Manila Standard - 2019 April 7 - Sunday

INDONESIAN HOSTAGE DROWNS VOL. XXXIII • NO. 56 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

AN INDONESIAN Indonesian fisherman held hostage for four months

by Islamic militants in the Philippines has drowned, a military spokesman said Saturday, while two other captured men have been rescued.

The men had been held on a remote island in a standoff for nearly six weeks after Filipino troops block-

aded the island in a bid to close in on the kidnappers.

The men were seized from their fishing boat in early December last year.

The captors, from Islamic militant group Abu Sayyaf, fled the southern island of Simusa Friday, Turn to A2

CHR TO RODY: PROTECT, NOT CURB, RIGHTS

By Maricel V. Cruz

RODY'S TOUGH TALK ON CHINA PRAISED

THE Commission on Human Rights on Saturday said it is the government’s duty “to protect rights and liberties” and “not curtail them.”

This, as CHR spokesman and lawyer Jacqueline Ann de Guia called on President Rodrigo Duterte to promote the rights and liberties enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution.

“Open and free discourse is a crucial facet of a democracy. It is a right guaranteed by the Constitution and guided by different laws,” De Guia said in a statement.

“In this case, criticisms, especially if warranted and is (sic) viewed for public interest, should not be used as a justification to curtail Turn to A2

LUCKY ROLANDO.

The prize catch of 50-year-old fisherman Rolando Eduardo of Barangay San Isidro in the lakeshore town of Tanay in Rizal, a freshwater cyprinid fish (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) or the bighead carp which can grow to 100 pounds that has a large head and mouth, a ventral keel between the anal and pelvic fins, and a blotchy, darkgray color and that is native to eastern Asia and has been widely introduced into nonnative waters where it is often considered a pest. Lino Santos

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SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019

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News OIL PRICE HIKE SET THIS WEEK

By Alena Mae S. Flores

BANAHAW PARK AREAS TO REMAIN RESTRICTED AFTER 15 years of restricted access to the public, the Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape has already shown signs of improvement, but has not yet fully recovered, Environment Regional Executive Director Maria Paz Luna said.

Luna said certain areas of the park will continue to remain closed to the public as these fall within the Strict Protection Zone.

The Protected Area Management Board for MBSCPL, she said, has decided to impose the closure order until such time that the barangays concerned are fully prepared, trained and ready to handle visitors and are able to implement the carrying capacity of the areas frequently visited.

The concerned local government units must also have the capability to handle disaster risk reduction management and trail hazard assessment.

The board in 2004 issued a resolution declaring specific areas in the protected area closed to the public, starting from the different sacred places of Barangay Kinabuhayan —Kristalino Falls, Dungaw, Tatlong Tangke—then back to Kinabuhayan on the side of Dolores, and from Barangay Bugon which covers Pagbuga up to Dulong Ilaya in Barangay Concepcion-Pinagbakuran and Concepcion-Banahaw on the Sariaya side, both in Quezon province.

In March 2006, public entry was restricted in five more areas in Laguna, namely Barangay Bukal in Nagcarlan; barangays Ilaya Sungi and Novaliches in Liliw; and Bukal and Taytay in Majayjay.

In 2013, Mt. Cristobal was completely closed due to a fire incident.

For this Holy Week, MBSCPL Park Supt. Sally Pangan said more than 200 mountaineers from various local groups volunteered to provide extra manpower in regulating the movements of pilgrims and visitors to prevent anyone from “slipping” into restricted areas.

“We will be patrolling the whole protected area throughout the Holy Week, in cooperation with the local government units, the police force, volunteer groups, radio groups and many more,” Pangan said.

PROTECTED ZONE. Certain areas of the Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape will remain closed to the public even as park volunteers gear up for the expected influx of visitors during Holy Week.

PALACE INSISTS ICC CAN’T TOUCH DU30

By Vito Barcelo

M

ALACAÑANG reiterated its position that the International Criminal Court cannot conduct any investigation against President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, saying the acccusation is baseless and tainted with political motivation.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo issued the statement in response to the ICC report that it already started its preliminary examination on the complaint filed by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers against Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity.

Panelo cited Article 127 of the Rome Statute which states, in part, that “a withdrawal shall not affect any cooperation with the Court in connection with criminal investigations and proceedings in relation to which the withdrawing State had a

duty to cooperate and which were commenced prior to the date on which the withdrawal became effective, nor shall it prejudice in any way the continued consideration of any matter which was already under consideration by the Court prior to the date on which the withdrawal became effective.”

“There is therefore no basis under the Rome Statute for the ICC to proceed with any of its activities relative to the President’s programs against illegal drugs. This is the case sup-

posing that we were once a State Party to the Rome Statute,” he said.

“Legal realities, however, dictate that we never became part of the jurisdiction of the ICC, thus revealing that the present actions of the ICC are not only baseless but tainted with political motivation,” the Palace official added.

Panelo said the court’s action is tantamount to interfering with the sovereignty of the country.

“The ICC is pursuing whatever activity it has initiated against the President despite the country signifying that the Philippines never became part of its jurisdiction,” he said.

“With the biased and preconceived actions of the ICC, we cannot blame the Filipino people for thinking that it has taken a politically-motivated obnoxious path aimed at maligning not just this administration but the very Republic of the Philippines,” he added.

LIFE IS A BEACH. Local and foreign tourists alike enjoy their summer vacation in Panglao, Bohol. Norman Cruz

OIL prices will likely go up this week by as much as P0.25 per liter, negating last week’s price rollback.

“Expect fuel prices to go up next week. Diesel should go up by P0.10 to P0.15 per liter and gasoline should go up

by P0.15 to P0.25 per liter,” Unioil Philippines said in its advisory Saturday.

On April 2, the country’s oil firms rolled back the price of diesel by P0.30 per liter, kerosene by P0.20 per liter and gasoline by P0.10 per liter.

The rollback put an end to the seven successive weekly oil price increase felt by consumers.

Prior to the expected increase this week, price adjustments since the start of the year have led to a net increase of P6.55 per liter for gasoline, P4.45 per liter for diesel and P3.35 per liter for kerosene.

Monitoring by the Department of Energy showed oil prices remain supported by efforts of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-affiliated allies like Russia to trim output, as well as the plummeting Venezuelan output.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy is still pushing for the unbundling of oil prices to promote transparency in the oil industry.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella earlier said the rules are currently being finalized.

“This is a way to address industry take,” he said, adding that oil companies will have to compete in terms of services and prices while consumers have the power to choose while firms to patronize.

GLOBAL RELEASE OF FIRST BLACK HOLE PHOTO SET PARIS—The world, it seems, is soon to see the first picture of a black hole.

On Wednesday, astronomers across the globe will hold “six major press conferences” simultaneously to announce the first results of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which was designed precisely for that purpose.

It has been a long wait.

Of all the forces or objects in the Universe that we cannot see—including dark energy and dark matter—none has frustrated human curiosity so much as the invisible maws that shred and swallow stars like so many specks of dust.

Astronomers began speculating about these omnivorous “dark stars” in the 1700s, and since then indirect evidence has slowly accumulated.

“More than 50 years ago, scientists saw that there was something very bright at the center of our galaxy,” Paul McNamara, an astrophysicist at the European Space Agency and an expert on black holes, told AFP. “It has a gravitational pull strong enough to make stars orbit around it very quickly—as fast as 20 years.”

To put that in perspective, our Solar System takes about 230 million years to circle the center of the Milky Way. AFP

DEPED-LEYTE ICT BAGS AWARD

By Ronald O. Reyes

SENATE SEES BUDGET VETO

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday expressed confidence that President Rodrigo Duterte would exercise his veto power on the “unconstitutional” realignments in the proposed P3.8-trillion budget.

“If I know the President, he will veto that portion. In fact, he might veto some other items,” he said.

“Hopefully, the President will veto the portions that were touched after the ratification and were not part of the bicam,” Sotto added.

But if the President declines to line-veto the budget, Sotto said someone will bring it to the attention of the Supreme Court.

“Someone will surely file a petition in the SC questioning those unconstitutional realignments,” he said.

He said the realignment of some P75 billion worth of projects previously

identified by the Department of Public Works and Highways for the government’s Build, Build, Build program was done after the bicameral conference committee ratified the proposed budget.

“It was not part of the itemization as what they are saying now. It was not part of what we agreed upon in the bicameral conference committee,”Sotto said, refuting the claim of House appropriations committee chairman Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. that it was the Senate that diverted funds in the budget.

Andaya said the senators should stop the “striptease act now” amid the cuts in the 2019 national budget.

“I do not know why [the senators are] so afraid of making public their individual realignments. We have nothing to hide from the public. As responsible officials tasked with budget authorization, we must all be ready to defend our positions and decisions,” Andaya said.

‘CORRUPT OFFICIALS TO ERODE ECONOMIC GROWTH’ CITIZENWATCH Philippines on Saturday warned that electing corrupt politicians into office will prevent the economy from growing fast and hurt Filipino consumers.

Citing data from the World Bank, CWP Convenor Hannah Viola said countries with a low level of corruption are three times more prosperous than countries with a high level of corruption such as the Philippines.

“Corrupt practices such as allowing companies to win rigged contracts leads to excessive expenditure and substandard projects that eventually results in expensive cost and services that consumers have to shoulder,”Viola said The group quoted Elvin Mirzayev, head of investment at GrowthTrend Partners LP, as saying that “many emerging economies suffer from a high level of corruption that slows their overall development.”

CWP said the whole economy suffers as a corrupt economy allocates smaller funds for basic services such as education and healthcare.

In the Philippines, the group said high corruption levels severely restrict the efficiency of businesses as extensive bribery and vague and complex laws make foreign companies vulnerable to extortion and manipulation by public officials.

Viola said the legislative framework in the Philippines for fighting corruption is scattered and is not effectively enforced by law enforcement agencies.

The World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report 2017-2018 showed the inefficient government bureaucracy was the most problematic factor for doing business in the Philippines.

AN INFORMATION and Communication unit head of the Department of Education-Leyte Division bagged the “Creativity Challenge” during Microsoft’s E2-Education Exchange in Paris on April 4.

Ronel Boholano presented during the conference the best ICT practices of DepEd using BEST-Philippines and Microsoft ICT tools.

Boholano was part of a six-man team that included Ibrahim Aljabri of Saudi Arabia, Carlos Calla of Peru, Karyn Fillhart of the USA, Tao Wu of China, and Jacek Zablocki of Poland.

“With the support of the division’s banner project, Seedling (Strategic Empowerment of Educators in the Delivery of Learning Instruction and Needs-Based Governance), the division office is giving technical assistance to our teachers and education supervisors on the proper use of technology to develop students who are critical thinkers, collaborative, with good communication skills and creative,” he said.

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

F

ORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario commended President Rodrigo Duterte for taking a strong stance against perceived Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea amid huge presence of its vessels near islands occupied by the Philippines.

“Our President is manifesting his own brand of leadership which in this instance is both appropriate and admirable,” Del Rosario said in a statement.

“Let us all be one in standing behind him,” said Del Rosario, who, along with former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, filed a case against Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing him of committing crimes against humanity in connection with Beijing’s activities to gain control over most of the resource-rich South China Sea. Duterte on Friday threatened to send troops on a Turn to A2 facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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AVOID LIBYA, DFA URGES PH WORKERS THE Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has “strongly advised” Filipinos to postpone their travel to Tripoli and surrounding areas due to military movements towards the Libyan capital.

“Filipino workers from Tripoli and the surrounding areas who are currently on vacation in the Philippines and are scheduled to return to Libya in the coming days are strongly advised to postpone their travel until the tensions subside,” the DFA said in a bulletin Friday night.

At the same time, it asked Filipinos in the Libyan capital “to exercise extreme caution”and specifically called on nationals living within a 100-kilometer. radius of the Libyan capital to remain vigilant.

Tensions continued to flare up near Tripoli, triggered by a military movement from the east of the country. Recent report from the DFA said limited clashes south of Tripoli left one person dead.

The bulletin, a follow-up to an advisory issued earlier, echoed the request of the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli for members of the Filipino Community to stay indoors; avoid any unnecessary movement and public gatherings, and to follow the instructions of their employers until such time that the situation normalizes.

Although, the early Friday advisory has the elements of a Level III or voluntary repatriation situation, Chargé d’affaires and Embassy head of mission Elmer Cato clarified that the crisis alert level in Libya remains at Level II or restriction phase.

“The situation in Tripoli itself has not reached the point where we would have to recommend raising the Alert Level from II to III. There is a possibility it would be raised at any time,” he told the Philippine News Agency on Saturday.

Unlike in previous advisories, Cato also noted that the latest one applied only to Filipinos working in Tripoli and in areas within a 100-km. radius of the capital.

Nevertheless, Filipinos who wish to be repatriated are advised to immediately contact the Embassy so arrangements could be made for their return to the country.

“The department will shoulder the repatriation of any Filipino who requests our assistance in going home,” he said.

“We remain in touch with members of the Filipino Community who have been providing us with updates on the situation in their respective areas. So far, no Filipino has requested us for assistance,” he added.

Filipinos in need of urgent assistance may contact the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli through the number +218-91824-4208 or through the “Philippine Embassy in Libya” Facebook Page. PNA

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other rights, lest we spiral into a dictatorship,” she added.

“The task before all freedom-loving Filipinos is vigilance against possible oppressions and abuse of power,” De Guia said.

President Duterte drew flak Friday for suggesting he would declare a revolutionary government and throw his critics in jail if they push him to the wall.

However, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Friday her father could not suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus as he planned to do.

Speaking before the 31st annual convention of the Prosecutors League of the Philippines in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Thursday, the President was visibly irked by the advice of Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon that the administration should tread carefully or risk being sued, after Duterte had ordered a review of all government contracts.

“F*** you, how dare you say that to me, Mr. Drilon?” the President said.

“I have enough problems with criminality, drugs, rebellion and all but if you pushed me to the wall, I will declare the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and I will arrest all of you. You are with the rebels, the criminals and the drug addicts. Then, you burden me? I will declare a revolutionary war until the end of my term,” Duterte said.

Meanwhile, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara believes as mere loose talk President Duterte‘s threat to arrest critics and declare a revolutionary government.

“I don’t think he will do it. He is just exasperated with the way things have turned out [in] some areas,” said Angara, who is seeking reelection in the midterm election.

“He is also a man of the law so I suspect he is thinking aloud, more than anything,” added Angara.

Senator JV Ejercito branded “unnecessary” Duterte’s plan for a revolutionary government due to his overwhelming mandate. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

PALACE CHIDES CRITICS: NO BASIS TO FIRE TOP COP

By Maricel V. Cruz

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ALACAñANG has sharply criticized several groups calling for the resignation of Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde over the recent police operations in Negros Oriental which resulted in the death of 14 farmers suspected as communist rebels.

“There is absolutely no basis in fact and in law for the PNP Chief, General Oscar Albayalde, to resign,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement on Friday, saying the operation that led to the killing was legitimate.

“We reiterate that the incident in Negros Oriental arose from a legitimate police operation,” Panelo said, adding “authorities were implementing search warrants that were duly issued by competent courts.''

In separate police operations, 14 residents died when they fought with the law enforcers who were just implementing the search orders of the said local courts.

Panelo said Karapatan and other groups were using the incident to “sow hate and spread fear towards our duly constituted authorities.”

“As the PNP explained, this is not a case of massacre given the fact that those who surrendered without forceful resistance were lawfully apprehended unharmed following the discovery of illegal items pursuant to the court sanctioned search. In fact, a policeman was wounded which goes to show that there were indeed some who used violent resistance when authorities were conducting the search,” he said.

He added: “General Albayalde has even acted objectively by relieving administratively ranking officers from their posts just to pave the way for a thorough and impartial investigation free from any possible undue influence and to determine whether lapses were made during the conduct of these operations.” he added.

Albayalde on Tuesday ordered the

relief of Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office director Colonel Raul Tacaca, chiefs of police Lieutenant Colonel Patricio Degay (Canlaon City Police Station), Lieutenant Kevin Roy Mamaradlo (Manjuyod Municipal Policed Station) and Captain Michael Rubia (Sta. Catalina Municipal Police Station) as the probe into the incidents started.

Meanwhile, a militant lawmaker on Saturday voiced concern over what he called ‘intensified militarization’ of agricultural areas in Samar, Negros, Surigao del Sur, Quezon and Camarines Norte.

“Farmers are calling out against the àamilitarization of their communities and we join their demand of military pull-out and stop to human rights abuses,” Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said in a statement.

Casilao, member of the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives, joined the National Factfinding Mission in Negros Oriental on the mass killing of 14 farmers last March 30.

Casilao said based on information collated by Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and reports from various people’s organizations noted following: • On March 22, the mass evacuation of more than 1,400 farmers

TINGOG VOLUNTEER ALL PRAISES FOR YEDDA TINGOG Party-list second nominee and community volunteer Jude Acidre takes pride in the character and achievements of outgoing Leyte First District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez who now stands as the party’s first nominee in the May 13 elections.

“Having worked with Rep. Romualdez closely in the past three years, I personally saw her work so hard to serve her constituents in the First District of Leyte. Just like many other members of the House of Representatives, it is always a challenge juggling her legislative duties in Congress, and ensuring that her priority projects are implemented in the district,” said Acidre, youth leader and political consultant from Barugo, Leyte.

On her first term in Congress, Romualdez authored 59 and co-authored 43 bills where a good number of them were passed into law while others made to third reading in the lower house.

“Among her significant proposed legislation includes the Disaster Resilience Act and the Alternative Learning System Act, of which she is the principal author,” Acidre said in a press statement.

A nurse by profession, Romualdez successfully pushed for the inclusion of senior citizens in the free college education program and championed the cause of PhilHealth coverage for Persons with

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“Let us be friends, but do not touch Pag-asa Island and the rest,” Duterte was quoted as saying at a rally in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

“If you make moves there, that’s a different story. I will tell my soldiers, ‘Prepare for suicide mission’.”

“I’m just telling you that lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there.”

The government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, on Thursday called “illegal” the presence of about 275 Chinese vessels near and around Pag-asa island, saying it was an infringement of Philippine sovereignty.

In a related development, Senator Richard Gordon lashed back at China, saying China was not a friend because its actions did not demonstrate the actions of a friend.

“China said they are our friends but a friend does not send hundreds of army, hundreds of navy, does not send hundreds of vessels to harrass our fishermen in our territory,” stressed Gordon.

The senator said he was glad Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin already filed a diplomatic protest on March 29.

“If we do not have a strong Navy, if we do not have a strong Army, we will be pushed around by other countries,” Gordon said.

Gordon pointed out that he fought to have 13 percent of the proceeds from TRAIN 1 allocated for the military, on top of the budget from the Bases Conversion

Disabilities.

Also, she authored the bills recognizing the civil effects of church annulments and declaring Nov. 8 a non-working holiday in Eastern Visayas, both of which were passed in the lower chamber of Congress.

Acidre said Romualdez “has not [been remiss in] her duties to her constituents.”

While Romualdez continued her medical assistance and scholarship programs, she was not one to be content with stop-gap projects but instead she spearheaded the pilot implementation of the Department of Health-proposed Service Delivery Network Public-Private Partnership which provided for the integration of government and private healthcare facilities and made available free hospital care for indigents.

According to Acidre, Romualdez also focused on ensuring quality primary healthcare is made available at the barangay level by providing Technical Education and Skills Development Authority training in basic health services for barangay health workers.

Romualdez also rolled out business mentoring programs for more than a hundred women livelihood associations and started Product 8, a social enterprise which showcased local products and food delicacies, he added in his statement.

and Development Authority, to ensure that soldiers will not go to war without the proper equipment.

“It is the military’s duty to protect the integrity of our territory and to protect our country but they would not be capable of doing that without the right equipment. Let us remind our leaders to learn from history. We should follow Japan’s motto—Enrich the country, strengthen the military,” he said.

About 275 Chinese vessels were spotted near and around Pag-asa, which China calls Zhongye, from January to March this year, according to the Philippine military. China said the vessels are civilian ships, mostly fishing boats.

Meanwhile, opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called the Philippines’ unilateral withdrawal from the International Criminal Court as a “self-serving” act that would weaken the Filipinos’ defense against foreign aggression and state-led abuses.

De Lima, a human rights and social justice champion, lamented that more than Duterte, the country’s unilateral withdrawal from ICC would greatly benefit foreign aggressors, especially China, to the detriment of the Philippines’ interests and security.

She warned that Duterte’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute becomes nothing more than a self-serving act that also favored his Chinese patron, with the Philippines as the major loser,”she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame No. 494.

“Because as sure as anything, Duterte will continue to commit crimes against humanity on his countrymen, and China will continue to commit acts of aggression against Filipino fisherfolks beyond March 17, 2019. The Philippines has just been stripped naked of ICC protection from both,” she added.

from three barangays of San Juan De Buan town in Samar due to incessant military operations since March 8 by elements of the 87th Infantry Battalion under the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army; • On March 31, the mass evacuation of 28 lumad families or more than 160 individuals in Lianga town, Surigao del Sur, due to artillery fire and helicopter bombardment of their communities by units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines; • On April 1, the mass evacuation of more than 1,700 farmers from Moises Padilla town, Negros Occidental to other barangays and town center due to military operations of the 62nd IBPA; • On April 3, the strafing of a house of peasant leader in Sta. Elena town, Camarines Norte, the victim is a leader of Gateway to Bicolandia Farmers’ Association and a coordinator of Neri Colmenares for Senator Movement, due to massive military operations extending Guinayangan, Lopez, Macalelon, San Francisco, Sariaya and other towns in the Quezon province; • On April 5, the raid by more than 100 elements of the 79th IBPA of a house of a Pamalakaya fisherfolk leader and another in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, the victims were arrested due to trumped up charges.

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bringing their hostages with them, said military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana.

One Indonesian fisherman, Heri Ardiansyah, was rescued as the militants tried to flee, but another— Hariadin—drowned in the escape bid.

Another hostage, Malaysian Jari Abdullah, was rescued by Filipino troops a day earlier and is now in a “stable” condition with gunshot wounds at a military hospital, Besana told AFP. “The island had been blockaded for the past 41 days. They (kidnappers) probably thought they could slip past us by swimming,” he added.

Three of at least seven kidnappers who were with the hostages were killed in the operations, he said.

The military got wind of the hostages’location in late February and ordered the small civilian population on the island to leave, Besana said.

Abu Sayyaf is a group of self-proclaimed Islamic militants based in the southern Philippines who have engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries for ransom since the early 1990s.

In recent years the group has also preyed on cargo ships, tugboats and fishing vessels in poorly policed waters of the region near the sea borders with Malaysia and Indonesia. AFP

The Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect last March 17, which means that any future act of aggression by foreign countries and crimes against humanity committed by Duterte after March 17, 2019 can no longer be raised by the Philippines to the ICC. Additionally, the ICC can only investigate summary executions carried out by policemen and vigilantes, upon Duterte’s directive, from June 30, 2016 to March 16, 2019 due to the said withdrawal.

Before March 17, Del Rosario and Carpio-Morales, along with a group of local fishermen, were able to file a communication before the ICC against Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials for crimes committed in the disputed South China Sea. While she lauded the move, De Lima was concerned that “China’s acts of aggression complained of in Del Rosario’s and Morales’s ICC communication definitely will not be the last to be committed by a foreign country or leader against the Philippines and Filipino citizens.”

De Lima said she was also alarmed that Duterte’s unilateral withdrawal from the country’s membership to the Rome Statute without the Senate’s concurrence might also prompt him to eventually withdraw from other significant treaties should issues affecting him arise.

“Another point. With the now emboldened President Duterte, whose unilateral act of withdrawing sans Senate concurrence was left unchecked by the Supreme Court, what would prevent him now from likewise withdrawing, whimsically and capriciously as he did as to the Rome Statute, from other major treaties like the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty?” she asked.

“In short, the grievously ill-advised

and arbitrary unilateral withdrawal from the Rome Statute was a colossal blunder,” she added.

In 2018, De Lima sought the Supreme Court’s approval to allow her to personally appear and argue on the petition that she and her colleagues filed challenging the Philippines’ unilateral decision to withdraw from the ICC. However, the SC junked the minority senators’ motion to allow De Lima to argue for the position of non-withdrawal from the Rome Statute, maintaining that the case will not be prejudiced if a lawyer other than De Lima argued their petition before the Court.

In other developments, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Saturday said he would file a resolution to investigate the sand extraction attempt of a Chinese-manned dredging ship off the coast of Lobo, Batangas, and know if the incident was happening in other areas.

He said the Senate probe into the “poaching or export of sand and other landfill materials” should cover not only the reported sand dredging in Batangas “but similar cases in other parts of the country.”

“Have we become a land reclamation material supplier? Are we exporting our sand?” Recto asked.

“If our mountains have been flattened and transported ship by ship to reclaim islands, some of which are within our territory, then that is land transfer of the worst kind,” he said.

Recto said if reports are true that the Chinese ship was dredging sand for use in the building of Hong Kong airport’s third runway, “then it is our second contribution to the project—the first being the P700 million that Filipino travellers pay a year for the expansion of the Hong Kong airport.”

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DOLE ORDERS PROBE OF RAPE CASE OF OFW IN JEDDAH

PLACE OF VENERATION. Traffic around the town of Lucban, Quezon is expected to be heavy during this time of the year when devotees start to make a trek to Kamay ni Hesus place of veneration during the Holy Week. The walk to the top of the mountain with stops to various Stations of the Cross is rewarded with cool breeze coming from the nearby Mr. Banahaw and a bird’s eye view of the towns at its foot. Diana Noche

CHINESE NATIONAL NABBED FOR MOLESTING TEENAGER IN PASAY

By Joel E. Zurbano AUTHORITIES arrested a Chinese national for sexually molesting a teenage girl in Pasay City late Friday night.

Jihua Yang, 31, temporary residing at 1150-D, Shell Residences, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, was charged with molesting the 17-year-old girl, a resident of Sto. Niño, West Cupang, Alabang Hills, Muntinlupa City.

Reports from the Southern Police District said that the victim was at the lobby of Shell Residences building with her aunt around 11: 45 p.m. when the suspect approached and touched her left breast.

The report added that the foreigner was apparently under the influence of liquor when the incident happened.

The incident reportedly took place in front of the duty security guard of the condominium.

The duty guard identified as Geoffer Garbo, 23, immediately placed the suspect under arrest and turned him over to the Pasay City police station where he is presently detained.

SPD spokesperson Jenny Tecson said the case is being handled by investigators police officers Dearleen Kahalan and Vannessa Camisera, both of the Women and Children’s Protection Unit of the Pasay City police station.

Police are also coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to check Yang’s records for his possible deportation.

18 BI OFFICIALS FACING PROBE FOR EXTORT RAPS

By Vito Barcelo

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MMIGRATION Commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the preventive suspension of 18 BI intelligence officers who allegedly extorted P9 million from 15 Koreans arrested in Angeles, Pampanga.

Morente said the operatives were suspended pending the results of an investigation on the alleged extortion during a law enforcement operation.

The Korean victims filed a complaint to the Office of the President and the Department of Justice

against the immigration operatives who asked P9 million for their freedom.

“Extortion is a violation of our oath of service. We cannot allow such instances to go unpunished,” said Morente. “We have requested the DOJ, which is our mother department, to issue the suspension order,” he added.

According to Morente, the agents face both administrative and criminal charges.

“We have our Board of Discipline to recommend to the DOJ sanctions against these employees, if proven guilty,” he said. “We have also requested the NBI to conduct a separate probe against them for filing of criminal charges.”

Morente reiterated that the agency is “serious in sweeping its ranks” and vows to rid of corrupt and erring personnel.

“The President’s directive is clear, we will weed out corruption in the BI. No one will be spared,” Morente said.

POLICE RAIDS NET 75 DRUG FIENDS, OTHER CRIMINALS SEVENTY-FIVE persons were arrested in simultaneous police operations in Pasay City Friday night as part of the police crackdown on suspected drug dealers and other criminal elements in Metro Manila.

Pasay City police chief Senior Supt. Bernard Yang said among those arrested were 16 individuals engaged in drug dealing and using methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu.

He added the 16 drug personalities are now detained and were already charged with violation of the Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act) before the Pasay City prosecutors

o ffi ce.

Yang said 56 other persons were arrested in different barangays for violating city ordinances such as smoking ban, drinking and urinating in public and caught loitering the streets half naked.

“Two other persons were arrested by virtue of warrant of arrest and another was accused of robbery. All the arrested persons were brought to Pasay City police station headquarters for documentation and proper disposition,” said Yang.

Metro Manila police director Guillermo Eleazar commended Yang and his men for their successful operations, which he said,

is in line with the National Capital Region Police Office’s support to the directive of PNP chief Oscar Albayalde to go against illegal drugs and other criminality.

Eleazar had also ordered his men to fully enforce the PNP’s anti-crime campaign dubbed as SACLEO, or the simultaneous anticriminality and law enforcement operations, aimed to ensure peace and order in the community.

SACLEO is an all-out police operation simultaneously conducted in identified areas against illegal drug personalities, most wanted persons, bearers of loose firearms, illegal gamblers, and city ordinance violators. Joel E. Zurbano

3 DIE AS CERES BUS FALLS INTO RAVINE IN ANTIQUE THREE passengers died while seven others were injured after a Ceres bus fell into a 30-meter ravine in Barangay Igbucagay, Hamtic in Antique province on Friday evening.

The bus, with plate number FHS 949 and body number 6228, was on its way to Antique from Iloilo when it overshot the railing along the curve in Barangay Igbucagay and fell into the ravine at about 9:45 p.m., chief of the Hamtic municipal police, Major Adolfo Pagharion, said in an interview on Saturday.

“During our interview with the driver last night, he said that there was a loose break, referring to mechanical failure. On the part of the survivors and some witnesses who responded to the area, they claimed that the Ceres bus was running very fast,” Pangharion said.

He identified the fatalities as Evangeline C. Chicano, 45, of Barangay Guinbangaan, San Jose; Vivien Omaño, 45, and her son, Earl Aaron Omaño, 20, of Barangay Borocboroc, Belison.

Pagharion said they have requested an autopsy of the dead victims as they “contemplate on filing complaints of three counts of reckless imprudence resulting (in) homicide and five counts of

reckless imprudence resulting (in) serious physical injuries.”

Meanwhile, based on police records, the wounded survivors were identified as Jeannine Eve C. Chicano, 26, of Barangay Guinbangaan; John Lawrenz E. Sanchez, 18, and Loriemae E. Onera, 19, both from Barangay Lapaz Tubog, Hamtic; Edwin V. Omaño, 48, and Hanz Gabriel Omaño, 16, of Barangay Borocboroc; bus driver Ramon Abellar, 45, of Tibiao town; and bus conductor Ervic D. Nepomuceno, 35, of Barangay Sta. Cruz, Pandan.

They are currently confined at the Angel Salazar Memorial Hospital in San Jose, Antique.

Pagharion said the incident was the first recorded in the area this year. Last year, three accidents occurred in the same place.

He estimated that 30 lives have already been lost to accidents in the area.

The Ceres bus fell on top of the remnants of other ill-fated vehicles in the ravine, Pagharion added.

Meanwhile, Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train, in a phone interview, said it took responders almost an hour to retrieve the casualties. PNA

COMMON BUS TERMINAL. Provincial buses may use the integrated bus terminal in Valenzuela City once the MMDA starts its implementation of the provincial bus ban along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue. The new policy seeks to ease traffic congestion in EDSA by reducing the number of provincial buses. Manny Palmero

LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to investigate a recruitment agency representative for allegedly raping an overseas Filipino worker in Jeddah.

The Labor chief also instructed the POEA to look into complaints by some overseas Filipino jobseekers who were being forced to work more than 10 hours in different households.

The Department of Labor and Employment received a report from Philippine Overseas Labor Office Jeddah Labor Attache Nasser Munder, which said that four household service workers were forced to work for more than 10 hours in different households and render another two hours of duty at the household of their employer.

The Labor secretary identified them as Samra Musa Lidasan, Lyn Silongan Sali, Norhen Gayo Sarat, and Noraima Mamadra Bandara.

The report showed the four ran away from their employer and sought refuge at the Migrant Workers and Other Overseas Filipinos Resource Center in Jeddah on March 1, 2019.

According to the Labor secretary, they held legitimate Iqamas, and yet they were compelled to work as cleaners. An iqama is a residence permit issued to expatriates who arrive in Saudi Arabia on an employment visa.

Munder also reported an alleged rape case involving a 22-year-old OFW, only identified as “Saida” by her agency representative on Dec. 28, 2018.

The victim is staying at Bahay Kalinga while the case is being handled by the Assistance to Nationals Section of PCG Jeddah.

Both cases involved the Saudi Recruitment Agency Madar Al Kharj Recruitment Agency, and Philippine Recruitment Agency Iemploy Manpower Services Inc. Munder has recommended the suspension and cancellation of the licenses of the concerned recruitment agencies.

Bello vowed to prosecute the employers and recruitment agencies who deceived the overseas Filipino jobseekers.

Vito Barcelo

SMC TOLLWAYS BARES 2019 HOLY WEEK PREPARATIONS SMC Tollways—the operator of Skyway, NAIAX, SLEX and STAR in the south—said that its contingency plans will be in place a full week before the expected surge to the provinces of vehicles from Metro Manila during Holy Week.

Similar contingency plans will also be laid out in TPLEX in the north.

Approximately 10 percent increase in vehicle volume is expected during the Lenten season.

Manuel M. Bonoan, president of the operations and management companies of Skyway, NAIAX, SLEX and STAR, said that “this is to assure our travelers that the ride along the tollways will be smooth and safe.”

As early as the first weekend of April, enhanced traffic management measures will be implemented including the fielding of additional ambulant tellers and traffic patrol teams, specifically in areas where heavy volume is expected. “All field personnel will be required to be on standby and not go on leave or vacation,” Bonoan added. “All road works will also be suspended.”

Alec C. Cruz, head of operations of SMC Tollways, added that temporary toll collection booths will be installed to speed up transaction time at the toll plazas.

In partnership with Petron Lakbay Alalay, Motorist Assistance Stations will also be set up at the following areas: : TPLEX – Petron KM 134 Northbound and Southbound and at the TPLEX Toll Operations Compound Northbound; Skyway—C5 and Merville Southbound, Sucat Lay-by At-grade Northbound; SLEX – San Pedro Gas Station Southbound, KM 44 Petron Gas Station Southbound, and KM 44 Petron Gas Station Northbound; and STAR—Petron Malvar Southbound and Malainin Lay-by KM 92 Southbound, Petron Lipa Northbound and LapuLapu Lay-by KM 90 Northbound.

Meanwhile, heavy volume is expected in the following areas: TPLEX Northbound: April 17 (Wednesday) —April 19 (Friday) in Tarlac Central Toll Plaza, Urdaneta Toll Plaza, Pozorrubio-MacArthur Tintersection, Binalonan Toll Plaza, and Pozorrubio Toll Plaza; TPLEX Southbound: April 21 (Sunday) —April 22 (Monday) in Tarlac Central Toll Plaza, Urdaneta Toll Plaza, Pozorrubio-MacArthur Tintersection, Binalonan Toll Plaza, and Pozorrubio Toll Plaza; Skyway (At-grade) Southbound: April 16 (PM Tuesday), 17 (PM Wednesday), 18 (Thursday), and 20 (Saturday) in C5- Alabang At-Grade; Skyway (At-grade) Northbound: April 21 (Sunday)—April 22 (Monday) in Alabang Viaduct to Skyway On Ramp (Skyway Main Plaza B); Skyway (Elevated) Southbound: April 17 (PM Wednesday) in Amorsolo to Magallanes Area; NAIAX Westbound: April 17 (PM Wednesday) —April 20 (Saturday) in NAIAX Main Toll Plaza B; NAIAX Eastbound: April 17 (PM Wednesday) —April 20 (Saturday) in NAIAX Main Toll Plaza A; SLEX Southbound: April 17 (PM Wednesday), 18 (Thursday), and 20 (Saturday) in Calamba Toll Plaza A and B, Carmona, Sta. Rosa, Eton-ABI Exits, Cabuyao, and Ayala Toll Plaza; SLEX Northbound: April 21 (Sunday)—April 22 (Monday) in Ayala Toll Plaza, Calamba Toll Plaza Entry, Exits in Filinvest and Alabang Viaduct; STAR Tollway Southbound: April 17 (PM Wednesday), 18 (Thursday), and 20 (Saturday) in Sto. Tomas Entry, Lipa Toll Plaza, Balagtas Toll Plaza, Sto. Toribio, and Ibaan-San Jose Interchange; and at STAR Tollway Northbound: April 21 (Sunday)—April 22 (AM Monday) in Toll Plazas in Sto. Tomas.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News OIL PRICE HIKE SET THIS WEEK

By Alena Mae S. Flores

BANAHAW PARK AREAS TO REMAIN RESTRICTED AFTER 15 years of restricted access to the public, the Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape has already shown signs of improvement, but has not yet fully recovered, Environment Regional Executive Director Maria Paz Luna said.

Luna said certain areas of the park will continue to remain closed to the public as these fall within the Strict Protection Zone.

The Protected Area Management Board for MBSCPL, she said, has decided to impose the closure order until such time that the barangays concerned are fully prepared, trained and ready to handle visitors and are able to implement the carrying capacity of the areas frequently visited.

The concerned local government units must also have the capability to handle disaster risk reduction management and trail hazard assessment.

The board in 2004 issued a resolution declaring specific areas in the protected area closed to the public, starting from the different sacred places of Barangay Kinabuhayan —Kristalino Falls, Dungaw, Tatlong Tangke—then back to Kinabuhayan on the side of Dolores, and from Barangay Bugon which covers Pagbuga up to Dulong Ilaya in Barangay Concepcion-Pinagbakuran and Concepcion-Banahaw on the Sariaya side, both in Quezon province.

In March 2006, public entry was restricted in five more areas in Laguna, namely Barangay Bukal in Nagcarlan; barangays Ilaya Sungi and Novaliches in Liliw; and Bukal and Taytay in Majayjay.

In 2013, Mt. Cristobal was completely closed due to a fire incident.

For this Holy Week, MBSCPL Park Supt. Sally Pangan said more than 200 mountaineers from various local groups volunteered to provide extra manpower in regulating the movements of pilgrims and visitors to prevent anyone from “slipping” into restricted areas.

“We will be patrolling the whole protected area throughout the Holy Week, in cooperation with the local government units, the police force, volunteer groups, radio groups and many more,” Pangan said.

PROTECTED ZONE. Certain areas of the Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape will remain closed to the public even as park volunteers gear up for the expected influx of visitors during Holy Week.

PALACE INSISTS ICC CAN’T TOUCH DU30

By Vito Barcelo

M

ALACAÑANG reiterated its position that the International Criminal Court cannot conduct any investigation against President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, saying the acccusation is baseless and tainted with political motivation.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo issued the statement in response to the ICC report that it already started its preliminary examination on the complaint filed by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers against Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity.

Panelo cited Article 127 of the Rome Statute which states, in part, that “a withdrawal shall not affect any cooperation with the Court in connection with criminal investigations and proceedings in relation to which the withdrawing State had a

duty to cooperate and which were commenced prior to the date on which the withdrawal became effective, nor shall it prejudice in any way the continued consideration of any matter which was already under consideration by the Court prior to the date on which the withdrawal became effective.”

“There is therefore no basis under the Rome Statute for the ICC to proceed with any of its activities relative to the President’s programs against illegal drugs. This is the case sup-

posing that we were once a State Party to the Rome Statute,” he said.

“Legal realities, however, dictate that we never became part of the jurisdiction of the ICC, thus revealing that the present actions of the ICC are not only baseless but tainted with political motivation,” the Palace official added.

Panelo said the court’s action is tantamount to interfering with the sovereignty of the country.

“The ICC is pursuing whatever activity it has initiated against the President despite the country signifying that the Philippines never became part of its jurisdiction,” he said.

“With the biased and preconceived actions of the ICC, we cannot blame the Filipino people for thinking that it has taken a politically-motivated obnoxious path aimed at maligning not just this administration but the very Republic of the Philippines,” he added.

LIFE IS A BEACH. Local and foreign tourists alike enjoy their summer vacation in Panglao, Bohol. Norman Cruz

OIL prices will likely go up this week by as much as P0.25 per liter, negating last week’s price rollback.

“Expect fuel prices to go up next week. Diesel should go up by P0.10 to P0.15 per liter and gasoline should go up

by P0.15 to P0.25 per liter,” Unioil Philippines said in its advisory Saturday.

On April 2, the country’s oil firms rolled back the price of diesel by P0.30 per liter, kerosene by P0.20 per liter and gasoline by P0.10 per liter.

The rollback put an end to the seven successive weekly oil price increase felt by consumers.

Prior to the expected increase this week, price adjustments since the start of the year have led to a net increase of P6.55 per liter for gasoline, P4.45 per liter for diesel and P3.35 per liter for kerosene.

Monitoring by the Department of Energy showed oil prices remain supported by efforts of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-affiliated allies like Russia to trim output, as well as the plummeting Venezuelan output.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy is still pushing for the unbundling of oil prices to promote transparency in the oil industry.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella earlier said the rules are currently being finalized.

“This is a way to address industry take,” he said, adding that oil companies will have to compete in terms of services and prices while consumers have the power to choose while firms to patronize.

GLOBAL RELEASE OF FIRST BLACK HOLE PHOTO SET PARIS—The world, it seems, is soon to see the first picture of a black hole.

On Wednesday, astronomers across the globe will hold “six major press conferences” simultaneously to announce the first results of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which was designed precisely for that purpose.

It has been a long wait.

Of all the forces or objects in the Universe that we cannot see—including dark energy and dark matter—none has frustrated human curiosity so much as the invisible maws that shred and swallow stars like so many specks of dust.

Astronomers began speculating about these omnivorous “dark stars” in the 1700s, and since then indirect evidence has slowly accumulated.

“More than 50 years ago, scientists saw that there was something very bright at the center of our galaxy,” Paul McNamara, an astrophysicist at the European Space Agency and an expert on black holes, told AFP. “It has a gravitational pull strong enough to make stars orbit around it very quickly—as fast as 20 years.”

To put that in perspective, our Solar System takes about 230 million years to circle the center of the Milky Way. AFP

DEPED-LEYTE ICT BAGS AWARD

By Ronald O. Reyes

SENATE SEES BUDGET VETO

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Saturday expressed confidence that President Rodrigo Duterte would exercise his veto power on the “unconstitutional” realignments in the proposed P3.8-trillion budget.

“If I know the President, he will veto that portion. In fact, he might veto some other items,” he said.

“Hopefully, the President will veto the portions that were touched after the ratification and were not part of the bicam,” Sotto added.

But if the President declines to line-veto the budget, Sotto said someone will bring it to the attention of the Supreme Court.

“Someone will surely file a petition in the SC questioning those unconstitutional realignments,” he said.

He said the realignment of some P75 billion worth of projects previously

identified by the Department of Public Works and Highways for the government’s Build, Build, Build program was done after the bicameral conference committee ratified the proposed budget.

“It was not part of the itemization as what they are saying now. It was not part of what we agreed upon in the bicameral conference committee,”Sotto said, refuting the claim of House appropriations committee chairman Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. that it was the Senate that diverted funds in the budget.

Andaya said the senators should stop the “striptease act now” amid the cuts in the 2019 national budget.

“I do not know why [the senators are] so afraid of making public their individual realignments. We have nothing to hide from the public. As responsible officials tasked with budget authorization, we must all be ready to defend our positions and decisions,” Andaya said.

‘CORRUPT OFFICIALS TO ERODE ECONOMIC GROWTH’ CITIZENWATCH Philippines on Saturday warned that electing corrupt politicians into office will prevent the economy from growing fast and hurt Filipino consumers.

Citing data from the World Bank, CWP Convenor Hannah Viola said countries with a low level of corruption are three times more prosperous than countries with a high level of corruption such as the Philippines.

“Corrupt practices such as allowing companies to win rigged contracts leads to excessive expenditure and substandard projects that eventually results in expensive cost and services that consumers have to shoulder,”Viola said The group quoted Elvin Mirzayev, head of investment at GrowthTrend Partners LP, as saying that “many emerging economies suffer from a high level of corruption that slows their overall development.”

CWP said the whole economy suffers as a corrupt economy allocates smaller funds for basic services such as education and healthcare.

In the Philippines, the group said high corruption levels severely restrict the efficiency of businesses as extensive bribery and vague and complex laws make foreign companies vulnerable to extortion and manipulation by public officials.

Viola said the legislative framework in the Philippines for fighting corruption is scattered and is not effectively enforced by law enforcement agencies.

The World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report 2017-2018 showed the inefficient government bureaucracy was the most problematic factor for doing business in the Philippines.

AN INFORMATION and Communication unit head of the Department of Education-Leyte Division bagged the “Creativity Challenge” during Microsoft’s E2-Education Exchange in Paris on April 4.

Ronel Boholano presented during the conference the best ICT practices of DepEd using BEST-Philippines and Microsoft ICT tools.

Boholano was part of a six-man team that included Ibrahim Aljabri of Saudi Arabia, Carlos Calla of Peru, Karyn Fillhart of the USA, Tao Wu of China, and Jacek Zablocki of Poland.

“With the support of the division’s banner project, Seedling (Strategic Empowerment of Educators in the Delivery of Learning Instruction and Needs-Based Governance), the division office is giving technical assistance to our teachers and education supervisors on the proper use of technology to develop students who are critical thinkers, collaborative, with good communication skills and creative,” he said.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

O

SOUNDS OF SCIENCE

CELEBRATING COURAGE

N TUESDAY, this nation of 108 million people will remember and celebrate yet again the courage demonstrated by their ancestors as the younger generations validate the valor demonstrated by them in the bloody battle in Bataan and Corregidor in 1942.

The line of Filipino veterans who fought against Japan’s Imperial Forces on the scorching slopes of Mount Samat in Bataan on April 9, 1942 is fathomably thinning—but the memory remains incessantly enriched by tales about the

audacity and lion-heartedness of the Filipinos and their allies.

When US Major General Edward King Jr. surrendered in Bataan, against the orders of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the 78,000 troops—66,000 Filipinos and 12,000 Americans, the largest contingent of American soldiers ever to surrender—were taken captive by the forces of Tomoyuki Yamashita.

That left nearby Corregidor, a tadpole-shaped island at the mouth of Manila Bay, the remaining last Allied stronghold in the Philippines, where Wainwright escaped to.

There used to be Bataan Day (April 9) and Corregidor Day (May 6), but an Executive Order on June 30, 1987 declared April 9 of each year as “Araw ng Kagitingan” to salute the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor, properly a highlight

revealed about who leaked the video.

But it is certain that the singer did not upload it himself, meaning that it was also ‘stolen,’ in that it was likely recorded and shared on the internet without his consent.

In other words, Paredes is a victim.

And even if he didn’t have to, he apologized for his “irresponsibility”—a brave response to adversity.

Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said at the April 3 Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum that “those who uploaded and shared the video could be held liable under the cybercrime law” (the Cybercrime Prevention Act) and that his agency is prepared to investigate the incident.

I’ve written about posting personal content to the internet, which never forgets. There are many stories of people who have lost jobs and ruined relationships after posting inappropriate messages or photos.

The same warning goes for photographing images and recording video—if it’s an intimate act, think twice or even three times.

There are consequences for intimate information reaching the public.

Miranda, Naig, and Kho had to weather weeks of negative opinion, as does Paredes; Kho lost his professional license to boot.

It can’t be denied, though, that

WHAT’S IN A KILOWATT? THE BASICS OF ENERGY AND POWER

to the valor and heroism of the Filipino and American soldiers who fought in the Philippines in World War II. Today, as on Tuesday, the younger generations of Filipinos will demonstrate their united heartbeats in gratitude to the men and women who fought the invaders that they, at the time and the future generations of Filipinos, would have freedom and peace.

But not just the gallant Filipino and American soldiers are being acclaimed on this date.

The marker at the Bataan Capitol grounds in Balanga, placed there on April 9, 1952, says it is dedicated “to the memory of the gallant Filipino and American soldiers as well as civilians, who fought and died, side by side in the defense of democracy.”

The Filipinos are a grateful people.

SEX VIDEOS AND THE RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN IT’S sad to think of the pain that singer Jim Paredes is suffering now.

If anyone else had been involved, the matter would have been relegated to the sex scandal archives. But because this was Jim Paredes, who has taken a strong critical stand against this administration, the incident was politicized and used to besmirch not only the singer’s character, but also the entire opposition effort.

Even if Filipinos are among the top users of Pornhub—in December 2018, Pornhub ranked the Philippines first in time spent on the site for the fifth year running— mostly pro-Duterte supporters shamed Paredes for the video.

As Senator Leila de Lima wrote in a note last April 3, the video leak is a “mean tactic to stifle dissent and divert our attention from grave national issues and controversies incessantly hounding the Duterte regime.”

This is not the first time a private sex video has been leaked on the internet.

Among the cases involving celebrities are those of Parokya ni Edgar vocalist Chito Miranda and now-wife Neri Naig in 2013, and that of cosmetic surgeon Hayden Kho with actresses Katrina Halili and Maricar Reyes in 2009.

In both cases, the men apologized.

Also in both instances, the privacy leak was because of theft—Miranda’s hard drive and Kho’s computer files were stolen.

In Paredes’s case, no details have been

PECIER DECIERDO

intimate recordings serve an important purpose to many people such as OFWs and others in long-distance relationships, and perhaps in other circumstances I am not aware of. In any case, caution is the keyword.

But because communication technology is accessible and easy to use, there are many who have photos and videos from the past that they are now ashamed of. It’s agony to know that the information is out there, accessible in a few clicks.

Is there a way to remove all that damaging material? The European Union recognizes the pitfalls of the digital age and has come up with an interesting solution.

Demi Marks, in a 2016 article for the UCLA Entertainment Law Review, explains that in the European Union, “there exists a ‘Right to be Forgotten’, which allows one to petition Google and other search engines to “unlink” one’s identity from a website under certain circumstances.

“Following this unlinkage, the website continues to exist with the same content, but it no longer exists when a search is performed linking the persona to the article.”

Lauren Maxfield, writing for the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, said the right to be forgotten, “first recognized by the European Court of Justice in 2014… stems from an

WHAT are energy and power? Putting these questions into terms more relevant to our daily lives, what is a kilowatt? A kilowatthour? A calorie? How are they related?

First for the short answers. As most of us learned from school, energy is the capacity to do work—when more energy is available, more work can be done. Meanwhile, power is the amount of energy produced per unit time.

A kilowatt, which is equal to a thousand watts, is a measure of power. Meanwhile, a kilowatt-hour is a measure of energy. So is a calorie. When we pay our electricity bills, we pay for energy, not power. This is why our electricity consumption is measured in kilowatt-hours, not kilowatts.

Now let us expound on these concepts a little bit more.

I said above that energy is the capacity to do work, but what is work? In physics, work is defined in terms of how much a force affects the motion of an object.

There are many different kinds of work.

When a bulb lights up, work is done in producing the light. When a heater boils water, work is done in making the water molecules move faster. Whenever you see something useful done, there is some form of work involved.

Work can also be seen in the living things.

When you move your body, you are exerting force to take your body from one place to another—that’s work! But even while you’re sitting down, a lot of work is going on inside your body, from the pumping of your heart to the movement of nutrients across your cells.

There are many ways to measure energy.

For the energy contained in food, we often use calories. (Here we are using food calories, which is equal to 1000 of the calories used in chemistry and physics.) Meanwhile, for the electricity, we often use kilowatt-hours.

There are about 860 food calories in 1 kilowatt-hour. That is comparable to the amount of energy in a meal composed of one quarter pounder, one small order of fries, and 1 bottle of soda.

This means that we can say there is 1 kilowatt-hour of energy in the meal. It would be weird because we are not used to using kilowatt-hours to measure the energy in foods, but that would not be wrong.

There is actually an advantage in using kilowatt-hours to measure the electrical energy—it makes calculating energy from power easier.

This brings us to power. You can compare power to how fast water is coming out of a hose and energy to the total amount of water that comes out after a given time.

A certain hose can release water slowly, but if it stays open for a long time, the total water coming out can fill an entire pool.

Meanwhile, a certain hose can release water quickly, but if it is open for only a short time, the total water coming out can be small.

The same goes with power and energy.

For example, a 25-watt light bulb uses a lot of energy per second compared to a 5-watt light bulb. This is why if both light bulbs are the same type, say both are LEDs, the 25watt bulb will shine brighter.

However, if the 25-watt bulb is turned on for only 1 hour but the 5-watt bulb is turned on for 5 hours, they will use the same amount of energy.

To see this better, we can now connect wattage and energy consumed. How much energy does a 25-watt bulb consume in 1 hour? Simple! Just multiply the number of hours with the power: 25 watts times 1 hour equals 25 watt-hours. That’s also how much energy a 5-watt bulb uses in 5 hours.

What if we turn on a 25-watt bulb for 5 days straight? Well, we just multiply 25 watts with the number of hours in 5 days, which is 120 hours.

That gives us 3000 watt-hours or 3 kilowatthours. (1 kilowatt-hour is 1000 watt-hours.)

Notice that power plants are often measured in terms of how much power they can produce. (Most big power plants can produce megawatts of power. 1 megawatt equals 1000 kilowatts.) That is because when consumers are using electricity, a certain amount of energy needs to be released at that very moment.

Power demands fluctuate throughout the day, so if you want to know the total consumption over a period of time, you must think in terms of energy. Power is instantaneous while energy is cumulative.

The production of energy is one of the most important processes in modern civilization. It can also be one of the most harmful to the environment. Thus, understanding the basic science involved is important in engaging with the possible solutions to the crises related to energy.

POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE individual’s right to privacy, which the court held in extremely high regard.”

A person is entitled to submit a ‘deindexing’ request and “thus have a database or search engine delete links to information about him or her that is “inaccurate… inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant, or excessive.””

Maxfield argues that “proponents of the right to be forgotten claim that it is a necessary response to the rise of the Internet.

“Embarrassing information that in the past would have been hidden deep in archives or records, or that’s spread would have been limited to gossip, is now forever preserved on the pages of the Internet; the right to be forgotten helps individuals reclaim the privacy to which they used to be entitled.”

Perhaps our lawmakers can look into whether a similar law would benefit Filipinos? Meanwhile, Paredes and his family, as well as other victims of privacy breach, need to be strong and resilient and ride out the storm. This too, shall pass.

I didn’t watch any of the videos mentioned. Those were private and none of my business. / FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

World

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TRUDEAU SEES RUSSIAN POLL ‘INTERFERENCE’ OTTAWA, Canada—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday warned of the risk of interference by Russia in Canadian parliamentary elections scheduled for this fall.

“We’ve seen over the past number of years an increase in the interference or the implication of foreign actors in democratic processes,” Trudeau told a news conference in Toronto.

“We saw very clearly that countries like Russia are behind a lot of the divisive campaigns, a lot of the divisive social media, you know, spreads that have turned our politics even more divisive and more anger-filled than they have been in the past,” he said.

“Our minister of democratic institutions, Karina Gould, is moving forward on a number of significant ways to ensure that the election that is coming up in six months will be decided by Canadians,” he added.

“That is what Canadians expect.”

The Canadian leader echoed his foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, who said that outside interference in the country’s upcoming vote was “very likely.”

“We are very concerned. Our judgment is that interference is very likely and we think there have probably already been efforts by malign foreign actors to disrupt our democracy,” Freeland said on the sidelines of a G7 meeting in northern France.

“What we are seeing in many liberal democracies, the effort is not so much to secure a particular outcome in an election,” she said. “The effort is to make our societies more polarized and make us, as citizens of democracies, more cynical about democracy and that it can work.” AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

‘ARREST AT TRUMP RESORT SHOWS CHINA’S THREAT’

W

ASHINGTON—The arrest of a Chinese woman who allegedly brought malicious software to President Donald Trump’s Florida resort shows that Beijing poses a threat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday.

Zhang Yujing was arrested last week at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump was on one of his frequent visits, after attempting to enter while carrying multiple mobile phones and a thumb drive containing malware, according to court documents.

“I think this tells the American people the threat that China poses, the efforts that they’re making here inside the United States not only against government officials, but more broadly,” Pompeo said in an interview with CBS News.

“The theft of American intellectual property is a big business to the tune of hundreds of billions

of dollars, and President Trump is determined to push back against it,” he said.

He was referring to ongoing trade talks in which the United States is pressing China to take action to protect intellectual property.

Pompeo said the administration was looking closely at the arrest but declined further comment, saying the investigation was ongoing.

There has been no evidence presented publicly that Zhang was sent by the Chinese government, although Beijing says it is providing consular assistance.

Zhang was accused of making false statements to federal officers after first claiming to be a member who wanted to use the pool, and then saying she was attending a non-existent Chinese-American friendship event.

The security of Mar-a-Lago itself has drawn scrutiny in light of the unusual situation of a president who frequently hobnobs with members who pay to be part of his club.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Friday said talks with Beijing were making progress toward ending the trade war between the world’s two top economies, but he again stopped short of predicting success.

“The China meeting was a big success,” Trump told reporters, discussing the latest round of shuttle diplomacy conducted this week in Washington.

“I don’t want to predict a deal or not a deal, but we’re very well along,” he added. “We have really negotiated probably the two hardest points.”

He offered no detail on what those two points were, however.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin engaged in trade talks with a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He from April 3-5 in Washington.

“Significant work remains” in the talks, the White House said in a statement later in the day, “and the principals, deputy ministers, and delegation members will be in continuous contact to resolve outstanding issues.”

Those issues include “intellectual property, forced technology transfer, non-tariff barriers, agriculture, services, purchases, and enforcement.”

The statement however did say that both sides had “productive meetings and made progress on numerous key issues.” AFP

STRAW KING KONG. A student has

her picture taken with a King Kong sculpture made out of straw in the northern Thai province of Chiang Mai on Wednesday. AFP

ERDOGAN ACCUSES US, EUROPE OF MEDDLING IN VOTE ANKARA, Turkey—President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused the US and Europe of “meddling” in Turkey’s affairs after statements from Western allies following his ruling party’s challenge to local election results.

Erdogan and his AKP suffered an upset in Sunday’s ballot when results showed the party lost the capital Ankara and was narrowly defeated in Istanbul, the country’s largest city and economic hub.

While the United States has called on Turkey to accept the results, the European Union urged Ankara to allow elected officials to “exercise their mandate freely.”

But Erdogan rejected the remarks and told the US and Europe to “know your place.”

“America and Europe are... meddling in Turkey’s internal affairs,” Erdogan said in his first direct remarks to journalists since Monday.

“Turkey gave a democracy lesson to the whole world,” he added.

US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said “free and fair elections are essential for any democracy, and this means acceptance of legitimate election results are essential” during a briefing on Tuesday. AFP

WSJ: US TO DECLARE IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS AS TERRORISTS WASHINGTON—The United States will designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, an unprecedented move that would ramp up pressure on the elite force, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The newspaper, quoting unnamed officials, said President Donald Trump’s administration would announce the long-mulled decision as soon as Monday and that concerned defense officials were bracing for the impact.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp was formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution with a mission to defend the clerical regime, in contrast to more traditional military units that protect borders.

The Revolutionary Guards have amassed strong power within Iran, including with significant economic interests.

The Guards’ prized unit is the Quds Force, named for the Arabic word for Jerusalem, which supports forces allied with Iran around the region including Syrian President Bashar alAssad and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

The Trump administration has already imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran after withdrawing last year from an international agreement under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear program.

A foreign terrorist designation would make any activities of the group toxic for the United States, with any transactions involving US institutions or individuals subject to punishment. AFP

US MOVES TO CUT OFF VENEZUELA OIL, CUBA TRADE

WASHINGTON—The United States on Friday announced sanctions on ships of Venezuela’s state oil company and companies that link it to key ally Cuba, hoping to cut off vital lifelines for President Nicolas Maduro.

Vice President Mike Pence unveiled the latest measures in Washington’s bid to oust Maduro, a leftist firebrand who has nonetheless held on to power for more than two months and vowed further pressure on Cuba—a bugbear of the United States for a half-century.

“Venezuela’s oil belongs to the Venezuelan people,” Pence said in a speech at Rice University in Houston.

“Those looking on should know this: All options are on the table.

And Nicolas Maduro would do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America,” he said.

“The United States will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy,” he said.

The Treasury Department said it was designating 34 vessels of state oil company PDVSA as blocked property, meaning that the United States will prohibit all transactions with them.

It also targeted a tanker that ships crude oil from Venezuela to Cuba, the Despina Andrianna, as well as two shipping companies

that own or register the vessel.

One is based in Liberia and the other in Greece, one of the sole Western nations that backs Maduro.

Pence also hinted that President Donald Trump’s administration will take further action against Cuba as it considers allowing exiles to sue over property seized by the communist authorities.

“In the coming weeks, the United States will be taking even stronger action against Cuba. In this administration, I promise you, it will always be Que Viva Cuba Libre,” he said, using the Spanish for “Long Live Free Cuba.”

The push on Cuba is a sharp change from the previous admin-

istration of Barack Obama, who said that the longtime US effort to isolate the island had failed and reestablished diplomatic relations.

A Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States estimated that Venezuela delivered 50,000 barrels a day to Cuba —a critical amount for the island, which in turn provides security, intelligence and other services for Maduro.

“By severely impacting the shipment of that oil and the ability to get that oil from Venezuela to Cuba, there is going to be a recalibration of that relationship. This is the first step in the pressure,” the official said. AFP

WORLD POWERS DEMAND HALT TO LIBYA ADVANCE

BREXIT BASH. Anti-Brexit activists demonstrate with a model of Theresa May outside the Houses of Parliament in London on Monday, as MPs debate alternative options for Brexit ahead of the second round of indicative votes. They rejected May’s divorce deal for a third time, but the EU warned its patience was wearing thin. AFP

TRIPOLI, Libya—Libyan forces under Khalifa Haftar battled their way to the south of Tripoli on Friday, prompting the UN Security Council and the G7 to demand a halt to the military advance on the capital.

Haftar, commander of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA), launched an offensive on Thursday to take the capital, held by a UN-backed unity government and an array of militias.

The lightning assault was ordered as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in Libya for a visit aimed at cementing a political deal on holding elections.

After meeting with Haftar in the eastern city of Benghazi, Guterres said he was leaving “Libya with a deep concern and a heavy heart” and voiced hope that a “bloody confrontation” could be avoided.

Shortly afterwards, LNA forces clashed

with a pro-government alliance less than 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of the capital, a unity government source said.

Haftar’s press office confirmed there had been “violent fighting on the edge of Tripoli with armed militias.”

After a closed-door emergency meeting in New York, the Security Council called on Haftar’s forces to halt their advance and warned that those responsible for re-igniting the conflict will be held responsible.

The appeal for Haftar to halt his offensive was unanimously backed by the council, including Russia, which has supported the strongman.

The council “called on LNA forces to halt all military movements” and “on all forces to de-escalate military activity,” said German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, who holds the council presidency. AFP

Images

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S O T O H P F THE O EEK W RAPT AUDIENCE. Thousands of administration supporters listen intently as President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan campaign rally at the Puerto Princesa Coliseum in Palawan on Thursday. Presidential Photo

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BRIDGE FUN. Street children in Manila frolic in the Pasig River portion under the Jones Bridge to beat the scorching heat, unmindful of its polluted waters. Ey Acasio

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the provincial bus term home for the Holy Week ho inal at Cubao in Quezon Ci lidays. Manny ty on Friday to Palmero beat the rush

KNOCKED OUT. Pet owners wait for their dogs and cats to awaken after getting spayed and neutered as part of the Department of Health’s rabies prevention and control program at Barangay 29-A in Lao-Lao, Cavite City on Thursday. PNA

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FRESH HARVEST. A resident of Barangay San Isidro in Tanay, Rizal gathers his harvest of ‘kangkong’ or water spinach on Friday, to sell at the nearby public market.

Lino Santos

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Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

MONDILLA CROWNED SOLAIRE PH OPEN CHAMP

By Peter Atencio

S

TA. ROSA, Laguna— Clyde Mondilla came through with two clutch shots to formally claim the Solaire Philippine Open 2019 Golf crown yesterday here.

The 25-year-old Mondilla, who became the 17th Filipino golfer to win the PH Open, finished the round with a 3-over 75 to take home his first-ever national title at the 7645-yard layout of The Country Club course.

Mondilla felt the challenge put up

by American golfer Nicolas Paez, who played a great game all throughout to end up with a two-under-par 70.

But Paez’s last-day showing proved not enough for him to topple Mondilla, who had a 72-hole total of 290.

Paez was two strokes behind Mondilla with 292, after putting in rounds of 74, 75, 73, in this tournament sponsored by Solaire Resort & Casino and backed by ICTSI, PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High.

“Marami ang naghahangad nito and I’m so lucky,” said Mondilla, who took the crown that Miguel Tabuena claimed last year.

Paez chased Mondilla’s lead all day after he picked up two of his four birdies in the back nine and in first and eighth holes.

Rattled, Mondilla bogeyed four of holes in the front nine for a 39 score.

At the same time, two-day leader Tawit Polthai of Thailand committed a triple bogey in the fifth hole and fell behind.

Polthai tallied a four over par 76 and settled for fifth overall with 296.

Mondilla’s birdies in the 14th and 15th came after he settled down with par scores in the 11th to 13th holes.

Clyde Mondilla soaks in victory after completing a two-stroke romp. Inset shows him displaying his trophy.

All these restored Mondilla’s confidence in his game.

“May pressure ako. Ninerbyos ako sa first nine kasi iyung mga kalaban ko ay hindi basta-basta,” said Mon-

dilla, who earned a $90,000 purse for the championship, while Paez took home $55,000.

Angelo Que claimed the third-place honors and the $28,250 prize, with

Thailand’s Sae-Ueng finishing fourth.

Polthai (296) claimed $20,500 in fifth, while teammates Poom Saksansin and Namchok Tanthipokakul placed sixth and seventh, respectively.

QUEST FOR FUTURE STARS STARTS WITH RC COLA LIGA NG BAYAN FILIPINO basketball fans now have another reason to smile about this summer.

Male high school students aged 12-16 years are invited to join “RC Cola Liga ng Bayan,” the biggest 3x3 basketball tournament soon to take place in select barangays throughout Luzon.

Unlike other 3x3 basketball tournaments, the “RC Cola Liga ng Bayan” aims to build a community of sports-minded youths who are passionate about basketball, for them to develop sportsmanship and leadership skills while bringing them closer to their ultimate dream of becoming the country’s next Lebron James. RC Cola is also introducing a workshop component to help chosen participants further hone their skills and better appreciate the value of the sport.

The first leg of RC Cola’s 3x3 basketball competitions kicked off last March 23 at the Carangalan Covered court in Dagupan City. This will be followed by a separate round of eliminations that will soon take place in Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga as well as in Bulacan (April 13 to 14) for the Northern Luzon leg.

The Southern Luzon leg, meanwhile, will kick off in Laguna (April 27 to 28) and Batangas (May 4 to 5) while the NCR leg will be

played in Cavite/Las Pinas (May 18), Caloocan/ Manila (May 19) and Makati/Mandaluyong and San Juan (May 18 to 19). Winning teams will automatically represent their respective city/province in the national finals to be held at Market! Market! in Taguig City on May 26. ‘Idol ng Bayan’ Joshua Garcia, the newest endorser of RC Cola, is also expected to give participants an added boost when he sits down to watch the games, especially during the national finals.

Aside from bringing home the top prize of P50,000, the champion in the national finals will also get a chance to give the basketball court in their barangay a complete make-over courtesy of ARC Refreshments Corporation, maker of RC Cola—the well-loved RC ng Bayan. The first runner-up, meanwhile, receives P30,000. Winning teams will also receive ARC products composed of RC Cola, Juicy Lemon, Fruit Soda Orange, Seetrus and Arcy’s Rootbeer.

Those interested simply needs to bring four caps of RC Cola 1 liter bottles and submit them to league organizers in their respective barangays three weeks prior to the games. To know more, visit https://www. facebook.com/RCColaOfficial.

Student participants of the RC Cola Liga ng Bayan in action

ROMERO UNDEFEATED IN GOV. DELOSO CHESSFEST GLADIMIR Chester Romero defeated Allan Gabriel Hilario to stay unscathed atop the heap after four rounds in the boys’ 12-under division of the Gov. Amor Deloso National Age Group Chess Championships at the Zambales Sports Complex in Iba, Zambales Friday night.

Romero, a Mindanao Leg qualifier, hiked his total to four points and could extend his unbeaten streak with another win against Victorious Zoe Buenaflor in the fifth round at press time of this tournament sponsored by Gov. Deloso and Congressman Cheryl Deloso, the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP president Butch Pichay.

Cagayan de Oro’s Ruelle Canino, for her part, split the point with Francine Elaine Magpily to stay on top with 3.5 points in the girls’ under-12.

Canino, who swept the blitz, rapid and standard gold in the Mindanao Leg Batang Pinoy last month, won her first three matches against Hailey Shanaia Mon, Daren dela Cruz and Lyn Getubig, before being slowed down by Magpily.

Al Basher Buto turned back James Gilbert Bragais to stay undefeated after four rounds in the boys’ under-10.

The top three placers in their respective divisions will clinch spots to the national team seeing action in the ASEAN Age Group tilt in Myanmar in June.

NU REACHES FINALS IN MEN’S, WOMEN’S TENNIS NATIONAL University moved closer in completing a successful comeback in the UAAP Season 81 lawn tennis tournament after its men’s and women’s teams made it to the championship round Saturday at the Colegio de San Agustin courts in City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

The Bulldogs booked the first finals’ seat after dethroning University of the East, 3-0, in the league’s firstever Final Four.

Not to be outdone were the Lady Bulldogs, who outlasted Ateneo, 3-2, in the do-or-die playoff for the last championship berth.

NU will face Ateneo, which clinched a second straight finals’ appearance with a 3-2 decision over University of Santo Tomas in the other semis tie, in the best-of-three series starting Sunday.

The Lady Bulldogs, for their part, will take on De La Salle in the finals starting Sunday.

Wilson Oblea overcame a second-set loss to beat RJ Saga, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, in the second singles to seal the deal for NU. The Final Four loss ended the Red Warriors’ two-year reign.

Mae Bornia and Alliah Ragunton won the deciding doubles’ match at the expense of Jana Hernandez and Titan Llavore, 6-0, 6-3, to clinch the tie for the Lady Bulldogs, while frustrating the Lady Eagles’ bid to make it to the championship tie.

ALLIANZ BACKS AETAS’ BID FOR OCR PH TEAM

Jacob King carrying sandbags during the race

ALLIANZ Philippines announced during a press briefing that it will support the pursuit of five young Aetas until they make it to the Philippines’ obstacle course race national team training pool.

It was a tough race for the five Aeta youths —Gellyann B. Soria, 17, Ivy O. Pelayo, 16, Danilo B. Yugyug, 19, Miracle D. Lansang, 21, and Jacob D. King, 22—of Villa Maria Integrated School (VMIS) in Porac, Pampanga as they competed for the 5K Elite Male and Female categories in the recent Allianz OCR Sunday held at Filinvest, Alabang last Mach 31.

Yugyug finished without penalty in the top 15 of the race composed of 20 obstacles.

A participant needs to land in the top 5 to secure a slot in the national team.

“Allianz is supporting the quest of the five Aeta youth from Villa Maria in Pampanga to be part of the national team pool. We are not putting a timetable, but what’s important as of this point is they get the training they need. We are giving them a chance to excel in the sport and the life skills to discover new opportuni-

ties along the way,” said Allianz Philippines chief marketing officer Gae Martinez.

She related that with the help of Conquer Challenge, Allianz Philippines’ partner for the Allianz OCR Sunday, they were able to identify the five Aetas who competed in the 5K Elite Races.

“Last December 2018, we brought 25 Aetas to join the Allianz Conquer Challenge in Clark.

We were surprised at how the Aetas excelled as they went through each obstacle without prior training. But as our Aetas athletes explained, these obstacles are quite similar to what they go through in their daily lives,” she said.

According to Atty. Al Agra, POSF president, Allianz OCR Sunday was the first of a series of four National Team Qualifier events supervised by the Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation and organized by Conquer Challenge. The POSF is recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission and World OCR (Obstacle Course Racing).

National team members are provided with trainings here and abroad. The team is currently training at Pretty Huge Obstacles, Asia’s first and largest multi-level obstacle sports facility with a

2,000 sqm floor area located at the Civic Center, SM Aura Premier in BGC, Taguig.

Earlier, Agra announced the training of the national team in the USA Olympic Training Center in Colorado in time for the SEA Games, where OCR is expected to have a debut as a medal sport or as an exhibition games.

Gellyann Soria completing the taho carry challenge alongside race participants

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Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

GORGEOUS FOUNDER WINS FRANCHISING COMPETITION

By Othel V. Campos

A

BDO EXECUTIVES RECOGNIZED AS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE LEADERS

MILLENNIAL mom and entrepreneur had this dream of creating a beauty line that will catch the fancy of women of all ages and cultures.

“Hello Gorgeous” was an offshoot of her love for everything that is beautiful and the need to rebound from a crisis that hit her family.

Marrying these two was not at all difficult for this professional hair and make-up artist who had once dabbled in the glitzy and glamorous life of prepping up celebrities.

“What really pushed me to go into this business was my mom. When my brother died of brain cancer, we were totally broke. My mom let go of several of her spa branches to pay for the bills.

She felt that after a very tiring and emotional episode, we need to create a new business that will not only provide us livelihood but will help uplift our spirits and create a beautiful vibe for customers,” said Hello Gorgeous co-founder and chief executive Mawy Sapuay.

With only P30,000 in initial capital, Sapuay has created 70 products with 160 SKUs in a span of three years starting with spa essentials that expanded to a full-fledged beauty line.

Hello Gorgeous is currently working on a special collaboration with Sanrio of Hong Kong to carry one of the popular characters in a speciallydesigned packaging.

“We are truly excited that out of so many cosmetic brands, we were the preferred brand of Sanrio. It is really an honor for us to be recognized alongside Happy Skin, Sunnies Face and other make-up brands known worldwide,” Sapuay said.

Sapuay is bound to go to the US to compete for the international franchising competition after bagging the top prize for her pitch at the NextGen, A New Generation in Franchising competition during the 27th Asia Franchise Philippines 2019 which was hosted by the Philippine Franchise Association.

“To be honest, I came to win. I told my mom that I am going to win. I did my homework. I really prepared for this. And on top of that, I need this for my plan,” she said.

Currently, she’s training hard with mentors from PFA and Francorp, in preparation for her US competition in the second quarter of the year.

Her three years of hard work in rebranding her beauty and skin care line did wonders for the company as it earned about P12 million in 2018, up from P2 million in the first and second years.

“As we drafted our plans, we saw the potential of us earning P35 million this year, our third year as ‘Hello Gorgeous’ brand,” said Sapuay.

She said the sales from five franchisees and from five family-owned stores in the malls and online revenues from resellers will create the opportunity to realize the 2019 target.

SKINLINE TO HELLO GORGEOUS Sapuay’s line was previously marketed under the Skinline Essentials brand three years ago, but she thought it would be more fun and catchy to rebrand Skinline as Hello Gorgeous in 2017 in line with the millennial vibe.

Made from natural and organic ingredients, Hello Gorgeous uses natural colorants and scents as well as essential oils for their cosmetics, skincare products like moisturizers, soaps, lotions and shampoos.

“You might notice that some of our products have a short shelf life and some easily catch molds.

This is because we use natural ingredients. But as much as we want to be 100-percent natural, there is no cosmetic product that is purely natural and organic. Our products have as much as 30 percent synthetic ingredients,” Sapuay said.

The brand uses locally-sourced ingredients like virgin coconut oil, active carbon and clay for skincare products and imported substances like minerals from Jeju Island, shea and cocoa butter

Hello Gorgeous founder and chief executive Mawy Sapuay

and sea salt from the Dead Sea, to name a few.

In keeping with the rapid strides on cosmetics trends, Sapuay and her team are a constant presence in international conferences and conventions on beauty and skincare.

Travels and her love for make-up influenced her to pursue a degree in hair styling and make-up after deciding to ditch her academic pursuits of a degree in pharmacy and biochemistry.

“It was tough for me pursuing my studies since I got married that time. But my two years of Pharmacy and two years of Biochemistry helped me understand the basics in formulating our products. But we also have a chemist who checks and balances our products,” she said.

The brand employs beauty ambassadors who lead the company-owned stores and 10 people who are responsible for manufacturing the products in a 300-square-meter production site in Bulacan.

FRANCHISING HELLO GORGEOUS As a brand, Hello Gorgeous is not a hard sell.

With the catchy logo and fun packaging design, the product was easily accepted in the local market and piqued the interest of customers from foreign markets.

A franchise package is worth P750,000 complete with a kiosk inside the mall, all permits included and a starting product inventory worth P100,000.

“For us, franchisees come first. Everything is worked out already. All the franchisees need to do is operate. Return on investment is about 1.2 years.

We continue to push their sales by introducing loyalty card, exclusive in-store products and and special promotions,” Sapuay said.

The brand continues to engage women on

cosmetics and how to make money out of it. Hello Gorgeous products were proven to help prevent and heal acne for those with sensitive skin.

In the near term, the brand is planning to have a mini beauty hub inside the store for express facial and allow customers a first-hand experience to feel the brand.

The company’s five-year plan is to have 54 stores including franchises in 15 key cities across the country. It is also looking at penetrating the US, with at least two stores in New York and California.

BRAND SUSTAINABILITY Starting this year, the brand will stop using plastic packaging and replace them with paper and cardboard-based packaging.

Sapuay said environmental sustainability is an important pillar of the company in the same manner that giving livelihood to women is. She said that thousands of useless plastic are thrown away daily and somehow find their way to bodies of water.

“Because of this, we launched a buyback campaign where customers are encouraged to sell back to us the packaging of their purchases for P15 each. We’re actually buying back the packaging at a loss. But never mind that, we want to establish sustainability in packaging,” she said.

Sapuay said the number of resellers is growing and all of them are women, some are stay-at-home or full-time wife and mothers, while others are students and single women with entrepreneurial skills.

Hello Gorgeous resellers reached 35 as of end2018, and more are expected to join the brand as it gains popularity and create a name in the beauty and cosmetics space. The brand successfully engaged some resellers in Singapore.

TIPSY PIG GOES TO QUEZON CITY

TIPSY Pig, the modern gastropub that combines nice gastronomic experience and awesome party ambiance, has opened a branch along Timog Ave. in Quezon City The third Tipsy Pig branch, after the ones in Pasig City and Bonifacio Global City, brings the favorite Tipsy dishes to the northern part of Metro Manila.

Led by executive chef Rainier Barbers and executive sous chef Jared Sto. Tomas, Tipsy Pig is known for its signature brews, extensive drink selection and good food.

As the name suggests, Tipsy Pig is a combination of playful humor, great tasting food and cool environment all rolled into one place.

Barbers, who graduated from Enderun Colleges with a Bachelors degree in International Hotel Management Major in Culinary Arts, is a holder of Alain Ducasse Formation Certificate. Before leading the Tipsy Pig team,

BDO Unibank Inc. chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson (left) and president and chief executive Nestor Tan are bestowed with the Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award by Corporate Governance Asia.

Barbers had worked in Paris, France.

Sto. Tomas, who also studied at Enderun Colleges and is a holder of Alain Ducasse certificate, worked in Nevada and Dubai prior to Tipsy Pig. The Timog branch doesn’t stray too far from the two branches, according to the chefs. The newest Tipsy Pig gives the same awesome gastronomic experience coupled with an awesome party ambiance but on a whole new level.

From the setting to the servings, the place has a forward-looking concept that speaks of trendiness.

Driven by the two things that people love to do – eat and drink, that’s where and how theTipsy Pig experience comes into a full circle.The place being a well-established venue, continues to live up to its name, as it gives guests more exciting options to dine out and/or drink while enjoying the cool and casual ambiance.

Tipsy Pig sums up what diners are looking for,

elevating the overall dining experience for all its patrons and providing something special that customers will love at the modern gastropub.

For the newest branch, the owners decided to take it to the next level and cater to the everchanging times. The addition of interesting, eye-catching accents to their interiors and the innovated designs in line with what’s hip, suit the diner’s discerning taste when it comes to the place’s look—Instagram worthy.

Tipsy Pig serves the best fusion twists of Western, European and Filipino comfort food, plus a lot of additions to the menu soon. High quality and relatively reasonable, every dish is considered as the main highlight of each visit.

The place also offers an array of imported and local below zero draft and flavored beers and enticing signature cocktails.

CO R P O R AT E Governance Asia awarded BDO Unibank Inc. with Asia’s Icon on Corporate Governance for the 14th time. The icon award recognizes the best of the best in corporate governance in Asia for setting the benchmark of what CG should be.

The country’s largest bank also took home Asia’s Outstanding Company on Corporate Governance Award for its consistently high CG standing, while BDO chairperson Teresita Sy-Coson and president and chief executive Nestor Tan were coawarded with the Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award for their exemplary leadership.

“Corporate governance is now deeply embedded in Asia, which in many ways, serves as an attractive proposition for investors to park their capital in this region,” said Corporate Governance Asia founder and publisher Aldrin Monsod.

“Corporations here have adopted and continue to adapt to the best international practices that have made Asia an important investment destination for global fund managers,” Monsod said.

ForTan, CG is valuable in maintaining a healthy, financially-sound and wellmanaged bank. “It is a key driver towards our sustainable growth and long-term value creation,” he said.

BDO’s CG practice is recognized as one of the best in the Philippines.

With a high score on the Asean CG Scorecard, the bank is one of the Top 50 Asean publicly-listed companies in corporate governance.

Having an award-winning CG practice bodes favorably among foreign investors. BDO has received an over subscription in its capital market offerings, one of the clear indications that it is a good credit risk as an issuer.

“We are always looking out for our clients. To serve them in the best possible way, we constantly evolve our CG practices to support the requirements of the changing business landscape, comply with new regulations and align with international best practices,” said Tan. Corporate Governance Asia publishes news and analysis on CG issues, boardroom practices and shareholder activism. Now in its 14th year, its Best of Asia Awards celebrates the success of companies that adhere to the highest CG standards. Awardees have integrated effective environmental, social and governance practices across their business. They are also awarded for the quality of their management, their business model, growth prospects, financial performance and relative position in their industries.

“Part of getting recognized entails the responsibility to maintain our performance and if possible, exceed it. We welcome this challenge in keeping with our We Find Ways service philosophy, knowing that our clients stand to benefit further from our improvements,” said Sy-Coson.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 business@manilastandard.net

CONTENT REMOVAL EXPERT BRINGS SERVICES TO PH

INTERNET Removals, an Australian company that specializes in removing or disabling false, malicious or unwanted content on the Internet, is bringing its services to the Philippines.

Officially established in 2015, Internet Removals offers its services to companies and individuals who want false, harmful, defamatory, potentially illegal or personal information removed from Google, social media sites such as Facebook, community groups, web forums and websites around the globe.

It also offers other services such as content monitoring, digital footprint analysis and account recovery or removal.

The company said it had removed more than 55,000 URLs for thousands of clients so far.

“Our content removal application process has successfully removed all types of content on over 55,421 occasions [as of Jan. 19, 2019].

We provide our clients this service whereby we draft, submit and manage applications for the removal of potentially illegal content from the internet,” it said.

Among the examples of content it removed are negative reviews, revenge porn, doxing, film piracy, counterfeiting, unauthorized social media pages, impersonation and spam reviews.

The company works within the reputation management industry and plans to team up with public relations and marketing companies in the Philippines.

It is present in more than 32 countries and has offices in the United States, UAE, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Content removal applies to search results, image results, revenge porn, pirated content, intellectual property infringement, copyright infringement, social media sites, account recovery, websites and web pages, images and videos, business reviews and app store reviews.

MUNOZ SET TO RECEIVE AMITY GLOBAL AWARD IN THE FIELD OF ACADEMICS

Millikin University Prof. J. Mark Munoz

D R. JOSEPH Mark Munoz, professor of management and international business at Millikin University, has been named the recipient of the Amity Global Academic Excellence Award for his contributions in the field of academics.

Munoz will receive the award during Amity’s International Conference on Automation, Computational and Technology Management in London on April 24 to 26, 2019.

Amity Global Academic Excellence Awards are given to selected academicians and administrators who are driving notable academic institutions to greater heights through their expert guidance, keen involvement and strategic approach.

“We have a strong team of academicians and persons from the industry who play vital roles in the development of our University. We always try to connect with academia members who are contributing to the welfare of society,” said Dr. Anish Gupta, assistant dean of academics at Amity University, Greater Noida Campus.

“Professor Mark Munoz is one of the academia members we found contributing to society through his research and work. Amity truly believes that Professor Munoz’s work and dedication will lead to major improvements in the field of academics,” Gupta said.

The Amity Education Group is a leading non-profit, research-driven education group of India offering over 250 programs to 175,000 students spread across 10 universities and 15 international campuses.

“I am honored and thrilled to receive the Amity Global Academic Excellence Award,” said Munoz.

“Amity University has been ranked as India’s best research university and is listed among the top universities in Asia. To receive recognition for academic excellence from such a prestigious institution is a very pleasant surprise.”

Munoz holds a Ph.D. in Management and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City. Prior to joining the academe, he held senior management roles for diverse multinational organizations.

BAVI DONATES FLAGS TO 3,000 PUBLIC SCHOOLS

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FILIPINO BUYERS FACE EVICTION AS CHINESE MOVE INTO CONDOS

EVERAL property developers are making available entire floors of condominium buildings for wealthy Chinese investors, to the detriment of early buyers who already paid reservation fees during the preselling stage.

Developers and property managers clear entire floors of residential buildings to accommodate the request of Chinese buyers amid the influx of foreign nationals working for the so-called Philippine offshore gaming operators or Pogos.

Condominium prices also escalated beyond the reach of ordinary Filipinos, with a 26-squaremeter studio unit now being sold for more than P6 million in the Manila Bay Area. Most banks require a family to have a minimum monthly gross income of P90,000 to avail of a P4.8-million housing loan with a 20-year repayment period for a P6-million studio unit provided they have a ready cash of P1.2-million representing the 20-percent downpayment.

An inter-agency task force led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III found that some 138,000 foreign nationals were employed in Pogos, but others believe the actual number is much higher. Most of them live in residential towers.

A real estate agent said a developer with existing projects in Manila and Mandaluyong City was offering units to Chinese buyers, although such units were already reserved by local buyers and overseas Filipino workers. The developer announced that the project was sold out two years ago, yet continues to talk to Chinese buyers to this day.

The agent said OFWs were particularly finding it more difficult to comply with the requirements of the developer, forcing them to give up the units.

The agent said OFWs were vulnerable because they could not suddenly return to the country to meet all the requirements prior to move-in such as the payment of miscellaneous charges amounting to more than P100,000 and excessive interest rates due to delays.

Miscellaneous charges pertain to the cost of processing the documents and are on top of taxes.

Developers subsequently face mounting complaints from homebuyers because of the delayed turnover of the units.

A buyer who reserved a unit in a Manila project as early as 2014 claimed that after completing his downpayment, he learned that the unit was sold to another buyer. After he filed a complaint with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, representatives of the developer did not attend the meeting, forcing him to consider a legal case against the developer. “I lost my money to this developer,” he said.

A local buyer said in a Facebook post that

BOUNTY Agro Ventures Inc., the operator of the country’s largest rotisserie chicken chain, Chooks-to-Go, donated 3,000 flags to public elementary schools nationwide.

gap of 6 million units.

Colliers International Philippines said only 5,100 residential condominium units were completed in the fourth quarter of 2018. Metro Manila had a supply of 118,900 condominium units as of end2018, it said.

Citing estimates from real estate analysts, online real estate market place Lamudi Philippines said the number of Pogo employees could be as high as 450,000, a number that could reach 2 million in five years.

Janlo De Los Reyes, head of research and consulting at real estate services firm JLL Philippines, said prices of residential projects in the Bay Area now hover at P300,000 per sqm, comparable to those of Makati and Bonifacio Global City.

“What’s happening is the Bay Area is pushing the domestic market away from that community, not only in terms of the sale but also in terms of the rents,” De Los Reyes said in a forum organized

by Lamudi Philippines.

Steve Chien, regional controlling principal of Keller Williams, said in the same forum that the increased rents in the Bay Area could be traced to the growing demand for residential abodes of Pogo workers which property developers needed to keep pace with.

Leechiu Property Consultants said more than 70 percent of the new tenants in the Bay Area are Chinese nationals, outnumbering Filipino tenants at 25 percent and other nationalities at less than 5 percent. It said “residential sales are no longer dominated by OFW buyers, but by buyers from the Chinese mainland”.

Meanwhile, Colliers said condo prices would likely continue to rise in the coming years, amid the dearth of available land for development and continued increase in land prices in key business districts.

Colliers said 54,000 residential condominium units were sold in the Metro Manila pre-sales market in 2018, outpacing the 53,000 units sold in 2017. Colliers, however, said the “take-up in the pre-selling market will moderate in 2019 due to our projected drop in condominium launches”.

“We attribute this slowdown to the lack of developable land in Metro Manila’s major business hubs and the rapidly rising prices of land,” it said.

As supply declines, prices are likely to rise further. This would be exacerbated by the sustained influx of Chinese buyers as the Philippines warms up to China in their trading and political relations. Analysts said the development is good for real estate companies, but adverse to Filipino homebuyers.

JLL Philippines country head Christophe Vicic said relying too much on Pogo workers for growth could be risky for developers. “If I were a landlord, I would not rely on Pogo for a long-term strategy only because it’s highly visible and politicallycharged because of the nature of the industry,” he said in the Lamudi forum.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

4 FILIPINOS MAKE IT TO FORBES ‘30 UNDER 30 ASIA’ LIST

Bounty Agro Ventures Inc. president Ronald Mascariñas BAVI said that in less than two months, it turned over 163 flags to Bagong Silangan Elementary School in Quezon City, 289 flags to Sto. Tomas North Central School in Batangas, 536 flags to Guiguinto Central School in Bulacan; 72 flags to Andres Bonifacio Elementary School 1 in Bacolod City; 1,278 flags to Don Eugenio Ladrido Memorial Elementary School in Lambunao, Iloilo; and 450 flags to Davao City National High School.

The 6’ by 3’ sized national flags were given to principals and administration heads of the recipient schools.

“We are grateful to be part of this endeavor that instills patriotism among our younger generations of future leaders. Helping grow not just a sense of respect for the flag but more importantly, love for country, is something that we are deeply committed to,” said BAVI president and general manager Ronald Mascariñas.

BAVI initially provided funding support to enable Ayala Foundation Inc. and its MagingMagiting flag campaign to distribute 3,000 flag kits to public elementary schools nationwide, with the help of the Department of Education and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, to rekindle Filipino pride, foster love of country and celebrate the lives of everyday Filipino heroes, especially among young students.

Section 5 of Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines stipulates that the Philippine national flag should be displayed in all public buildings, official residences, public plazas and institutions of learning every day throughout the year.

she was being charged more than P200,000 in interest rates because of the delay in the turnover of her unit which was caused by the developer.

Apparently, she was not alone. “They’re charging me for penalties and interests starting mid-2016.

Really shady or otherwise very incompetent billing department. They are the ones who caused the delay, and we are the ones made to pay for the penalty,” another buyer said.

Another buyer said: “It was a lot of headaches.

There were charges that suddenly appeared related to the delay in the turnover, but it was they who caused the delay. We had a lot of queries, but they were difficult to talk to.”

A buyer said in an online forum that the turnover of his unit was two years delayed and he was forced to file a complaint with HLURB. “We are now looking for a lawyer that can help us out,” he said.

Other buyers, however, said nobody at HLURB was responding to their repeated calls to complain about the delay in the turnover of the units.

Other participants in online fora dedicated to real estate projects said many developers were guilty of reneging on their promises.

A cause of the delay in the turnover of the units to local buyers is when Chinese buyers come knocking at the door of the developer with a generous offer to buy whole floors of a condominium building at a certain premium. These Chinese buyers are usually businessmen who will rent out the units to Pogo workers.

Such generous offers by Chinese buyers are driving condominium prices in Metro Manila to the roof, particularly in Pasay City, Parañaque City, Manila and Makati City.

Leechiu Property Consultants said mainland Chinese investors are now the top buyers of condominium units in Metro Manila. Such a strong demand is expected to continue for the long term with improved ties between Manila and Beijing, it said.

Another property consultant, Santos Knight Frank reported that residential prices in the Bay Area near Mall of Asia surged 65 percent in 2018 to P242,467 per square meter from P146,949 per sqm in 2017, driven by the brisk demand from Chinese buyers. A 26-sqm studio unit in the area now sells for more than P6 million, up from just P1.5 million several years ago.

A landowner said lot prices in the Bay Area, encompassing the cities of Manila, Pasay and Parañaque, jumped more than 10 times since he bought the property a decade ago. “It is a bubble waiting to burst,” the landowner said.

“Bay Area developers were a case of being at the right place, at the right time, opening up to Pogo quickly,” advisory firm Pronove Tai International Property Consultants said in a report.

Prices are expected to continue rising as demand from Chinese buyers remains robust.

Property consultancy firms said while Chinese nationals keep buying condominium units in the Philippines, the country is suffering from a housing

Fetch! Naturals founder and CEO Georgianna Carlos

FORBES announced its fourth annual “30 Under 30 Asia” list, featuring 300 young disruptors, innovators and entrepreneurs across Asia, all under the age of 30, who are challenging conventional wisdom and rewriting the rules for the next generation.

Among them are three Filipino millennials: Kenn Costales, founder of Monolith Growth Consulting; Georgianna Carlos, founder of Fetch!

Naturals; and Earl Forlales and Zahra Halabisaz Zanjani, co-founders of Cubo Modular.

“The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list this year highlights daring entrepreneurs who are building businesses mostly to solve problems in their industries.

Forming 70 percent of the 2019 list, startup founders are using technologies like AI, Big Data and Blockchain to facilitate processes such as matching patients with potentially life-saving medical trials and providing enterprise solutions for SMEs who form the vast majority of businesses in the APAC region,” said Rana Wehbe, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Editor.

“It is also remarkable to see many of these change makers actively working towards sustainability – from supplying affordable green energy in rural areas to cooking and promoting sustainable ingredients and campaigning to reduce the use of plastic straws,” said Wehbe.

Among the awardees from the Philippines, 29-year-old Costales is the founder and chief executive of Monolith Growth Ventures, a per formance marketing firm with offices in Singapore and Manila. Costales founded the company in 2016 after years of working for Procter & Gamble, and his firm has grown rapidly to 15 full-time staff.

They service leading global brands such as Fitness First, The Boston Consulting Group, Sonos and Klipsch.

Carlos, 28, is a co-founder and chief

executive of Fetch! Naturals, a premium pet care brand that uses only natural ingredients such as neem or jicama for its products. As an animal lover, Carlos noted that her pets were increasingly having skin issues due to irritation caused by chemical-heavy products.

Since she established Fetch!

Naturals in 2016, the brand has opened two retail locations in Manila and Los Angeles, and the products can be found in more than 30 locations across the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Forlales and Zanjani are the co-founders of Cubo, a company which designs and constructs bamboo houses in just four hours.

In 2018, the duo won prize money from the Royal Institute of Chartered Sur veyors for their designs. The founders hope the company can tackle the shortage of accommodation in the Philippines with low-cost bamboo housing units. The original design for the units was inspired by the bamboo huts that Forlales’ grandparents had built.

The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2019 includes 30 honorees in 10 categories. Among those featured on this year’s list are South Korean K-pop girl group BlackPink; popular Chinese actor Liu Haoran, 22; Eyewear designer Percy Lau, 30, from Hong Kong; Singaporean band The Sam Willows; Anurag Gupta and Sagar Yamalkar, 29 and 30, co-founders of

India’s DailyNinja; and Agung Bezharie, Harya Putra and Sofian Hadiwijaya, 30, 25 and 30, co-founders of Indonesia’s Warung Pintar.

The 2019 list features a diverse set of Under 30 honorees, with 23 countries and territories represented across the Asia- Pacific region.

China has the highest number of honorees with 61 on this year’s list, followed closely by India with 59.

Japan came in third with 30 honorees including 21-year-old tennis player Naomi Osaka, while South Korea took fourth place with 28, followed by Singapore with 23. Notably, it is also the first time that honorees from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Laos appeared on the list.

More than 2,000 submissions were received online and from in-house research by Forbes’ journalists from across the region, but only 300 made the final cut.

The criteria for honorees making the list include their demonstration of leadership, how they embody the entrepreneurial spirit that is synonymous with Forbes and their potential of success in their industry.

Other factors like innovation, disruption and size and growth of their ventures in some categories played a role in making the final decision.

Honorees were vetted and selected by a panel of accomplished and acclaimed judges in each category.

Tech & Gadgets rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

BE BRAVE CREATORS WITH NEW HUAWEI P30

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MARTPHONES have become an extension of how we express ourselves. It becomes our tool to create new, offbeat, moving stories about our everyday lives and share it with the world. It’s essential to have the right device that allows you to capture the details and see the world from a new light—no matter the situation.

The new Huawei P30 and P30 Pro promises to be the ideal tool.

These latest flagship devices are now available for pre-order on Globe Postpaid’s ThePLAN—made to complete a high-powered device and fast-paced lifestyle. Starting April 5 to 12, 2019, customers can pre-order theirs at globe.com.ph/ huawei-p30.

It’s not Huawei without a full force of cameras that can capture different points of view. Both the P30 and P30 Pro come with a Leica super camera system—a 40MP Super Sensing Camera, an Ultra Wide Angle Lens (16MP for P30 and 20MP for P30 Pro), an 8MP telephoto lens, and an additional HUAWEI Time-ofFlight (TOF) Camera for the P30 Pro. Whether you want to zoom in on a subject with the 10x Hybrid Zoom, focus on a single item with the Gradient Multi-Level Bokeh, or capture even the tiniest of details with the Multi-View Recording, the P30 has the perfect tools for the job.

With the two stunners’ display screen size (6.1” for Huawei P30 and 6.4” for P30 Pro), watch your favorite films and shows on Amazon Prime Video and DisneyLife - free for 6 months on ThePLAN. Enjoy your free 3 months Spotify with the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro’s Acoustic Sound Emitting Display technology. This innovative take on sound uses electromagnetic sound levitation, where sound vibrations are projected from the display itself.

The Huawei P30 powered by Globe Postpaid is the perfect pair that empowers you to be a brave creator. Bring home the P30 for only P2,199 (ThePLAN 1799 + P400/month cashout) or P30 Pro for only P2,799 (ThePLAN 1799 + P1,000/month cashout)! Create the life you want with larger-than-life data allocation of up to 16GB. Plus, Globe Postpaid customers who pre-order the P30 from April 5 to 12, 2019 will get the new Huawei GT Watch for FREE! Experience its 1.3inch AMOLED touch-screen display, GPS and Bluetooth connectivity, and up to 30-day battery life!

HITACHI’S NEW KIND OF COMFORT

Shown during the 2019 Hitachi Dealers Convention are (from left) Lourdes Yap, Director of Hitachi Asia Ltd.; Yang Yi Chih, CEO of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning Phils. Inc.; Min-Chieh Chang Chien, President of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning Taiwan., Inc. and Chairman of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning Phils. Inc.; Steve Chang, General Manager for International Business Division of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning Taiwan., Inc.; Chen, ChiNan, Manufacture Division President of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning Phils. Inc.; Nishida Yoshimasa, CFO of Johnson ControlsHitachi Air Conditioning Phils. Inc.; Shimizu Mitsuhiko, General Manager of Hitachi Asia Ltd.; Carlos Co, Former Chairman of Hitachi Elevator Philippines Corporation and his wife Maria Teresa Co.

By Lorelee Antonette Yap WITH the tagline “come home to better comfort,” leading air-conditioning manufacturer Hitachi introduced at the 2019 Dealers Convention at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City a new set of products expected to help its customers relax with ease.

Known for its three inverter components DC compressor, DC fan motor, and DC inverter module—that deliver a different kind of coolness and a lower consumption of power, Hitachi took another step toward innovation with its new state-of-theart, air-conditioning units not just for offices, but also for commercial and domestic use.

The new Hitachi SetFree or the Gen 2, weighs 365 kgs and can be carried in elevators and easily installed in offices. It has a twin fan that can serve 40% cooler air than the single one, but has less power and a modular capacity of up to 96 horsepower.

It can deliver a maximum temperature up to 48 degrees Celsius more than the previous SetFree

units, which can only produce up to 43 degrees Celsius.

Gen 2 includes a web-based operation device that can make its controls accessible to everyone wherever they might be in the building as long as they have the site.

Users can easily adjust the temperature or turn it on and off.

Hitachi also presented its other new products that are perfect for household, businesses, and industries, equipped with an environment-friendly refrigerant, R410A replacing the R-22, which exhibited a potential harm to the ozone layer.

For a small scale space, the Residential VRF System gives a cooling capacity from 4.1 to 8.6 kilowatts and will deliver Hitachi users not just the cool but also unlimited hot water supply they can use in washing dishes, taking a shower, or even taking a dip in the tub.

Its tank has the capacity of 100L to 400L that a user can utilize depending on their consumption.

This new product can as well be enjoyed in restaurants with real energy savings.

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TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

VIVO V15, V15 PRO ELEVATE SELFIE CAMERA GAME

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IVO levels up the game by showing that it is possible to bring its pioneering premium features to midrange smartphones with Vivo V15 and Vivo V15 Pro. Notable of these features is the 32MP Elevating Selfie Camera, which was initially designed for Vivo’s flagship high-end smartphone, NEX. Vivo opted out with the notch and strategically placed the pop-up or Elevating Selfie Camera conveniently on the top. Leveraging the AI (artificial intelligence) feature, the futuristic design allows the camera to detect when a user is taking a selfie and quickly exits selfie mode when done. Another use of AI is when a person or persons on the sides are cropped, the camera will immediately send a prompt to notify the camera user to switch to wide-angle mode so everyone’s face is captured.

In removing the notch, Vivo proves yet again that its flagship midrange mobile phones can level up further to allow an Ultra FullView™ Display. It maximizes the screen both for viewing online content-ondemand and taking group and landscape photos. It is supported by the Triple Camera that includes a 48-megapixel main sensor (shooting 12-megapixel photos by default), an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor, within the location of the Elevating Selfie Camera.

Vivo took into consideration how the smartphone’s moving parts will fare in today’s everyday use. The company was able to merge durability and user-friendliness. It successfully positioned the camera by redesigning the cutting of the Printed Circuit Board (PCB). It made

it an extremely thin strip that can still cover the edges of the internal structure.

The In-Display Fingerprint Sensor is also one of the features that is easily identifiable with Vivo smartphones. The V15 Pro carries with it the fifth-generation fingerprint sensor technology that works seamlessly and without any glitches. The fingerprint sensor was able to immediately unlock the phone and take a quick selfie shot.

The V15 Pro runs on octa-core chipset Qualcomm 6150 Snapdragon processor, which is primarily designed for mid-range phones. It has a 3,700mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and runs on Android 9 Pie. The VOOC (Voltage Open Loop Multi-step Constant-Current Charging) Flash Charge allows users to achieve 80-percent battery charging within minutes.

The Vivo V15 carries a suggested retail price of P17,999 while the V15Pro is at P23,999.

LG MAKES ITS MARK IN MINDANAO LG ELECTRONICS, in keeping with its tradition of giving back to the community, recently paid a visit to The House of Hope in Davao.

The House of Hope Foundation, located inside the Southern Philippines Medical Center compound, is a charitable group that provides temporary shelter to children with cancer. SPMC is the only hospital in the whole of Mindanao that offers free cancer treatment to children.

Since a large majority of its patients are indigent families with no place to stay while they are undergoing treatment, the House of Hope provides a sanctuary for them.

On March 28, 2019, LG Philippines visited the brave families of the House of Hope. LG brought LG Electronics Philippines managing director Inkwun Heo officially handed over to Dr. Mae Concepcion Dolendo, program director of House of with them donations in-kind to Hope Foundation the 3 Million worth of LG products in a simple turnover improve the quality of life of the ceremony held in Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao City.

House of Hope’s residents. This includes over 27,000 various personal care products such as body Airconditioning units, 2 Top Load tions hope to help in making the wash, soap and toothpaste items, Washing Machines, and 2 Side environment conducive to the 5 43” Full HD TVs, 28 Dual Inverter by Side Refrigerators. The dona- children’s recovery. LG Electronics

Philippines Managing Director Inkwun Heo led the team that visited the children in Davao. “LG remains committed in creating social impact and being agents for change.

These brave children serve as our inspiration. We hope that through our small gesture, we are able to enhance their quality of life”.

Giving back to the community has always been the heart of LG’s core values. Earlier this month, LG also partnered up with Emcor to conduct a small series of medical missions in Mindanao. Dubbed as #LGFamilyFunDay, these pocket events held in Koronadal in South Cotabato, Digos in Davao, and San Francisco in Butuan, gave out free full physical and optical check-ups to the members of the community during the morning.

In the afternoon, special activities were held for children, such as coloring sessions, an LG inflatable castle, and even a dedicated Netflix viewing area, making it a fun-filled family affair that’s not to be missed.

SMART TO WIDEN BATANGAS COVERAGE CUSTOMERS in Batangas can look forward to faster speeds and better mobile data experience as PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications Inc (Smart) accelerates its latest round of upgrades in one of the country’s biggest and most populous provinces.

After increasing the coverage and tripling the capacity of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Batangas in 2018, Smart is further ramping up the roll-out of LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) across the province so that Batangueños can experience even faster speeds using capable devices.

“This year, we are further doubling LTE and 3G capacity in Batangas, to better serve the needs of the close to 3 million people who live and work in the province,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT-Smart senior vice president for Network Planning and Engineering.

“In addition to deploying more LTE base stations, we are also adding new sites to better address needs of our customers in Batangas, particularly in major roads like the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, in points of convergence such as schools, government offices and public markets, in industrial areas, as well as in tourism sites and beach resorts,” Tamayo added.

Smart is also doubling its LTE capacity in the provincial capital Lipa City, as well as increasing both coverage and capacity in Batangas City, which hosts the country’s busiest port.

Tamayo also noted that more Batangas customers are now using smartphones and mobile data.

“By improving our network in one of Southern Luzon’s most populous provinces, we are better addressing the needs of our Batangueño customers who are increasingly relying on mobile data to accomplish day-to-day tasks, such as keeping in touch with their families, sending and receiving work files while onthe-go, or accessing online services such as mobile banking or e-commerce,” Tamayo said.

Best network in the country

These network enhancement efforts in Batangas are part of PLDT and Smart’s nationwide thrust to upgrade their fixed and mobile networks across the country.

Underpinning this network is PLDT’s expansive fiber network, which also supports Smart’s mobile network by providing highcapacity links to cellular base stations. The country’s most extensive fiber infrastructure, it is now at 244,000 kilometers.

EXPERTS GATHER AT REAL ESTATE TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT THE brightest minds and luminaries in the local real estate industry converged for the “ULI Philippines Conference 2019: THE FUTU/RE SUMMIT” on April 4 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The day-long conference was organized by the Urban Land Institute, an international membership-based nonprofit research and education organization and will focus on discussions regarding real estate technology and innovation.

Raymond Rufino, current Chairman of the ULI National Council and President and Director of The Net Group, shared the importance of the summit to the Philippines and the real estate sector.

“The Futu/RE Summit is being staged

by Urban Land Institute Philippines to showcase exciting opportunities and developments as the real estate industry is transformed by technology and innovation,” Rufino said. “By featuring experts and thought leaders at the forefront of this wave of transformation, ULI hopes to inspire meaningful dialogue, close collaboration, and responsible leadership as we

work on building better cities together.”

For his part, Buds Wenceslao, CEO of D.M. Wenceslao and Associates Inc., believes that technology and innovation have started breaking the barriers of brick-and-mortar models of real estate.

“Gaining insight on global and ground-breaking trends and disruptions is key to creating future proof strategies in a rapldly changing real estate environment,” he said.

The talks and panel discussions during the summit centered on the following: the disruption of real estate, blockchain technology and its impact on real estate, how innovation has transformed urban planning in the 21st century, workplace revolution, sustainable urban development, local property tech trailblazers, Technical Assistance Panel on Poblacion, the Urban Innovation Challenge, smart cities, and the future of real estate.

Conference speakers and panelists included Nigel Barnes of the International Workplace Group, Nicholas Brooke of the Professional Property Services Group, Jordan Kostelac of JLL Asia Pacific, Sec. Raul

Lambino of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, Amor Maclang of GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc., Angeline Tham of Angkas, Bhavna Suresh of Lamudi, Julian Kwan of InvestaCrowd, Mark Gorriceta of Gorriceta Africa Cauton & Saavedra, Jack Fitzgerald of Lendlease Singapore, Mario Berta of Flyspaces, Kristina Bautista of OLX, Jean Jacquelyn Nathania De Castro of ESCA International, Jaime Enrique Gonzales of IPVI, Ram de Guzman of Thinking Machines, Peter Hyland of Cistri, Phil Kim of Jerde Partnership, Victor Maningo of Haworth Organic Space Philippines, Dustin Jefferson Onghanseng of uHoo, Tyler Staton of Talox, Neva Talladen of Swoop PH, Imelda Ceniza Tiongson of Opal Portfolio Investments Inc., Edison Tsai of SeedIn Technology Inc., Lars Wittig of Regus Philippines, and Sylvester Wong of AECOM. “As the global real estate industry expands with incredible speed, the Philippine property landscape is itself making its own impressive shift,” said Maclang, Executive Director of Fintech Philippines and cofounder of GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications. “Now, we see local property

Shown here are (from left) Goerge Royeca, Head of Regulatory and Public Affairs ANGKAS; Lars Wittig, Regus Philippines; Amor Maclang, Founder GMCI and ULI Chairman Public Engagement; Jordan Kostelac, JLL Asia Pacific; Kristina Bautista, Head OLX; JOhn Fitzgerald, ULI Asia Pacific; Buds WEnceslao, Current chairman ULI Philippines and CEO D.M. Wenceslao and Associates Inc.,; and Julian Kwan, InvestaCrowd.

companies using big data and analytics in their marketing and sales strategies to give buyers a fuller experience at all touchpoints, among other things.”

Founded in 1936, the Urban Land In-

stitute now has almost 40,000 members worldwide representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines, working in private enterprise and public service.

Destinations D1

SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

HISTORY OF HEROES.

The Pacific War Memorial was built to honor the valor of Filipino and American soldiers who fought side by side in World War II.

WINE ON BOARD

CORREGIDOR’S HEROIC LEGACY

ABOARD Emirates flights are some of the finest wines from all over the world.

Sourcing their selection from 12 countries in the main wine-producing regions of the world—Argentina, Australia, Austria, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the USA— the airline ensures every glass of wine served onboard meets the often sophisticated and discriminating taste of passengers.

How do they source the finest wines from all over the world?

At the heart of Emirates’ strategy is its unique approach to purchasing exceptional wines en primeur, years before they are released to the market, and then allowing these vintages to mature and reach their potential before serving on board.

While most airlines source their wines through brokers or tenders, Emirates’ team of wine connoisseurs has built direct relationships with some of the world’s most prestigious vineyards to handpick and secure the most exclusive and rare wines for its customers.

C

ORREGIDOR played a vital role in the Philippine history, especially during the invasion and liberation of the country from Japanese forces.

The island had been fortified with coastal artillery to defend the entrance of Manila Bay from attacks of enemy warships. It had been heavily bombarded during the latter part of the war. Today, the ruins serve as a military memorial to Filipino, American, and Japanese soldiers who served or lost their lives on the battlefield.

As the Philippines celebrates its heroes—April 7 is Veterans Day and April 9 is the Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan)—the public remembers Corregidor.

Corregidor Island, now categorized as an eco-tourism site, is currently undergoing improvements fol-

lowing a 10-month tourism masterplan by Palafox Associates.

Corregidor is managed and operated by the Corregidor Foundation, Inc. (CFI) under its current chairperson and chief executive Cynthia Carrion.

CFI, with the Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board, jointly manage Corregidor to remind everyone not so much of the horrors of war, but rather how high a price we must pay for our freedom and how we must all work to keep the peace.

Corregidor Island attractions include the Pacific War Memorial with its Dome of Peace, and a sculpture called the Eternal Flame of Freedom.

This 12-inch artillery gun, the longest gun on Corregidor Island, fired 1,000-pound mortar shells and spun 360 degrees on its rotating platform.

There’s also the Pacific War Memorial Museum that houses World War II memorabilia.

Walking down history lane is made more engaging in Corregidor via the guided tram tour of the island. As the tram passes

through the Malinta tunnel, there’s a lights and sounds show that simulates what it was Turn to D2

Emirates serves some of the finest wines from the main wine-producing regions in the world.

The airline has invested an estimated US$700 million in its wine programme since 2006. Emirates’ wine cellar in Burgundy, France stores 7 million bottles, of which some are ready for drinking in 2025.

Bordeaux enthusiasts are spoiled for choice as wines from this region have always been the mainstay of the Emirates wine offering—58 percent of the red wine in First Class and Business Class come from the region.

Emirates’ selection also includes recently added wines such as Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux, the white wine variant of Château Margaux, as well as vintages of La Clarté de Haut-Brion, known to be rare and Turn to D2

UPGRADING TOURISM EDUCATION

The backdrop for Union of Filipino Tourism Educators' 6th Annual General Membership Meeting and Research Presentations event.

I HAVE been teaching tourism courses for almost two decades now. Even while I was running the countrywide operations of an international airline, I was handling classes on the side. I find it a gratifying experience to be able to share my knowledge with the starry-eyed upstarts of the tourism industry, especially when, as the semester ends, they start thinking like me and can easily discuss with anybody, the latest issues in the industry.

This is why I take the time to update myself on new trends, new issues, new challenges of the industry, and on the continuously evolving standards of the academe. I have to be sure that what I share and how I share it with my students is relevant.

MERCURY RISING

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

A week ago, I attended the General Membership Meeting of the Union of Filipino Tourism Educators (UFTE) because it was announced that some research papers would be presented to the audience. I know that scholarly re-

search is always a good source of new and verified information and data.

UFTE started in 1988 when schools in Metro Manila, offering tourism courses, formed the Association of Tourism Schools in the Philippines. These founding schools were the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, San Sebastian College, De Ocampo College, La Consolacion College, Centro Escolar University, and the University of Santo Tomas.

After four years, the increase in their membership made them change their Constitution and their name to Tourism Educators of Schools, Colleges and Universities, but it was in the year 2000, after securing membership from Turn to D2

Destinations

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SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

4 DAYS IN SAPPORO Dr. Ninoy Alejandro, keynote speaker of the UFTE Conference

UPGRADING...

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many colleges and universities nationwide, the association became known as the Union of Filipino Tourism Educators.

Guided by its vision of having an increasing pool of trained academicians and professionals in Travel and Tourism who understand the close interrelationship among all segments of the tourism industry, UFTE promotes close ties between educators and the industry. It also unites all schools, colleges, and universities with Tourism Programs, with the end in view of training and developing students for a productive and meaningful career in tourism.

Its lectures, seminars, workshops, and conferences in various fields of tourism increase its members’ professional knowledge through interaction with leading personalities from all levels of the industry. The organization also makes it possible for the members to work with colleagues, to advance the image and understanding of tourism educators within the industry.

The gathering I attended highlighted the advancement of tourism education in the country through research and collaboration with industry partners. In fact, the event’s keynote speaker, Dr. Ninoy Alejandro spoke on Creating Tourism Jobs Through Research. He explained how a well-crafted research paper can lead to the discovery of potential sources of business and to the upgrading of operational standards and processes.

I learned that, for a research paper to be of value, it must have originality in its contribution to knowledge with an emphasis on innovativeness. Its Quality of Argument must banner critical analysis of theories, concepts, and findings, and must have clear positioning of its purpose. Of course, its writing style must be impeccable.

SAPPORO BEYOND THE BEER. Visit Nikka Whisky's distillery to see how skilled craftsmen create the perfect whisky.

A

SIDE from the Winter Festival, there are other things to discover in Sapporo, an enchanting place in Hokkaido.

There are stunning landmarks scattered all throughout the region, authentic Japanese curry, and the wellknown Sapporo Beer.

toy stores. Once you’re done, hop on a cab, ride the train, or rent a car to get to the city proper.

After checking in to your hotel, start your Sapporo immersion by going to the Northern Horse Park. Post a photo of you riding horses through the park’s serene surroundings.

Explore a piece of history frozen in time at Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura’s Edo period temples and houses. Try to spot the samurais, ninjas, and geishas scattered throughout the village.

Cap off your first day with a tour at the Noboribetsu Hell Valley.

Take snaps as you bathe in a combination of 11 kinds of water filled with different kinds of minerals that are healthy for the body. This The country’s flag carrier, Phil- ancient Japanese spring treatment ippine Airlines, which now flies is said to cure ills and ailments. directly to Sapporo three times weekly, offers this four-day itinerary for those curious to know the hottest picturesque spots in Japan’s hidden wonder.

Toya, Toya Caldera, and the Usu Volcano Global Geopark.

Once you get back down from the summit, you can take a relaxing walk along the coastline of Lake Toya or follow the trails leading to the other vantage points of the island.

If you’re a dairy lover, then Niseko Milk Kobo will be heaven on earth for you. Thanks to Hokkaido’s great air quality, relatively cool summer weather, and wide open farming areas, their dairy products have a unique taste that’s incomparable.

Once you get there, try their unique milk blends or choose from a range of mouthwatering pastries.

Unleash the adrenaline junkie in you as you ride down the slippery slopes at Niseko Ski Resort, located at the northern part of Hokkaido.

YOUR WEEKEND CHUCKLE

Enjoy a relaxing massage in the middle of the woods.

MESSAGE IN HOSPITAL WAITING AREA: Smoking makes you lose weight, one lung at a time.

There were five other research papers presented, which made for an academically enriching afternoon. No wonder I met other educators who flew in all the way from Mindanao, while many others came in from the northernmost areas of Luzon.

As for me, I found myself energized as this UFTE Conference primed me for leveling up in my academic duties, and that’s an upgrade, anyway I see it!

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

the beautifully preserved canals that date back to the 1800s.

After a few hours learning about whiskies and others, discover the European architecture-inspired landmark, Shiroi Koibito, tucked away in the heart of the city. It’s a chocolate park where you can try making your own Shiroi Koibito cookies.

End the night with an amazing view of the entire Sapporo skyline at Mt. Moiwa. Take a romantic photo with your significant other or just enjoy the magical scenery.

Day 4: Walk around

Ring the Fortune Bell at Mt. Moiwa.

Take pictures at the snow-covered valleys.

Day 2: Panoramic trip

Ride a horse at Northern Horse Park.

Day 1: Touchdown

Take a photo once you arrive at the New Chitose Airport. Satisfy your chocolate cravings by going to Royce’s Chocolate World or get your favorite toy from the airport’s several

Booking a flight during the winter season? Start the day with a view to remember by going to Orofure Pass. Take pictures of the breathtaking snow-covered valleys when you get to the viewing deck.

Then go up Mt. Usu in the most scenic way possible: ride a cable car to the volcano’s summit and enjoy a panoramic view of Lake

Day 3: Whisky, sake, chocolates, lights

See how Nikka Whisky is made by visiting its distillery. Observe age-old traditions performed by skilled craftsmen as they create the perfect whisky.

Half an hour away from Sapporo is the quaint harbor city, Otaru. The place is famous for its intricate glassworks, music boxes, and sake distilleries. Strike a pose as you walk along

Undeniably one of the most Instagrammable spots in Japan, walk through thousands of tall vermilion torii gates that lead up to the shrine’s sacred forest at the Fushimi Inari Shrine.

After taking one or 12 photos at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, explore Sapporo’s urban grit. Stroll through the famous Odori Park, snap a selfie in front of the century-old clock tower, or capture the city’s beauty when you go up the sky-high TV tower.

Punctuate your trip by treating yourself to a relaxing massage in the middle of the woods at Sato Jozan Spa. Let your body rejuvenate from your epic Sapporo adventure.

WINE...

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exclusive due to its small-scale production. Other white Bordeaux wines include Château Smith Haut Lafitte and Château Malartic-Lagravière.

Emirates is also the biggest global partner of Dom Perignon, one of the top vintage Champagne brands in the world. It has also placed great importance on wines from Burgundy and purchases directly from exclusive Grand cru vineyards such as ChevalierMontrachet, Charmes-Chambertin, and Échezeaux.

The airline’s long-standing relationships with wine producers has meant access to some of the most rare and exclusive wines. From the CortonCharlemagne Grand Cru region alone, considered to be among the finest of Burgundy’s white wines, Emirates purchased 2,000 cases in 2015, which is equivalent to 10 percent of the total production in the region.

Other recent additions to the Emirates wine cellar include fine Italian wines such as Solaia and Ornellaia for First Class, and the highly sought-after Super Tuscan wine Tignanello which will be added to the Business Class offering in the coming years.

CORREGIDOR'S...

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like during the island’s darkest days during the Second World War for the visitors to experience.

Aside from a repository of history, the island also has fun activities for visitors. A fully functional beach resort and camp sites are available for families and friends to enjoy.

Go to www.corregidorisland.com.ph for more information.

The Peace Dome (top), built in 1968, serves as a place for contemplation and spiritual reflection. It features a dome housing a circular altar. Meanwhile, the 253-meter long, 7.3-meter wide, 5.5-meter high Malinta tunnel (bottom) served as the residence of former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon and Vice President Sergio Osmeña along with their families after they fled Manila during the Japanese invasion. It also housed soldiers, medical personnel, and civilians while Japanese forces laid siege to Corregidor.

Entertainment

SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019

BINIBINING PILIPINAS FRONTRUNNERS EMERGE AT PRESS PRESENTATION

By Eton Concepcion

T

HE forty lovely candidates of Binibining Pilipinas 2019 showed their fighting forms in swimsuits during the media presentation held at the pool area of Novotel Manila Araneta on Thursday.

This year’s batch are women of different professions from lawyer to flight attendants, beauty titlists, models to students, all eyeing one of the new six titles at stake with the Miss Philippines Universe crown as the most coveted. The other crowns are Binibining Pilipinas International, Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental, Binibining Pilipinas Supranational, Binibining Pilipinas Globe and Binibining Pilipinas Grand International.

“They are the cream of the crop,” said BPCI chairperson Stella Marquez Araneta who is aiming to continue the winning streak of Filipinas on the world stage of beauty competitions.

A short list of fifteen candidates are shoo-ins for the big titles to be won come the grand coronation night on June 9. They are, in random order, Bea Patricia Magtanong of Bataan, Gazini Ganados of Talisay City, Cebu, Leren Mae Bautista of Laguna, Maria Andrea Abesamis of Pasig City, Samantha Mae Bernardo of Palawan, Hannah Arnold of Masbate, Ilene De Vera of Mandaue City, Cebu; Julia Saubier of Legazpi City, April Short of Zamboanga City, Emma Mary Tiglao of Pampanga, Resham Saeed of Maguindano, Jessarie Dumaguing of Puerto Princesa, Vickie Rushton of Negros Occidental, Marie Sherry Ann Tormes of Polangui, Albay, Maria Isabel Galeria of Sorsogon, and Joanna Rose Tolledo of Caloocan City.

The favorites and frontrunners during the press presentation were cheered on by the fans and fellow beauty queens that include the reining queens and past titlists.

The press presentation is the second of the major prepageant activities after the Talent Competition. The candidates will be next seen in a Fahion Show at New Frontier Theater on May 29 after the highly anticipated Grand Parade on May 25.

Among Binibining Pilipinas top favorites during the press presentation held on Thursday at Novotel in Araneta Center are Vickie Rushton (top) of Negros Occidental, Maria Andrea Abesamis of Pasig City, Patricia Magtanong of Bataan, and Hannah Arnold of Masbate

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Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

Teen dancer Ken San Jose of junior division considers his late father as his inspiration.

FINALISTS CLASH ON ‘WORLD OF DANCE PHILIPPINES’ STAGE A GRAND dance battle amps up the excitement of viewers this weekend as the three finalists from each division pull all the stops and showcase their immense versatility in dancing in the much-awaited “World Finals” of World of Dance Philippines.

Tune in as Ken San Jose of junior division, Luka and Jenalyn of upper division, and FCPC Baliktanaw of team division fight for their dreams for a chance to win P2 million, an allexpense paid trip to Los Angeles, USA, and become the country’s representative in World of Dance USA. From being an online sensation, Ken is now conquering a bigger stage and has impressed viewers with his smooth moves and notable dance routines.

Having his late father as his inspiration, his performance in the division finals moved the audience and even brought judge Billy Crawford in tears.

Despite having foreign blood, Luka and Filipino-Portuguese Jenalyn proved that they are Pinoy at heart and can bring pride to the country with their emotional and effortless performances. They also put all the judges on their feet with their hairraising performance in the division finals, which propelled them to the final stage of the competition.

FCPC Baliktanaw is known for their relevant statements in their performances while highlighting the Pinoy culture on stage. Their powerful routines made them the first-ever contestant to achieve a total score of 100 percent, proving that they are a force to reckon with. They also brought the Pinoy spirit to the division finals with their flawless routine that secured their spot as finalists.

Meanwhile, the public will have the chance to support their favorite acts as they become the fourth judge who will decide on the finalists’ fate in the competition. To vote, just text WOD (space) name of the act and sent to 2366 for all network (one vote per sim per day). Viewers can also vote online using their Kapamilya accounts at vote.abs-cbn.com/ WOD. An account can only vote once per day.

Fans can also catch the intense dance battle online via “World of Dance Philippines” YouTube channel and Facebook page.

AFTER TAKING ON FOX STUDIO, DISNEY LOOKS TO NEXT CHAPTER THE storied 20th Century Fox studio is now part of the Walt Disney empire, but the celebrated fanfare heard at the start of its films won’t die.

Disney, which showcased what it expects to be a string of blockbuster hits this year at the CinemaCon industry event, indicated it wants to keep the Alfred Newman composition that has become a trademark for Fox productions.

“Disney and Fox combined history and the future,” said Alan Horn, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, at the Las Vegas industry gathering.

“We are truly excited because we believe that together we will be more.”

The Disney-Fox combination currently has five of the top 10 global box office hits and six of the top 10 in the US and Canada.

Disney executives said the Fox fanfare would remain and also expressed a desire to promote the Fox Searchlight brand, which has garnered 39 Oscars in its 25 year history.

The team has “an unbelievable collection of stories, characters and roles to explore,” Horn said.

Fox and Disney have 22 major releases for this year including the latest Captain Marvel and upcoming Avengers: Endgame, due out April 26.

The lineup also includes titles such as Dumbo, Aladdin, Lion King,

Frozen II, and Star Wars Episode IX. Dark Phoenix is the latest installment of the X-Men franchise from Fox, followed by the action comedy Stuber about an Uber driver hired to help a police detective.

Later this year comes the release of Ford v. Ferrari about the battle of the two automakers to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1966.

The first of the Fox studio releases will be Breakthrough, based on the story of a miraculous rescue of a teenager after a fall through the ice on a lake.

The presentation by Disney executives at CinemaCon was lowkey, with no major stars brought out to promote the new releases. AFP

A screengrab of Avengers: Endgame trailer. The motion picture is one of the 22 titles Fox and Disney are releasing this year.

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SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2019

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

TEACHING KIDS

TO BE KIND TO ANIMALS

(SIMPLE ACTS OF COMPASSION TO HELP ANIMALS) programmed that he or she is also loved and safe as he or she hears these words all the time.

Animal welfare advocates will tell you which dogs or cats have been rehabilitated and can be touched.

Ask though if all dogs and cats in the said shelter or sanctuary have been given the anti-rabies shot.

Teaching your kid to be kind to animals is the first step to teaching your kid empathy.

PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS

A

(Last of 3 parts)

WORLD of positive energy does wonders for us, specially our kids.

Where love, kindness, patience, understanding and specially COMPASSION surround us, we, specially our children and grandchildren, feel good. This feeling contributes to our overall wellbeing. This makes us healthy.

Simple acts of compassion towards humans—our sick friends, depressed relatives, orphaned children or homeless persons—evoke gratefulness in those we help. This gratefulness is a positive energy that balances the negative energy in the world we move in.

Animals are grateful beings too.

They are easier to please and they know how to show gratefulness, not just feel it. They emit the most positive energy that will either “eat” the negative energy around you, or at the very least, balance the negative energy so that you do not get sick or stressed out. Their gratefulness and love “tonifies” your environment.

I read somewhere that compassion is similar to a muscle. The more you work it, the stronger it gets.

One way to work out that “muscle” called compassion is to teach our kids to be kind to animals.

3. Teach kids to be compassionate towards animals In the article “5 Ways To Teach Your Kids Compassion Towards Animals” in naturespath.com, Katie Chiavarone said: “Kids innately have an attraction and a desire to care for animals. Given this foundation, there are many ways in which we can instill an even greater love and respect for animals in our children.”

She added: “Not only does this compassion and care for creatures benefit the animals of the world, but it also builds character and helps our children develop into well-rounded human beings that approach the world with a concern and respect for others. This love for animals actually teaches kids how to treat one another, and how to be integral components of society.”

To foster love for animals, Chiavarones suggested the following:

Kids Yesha, Caela and Julia Manlogon enjoyed activities at the Sunday Pupday Market with Yorkies Bailey and Hailey at Sm Aura.

A. VOLUNTEER “Help your child extend mercy and care for animals that have been injured or that need a home.

There are plenty of worthwhile organizations that would love to have extra hands helping out!” she said.

There are a lot of animal welfare groups with homes for rescued dogs and cats. Do find out about them and visit them.

Some volunteers have celebrated their birthdayin these homes

and donated food and medicine to rescued animals.

Kids learn to express love by holding a dog who has been abandoned and who licks you endlessly and asks for belly rubs, tails wagging, when you show them love.

B. MODEL EMPATHY “Children learn by example. By modeling care and concern for how animals might feel in a number of situations, you will notice that your kids will begin to express similar concerns. Avoiding negative talk about disliking different animal species, and ensuring that we are not speaking poorly about our own pets at home is also an important component in modeling compassionate behavior,” said Chiavarone.

While in homes for rescued animals, show your kid how to be kind. Talk to the animals who were rescued from abuse and neglect and tell the dogs or cats “I love you. You are safe now.”

This will teach your kid to be expressive and your kid will also be

C. READ “Find books with animals as main characters. Kids will identify with the issues and feelings that the animals express, and will feel a care and concern for the characters in the book. Additionally, there are many books in which animals can be the ‘helper’. This shows children that animals can provide a depth to a relationship that extends beyond a unilateral caretaker/provider human-animal relationship.

Animals can provide friendship and companionship to people as well, “ Chiavarone stressed.

D. EXPOSE THEM TO ANIMALS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT Chiavarone said: “Instilling a love of animals in your kids means showing respect for all animals.

This goes beyond common household pets…”

She suggested visiting a farm with animals but please ask the owner which animals can be touched.

You can also bring your kid on a nature walk, or bird watching.

These, Chiavarone said, “are all great ways to expose children to animals beyond what they might typically have exposure to.”

E. SUPPORT ANIMALFRIENDLY COMPANIES This, to me, is very important. At an early age, please teach your children not to be materialistic and to learn to help others in need by simply letting go of any need for a material thing that may have caused harm to another being. This exercise will actually help you raise a well-balanced, principled, and genuinely loving and kind child.

“Research companies with your kids to find those that treat their animals humanely, that avoid product testing on animals, and that support animal organizations and rescues, “ Chiavarone said.

She added: “In taking the time to help, being a positive role model, and in supporting others who treat animals with kindness and compassion, we can be instrumental in really fostering a true love for animals in our kids.”

PUP DAY MARKET

THE Sunday Pupday Market of Pet Express highlighted talks on proper puppy care and pawsome treats recently at the Skypark in SM Aura Premier.

Dr. Andres Aspuria, pet specialist from Nexgard Spectra, gave tips on Puppy Health 101, and stressed the importance of vaccination and regular visits to the vet.

Pet fashion also took center stage.

Adrian Cabuhat, who recently won second place at the New York Pet Fashion Show, showed

his recent design inspirations for his entry to the international pet fashion show.

Furparents enjoyed discounts and freebies from participating booths, and the chance to get tickets for the movie screening of “A Dog’s Way Home” at SM Cinemas.

The Sunday Pupday Market was an event held in partnership with SM Cinema, Asian Kennel Club Union of the Philippines Inc. (AKCUPI), and Hound Haven with other pawsome partners

Ezydog, Pedigree, Kleen Kenel, Muddy Paws, Nexgard Spectra, Nature’s Protection, Saint Roche, Nutram, Pupkits and Sleeky.

For more exciting events, information are available in the newly opened Pet Express store in SM Aura Premier and SM Makati. The other stores are in SM Cubao, SM Hypermarket Makati, SM Mall of Asia, SM City North EDSA, SM City Fairview, SM City Masinag, SM Megamall, and SM City Dasmariñas, Alabang Hills and Greenhills.

MY FURRY BESTIE THIS corner features pets of animal lovers every week. We hope new owners and those thinking of getting a pet will be encouraged to be responsible “furparents” through these features. We also hope more people will be moved to be kind to animals when they read about the great relationship that can be created between humans and animals.

For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

KEIRA, almost one year old, is a rescued furbaby.

“Unlike other felines, she dreads being cuddled for a long time and would rather play alone and enjoy her ‘me’ time, “ says owner Franchesca Phoenix.

Franchesca adds: “Aloof kitty that she is, when she needs a good rub, Keira finds her way to me.”

Francesca also says “Her fave past time is eating and grooming her brother, Jagger.”

Editor's note: These stories were compiled by admin Miks Lim of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), a SEC-registered animal welfare group that helps animals in need, and encourages and promotes responsible pet ownership, adoption of rescued dogs and cats from fosters, shelters and pounds, and spaying and neutering of pets to control animal population in the country, among others.

ALL IS SET FOR DOG LOVER SEHUN’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION BY FILIPINO FANS FILIPINO EXO-Ls will definitely spend a heart-warming time on EXO’s Sehun’s birthday celebration on April 13, 2019.

The event, organized by Zephyr Ph, will be a meaningful get together for the fans as they share their blessings to help animals in need.

Sehun may not be fond of deers but he surely adores his dog Vivi. He inspired his fans, thus, Zephyr Ph will donate to rescued dogs and cats of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL).

EXO’s maknae will be turning 25 on April 12 and we want to be a part of this celebration.

Don’t be 11 minutes late in sending him a birthday greeting on his real birth date.

Zephyr Ph has prepared a bunch of activities to make April 13 the best day ever.

From games to raffle prizes, name it they have it. It is an all-in-one event where guests can enjoy watching Sehun’s web drama Dokgo Rewind or EXO’s recent concert, ElyXiOn while pleasing their eyes with his beauty through a mini-exhibit.

To You in 2,000 Years is a celebration of life to be held at the ODDS Café and Nail Spa located along Aurora Boulevard. Christine Sanchez

Korean artist Sehun with his beloved dog Vivi.