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and various Barangays and People’s Organizations from Barangays Tambo, La Huerta, Dongalo and San Dionisio.

Ombudsman orders dismissal of Manila cop for shooting epileptic

By Rio N. Araja THE Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service of a Manila Police District operative for shooting to death a 23-year-old epileptic man in an anti-drug operation in 2017.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires approved a joint resolution of the fact-finding team that PO3 Gerry Geñalope was liable for grave misconduct, and that he must be dismissed from public service, “including cancellation of eligibility, for-

feiture of retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification to hold public office.”

He also ordered that an information for murder be filed against the police officer for the death of Djastin Lopez.

“Clearly, PO3 Geñalope perpetrated said acts with treachery,” he said.

The order was signed last Feb. 28 but a copy of it was released just yesterday.

The Ombudsman, however, junked the complaint against Sr. Insp. Jojo Salanguit of the MPD Station 7 for lack of merit.

“It is, thus, recommended that a fact-

finding investigation be conducted by the Field Investigation Bureau of this Office, to determine whether the May 18, 2017 [operation] was a legitimate police operation, what violations were committed, if any, and who are the personalities involved,” the resolution read.

In September 2017, Lopez’s mother Normita filed criminal and administrative complaints against Geñalope, Salanguit and several unidentified policemen with the Ombudsman.

An initial police report of Lopez’s death

implicated him in the killing of one Michael Turla Pangalinan on May 13, 2017.

But a May 14, 2017 report filed with the MPD’s Crime Investigation and Detection Group did not include Lopez on the list of the suspected killers of Pangalinan.

In a June 9, 2017 progress report, the MPD claimed Lopez was killed in a buybust operation in Tondo, Manila on May 18, 2017.

Geñalope earlier told the Ombudsman that Lopez’s death was a case of “nanlaban.”

Vietnamese couple nabbed with fake passport stamps

By Vito Barcelo A VIETNAMESE couple were arrested by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for attempting to leave the country with fake immigration stamps on their passports.

The foreigners, identified as Nguyen Thanh Quang and his wife Pham Thi Dung, attempted to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Ho Chih Minh City when they were intercepted at the NAIA Terminal 2 by members of the bureau’s travel control and enforcement unit.

“Their passports had arrival stamps indicating that they arrived only last March 11 but a check of our database showed that they did not arrive on that day,” according to BI-Port Operations chief Grifton Medina.

He said the BI’s anti-fraud section which examined the passports certified that the arrival stamps imprinted on the couple’s passports were not authentic.

“They thought they could evade paying their fines for overstaying by making it appear that they arrived only recently through these fake arrival stamps. These fraudulent schemes cannot escape detection by our vigilant officers at the airport,” Medina said.

According to BI-TCEU Chief Erwin Ortañez, the couple had been in the country for nine months NOTICE as their last date of arrival was June 5 last year.

“Instead of applying for the extension of their Taiyo Sangyo stay and pay the required fees, they chose to deal Trading and with fixers who make a living by selling these fake Marine Service stamps to overstaying foreign tourists,” Ortañez said.

Ltd. Philippine He disclosed that the couple’s fraudulent branch.

WIll scheme was discovered after BI personnel noticed close effective that their passports did not have departure stamps February 20, from their supposed previous arrival.

2019 and will The couple is now detained at the BI detenoperate as tion facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City Headquarter pending their prosecution for violating the Philipinstead. pine Immigration Act. (MS-APR. 5, 12 & 22, 2019)

DepEd marks sexuality education THE Department of Education on Thursday underscored the importance of integrating sexuality education lessons in public elementary and high schools to curb the incidences of teenage pregnancy, population growth, and sexual diseases.

Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said the DepEd was working on the updates and improvement of policy guidelines on the implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education integrated with subjects and extra-curricular activities.

“We want it integrated with existing subjects, as well as in the different activities we do in school,” Sevilla said in Filipino during a television interview over state-run PTV. On July 13 last year, the DepEd issued the CSE policy guidelines that aim to ensure that learners receive comprehensive and appropriate information that can advance gender equality and empowerment.

Teachers, school principals, and other education stakeholders are expected to make teaching and learning more relevant, meaningful and useful to learners through the policy guidelines.

The topics would be integrated in such learning areas as Araling Panlipunan, Physical Education and Health, Science, and Personal Development. “[For] example, in science. We know that the parts of the body is a science topic. But here, we will integrate the concept of privacy, harassment, and good relationship. So, values education comes in,” Sevilla said.

In the same TV interview, Commission on Population Deputy Director Lolito Tacardon attributed population growth to three factors—fertility, mortality, and migration.

Tacardon said the Philippines’ fertility rate is much higher than the other two factors, hence, the country’s increasing population.

“Around 2 million is (sic) added to us every year based on our current population growth rate at 1.7 and when you translate this to simple arithmetic, this is three children per minute so around 4,000 per day, are added to us,” he said.

Lack of awareness about the right method of family planning among many Filipinos is another contributing factor to the issue, he added. PNA

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Chan, Ramos forge ahead; Nocum hangs on AIDRIC Chan finally hit his stride and fired a one-under 71, forcing a tie with an equally charging Sean Ramos even as Kayla Nocum held on to the girls’ lead despite an 80 in the third round of the Philippine Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in Trece Martires, Cavite yesterday.

Chan, the pre-tournament favorite who groped for form with 78 and 75 in the first two days in tough conditions, broke a pargame with a birdie on the par-5 15th then parred the rest to turn in the first under-par card in hot, blustery conditions after 54 holes of the third leg of this year’s PLDT Group National Amateur Tour.

But out to foil Chan’s title drive is Ramos, who bucked a double-bogey mishap on No. 10 and a bogey on the 13th with three straight birdies from No. 15 as he saved a 72 to match the former’s three-hole aggregate of 224 heading to the final 18 holes of the event sponsored by the MVP Sports Foundation, PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific.

Halfway leader Paolo Barro cracked under pressure and shot himself in the foot with an 82 to tumble to third at 229, virtually leaving the fight for the crown in the Albatross division (15-18) to Chan and Ramos with Carl Corpus coming through with a 77 for a 230 and

Denopol, Tangub try to sustain PPS title run ACTION in the long-running PPSPEPP age group tennis circuit shifts to Molave, Zamboanga del Sur beginning today (Friday, April 5) with local ace Eric Tangub and Angel Denopol shooting for another pair of two-title feats at the LGU & Moltec courts.

Tangub stamped his class in the top two boys’ categories in Misamis Occidental last week, making him the marked player in the 16- and 18-andunder divisions of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop and dubbed as the JNY Cup. But the leading player form Tucuran will have his hands full against the likes of Nash Agustines, Ashton Villanueva and Sebastian Lagamon in the full-packed 16-U field and versus Nilo Ledama, Lex Estillore and Siegred Pepito in the premier 18-U division of the four-day event put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president and CEO Bobby Castro.

Like Tangub, Denopol will be hard-pressed to score a repeat in the girls’ 12- and 14-U sides with Cielo Gonzales and Zelah Toribio looming as her biggest rivals. The rising star from Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte will also see action in the 16-U section headlined by Carmel Padilla, also the top seeded bet in the 18-U category that includes Toribio, Rose Cuizon, Marge dela Cerna and Erica Duyongan.

Fierce duel is also seen in the other classes with Heinz Carbonilla, Zarc Denopol, RJ Cagatan and Agustines tipped to dispute the 14-U crown and Sean Esick, Nicholas Tan, Pete Bandala and Wyn Sanchez heading the 12-U roster with Bandala, Axi Estillore, Cielo Gonzales and Vincent Nadal leading the chase for the 10-U diadem.

Also on tap in the event, sponsored

by Nathaniel Yuteekiong, are five doubles competitions and the Legends division.

Meanwhile, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte will host the next stop on April 7-10. Listup is ongoing. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Josh Jorge and Paolo Wong scoring 232s after 76 and 79, respectively.

A tight finish also loomed in the distaff side with Nocum surviving a poor game after sizzling a 69 in the second round of the event organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines. She hobbled with a 39 after nine holes then dropped two strokes on the par-4 10th and holed out with a triple bogey on the 18th.

Still, her 80 kept her on top at 226, one stroke ahead of Korean Kang Da Yun, who birdied the 18th to card a 76 and assume the challenger’s role at 227 as first round leader Junia Gabasa fumbled with an 82 to drop to joint third at 229 with Maria Tee, who shot a 77.

Wiggam Tapdasan all but wrapped up the Ace division (19-and-above) diadem with a 245 after a 79 with Gerrard Park falling 19 shots behind at 264 after an 83.

Korean Kim Tae Soo, on the other hand, shot a second 78 in three days to pool a 235 and keep a two-stroke lead in the Eagle (12-14) divison over Miguel Ilas and Jet Hernandez, who assembled identical 237s after a pair of 78s while Rianne Malixi matched par 72 for a 224 to remain two shots ahead of a rallying Eagle Ace Superal, who fired a 71 for a 226 with Sam Dizon way behind at 236 after a 77.

Late birdies keep Tawit Polthai in the hunt.

Polthai still leads; Juvic out S

TA. ROSA, Laguna—Tawit Polthai checked an alarming skid with birdies in the last two holes to salvage a four-over 76 and barely hang on to the clubhouse lead after 36 holes of the Solaire Philippine Open at The Country Club here.

Shocking was Juvic Pagunsan’s second round performance. The country’s best bet here, hard-pressed to come up with a big rebound after an opening 77 Wednesday, dropped six strokes right on his first hole at the par-5 10th and bowed out in the race for even a spot in the last 36 holes of the $500,000 championship.

He bogeyed three of the next five, dropped two strokes on the par-3 17th, double-bogeyed No. 1 and made two more bogeys against a lone birdie in the next five to finish with an atrocious 86 for a 19-over 163 in an unlikely stint for a player who came into the event oozing with confidence following a seven-stroke romp

in ICTSI Riviera Challenge.

After bucking tough conditions in a late start for a solid 67 in the first round, Polthai oddly groped for form while playing in one of the early flights yesterday, bogeying the first two holes at the back and spending the rest of the round either scrambling to save par or trying to save his spot at the top.

The Bangkok native failed on the first but his closing backto-back birdies from No. 8 enabled him to keep his hold of the lead at one-under 143 albeit provisionally with half of the starting 131-player field still to complete play at presstime.

Keanu Jahns, who hit a late eagle on No. 8 to rescue a 73 in the first round, crowded Polthai with four birdies against two birdies after 13 holes. But the Fil-German shotmaker still in pursuit of a breakthrough win, bogeyed three of the last five to end up with a second oneover card for a 146.

Thai Nirun Sae Ueng likewise produced a four-over total after another 73 with Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia also matching that output with a gutsy 72 while PGT Asia CAT Open champion James Ryan Lam fought back from a triple-bogey mishap on No. 5 with three straight

birdies from No. 6 but holed out with a bogey for a 73 and a 148 in a tie with Thai Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, who fumbled with a 76 and England’s Joshua GrenvilleWood, who fired a 72.

Others with completed 36-hole rounds were Aussie Nathan Park (77-152), Thai Chawalit Plahpol (75-152) and Dutch Guido Van der Valk (76-152) while Cookie La’O, who put in an impressive 72 in the first round, skied to an 80 to drop to the 152 group.

Only the top 65 plus will advance to the final 36 holes of the $500,000 event sponsored by Solaire Resort & Casino for the third straight year with the projected cut pegged at nine-over, guaranteeing a wild, wooly chase for spots in the weekend play of the country’s premier championship and Asia’s oldest National Open sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

American Brett Munson also faltered with an 80 to slip to 153 in a tie with Aussie Nathan Park, who also fumbled with a 78 while teetering on the brink are Thai Poosit Supupramai (77-154), Jay Bayron (75-156), England’s Grant Jackson (82-156), Thai Ratchapol Jantavara (78-156), Phanuch Onchu, also of Thailand, (76-156).

VETERANS HONORED. Ginebra and North Port players, together with Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Willie Marcial (right), honored Filipino veterans during the World War II during a recent PBA game.

In attendance were Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina and veterans Jose Quilatan, Porfirio Laguitan, Ricardo Madayag, Federico Laguitan and Major Maximo Young, President, PEFTOK Veterans Assocication.

Bulletin sports ed Talao is new PSA president TITO S. Talao has been elected as the new president of the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Talao, sports editor of the Manila Bulletin, succeeded Dodo Catacutan of SPIN.ph as head of the country’s oldest media organization.

The PSA election of officers was held

during its general assembly last Tuesday at the Amelie Hotel Manila.

Named as part of Talao’s new set of officers were Rey Lachica of Tempo (First vice president), Francis Ochoa of Philippine Daily Inquirer (Second vice president), Jasmine Payo of Rappler (Secretary), Joe S. Antonio of People’s Journal (Treasurer), Gerry Ramos

of SPIN.ph (Assistant Treasurer), and Abac Cordero of the Philippine Star (Auditor).

Tribune sports editor Aldrin Cardona has been appointed as chairman of the PSA Board.

The induction of officers will be held during the PSA Forum on April 9 also at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

Sprint king Johnson spreads message of hope to stroke survivors US SPRINT champion Michael Johnson said he hoped to inspire fellow sufferers as he declared himself fully recovered from a stroke that paralysed him down one side last year.

Johnson told AFP he was now “back to normal” after the stroke in September which left the former 200m and 400m world-record holder unable to walk.

The 51-year-old said the “Olympic mindset” that took him to four Games golds had aided his recovery, while his years of charity work helped put his plight in perspective.

“Fortunately I was able to sort of get back into my Olympic mindset and really

set my mind to the challenge of getting up and walking again and getting back the mobility that I previously had,” he told AFP in Hong Kong.

“I was fortunate to have an athletic background that allowed me to really be able to commit the type of focus that it takes to do that work every day, and the patience as well to suffer through those minute, marginal improvements.

“I’m fortunate to be back to normal now and just to spread the message to other people about... how to get yourself back to quality of life after an event like that.”

‘A stroke makes you re-evaluate’ Since hanging up his boots after win-

ning 400m gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Johnson has been an ambassador for Laureus Sport for Good, a charity funding junior sports development programs for underprivileged communities.

The sprinter said the nearly two decades of philanthropic work had allowed him to come to terms with having a stroke, and take the gruelling months of rehabilitation in stride.

“It’s sort of cliche to say that some sort of event like a stroke makes you re-evaluate. I think about the work that I’ve been privileged to do in the 17 years since I retired up until I had my stroke, that’s rewarding enough,” he said.

“I recognize the privilege that I have to be able to do that work and the impact that we’re making all along, and the sort of satisfaction I had with life leading up to the stroke that allowed me to not be as affected by the stroke.”

Johnson is in Hong Kong for this week’s rugby sevens tournament, which has adopted Laureus as its official charity partner.

With four fixtures left in this year’s series, the US Eagles are leading the standings for the first time and eyeing the prospect of a maiden victory in the flagship Hong Kong tournament, after a surge of funding for the sport back home following its Olympics debut at Rio 2016. AFP

SBP-Smart holds 3x3 caging 1st leg WITH the support of Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, led by national program head Ronnie Magsanoc, together with Smart Communications and Torch, the SBP-Smart 3x3 Tournament concluded as 24 teams came together for yet another day of 3x3 basketball last Saturday at the Meralco Orange Fit Center in Ortigas, Pasig City.

Participating teams were divided into four brackets of six competing teams each, where they played five elimination games and the top teams from each bracket advanced to the knockout semifinal stage.

KOTC|STR8, along with FRONTROW, fielded in two competitive teams in this one-day tournament.

Team KOTC|STR8 x FRONTROW was headlined by Carlo Escalambre, who played for the AMA Titans in the PBA D-League and Gian Abrigo, who played for the Adamson Falcons and the Mandaluyong El Tigre in the MPBL. They were joined by combo guards in JP Cauilan and Jojo Cunanan.

Team KOTC|STR8, on the other hand, was composed of some mainstays in the Knights Division led by Reynaldo Mutia, along with the Catacutan brothers Mark, Stephen, and Israel.

KOTC|STR8 x FRONTROW was ranked third in their bracket, while KOTC|STR8 finished the competition on a high note, ending with a 3-2 record in their campaign.

In what was the highlight of the day, KOTC|STR8 won over the FEU Baby Tamaraws in their fourth outing via OT, to leave a lasting impression.

With so much experience gained after their campaign, Mark Catacutan knows that their stint here will make them better players.

“Mataas ‘yung level ng competition, malalakas din talaga. Kailangan mo mag-prepare ng mahaba, extra effort sa bawat play eh. Yung physicality mabigat and adjustment is key, kailangan din maayos yung communication sa loob.

Mahalaga mag-usap,” said Catacutan.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

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FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

Alaska, NLEX go after last playoff berth

By Jeric Lopez

Alaska Aces guard Chris Banchero (4) tries to dribble past NLEX Road Warriors defenders Poy Erram (7) and Mark Tallo (26) who has grabbed him by the shirt. PBA Media

McGregor not retiring after all LOS ANGELES, United States—Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor hinted he may not be retiring after all on Wednesday after a racially-charged exchange of insults with rival Khabib Nurmagomedov.

In a cryptic post on Twitter which came a week after he had vowed to hang up his gloves, the trash-talking Irishman indicated he was not done with fighting.

“I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds,” McGregor wrote. “All faiths challenge us to be our best selves. It is one world and one for all.

Now see you in the Octagon.”

McGregor’s tweet appeared to be a response to criticism directed towards him after an earlier post in which he insulted Nurmagomedov’s wife and the couple’s Muslim faith. McGregor swiftly deleted the post made late Tuesday.

Nurmagomedov however reacted furiously to the insult, raising reported sexual assault allegations which McGregor faces in Ireland according to the New York Times.

“You are a hypocrite who is not responsible for your actions,” Nurmagomedov wrote. “Justice will find you.

We will see.”

The vitriolic exchange prompted an intervention from UFC chief Dana White, who urged both camps to dial back their rhetoric.

“I am aware of the recent social media exchange between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor,” White said in a statement.

“The ongoing situation has escalated to a level that is unacceptable. As such, we are taking the necessary steps to reach out to both athlete camps and this situation is being addressed by all parties internally.”

Nurmagomedov defeated McGregor in a bout last October in Las Vegas in a contest that was marred by a massive brawl at ringside.

In January, the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed McGregor a sixmonth suspension for his role in the postfight melee, backdated to October.

McGregor is under investigation in his native Ireland on an accusation of sexual assault, the New York Times reported last March 26. AFP

Filipinas batter Iran, 2-0, in Asian Qualifiers

By Peter Atencio

T

HE Philippine national women’s football team repulsed Iran, 2-0, to start the campaign in the 2020 Olympic Football Tournament—Asian Qualifiers Round 2 on a bright note late Wednesday evening at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

The Filipinas, who are also getting ready for the 30th Southeast Asian Games, found their form in the opening minutes of the second half, and made up for a scoreless first half with goals from Joyce Semacio and Alisha del Campo.

Semacio struck in the 47th minute, shattering a scoreless tie when she fired a volley from inside the box.

Del Campo added a second goal five minutes later after getting a precise pass from Sara Castaneda, whose assist went through two defenders.

The win allowed the Marnelli Dimzon-coached squad to move to second place in Group C. Chinese Taipei took the solo lead on points after they won over Palestine, 3-0.

The Philippines will next meet Chinese Taipei on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday April 7, 2019 in Manila.

The Filipinas are closing in on a slot to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In the first round held in Tajikistan last November, the Philippines finished second in Group A. They made it with three wins over Singapore (9-0), Tajikistan (3-

1) and Mongolia (5-1).

Then, they took a loss against Chinese Taipei (5-0).

“We wish the Philippine Women’s National Football Team the best of luck as they embark on another round of Olympic Qualifiers in the Asian region,” said Philippine Football Federation secretary general Atty. Edwin Gastanes.

Gastanes added that women’s football has come a long way, “and we hope the team builds on this ahead of the upcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games this November.”

The Olympic qualifiers is the first of at least three competitions for the Filipinas this year.

There’s the AFF Women’s Championship set for August 2019 in Thailand and the 30th Southeast Asian Games in November 2019 in Manila.

The 30th SEA Games, according Gastanes, will also serve as an Olympic qualifier.

SEAG preparations on track—Cayetano EIGHT months to the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) presented its status of Games readiness with Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano declaring that all preparations are on time and on track for SEAG 2019.

In a press briefing with the sports media, Cayetano, along with PHISGOC COO Tats Suzara, Executive Director Tom Carrasco, Deputy Director General for Operations Cito Dayrit and other senior management officials, gave a comprehensive update on preparations after the PHISGOC’s three-day detailed preparation workshop held in Taguig.

Suzara reported that “we are on track with preparations. In venues for example we have reached 97% in identifying venues for all sports and functional areas.”

An estimated 17,000 athletes, coaches, spectators, officials and media personnel are expected to visit the country for the games scheduled November 30 to December 11 in Subic, Clark, Manila and Cavite.

“The government is throwing its full support for the Games. The Department of Tourism for example is helping us promote the Games since they also recognize its benefit for tourism,” said Cayetano.

The country’s sports agency, Philippine Sports Commission, is part of the organizing committee and is set to rehabilitate their sports facilities like the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex for the Games. The Department of Public Works and Highways also pledged to refurbish three venues in Cavite, 13 in Subic and four in Clark.

Cayetano further emphasized the positive impact of sports in nation building stating that “we are not just investing in infrastructure or tourism. Ask anybody from the opposite sides of the political spectrum and they will say that sports is the best way to get rid of drugs.”

As of this writing, there are 523 events in the 30th SEAG calendar with the final roster of sports expected to be approved by the Southeast Asian Games Federation in their EXECOM and Broadcast Meeting this coming April 22.

Alan Peter Cayetano

IT’S WIN or go home for Alaska and NLEX. The Aces and Road Warriors dispute the eighth and last ticket to the quarterfinals as they figure in a winner-take-all playoff today to see who moves forward in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The teams are expected to go for broke and swing for the fences for that final quarters berth at 7 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Heading to their encounter, both teams will not have much momentum on their side.

Alaska and NLEX are both on a tail-end of a two-game losing streaks and only one of them will be able to break out of the slump when it matters the most.

Furthermore, both squads have lost big and got blown out in those respective dry spells.

NLEX lost its previous two assignments by an average of 18.5 points while Alaska dropped its last outings by 14 points.

The Road Warriors could’ve actually booked themselves a ticket in the quarterfinals had they won their last elimination round game.

However, they got clobbered by peaking Magnolia, 102-74, just last Wednesday, enabling the Aces to stay alive and get the chance for the do-or-die encounter.

Waiting in the wings are top seed Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters which will face the victor between the two protagonists.

The Fuel Masters will own a twice-to-beat incentive in the next round.

Athletics to hold more events THERE are six events in athletics that will take the place of six events in obstacle course in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games.

This is after obstacle course was relegated to a demonstration event due to lack of entries in the biennial competition is set from November 30 to December 10 to be held in different venues in Clark, Manila and Subic.

Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee executive director Tom Carrasco gave this update yesterday following a top level management meeting at the PHISGOC offices at the SM Aura in Taguig.

Events like the men and women’s 5,000m, men and women’s 10,000m and men and women’s 20,000m walk have been added in athletics.

On the other hand, there also plans to have women water polo to replace women’s baseball, which only drew two entries.

Only three entries out of 11 member countries have been listed on obstacle course.

And this is one short of the required number for an event to be part in the regular calendar of events.

“They have requested to have it still included as a demo event, which could be possible,” said Carrasco.

Organizers said that underwater hockey and three events in chess are also among the demo events.

Peter Atencio

Pacio tries to regain ONE Strawweight title

Joshua Pacio (left) eludes the right hand strike of Sor Amnuaysirichoke during their battle inside the ONE cage.

ONE Championship

JOSHUA Pacio tries to regain his ONE Strawweight World Title when he battles champion Yosuke “The Ninja” Saruta as co-main event of ONE: Roots of Honor on April 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

In the main event ONE Featherweight World Champion Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen defends his title against former featherweight kingpin Narantungalag Jadambaa of Mongolia.

Team Lakay veteran Pacio lost his crown in his first defense when he faced Saruta during ONE: Eternal Glory in Jakarta, Indonesia. Saruta was a late replacement to Hayato Suzuki who had to bow out due to injury.

A former Shooto champion Saruta attacked relentlessly and repeatedly put Pacio on his back with takedowns. Pacio relied on his superior striking and counters to keep Saruta at bay. In the end Saruta earned the split decision

nod from the judges.

Nguyen set ONE Championship history 2017 when he captured a World Championship in both the lightweight and featherweight divisions. He scored exciting one-punch KO wins over Marat Gafarov and Eduard Folayang to earn the belts.

He wasn’t as successful in 2018. Nguyen dropped down to bantamweight to challenge ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes.

He came up just short and lost by split decision in March 2018. Nguyen would rebound with a splitdecision victory over Christian Lee in a rematch in May 2018, but the Situ-Asian would lose his second bout of the year in July 2018 when he battled Kevin Belingon for the interim bantamweight title.

He then suffered an injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year, the entire first quarter of 2019 and forced him to relinquish the lightweight belt. Now that he is fully healthy and still

the ONE Featherweight World Champion, he is ready to return to the cage and defend his title.

Jadambaa is a worthy challenger. He has a 14-5 record, and he’s been in the cage with the best featherweights in the promotion.

Both Nguyen and Jadambaa will be coming back from long layoffs and may suffer from cage rust. Jadambaa will have been out of action for nine months when he steps in with Nguyen.

ONE Championship (ONE) is the largest global sports media property in Asian history, and the largest producer of millennial live sports content in Asia. Headquartered in Singapore, ONE is the Home of Martial Arts, and is the world’s largest martial arts organization, hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Mixed Martial Arts, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more.

IN BRIEF

Meralco, partners sign Clark venture

THE joint venture of Manila Electric Co., Marubeni Corp., The Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co. Inc. signed a joint venture agreement with state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority to put up power distribution facilities at New Clark City in Tarlac province.

“Under the JVA, the Meralco Marubeni consortium will put up a special purpose company that will have equity stake equivalent to ninety percent in a joint venture company to be formed with the BCDA,” Meralco said in a statement.

Meralco said the JVC would pursue and undertake the financing, design and engineering, establishment, construction, development and operation and maintenance of the electric power distribution system in New Clark City.

Meralco, the country’s biggest power distributor. owns a 60-percent stake in the consortium. Meralco and Marubeni submitted the lowest power distribution rate for the New Clark City of P0.6188 per kilowatt-hour. The consortium is investing P1 billion to put up the power distribution facilities in preparation for the 30th Southeast Asian Games later this year. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Gatchalian pushes PNOC restructuring

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian proposed the restructuring of state-run Philippine National Oil Co. into a pure oil and gas exploration firm.

“We’re working on restructuring PNOC and to sharpen its mandate to purely oil and gas exploration. We’re working on that.

This is a model we saw in Japan,” Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate energy committee, said.

“We will remove the trading. [There will be] no more RC [PNOC-Renewables Corp.] and EC [PNOC Exploration Corp.]

No more jatropha, no more property [development]. Just oil and gas,” he said.

Gatchalian said there was a time that PNOC Alternative Fuels Corp. invested in jatropha amounting to P2.4 billion.

“Let’s just concentrate on oil and gas discovery because that is mandated. They should look for, explore in the upstream,” he said.

He said PNOC’s name might be retained, but the government would streamline its mandate.

“We will retain. We will tighten the power of Congress over this new entity that we’re thinking. But the bottom line here is we will refocus it to purely upstream oil and gas so that we will be secure in our energy needs. Because if you go jatropha and other things, money is wasted,” he said. Alena Mae S. Flores

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

B1

By Jenniffer B. Austria

DISASTER MANAGEMENT. Key leaders from the private sector, government agencies and international humanitarian organizations agree to enhance collaboration in disaster risk reduction and management especially in the area of disaster response.

Leading the agreement are (from left) lawyer Michael Toledo of Philex Mining Corp., Butch Meily of Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad of the Office of Civil Defense, Emmanuel de Guzman of the Climate Change Commission, Rogelio Singson of MeralcoGenPower Corp., Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. of the Department of Science and Technology and Guillermo Luz of PDRF.

Shell wants Malampaya gas contract extended until 2030

By Alena Mae S. Flores

S

HELL Philippines Exploration B.V. is seeking a sixyear extension of Service Contract 38 or the Malampaya natural gas project to explore other areas in northwest Palawan.

“We heard that Shell is willing to explore more around that area. In fact, there are three or four potential areas around SC 38 and that will eventually extend the same quantity,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said in an interview with reporters.

Gatchalian, the chairman of the Senate energy committee, said Spex was seeking to extend its contract to 2030.

The Malampaya consortium’s SC 38 contract will expire by 2024.

The consortium is composed of Spex as the operator and with a 40-percent stake, Chevron Malampaya Llc with a 40-percent stake and PNOC Exploration Corp. with a 10-percent stake.

Gatchalian said Spex wanted an extension of the contract because it intended to explore other areas near SC 38 which could yield more natural gas and extend the life of the Malampaya well until 2030.

“That is only a briefing to us by Shell but we also want to understand how that will affect the LNG terminal knowing there are now new prospects. Because if I am the LNG terminal, why would I import if there is still [gas] by 2030. My $2 billion [investment] will be sleeping,” he said.

Gatchalian said he would coordinate with the Department of Energy on the strategy for LNG development given the new development.

The Energy Department earlier issued notices to proceed to two groups for the LNG projects. These include Tanglawan

Philippine LNG Inc., the $2-billion LNG venture of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines and China National Offshore Oil Corp. and FGen LNG Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Gen Corp.

Sources said Shell applied for service contracts around SC 38 under the first Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program which remained to be approved by the Energy Department.

The Shell Companies in the Philippines announced in December that it would push for more oil and gas exploration to discover another Malampaya gas field instead of putting up an import terminal for LNG. “The economic question in LNG, if those who will use it are the existing ones we have, which are around 3 gigawatts of capacity. Then actually if we can drill and find one more [gas field], that’s enough to feed the five plants,” SCIP chairman Cesar Romero said.

Romero said LNG terminals could face the risk of being stranded once a new gas discovery was made.

First Metro, UA&P economists expect slower Q1 growth THE economy likely posted slower growth in the first quarter given the delay in the approval of the 2019 government budget, economists from First Metro Investment Corp. and University of Asia & the Pacific said in a joint report Thursday.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the country’s gross domestic product grew 6.5 percent in the first quarter last year and 6.2 percent in the whole of 2018.

The economists said in the March issue of the Market Call capital markets research the deceleration of inflation rate could offset the impact of the delayed budget approval.

“The relentless fall of the headline inflation to below 4 percent within BSP target has provided much-needed good news,” they said.

“The continuing delay in the enactment of the 2019 national government budget, after all, has placed a downside risk to GDP growth in the first quarter,” they said.

Economists said that with headline inflation dropping to 3.8 percent in February, it was on track to go below 3 percent in the third quarter.

“Consumer spending should begin to recover in the first quarter, aided by more money in consumers’ hands due to election spending and to weakness in the US dollar,” they said.

The interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee reduced its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to a range of 6 percent to 7 percent from the previous target of 7 percent to 8 percent, also taking into account the delay in the approval of the national budget and external risks including the lingering trade war between the US and China. Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

SEC to require listed firms to disclose related party dealings

Uber opens contact center in Pampanga

UBER Technologies Inc. on Thursday launched its second facility in the Philippines to support its operations across the globe.

The company’s $1.5-million Center of Excellence is located along McArthur Highway in Mabalacat, Pampanga. The 2,919-square-meter facility will employ 165 customer service specialists who will provide world-class support, 24/7, to Uber community.

“The Philippines is already home to Uber’s largest Center of Excellence globally, and I’m delighted to unveil our second center today in Clark, and reaffirm our commitment to the Philippines, and the Asia Pacific region, through this significant investment,” Uber global head of community operations Troy Stevenson said.

Uber’s first Asia Pacific Center of Excellence opened in 2015 at a sprawling 5,500sqm office in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It has more than 1,000 team members.

“It was an easy decision to deepen our investment in the Philippines and open a second Center of Excellence in Clark, complementing our existing Manila team,” Wen-Szu Lin, director of community operations at Asia Pacific of Uber, said. Darwin G. Amojelar

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

FINANCIAL EDUCATION TOOLS. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, in partnership with BDO Foundation, turns over a new set of financial education tools to the Department of Education. The tools include five videos and 18 lesson plans focused on financial planning, debt management, entrepreneurship, investing, insurance and scam prevention. Attending the turnover ceremony are (from left) BDO Foundation program director Rosemarie Espinosa, BDO Foundation [resident Mario Derequito, BSP acting deputy director Rochelle Tomas, BSP managing director Pia Bernadette Tayag, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla, Undersecretary Tonisito Umali and assistant secretary Alma Ruby Torio.

Estonian companies keen on bidding for national ID system contract

By Julito G. Rada ESTONIAN companies expressed interest to join the bidding for the national ID system contract, the Finance Department said Thursday.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III met in Manila with Estonia’s ambassador-designate to the Philippines Vaino Reinart, Estonia Ministry of Foreign Affairs director Marki Tihhonova-Kreek and representatives of Estonian companies behind Estonia’s electronic governance system.

Reinart said the companies that transformed the northern European country of Estonia into the world’s most advanced digital society expressed interest in developing the Philippines’ national identification system and explore other oppor-

tunities in evolving technology-driven industries.

“We are aware that the Philippines is about to implement the digital ID and provide their citizens with this,” Reinart said.

“It is indeed a good time to come here and demonstrate what you could possibly be able to implement provided the digital ID is properly secured in place,” he said.

Electronic video communications tool Skype was developed in Estonia. About 99 percent of public services in the Baltic nation are available digitally, including the filing and payment of taxes.

Dominguez welcomed Estonia’s interest in the Philippines and invited Estonian companies to participate in the bidding for the national ID system contract.

“Our number one interest right now is

the national ID, and we are going to be putting out the international tender docs pretty soon,” Dominguez said during the meeting.

Dominguez said the Asian Development Bank was assisting the Philippine government through a policy-based loan program to provide support for the implementation of the national ID system.

Dominguez said that aside from exploring business partnerships here, Estonia could also tap the Philippines’ young, skilled workers who are quick learners, fluent in English and can easily adapt to Estonia’s high-tech work environment.

Dominguez said with the average age of Estonia’s labor force at 41 years old, the Philippines could complement this with its young workforce with an average age of 23.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission plans to require all publiclylisted companies to disclose material related party transactions to promote good corporate governance and protect minority investors.

The SEC issued on March 26 the draft Rules on Material Related Party Transactions for Publicly Listed Companies for public comment.

“The proposed rules are aimed at protecting the corporate sector, the securities and investment instruments market, capital market participants and the investing public from abusive transactions and practices hampering the development of businesses in the country,” SEC chairman Emilio Aquino said.

“We recognize how related-party transactions may create financial, commercial and economic benefits to the individual institutions and the entire group. However, we are equally aware of how such dealings could be abused to transfer assets and profits to controlling shareholders’ vested interests or seize bigger control in companies, among others, to the detriment of minority investors.”

Aquino also said the issuance of the rules would increase the country’s score on the Ease of Doing Business survey conducted by the World Bank, particularly on the Protecting Minority Investor indicator of the said survey.

The draft rules define an RPT as a transfer of resources, services or obligations between a reporting publicly listed company and a related party, regardless of whether a price is charged. It also covers outstanding transactions entered into with an unrelated party that subsequently becomes a related party.

Related parties include the company’s subsidiaries, affiliates and any party, including their subsidiaries, affiliates and special purpose entities, where the company exerts direct or indirect control or which exerts direct or indirect control over the company.

NFA buys 1.3m bags of palay from farmers STATE-RUN National Food Authority said Thursday it is now on a palay-buying spree as it takes on its new role of buffer stocking solely from local farmers’ produce.

NFA officer-in-charge administrator Tomas Escarez said the agency’s field offices bought 990,783 bags of palay or unmilled rice in March alone, bringing the total palay procurement to 1.263 million bags in the first quarter.

Escarez said the first-quarter procurement was 6,149-percent higher than 20,540 bags it bought in the first quarter of 2018.

“We are not surprised though because March is the start of the summer crop harvest and we were able to capitalize on our higher incentives versus the low buying price of palay traders. While traders reduced their buying price to as low as P14/kilogram, we, on the other hand, increased our buying price up to P20.70/ kg for clean and dry palay,” Escarez said.

The NFA said it started implementing an additional P3-per-kilogram buffer stocking incentive in October 2018, in addition to the previous P0.20/kg drying, P0.20/kg delivery, and P0.30/kg cooperative incentive fee.

This increased the agency’s maximum buying price for palay from P17.40/kg for individual farmers and P17.70 for members of farmer cooperatives/organizations to P20.40/kg and P20.70 per kg, respectively.

Data from the NFA showed that as of March 31, it bought 152,551 bags of palay in Isabela. Other top sources of palay in the first quarter were Nueva Ecija with 128,827 bags; Tarlac with 127,782; Occidental Mindoro with 109,358; North Cotabato with 105,115; Sultan Kudarat with 72,961; Bulacan with 58,455; Northwestern Cagayan-Apayao with 49,996; Cagayan with 36,077; Ilocos Norte with 34,683; Bataan with 31,274; and Zamboanga del Sur with 23,523.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks decline; Bloomberry rises

T

HE stock market retreated Thursday on mild profit taking ahead of the release of the March inflation figures today.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 40.93 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,854.13 on a value turnover of P5.9 billion. Losers beat gainers, 109 to 87, with 46 issues unchanged.

Cemex Holdings Philippines Inc. tumbled 10.6 percent to P2.02 as its stock rights offering plan spooked investors.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator, dropped 4.3 percent to P123.80.

Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest lender in terms of assets, declined 3.6 percent to P81, but casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. rose

3.1 percent to P12.58.

The rest of Asian markets were mixed Thursday as growing expectations that China and the United States will reach a trade agreement were offset by profittaking after an extended rally.

Hong Kong fell 0.2 percent after a seven-day rally, while Sydney was off 0.8 percent and Wellington dropped 0.5 percent.

However, Tokyo ended 0.1 percent higher and Shanghai jumped 0.9 percent, while Singapore and Seoul each added 0.2 percent.

Mumbai was flat, while India’s rupee fell 0.6 percent after the central bank cut interest rates for the second time this year, a week ahead of a general election and with the economy stuttering.

Hopes Britain will avert crashing out of the EU next week also instilled some optimism on trading floors, with the

pound extending gains.

Global stocks have enjoyed a stellar year so far thanks to confidence in a deal being reached.

High-level talks between the world’s top two economies resumed Wednesday in Washington, with reports saying they are edging towards an agreement to bring the curtain down on a longrunning row that helped batter markets last year.

Bloomberg News said the deal they are working on would give China until 2025 to meet pledges on purchases and to let US firms wholly own their businesses in the country.

It said the aim was to get everything in place for presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to sign off on a trade deal.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow the talks were “making good headway” but added: “We’re not there

and we hope this week to get closer.”

The Bloomberg report follows an article in the Financial Times saying they were closing in on an agreement.

“The market is becoming more convinced that a deal is coming between China and the US,” Greg McKenna, at McKenna Macro, said in a note.

“Enforcement on the US side and lifting tariffs to cement the deal on the Chinese side seem now to be the points of contention.”

David Madden, a market analyst at CMC Markets UK, pointed out that Kudlow had flagged movement on intellectual property theft and hacking, which are key bugbears of the White House.

“These issues have been a major point of contention for the US, and the fact that they are being discussed, indicates that Beijing are serious about reaching a deal,” he added. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.25 10,390 81 3,823,890 2.26 1,000 130.5 1,366,920 26.85 25,200 19.14 31,600 12.04 965,200 4.25 241,000 0.67 1,000 1.39 46,000 810 100 0.44 270,000 79 1,237,620 0.93 100,000 21.4 1,200 57.95 556,150 196 4,230 57.3 320 26.25 26,400 177 1,451,410 61.6 50

607,717.50 312,488,915.50 2,260 178,126,077 676,355 605,622 11,620,338 1,036,980 670 64,090 81,000 119,950 97,819,281 92,360 25,680 32,256,054 828,448 18,360 694,180 257,853,068 3,052

607,717.50 -169,652,651 9,819,175.00 5,380 -1,914 -3,411,434 4,600 -55,031,515.50 -910 880,127.50 -17,190 -594,395 125,371,731 -

INDUSTRIAL 35.7 709,600 15.88 653,200 0.96 711,000 1.4 1,099,000 0.242 10,000 2.02 135,441,000 15.5 471,200 108 60 28.8 101,100 15 6,000 41.05 100 74 50 1.9 849,000 5.9 150,100 6 27,100 11.38 1,399,600 15.8 77,500 9.58 1,469,100 7.26 440,800 21.5 316,400 79.6 133,300 29.4 4,900 2.52 3,338,000 11.1 6,338,900 12.78 962,600 1.81 545,000 318.8 526,570 4.05 34,000 3.52 7,000 10.7 2,000 23.6 1,340,100 15.1 3,553,400 22 2,430,400 376 86,050 0.19 180,000 7.1 129,600 1.43 10,585,000 4.23 77,000 6.37 1,907,700 9.2 12,700 1.55 30,508,000 12.14 31,600 46.9 427,400 5.35 279,100 4.67 9,000 1.7 152,000 2.42 626,000 1.29 130,000 12.6 755,500 105 685,360 7 143,500 0.131 160,000 1.09 14,831,000 153.4 935,280 2.5 61,000 1.71 1,919,000 1.07 3,007,000

25,192,450 10,387,796 676,160 1,539,230 2,420 279,429,910 7,260,802 6,480 2,932,240 87,186 4,105 3,639 1,613,680 795,750 162,840 15,827,554 1,222,838 13,894,838 3,204,726 6,771,975 10,657,965.50 143,900 8,378,860 70,577,510 12,250,948 993,820 167,851,596 137,700 24,330 21,500 31,544,715 53,312,356 53,305,000 32,399,736 34,250 832,376 15,164,940 325,700 12,235,928 116,223 47,706,590 378,142 19,960,005 1,512,385 42,030 259,240 1,516,390 169,880 9,574,072 71,666,386 1,000,546 20,960 17,094,070 143,135,352 152,500 3,260,380 3,209,210

158,050 2,656,204 280,000.00 -17,485,940 -1,441,478 -716,370 -2,163,204 -184,535 -1,148,152 3,586,345 415,111.50 -451,550 -16,357,580 3,530,864 38,368,746 -6,553,735 5,215,812 14,378,905 1,307,574 2,208,020 -4,200 -2,384,318 73,650 -8,330 16,159,945 -959,585 -377,300 -60,230,723 -232,000 65,826,392 152,500 171,000 116,650

3,830,100 309,171,376 75,372,070 737,380 562,900 903,342 1,473,050 658,600 271,649,765 9,970,468 42,524,836 24,256,500 188,680 138,795,970 180,126 53,997,074 708,935 17,212,107 183,883,874 120,860 206,461,300 967,000 23,730 2,537,070 34,271,639 2,390 159,260,480 2,243,630 15,600 43,680 2,255,230 26,709,700

79,750.00 -255,072,378 13,565,984 107,900 559,240.00 -97,423,430 -24,914 552,666 -10,601,696 13,065,775 8,539,895.00 8,119,375 6,071,606 -98,883,740 155,100 -740,731 63,932,195 43,680 700 3,201,550

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.5 84 2.26 132.2 26.8 18.9 12.12 4.3 0.67 1.39 810 0.445 79.6 0.91 21.4 58.2 196 58.5 26.35 175 60.9

58.5 84.05 2.26 132.2 27 19.2 12.14 4.36 0.67 1.4 810 0.46 79.6 0.93 21.4 58.2 196 58.5 26.35 179.3 61.6

58.25 81 2.26 129.8 26.7 18.9 12 4.25 0.67 1.39 810 0.44 78.75 0.91 21.4 57.6 195.8 57.3 26.25 174.8 60.9

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

35.5 15.84 0.95 1.43 0.242 2.25 15.28 108 28.95 14.52 41.05 68 1.9 5.32 5.99 11.36 15.9 9.5 7.3 21.4 80.6 29.35 2.54 10.9 12.56 1.8 318.8 4.05 3.34 10.8 23.25 14.62 21.7 380 0.191 6.14 1.46 4.2 6.42 9.1 1.56 11.9 45.65 5.45 4.67 1.72 2.42 1.33 12.8 103.2 7.13 0.131 1 152 2.5 1.69 1.03

35.7 16 0.96 1.43 0.242 2.26 15.5 108 29.45 15 41.05 74 1.91 5.9 6.25 11.38 15.9 9.6 7.48 21.65 81 29.4 2.54 11.38 12.8 1.84 319.6 4.05 3.52 10.8 23.65 15.18 22.05 380 0.191 7.2 1.48 4.34 6.49 9.2 1.6 12.16 46.9 5.45 4.67 1.72 2.47 1.33 12.96 105 7.13 0.131 1.27 154 2.5 1.72 1.09

35.1 15.76 0.94 1.4 0.242 1.94 15.22 108 28.7 14.5 41.05 68 1.9 5.3 5.99 11.24 15.76 9.35 7.21 21.2 79.25 29.35 2.47 10.88 12.56 1.8 317.8 4.05 3.34 10.7 23.25 14.62 21.7 375.2 0.19 6.13 1.4 4.2 6.37 9.1 1.53 11.82 45.65 5.35 4.67 1.7 2.42 1.29 12.5 102.5 6.86 0.131 1 152 2.5 1.68 1.03

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

0.57 60 16.02 0.82 6.5 19.28 1.38 1.38 929 7.66 11.8 15.18 0.25 900 6.91 64.6 0.53 5.4 16 0.56 4.67 0.039 1.13 2.87 173.5 2.39 945 1.05 390 273 0.25 0.385

0.59 60.25 16.1 0.84 6.5 20.15 1.39 1.39 930 7.66 11.9 15.2 0.25 909 6.91 64.6 0.53 5.5 16.36 0.56 4.71 0.04 1.13 2.91 174 2.39 948.5 1.07 390 273 0.255 0.405

0.56 59 15.66 0.8 6.5 19.28 1.37 1.38 905.5 7.57 11.78 14.58 0.234 881 6.89 63.55 0.495 5.26 15.9 0.55 4.54 0.039 1.13 2.86 172.6 2.39 939 1 390 273 0.238 0.37

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

13.28 0.8 1.94 0.82 44.6 2.33 4.23 6.22 0.53 0.83 0.92 0.24 0.405 11.96 23.25 0.51 1.53 1.34 5.62 0.37 0.57 1.67 2.59 24.05 2.02

13.3 0.8 2 0.82 44.75 2.36 4.23 6.5 0.54 0.87 0.94 0.242 0.41 12.16 23.35 0.52 1.53 1.35 5.65 0.37 0.57 1.67 2.59 24.75 2.02

12.96 0.78 1.94 0.75 44.4 2.33 4.09 6.22 0.52 0.83 0.92 0.24 0.4 11.22 22.65 0.5 1.51 1.33 5.58 0.36 0.49 1.62 2.52 24.05 2

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

3 39.35 1.57 6.65 0.73 7.24

3.07 39.6 1.57 6.78 0.76 7.25

3 39.35 1.54 6.65 0.73 7.18

3 39.5 1.57 6.73 0.76 7.18

112,000 3,970,300 834,000 92,900 9,000 3,879,500

336,380 156,830,800 1,304,760 624,327 6,700 27,892,179

67,409,725 -10,711,832

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

12.4 19.7 0.43 0.042 14.7 2.6 12.22 0.071 81.95 5.48 6.8 2.1 11.3 1,935 5.81 370.2 9.83 3.02 1.86 128 10.6 7.09 0.131 5.1 3.19 15.6 3.83 0.95 22.25 0.61 3.25 1.66 1.99 2.59 4.5 10.5 4.51 8.48 119 2.85 1,130 0.84 1 48.4 80 8.97 2.41 0.7 0.41 5.63 0.73 15.56

12.78 20.3 0.435 0.042 16 2.64 12.68 0.074 84.3 5.58 6.8 2.1 11.4 1,955 5.85 400 9.83 3.02 1.86 128.4 10.6 7.09 0.134 5.26 3.45 15.8 3.87 0.99 22.45 0.71 3.27 1.94 1.99 2.69 4.5 10.5 4.74 8.48 121 2.9 1,150 0.86 1.04 48.4 80.6 8.97 2.45 0.7 0.41 5.63 0.74 15.56

12.28 19.5 0.42 0.041 14.54 2.47 12.22 0.071 81.95 5.35 6.72 2.1 10.66 1,912 5.81 370.2 9.83 2.94 1.86 122.6 10.6 7.09 0.13 4.91 3.06 15.6 3.8 0.93 22.1 0.61 3.02 1.64 1.9 2.55 4.43 10.2 4.38 8.48 119 2.69 1,130 0.83 0.95 47.5 78.55 8.73 2.4 0.68 0.4 5.62 0.69 15.22

SERVICES 12.66 20 0.42 0.042 16 2.49 12.58 0.071 83.5 5.35 6.76 2.1 10.7 1,920 5.83 392.8 9.83 2.98 1.86 123.8 10.6 7.09 0.133 4.91 3.06 15.8 3.84 0.97 22.15 0.64 3.12 1.83 1.95 2.55 4.43 10.2 4.74 8.48 121 2.73 1,146 0.83 0.96 47.6 80.35 8.97 2.42 0.69 0.4 5.63 0.7 15.26

25,100 437,900 310,000 10,600,000 7,300 930,000 16,039,200 43,980,000 184,090 590,800 22,800 6,000 46,600 32,575 538,000 6,970 400 987,000 30,000 1,721,900 3,000 3,500 2,430,000 6,426,800 618,000 19,000 1,193,000 2,562,000 698,700 20,757,000 4,051,000 562,000 60,000 784,000 22,000 6,600 33,000 200 123,780 2,733,000 102,115 2,047,000 35,545,000 301,700 183,980 13,100 3,210,000 1,601,000 5,300,000 407,900 6,520,000 2,863,100

314,918 8,634,667 130,800 434,900 113,310 2,358,730 200,899,218 3,183,450 15,363,811.50 3,214,761 154,436 12,600 515,528 62,580,085 3,137,305 2,698,736 3,932 2,931,820 55,800 213,625,284 31,800 24,815 318,600 32,835,991 2,019,230 299,628 4,560,330 2,477,260 15,540,750 13,760,660 12,682,750 1,036,240 119,100 2,042,090 98,210 68,220 148,000 1,696 14,977,072 7,577,960 116,594,995 1,723,250 35,240,990 14,395,610 14,771,903 117,147 7,765,370 1,100,220 2,129,500 2,295,757 4,684,700 43,881,894

-12,720 -52,690 13,212,034 -6,147,685.50 -9,918 22,200 -1,668,650 459,480 201,550 -9,127,277 -263,954 1,629,870 -98,000 -5,913,395 -3,358,400 90,390 -133,121 -1,023,980 29,125,025 445,110 627,390 -1,833,605 1,028,343.50 -820,670 102,660.00 543,750 -1,835,380 -32,312,158

800,100 669,290 26,440 1,294 215,560 169,250 2,775,730 86,050 511,103 9,292,950 1,767,750 45,880 37,920 8,400 42,800 5,198,270 42,250 60,810 192,340 145,200 1,188,000 13,300 315,440 3,574,540 17,546,511 8,041,030 21,300

-59,340 304,320 54,050 -78,000 -730,490 -1,056,000 371,530 2,563,545 -

MS

HOLDING FIRMS 0.58 6,688,000 60.25 5,169,190 16 4,753,600 0.82 904,000 6.5 86,600 19.98 45,400 1.38 1,066,000 1.39 475,000 905.5 298,040 7.6 1,311,100 11.9 3,589,600 15.2 1,638,500 0.247 780,000 891.5 155,690 6.89 26,100 64.25 840,490 0.52 1,408,000 5.38 3,198,300 16.04 11,483,200 0.56 216,000 4.55 45,158,000 0.04 24,700,000 1.13 21,000 2.87 882,000 173.8 197,890 2.39 1,000 945 168,580 1.03 2,176,000 390 40 273 160 0.242 9,070,000 0.385 67,750,000 PROPERTY 13.24 0.79 2 0.77 44.5 2.34 4.09 6.5 0.53 0.87 0.94 0.242 0.41 11.42 22.8 0.51 1.52 1.33 5.65 0.365 0.5 1.63 2.57 24.75 2

867,500 547,000 29,000 2,550,000 11,193,000 140,000 609,000 14,400 11,755,000 17,000 16,000 9,420,000 70,000 2,520,800 442,900 1,108,000 3,266,000 1,072,000 13,364,900 10,920,000 41,445,000 1,193,000 174,000 3,024,600 525,000

11,431,526 430,130 56,430 1,982,780 498,113,400 328,160 2,519,640 89,848 6,230,730 14,210 14,780 2,261,990 28,550 29,036,842 10,150,525 562,810 4,950,040 1,432,330 75,079,050 4,003,350 21,755,030 1,944,720 443,750 73,705,230 1,050,220

876,798 16,480 -1,990 -33,024,595 -16,390 -134,470 -160,590 920 280,698 1,200,120 -306,000 -2,071,640 -13,400 -40,896,500 -1,637,135.00 45,380.00 -32,172,180 -834,080.00

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

0.002 1.36 2.93 12.94 1.52 1.52 2.66 0.3 7.8 1.6 0.255 0.118 0.118 0.0084 1.07 2.52 1.04 0.59 0.92 0.012 0.012 0.011 3.01 3.4 9.3 22 0.0071

0.0021 1.39 2.94 12.94 1.58 1.64 2.69 0.3 8.28 1.6 0.27 0.118 0.13 0.0084 1.07 2.63 1.04 0.63 0.92 0.012 0.012 0.012 3.02 3.4 9.76 22.1 0.0071

0.0019 1.35 2.93 12.94 1.4 1.47 2.63 0.295 7.74 1.57 0.25 0.116 0.117 0.0084 1.07 2.52 1 0.59 0.9 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.99 3.38 9.28 21.7 0.0071

MINING & OIL 0.0021 400,000,000 1.39 488,000 2.94 9,000 12.94 100 1.48 148,000 1.47 110,000 2.69 1,047,000 0.295 290,000 8.11 63,700 1.58 5,860,000 0.26 6,890,000 0.118 390,000 0.13 320,000 0.0084 1,000,000 1.07 40,000 2.55 2,013,000 1.04 42,000 0.63 103,000 0.9 213,000 0.012 12,100,000 0.012 99,000,000 0.011 1,200,000 2.99 105,000 3.38 1,056,000 9.35 1,865,600 21.9 366,500 0.0071 3,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SFI PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2I

19.08 465.6 490 98 5.68 900 95.75 0.98 102.7 100.2 106 1.5 979 75.55 74.75 74.5

19.08 465.6 490 98 5.74 900 95.75 1 102.7 100.2 106 1.5 979 76 74.75 74.5

19 465.6 490 98 5.66 900 95.75 0.98 102.7 100.2 106 1.5 979 75.5 74.75 72

PREFERRED 19.02 159,000 465.6 3,000 490 10 98 30,000 5.74 84,400 900 12,020 95.75 10 0.98 102,000 102.7 10 100.2 10 106 40 1.5 8,000 979 50 75.7 6,700 74.75 7,000 72 56,900

3,024,770 1,396,800 4,900 2,940,000 479,051 10,818,000 957.5 100,080 1,027 1,002 4,240 12,000 48,950 508,400 523,250 4,164,525

-2,106,104.00 164,041 -

LR WARRANT

1.99

1.99

1.9

WARRANTS 1.9 121,000

231,980

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.95 1.23

4.97 1.25

4.85 1.16

4.9 1.17

937,340 7,564,540

-266,290

FIRST METRO ETF

117.9

117.9

117

254,443

9,368

151,007 39,102

-

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10 0.98

10.1 0.98

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

11,348,396

INDUSTRIAL

230,868,321

HOLDING FIRMS

194,617,689

PROPERTY

134,427,300

SERVICES

178,163,063

MINING & OIL

537,829,136

GRAND TOTAL

1,293,811,642

10 0.98

SME

192,000 6,360,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.1 2,170 DDS 10.02 0.98

15,070 39,900

VALUE 1,732.35 (DOWN) 19.01 1,038,089,976.92 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,734.78 (UP) 33.61 1,172,010,368.61 HOLDING FIRMS 7,698.36 (DOWN) 44.36 1,683,063,684.38 PROPERTY 4,081.27 (DOWN) 2.59 SERVICES 1,586.47 (DOWN) 13.21 1,075,391,157.37 MINING & OIL 7,725.18 (UP) 20.58 879,603,194.10 PSEI 7,854.13 (DOWN) 40.93 52,796,485.91 All Shares Index 4,832.62 (DOWN) 7.72 5,909,728,947.82 Gainers: 87; Losers: 109; Unchanged: 46; Total: 242

Vista Land bullish, eyes P60b worth of projects

By Jenniffer B. Austria VISTA Land & Lifescapes Inc., one of the country’s leading integrated developers and the largest homebuilder, plans to launch at least P60 billion worth of residential projects this year as it remains robust about the property sector.

Vista Land president and chief executive Paolo Manuel Villar said in a press briefing Thursday the company was expecting double-digit growth in net income and revenues this year on the steady growth of the residential business as well as increasing contribution from the leasing portfolio.

“We are confident about the company’s prospects for the coming year as we have delivered strong residential sales in 2018 and have a significant leasing portfolio now accounting for about a quarter of our net income,” said Villar.

Vista Land reported that it generated a record net income of P10.5 billion in 2018, up 16 percent from the previous year’s level.

Consolidated revenues rose 15 percent to P41.5 billion from P36 billion last year as sales from real estate grew 15 percent to 31.9 billion, while revenues from leasing business improved 15 percent to P6.9 billion.

Reservations sales climbed 16 percent to P75 billion.

Vista Land ended 2018 with 1.4 million square meters of gross floor area.

Villar said the company would continue to focus on developing commercial spaces to boost the leasing income business. Vista Land had 31 malls as of the end of 2018.

Vista Land has been delivering record results, fueled by the strong performance of “We remain optimistic for the industry given the robust demand in our residential business as well as the continued growth of our leasing propelled by the steady growth in Filipinos’ disposable income, overseas Filipino remittances, and the infrastructure development around the country, especially in areas outside Metro Manila, where we have a competitive edge given our presence in so many areas of the country,” said Vista Land chairman Manuel Villar said.

Emperador’s net income rose 8% to P6.8b in 2018 LIQUOR producer Emperador Inc. registered a net income of P6.8 billion in 2018, up eight percent from the previous year, on the double-digit growth of revenues.

Emperador said in a disclosure to the stock exchange revenues rose 10 percent in 2018 to P47 billion, boosted by strong sales from the domestic and international markets.

“Our renowned brandy and whisky products sold all over the world are the catalysts for continued growth and long-term shareholder value enhancement. Internationalization and premiumization will be the new frontier of growth moving forward,” said Emperador president Winston Co. He said 2018 was exceptional for Scotland-based Whyte and Mackay with the business growing in every region of the world.

“Asia was a particularly strong market with revenues more than doubling as brands enjoyed fantastic success across a number of markets.

The Dalmore, Whyte and Mackay’s flagship single malt whisky product, was again a major growth driver as it continued to attract new consumers at the apex of the single malt category,” he added.

Emperador has been aggressive in expanding its foreign brands, such as Emperador Brandy, Fundador Spanish Brandy de Jerez and The Dalmore in the overseas market.

Co also noted the strong performance of local brand Emperador.

“Emperador brandy continues to lead the domestic market. New programs are being initiated to capture the growing middle class consumers,” he said.

Emperador has an ongoing buyback of shares worth P5 billion over a 24-month period that began in May 2017.

The company to date has bought back roughly 259 million shares amounting to around P1.86 billion.

Emperador owns Emperador Distillers Inc., Scotch whisky maker Whyte and Mackay Group and Bodegas Fundador in Spain. Jenniffer B. Austria

World

B3

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Brexit chaos stirs apathy, bafflement in ex-colonies H

ONG KONG―Across much of Britain’s former Asian colonies, many are greeting the UK’s impending departure from the European Union with a mixture of bafflement, apathy, amusement—and a touch of schadenfreude.

CELEBRATIONS. Kashmiri Muslims pray as a cleric displays a holy relic, believed to be a hair from the Prophet Muhammad’s

beard, during the celebrations for Miraj-Ul-Alam (ascension to heaven) at Kashmir’s main Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar on April 4, 2019.

Muslims converge annually for celebrations at the shrine near the summer capital, Srinagar, of the Jammu and Kashmir state. AFP

Christchurch accused to face 50 murder charges IN BRIEF Canadian couple lottery millionaires

MONTREAL―A Quebec couple won Can$1 million ($750,000) in the lottery after finding a winning ticket that had been forgotten in a book for months, the province’s Loto-Quebec organization said Wednesday.

Nicole Pedneault and Roger Larocque only realized last weekend that they had a winning ticket from an April 5, 2018 drawing.

While looking through a book about Japan to help her grandson with a school project, Pedneault noticed something had fallen from the pages.

It was a lottery ticket the couple had bought for Valentine’s Day last year.

“If my grandson hadn’t asked me to give him some things for his presentation, I wouldn’t have ever found the ticket,” Pedneault said.

“The first thing I did when I found the ticket in the book was go look at the deadline for claiming winnings on the Loto-Quebec website,” she said.

The ticket was still valid, but not for long―only until Friday.

“It’s all just by chance that we found it at the last minute like that,” the winner said as she claimed her check. AFP

Maradona in trouble over Maduro

MEXICO CITY―The Mexican Football Federation said Wednesday it has opened an investigation into whether Diego Maradona violated its ethics code when he praised Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after a recent match.

Maradona, the coach of Mexican second-division side Dorados, triggered the controversy―the latest in a long line for the Argentine legend― with his comments during a post-match press conference Sunday, following his club’s 3-2 win over Tampico Madero.

“I want to dedicate this victory to Nicolas Maduro and all Venezuelans, who are suffering,” he said.

“These Yankees [the United States], the sheriffs of the world, think just because they have the world’s biggest bomb they can push us around. But no, not us.”

Maradona is close to Maduro, the embattled leftist leader who has presided over a spiraling political and economic crisis in Venezuela.

The United States has led more than 50 countries in recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s acting president, calling Maduro’s May re-election illegitimate.

Maradona, who has been close with a string of Latin American leftist leaders—once calling Cuba’s Fidel Castro a “second father”—went on to criticize US President Donald Trump, comparing him to a blond-haired puppet named Chirolita who was popular on Argentine TV in the 1970s.

“This Chirolita they have for president can’t buy us,” he said.

The Mexican Football Federation said in a statement its disciplinary committee had opened an investigation over the comments “for an alleged infraction of articles 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 of the FMF ethics code.”

Article 7 of that code calls on those affiliated with the federation to “maintain a neutral stance on political and religious matters.”

Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, is considered one of the greatest footballers of all time.

But he is also known for leading a life as colorful off the pitch as on it, publicly battling drug addiction, alcoholism, obesity and countless scandals.

AFP

CHRISTCHURCH―The man accused of attacking two mosques in Christchurch last month will face 50 murder charges when he appears in court on Friday, New Zealand police said.

Australian Brenton Tarrant was previously charged with one murder as a holding measure, but police said Thursday that all the deaths and injuries in the March 15 attacks will be reflected in upgraded charges during his next appearance.

“The man arrested in relation to the Christchurch terror attacks will face 50 murder and 39 attempted murder charges when he appears in the High Court in Christchurch on Friday,” they said in a brief statement.

Tarrant, 28, will appear via video link in the Christchurch court from a maximum-security prison in Auckland.

A note from the court this week said the appearance was likely to be brief and would “ascertain the defendant’s position regarding legal representation” and other procedural matters.

Tarrant sacked a court-appointed lawyer after his first court appearance on March 16, raising fears he wanted to represent himself and attempt to use any trial as a propaganda platform.

The court said Tarrant would not be required to enter a plea during Friday’s hearing.

The court has now barred media from filming or photographing the accused.

Police said further charges were being considered against Tarrant—a self-avowed white supremacist—but did not specify what they were.

They may relate to whether the court deems the attack a terrorist act, something Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly labelled the atrocity.

However, New Zealand’s Terrorism Suppression Act, introduced after the 9/11 attacks, is little used and could complicate the prosecution.

Criminal charges, such as murder and attempted murder are easier to pursue, although prosecutors may want the accused tried as a terrorist to make the point that right-wing extremism is just as dangerous as its Islamic counterpart.

New Zealand’s Corrections Department revealed last month that Tarrant was segregated from other prisoners and able to be observed constantly, either directly by staff via CCTV camera.

It said he had no access to television, radio or newspapers and no visitors.

Local media have reported that if convicted, he will likely face long-term isolation to prevent him being targeted by the largely Polynesian prison population over his white supremacist views.

New Zealand is in the process of tightening its gun laws after the attack and the government has also said it will review laws dealing with hate speech.

Ardern has called for action by social media giants after the alleged gunman livestreamed the attacks online.

The latest update from health authorities earlier this week said 24 people remained in hospital after the attacks, four of them critical, including a four-year-old girl. AFP

Britain long justified imperial subjugation by arguing Rule Britannia brought order, stability and shared prosperity—even after its retreat from colonialism birthed a host of troubled new nations still saddled with historical grievances and legacies to this day.

Now Brits face a chaos and internal division of their own making, alongside potential isolation and years of economic hardship—particularly if the UK crashes out with no deal on April 12.

“I was born and brought up in this British colony called Hong Kong and used to think that the Brits were a very sensible people,” remarked Claudia Mo, a pro-democracy lawmaker in the financial hub.

“I’ve been watching Brexit process as a former colonial person and it’s almost like a farce, it’s sadly funny, sadly amusing. I’m baffled as to why and how things got to where they are now. To outsiders it’s almost unthinkable,” she told AFP. Mo, 62, came of age politically during a turbulent period for her birthplace sparked by Britain’s colonial legacy―the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China.

Unlike Brexit, Hong Kongers had no say in their future and many were desperate to obtain British passports in case the handover unleashed chaos.

Many youngsters, Mo said, are still looking for opportunities overseas given Beijing’s increasingly authoritarian grip, but they may be less inclined to opt for Britain.

“I think their first choices here are more likely Australia and Canada,” she remarked.

In India, Sreeram Chaulia, dean of the Jindal School of International Affairs, said many regard Brexit as the latest chapter in what has been a “sharp decline in the place Britain commands as a great power”.

“They are not a gold standard to look up to,” he said. “We get a feeling of a sinking ship and everybody wants to leave a sinking ship.”

Taiwan honors the dead with paper models TAIPEI―From a modern summer villa with an outdoor pool to a fully equipped film studio or a casino, paper model makers in Taiwan are ensuring the dead enjoy an eternity of luxury.

Across the global Chinese diaspora, burning paper offerings has long been seen as a way to send ancestors gifts that they can use in the afterlife.

In recent years, traditional paper incarnations of money and gold bars have given way to the more modern― paper iPads and mobile phones, washing machines, cars, televisions and credit cards.

But a handful of paper model makers in Taiwan are taking the art to a new level and crafting offerings that bestow on the dead the kind of trappings only experienced by the truly rich and famous in the land of the living.

“We believe that people will move on to another world after they die,” explained Taipei businessman Chen Shuhsuan, as he attended his uncle’s funeral.

Moments before, family members prayed as a detailed model of a twostory mansion created for the deceased went up in flames, complete with working lights, paper staff and a luxury car tucked away inside an attached garage.

“We hope he would live a good afterlife in that world so we prepare a paper house and a lot of paper money so he could have the means to live well,” Chen said.

The practice of burning offerings originated in Taoism, a leading faith in Taiwan, with the gifts primarily offered at funerals, death anniversaries and during key festivals when ancestors are honored. AFP

India’s economy is set to overtake the UK’s later this year.

“The UK will then become a middle power. It is like a reversal of scale,” he noted.

Students at Bangladesh’s Dhaka University offered mixed views on what Brexit might mean.

Syed Tahsin said he hoped the relationship between the two countries might be “more positive than ever before” given Britain has vowed to strengthen bridges with Commonwealth countries.

But others fretted that the anti-immigrant sentiment which fuelled the leave vote would make Britain less welcoming to overseas visitors and the Bangladeshi community already there.

“Brexit itself is a policy of white supremacists,” lamented student Aishwarya Proma, adding she feared it will “just push more... immigrants (to) go back to their countries.”

While Brits and Europeans may have been engrossed by the unceasing weekly drama of Brexit, many further afield admitted that they were more preoccupied by local issues.

“The Brexit issue and the wider conversations about democracy seem far removed from daily life in Sri Lanka, where we are all consumed with our own dysfunctional politics,” Dharisha Bastians, chief editor of the Sunday Observer newspaper, told AFP. Nationalist Sri Lankan legislator Udaya Gammanpila regarded that disinterest as a good sign.

“We are no longer preoccupied with British politics. We are slowly getting over our colonial mentality,” he said.

Given its cultural and linguistic links, Australians have followed the Brexit drama perhaps more closely than any other former colony.

Nick Miller, Europe correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, noted there was “immediate interest” from readers. AFP

DESPERATION.

Yemenis gather with plastic containers as they wait to collect water from a tank in the southwestern Yemeni city of Taez on April 3, 2019. The war in Yemen has left thousands dead and triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations.

According to Action Contre la Faim 16 million people lack access to water and sanitation and basic health care. Fifty percent of Yemen’s clinics are closed and more than 70 percent do not have a regular supply of medicines.

AFP

US says will pump dollars into Venezuela after Maduro WASHINGTON―The US is prepared to pump dollars into Venezuela to fortify its economy if President Nicolas Maduro leaves, the top White House economic advisor said Wednesday, as American senators introduced legislation to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid.

Larry Kudlow told reporters that Washington is already working with banks and the International Monetary Fund on a rebuilding plan to revitalize the country’s crushed economy and said that, when the time comes, “we will be moving as fast as we can.”

“We call it Day Two,” he said at a briefing arranged by The Christian Science Monitor newspaper.

“It would be a rescue plan, it would be a restructuring plan, it would be a

plan to put cash into the country.”

Venezuela’s oil economy has crumbled under a collapse of crude exports and international sanctions against Maduro, whom Washington and its allies view as illegitimate.

The United States has been pressuring for Maduro to step down or be overthrown, but he has clung to power with the support of Venezuela’s military.

“The time line is to get rid of Maduro.

I have no idea when that is going to be,” said Kudlow.

Once Maduro leaves, economic assistance would be immediate, beginning with pushing the US currency in to reignite economic activity, moving it via “banks, iPhones, apps,” said Kudlow, who is director of the National Economic Council.

“The cash will not be bolivares, it will be dollars, at least at the beginning,” he said.

“There is no demand for bolivares.

Dollars are the answer.”

On Capitol Hill, a bipartisan group of US senators introduced legislation to authorize $400 million in humanitarian aid to Venezuela.

The funds are part of a package of measures aimed at re-establishing democracy and supporting opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Since 2017, Washington has allocated more than $195 million for humanitarian aid for Latin American nations that are taking in Venezuelan migrants and refugees. In January, the US Agency for International Development said that it could kick in an additional $20 million. AFP

LGUs

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

B4

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Ex-Cagayan gov now eyes House 2nd district seat

By Jessica Bacud TUGUEGARAO CITY—Former Cagayan Gov. Melvin P. Vargas Sr. is running for congressman of the second district here, more than two decades after he left politics to become a businessman and contractor.

Vargas on Thursday said the district “needs a better fiscal administration by putting priority to projects that will address greater societal Vargas problems.”

Apart from his thrust to improve Cagayan’s road networks and infrastructure, he said he sees the necessity of assisting the livelihood program in the second district owing to the “slow pace” of development under the present congressional representation.

The incumbent, 2nd District Rep. Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, is finishing her third consecutive term and cannot run for reelection under law.

Vargas, who was officer-in-charge governor from Jan. 18, 1990 to March 24, 1992, said he had long been thinking of returning to politics. His son, Melvin Jr., is the current Vice Governor.

Melvin Sr. said he started young in his desire to serve the public. The second district will have “a more effective leader” in his person as he is more capable and experienced both in politics and governance, he asserted.

Enrile raises concerns of Bicol fish sector FORMER Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, now seeking his fifth term in the Senate under the Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino party, ended his three-day sortie in Bicol for the May 13 elections on a high note.

Enrile met with the political leaders of the vote-rich provinces of the region, starting in Sorsogon on Saturday, Camarines Sur on Monday, and Albay on Tuesday.

“Marhay na aldaw saindo gabos (Good morning to all),” he told crowds of well-wishers along his motorcade route as he made the rounds in the region.

While meeting locals, Enrile addressed the concerns of the local fishing industry, underscoring the need to curb illegal fishing.

“We need to protect the Bicol waters, particularly the Burias-Ticao Pass, which is considered one of the most productive fishing grounds in the country,” the veteran lawmaker urged.

“The government should come in to improve sustainable fishing in the region. If we care for the richness of biodiversity in the region, we are helping fishermen who are harvesting legally and responsibly, and we are also providing more attractions in the tourism industry,” he added.

Leaders in Bicol’s fishing industry need to be taught to practice sustainable fishing so they can protect their available supply in the long term, the former Senate president said.

Combating climate change with (from left) Peter Brown, iACADEMY School of Design’s Animation Faculty; Her Excellency Patricia Fuller, Canadian Ambassador for Climate Change; Alexandra dela Cruz and Ma. Isabella Parca, iACADEMY BS Animation alumni; Crista McInnis, Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner of the Canadian Embassy; and His Excellency John T. Holmes, Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines.

SAN PABLO BETS. Reelectionist Rep. Sol Aragones leads the official candidates of the Nacionalista Party in San Pablo, Laguna as endorsed by reelectionist Senator Cynthia Villar, whose husband Manuel is president of the NP. Also in photo are Mayor Amben Amante, Vice Mayor Justin Colago, Councilors Camela Acebedo, Karla Monica Adajar, Diosdado Biglete, Napoleon Calatraba, Ed dela Cruz, Dandi Medina, Ramon Panganiban, Elsie Pabico, Angie Yang and Board Members Dante Amante and Aby Yu. Lino Santos

Mining firm to offer engineering degree

I

N A first for the Philippine mining industry, Cagdianao Mining Corp., a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. , will offer a Mining Engineering degree, as a second course, to its qualified employees.

The course is initially offered to interested and qualified employees, but CMC is hoping the huge opportunity can be extended to members of the mining communities in the province of Dinagat.

Classes will be conducted inside the CMC minesite in Dinagat Island, as the firm has tied up with St. Paul University of Surigao to offer the Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering at the minesite starting school year 2019-2020.

Dr. Antonio P. Talamayan, SPUS VP for Academic Affairs, confirmed that

the special program in partnership with CMC has been approved by the Commission on Higher Education.

“This curriculum will innovate and deliver quality education. SPUS and CMC instructors will coordinate and communicate with each other throughout the course to produce topnotch engineers. This is the first time that we are partnering with the mining industry because I believe CMC is a responsible mining company,” said Talamayan.

In Caraga Region, only St. Paul in Surigao City and the Caraga State Uni-

versity in Butuan City offer mining engineering courses.

According to Salvador C. Cabauatan, CMC Administrative Group manager, the onsite classes are a huge opportunity for employees to pursue a dream of becoming mining engineers without having to leave the comforts of the workplace.

To be eligible for the course, Cabauatan said applicants must have already completed basic subjects based on the SPUS prospectus for BS Mining Engineering.

Cabauatan said St. Paul is banking on CMC’s generic resources, especially a solid lineup of mining engineers, geodetic engineers, geologists and chemical engineers, who can teach the subjects specified in the curriculum, and an array of state-of-the-art computer software for mining engineering courses.

EARTH HOUR EVENT.

To celebrate the Earth Hour campaign, SM City Sta. Mesa invited different entrepreneurs over the weekend to share their vision and mission on how to #Connect2Earth.

Pictured (from left) are event host Ann Quiogue, Monnick Cruz (Silent Beads), Claire Rue (SM City Sta. Mesa Assistant Mall manager), Anne Yee (Jacinto&Lirio), and Mark Joseph Laceste (Bambuhay).

Bataan officials praise Mariveles Fiesta village

By Butch Gunio MARIVELES, Bataan—Two officials here have cited the “good impact” of the establishment of Fiesta Communities Mariveles in providing decent housing to local folk.

“Families that needed to be relocated from a certain area here availed houses at Fiesta Communities Mariveles,”

Mayor AJ Concepcion told victims of a recent fire who visited his office for a dialogue on Wednesday.

“Sharing the desire of Governor Abet Garcia, we want local folks own decent houses,” the mayor said.

Earlier, Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan Chairman Emmanuel Pineda announced that many freeport workers have already located at Fiesta

Communities Mariveles.

“They work here in FAB, so it is best that they settle here in Mariveles,” Pineda pointed out.

He said housing for FAB workers is one of his major thrusts.

Fiesta Communities Mariveles is tailor-fit for Freeport workers, according to Fiesta Communities regional manager Gene Ryan Bautista.

Thesis film in anti-waste effort THE thesis film of iACADEMY students, “Halimaw sa Basura” has been chosen by the Canadian Embassy in Philippines as part of its “What A Waste!” initiative to increase awareness and address the looming problem of waste management in the country.

“We are honored to be part of this very big initiative,” said Maria Isabella Parca, one of the directors and producers of the film and a BS Animation Graduate (Class of 2018).

Canadian Embassy’s “What a Waste!” aims to alleviate waste in Metro Manila where 19 municipalities and 13.7 million residents generate about 3,500 tons of household waste daily.

The symposium on March 25 and 26

encouraged discussion with a view of highlighting a range of technological, social, and circular economy solutions to manage waste.

The initiative will target key decision makers such as city mayors, local government units, and the Department of Energy and meet with Canadian companies, experts, social enterprises and private Philippine companies to discuss and deploy their plans for waste management.

“We really wanted it to be used for something bigger, something that will help push the discussion about waste management and for people to better understand that this issue needs to be addressed,” Parca added.

3 in 10 health facilities lack clean toilets THREE in 10 health facilities in the Philippines lack access to clean toilets, according to a new report by the World Health Organization and the UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene.

The report says 23 percent of the health care facilities have unclean toilets while 4 percent have no toilets at all.

The WHO/UNICEF JMP report is the first comprehensive global assessment of water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities.

While the report highlights some significant information gaps, the available data show that one in four health care facilities around the world lack basic water services, affecting over two-billion people.

The report says many health centers lack sanitation service, basic facilities for hand hygiene and safe segregation and disposal of health care waste.

These services are crucial to preventing infections, reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance and providing quality care, particularly for safe childbirth.

“Health care facilities won’t be able to provide quality care to people if there is no safe water, toilet or hand-washing facility, said WHO Representative in the Philippines Gundo Weiler.

“The recent water shortage in Metro Manila highlighted the need for long-term solutions to water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities. The Philippines must ensure that safe WASH facilities are available and accessible to ensure health for all Filipinos.

The recent water shortage in Metro Manila affected Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City, National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, and National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Quirino Memorial Medical Center, all in Quezon City.

Major hospitals were forced to reduce the admission of patients to some specialty wards, like the operating room and emergency room, to prevent disease outbreaks.

The lack of water prompted Health Secretary Health Francisco Duque III to talk to a water concessionaire to prioritize the supply of water to the five hospitals and limit the number of watchers into one per patient. The Department of Health has identified accessibility to WASH in all health care facilities as a priority.

According to UNICEF, 7,000 newborn babies died every day globally in 2017, mostly from preventable and treatable conditions including infections like sepsis.

As part of its Every Child Alive Campaign, UNICEF is calling for governments and authorities to make sure every mother and baby have access to affordable, quality care.

“When a child is born in a birthing facility or hospital without sufficient access to water, sanitation and hygiene, both the child and the mother are at risk of infection.

“Health care workers should be able to practice hand washing with soap and use sterile medical equipment. The health care facility should have access to safe water for drinking, hand-washing with soap and to provide access to clean toilets.” said UNICEF Ad Interim Country Representative Julia Rees.

Life

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

CULTURE AND MEDIA

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

C1

Father of Philippine Photography

in the spotlight

T The cameras used by Teodulo Protomartir and the original negatives rescued by the late film and television director Rosauro ‘Uro’ Dela Cruz.

On display are snapshots from original negatives Uro Dela Cruz rescued and intended to conserve.

HE life and works of Teodulo Protomartir, the Father of Philippine Photography, is featured in “Proto Photo Educator Protomartir,” an ongoing exhibition at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Organized by the college’s Bachelor of Arts in Photography Program, the exhibition showcases Protomartir’s contribution to the development of contemporary Philippine visual language and photography, and attempts to define a chapter in the Philippine photographic history.

Protomartir actively promoted the use of rangefinder cameras before the war. Further, he was one of the first Filipino photographers to popularize the use of the 35-mm film format in the country.

In the 1930s he started a photography club called the 35mm Club Manila. He also had a radio show dedicated to photography.

The gallery highlights over 60 photographs which depict a slice of life in the 20th century. It is likewise a partial story of early Philippine amateur photography.

The collection, consisting of negatives, prints, and albums which contained some relevant documentation, reveals the culture of Salon Photography.

Photographers who had “liberated” themselves from the traditional media called their exhibition spaces Salons to differentiate themselves from the

traditional galleries. This gave rise to a particular, and clearly American genre of amateur photography: the Salon style photograph.

The snapshots were from original negatives rescued by the late film and television director Rosauro “Uro” Dela Cruz, with the intention of conserving it for the generations to come.

Many of the negatives were in pitiful state. Most suffered from “vinegar syndrome,” a phenomenon which happens when the plasticizer in the film base escapes into the air and leaves it in a very brittle state.

Part of the exhibition, curated by photographer Roderick “Jay” Javier, is an installment of a series of essays that will complete what Dela Cruz sought to achieve—to contribute to the history of the Philippine photography.

The exhibit is open to the public until April 24 at the Photography Gallery on the 11th floor of School of Design and Arts campus, Pablo Ocampo St., Malate, Manila. Contact Hannah Faderon at (02) 230-5100 local 3820 or email hannaclaudette. faderon@benilde.edu.ph for more information.

German Club Manila presents Fermin, Geisert

'Kunstausstellung' presents the latest works of Anthony Fermin (left) and Carmela Geisert (right)

German Club Manila on April 11 presents “Kunstausstellung,” featuring the recent works of Filipino visual artists Anthony Fermin and Carmela Geisert.

Hailing from Cebu, Fermin is known for his paintings that embody rich, colorful, and multi-layered aspects of Filipino culture, populating his canvases with crowds of people on streets and public spaces. His interpretation of figures, vehicles, and animals projects whimsy and optimism in each brushstroke.

Meanwhile, it has always been Geisert’s passion for art that drives her to create while she juggles her other responsibilities, one of which is as president of Asia Grand View Hotel in Coron, Palawan.

For this show, Geisert marks her artistic journey with blossoms that draw a parallel to her blooming artistic career. Her pieces remind viewers of leisurely strolls in formal gardens, with special attention to bright color combinations of flowers and foliage.

“Kunstausstellung” will run until May 7 at the German Club Manila located on the penthouse of Eurovilla II in 117 Rufino St., Legazpi Village, Makati. Call (02) 817-3552 or 0995-5511524.

IWD summit features #DontTellMeHowToDress exhibit

WORKSHOP

THE recent International Women’s Day Summit 2019 held at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier featured talks and exhibit that tackled challenges women face on a daily basis.

The event, hosted by SPARK! Philippines, the embassies of Austria and Sweden, and the United Nations Population Fund, drew together members of the diplomatic corps and various focus groups.

Talks included gender-based violence, economic empowerment, and being taken seriously in industries that are dominated by men.

Meanwhile, the #DontTellMeHowToDress exhibit at the Podium, which was adopted from Thailand’s movement of the same name, was intended to encourage women to step forward and rise against gender-based violence.

HE Ambassador Harald Fries of Sweden and Madame Susan Fries at the International Women's Day Summit '19

Beth Robles of PlayCrafts PH holds a oneday workshop on acrylic bag painting.

Acrylic bag painting

#DontTellMeHowToDress exhibit features 13 different outfits and information about the movement which originated in Thailand.

BETH Robles of PlayCrafts PH is holding a one-day workshop on acrylic bag painting on April 27 at Sunshine Place in Makati City.

Robles will share her expertise on painting flowers such as anemones, dahlias, peonies, hydrangeas, and roses on bags.

Prior to this upcoming workshop, she has already conducted calligraphy workshops and floral painting

workshops using different media such as watercolor, gouache, soft pastels, and acrylic at the senior recreation center.

The workshop will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Call 0917-8933506 or email playcrafts.ph@gmail.com for inquiries.

C2

Entertainment

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

INTERNATIONAL

Arjo Atayde’s ‘Bagman’ gets praises, has netizens wanting more

Actress Michelle Williams tackles pay gap in Hollywood AMERICAN actress Michelle Williams went to the US Congress on Tuesday to call for a vote on a law that tackles the glaring wage gap between men and women, testifying to her own experience, who had seen her to be paid 1,500 times less than a male colleague.

Named for four Oscars during her career, the actress of Manchester by the Sea (2016) and Brokeback Mountain (2005) had discovered at the end of 2017 that she had been paid significantly less than Mark Wahlberg for the same amount of work.

It was a matter of urgently returning scenes from Ridley Scott’s movie All the money in the World, eliminated in order to expel Kevin Spacey, who held one of the main roles and had just been accused of assault, sexual abuse, and harassment.

“And if it happens to someone like me, a white woman in a golden sector, how much do my sisters suffer in their professions?” she asked herself.

This press conference was organized by Democratic House of Representatives to mark a day demanding equal pay. It was set this year as April 2, as this is the date on which women should, on average, work in the United States to catch up on men’s wages in 2018.

The Williams / Wahlberg affair had exploded when she was reported by her colleague Jessica Chastain on Twitter, gaining an echo all the more as she intervened in full wave #MeToo against sexual harassment.

Since then, Michelle Williams believes to finally be treated as an equal on the sets, she said Tuesday.

AFP

Mark Wahlberg was paid $1.5million for the 10-day shoot while Michelle Williams made just $80-a-day for the same amount of work in the film ‘All the Money in the World.”

Arjo Atayde in a scene from iWant original series, ‘Bagman.’

THE engaging showcase of politics, drama, and action topped off with Arjo Atayde’s effective portrayal of an anti-hero in the iWant original series Bagman has generated praises from netizens and has racked up hundreds of thousands of views on the streaming service.

The series, which can be streamed for free on iWant, has so far dropped nine episodes that have left people wanting more. Its final three episodes were made available for streaming on Wednesday, April 3.

Stream Bagman for free and catch the full episodes on iWant via its iOS or Android

Joyce Pring (third from right) with (from left) Manila Bulletin’s Jojo Panaligan, Philippine Star’s Ricky Lo, Manila Time’s Tessa Mauricio-Arriola, the author, and Daily Tribune’s Pauline Songco.

apps or via web browser on iwant.ph. More subscribers can also get their iWant craving in the comfort of their own homes as they can already connect the streaming service to their TVs via Chromecast and Apple Airplay. iWant is one of the digital initiatives of ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company, which is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies, and a growing list of digital properties.

JOYCE PRING embarks on

passionate pursuits

I

N AN intimate interview with Joyce Pring, the Kapuso host talked about what she can bring to the table being a co-anchor of GMA News and Public Affairs’ online newscast Stand for Truth.

Powered by GMA’s Digital Video Lab, it is headlined by award-winning broadcast journalist Atom Araullo with GMA Resident Analyst Richard Heydarian, and Joyce, together with a fresh group of reporters from all over the Philippines.

The weeknight news premieres in April via GMA News Online and GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel.

“Most people think news is serious and straightforward. But because this is online, we have no limitations,” Joyce started.

“We have our own approach. There are substantial topics to talk about but these can be longer or shorter since there are no airtime constraints.

And viewers can share their inputs right away,” she continued.

Joyce, a musician and a former radio jock, will be in charge of the music segment of the online news program.

“I’m excited to be a part of GMA’s constant efforts to engage their audience with new materials in the digital platform.

It’ll be interesting to see how viewers, especially people my age who are so engrossed in social media and the Internet, will respond to this digital newscast,” she said.

The 26-year-old TV personality looks forward to working with her co-hosts, and meeting the amazing roster of Filipino musicians to be featured on her segment. She also feels ecstatic to be given the opportunity to express

her love for broadcasting and hosting in different platforms. Through Stand for Truth, she hopes to inspire the youth to become better individuals, both online and offline.

“I want to have an avenue to serve the public. We aim for our audience to realize that we can use social media properly, in terms of creating substantial content, spreading only truthful material, and trusting that the Filipinos yearn to know more and be more, for the greater good.”

Also a sought-after events host, vlogger, writer and a World Vision Ambassador, Joyce has lent her voice to the audiobook of Pierra CalasanzLabrador’s second book of poems and Anvil Publishing’s first audiobook, Dear Universe: Poems on Love, Longing, and Finding Your Place in the Cosmos.

She has also hosted various Kapuso programs since she joined GMA Artist Center’s roster of talents including the web series All Access where she brought viewers behind the scenes of GMA shows, and the top-rating singing competition The Clash alongside Kapuso actor Andre Paras, as backstage hosts.

Currently, Joyce is one of the hosts of the longest-running morning show Unang Hirit and Kapuso Artistambayan. She produces podcast #AdultingWithJoycePring and uploads vlogs on her YouTube channel every week, as well.

TV personality Joyce Pring co-anchors ‘Stand for Truth,’ GMA News and Public Affairs’ online newscast airing this April.

‘Survivor’ latest season on Jack TV EMMY Award-winning reality competition, Survivor, is now on its 38th season. Themed “Edge of Extinction,” this season features 14 new castaways divided into two equal tribes, the Manu Tribe and the Kama Tribe. With four returning players taking a second shot at the game.

The returning castaways are Joe Anglim (“Worlds Apart,” “Second Chance”), Aubry Bracco (“Kaoh Rong,” “Game Changers”), Kelley Wentworth (“Second Chance,” “San Juan del Sur”), and David Wright (“Millennials vs. Gen-X”).

A new twist to this season is the introduction of the island known as “Edge of Extinction,” which severely tests the will of the castaways to be the Sole Survivor and what they are willing to endure to make that happen. Those who can endure the emotionally and physically difficult challenge will be given a shot for one of them to get back in the game and continue their quest to be the ultimate winner.

“Survivor continues to reinvent itself with new energy, and this season we’ve added a new secret game-changing twist” said executive producer and host Emmy Award winner Jeff Probst. “After being voted out, players will be faced with a decision to either go home or go to the ‘Edge of Extinction,’ where they will

be pushed further than ever before for a chance to get back in the game.”

These new and returning castaways will be forced to compete against each other with the same ultimate goal: to outwit, outplay and outlast each other, and in the end only one will remain to claim the title of Sole Survivor. The show films in the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji, and is hosted by Jeff Probst.

Survivor: Edge of Extinction airs every Thursday via satellite at 3:00 p.m. with a primetime telecast at 8:00 p.m. exclusively on JackTV. JackTV is seen on SKYcable Ch. 51, Cignal Ch. 126, Cablelink Ch. 36, GSAT Ch. 61 and EasyTV Ch. 2.

Maureen Montagne (second from right) joins the runnersup and this year’s Miss Eco International winner Suheyn Cipriani of Peru.

Fil-Am wins second in Miss Eco International 2019

By Eton Concepcion

Survivors battle it out in the 38th edition of the popular reality show.

MODEL Maureen Montagne missed winning a rare back-to-back victory at the recently concluded Miss Eco International pageant held in Cairo, Egypt.

The 24-year-old Fil-American beauty was named first runner-up to Miss Peru Suheyn Cipriani who bested more than 60 delegates from around the world and was crowned by Cynthia Thomalla of the Philippines.

Miss USA Jordan Elizabeth finished

as 2nd runner-up while Miss Ukraine Diana Voliakova, and Miss Malaysia Amy Nurtinie were 3rd and 4th runners-up, respectively. The Top10 semi-finalists were Miss France Chloe Jovenin, Miss Japan Nanami Tomita, Miss Ecuador Jocelyn Zambrano, Miss Indonesia Ratu Vashti Annisa, and Miss Paraguay Irene Azcona.

Special awards were given to Miss Ecuador, Best National Costume; Miss Malaysia, Best Eco Dress and Miss Indonesia, Best Eco Video.

In the Q&A round, Montagne was

asked about what she would like to tell her younger self. The Film-Am beauty answered that she would tell her about her beauty and worth despite the standards of society, and that she has able to reach the goals she set her mind to.

Shortly after the pageant, she took to Instagram to thank everyone who supported her and who had been part of her incredible journey in the pageant.

The Arizona, USA-based model and host won Miss USA Arizona 2015 and Miss Century Tuna Superbods 2018.

Motoring

FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

C3

Honda CRF250 Rally

HERE COMES THE SON

• Mick Schumacher makes Ferrari debut in Bahrain test FOLLOWING in his famous father’s footsteps, Mick Schumacher completed 56 laps at the wheel of a Ferrari during a Formula One testing session in Bahrain.

The 20-year-old son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher got his first full experience of driving an F1 car at the start of a two-day test at the Sakhir circuit.

With his mother Corinna and grandmother watching on, he posted a best lap of 1min 29.976sec -- a time second only to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during a session cut short by rain.

Fernando Alonso was also among the 15 drivers who took part. The Spaniard quit the sport at the end of last season but is carrying on for McLaren in an advisory role.

Following his European Formula 3 title last year, Mick Schumacher made his Formula 2 debut on the same track at the weekend, finishing eighth and sixth in the two races.

He joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in January, entering into a partnership with the team that helped his father win five F1 championships.

Michael Schumacher suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident in December 2013 and has remained in private care ever since the incident. AFP

FASTLANE PIONEER compact distributor Suzuki Philippines joins the 16th Manila International Auto Show at the World Trade Center, Pasay Cit. This year’s MIAS will run until April 7 and is expected to gather together more than 130,000 visitors.

During the four-day event, Suzuki Philippines will highlight how its vehicles deliver combined fun, functionality and comfort to give Filipinos an optimal driving experience.

The brand’s most-valued vehicles— the multifunction 7-seater Ertiga, multi-awarded subcompact sedan Ciaz, bold and relentless 4x4 all-new Jimny, well-loved hatchback Swift, exquisite sedan Dzire and stylish SUV Vitara—will be available for

Leisure bike: Honda’s offroad model rolls out H Text and photos by Lester Dizon

onda Philippines Inc. has unveiled the new CRF250 Rally type motorcycle.

Launched last April 2, 2019 in Tanauan City, Batangas, the release of the new off-road model comes after the launch of the upgraded CRF250L in the market. Likewise, The New CRF250 Rally type marks HPI’s continuous efforts in sustaining its presence in the on/off road sports category.

“We are excited to announce the release of the new CRF250 Rally. This model is designed to take both on-road and off-road endurance riding with greater ease, which makes it a perfect ride for those who want to feel the toughness of the road,” said Hervic Villa, Department Manager for Motorcycle Planning of HPI. A great fit for motorcycle enthusiasts seeking a weekend ride, the leisure bike is a perfect fit for a few days with the open road. The bike features major charm points such as a new HRCinspired sticker design and a bronzecolored inverted front fork, making it

an instant eye catcher.

Meanwhile, it still retains key features like tall windscreen design, rallyracing inspired Twin LED headlight with carbon-like light cases and LED signal lights, and a fully digital instrument panel.

The CRF250 Rally also comes with a number of features, including a powerful 250cc liquid-cooled DOHC Engine, large fuel tank capacity (10.1 liters), aerodynamic shroud and undercover, large tool box with key locking, large diameter front disk brake, sportyaircraft type fuel tank cap, sharp tail light design and monoshock pro-link rear suspension.

“We, at Honda, are passionate in bringing our deep industry expertise to our riders. That is why we remain committed to providing innovations that are geared toward the Filipino people—this time to gearheads who enjoy using their motorcycles for offroad or recreational purpose,” Villa added.

Suzuki full-range lineup at 16th MIAS

preview so visitors to the SPH booth will get the chance to examine these Suzuki best-sellers.

In line with SPH’s nationwide advocacy of raising awareness about road safety, the Suzuki Safety Scouts will be present during the trade show to encourage guests to join the campaign. Visitors can register kids 4 to 14 years old for free to become an official Suzuki Safety Scout. In addition to a Safety Scout uniform, members will be given road safety activity books. They will also undergo traffic safety training. Families can look forward to fun-filled activities located at Suzuki Philippines’ booth and win attractive prizes.

SPH Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki noted how joining the MIAS helps Suzuki Philippines further its mission in the country. “We continue to pursue our goal of providing Filipinos with the right and fun-to-drive vehicles. For the 16th Manila International Auto Show, we are featuring our exciting lineup of vehicles that offers the right mix of reliable performance, functionality and fun.

With these Suzuki vehicles, more Filipinos can enjoy the Suzuki Way of Life, be it in overcoming urban traffic, taking the family to a quick weekend escape or going on an offroad adventure with friends,” said Keiichi.

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RCBC reminder: Stay safe on the road PLANNING on doing some long distance driving this Holy Week? Well you’re not the only one.

Many Filipinos are already planning out-of-town trips with their loved ones. To make sure that you stay safe while on the road, RCBC Savings Bank Auto Loan has the following reminders: when on the road, keep in mind the 3 Ps! Plan your trip.

Remember, a lot of people will be on the road this Holy Week. Your trip will go more smoothly if you map out your trip in advance and plan ahead. Where are you going? What time do you need to leave? What route will you take? How many of you will be on the trip? If you’re the designated driver, part of planning is getting enough sleep before your trip and wearing loose, comfortable clothes to avoid discomfort.

Prepare your car for the long drive.

Before setting off on your trip, make sure that your vehicle is in tiptop shape. Check your car’s fluids, make sure that they are at their proper levels; ensure that all lights are working; brakes are in order; tires are in good condition, and that you have a full tank of gas. And of course on the day of your trip, make sure that everyone has their seatbelt on!

Pack accordingly.

Due to the nature of long drives, you need to make sure that you have everything you need for the trip. Some light snacks like biscuits or a sandwich can be a lifesaver on the road. Also, the summer heat can take its toll on you (and your car), so make sure both stay hydrated!

Medicine like some motion sickness tablets and your first aid kit might come handy, too.

Plan, prepare, pack—keep these 3 Ps in mind.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019

Motoring

Bugatti delivers first Chiron in SE Asia

S

INGAPORE—The first Bugatti Chiron in Southeast Asia was delivered to a Singaporean private collector just before the Lunar New Year. The hypercar will be stored in a climate-controlled showcase facility at Wearnes Automotive and marks the first of 20 units that will be delivered to customers in Asia between now and 2020.

The Bugatti Chiron is amongst the world’s fastest, most luxurious and exclusive hypercars. Only 500 of these exceptional cars are to be produced and more than 75% of the total series has already been purchased by customers around the world. The Bugatti Chiron is highly customisable and the Singaporean owner decided to go with a dual colour paint job of Atlantic Blue and French Racing Blue, paying homage to the original Bugatti Chiron unveiled at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show.

The interior of the Bugatti Chiron reflects the stylistic themes of the exterior including the central fin inspired by the Bugatti Atlantic. The design theme of the Bugatti line is expressed most strongly in the interior of the vehicle with an open oval separating the symmetrical units in between the driver and passenger, based on a stylised “C”, derived from Ettore Bugatti’s signature. Keeping in line with the dual colour exterior, the owner opted for a full leather interior in Terre d’Or. “We recognise a growing appetite for hypercars in Asia.

Our customers form an exclusive group of automobile collectors in search of the very best,” says Mr. Victor Kwan, Managing Director of the Prestige Division of Wearnes Automotive. “Apart from enjoying the exclusivity and power of the Bugatti, customers also consider its investment value. The Bugatti Chiron is one of the few cars that actually appreciate in value.”

Wearnes Automotive holds the Bugatti franchise for the Southeast Asia region. Since the launch of the Bugatti Chiron in 2016, the Singapore based automotive dealer has sold 20 units of the hyper sports car with ten cars sold in 2018 alone. This makes Wearnes Automotive one of the world’s top Bugatti dealers in 2018 and Shawn Chin, Brand Manager for Bugatti Singapore, the winner of the Bugatti Sales Excellence Progamme 2018.

As part of the win, Wearnes Automotive will have the privilege to send a representative to be the first person in Southeast Asia to take part in the Chiron 400 Drive, which includes a rare opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Bugatti Chiron and take it up to speeds of more than 400km/h.

An uplifting road trip Text and photos by Lester Dizon AS I ALWAYS do in most of the media test drives I participate in, I try to come up with a nice story angle to tie-in our destination with the vehicles we’re driving to get there. In my 19 years as a motoring journalist, there were some hits – where the organizers or the communications head of the car maker makes a perfect combination of the drive and the venue with the vehicle – as well as some misses – where the venue and the drive are not suitable for the vehicle being reviewed.

As I sit at the backseat of the all-new Suzuki Swift on our drive on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to San Fernando, Pampanga, I ponder at the strange combination of these two: the third-generation of a modern subcompact 5-door hatchback that has become a cult favorite among young auto enthusiasts and a collection of restored old Spanish-Filipino houses erected in a beach resort complete with cobblestone roads. But that’s getting ahead of my stor.

From the Suzuki Auto Kalookan dealership, where Suzuki Philippines Director and General Manager for Automobiles Keiichi Suzuki gave us a warm send-off, the convoy of 14 new slightly dressed-up Swifts and a dozen back-up Suzuki ve h icle s

went northbound on NLEX and had our first stop-over at the Total service station along the highway in San Simon, Pampanga. Our colleague, Ronald delos Reyes, the motoring editor of the Daily Tribune, took the first dibs and drove our car (Swift #9) until the Total station. Ronald could not comment on the performance of the car on the highway because our convoy was moving slower than normal.

However, he narrated that the ride was a lot smoother and better than the previous Swift with its recalibrated front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension system. We took a few moments at the station to recalibrate our bladders.

Vernon Sarne, the Editor-in-Chief of Visor, tackled the driving duties from the gas station to our lunch venue at Tasas by Mundang inside the Kings Royale Hotel in Macabacle, Bacolor, Pampanga. He was more impressed with the efficiency of our Swift’s constantly variable automatic transmission (CVT) and how it quickly adapts to the driving conditions. We were impressed with the improved fit-and-finish and overall quality of the new Swift and we attributed its improved comfort to its longer wheelbase, wider track and bigger overall dimensions. After a hearty lunch, it was my turn to drive.

Around Towns and Cities From Bacolor, our convoy took the highway and passed by the municipalities of Guagua and Lubao at the edge of Pampanga.

We then entered the province of Bataan via Hermosa, through Abucay, Balanga

The fleet of 14 white Swifts bask in the sun at the Total service station in San Simon, Pampanga.

Where tradition meets modernity and where the old intertwines with the new.

City, and zigzagged through the mountain roads around Pilar until we reached Bagac.

Our motorcycle escort mistakenly took us to a little detour inside the small rural roads of the Bagac town proper because WAZE said there was a side road that would lead us into the Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar resort. There was none, of course, and we had to retrace our drive back. But it was a great excuse to test the maneuverability of the Swift and its ability to fit into little traffic gaps because of its stillsvelte size. We thought it was part of the drive.

Along the way, I was admiring how efficient the 1,197cc multiport-injected 4-cylinder 16-valve K12M engine was. On paper, it could only muster 61 horsepower at 6,000 rpm but its 113 Newton-meters of torque that peaks at 4,200 rpm feels strong enough to fool anyone that the new Swift is propelled by a larger engine. The electrically-assisted rack-and-pinion steering made direction changes a breeze while front ventilated discs and rear solid discs provided sure and secure stops every time.

Evolution Based on Demand As we wandered around the restored old houses, the Venicean-inspired canal, and the cobblestone roads around Las Casas Filipinas, I finally found the story angle that I was searching for. Looking at the high ceilings, large windows and ventilated rooms of the old houses, I realized that the traditional large interiors gave way to smaller, more “efficient” designs that we have today, which are also more economical to build. While the traditional designs and craftsmanship look more artistic, they gave way to evolution wherein functionality is preferred over form.

In the same vein, the all-new third-generation Suzuki Swift has grown bigger, longer and wider than its predecessors because it has evolved according to the demands of the market. The traditional Swift loyalists, or its cult followers as they are sometimes called, have also evolved. Where they used to look for the sporty, go-kart-like feel of the Swift, they now want a little more comfort. Where they used to want the snug and cozy interior, they want a little more space. Where they want zest and zing with the motor, they want a little more fuel economy.