Manila Standard - 2019 May 24 - Friday

FB, YouTube sued for P1-b cyber libel

By Rey E. Requejo

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 99 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PROMINENT Bicolano businessman Elizaldy Co and his Misibis Bay Resort have filed a P1-billion cyber libel suit against social media giants Facebook and YouTube and Peter Advincula, Next page

‘Bikoy’ yields, bares LP plot

PLOT ALLEGATIONS, DENIALS.

Getting curiouser and curiouser as the man, who claims he is Peter Joemel Advincula, alias Bikoy, accuses Thursday the political opposition and clergymen behind the plot to topple President Rodrigo Duterte and replace him with Vice President Leni Robredo, allegations made a news conference in Camp Crame immediately denied by those he has accused.

Manny Palmero

By Francisco Tuyay, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

T

HE man who claimed to be behind a series of online videos that accused President Rodrigo Duterte’s family of taking drug money surrendered to the police Thursday, and said the opposition and some clergymen were behind the plot to topple Duterte and to replace him with Vice President Leni Robredo, LP chairman.

Robredo and other opposition politicians implicated by Peter Joemel Advincula, a.k.a. “Bikoy,” immediately denied his new allegations, made after he surrendered to the police.

Advincula, who is wanted for cases of estafa and illegal recruitment, tagged the opposition Otso Diretso and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in “Project Sodoma,” an alleged plot to install Robredo

By Vito Barcelo and Rio N. Araja by ousting Duterte.

The police and the Palace had also THE Bureau of Customs intercepted discredited Advincula when he initially seven container vans of trash from surfaced before the Integrated Bar of the Australia that were wrongly declared Next page as processed engineered fuel and

PH as garbage dump? Aussies follow suit after Canada, SoKor municipal waste in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

At the same time, Canada said that

by June, it would ship back 69 containers of trash that were illegally shipped to the Philippines by a private Cana-

dian company in 2013 and 2014—but President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the commitment date as too late.

On Thursday, a TV news report said seven container vans with shredded municipal waste were being held in the

ROMUALDEZ ASSURES PARTY-LISTS OF ‘FAIR SHARE’

HISTORIC MOMENT. Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez (fifth from left, seated) shares a historic space with members of the Party-List Coalition Foundation Inc. led by its president Rep. Mikee Romero (fifth from right seated) and other officials during the 1st Assembly of PCFI at the Marco Polo Hotel in Pasig City. Romualdez is seeking PCFI’s help for his speakership bid in the 18th Congress. Ver Noveno

Mindanao Container Terminal.

BOC collector John Simon said the waste from Australia was consigned to the Verde Soco Philippines, the same consignee that imported tons of trash from South Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT Martin Romualdez of Leyte on Thursday assured the newly constituted Party-List Coalition of a fair and equitable distribution of committee posts and budget allocations should he be elected Speaker.

Meanwhile, Tingog first nominee Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez on Thursday renewed her commitment to sustain her compassionate governance in serving the electorate under the Duterte administration.

“Rest assured that the malasakit governance we have been implementing will continue to ensure that people who are less in life would enjoy more government malasakit under President Rodrigo Duterte through sufficient funding on education, health and other social services,” said Romualdez, Leyte’s outgoing first district representative and chairman of the House committee on accounts.

Her group was one of the 51 partylist organizations proclaimed winners by the Commission on Elections on Wednesday night.

Next page

Envoy: PH-US military pact crucial to keeping region stable

By Rey E. Requejo THE military alliance between the United States and Philippines remains critically significant to maintaining peace and stability in the I ndo -Pa ci f ic region, in-

cluding in the hotly contested South China Sea, US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said Thursday.

Because of this, the US will continue to conduct joint military activities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Kim said.

Next page

STILL IN RUINS.

An aerial view Thursday of the destroyed Grand Mosque in Marawi (left), after it was overrun by jihadists, shows it is still in ruins, two years after the siege. At the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Metro Manila (inset) kin of slain soldiers and civilians during the siege in 2017 offer flowers to their departed loved ones.

AFP with Lino Santos

Robles, former MS editor, passes away ‘Amatz’ song turns off PDEA

JOJO A. ROBLES, the former Editor in Chief of the Manila Standard, passed away on Thursday after a lingering illness. He was 57.

Next page

By Rio N. Araja THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has called on the Movies and Television Review and Classification Board to ban the song “Amatz” of the rapper Shanti Dope.

PDEA director-general Aaron Aquino on May 20 requested the MTRCB and the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit and ABSCBN Corp. to prevent the airing of “Amatz” and its promotion in the Next page

Marawi rehab delay seen fueling jihadists’ cause TWO years after the Philippine city of Marawi was overrun by jihadists it remains in ruins, with experts warning that stalled reconstruction efforts are bolstering the appeal of extremist groups in the volatile region.

The May 23, 2017 invasion by gunmen waving the black flag of the Is-

lamic State group sparked a five-month battle that shattered swathes of the southern city.

Demolition of blast-pocked buildings has finally begun, but after several false starts the government does not expect rebuilding to be finished before the end of 2021.

The delays have left about 100,000 residents in squalid relocation camps or sharing homes with relatives, feeding simmering anger among the displaced and providing a recruiting tool for extremists.

“The narratives [to join IS] used to be about the Middle East and the plight of Next page

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FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

2 drug firms foiled on Dengvaxia

By Rio N. Araja

A

QUEZON City court has supported the pursuit of a civil case against executives of the French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and distributor Zuellig Pharma Corp. in connection with the death of a child inoculated with the Dengvaxia vaccine.

Branch 226 Judge Manuel Sta. Cruz Jr. He said the complaint filed by the of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court parents of the 13-year-old Abbie Hedia dumped the motions to dismiss the case merited action. filed by Sanofi and Zuellig Pharma officials.

Hedia died on Feb. 10, 2018.

Envoy:...

From A1 The United States, he added, had a serious interest in and was closely monitoring developments in the South China Sea. In 2016, the Philippines won a favorable decision from the Permanent Court of Arbitration when it junked the “ninedash line” claims of China over the South China Sea, but Beijing refused to recognize the arbitral ruling.

Apart from the Philippines, the other claimants of the disputed territory include Taiwan and ASEAN member-states Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

At the same forum, Kim said US concerns with the Chinese firm Huawei Technologies are very serious.

“It’s important as a friend, as a party, and as an ally to share our concerns with the Philippines and other partners with the region and beyond.

You know these are very serious concerns,” Kim told reporters.

But the US envoy said that they are leaving the decision up to policymakers and private sector leaders in the country on how they will address Huawei issue.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo earlier warned the Philippine government against partnering with the Chinese tech firm amid allegations that it could be spying for the Chinese government.

Kim said that they have widely shared their information on Huawei and that the policymakers and private sector leaders in the Philippines are aware of the supposed security threat.

“Frankly, it’s not just concerns of the United States. I think many countries share those concerns,” the US envoy said.

Romualdez...

From A1 Martin Romualdez, president of the Philippine Constitution Association and the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, recognized the great contribution of the party-list bloc in ensuring the swift passage of Duterte’s legislative agenda this 17th Congress, adding that the group would continue to be a powerful partner for reforms in the next Congress.

“The party-list group comprises 20 percent of the House of Representatives. We will work for their proper representation in various committees and budget allocations among others,” Romualdez said.

“These are the things we will thresh out,” Romualdez told reporters after attending the post-proclamation meeting of the PLC at the Marco Polo Hotel in Pasig City, where he and the other aspirants in the speakership race were given a chance to present their programs.

Initially, Romualdez is being backed by at least 126 lawmakers who signed the manifesto of support for his speakership bid.

Romualdez, the Independent Bloc Leader of the previous 16th Congress, said he hoped to get the support of the PLC. “The support of the Party-ist Coalition will be a big boost,” Romualdez said.

“You have to remember that the party-list group represents many sectors and marginalized sectors, and they represent the sectors that are not left behind. That is why this group is important. I took time to come here.”

Romualdez said he expected the party-list bloc in the incoming 18th Congress “to continue its crucial role of ensuring the swift passage of Malacañang’s priority measures.”

“The party-list bloc is our partner for change and reforms to carry the speedy passage of President Duterte’s legislative agenda,” said Romualdez, one of the contenders in the speakership race.

I-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero was elected president of the Party-List Coalition and invited Romualdez and the others vying for the speakership in Thursday’s event.

Romero said the group would decide later on the candidate for Speaker they will support. He said the bloc would also invite the others eyeing the top post in the House.

“Hypothetically admitting the mentioned allegations together with other facts alleged in the complaint, the court may render a judgment upon the same,” the court order says.

Sta. Cruz ordered officers Carlito Realuyo, Conchita Santos, Jazel Anne Calvo, and Pearl Grace Cabali to file their respective replies within five days of receiving his order.

In November 2019, Dengvaxia manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur said the vaccine could trigger more severe symptoms for those who had not had dengue.

The complainants blamed Sanofi Pasteur for its failure to inform the public of the risks of the Dengvaxia either through safety warnings, instructions or indication in the product label.

They said Zuellig must be held liable for selling the vaccine for the mass immunization of more than 800,000 schoolchildren.

“Hypothetically, admitting the mentioned allegations, together with other facts alleged in the complaint, the court may render judgment upon the same,” Sta. Cruz said.

Belgica heads new cast of Duterte appointees

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission head Greco Belgica’s father, Pastor Grepor “Butch” Belgica, as Presidential Adviser for Religious Affairs, documents released by the Palace showed on Thursday.

Duterte on May 20 placed the older Belgica under the Office of the President, where he will receive a compensa-

‘Bikoy’...

From A1 Philippines on May 6 to claim that he was “Bikoy” and to reaffirm the allegations against the Dutertes in his videos.

But Advincula was singing a different tune when he surrendered on May 22, apologizing to the President and his family, and saying that the videos were part of an opposition plot to topple Duterte.

Advincula claimed he only not talked with Trillanes, but held several meetings with him during which they planned the campaign, which he said took them nine months.

Under the plan, Advincula said, Robredo would seize power and appoint Trillanes as her vice president.

He said Trillanes, a constant critic of the Dutertes, was in a hurry to become vice president before his term in the Senate expires on June 30.

While the plan was being formulated, Advincula said he was made to say at Room 713-A at the Grove Condominium in Pasig City, in a unit owned by a certain Attorney Salvador, said to be a big campaign contributor to the Otso Diretso.

He said secret meetings were held in De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University, where he met with Senator Risa Hontiveros, a certain Yolly Villanueva Ong, a certain Boom Enriquez, Vicente Romano, and one Dan Songco.

Advincula also claimed he met Ro-

Robles,...

From A1 Best known for his incisive column ‘Lowdown’ that earned him the Opinion Writer of the Year award from the Rotary Club of Manila Journalism Awards in 2014, Robles first joined the Standard as a researcher from the defunct Business Day. Through the years, he worked his way up to Reporter, Deskman, Metro Desk Editor, National Editor, Executive Editor, and finally as Editor in Chief of the Standard in May 2005. He left

‘Amatz’...

From A1 different media stations throughout the country.

The chorus of the song goes “lakas ng amats ko, sobrang natural, walang halong kemikal.”

The song also says “Ito hinangad ko; lipadin ay mataas pa sa kayang ip-

PH...

From A1 Korea in July and October 2018.

The shipment, abandoned by Verde Soco, was declared to contain “synthetic flakes.”

Simon said both the broker and the consignee would be held accountable for the wrong declaration.

Representatives of Holcim Philippines, a maker of cement, were present during the inspection of the shipment and said their company has long been using PEF instead of coal fuel.

“For us, this is really not garbage.

This is low-grade fuel, this is processed engineered fuel,” Alan Cuyno, technical manager of Holcim, said.

Customs officials, however, said the shipment still included trash.

FB, YouTube...

From A1 the self-confessed “Bikoy,” over the controversial “Ang Totoong Narco List” video that implicated them in the illegal drug trade.

This is the first prominent suit filed against social media giants Facebook and YouTube in the Philippines.

Co and the resort management filed two separate complaints before the Legazpi City prosecutor’s office seeking the criminal indictment of respondents Advincula, Facebook and YouTube, for cyber libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act. “The truth is finally out. By his own admission, Bikoy said everything in the viral video series that implicated me, Misibis Bay resort and other personalities in the illegal drug trade are pure fabrication,” Co said in an interview.

Apart from Advincula, who surfaced last May 13 to unmask himself and reaffirm his allegations in the videos only to surface again yesterday to retract his claims, the first charge sheet also included as respondent Facebook Philippines, represented by country director John Rubio, and other unidentified individuals responsible for the malicious video.

The complaint sought civil damages from the respondents amounting to P150 million in moral damages and P100 million in exemplary damages as well as payment of 10 percent for attorney’s fees for each of the two complainants, or a total of P550 million.

The second complaint named Advincula, Google Philippines as owner of YouTube where the videos circulated, through its country manager Kenneth Lingan, and other unidentified persons as respondents.

Co and Misibis Resort Management demanded the same amount of damages of P500 million and P50 million in attorney’s fees from the second set of respondents, for a total civil damage claims of at least P1.1 billion.

The complainants said the “false, malicious and libelous accusations in the video” that went viral on Facebook and Youtube affected not only his good reputation in the business field but also the operations of the popular resort destination in Albay.

tion of P1 a year.

Before pursuing pastoral work, the Belgica patriarch, a gang leader during the Marcos administration, was imprisoned for murder at the age of 16 and served 11 years.

Meanwhile, to replace the vacancy left by the late peace advocate Ghazali Jaafar, who died in March due to a lingering illness, the President appointed Mudjid Abu as a member of the 80-member BTA. The BTA will oversee the interim government of the Bangsamoro Auton-

omous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Aside from the two officials, Duterte also signed the appointment papers of several people from the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat, the departments of Health, Labor and Employment, Interior and Local Government, Foreign Affairs and Transportation.

There were also new additions to the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police.

bredo once at the Ateneo, but said she did not stay long.

He said he acted as Bikoy in exchange for P500,000 as he needed cash to settle his debt with a multi-level marketing company, which had filed a complaint against him for allegedly running away with funds to be used for a beauty pageant in Bicol.

Advincula said he came to know Trillanes through a certain Fr. Albert Alejo.

In 2016, Advincula tried to link former President Benigno Aquino III, Senator Leila de Lima and former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II to illegal drugs.

He peddled the story to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who found it “absurd.”

Advincula said he never got the P500,000 promised him for his work as Bikoy since his reward was to be given only after Robredo became president.

He said he was worried when he learned of a plan to move him from The Grove to a secluded place where he could be killed—and then his death would be blamed on President Duterte.

Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said they would have to check the veracity of Advincula’s new allegations.

“We have to qualify his statements with evidence…He said he has evidence at hand, we will ask him to surrender them to us. If we find anything on anybody, we will file cases,” Albayalde said.

Albayalde rejected insinuations that the PNP was being used for political purposes in the case.

“He surrendered, he is under arrest,”

Albayalde said in Filipino. “He requested to make a public apology because President Duterte was involved here. It’s up him because everybody knows he has a credibility problem because of the different things he says,” the PNP chief added.

Trillanes, the fiercest critic of the President in the Senate, denied the accusations against him.

“I deny the allegations made by this Bikoy character,” Trillanes said, adding that the new allegations were another ploy by the administration to harass the opposition.

He said he would consult with his lawyers so that they could file the appropriate charges against Advincula.

Liberal Party president Senator Francis Pangilinan said Advincula would say anything against the opposition as he was afraid for his life.

“We have no links with the video and Bikoy. Those accusations were all lies.

Those were just made up by the administration. They have always been dragging LP in the ouster plot which they fabricated to cover up for all their failures and the corruption in this administration,” Pangilinan said.

He also castigated the Duterte administration because until now, no drug lords or drug syndicate members involved in the smuggling of tons of shabu from the Bureau of Customs have been arrested. He branded as fake the government’s drug war. With Maricel V. Cruz, Nat Mariano and Rey E. Requejo

the company after a reorganization but rejoined the paper in December 2014, retaking his old seat at the central desk.

Born Feb. 18, 1962 in Manila, Robles resigned in June 2016 to focus on writing his column, which he moved from the Standard to The Manila Times in March 2018. His last article for the Times appeared last January.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines, Robles also lent his thoughts on burning news issues on the political radio show “Karambola” on dwIZ, where he was a program anchor and co-producer starting January 2015 until his failing health prevented him from going on air.

In between his stints with the Standard, Jojo was also news director for radio station dzRH, News Editor at the defunct The Evening Paper, and Editor in Chief of the Azkals Futbol Magazine until 2012.

According to Standard Property section editor Joel Lacsamana, Robles’ remains lie in state at the Arlington Memorial Chapels in Quezon City. His interment will be on May 28, Tuesday, at the Holy Gardens Memorial Park in Taytay, Rizal after the 11 a.m. Holy Mass.

Jojo is survived by his sons Juan Alfredo and Jose Martin. The Standard requests readers to pray for his family in this time of sorrow.

adama sayo ng gramo, di bale ng musika ikamatay.”

Aquino said the song was promoting the use of marijuana.

“It appears that the singer was referring to the high effect of marijuana, being in its natural/organic state and not altered by any chemical compound, Aquino said.

“We respect and appreciate our artists in the music industry. However, we strongly oppose the promotion of musi-

cal pieces or songs that encourage the recreational use of drugs like marijuana and shabu. It is contrary to our fight against illegal drugs.”

Aquino said the airing of the song advocating the use of illegal drugs as harmless might mislead the youth that it was all right to use illegal drugs.

“This runs contrary to the Duterte administration’s crusade against illegal drugs, he said.

Muslims around the world,” said Mouhammad Sharief, who co-founded a support group for Marawi’s youth.

“Now it’s closer to our hearts because the narrative is Marawi,” said 32-year-old Sharief, who was himself displaced by the fighting.

Marawi is symbolically important because it is the Muslim capital of the nation’s south, which has been locked in a cycle of poverty and extremism as separatist insurgencies have raged for decades.

It is all the more significant as IS works to maintain a presence via its global affiliates following the fall of its self-proclaimed “caliphate” in the Middle East.

IS regularly claims responsibility for killings of Philippine government troops and took credit for the January bombing of a Catholic cathedral during Sunday mass that was the nation’s deadliest attack in years.

Duterte’s orders The organization has links to local extremist networks, including the kidnap-for-ransom group Abu Sayyaf, that have long operated in the Philippines’ restive south.

In this context, an angry displaced population in Marawi is not a risk that can be ignored, experts say.

“The government needs to be concerned about the threats of ISIS attracting young [locals] because of the ongoing resentment from the failure to rebuild and general anger over the destruction,” analyst Sidney Jones told AFP. Fixing the city has been repeatedly delayed. A Chinese-led consortium initially tapped to spearhead the rehabilitation plan was disqualified over legal and financial issues. AFP

“Whatever the reason or declaration they made, the shipment is stillconsidered garbage and a banned item,” said Joel Pinawin, supervisor of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-CDO. The Canadian government vowed to complete by June this year the repatriation of its tons of trash shipped to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014.

This came after Ottawa through Minister of Environment and ClimateChange Catherine McKenna revealed that it has chosen the company that will be in charge of bringing the garbage back to Canada.

In a statement, the Canadian government said McKenna has awarded a contract to Bollore Logistics Canada.

“Canada is pleased to announce that it has awarded a contract to bring the waste back promptly and to ensure its safe and environmentally sound disposal,” McKenna said.

“The company will begin preparation for the shipping in the coming days,” the Canadian government said. “The removal will be complete by the end of June, as the waste must be safely treated to meet Canadian safety and health requirements.”

But the Palace rejected the June 30 target as being too late.

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo insisted the Philippine government will ship the trash back to Canada on its own.

He said the government could not wait until the end of June, as the repatriation has been stalled long enough.

“They said it will take about the end of June. The President will not accept that,” Panelo said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Thursday said the shipment of tons of trash to Canada must secure a clearance before it could

be sent back through China.

“There is quite a delay (in the shipment) because of some processes,” Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda said.

“First of all, the trash (shipment) will have to pass through... The shipment from the Philippines cannot just go straight to Canada. There has to be a stopover in China,” he said.

“We need to secure some clearances from China also since this has been in the Basal Convention that a clearance must be secured to enable the shipment,” he said.

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal or the Basel Convention is an international treaty that controls the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal.

Marawi...

From A1

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FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

House approves creation of coco farmers and dev’t trust fund

NATIONAL FLAG. Workers fix a

Philippine flag at Sta. Cruz in Manila on May 23, a few days before the country celebrates the National Flag day on May 28. The Philippine flag was first unfurled after the Philippine Revolutionary Army defeated Spanish forces in the Battle of Alapan, in Imus, Cavite. Norman Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives led

by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is poised to approve on third and final reading next week House Bill 9197 which establishes the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Trust Fund which shall be used exclusively for the ultimate benefit of coconut farmers and the development of the coconut industry.

The bill, principally authored by Arroyo and Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairman Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr.,CPA,LLB of ANAC IP party-list, was approved on second reading Wednesday night.

The bill declares that it is the policy of the State to pursue and attain the balanced, equitable, integrated, and sustainable growth and development of the coconut industry. Towards this end, the State shall adopt the necessary measures to immediately address the serious problems besetting the coconut industry, protect the socioeconomic well-being of coconut farmers, and ensure that the benefits due them, especially the poor and the marginalized, under various statutes shall be consolidated and their delivery expedited.

Any measure or program undertaken in accordance to the Act shall be deemed complementary to and shall not be a replacement for existing and potential coconut development programs already conducted by other agencies.

The initial capital of the Trust Fund shall come from all assets and/or properties derived from coconut levy recovered assets and all dividends, interest earnings, and incomes that are available upon the effectivity of the Act. The Trust Fund shall thereafter be augmented with all the proceeds of privatization/disposition of the coconut levy assets remitted directly thereto by the Privatization Management Office, including all forms of income, interests, earnings, yields, or any monetary benefit derived from prior to the privatization/disposition of these coconut levy assets.

The Trust Fund shall be maintained for a period of 30 years or until the fund is fully utilized. No portion of the Trust Fund shall be derived from the General Fund of the National Government. Any unutilized balance in the Trust Fund after 30 years shall revert to the General Fund of the National Government, and shall be capitalized, managed, utilized, and accounted for in the manner provided in the Act.

TUCP elated over Senate’s action on bill ending ‘endo’

Morales was not harassed

by HK officials, Palace says

By Nat Mariano

F

ORMER Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales was not harassed by immigration officials when she was barred from entering Hong Kong, the Palace said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the remark after Senator Risa Hontiveros “challenged” President Rodrigo Duterte to defend the “bullied” 78-year-old retired official from the Chinese government’s alleged “intimidation and retaliation.”

“I challenge President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to defend one of the country’s most accomplished public servants and bring this directly to the Chinese government, lest it be accused of siding with China against one of our country’s own citizens,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Bullying a 78-year-old former public servant who is known for her sterling public service record is ludicrous. I call on the Chinese government to explain why it held for four hours without any explanation a former high-ranking Philippine government official and a senior citizen who simply went to Hong

Kong with her grandchildren to have a vacation,” she added.

Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said there was no reason to file a protest over the incident.

“Others want us to hit back. But you know, I asked how she was treated. Was she harassed or mistreated? If that’s so, we will not allow that. We will definitely protest, but that was not the case,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.

“She did not complain that she was disrespected. She was just irked that her plan for her grandchildren was ruined,” he added, as he told Palace reporters that she talked with Morales over the phone.

“Wala naman s’yang reklamong binastos s’ya. Naiinis lang s’ya.

Nayayamot lang s’ya kasi nasira ang plano n’ya for her grandchildren,” he added.

(She did not complain that she was

New law giving PNP mandate to train recruits welcomed

By Vito Barcelo LABOR group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Thursday said the passage of the Security of Tenure bill brings hope to millions of workers employed under the contractual or endo scheme, of steady income and benefits that would provide decent lives with their families.

In a statement, the TUCP said they are overjoyed that despite a fierce lobby opposing the passage of SB 1826, led by employers, agency contractors and the joint foreign chambers of commerce, the Senate passed the measure that will begin the process of finally ending contractualization and “Endo.”

“By a vote of 15-0, the Senate also brushed aside the apprehensions and objections made by Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez that the bill would negatively affect the economy and was contrary to the interest of management flexibility.” [endof-contract] employment,” said TUCP president Raymond Mendoza.

“We remind Secretary Dominguez that TUCP also respects management flexibility, but it must be consistent with the constitutional rights of workers, the right to security of tenure, the laws and the higher goals of building decency and fairness in a society faced with growing income and social inequality,” the TUCP president said.

“By helping President Duterte meet his campaign vow of ending contractualization, all of us are actually building a socially inclusive country and strengthening genuine grassroots democracy,” said Mendoza.

disrespected. She was just irked that her plan for her grandchildren was ruined.)

Panelo also shot down speculations that Morales was considered a threat in China’s Special Administrative Region.

“That’s an assumption, they [China] doesn’t have a statement about that, right?

There is no official statement. Former Ombudsman asked why [she was held]. but they didn’t tell her anything,” Panelo said.

“We can’t do anything about that because it’s their right. In the same way that we don’t want to be subjected to interference with respect to how we treat people coming in, we don’t meddle with them, too,” he continued.

He also added that the Palace does not have a label for Morales even after the former magistrate filed a communication against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in the West Philippine Sea. “We have no label for her. She’s a Filipino citizen, and a member of the bar, and a good friend of mine years back in the College of Law. She was a fourth year [student], and I was freshman,” he said.

“She is entitled to her opinion she exercises her right to freedom of expression. And we respect that, all of us,” Panelo ended.

READY FOR SCHOOL OPENING. High school students check their class

schedules and designated classrooms before the classes start in less than two weeks at Araullo High School in U.N. Avenue, Manila on Thursday. Norman Cruz

‘Passage of ‘sin tax’ bill faces rough sailing’ REELECTED Senator Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said that the passage of a measure to increase sin taxes on cigarettes is “not impossible,” however, he also admitted that it is “a bit more difficult.”

“Yes it’s to be increased to 45 pesos and progressively increasing every year 45-50-55-60,” said Angara, whose committee has been conducting a hearing on three separate bills which recommended to raise taxes on cigarettes.

Angara said there will be an additional 5-percent incremental every year after 2021.

Outgoing Senator JV Ejercito has been vouching for a P90 hike per pack of cigarette while Senators Win Gatchalian and Manny Pacquiao are asking for a P60 per pack and P70 per pack increase.

Angara said Senate President Vicente Sotto III and and leadership promised to

do their best to ensure the passage of the measure.

Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri told the media that on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominquez reiterated the need for additional funding for our new Universal Health Care measure as the government has a large budget deficit for that program.

“We the senators all agreed to do our best to pass this before the 17th Congress adjourns on June 5. He said the sponsorship will start on Monday, May 27.

The Senate leader also told Dominguez who attended the Senate caucus Wednesday afternoon that they are sympathetic to the cause of the government with regards to increasing sin taxes.

Sotto, for his part, said they will exert best effort to pass the measure on increasing the sin taxes.

THE Philippine National Police now has an added tool to build a physically and morally competent force while beefing up its internal cleansing efforts, after a bill authored by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson was signed into law.

Republic Act 11279—based on Lacson’s Senate Bill 1898—gives the PNP full responsibility and accountability for the training of its new recruits.

“With the transfer to the PNP of the training of police recruits, we can strengthen the foundation of a competent police force not just physically but also morally,” said Lacson, who headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001.

He said that the new law, which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last April 12 but only made public on Thursday, will help the PNP leadership in its internal cleansing efforts.

Lacson noted that in past months, several police officers, many of them non-commissioned ones, were involved in heinous crimes.

Hearings conducted by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs chaired by Lacson found that police officers involved in crimes such as bribery, extortion, kidnapping, illegal drugs, and even planting of evidence, involved relatively new members of the PNP. Also, Lacson recalled that a number of non-commissioned police officers had been linked to a kidnap-forransom case in Taguig City, while PNPA graduates had been linked to a robbery-extortion case in 2014.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Du30 lauded for signing institutionalized 4Ps bill into law

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Thursday thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for signing Republic Act 11310 institutionalizing the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps cash transfer system for the poorest of the poor.

RA 11310 is a landmark anti-poverty law because it makes permanent the 4Ps which has been driven mainly by provision of annual budgets and executive issuances.

“This law provides for a governance, transparency, and accountability structure, as well as performance measures,” Rep. Michael Romero said.

“It cements and give body to the 4Ps architectural framework,” he added.

“Upon this RA 11310 foundation, the national government can continually infuse resources.”

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 1130 on April 17. The Palace, however, only released the documents to reporters on Wednesday.

The newly signed law described 4PS as the government’s national poverty reduction strategy and human capital program, seeking to provide “conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years, to improve the health, nutrition and education aspect of their lives.”

“On a nationwide basis, the DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] shall select qualified household-beneficiaries of the 4Ps using a standardized targeting system.

It shall conduct a regular revalidation of beneficiary targeting every three years,” the RA read.

Under the law, eligible beneficiaries are farmers, fisherfolks, homeless families, indigenous peoples, informal settlers, those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, and “those in areas without electricity.”

However, in order to be eligible for the cash grants, households or families must meet the following criteria: Classified as poor and near-poor based by the Philippine Statistics Authority, have members who are pregnant, or zero to 18 years old at the time of registration, and willing to comply with the condition specified by the law.

As for the conditional cash transfer to beneficiaries, the National Advisory Council shall determine the amount of conditional cash transfer to beneficiaries with the following schemes: “Conditional cash transfer grant per child enrolled in daycare and elementary programs shall not be lower than P300 per month for a maximum of 10 months per year,” it said.

Romero, principal author of the measure at the Lower House, said his then House Bill 6600 provides “the minimum 4Ps resource allocation goal is 2 percent of gross domestic product, so that the poorest of the poor are made part of inclusive growth.”

“Two percent of GDP is a workable economic target in terms of wealth redistribution. This 2 percent is one top of the budget allocations for social services, such as education, health, social welfare,” he said.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Power of the purse

WHO decides where the people's taxes go? Here, the power of the purse is vested in the House of Representatives. Sec. 24 of Article VI of the 1987 Constitution is very clear that all appropriation, revenue or tariff bills or bills authorizing increase of the public debt shall originate exclusively in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments. This is the power of the purse that our Congress shares with its counterpart in the federal government of the United States. While former National Treasurer Leonor Briones and now Education Secretary once quipped that while the power of the

Whoever wields the baton in the institution that controls where peoples’ taxes go should be imbued with excellent leadership qualities. purse here is ultimately effectively vested in the President, our Congress at least holds the purse strings.

In any event, what we want to drive at is that whoever wields the baton in the institution that controls where peoples' taxes go should be imbued with excellent leadership qualities, not the least of which is to be able to unite disparate interests and divergent personalities toward one shared goal:

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

The public good.

The post of House Speaker to be vacated by former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at noon of June 30. She said she wants to devote her time writing her memoirs—the guessing game is who will take over the helm of Congress and thus stand fourth in line in succession to the presidency.

Names bruited about in the rumor mills in the aftermath of the May 13 midterm elections have included Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, Taguig City Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Lawmakers are said to be reluctant to agree to an Alvarez comeback, as quite a number of them view him with disdain for his alleged failure to unite the legislative chamber. “He has made many enemies,” a lawmaker said.

Alvarez's return as the fourth highest political leader of the country is definitely out of the question.

They are wary too of Cayetano, who is perceived to be an ingrate, and one who has antagonized even political allies. Installing him as Speaker would be a disaster, the lawmaker said.

Velasco, 41, is a rising political star and shown dynamic leadership qualities. He was first elected to represent the lone congressional of Marinduque in 2010, but lost to Regina Reyes in 2013. He won in his electoral protest, claiming that Reyes was an American citizen prior to her election.

While Velasco, a lawyer, won in the 2016 and 2019 elections, he has yet to cultivate warm relations with his colleagues to catapult him to power.

He is the eldest son of Presbitero Velasco Jr., a retired magistrate of the

US-China trade tensions

G

LOBAL stock markets are gyrating again as traders monitor the latest developments in the US-China trade war. A full-blown trade war between the world's two biggest economies will hurt global commerce and ultimately lead to an economic slowdown.

Tensions between the US and China heightened after US President Donald Trump banned telecoms giant Huawei from the American market and restrained American companies from selling to the company. Trump's actions had an immediate effect. They prompted a number of companies around the world to reduce their business with Huawei, including Google, BT in Britain Japan's Panasonic.

Trump accelerated the war after earlier accusing China of reneging on its commitments in trade talks and ordering new punitive duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports by raising them to 25 percent from 10 percent. Trump later

ordered a tariff increase on almost all remaining imports from China worth about $300 billion.

Global financial markets are naturally edgy over the tit for tat between the two big economies.

No one will emerge victorious in a trade war, while the rest of the world, including the Philippines, are certain to suffer by way of reduced exports from the ensuing global economic slowdown.

Fitch Solutions Macro Research, a unit of Fitch Group, just downgraded its 2019 growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.9 percent from its previous estimate of 6.1 percent, taking into account the increasing US-China trade tensions. It said the escalation in

trade tensions between the US and China in May would deepen the external drag on the Philippine economy.

The US and China accounted for 15.6 percent and 12.9 percent, respectively, of exported goods from the Philippines in 2018, with Hong Kong and Japan serving as key markets, buying 14.2 percent and 14.0 percent of the country's products, respectively.

Fitch further noted that the rising trade tensions between the US and China are already creating a ripple effect across Asia, weakening demand across the supply chain and dampening business confidence in the first half of 2019.

The Philippines can only hope for an an early settlement of the trade conflict between the US and China. In the meantime, it should develop non-traditional export markets to shield the economy from the costly USChina trade war.

Turn to A5

Bangladeshi’s diary spotlights Singapore migrant struggles

By Sam Reeves TOILING for long hours for meager salaries and living in crowded dormitories, migrant construction workers have helped build modern-day Singapore but remain all but invisible to many in the affluent city-state.

Now an award-winning book by a Bangladeshi man is shining a rare light on the lives of laborers who have come in their thousands from poorer parts of Asia in search of a better future.

M.D. Sharif Uddin's collection of diary entries and poems, "Stranger to Myself," describes the ups and downs of his years in Singapore, from high hopes on his arrival to frustration and heartache at missing his family.

"People will never understand the hardship we migrant workers go through. People [back home] think that we live a luxurious life in a foreign land where we earn a lot," the 40-year-old told AFP. "Even after 11 years here I don't enjoy life, I am always struggling," he added.

There are about 280,000 foreign construction workers in the city of 5.6 million, which has developed over the decades at a dizzying pace, from a poor trading outpost to a financial hub home to high rises and shopping malls.

Uddin is in many ways not a typical Singapore migrant worker. He owned a bookshop back in Bangladesh, but fell on hard times and was forced to leave his pregnant wife to go abroad to find work.

He was ill-prepared for his new life. From being a boss with a small staff in Bangladesh, he found himself relegated to the position of a laborer doing the kind of back-breaking work native Singaporeans often shun.

Exile's life Daily life is not easy, living in a dorm with about 25 other construction workers and typically toiling

from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Uddin lives quite centrally but many migrant construction workers are housed in self-contained dormitory complexes in less desirable areas of the city, meaning many Singaporeans have little contact with them.

He is contracted to work 28 days a month but if he does overtime, or a project needs to be completed in a hurry, he may not get a day off at all.

When he arrived, his salary was Sg$18 ($13) a day—business-focused Singapore has no minimum wage.

It has increased to about Sg$50 after he was promoted to become a safety supervisor but is still far below the average wage in the city-state.

Uddin writes of living an "exile's life," far from his family, and unable to feel truly at home in Singapore.

"Sometimes I feel what it means to be lonely in the crowd of migrants, feeling the burden of age though I am relatively young," he writes.

"Maybe my exile from home and nation is a punishment for past sins."

He is an avid reader and had long kept a diary and written poetry, but his work was only discovered when he began submitting poems to a Bengali language publication in Singapore in 2013.

He started getting invites to poetry and book readings, and later agreed to have his work translated from Bengali to English and published as "Stranger to Myself: Diary of a Bangladeshi in Singapore."

Eye-opening Published in 2017, it has sold more than 700 copies and last year won the best non-fiction title at the Singapore Book Awards.

Goh Eck Kheng, founder of Uddin's publisher Landmark Books, said the book's "depth of subject matter, the depth of feeling" contributed to its success.

"It's very authentic, it's eye-opening," he said.

Turn to A5

Climate change can be reversed, DiCaprio’s ‘Ice on Fire’ claims

By Hazel Ward "WE don't need advanced technology, Mother Nature has seaweeds and shellfish which sequester five times more carbon than land-based plants," said Bren Smith, winching a glistening haul of glossy brown kelp out of the sea.

A fisherman turned "steward of the sea" who runs a restorative ocean farm growing seaweed and farming shellfish, Smith is one of dozens of characters who appear in "Ice on Fire," an eye-opening environmental documentary at Cannes film festival.

Produced by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Leila Conners, who worked together on 2007 climate documentary "The 11th Hour," the film offers a fascinating look at the innovations and people

working to significantly reduce carbon in the atmosphere.

Take kelp. Not only does it soak up five times more carbon than plants on land, it is one of the fastest growing plants on earth and can be widely used for everything from food to fertilizer and even animal feed.

"If you provide a seaweed diet to cows, you get a 90 percent reduction in methane output," said Smith, in what could play a key role in reducing the huge quantities of methane produced by livestock, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2.

For Conners, it was learning about the properties of kelp and other innovations that provided the biggest surprise in putting together the film.

"If you plant kelp in 9 percent of global waters, you can reduce global emissions by 50 percent," she told

reporters in Cannes, flagging other innovations like the development of biochar [charcoal produced from plant matter] and a Swiss-made direct air capture machine.

"And that's completely doable."

There are solutions Even though warnings about climate catastrophe grow ever louder, the film argues, the world is still spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year to subsidize the very fossil fuels that are causing the planet to overheat.

"Excess carbon creates climatic disruption, it changes the weather patterns and life support systems that society relies on to survive," said the voiceover by DiCaprio, long an environmental activist.

But the film goes beyond the current narrative.

Turn to A5

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Opinion Five lessons from 2019 elections FIVE lessons from the May 13, 2019 Senate, congressional and local elections: One, the nation is looking for young leaders. Below 50, educated, competent, hardworking, dedicated to the people, with a measure of moral moorings, with a vision of what they can contribute to governance and the welfare of the people. They won with commanding and overwhelming mandate in their respective constituencies.

Two, people are fed up with corruption.

Three, President Duterte is immensely popular.

Four, Filipinos are getting tired with political dynasties and want them (the bad ones) eliminated from the face of Philippine politics.

Five, the pool of possible presidents in the next presidential election (2022) is very limited and not exactly the best of the race.

Among the dynasties that lost the Game of Thrones—the Estrada family (which lost two senatorial fights and two mayoralty races), the Jojo Binay family (the patriarch lost a congressional rate to a virtual unknown rival and his daughter almost did not make it as senator), and the Osmeña clan (it lost the mayorship of Cebu and a senatorial fight).

Other what the Inquirer calls formidable political houses that fell: The Gordons and Magsaysays of Zambales, the Javiers of Antique, the Zaragozas of Ilocos Sur, the Seares and Luna clans of Abra, the Jalosjos clan of Zamboanga del Norte and the Lobregats of Zamboanga City. In Quezon City, former Ilocos warlord Bingbong Crisologo lost his mayoral bid to Gen X-er Joy Belmonte, 49.

In Manila, one-time street scavenger Isko Moreno, 44, toppled the dynastic political palace of Joseph Estrada, 82, and put an end to his otherwise colorful and celebrated public career that began in small-town San Juan in August 1969. Moreno also wrote finis to the career of returning Mayor Alfredo Lim, 89. Isko won with a commanding 51 percent of the 707,453 votes cast for mayor with outgoing hizzoner Estrada managing just 29.7 percent, and Lim 19.6 percent, despite the incumbent outspending the young upstart by a ra-

Bangladeshi’s...

From A4

Despite the challenges, there is no shortage of foreign laborers—from Bangladesh, and other countries including Indonesia and China—keen to come and work in the construction sector in Singapore.

There are laws in place to protect foreign workers and to regulate their

Power...

From A4

Supreme Court.

Romualdez, 55, comes from a prominent political clan, but he refuses to get involved in his family’s controversies, opting to work diligently to establish his own identity in business and politics.

In free-wheeling discussions recently, Romualdez said that if elected by his peers, his primary task would be to prevent any impasse on the enactment of the proposed national budget for 2020. There shouldn’t be any failure to pass it on time, he said.

Romualdez suggested a threepoint program to prevent any budgetary deadlock in the future. He said the failure to pass the national budget on an election year did not only trigger an economic slowdown, but also the defeat of many administration candidates.

First, Congress must find ways to approve the proposed 2020 national budget on time. After the President submits the proposed 2020 national budget the day af-

tio of four to one.

In Estrada’s native San Juan, his granddaughter Janella Ejercito, daughter of Jinggoy Estrada, lost to Francis Zamora, 41. The son of Congressman Ronaldo Zamora garnered 59 percent of the vote. Francis vowed to curb corruption, relocate San Juan’s squatters, solve its congestion and build a new business district in upscale mall Greenhills.

In northern suburban Valenzuela City, reelectionist Rex Gatchalian, 40, coasted to an easy victory, unopposed.

He got 97 percent of the votes cast

Mr. Duterte can do anything he wants.

from Ateneo.

In the Social Weather Stations survey of March 2019, “will not be corrupt” was the No. 1 characteristic people wanted in a senator—the choice of 25 percent of all voters in Metro Manila and nationwide. Second was “Helps/ has concern for the poor,” 23 percent in Metro Manila and 22 percent nationwide. Third was “has good personal characteristics” (which is a repeat of the first two), 15 percent in NCR and 21 percent nationwide.

In the 2010 senatorial elections, Bong Revilla topped with 19.5 million votes or 51.15 percent of all votes cast for senators. No. 2 was Jinggoy Estrada, 18.92-million votes or 49.61 percent. Two things remarkable about Bong and Jinggoy—they were succeeding their fathers (Ramon Revilla and Joseph Estrada, respectively) as senators; and two, they were both celcel ebrated actors (as were their fathers).

This year, their celebrity magic did not work.

In this year’s senatorial race, Revilla almost lost, ending up No. 11, with 14.624 million or 4.9-million votes than the 19.5 million he chalked up in 2010. Jinggoy Estrada lost badly, ending up No. 15 with just 11.359-million votes, a whopping 7.56-million votes less than his second place winning 18.925-million votes in 2010. Why? Both senators were accused of plunder, supposedly the worst form of graft, and were jailed for it.

Another senator tainted by a father’s corruption was Nancy Binay. She almost lost, managing a cliffhanger 12th place this year, with 14.5 million votes.

The first time she ran for senator, Nancy placed a comfortable No. 5, with 16.81-million votes, 2.31 million more votes than her 2019 effort.

In 2019, 47.29 million voted, 9.13 million more than those who voted 38.16 million, in 2010, and 7.02 million more than the 40.2 million who voted in 2013. This means voters abandoned Revilla, Binay and Jinggoy in massive numbers. The reason: The taint or hint of corruption.

Meanwhile, with Duterte’s control of both houses of Congress, the Judiciary and of course, the Executive branch, the former prosecutor of nine years and mayor of 23 years of Davao can do anything he wants, including the unthinkable, which is convert our centralized presidential system into a federal government.

for mayor. Valenzuela is a modernizmoderniz ing city although it is under the stranglehold of business tycoon William Gatchalian.

Abby Binay’s quiet competence and hard work paid off with an easy win over her brother, returning former Makati mayor Junjun Binay, 59 percent vs.32.6 percent.

Amazing is the support by the people of Pasig to their new mayor, Vico Sotto, 29, who toppled the 27-year dynastic rule of the Eusebio family in Metro Manila’s richest eastern suburb. The son of celebrities Vic Sotto and Connie Reyes, the Jesuit-trained Sotto trounced the reelectionist Bobby Eusebio with 63 percent of the vote—209,370 vs.

121,556. Young Sotto vowed to rid Pasig of corruption, attend to the poor, and revitalize business.

Something common about the winners: They are well-educated, competent, hardworking, dedicated to work for the people. Corruption? Well, that has yet to rear its ugly head during their stints.

Abby Binay finished law at Ateneo and human ecology at UP. Rex Gatchalian studied political science at Georgetown, cum laude. Vico Sotto has political science and master’s degrees from Ateneo. Isko educated himself, having gone to Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynilad and for short courses at Harvard and Oxford. Francis went to La Salle where he was basketball team captain, got an MA in public administration at UP, and did entrepreneurship studies at New York University. Joy Belmonte has a social science degree biznewsasia@gmail.com

housing, and most employers are responsible and treat staff well, according to the ministry of manpower.

Salaries are usually higher than many migrants can earn back home, or in other foreign countries where they could work.

"Many foreign workers consider Singapore an attractive destination country, and want to come here to work," a ministry spokesman said.

ter he delivers his July 27 State of the Nation Address, Congress should work hard enough to pass it before Christmas.

Second, Congress should approve within one to three months a supplemental budget to restore the vetoed portions of the 2019 national budget, particularly the infrastructure projects worth P95 billion. Quite a number of the vetoed projects under the national budget were even promised by the President to their proponents, he pointed out.

Third, Congress should revisit the fund sources to support the national budget with the objective of realigning the savings to projects, the implementation of which has been hampered by lack of funds.

By pursuing the three-point program on budgetary concerns, Romualdez believes the national economy would recover from the slowdown triggered by the fourmonth delay in the enactment of the national budget. It should not happen again, he said.

Romualdez wants to push the President’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, as this

Uddin is generally positive about Singapore and his book is even dedicated to the country's founding leader Lee Kuan Yew. But he believes migrant workers' "labor and sacrifice" which helped drive Singapore's transformation remain largely unrecognized.

"Nobody can wipe away the workers' agonies etched on every brick of Singapore," he said. AFP

would definitely to pump-prime the national economy. Pursuing the program to its logical conclusion would be his primary legislative agenda, he said.

Moreover, Romualdez said he has gone over the President’s SONAs in 2016, 2017, and 2018 with a finetooth comb because he believes these reflect a clear legislative agenda. He has vowed to pursue this legislative agenda should members of House of Representatives elect him as the next Speaker.

For his part, the President has been keeping his political cards close to his chest. He is believed to be consulting lawmakers on who is best suited for the Speaker’s job. Meanwhile, lawmakers are keenly awaiting the President’s signal before making public their choice as next Speaker. “It’s a waiting game,” another lawmaker said.

We're just as eager to know who gets to sit as the next Speaker, as Congress holds not only the power of the purse, but the future of the nation as well. ernhil@yahoo.com

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

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In the land of stout and spirits, Ireland’s first ‘dry pub’

By Joseph Stenson IT'S happy hour in Dublin and the drinks are flowing, but in Ireland's first "dry pub" patrons are forgoing Guinness and whiskey for nonboozy beers and zero percent wine.

The Virgin Mary, which opened this month, bucks the trend in a city where nightlife is fueled by stout and spirits, offering a menu of entirely non-alcoholic beverages.

Thronging with customers within minutes of opening one weekday afternoon, its popularity is viewed by its owners as a sign that harddrinking Ireland may be changing its ways.

"Drinking is ingrained in society here," said co-founder Vaughan Yates, 51, a veteran of the drinks industry.

"However, if you look at the Irish they are a very progressive nation, they are a very liberal nation, they're very open to change.

"I think there's a real cultural shift happening globally towards alcohol and we're really at the forefront of it."

Oisin Davis, the pub's other co-founder and with whom Yates works in a company making drinks mixers, said they had noticed nonalcoholic options increasingly appearing on menus and decided there could be a niche for a no-alcohol pub.

A sober night out Like many other countries, Ireland is currently in the midst of a wellness craze driven by visual social media platforms like Instagram.

Festooned with florid garnishes and served in delicate glassware, many drinks at The Virgin Mary offer customers a "shareable" photogenic product, with bragging rights that they avoided a hangover after a night on the town.

"I do think that there is this movement towards wellness, and I think that our drinks probably reflect that," Yates said.

Dublin has just hosted a wellness festival attended by yoga teachers, mindfulness practitioners and nutritionists, among others.

Changes in diet are evident, with options for oat milk, coconut milk and a plethora of other alternatives to regular milk becoming the norm in cafes.

Health food business The Happy Pear that encourages people to eat more vegetables through courses, cafes, recipes and products, is hugely popular—twin brother owners Dave and Steve Flynn tout their early morning sea swims as part of their wellness routine on Instagram.

Binge boozing However, alcohol consumption in the country is actually on the rise, according to Alcohol Action Ireland.

The increase relates both to consumption per person, as well as in overall numbers of drinkers—84 percent of the population now, compared to about 82 percent in 2010, CEO Sheila Gilheany told AFP.

Climate change...

From A4

"Climate change can be reversed if we act now," DiCaprio said.

There are two ways of doing that: either stopping greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, or bringing CO2 levels back down through photosynthesis, by which carbon is extracted from the air and put it back into the earth in a process known as "drawdown."

And "Ice on Fire" focuses on the latter.

"How we get out of this is by very practical action," said Conners.

"We went to people who were practically solving this rather than just talking about it," the American director added.

In California, enormous redwood trees, which absorb more carbon than any trees on Earth, play a key role in a reforestation project that also creates biochar, a form of charcoal that can store CO2 for long periods, enhancing soil quality and helping it retain water, in a major boost for agriculture.

And a small Swiss company has developed a "direct air capture" machine which extracts carbon dioxide from the air which can then be reused as energy.

We need to grow up "We have two stories right now, we

Given the rise, the "narrative in social media" about wellness and health, she said, was "a story that has really been put out, to kind of, give us a feeling that, 'Oh you know, everything's actually grand!'"

The country was ranked second for binge drinking out of 194 countries in a 2014 study by the World Health Organization that put Austria first.

The Irish government already has the drinking public in its crosshairs.

In October, parliament passed a law mandating cancer warnings on alcohol labels in a bid to shift what Health Minister Simon Harris called a "corrosive culture" around drinking.

High spirits At The Virgin Mary, drinks have been designed with those served at the city's 750 traditional pubs in mind.

A dark and creamy "iced nitro coffee" is poured from a beer tap to mimic Guinness, without which no traditional Irish pub would be complete.

Fridges are stocked with non-alcoholic beer bottles and "mocktail" ingredients such as cold coffee brew and sour cherry cordial are stacked like an array of apothecary potions.

And the pub's signature drink The Virgin Mary—a cheeky play on the classic Bloody Mary—is made of tomato juice, muscat, pickle, lime and spice.

As well as mimicking the hard stuff, the bar matches pub opening hours and advertises to an older clientele in order to carve its own niche and avoid association with cafes and juice bars.

Before the opening, staff were anxious they would not be able to cultivate the most crucial aspect of an Irish pub—the atmosphere, or what is widely known in Ireland as the "craic."

"We didn't know what the vibe was going to be like," said 39 year-old bar manager Anna Walsh, perched on a bar stool before opening time.

"But the first night, once the place filled up, if you walked in here you would not know that there was no alcohol."

It's a novelty Yates said that there had been "doubters," whom he described as mainly online "keyboard warriors," but that the reaction had been overwhelmingly positive.

Whether the dry bar can survive the competitive nightlife industry in Dublin—a city where the pub still reigns supreme—is yet to be seen.

Paula Gearty was one of the first through the doors on the opening night.

"It's actually quite nice to just have something different," the 49-year-old said, after ordering a glass of alcohol-free white wine and posing for a photo with work friends at the bar.

"I think it sounds refreshing, it's a novelty." AFP

have accelerated climate disruption because of the melting of the Arctic and we have the rapid innovation to address this problem," Conners said.

"But are we going to take these technologies to scale in time to avert the worst of what can happen?" she wondered.

"There are solutions, the question is: will we use them?"

As well as the narration, DiCaprio had constant input into the film's production, "giving notes, scene by scene", Conners told AFP, but declined to give further detail.

And change won't cost the earth -although the price of stalling might.

"We need to grow up and become adults as a human civilization. It's like being diagnosed with a disease, you get the medicine and you say: 'Well, I don't really want to take it, it's too much money.' And you just die."

But the main message to get across was that many people were already helping.

"There are millions of people who are solving this problem," she said.

"That's what's so fascinating about drawdown. It would be great if governments participated but we don't need them necessarily.

"And that, to me, is the first really helpful sign." AFP

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FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

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DENR warns ‘negligent’ outgoing LGU execs

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Thursday warned “negligent” outgoing local executives were not yet off the hook over failure to revoke mayor’s permit of violating establishments in El Nido, Palawan.

“There are only a minimal number of local government units who followed the instruction to temporarily revoke the mayor’s permit of violators, that’s why there is a need to show some force on irresponsible local executives,” Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny Antiporda said.

The DENR earlier issued cease-and-desist orders to 10 hotels and restaurants found polluting Bacuit Bay in El Nido, one of the country’s tourism hotspots undergoing massive rehabilitation along with Boracay

Island, Aklan and Manila Bay. “There are only a minimal number of local government units who followed the instruction to temporarily revoke the mayor’s permit of violators, that’s why there is a need to show some force on irresponsible local executives,” Antiporda said.

The response of local governments to temporarily suspend the mayor’s permit of erring establishments in their respective political jurisdiction once the DENR has submitted its lists of violators is crucial to prevent further contamination of waterways.

“We’re expecting full support coming from our local government once we have submitted our lists of violators in their respective areas. We expect them to act by temporarily suspending the mayor’s permit so as to prevent the wastewater discharge from contaminating our waterways,” Antiporda said.

A week ago, DENR’s Region 4B issued cease-and-desist orders to El Nido Sea Shell Resorts and Hotel, Doublegem Beach Resort and Hotel, Buko Beach Resort, Panorama Resort (Mangonana Inc.), Four Seasons Seaview Hotel, Stunning Republic Beach Resort, Sava Beach Bar/ Sava Nest Egg Inc., El Nido Beach Hotel, and The Nest El Nido Resorts and Spa Inc. for violation of the Clean Water Act. The enforcement of the Clean Water Act applies not only on the establishments in Palawan, but on other

establishments nationwide.

Antiporda called on the local government units to act immediately on establishments issued with cease-and-desist orders by the DENR by temporarily canceling their permits to compel them comply with environmental laws and avoid further degradation of the environment.

“If the outgoing officials still have the chance to prove their worth to their constituents before they leave, then they should do it. Otherwise, we will file cases against them if they have neglected their duty to enforce environmental laws,” he said.

According to Antiporda, once the establishments are found discharging wastewater not in accordance with prescribed standards, he said both the sources of water and of the discharge will be sealed, but said this cannot be done without the action from the local government.

‘Marcos Bridge rehabilitation to resume’

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Thursday announced the rehabilitation of Marcos Bridge will finally proceed this coming Saturday.

MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the eastbound portion of Marcos Bridge along Marcos Highway would be closed beginning 11 p.m.

“After two weeks of preparations, it is definite now. Marcos Bridge will be closed for the next four months to give way to its long-overdue rehabilitation,” Garcia told a news briefing.

Light vehicles going to Antipolo may take the westbound direction while light vehicles going Cubao may use the service road in front of SM Marikina mall.

Rehabilitation works on the bridge was originally set to start on May 4 but was postponed after several ocular inspections showed that the contractor was not fully prepared to proceed with the project.

“Private contractors are now ready to push through with the rehabilitation after complying with the necessary requirements they need to address,” said Garcia.

The bridge, built in 1979, at the boundary of Marikina and Pasig cities, has an average daily traffic of 6,400 vehicles per hour in both directions.

Road traffic advisories were also installed around the site of the project.

Motorists and truckers are advised to take the following alternative routes: Cubao to Antipolo Route: 1. From Cubao, take Aurora Blvd. then right turn to Katipunan Ave., take service road of Libis underpass, left turn to Boni Serrano and take FVR Road straight to Macapagal Bridge then Marcos Highway to Antipolo 2. From Cubao, right turn to 15th Avenue, then left turn to Boni Serrano, take FVR Road, straight to Macapagal Bridge then Marcos Highway to Antipolo Trucks from Cubao to Antipolo Route: 1. From Cubao, take Aurora Blvd, then right turn to Katipunan Avenue, take service road of Libis underpass, left turn to Boni Serrano, straight to FVR Road, take Macapagal Bridge then Sumulong Highway to Antipolo

TALENT CAMP. Male and female tot members of the i-Shine 7 talent camp graduates showcase a mural and tunnel which they worked on through creative exploration and self-expression during their art workshop. Over 270 i-Shine 7 camp graduates took the stage to shine bright,wowing their supportive parents and audience with creations and performances over the Celebrate the Gift Recital at Taguig City. Ey Acasio

Customs, NBI agents arrest 2 ‘extortionists’

By Vito Barcelo and Joel Zurbano marked money.

COMBINED agents of the Bureau of Customs and National Bureau of Investigation arrested two fake Customs officers for extorting money in an entrapment operation at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Customs Commissioner Rey Lonardo Guerrero said the bureau received a complaint on the alleged extortion activities of two suspects who demanded half a million pesos in exchange for the release of the shipments consigned to Shaka Guns and Ammo being held at NAIA. The customs intelligence group coordinated with the NBI Special Action Unit after the suspects agreed to meet with the complainants at a restaurant in Quezon City where payment will be made.

The suspects, identified as Atty. Roberto Geotina and Nancy Nuguid, had introduced themselves as Customs officials, were arrested after accepting the

Announcement of the arrest emerged as the Bureau of Customs urged the public to be wary of unscrupulous individuals posing as Customs agents to extort money from importers.

“We will not tolerate extortion and all forms of corruption in the bureau,” said Guerrero.

“Customs will be cooperating with the NBI on their investigation. If any Customs officer is involved in this extortion, or any other illegal activities, we will make sure that they are prosecuted accordingly,” he added.

Guerrero said last Monday, his office received a complaint about the alleged extortion activities of two persons who identified themselves as Customs personnel.

The two, based on the complaint, demanded half a million pesos purportedly in exchange of the release of the shipments consigned to Shaka Guns and

Ammo now in the custody of the bureau’s office at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

The bureau’s Intelligence Group coordinated with the NBI-SAU office and set the entrapment at a restaurant in Quezon City that resulted in the arrest of the suspects.

“The complainants, together with undercover authorities, met with the suspects where the two alleged extortionists were arrested after they accepted the marked money,” said Guerrero.

“Let this serve as a warning to those officers who unlawfully hold shipments in order to blackmail legitimate businesses and individuals for money. The Bureau will do everything in its power to rid the organization of corruption,” the Customs chief added.

Initial investigation showed that the two suspects were not Customs officers but unscrupulous brokers engaged in extortion activities victimizing Customs stakeholders.

Not an impossible dream, says DAR

WINNER TAKES ALL. These street boys earn money after wiping and cleaning the windshield of motorists passing along P. Burgos Avenue near Luneta Park but when the rain stops they play Kara y Kruz (heads and tails) with their hard earned money. Ver Noveno

COMPLETE land acquisition and distribution by 2022 is “feasible,” the Department of Agrarian Reform said on Thursday.

If DAR is armed with a well-coordinated strategy, it would not be an “impossible mission,” Secretary John Castriciones said.

He said he was positive in achieving its new mandate to complete the land acquisition and distribution component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 2022.

“There are three things that the administration of President Duterte wants us to accomplish. First is the distribution of government-owned lands as mandated under Executive Order No. 75, second, the parcellation of col-

lective certificates of land ownership award, and most of all, ensuring that the country is LAD Free by 2022,” he said.

To be able to accomplish President Rodrigo Duterte’s new challenge of being LAD Free 2022, the DAR secretary directed all its regional and local officials to forge a systematic and formidable plan.

Earlier, at the start of a national conference on the new issuances of the agency, Castriciones emphasized with over 600,000 hectares of land still to be covered under the CARP, completion of the land distribution process in a span of three years seems to be a tall order, Castriciones said.

Rio N. Araja

Duterte renames Compostela Valley as Davao de Oro province

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure renaming the province of Compostela Valley as the province of Davao de Oro. But the renaming of the province has to be approved first by the residents through a plebiscite.

“The renaming of the Province of Compostela Valley as the Province of Davao de Oro shall be subject to ratification by a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters in a plebiscite to be conducted in the present Province of Compostela Valley,” according to Republic Act 11297.

The law also mandates that the Commission on Elections shall conduct and supervise the plebiscite in compliance with the Local Government Code.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, the sponsor of the bill, previously said the renaming of the province would encourage more investments.

Angara said Davao de Oro is a fitting name as Compostela Valley has the largest gold deposits in the country, with 10 out of its 11 towns having one or more gold mines each. Oro means gold both in Spanish and Italian.

Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental comprise the

Davao Region. Compostela Valley is the only province in the region which does not have “Davao” in its name just yet.

The said act, which originated in the House of Representatives, was passed by the lower chamber last May 15, 2018. It was then amended by the Senate of the Philippines on Dec. 10, 2018. The amendments were concurred in by the House on Jan. 29, 2019.

Duterte approved the said law last April 17, 2019. The newly signed legislation shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

PH Navy gets ship as early Xmas gift ULSAN, South Korea—Christmas Day came seven months early for the Philippine Navy as its latest ship, the missile-frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), was formally launched in this city Thursday, marking the fulfillment of the dream of generations of seagoing officers who have pushed and fought for the acquisition of modern combat units for the naval service.

Capt. Jonathan Zata, Navy spokesperson, said the entire Philippine Navy from ranking and senior officers to the most junior enlisted personnel, were happy with this milestone.

“All of us are equally thrilled that we will soon be deploying a brandnew frigate, with anti-submarine, anti-surface, anti-air, and electronic warfare capability to patrol and protect our vast territorial waters,” Zata said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.

He said the brand-new ship, once commissioned, would be the PN’s most modern and powerful ship in service.

The PN spokesperson said the BRP Jose Rizal would play a critical role in beefing up the country’s anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air, and electronic warfare capabilities aside from providing training to new seagoing officers.

These frigates are also expected to escort the two Tarlac-class landing dock platforms, the BRP Tarlac (LD601) and BRP Davao del Sur (LD602), while on missions.

The delivery of the BRP Jose Rizal is slated for 2020 while its sistership, the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), which itself undertook a historic keellaying ceremony also this Thursday, is scheduled for delivery in 2021.

The Philippines and South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries signed in October 2016 a P16-billion contract for two missilearmed frigates, with another P2 billion set aside for its weapon systems and munition.

Zata earlier said these vessels would help secure the country’s maritime chokepoints or primary sea routes used for trade, logistics, and naval operations from surface, sub-surface, and air threats. PNA

NFA tops 4m bags in palay procurement THE National Food Authority has not let up in its palay procurement, piling up a total of four million bags in less than five months.

Reports from the NFA’s Grains Marketing and Operations Department show that from January to May 20, the agency was able to procure a total of 4.025 million bags.

NFA OIC-Administrator Tomas Escarez said that NFA’s procurement started slow in January with 155,107 bags, and only 123,283 in February.

By March, the start of summer crop harvest, NFA increased its procurement to 994,932 bags, followed by 1,804,136 bags in April. As of May 20, the monthly total has now reached 954,142 bags, according to the agency’s official statement.

Capitalizing on the low buying price of palay by private traders, NFA is buying more this year, easily eclipsing last year’s January-May procurement of 71,420 bags by 5,636 percent.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the average farmgate price of palay remains at P18.45/kg as of May 17. The price level is P2.53/kg or 12 percent lower than the average farmgate price (P20.97/kg) of palay in the same period last year.

Highest volume of palay procurement this year were reported from the NFA branches in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro with 541,865 bags; Nueva Ecija—431,792; Isabela—426,827; Bulacan—297,506; Tarlac—205,144; Northwestern Cagayan-Apayao (Allacapan) —195,500; Mamburao—169,125; North Cotabato—167,735; Cagayan—135,440; and Sultan Kudarat—99,492.

Escarez said the agency continues to focus on aggressive palay procurement from local farmers after the signing of the rice tariffication law or RA 11203 and the subsequent signing of its Implementing Rules and Regulations that mandates NFA to focus on local procurement for buffer stocking for calamities and emergencies.

Sports

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

Fifa drops plans for 48-team ‘Cup’ L

FIFA has dropped the plan to expand AUSANNE—FIFA shelved a proposed expansion of the 2022 million from ticket sales.

The news comes after Europe’s top footthe 2022 tournament despite recommendWorld Cup in Qatar to 48 teams on Wednesday, dealing a ball clubs said in March they would boycott ing in March that the number of teams blow to the world football body’s president Gianni Infantino. an expanded 24-team Club World Cup— should be raised to 48 for that tourna-

The 2022 tournament in the Gulf state will now be played with 32 nations taking part.

FIFA said it had abandoned the expansion plans “following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process” which led to the conclusion that “under the current circumstances such a proposal could not be made now”. “(The tournament) will therefore remain as originally planned with 32 teams and no proposal will be submitted at the next FIFA Congress on 5 June,” FIFA said in a statement.

The expansion was a pet project of Infantino, who pushed the idea despite the likely need for Qatar’s neighbours to put

aside a two-year blockade and help to host an expanded tournament.

“The involvement of these countries in the organisation of the tournament jointly with Qatar implies the lifting of this blockade, in particular the lifting of restrictions on the movement of people and goods,” said a feasibility study submitted to March’s FIFA Congress in Miami.

The study, seen by AFP, also claimed that a Qatar World Cup with 48 teams would generate “between $300-$400 million (265-354 million euros) of additional income”.

Specifically FIFA was counting on an additional $120 million in TV rights, $150 million in marketing rights and $90

also backed by Infantino—which is planned to take place in June and July 2021, replacing the Confederations Cup tournament.

Complicated proposition An announcement of the final decision had not been expected until next month’s FIFA Congress to be held in Paris ahead of the women’s World Cup that takes place in France between June 7 and July 7.

FIFA said it had examined the possibility of Qatar hosting a 48-team tournament on its own, but a study “concluded that due to the advanced stage of preparations and the need for a detailed assessment of the potential logistical impact on the host country, more time would be required and a decision could not be taken before the deadline of June”.

ment, ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Expanding the competition for the 2022 tournament was always a complicated proposition. FIFA had sounded out potential co-hosts in the region willing to support Qatar, which is subject to an ongoing embargo by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their allies.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee, charged with the organisation of the tournament, said in reaction to FIFA’s decision that “Qatar had always been open to the idea of an expanded tournament in 2022 had a viable operating model been found and had all parties concluded that an expanded 48-team edition was in the best interest of football and Qatar as the host nation.” AFP

Players and officials of the PH Air Force Go For Gold team are shown here. They are (standing, from left) Fauzi Ismail, A2C Rodolfo Labrador Jr., Francis Saura, Kim Malabunga, SSg Clarence Esteban (Asst Coach), Go For Gold head Jeremy Go, LTC Ramil Ranario (PAF Volleyball Program Director), Gerald De Guzman (Go for Gold), SSg Rhovyl Verayo, Bryan Bagunas, A1C Jeffrey Malabanan, A2C Howard Mojica, A2C Alnakran Abdilla, (seated, from left) Team Captain A2C Ptirus de Ocampo, Sandy Montero, Primo Rueca, Madzlan Gampong, Rikko Marmeto, Sgt Raffy Mosuela.

Volleyball...

From A8

focus on indoor volleyball as she led the rookie-laden Tigresses back to the Finals for the first time in eight years in a showdown with a well-experienced Ateneo de Manila University side.

UST came a win away from ending a nine-year title drought but eventually bowed down to the Lady Eagles in three exciting games.

Nevertheless, Rondina’s heroics all season long earned her the MVP award, UST’s first in 12 years, to become the second person to capture the highest individual recognition in beach and indoor volleyball on the same season since Far Eastern University’s Wendy Semana did the feat 11 years ago.

Taiwanese...

From A8 “The fairways and greens were flooded so we had to delay the start of the tournament. But we’re doing everything we could and we’re confident we’ll be able to complete this 72-hole event as scheduled,” said Bryan Chen of PGA of Taiwan.

“We’ll start at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow (today) for those with unfinished first round.”

Jay Bayron, the lone Filipino entry in the full-packed field who drew a 12:20 p.m. start, didn’t hit his first drive until 4:20 p.m.

“It’s a difficult course and the rain made it tougher. I’ll just do my best to come up with a good start,” said the Davaoeño shotmaker, adding that he didn’t feel any pressure being the lone Pinoy bet in the event put up by ICTSI and co-sanctioned

by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments,Inc.

Air Force Go For Gold team to beat at Spiker’s PHILIPPINE Air Force Go For Gold has been tagged as the heavy favorite to bag the title in the ongoing Spikers’ Turf Season 4 Reinforced Conference 2019.

The defending champion Air Force Go For Gold spikers are the wise-money bets after they swept the reinforced and open conferences last season with national team mainstays and newly crowned UAAP Season 81 MVP Champion Bryan Bagunas and Air Forces’ Airman Second Class Alnakran Abdilla capturing the Finals MVP in both tournaments, respectively.

Chances are similarly favorable again since head coach Staff Sergeant Rhovyl Verayo has practically beefed up his lineup that also included comebacking opposite spiker Fauzi Ismail, setter Airman Second Class Jessie Lopez and middle hitter Airman First Class Jeffrey Malabanan, to name a few.

``We are happy to support our men and women in the armed forces. Their sacrifice inspires us a lot and we want to help them in our small way,’’ said Go For Gold godfather Jeremy Go. The partnership with the Philippine Air Force men’s volleyball team has increased the number of sports to nine that Go For Gold has been supporting.

Other members of the team are UAAP Season 81 Champions Kim Malabunga, Francis Saura and Madz Gampong, holdovers Team Captain A2C Pitrus De Ocampo, A2C Nino Jeruz, A2C Rodolfo LabradorJr, A2C Howard Mojica, Sandy Montero, Sgt Raffy Mosuela, newcomer libero Rikko Marmeto, and rookie Primo Rueca from NCAA South Champions De La Salle-Lipa.

Helping Verayo call the shots for Air Force Go For Gold are men’s national

team head coach SSg Dante Alinsunurin, SSg Clarence Esteban and SSg Jhimzon Merza. Ltc Ramil Ranario is the program director of the PAF volleyball team.

The Go For Gold spikers have a winning tradition in the Spikers’ Turf for the past four seasons with four championships titles—two in the Reinforced and Open conferences (2016 and 2018)—in eight conferences.

They wound up second place in the 2015 and 2017 reinforced conference and placed third in the open conference on both seasons.

Aside from men’s volleyball, Go For Gold is a staunch supporter of national team athletes from cycling, sepak takraw, triathlon, chess, dragonboat, skateboarding, wrestling and a pair of basketball teams in the PBA D-League and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Pirates crush Trinity in Got Skills cage meet

By Peter Atencio KYLE Anama fired 15 points for the Lyceum Pirates in their 66-49 beating of Trinity University of Asia Stallions over the weekend in the 2019 Milcu Sports Got Skills Basketball Summer tournament at the Trinity University of Asia in Quezon City.

This gave the Pirates their second win in three games in the 25-under division.

The Pirates moved into a three-way

share of the lead with Far Eastern University and National University.

CJ Saure led with 16 points for the Letran Knights, who demolished Lourdes School-Mandaluyong, 96-53, in the 19-under side.

The Knights picked up their fourth win in five outings, to move behind unbeaten Jose Rizal University (3-0).

Milo Janao made 15 points for the San Sebastian Staglets in repulsing Philippine Christian University, 59-47, to improve to

2-1 in another 19-under encounter.

The Trinity Stallions won over UNO High School, 94-16, with Steven Mercado and Evan Domoran making 12 points each in the 17-under hostilities.

This allowed the Stallions march to their second straight win in Group B. Andrei de la Cruz shot 14 points in leading New Era University to a 69-43 blasting over English Christian Academy, and their third straight win in Group A.

Federer, Nadal threaten Djokovic bid for historic grand slam PARIS—Novak Djokovic can become only the second man in history to have twice held all four Grand Slam titles at the same time with victory at the French Open.

However, a returning Roger Federer and rejuvenated Rafael Nadal will once again stand in his way.

World number one Djokovic completed his first private stranglehold of all four Slams with victory at Roland Garros in 2016.

Having clinched the 2018 Wimbledon and US Open titles and then a seventh Australian Federer Open crown in January this year, the Serb is tantalisingly close to another ‘Djoko Slam’.

Federer and Nadal, with 20 and 17 career Grand Slam titles each respectively, may be ahead of 15-time major winner Djokovic in total hauls and have also completed career Slams.

However, not even Federer or Nadal have managed to hold all four of the sport’s greatest prizes at the same time.

It is such a rare feat that only Don Budge (1938) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969)—all calendar Grand Slams —have pulled off the sweep in the sport’s history.

Djokovic, who turned 32 on Wednesday, is playing down his potential date with destiny even if it would put him halfway to a 2019 calendar Slam of his own.

After losing to Nadal in the Italian Open final last weekend, the Serb was in no doubt that it was the Spaniard who would likely be celebrating a 12th Roland Garros title in a little over two weeks’ time.

“Nadal, number one favorite, without a doubt— then everyone else,” he said.

Djokovic, who will be top seed in Thursday’s draw, could be forgiven his Nadal caution.

At Roland Garros in 2018, he was shocked by Italian journeyman Marco Cecchinato in the quarterfinals, a defeat which was such a crushing bodyblow that he even contemplated skipping Wimbledon.

Federer is returning to Roland Garros for the first time since 2015 having turned his back on clay court tennis to focus on Wimbledon.

10th anniversary This year marks the 10th anniversary of his one and only Paris triumph and should the 37-year-old defy the odds and clinch the 2019 title he would become the oldest Grand Slam champion of all time.

Age hasn’t dimmed his ability with Federer saving

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sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

match points to beat Gael Monfils in Madrid and in Rome against Borna Coric as he found his feet again on European red clay.

“It’s been interesting and fun, but not so challenging, to be honest,” said Federer despite his Rome campaign being cut short by a leg injury.

Nadal, whose record at Roland Garros stands at a staggering 11 titles and a win-loss record of 86-2, claimed a ninth Italian Open title and a record 34th Masters on Sunday.

His three-set win over Djokovic was timely as it was his first title of 2019 and had followed three successive semi-final losses at Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.

The last two of those were against Dominic Thiem and Stefanos Tsitsipas, both of whom play with a one-handed backhand, just like Federer.

Thiem, the 2018 runner-up to Nadal at Roland Garros, has defeated the Spaniard four times on clay.

“There is a new wave coming through with the onehanded backhand that can counter some of Rafa’s spins and lefty play,” said Federer, a four-time runnerup in Paris.

Outside of Djokovic and Federer, world number four Thiem and sixth-ranked Tsitsipas are the most likely candidates to dethrone Nadal. AFP

Mighty Sports to represent Philippines in ‘19 Jones Cup WITH Gilas Pilipinas unavailable this time, Mighty Sports will once again represent the country in the annual Jones Cup in Taiwan this July where some World Cup-bound teams, including South Korea and Japan, will also see action.

For this mission, Mighty Sports, owned by Alex Charles Tiu Wongchuking, has appointed Charles Tiu to call the shots for the team which is hoping to relive its 2016 magic.

Bannered by NBA veterans Al Thornton and Senegalese Hamady N’Diaye and the sharp-shooting Dewarick Spencer, Mighty Sports completed an eight-game sweep of the championship.

Mighty Sports was so dominant it posted a whopping average winning margin of 17.4 points to mirror the 1981 feat of the Ron Jacobs-mentored Northern Consolidated Cement team which also swept the title.

“If it is for the national cause, we’re always ready to help,” said Wongchuking. “While this year’s competition is a lot stronger than in 2016, we are certain we can bring total entertainment to thousands of Filipino workers there.”

“Coach Charles will have his hands full this time because some of the best teams in Asia are also taking part to gain more toughness in time for the World Cup,” Wongchuking added.

Tiu said labeled Tunisia, Japan, Korea and Iran as the teams to beat in the annual event won five times by a Philippine side.

“Tunisia won the Afrobasket recently. Of course we can’t belittle the host country Taiwan,” said Tiu who is burning lines to find suitable imports for the team.

Australia names powerhouse NBA World Cup team SYDNEY—Philadephia 76ers star Ben Simmons headlines an NBA playerdominated preliminary Australia squad announced Thursday for this year’s Basketball World Cup in China.

Nine US-based players form the core of the 17-man Boomers squad, including Andrew Bogut of NBA champions Golden State Warriors, Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz, Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs and another 76er, Jonah Bolden.

The NBA has seen a record number of Australian players this year and the Boomers are being touted as the strongest from the country to play at a World Cup. “No doubt, we have the opportunity to put a great team on the floor and that’s exciting,” head coach Andrej Lemanis said in a statement.

“The depth of talent in Australian basketball means that some tough decisions are made at this point and some very good players miss out,” Lemanis added after several hopefuls from Australia’s national competition were overlooked.

Simmons’ 76ers lost the Eastern Conference semi-finals after an incredible game seven buzzer-beater by the Toronto Raptor’s Kawhi Leonard earlier this month.

The former NBA rookie of the year took to social media this week to let 76er fans know he was energized for next year after a “tough way to finish the season”.

“I would also like to announce that I am going to be a Boomer for the upcoming events. So stay tuned,” Simmons added in a video posted to Twitter.

Sudanese-Australian Thon Maker was pulled from the Boomers squad at the last minute, reportedly at the request of his NBA team the Detroit Pistons.

The final 12-man squad will be selected during team camp in August.

They will take on Canada and the USA in warm-up matches in Perth and Melbourne that month with their World Cup campaign beginning against the Canadians on September 1 in China. AFP

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

Manny Pacquiao faces off with Keith Thurman during a press conference before their WBA Welterweight Championship fight at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

Thurman vows to crucify Pacman

B

EVERLY HILLS—Keith Thurman vowed to retire Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday as the two fighters traded verbal jabs ahead of the World Boxing Association battle for welterweight supremacy.

The undefeated Thurman, 30, takes on Pacquiao in Las Vegas on July 20 in a contest that pits the WBA’s “super world champion” against the body’s secondary “world” champion.

Thurman (29-0, with 22 knockouts) returned from a near two-year layoff to retain his title with a 12-round majority decision over Josesito Lopez on January 26.

Eight-division champion Pacquiao, who last fought in a one-sided demolition of Adrien Broner in January, is 10 years older than his American opponent.

And as the two men came face to face

at a press conference in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, Thurman vowed to make the age difference count.

“Pacquiao’s last fight, Pacquiao’s last fight,” Thurman said, while pledging to “dismantle” the 40-year-old Filipino icon.

“I’m destroying the legend of Manny Pacquiao,” Thurman said. “His legacy ends on July 20. He’s had a wonderful career, and been an inspiration. We all love him and respect him. And I’m respectfully going to kick the shit out of him.

“This is a big fight as far as the stage.

But it’s a big fight against a little guy.

I’ve dismantled veterans in the past, and throughout my career. I would have destroyed him five years ago.

“He’s never fought a fighter like me with the lateral movement, speed, power. He’s never fought anyone this young, strong and hungry and I’m coming for him.

“I know he likes to quote Bible verses so I’ll let you know—he’s getting crucified.”

Pacquiao, who mixes a political career as a senator in the Philippines with professional boxing, laughed off Thurman’s threats of annihilation.

“All I can say is that most of my opponents say things before a fight,” Pacquiao said. “That’s what I hear from them - ‘I’m easy to beat’. But when we get into the ring it changes. We’ll see who’s young in the ring on July 20.

“I don’t like trash-talking before a fight.

I’m going to let my fists do the talking.”

Pacquiao plans to split his training camp between the Philippines and Los Angeles, wrapping up his preparations under the watchful eye of long-time trainer Freddie Roach, who is back in his corner.

“Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world to work with,” Roach said Wednesday. “His work ethic is unbelievable. We’ve studied Thurman and come up with a game plan. And we’re going to destroy him.”

Pacquiao meanwhile insisted that his advancing years had not diminished his enthusiasm or energy for boxing.

“At age 40, I feel like I’m 29,” he said.

“This is fun. I’m enjoying it. I’m excited to go back to the Philippines and go straight back to the gym.” AFP

Taiwanese fire 6-under 66s in rain

TAIWAN OPEN. Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. general manager Colo

Ventosa (third from left) poses with (from left) PGA of Taiwan Chairman Hsieh Chin Sheng, DAAN Group general manager Ku Chang Cheng and CCK golf manager Andy Ang during the ceremonials of the 2019 DAAN TPGA Open, the first Philippine Golf Tour Asia tournament held in Taiwan Wednesday.

WANG Congjie and Tseng Tzu-Hao sizzled in the rain-hit start of the Daan TPGA Open, shooting identical six-under 66s as the Taiwanese lived up to the hype and dominated the early going of the $100,000 championship at the Ching Chuan Kang Golf Club in Taichung, Taiwan yesterday.

Congjie, No. 7 in the current PGA of Taiwan (TPGA) Order of Merit ranking, gunned down three birdies on each nine of the soggy par-72 layout to match Tseng’s equally-impressive 33-33 card fashioned out following a fourhour delay to the start of the first Philippine Golf Tour Asia event abroad.

Early morning downpour submerged the fairways and greens of the course affiliated to Taiwan’s Air Force, forcing the organizers to delay the start of the event, leaving half of the 144-player starting field wondering if they could even finish nine holes with forecast of more rains late in the day.

The 22-year-old Tseng, whose 21st place finish here last year was his best in a young

four-year pro career, birdied three of the first six holes then bucked a three-putt miscue on No. 11 with four birdies in the last seven holes to emerge the surprise provisional leader.

“My short game and putting just clicked,” Wang said Tseng, who spiked Congjie his strong start with six scrambling pars at the end of the long day.

But Wang matched that 66 minutes later in superb fashion, birdying Nos. 10, 13 and 16 then adding three more on Nos. 2, 3 and 7 as they grabbed a provisional onestroke lead over Thai Tawit Polthai and two up over another Thai Wisut Artjanawat, American Tarik Can and Song Mengyu, also of Taiwan. Turn to A7

Volleyball stars Rondina, Arocha to be feted VOLLEYBALL has made its mark as one the biggest collegiate spectator sports in the country next to basketball.

With the sports’ impact and huge following especially in the women’s division, it is just fitting that the best and brightest volleyball student-athletes share the spotlight with the collegiate basketball’s finest.

For the first time, a pair of volleyball stars will be feted in the 2019 Chooksto-Go Collegiate Press Corps Awards

presented by SportsVision to be held at the Amelie Hotel Manila in Malate, Manila on Monday.

University of Sto. Tomas’ Sisi Rondina and Regine Arocha of Arellano University will be the recipients of the SportsVision Volleyball Player of the Year awards in the annual event organized by the Collegiate Press Corps, composed of scribes from print and online outfits covering the NCAA and UAAP.

The graduating hitter Rondina wrapped her fifth and last playing year as a Tigress by completing an amazing three-peat in beach volleyball, giving UST its first gold medal in UAAP Season 81.

Rondina delivered the Espanabased squad’s fourth sand court crown in five years while bagging for herself four Most Valuable Player awards.

The 5’6” Cebuana then turned her

Turn to A7

Sisi Rondina and Regine Arocha

Ginebra faces lead-seeking Blackwater 5

By Jeric Lopez JUSTIN Brownlee and defending champion Barangay Ginebra start their title defense against lead-seeker Blackwater in the resumption of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. The Gin Kings make their debut, while the Elite shoot for the early tournament lead in their 7 p.m. duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.

In the appetizer, Columbian Dyip and Meralco, teams which lost their conference openers, seek their first win at each other’s expense at 4:30 p.m.

Ginebra coach Tim Cone is hopeful that his Gin Kings can put up a good title defense with health finally on their side.

“We’ve had some injuries these past conference but we’re healthy now,” said Cone. “Everyone’s practicing and we hope that can help us as we defend the championship.”

Brownlee, Ginebra’s beloved prolific import, is back in town for yet another duty as he is expected to spearhead the Gin Kings’ fight.

His first challenge will be the hulking Alex Stepheson, who already led Blackwater to a tough 9491 grinder over the Bolts in overtime last Sunday.

The Gin Kings will have their entire core at the helm, led by Brownlee, LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Greg Slaughter, Scottie Thompson and Joe Devance.

After suffering losses in their initial outings, the Dyip and Bolts are both looking to redeem themselves.

While Meralco dropped a close one against Blackwater, Columbian was hammered in a bad way.

The Dyip was handled with a 111-98 rout by Alaska, also last Sunday.

Gilas men’s 5 out, women’s team in

By Peter Atencio THE Philippine men’s team bowed out of the contention, while the Team Perlas Pilas made it to the main draw in the women’s side.

This after the Team Gilas bounced back from two straight losses by getting past Iran, 21-19, and Samoa, 22-15, in the ongoing FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2019 in Changsha, China.

With 3x3 sensation Ricci Rivero out on an ankle injury, RJ Abarrientos took over scoring and had 18 points against Iran.

Then, Abarrientos made 14 points in beating Samoa.

But the Philippines missed a ticket to Pool A, which went to Qatar, which swept its four-game assignment in the qualifying bracket.

On the other hand, the Philippine women’s side started their journey with a resounding 21-1 blasting of Samoa in the qualifying draw A bracket.

Afril Bernardino showed the way with eight points for the Philippines.

Notching a second straight win, this time against Taipei, 16-13, put the Filipinas in contention for the next stage.

This time, Jack Danielle Animam led with five points.

In one of the highlight games of the tournament, Samoa avenged its early loss with a historic first-ever Asia Cup win against Vanuatu, 18-15.

In the other pool matches, India and Thailand are tied in 1st place and their match-up tomorrow will decide who advances to the main draw.

IN BRIEF

Finance dismisses fears of debt crisis

THE Finance Department shrugged off concerns from some quarters over a potential debt crisis, saying the latest favorable numbers suggest otherwise.

“Proactive debt management has afforded the Philippines an expanded fiscal space as the level of debt has declined significantly from 87.2 percent of GDP [gross domestic product] in 2006 to 41.8 percent in 2018―a 45.4-percentage-point decline,” Finance undersecretary Gil Beltran said in an economic bulletin on Thursday.

He said net debt showed a bigger decline from 84.8 percent of GDP to 37 percent― a 47.8-percentage-point decline during the same period.

“In general, first-quarter 2019 debt statistics show a continuation of the favorable trend toward debt reduction. These favorable numbers indicate that fears of a forthcoming debt crisis are unfounded,” Beltran said.

The national government debt-to-GDP ratio rose from 42.6 percent as of endMarch 2018 to 44 percent as of end-March 2019 because of higher domestic debt. External debt dropped from 14.9 percent to 14.7 percent while domestic debt rose from 27.6 percent to 29.3 percent as the government shifted to local sources of borrowing to reduce foreign exchange risks.

Julito G. Rada

Hot money posted net outflow in April

MORE foreign fund managers withdrew their investments from the domestic financial markets in April in reaction to the delayed approval of the 2019 national government budget coupled with the successive earthquakes that struck Luzon and the Visayas regions.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Thursday showed that registered foreign portfolio investments or “hot money” in April 2019 posted a net outflow of $299 million, a reversal of the $279-million net inflow a year ago.

Gross inflows in April reached $989 million, significantly lower than $1.375 billion in gross inflows a year ago, while total outflows hit $1.288 billion, up from $1.1 billion.

“Gross inflows declined by 42.9 percent from the $1.7 billion figure in March 2019.

This may be attributed to investor reaction to the delayed approval of the 2019 national government budget and the damage caused by the April 22 earthquake that jolted parts of Luzon and Visayas,” the Bangko Sentral said in a statement.

“Investors also stayed cautious amid the lack of fresh catalysts in the market and ongoing trade negotiations between the United States and China,” it said. Julito G. Rada

Business ADB grants $2.75-b loan for Malolos-Clark railway

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Asian Development Bank said Thursday it approved a $2.75-billion (P145-billion) loan for the construction of a 53.1-kilometer railway connecting Malolos, Bulacan to Clark International Airport in Pampanga province.

The Malolos–Clark Railway Project is a part of the government’s North– South Commuter Railway, a 163-km suburban railway network stretching from New Clark City in Tarlac province in the north to Calamba in Laguna province in the south of Manila. The NSCR project is expected to be completed by 2025.

It is expected to provide safe, reliable and affordable public transport to about 342,000 passengers who travel daily along the Manila–Clark corridor and up to 696,000 passengers per day to Calamba by 2025.

Once completed, it would cut the travel time from Metro Manila to Clark International Airport to less than one hour by rail, compared with two to three hours by car or bus today. The project is expected to be partially operational by 2022.

The project will help ease the current chronic road congestion in Metro Manila, reduce air pollution, cut the costs of transport and logistics, spur economic growth in Central Luzon and encourage a population shift from the capital to growth centers in the north such as Clark in Pampanga.

“ADB’s partnership with the Philippines has always been strong, and it has become stronger in the last three years,” ADB president Takehiko Nakao said.

“The government’s ‘Build, Build,

Build’ program is clearly steering the much-needed acceleration in infrastructure spending, from less than 2 percent of gross domestic product a decade ago to 6.3 percent now, well on track to achieve the 7-percent target by 2022.

One of the key flagship projects of the BBB program is the Malolos–Clark railway,” Nakao said.

Nakao said it would be ADB’s single largest infrastructure project financing ever and from a development perspective, “we are pleased this investment is taking place in ADB’s host country”.

“The project, combined with other investments in light rail transit, metro rail transit and subway systems, will bring back the culture of rail transport in Metro Manila,” he said.

ADB’s 2018–2023 Country Partnership Strategy for the Philippines envisages significant and wide-ranging support for the BBB program, among other critical investments in education, financial inclusion and economic policy reforms.

LandBank expects 10% income growth

STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines, the fourth-largest lender in terms of assets, raised its 2019 net income growth forecast from 7 percent to 10 percent amid the declining interest rates and reduction in reserve requirement ratios of banks.

The 10-percent growth will translate into a record P17 billion in net profit, up from P15.5 billion last year.

“I think that [10-percent growth] is possible, considering the fact that the previous forecast of a 7-percent growth was made before the policy rates cut and RRR cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,” LandBank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said in a briefing Thursday at the bank’s headquarters in Malate, Manila.

The earlier projection of a 7-percent growth in net income this year was made by former bank president Alex Buenaventura in January.

Borromeo said the recent RRR cut would be positive for the bank as a significant amount of liquidity would be freed up to the financial system. She said the bank was eyeing a 10-percent growth in loans this year to P840 billion from P768.6 billion in 2018.

The bank also expects a 5-percent growth in deposits to P1.7 billion from P1.6 billion.

Julito G. Rada

Car importers register 12% sales growth

By Othel V. Campos THE Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors Inc. reported a 12-percent increase in sales to 7,259 units in April from 6,476 units in the same month last year.

It said April emerged as the best month for the industry, bringing total sales in the first four months to positive territory. Sales in January to April reached 29,458 units, up 0.2 percent from 29,411 units delivered a year ago.

“We are pleased to finally see growth in the first four months, coming from a lackluster first quarter. The strong April performance signifies that demand for automotive vehicles is slowly increasing, eventually leading to what we forecast as a strong industry recovery,” said Avid president Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

Data showed that while sales of passenger cars declined by 8 percent in the four-month period to 10,528 units from 11,451 units a year ago, the segment grew by 12 percent to 2,614 units in April from 2,342 units in the same month last year.

Hyundai was the main volume driver of the segment, accounting for 66 percent of Avid’s total passenger car sales, followed by Suzuki’s 24 percent.

The light commercial vehicle posted a 5-percent growth in the first four months to 18,483 from 17,520 units in the same period last year, on the back of a 13-percent rise in April to 4,534 units from 4,029 units a year earlier.

The segment accounted for roughly two-thirds of Avid’ss total vehicle sales, led by Ford with 40 percent, Hyundai with 29 percent and Suzuki with 22 percent.

CLEAN ENERGY. Hamlin Industrial Corp.’s facility in Carmona, Cavite is now powered by clean and reliable geothermal energy from the Bacon-Manito Geothermal Project of Energy Development Corp. in Bicol. Signing the retail supply contract in Carmona, Cavite are (from left) First Gen vice president Carlos Vega, EDC head of business development, marketing and trading Marvin Kenneth Bailon, Hamlin Industrial Corp. president Lawrence Delos Santos and NST Apparel chief financial officer Marsha Pepino.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

B1

SMC Global set to appeal court ruling on power supply bidding

By Alena Mae S. Flores SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. said Thursday its subsidiaries will appeal a Supreme Court ruling that ordered energy companies to undergo a competitive selection process on power supply agreements.

“The wholly-owned subsidiaries of the corporation which are parties to the aforementioned case, namely Mariveles Power Generation Corp. and Central Luzon Premiere Power Corp., will be filing a motion for reconsideration within the given reglementary period,” said SMC Global Power, the power unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp.

Central Luzon Premiere plans to build a 600-megawatt coal-fired power generating facility in Pagbilao, Quezon set to be operational in 2021.

Manila Electric Co. signed a power supply agreement for the purchase up to 528 MW of the output of Central Luzon Premiere.

Meralco also signed a PSA with Mariveles Power, which is putting up a 600-MW coal-fired power generating facility in Mariveles, Bataan.

Meralco agreed to purchase 528 MW from Mariveles Power.

The Supreme ruling is seen to affect Meralco’s PSAs and more than 95 other PSAs, including some that are already in effect.

All PSA applications submitted by the distribution utilities on or after June 30, 2015 were required to comply with the CSP in accordance with the 2015 circular of the Energy Department.

The Supreme Court also ordered that the power purchase cost after compliance with the CSP should be retroactive to the date of the effectivity of the PSA, but in no case earlier than June 30, 2015, for purposes of passing the purchase cost to the consumers.

The Energy Department asked power industry stakeholders to comply with the Supreme Court.

“We will tell them go CSP. If you don’t want to undertake the CSP, we will come out with a circular that we will do the CSP for you,” Energy assistant secretary Redentor Delola said earlier.

Bangko Sentral cuts reserve requirement ratios of thrift, rural banks THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, announced Thursday the reduction in the reserve requirement ratio of thrift banks by 200 basis points to release more liquidity into the financial system.

It also announced a total reduction of 100 basis points in the RRR of rural and cooperative banks.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno disclosed the RRR adjustments a week after the board announced the adjustment of the RRR of universal and commercial banks by 200 basis points to 16 percent from 18 percent.

“This morning, the Monetary Board decided to cut the RRR for thrift, savings and cooperative banks. For thrift banks, the RRR was cut by 200 bps,

from 8 percent to 6 percent,” he said.

Diokno said an initial 100-bps cut would take effect on May 31. It will be followed a reduction of 50 bps on June 28 and another 50 bps on July 26.

“For rural and cooperative banks, the RRR would be cut by 100 bps, from 5 to 4 percent, effective May 31, 2019. The BSP will issue the necessary circular shortly,” Diokno said.

Reserve requirement, also called cash reserve ratio, is a central bank regulation that sets the minimum fraction of customer deposits and notes that each bank must hold as reserves.

Michael Ricafort, an economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said every 1-percent cut in RRR would mean additional peso liquidity into the financial system of P9.3 billion for thrift banks, and P1.8 billion for rural and co-

operative banks.

The BSP cut the RRR of universal and commercial banks by a total of 2-percentage-points, or equivalent to about P190 billion in additional peso liquidity into the financial system (about P95 billion effective May 31, 2019; about P47 billion effective June 28, 2019; and about P47 billion effective July 26, 2019).

Ricafort said the cuts would be “positive for both the Philippine economy and financial markets, in terms of greater economic activities/faster GDP growth.”

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said the BSP might have learned from the previous RRR reductions in 2018 when “clandestine” nonpolicy meeting RRR cuts “caught market off guard…”

“Learning from the previous episode of RRR cuts in 2018, the BSP opted to telegraph the series of ‘measured reductions’ bringing the 2019 edition of redux into the third quarter of the year...,” Mapa said in a report.

“This year, BSP opted to wait for inflation to be clearly on the downtrend before pulling the trigger. Meanwhile, Diokno decided to lay his cards on the table, telegraphing a series of measured adjustments [100 then two 50 bps cuts] in order to minimize both the possible impact on inflation and the currency,” he said.

Mapa said that as a result, there was a “positive market reception” while the effect on the peso has been contained as the currency sit in the middle of the regional pack in terms of performance post easing. Julito G. Rada

EDC seeks perks on geothermal projects GEOTHERMAL leader Energy Development Corp. urged the government to grant incentives to the development of geothermal energy to provide not only clean and reliable power but also jobs and livelihood to local communities.

“The Philippines has vast geothermal potential. To spur the development of this untapped geothermal potential, we urge the government to incentivize the development of geothermal,” EDC president Richard Tantoco said.

Tantoco said geothermal is “the holy grail of renewable energy” being the cleanest, most reliable and readily available.

He said in contrast, coal power generation was identified as the greatest contributor to climate change with almost 61 percent of global carbon emissions coming from energy and industrial processes.

He said a simple pivot to renewable energy sources could mitigate the climate change problem.

“As much as 93 percent of total car-

bon emissions and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can be addressed if the energy sector moves toward power generation from cleaner sources,” he said.

Coal accounted for more than 50 percent of the country’s energy mix in 2018, he said.

“For the longest time, coal has been the baseload power of choice, due to the misconception that it is cheap. The truth is coal has externalities in addition to the ex-plant price and these have not been priced into the illusory ‘least cost’ equation,” said Tantoco.

He said that as much as 90 percent of coal utilized in Philippine energy production was imported, placing the country under the mercy of volatile foreign currency movements.

Tantoco said the growth in demand and advancements in technology such as energy storage had led to renewable energy becoming increasingly cheaper. Alena Mae S. Flores

CENTRAL AMERICA’S BEST PORT. Puerto Cortes, operated by Operadora Portuaria Centroamericana, the Honduran subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc., is chosen as the best maritime terminal in the Central America-4 region and 24th best in Latin America by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Carribean. Cargo movement at OPC grew 4.5 percent in 2018 over the previous year, Cepal noted in its 2018 Port Rankings.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market retreats; Globe, Ayala drop T HE stock market slipped Thursday on profit-taking to snap a four-day rally, as the ChinaUS trade frictions continue to dog investors.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell 11.04 points, or 0.1 percent, 7.804.03 on a value turnover of P7.2 billion. Losers beat gainers, 110 to 87, with 53 issues unchanged.

LT Group Inc. of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan lost 3.3 percent to P15.86, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, dropped 3.1 percent to P72.

Globe Telecom Inc., the secondlargest telecommunications company, declined 2.3 percent to P2,100, while parent Ayala Corp. slipped 1.1 percent to P895.

The rest of Asian equities tumbled Thursday, while the pound hit a fresh four-month low on Brexit worries and energy firms were battered by plunging oil prices.

Markets across the region were in the red as traders ran to the hills, with no signs of a break in the tariffs stand-off between the world’s top two economies keeping optimism in check.

The heavy selling comes after a relatively sedate couple of days in Asia and follows losses on Wall Street, with warnings that more volatility is expected for some time.

Tensions between China and the US have increased after Donald Trump banned telecoms giant Huawei from the US market and prevented American firms from selling to it.

The move has led a number of companies around the world to cut back their business with the firm, including Google, Japan’s Panasonic and BT in

Britain, among others.

The row, which has seen the trade war widen to also become a battle over technology, has hammered the sector with major firms seeing their valuations tumble in recent weeks.

On Thursday Hong Kong market heavyweight Tencent dived more than four percent, Sony shed 3.7 percent in Tokyo, Seoul-listed LG Display dived more than three percent and TSMC shed a similar amount in Taipei.

“As ever, the sentiment is vulnerable to headline flashes on trade, and we can expect this sort of flip-flopping in sentiment daily until more clarity emerges on any progress on the US-China trade front,” said OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley.

“In the bigger picture, equities may find upward momentum difficult on a consistent basis, while the trade picture and its knock-on effects remain so cloudy.”

Hong Kong was among the worst performers with the Hang Seng Index diving 1.8 percent, Shanghai 1.4 percent lower and Tokyo ending down 0.6 percent.

Taipei was 1.4 percent off while Seoul shed 0.3 percent.

“Trade is still front and center for equity markets with the mood looking increasingly downbeat,” said Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets. com. “It rather seems the US and China are hunkering down for the long haul— a new long march.”

However, Mumbai’s Sensex soared more than two percent to break the 40,000 for the first time ever as traders welcomed polls indicating businessfriendly Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP were on course to win another majority.

The Nifty market of 50 firms also crossed 12,000 points to chalk up a new landmark. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.9 13,540 81.05 1,897,710 2.25 5,000 134.5 981,350 1.25 21,000 26.5 16,300 8.49 400 18.8 100,000 11.58 232,200 4.57 47,000 0.52 18,000 1.51 675,000 740 10 0.475 150,000 72 1,843,930 1.01 1,234,000 13.2 6,000 58.1 238,310 185.5 2,980 110.5 150 57.75 1,330 27 76,800 172 214,590 59.4 12,080 1.23 1,000

797,072.50 154,152,389.50 10,980 131,356,167 24,850 432,340 3,046 1,880,000 2,708,694 207,460 9,360 1,016,420 7,400 69,150 133,950,227.50 1,286,480 79,200 13,769,249.50 552,645 16,575 76,808.50 2,072,155 37,006,597 719,660 1,230

790,624 -58,579,085 32,092,968 18,605 -594,600 -14,760 -36,285,761.50 21,200 -1,320 2,947,211.50 -27,100 -19,040,077 -511,318.50 -

36 14.7 0.72 1.38 0.285 2.51 14.4 106.5 25.7 45 66 63.1 1.92 5.74 10.08 16 9.76 7.5 1.61 20.95 76.5 42 2.28 14 9.97 1.68 281 4 3.4 9.1 22.35 13.04 21.95 371.6 0.187 5.02 1.28 4.75 5.95 9.45 2.08 11.78 41.6 4.75 5 1.61 2 1.2 12.84 104.2 6.47 0.128 1.18 154.1 2.47 1.15 1.02

INDUSTRIAL 36.35 579,900 14.94 341,400 0.73 2,194,000 1.38 804,000 0.285 86,580,000 2.52 6,956,000 14.72 449,400 107 130 26.05 180,100 45 100,100 66 150 63.1 70 1.93 94,000 5.74 100 10.08 3,899,600 16.1 712,900 9.8 1,938,300 7.5 332,000 1.61 16,000 21.3 1,889,000 76.5 14,440 42.6 256,000 2.28 11,087,000 14 497,400 10.16 348,900 1.71 307,000 284 1,693,510 4.01 4,000 3.6 8,000 9.57 36,500 22.45 253,500 13.3 1,770,400 22 2,550,600 378.8 150,040 0.204 50,000 5.22 15,500 1.31 4,417,000 4.84 144,000 6.13 4,707,300 9.45 1,100 2.08 14,296,000 12.1 220,000 41.6 245,400 4.8 201,000 5.05 28,300 1.64 116,000 2.05 41,000 1.2 304,000 13 1,511,600 107 150,260 6.57 146,300 0.13 360,000 1.35 42,694,000 157 407,510 2.47 124,000 1.16 2,260,000 1.06 690,000

21,078,120 5,106,090 1,619,740 1,113,580 26,030,000 17,734,470 6,760,832 13,850 4,735,555 4,504,500 9,900 4,417 181,080 574 39,430,648 11,443,936 19,172,119 2,499,380 26,560 40,039,225 1,105,394 11,026,510 25,923,370 6,983,372 3,509,198 521,420 480,651,836 16,010 27,800 336,819 5,688,320 23,593,954 56,113,555 56,636,290 9,520 82,896 5,796,670 700,070 28,524,568 10,395 30,109,850 2,645,712 10,263,470 962,970 142,341 190,750 82,050 370,490 19,597,728 15,984,055 957,197 46,530 54,803,300 63,726,871 306,280 2,628,560 725,100

-1,843,795 -139,326 18,070 -685,780 -522,450 2,050,080.00 -6,371,506 22,500 -38,400 -33,975,776 1,228,016 5,622,904.00 -704,045 3,916,875 -552,355 6,201,370 -474,490 -416,510 428,164.00 -144,427,002 1,815,800 1,269,996 17,490,180 4,693,566 -137,400 8,506,841 1,928,660 -8,401,710 -289,000 -5,580,902 -5,255,316 3,285 -603,190 -4,240,909 281,580 -292,000 -

0.6 52.55 14.74 0.8 6.85 13.66 1.26 1.29 905.5 3.56 7.2 10.48 14.5 0.265 891.5 6.2 61.6 6.21 0.51 4.65 16.48 0.53 4.44 2.76 0.039 1.12 181.8 923 0.87 1.36 430 274 0.239 0.295

0.57 51 14.16 0.73 6.7 13 1.22 1.27 893.5 3.35 7.02 10.22 14.22 0.25 868 6.17 59.55 5.9 0.47 4.58 15.8 0.53 4.33 2.76 0.039 1.07 179.3 914 0.8 1.36 429 268.4 0.233 0.28

HOLDING FIRMS 0.57 10,665,000 52.3 1,015,500 14.74 4,160,200 0.75 1,170,000 6.7 5,100 13.06 59,500 1.25 1,585,000 1.27 121,000 895 1,572,010 3.39 14,945,000 7.1 287,600 10.46 4,474,300 14.48 110,800 0.265 570,000 885 84,180 6.18 37,500 61.6 699,060 6 6,500 0.51 14,000 4.65 6,904,000 15.86 4,291,500 0.53 48,000 4.36 14,737,000 2.76 1,000 0.039 11,700,000 1.07 438,000 179.8 329,950 922.5 162,350 0.86 1,086,000 1.36 5,000 429 30 269 3,260 0.237 190,000 0.285 2,910,000

6,149,210 52,929,252.50 60,032,262 904,150 34,185 778,654 1,966,730 153,690 1,412,344,970 51,231,720 2,037,820 46,458,648 1,584,102 145,100 74,010,410 231,920 42,506,784.50 38,641 6,870 31,845,750 69,212,802 25,440 64,206,970 2,760 456,300 483,520 59,323,904 149,340,490 916,320 6,800 12,880 876,942 44,650 838,250

247,020.00 3,526,752 -6,650,166 33,500 6,650 127,000 -90,890,090 -17,432,080 -804,877 -3,093,694 14,292 31,847,590 -15,392,834.50 -7,055,960.00 -35,912,724 7,150,430.00 -17,866,775 27,802,155 -45,310 -43,000 -37,550

15.5 0.8 10.02 2.19 0.77 48.5 2.36 5.06 6.35 0.59 0.82 0.89 0.227 0.375 10.22 24.8 0.49 0.125 1.65 1.43 5.58 0.32 1.77

15.06 0.76 10.02 2.13 0.72 48 2.29 4.93 6.35 0.54 0.81 0.86 0.225 0.375 10 24.05 0.48 0.125 1.59 1.37 5.45 0.305 1.7

6,339,070 814,260 10,020 348,610 1,794,690 508,537,725 257,380 6,214,230 15,240 89,956,000 15,520 2,640 1,038,300 52,500 2,169,830 5,207,550 3,077,650 150,000 27,819,030 5,524,310 103,237,056 3,958,350 2,976,210

-1,229,808 -21,400 147,780,620 22,990 1,470,490 1,069,550 300,600 -267,215 -2,417,000 -13,697,480 138,000 -26,093,572 325,800 66,940

NAME

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

58.5 81 2.16 134.1 1.18 26.65 6.74 18.8 11.86 4.59 0.52 1.35 740 0.46 74.3 1.06 13.2 57.5 185 110.5 57.75 26.5 174.5 61.5 1.23

58.9 81.85 2.25 134.5 1.25 26.65 8.49 18.8 11.86 4.59 0.52 1.65 740 0.475 74.3 1.08 13.2 58.35 185.5 110.5 57.8 27 175 61.5 1.23

58.5 81 2.16 132.7 1.18 26.4 6.74 18.8 11.58 4.4 0.52 1.35 740 0.455 72 1.01 13.2 56.6 185 110.5 57.75 26.5 171.4 58.8 1.23

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

36.7 15 0.76 1.39 0.29 2.52 15.06 106.5 26 45 66 63.1 1.92 5.74 10.4 16.02 9.8 7.5 1.69 21 77 44.5 2.47 14.12 10.2 1.7 287.2 4 3.5 9.12 22.45 13.74 22 377 0.187 5.74 1.28 4.9 5.95 9.45 2.12 11.8 42.5 4.76 5.05 1.61 2 1.22 13 107.5 6.57 0.128 1.21 155.2 2.47 1.17 1.06

36.7 15 0.76 1.39 0.315 2.62 15.2 107 27 45 66 63.1 1.94 5.74 10.4 16.1 10.1 7.59 1.69 21.5 77 44.7 2.47 14.12 10.2 1.71 287.2 4.01 3.6 9.68 22.5 13.76 22.05 378.8 0.204 5.74 1.34 4.95 6.15 9.45 2.16 12.1 42.75 4.81 5.05 1.65 2.05 1.24 13 107.5 6.57 0.13 1.35 158.7 2.47 1.17 1.07

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

0.6 52.05 14.6 0.73 6.85 13.64 1.26 1.29 903 3.54 7.2 10.48 14.5 0.265 880 6.2 61.45 6.07 0.51 4.64 16.36 0.53 4.44 2.76 0.039 1.12 181.8 919 0.81 1.36 430 269 0.233 0.285

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

15.3 0.8 10.02 2.19 0.76 48 2.3 5 6.35 0.54 0.81 0.89 0.226 0.375 10.22 24.8 0.48 0.125 1.63 1.41 5.55 0.315 1.75

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NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS VISTA LAND

0.415 2.28 23.9 2.08 3.03 39.35 1.85 6.6 7.21

0.43 2.28 24.5 2.1 3.04 39.5 1.86 6.6 7.25

0.415 2.1 23.75 2.05 3.03 38.8 1.83 6.44 7.11

0.415 2.15 24.5 2.05 3.03 39.4 1.85 6.47 7.11

330,000 2,987,000 676,500 548,000 226,000 3,749,300 1,445,000 179,800 4,436,400

137,100 6,472,490 16,342,380 1,139,690 686,780 147,114,165 2,670,130 1,165,882 31,635,113

1,438,950 -9,285,600 -9,904,383

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

11.7 18.9 0.405 0.042 20.8 2.8 11.2 0.061 89 6.25 6.15 2.04 10.48 890 2,100 5.33 401 2.45 1.76 136 11.26 6.2 0.122 6.01 2.96 14.8 4.64 0.78 19.9 0.56 3.71 2.79 1.65 1.63 2.03 3.29 9.68 3.03 4.35 119 3.08 1,320 0.77 0.87 46 71.9 9.62 3.2 0.66 0.32 5.55 0.74 16.54

11.7 18.9 0.41 0.046 20.8 2.85 11.22 0.063 90 6.74 6.23 2.04 10.6 890 2,150 5.38 408 2.55 1.76 137.9 11.26 6.2 0.122 6.6 2.96 14.8 4.72 0.87 19.9 0.59 3.93 2.79 1.69 1.63 2.12 3.33 9.96 3.03 4.51 120 3.25 1,340 0.77 0.87 46.15 71.9 9.7 3.2 0.67 0.325 5.55 0.74 16.56

11.48 18.5 0.405 0.042 19.8 2.72 11.1 0.06 87 6.25 6.14 2.04 10.04 890 2,090 5.32 397.8 2.45 1.75 135.4 11.26 6 0.121 5.9 2.94 14.5 4.52 0.78 19.6 0.56 3.71 2.75 1.63 1.6 2.03 3.28 9.62 3 4.19 119 3 1,311 0.74 0.83 45.2 69.6 9.5 3.08 0.63 0.315 5.38 0.72 16.38

SERVICES 11.5 18.56 0.405 0.045 20.5 2.83 11.16 0.06 87.8 6.7 6.15 2.04 10.22 890 2,100 5.33 408 2.51 1.75 136 11.26 6 0.122 6.42 2.95 14.6 4.6 0.83 19.72 0.56 3.9 2.76 1.69 1.6 2.07 3.28 9.62 3 4.51 120 3.2 1,327 0.76 0.83 45.35 70.35 9.5 3.1 0.65 0.32 5.5 0.72 16.4

13,200 131,100 130,000 39,800,000 35,900 925,000 2,925,200 26,850,000 121,290 4,628,700 203,000 15,000 117,300 70 94,195 119,900 3,150 1,505,000 39,000 1,957,170 100 18,700 1,060,000 27,691,500 119,000 10,100 2,899,000 326,000 388,600 1,863,000 189,000 2,372,000 21,000 23,000 1,676,000 212,000 12,900 56,000 164,000 160 4,360,000 126,635 2,548,000 76,279,000 1,424,100 320,530 47,600 7,281,000 13,914,000 3,730,000 359,100 2,138,000 552,500

151,976 2,447,438 52,700 1,764,000 723,060 2,592,610 32,633,624 1,635,280 10,765,673 30,304,481 1,250,446 30,600 1,199,878 62,300 198,701,190 640,471 1,281,466 3,776,420 68,450 266,399,581 1,126 113,650 129,120 174,139,594 351,100 147,850 13,346,230 264,420 7,657,502 1,056,750 731,610 6,566,750 34,390 37,300 3,487,220 695,490 125,621 168,460 731,280 19,050 13,724,830 168,164,520 1,924,730 64,431,270 64,972,260 22,617,193.50 458,137 22,705,840 9,003,600 1,184,250 1,954,467 1,553,850 9,067,422

171,310 -101,520 -29,038,946 122,000 -283,923 308,843 -1,056,616 28,619,660 374,950 -4,499,447 1,513,749 5,447,230.00 -79,380 1,714,776 603,120 -108,790 -3,290 19,050 -1,882,200 98,883,965 -87,160 -957,890 950,985 -1,527,620 -9,600 2,737,610 644,360 -45,690 -5,090 -1,473,276

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

0.0019 1.12 2.71 11.86 2.81 0.295 7.73 1.52 0.231 0.107 0.112 0.0079 0.0079 1.04 2.24 1 0.6 0.87 0.011 0.011 4.17 2.92 7.95 22.45 0.0065

0.0019 1.15 2.72 11.88 2.82 0.295 7.82 1.6 0.232 0.11 0.112 0.0086 0.0093 1.04 2.25 1.01 0.61 0.89 0.011 0.012 4.3 2.92 8.01 22.7 0.0065

0.0018 1.06 2.7 10.7 2.79 0.28 7.63 1.5 0.218 0.107 0.111 0.0078 0.0078 1.03 2.14 0.95 0.58 0.87 0.011 0.011 3.97 2.89 7.86 22.35 0.0065

MINING & OIL 0.0018 102,000,000 1.06 3,606,000 2.7 101,000 11.76 11,200 2.81 400,000 0.29 880,000 7.73 9,100 1.58 400,065,000 0.23 520,000 0.109 4,170,000 0.111 300,000 0.0079 29,000,000 0.0078 2,061,000,000 1.03 44,000 2.16 4,084,000 0.99 224,000 0.61 130,000 0.89 122,000 0.011 800,000 0.012 20,600,000 4.14 319,000 2.91 78,000 7.86 780,100 22.35 3,069,600 0.0065 4,000,000

193,600 3,940,030 272,800 121,230 1,121,330 256,550 70,218 605,511,780 115,630 453,250 33,400 229,900 17,606,700 45,330 8,839,760 213,880 77,380 107,290 8,800 226,700 1,300,620 226,620 6,192,458 68,829,925 26,000

-2,528,010.00 -11,240 690,010 -1,178,530 9,900 -27,500 -31,910 157,423 43,415,340 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2 FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H

18 486 104.3 486 1 101 997 992 99.1 985 74.8 76.9 71.6 72.5 74 73.8 73

18 486 104.3 486 1 101 997 992 99.1 985 75.05 76.9 72.5 72.5 74 74.4 73

18 483.2 104.3 486 0.98 101 997 992 99.1 985 74.8 76.9 71.25 72.5 73.8 73 72.25

PREFERRED 18 51,700 483.2 5,000 104.3 1,240 486 3,000 0.98 260,000 101 10 997 20 992 60 99.1 1,430 985 2,600 74.85 21,940 76.9 340 72.5 18,600 72.5 1,810 73.85 17,100 74.4 78,940 72.3 129,400

930,600 2,416,054 129,332 1,458,000 255,400 1,010 19,940 59,520 141,713 2,561,000 1,641,791 26,146 1,335,348.50 131,225 1,262,180 5,762,774 9,364,210

-930,600 33,860 19,940 39,680 15,010 -

LR WARRANT

2.1

2.11

2.03

WARRANTS 2.08 329,000

679,850

-

ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.79 1

4.85 1.03

4.7 0.97

4.7 1

1,975,570 3,122,350

-395,730

FIRST METRO ETF

116.9

116.9

116.6

189,077

93,310

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

10.2 10.18 1

10.2 10.2 1

10.2 10.18 1

5,202 60,990 35,360

51,000 -

MS

PROPERTY 15.3 0.79 10.02 2.13 0.73 48.5 2.35 5.06 6.35 0.59 0.82 0.89 0.227 0.375 10.04 24.15 0.48 0.125 1.6 1.4 5.49 0.31 1.77

414,800 1,047,000 1,000 161,000 2,423,000 10,520,300 111,000 1,241,000 2,400 156,117,000 19,000 3,000 4,610,000 140,000 215,800 214,800 6,360,000 1,200,000 17,264,000 3,980,000 18,765,700 12,690,000 1,700,000

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES 9,002,728

INDUSTRIAL

199,785,847

HOLDING FIRMS

111,283,530

PROPERTY

256,123,812

SERVICES

232,518,652

MINING & OIL

2,637,068,411

GRAND TOTAL

3,449,337,420

SME

418,000 3,133,000

EXCHANGE TRDED FUNDS 116.8 1,620 10.2 10.2 1

DDS

510 5,980 35,360

VALUE 1,712.15 (down) 14.84 622,845,153.12 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,362.17 (down) 35.02 1,206,829,089.425 HOLDING FIRMS 7,408.30 (down) 7.96 2,434,420,501.45 PROPERTY 4,228.14 (up) 16.41 SERVICES 1,652.67 (down) 8.99 1,067,895,620.82 MINING & OIL 7,232.54 (up) 3.66 1,151,468,995.295 PSEI 7,804.03 (down) 11.04 716,053,870.651 All Shares Index 4,809.26 (down) 12.59 7,204,806,592.31 Gainers: 87; Losers: 110; Unchanged: 53; Total: 250

PH Resorts seeks $600-m loan to finance Mactan casino

By Jenniffer B. Austria PH RESORTS Group Holdings Inc., the gaming and tourism holding company of businessman Dennis Uy, plans to close a $600-million funding deal for its first integrated resort and casino in Mactan, Cebu within the next two to three months PH Resorts president Raymundo Martin Escalona said in an interview following the annual stockholders’ meeting held in Clark, Pampanga the company was looking to raise debt and equity to finance the construction of The Emerald, an integrated resort and casino scheduled for completion by the end of 2020.

Escalona said the company was finalizing the structure of the financing program. He noted that state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. wanted PH Resorts to raise up to 70 percent of the total project cost through debt financing and at least 30 percent from equity infusion.

“We are hoping to complete our fund raising activity over the next two to three months,” Escalona said.

He said the company tapped China Banking Corp. to the syndicate the term loan facility.

PH Resorts earlier had planned to conduct share sale to raise fresh capital to fund its casino projects. The company in March decided to defer the follow-on offering because of poor market conditions.

Escalona, however, said the company remained keen on conducting a share sale to widen its public float.

“The intention of PH Resorts is to really go to the market. We have the option, until end of 2020, depending on the market situation,” Escalona said.

PH Resorts earlier obtained shareholders’ approval to increase its capital stock to P15 billion from P8 billion in line with the planned share sale, The first phase of The Emerald involves the construction of 400 hotel rooms. The gaming area will offer 100 tables and 600 electronic gaming machines.

Escalona is confident about the prospects of The Emerald, the first integrated resort and casino that will operate in Mactan, Cebu.

“We are very optimistic about the project. If you look at gross gaming revenue, growth rate of in the Philippines in the last seven years is above 20 percent. That will continue to grow to help tourism,” Escalona said.

Philrealty hiked net profit by 73% to P18.5m in Q1

PHILIPPINE Realty and Holdings Corp. posted a consolidated net income of ₱18.49 million in the first quarter of 2019, up 73 percent from ₱10.71 million year-on-year.

Philrealty president and chief executive officer Alfredo del Rosario said he was pleased with the company’s higher bottom line given the soft market demand for real estate products in the first three months of the year.

“We made sure that we kept a tight rein on our operational costs and expenses as we recognized that sales are typically slow at the start of the year. It was efficient operations that kept us in the game during the first quarter of this year,” he said.

Del Rosario cited the reduction in the company’s cost of service and units sold, which stood at a more efficient 55 percent of total real estate sales compared to 63 percent a year ago.

The efficient management of costs and expenses trimmed service and unit costs by a significant ₱33.7 million, more than enough to compensate for the 11 percent decline in real estate sales during the same period.

Real estate sales are sale transactions that materialized during the quarter from the company’s real estate inventory in the Skyline and SkyVillas Towers in One Balete, Quezon City and in The Icon Plaza in BGC. Rental Income also contributed to the higher net income, rising by ₱2.8 Million or by 16 percent from year ago levels due to the increase in leasable spaces, as well as new and additional lease agreements entered into by the company. Mnagement fees grew 10 percent from a year-ago level with new engagements obtained by one of the company’s subsidiaries.

“Stable and very prudently managed” is how Philrealty chief financial officer Edmundo Medrano described RLT’s state of health based on its balance sheet numbers.

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN Manila Manila

World

Standard Standard

TODAY TODAY

HEAVY TRAFFIC. This handout photo taken on May 22, 2019, and released by climber Nirmal Purja’s Project Possible expedition shows heavy traffic of mountain climbers lining up to stand at the summit of Mount Everest.

Many teams had to line up for hours on May 22 to reach the summit, risking frostbites and altitude sickness, as a rush of climbers marked one of the busiest days on the world’s highest mountain. AFP

B3

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Climate change is reversible, says ‘Ice on Fire’ documentary CANNES―”We don’t need advanced technology, Mother Nature has seaweeds and shellfish which sequester five times more carbon than land-based plants,” said Bren Smith, winching a glistening haul of glossy brown kelp out of the sea.

A fisherman turned “steward of the sea” who runs a restorative ocean farm growing seaweed and farming shellfish, Smith is one of dozens of characters who appear in “Ice on Fire,” an eye-opening environmental documentary at the Cannes film festival.

Produced by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Leila Conners, who worked together on the 2007 climate documentary “The 11th Hour,” the film offers a fascinating look at the innovations and people working to significantly reduce carbon in the atmosphere.

Take kelp. Not only does it soak up five times more carbon than plants on land, it is one of the fastest growing plants on earth and can be widely used for everything from food to fertilizer and even animal feed.

“If you provide a seaweed diet to cows, you get a 90 percent reduction in methane output,” said Smith, in what could play a key role in reducing the huge quantities of methane produced by livestock, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2.

For Conners, it was learning about the properties of kelp and other innovations that SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139)

001396

Soldiers, policemen deployed in Jakarta J

AKARTA―Tens of thousands of Indonesian military and police were deployed on the streets of Jakarta Thursday, as a deadline approached for a presidential challenger to file an appeal over claims of widespread cheating in last month’s election.

At least six people were killed―including a 17-year old high school student―after two nights of rioting in the capital as police clashed with protesters opposed to the re-election of President Joko Widodo.

The violence has been fanned by claims from Widodo’s rival Prabowo Subianto, a retired general, that the April 17 poll was a fraud.

Indonesia’s election commission on Tuesday confirmed Widodo had beaten Subianto, who has until Fri-

Police pushed back the main group of rioters after firing tear gas and rubber bullets at the demonstrators.

An Australian Broadcasting Corporation news crew said it was attacked without warning by a mob.

Indonesia’s capital been gripped by bigger demonstrations in the past, but the level of violence in this week’s clashes has not been seen in years.

Among the half-dozen people killed was a 17-year-old high school student and a 19-year-old, according to local media.

Authorities said the victims died from gunshots or blunt force trauma, but denied that they fired live rounds on the crowds. It remained unclear who was responsible for their deaths.

By Thursday morning, Jakarta’s streets were relatively quiet as the police and military kept a close watch on buildings in the downtown core, including the election supervisory agency building―the center of much of the violence―as well as parliament, embassies and the presidential palace amid fears of more unrest. AFP

day to challenge the results at the Constitutional Court.

The 67-year-old has appealed for calm and said he would pursue legal channels, as he did, unsuccessfully, against Widodo in the 2014 election.

Election officials and analysts discounted Subianto’s claims of rampant cheating in the world’s thirdbiggest democracy, after India and the United States.

The government has partly blocked access to social media―including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram―in a bid to clamp down on fake news and hoaxes linked to the violence.

On Wednesday evening, the area around the election supervisory agency’s office erupted in fresh skirmishes with thousands of protesters chanting and waving Indonesian flags.

Some hurled stones, fireworks and molotov cocktails at riot police who lined up behind a razor wire barricade near the election supervisory agency building, where a police post was torched.

50 children saved after police take down pedophile website LYON, France―International police group Interpol said Thursday nine people had been arrested in Thailand, Australia and the US and 50 children had been rescued after investigators took down an online pedophilia ring.

More arrests were expected as police in nearly 60 countries pursue investigations stemming from an Interpol operation launched two years ago into a hidden “dark web” site with 63,000 users worldwide.

Fifty children were rescued following the arrests. Police are trying to identify an additional 100 in images that had been shared on the internet’s uncharted corners.

Interpol said its Operation Blackwrist began after it found material that was traced back to a subscription-based site on the dark web, where people can use encrypted software to hide behind layers of secrecy.

Dark web sites can’t be found through search engines, and users need to have the specific URL address to land on a site.

Interpol enlisted help from national agencies worldwide, with the US Homeland Security Investigations department eventually tracking the site’s IP address, where new photos and videos were posted weekly.

The first arrests came in early 2018, when the site’s main administrator, Montri Salangam, was detained in Thailand, and another administrator, Ruecha Tokputza, was captured in Australia.

Salangam, whose victims included one of his nephews, was sentenced in June last year to 146 years in prison by Thai courts, while an associate, a pre-school teacher, got 36 years.

Tokputza was handed a 40-year prison term at his trial in Australia last Friday, the longest ever for child sex offenses in the country.

The Australian Associated Press reported that Tokputza, 31, pleaded guilty to 50 counts of abuse of 11 babies and children—one just 15 months old—between 2011 and 2018. AFP

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 222, QUEZON CITY TAME CABINAN A.K.A. TAME DEL CASTILLO CABINAN, SPEC. PRO CASE NO. R-QZN-18-15351-SP For: Legitimation and Change of Name THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR, Q.C. ET.AL., Petitioner. x----------------------------------------------------------x

ORDER

Upon motion by the counsel for the petitioner, considering that the latter has not yet complied with the publication requirements, let the initial hearing be reset on July 26, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning.

Send a copy of this Order to the petitioner and the concerned government agencies.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, April 11, 2019.

EDS/irish

(Sgd.) EDGAR DALMACIO SANTOS Judge Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 222, QUEZON CITY

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION TO USE THE SURNAME OF THE FATHER OF TAME DEL CASTILLO TILLADA TAME CABINAN TILLADA a.k.a TAME DEL CASTILLO CABINAN Petitioner -versus-

SPEC. PRO NO. R-QZN-18-15351-SP

LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, ADMINISTRATOR AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA) formerly National Statistics Office, NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE, ROMEO CORNEJO NARCISO, MINDA ELOJA OPIDER, and ALL OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES, Respondents x--------------------------------------------------x

ORDER

This has reference to the verified Petition to allow TAME CABINAN TILLADA a.k.a TAME DEL CASTILLO CABINAN to use the surname of his father Antonio Mesa Tillada, filed by the petitioner, through counsel, on November 29, 2018.

In the above-mentioned petition, herein petitioner prays to allow him to use the surname of his father TILLADA. Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the initial hearing of this case is set on APRIL 25, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court and all parties-in-interest are directed to appear before this Court and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Let a copy of this Order together with a copy of the petition be served upon the Civil Registrar of Quezon City, the Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly NSO), the Office of the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office and the Office of the Solicitor General. Lastly, let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation to be chosen by raffle by the Office of the Executive Judge, at petitioner’s expense.

SO ORDERED. Given in Chambers this 15th day of January 2019 in Quezon City.

(Sgd.) EDGAR DALMACIO SANTOS Judge Cc: -PAO -CIVIL REGISTRY OF QUEZON CITY - OSG -PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY -ACP JOSLITO C. BACOLOR (MStandard-May 17, 24 & 31, 2019)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF AMIT RANI SINGH to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is AMIT RANI SINGH, but I have also been known since childhood as N/A or I have been judicially N/A . authorized to use the alias name(s) 2. My present place of residence is Blk 7, Lot 8, Camia St., Villa Josefina Matina Crossing, Davao City City/ Municipality of ________Province of Davao City and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence) 1996 to 2000 Jaime Valdez, Consuelo Alag 009, Sison Subd. Tagum City, Davao del Norte 2001 to 2003 Fulmar St, Balisario Heights, Lanang, Davao City 2004 to 2018 Champaca St. Aguho corner house# 639, Juna Subd.

Matina Davao Blk 7, Lot 8, Camia St., Villa Josefina Matina Crossing, Davao City 3. I was born on June 29, 1996, in Tagum, Davao, Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of India.

4. My father's name is Balbir Singh and he was born on December 21, 1966, in Jalandhar, India. He is a citizen or subject of India. My mother's name is Manhit Rani and she was born on May 10, 1973 in India. She is a citizen or subject of India.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is Employee and from which I derive an average annual income of P580,000.00 , inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A .

(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:Business Management, (2) name of school: Ateneo De Davao University and (3) years graduated: 04/01/2017 who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is SINGLE, I was married on N/A in N/A. My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on in N/A. She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A.

provided the biggest surprise in putting together the film.

“If you plant kelp in nine percent of global waters, you can reduce global emissions by 50 per cent,” she told reporters in Cannes, flagging other innovations like the development of biochar [charcoal produced from plant matter] and a Swiss-made direct air capture machine.

“And that’s completely doable.”

Even though warnings about climate catastrophe grow ever louder, the film argues, the world is still spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year on the very fossil fuels that are causing the planet to overheat.

“Excess carbon creates climatic disruption, it changes the weather patterns and life support systems that society relies on to survive,” said the voice-over by DiCaprio, who has long been an environmental activist.

But the film goes beyond the current narrative.

“Climate change can be reversed if we act now,” DiCaprio said.

There are two ways of doing that: either stopping greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, or bringing CO2 levels back down through photosynthesis, by which carbon is extracted from the air and put it back into the earth in a process known as “drawdown.” AFP am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy.

I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to INDIA of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

14. My character witnesses are Agustin G. Gonzales Jr. and Josefina T. Gejudo both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at Blk. 70 Lot 1 IMWA Dumoy, Terl Davao and 5th St. Phase 1 Ecoland Subd. Davao respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [ ] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [ ] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [ ] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [ ] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [ ] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [ ] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [ ] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [ ] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [ ] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [ ] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 29 day of JUNE, 2017.

8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

Name N/A

Date of Birth N/A

Place of Birth N/A

Residence N/A

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School Ateneo De Davao

Place of School Davao City

Dates of Highest Grade Study Completed 2004 to 2009 Primary

Ateneo De Davao Ateneo De Davao

Davao City Davao City

2009 to 2013 2013-2017

Secondary Business Management

AMIT RANI SINGH Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: Blk. 7 Lot 8, Casmia St., Villa Josefina, Matina Crossing, Davao City Telephone Number: 0927-3787124

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines:Visaya, Tagalog, English

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF QUEZON CITY) S.S.

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

I, Amit Rani Singh of legal age and a resident of Blk. 7 Lot 8, Casmia St., Villa Josefina, Matina Crossing, Davao City. after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

Name of Child N/A

Name and Place of School N/A

Date of Enrollment N/A

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

AMIT RANI SINGH Name and Signature of Petitioner

SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at MANILA CITY, this 08 day of MAR 2019.

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I (MS-MAY 17,24 & 31, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN

LGUs

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

B4

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

2 Pangasinan towns now free of red tide

SCHOOL WORK. SM City Taytay Mall manager Maureen Fernandez joins other volunteer employees in painting armchairs, classrooms, and hallway walls, as well as donating electric fans, at Hapay na Mangga Elementary School in Dolores, Taytay, Rizal for this year’s Brigada Eskwela. The same scene for National Schools Maintenance Week happened at Bitin Integrated National High School in Bitin, Bay, Laguna, as personnel from the 1st Laguna Provincial Mobile Force Company led by Police Staff Sgt. Ronald M Wakit lent a helping hand (inset). Norman Cruz and Roy Tomandao

Ormoc sets grander Piña Festival Party-lists hail O Comelec use of RMOC CITY, Leyte—Expect a more exciting 422nd fiesta celebration and 3rd Piña Festival in this city next month, drawing about a million visitors, said actor-turned-mayor Richard Gomez.

‘Banat’ formula PARTY-LIST leaders have hailed the Commission on Elections’ announcement that it will now use the so-called “Banat formula” in assigning seats to accredited partylist groups.

Angkla party-list nominee lawyer Jess Manalo had earlier criticized the Comelec, and together with the SB party-list even petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the poll body from proclaiming party-list representatives based on its questionable system of seat allocation.

The poll body, Manalo said, had based its decision on the “repetitive use” of the 2-percent threshold of the total votes cast, which he said robs marginalized party-lists of their right of fair representation in Congress.

The Banat formula is based on the July 8, 2009 Supreme Court decision in the Barangay Association for National Assessment and Transparency (BANAT) case, where the High Court declared as unconstitutional the repeated use of the 2% threshold of the total votes.

The SC said the threshold should only apply in the first round of the party-list vote count.

Manalo lamented that despite the parameters earlier set and defined by the Supreme Court, the Comelec still allocated additional seats reusing the 2% already considered in the determination of the first guaranteed party-list seat.

In a press briefing at Robinsons Place here Wednesday, Gomez said they have to level up the celebration to make people happy in this event that highlights the city’s prime crop—sweet pineapple.

Fresh from his landslide victory in last week’s election, the reelected mayor said he is happy to continue what he has begun since he became the city’s chief executive in 2016.

“I’m very thankful to all those who voted for us so we will be able to continue what we have started. There are a lot of people working together for our fiesta. Everyone involved wants the celebration to be more exciting,” Gomez told reporters.

Major fiesta events include the Parade of Lights on June 15, Piña Festival street dance and ritual showdown on June 23, Miss Ormoc pageant on June 28, and fiesta culminating concert on June 29. The fiesta food bazaar will be open from June 1 to June 30.

The Parade of Lights will feature a combination of luminescent vehicular floats and lighted costumes patterned after those of famous characters in children’s story books.

About 10 schools will compete in a colorful and lively street dance festival that pays homage to the city’s patron saints and the Queen Pineapple, the symbol of this city.

The Ormoc Queen Pineapple, said to be among the sweetest in the world, is produced in the city’s farmlands. Pineapple is Ormoc’s second top agricultural produce after sugarcane.

“The Piña Festival also seeks to promote, not only Ormoc’s very own sweet queen pineapple but also its people’s strong personality that overcomes challenges and obstacles they face, from personal problems to calamities and disasters,” Gomez said.

At least 500 hectares of local agricultural land, primarily owned by three well-known families, are devoted to pineapple. More than 100 tons of pineapple are produced every year from these plantations. The most glamorous event is the beauty pageant known for its celebrity guests and show-stopping productions. The winner will represent Ormoc in the Miss World Philippines pageant. PNA

Bayer, DA sign pact for hybrid rice in Mindanao

Signing the MOA are (from left) Bayer Grower Marketing Seeds Cyndie Rose DV. Hernandez, Bayer Head of Seeds Recher E. Ondap, DA RFO 12 Regional Executive Director Milagros C. Casis, Bayer Country Commercial Lead Iiinas Ivan T. Lao, and DA RFO 12 RTD for Operations Zaldy M. Boloron.

Halal goat meat slaughterhouse inaugurated in Sultan Kudarat LUTAYAN, Sultan Kudarat—A halal slaughterhouse and processing center was opened on Thursday here, aiming to promote authentic halal meats in the area.

The inauguration was led by Sultan Kudarat State University president Dr. Rolando Hechanova, Philippine Council

for Agriculture, Aquatic Resources Research and Development Executive Director for Research and Development Dr. Edwin Villar, and other university and council officials.

The halal slaughterhouse is a project of SKSU funded by PCAARRD and is

located at the university campus.

PCAARRD Applied Communication Division Director Marita Carlos said the council has funded four SKSU projects, including the slaughterhouse.

Goat meat or chevon will be specifically processed at the slaughterhouse to

become halal certified, Carlos added.

Dr. Ruby Hechanova, SKSU faculty member and halal slaughterhouse project leader, said there are standard halal cuts for chevon, as witnessed by a local Muslim halal expert and goat growers.

Butch Gunio

Elevator firm helps raise employees, kids’ dreams FILIPINO and Japanese culture share a similar outlook in terms of education.

Both believe that education is a legacy.

This is one reason why International Elevator and Equipment Inc. a Group Company of Mitsubishi Electric in the Philippines, launched its scholarship program through the IEE Foundation, Inc. In line with the Mitsubishi Electric’s mantra of “Changes for the Better”, the Foundation envisions that the scholarship program will help improve the lives of the company’s employees and their families. It aims to provide opportunities for long-time employees’ children to gain access to top universities in the country, acquire better education, and build a successful career in the future.

Established in 2011, the Foundation offers the scholarship program to children of qualified employees. The

scholarship is applicable to Engineering courses in De La Salle University and Mapua Institute of Technology.

Recently, the program expanded and now offers scholarship for master’s degrees, as qualified employees can now apply for this assistance.

Applicable schools for the master’s degrees now extends to Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, San Beda College, San Sebastian College, St. Paul University, St. Scholastica’s College, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Cebu Institute of Technology, and University of San Carlos-Cebu.

Two graduates from the scholarship program, Jamille Kaye Villamin and Eloise Margaret Reynaldo, shared their journey and the key takeaways they gleaned as scholars of the IEE Foundation. Both scholars are optimist of their

BOLINAO, Pangasinan—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 1 (Ilocos) has lifted the shellfish ban on Anda and Bolinao towns in Pangasinan after the latest test on the shellfish samples from these towns yielded negative results.

In its latest regional shellfish advisory on Tuesday, BFAR-1 regional director Lilibeth Signey said the confirmatory test conducted by the BFAR National Fisheries Laboratory Division in Manila on the shellfish collected in both towns are now negative of paralytic shellfish poison.

“Therefore, the public is hereby informed that the Regional Shellfish Advisories No. 1 and 2 issued on April 26, 2019 and May 3, 2019, respectively, are now lifted. Hence, shellfish harvested from coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan are now safe for human consumption,” she said.

Signey added the gathering, harvesting, transporting, marketing, and eating of shellfish harvested from these areas are now permitted.

“The BFAR and the local government units are continuously monitoring coastal waters of the two towns to safeguard the public health and to protect the shellfish industry,” she said.

As the threat of red tide has finally ceased, local fishermen expressed relief over this development because the ban had disrupted their livelihood.

Red tide is a common name for algal bloom, a phenomenon wherein there is an increase in the amount of algae found in bodies of water.

This phenomenon depletes oxygen in the water and releases toxins that can cause illness in humans and other animals. PNA

brighter futures, grateful of the education and employment opportunities they have received.

Jamille “Jam” Kaye Villamin, 22, is an Electronics and Communications Engineering graduate of De La Salle University-Manila. Foremost of what she has achieved as a scholar was being able to move out of her comfort zone and face her fear of public speaking.

Eloise Margaret “Marga” Reynaldo also graduated from De La Salle University with a Bachelor’s Degree in ECE like Villamin. For Marga, what she learned most at university was the value of relationship building.

A confessed introvert, Jam said joining an organization while in college gave her an opportunity to meet more people, and improve her social and communication skills which she later on realized were essential in being successful professionally.

Jam Villamin (left) and Eloise Margaret Reynaldo, both ECE graduates from De La Salle University, are now assets to IEE as Project Information System officer and Sales Engineer, respectively.

TEN THOUSAND hectares of rice farms in Mindanao will shift to hybrid through the joint partnership of Bayer Crop Science and the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office XII. In a Memorandum of Agreement signing ceremony held at DA-RFO XII in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, both parties agreed to implement a pilot project to boost the hybrid rice production of farmers in North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Saranggani, and Sultan Kudarat.

These provinces will soon ground Arize Hybrid Rice seeds with the guidance of field technicians from both parties.

The farmers will undergo Bayer Agri-Academy training on rice production to ensure the successful knowledge transfer of hybrid technology.

This will allow farmers to become independent and highly productive in growing hybrid rice, the parties said in a statement.

The average yield of inbred rice farmers is approximately four metric tons, while hybrid rice seeds can potentially increase yield by six to eight metric tons, the DA said. While some farmers in the region are already existing hybrid rice users, adoption rate remains low.

“This is the first-of-its-kind among our projects with the Department of Agriculture. By formalizing our partnership, we convey our commitment to join hands with the government to improve the region’s rice productivity,” said Iiinas Ivan Lao, Country Commercial Lead, Bayer Crop Science.

“More than ever, we need to collaborate with the Department of Agriculture to ensure the project’s success.

The support of DA-RFO XII and the local government units of the provinces involved will create a significant impact to the farming communities in the region,” added Recher Ondap, head of Seeds Bayer Crop Science.

Through this project, farmers will not only increase their yield by 20 percent, but will also be better equipped to run their business in the highly competitive rice market, Ondap added.

Life

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

CULTURE AND MEDIA

@MStandardLIFE FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

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EBU is known for many things: its significance to the country’s history; warm, beautiful people; world-class destinations and sumptuous fare. But the sweetest and juiciest of all is its ripe mangoes.

A hands-down worldwide favorite, mangoes have easily become a proud trademark of the province, long before the recent mango craze caught on in various parts of the country. Such has been the inspiration behind the upcoming Cebu Mangoes Festival, a two-day festivity that celebrates the legacy and the success of mangoes as the top produce of the Queen City of the South.

The event is happening at The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City on May 25 and 26. It will be spearheaded by Megaworld Corporation, in partnership with the Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Office.

“The Mactan Newtown is a very special township that plays host to more than 200 mango trees lined up along the main avenue, and it is the vision of our chairman Dr. Andrew L. Tan to showcase this vibrant aspect of the Cebu lifestyle,” says Megaworld Cebu Properties, Inc. president Noli D. Hernandez.

'MANGAMAZING.' The mango tree-lined Mactan Newtown Boulevard plays host to the 2019 Cebu Mangoes Festival.

A sweet, juicy festival in Cebu Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Office head Hembler Mendoza, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls president of marketing Tefel Pesigan-Valentino, and Megaworld Cebu Properties, Inc. president Noli D. Hernandez lead the launch of Cebu Mangoes Festival 2019.

Kadaugan Dancers performing the 'Mango Dance.'

Tourists and visitors will literally have their hands full of everything and anything mangoes the moment the festival begins. Guests are invited to take part as the celebration kicks off with the Mango Street Dancing led by the Kadaugan Dancers on May 25, followed by the official start of the all-day mango picking activity along Newtown Boulevard.

There’s also a Mango Bazaar featuring the “mangopreneurs” of Cebu that will showcase a wide variety of mango-related products.

Those who will take part in the festival can also look forward to enjoying a dining feast at the 500-seater Mactan Alfresco.

Also among the much-awaited activities that will form part of the festival is the unveiling of the world’s biggest mango sago, eyed to become a historic first on the island.

Both days will be capped off by the MANGAmazing Concert, which will feature live performances by Cebu’s most sought-after talents, as well as a grand fireworks display.

“The Cebu Mangoes Festival is a oneof-a-kind celebration here at the Historic Resort City of Lapu-Lapu and this side of Cebu. Although the economic progress of the city has gone up by leaps and bounds, agriculture products like mangoes still thrive, and that proves how rich and diverse Cebu’s economic sector really is,” enthused Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Office head Hembler Mendoza.

CRITIQUE

Journalist-poet Villanueva writes and delights

By Honor Blanco Cabie YET another instance, when one man appears to have denied a quip about literature and journalism.

It was Oscar Wilde, addressing literature in general terms—although keen observers believe he could have been focusing on poetry in particular—towards the end of the 19th century, who said in The Critic as Artist, “The difference between Literature and Journalism? Journalism is unreadable, and Literature is not read.”

Nearly a century after that statement, one brave man, trained to be a journalist in a Benedictine-run college where he got his liberal arts diploma, filed news reports and beat deadlines, aided by his Petri camera gifted to him by an uncle which helped him catch for posterity events that jabbed his thoughts and made him more than just a bystander.

One sees in Raymund B. Villanueva’s 100-page book (Pantas Publishing, 2018), aptly titled Persolitika, a mirror that reflects his person and formidable political persuasions.

The San Pablo, Isabela-born awardwinning journalist (Titus Brandsma Award 2015 for Leadership in Journalism), at present the director for radio of Kodao Productions while serving as reporter and photographer of Bulatlat.com, confesses he is not an all-time poet.

Several decades back, poet and journalist Archibald MacLeish commented on the intersections of Poetry and Journalism in a lecture at the University of Minnesota. The Illinois-born poet and writer, a modernist poet in his youth, once wrote that “a poem should not mean, but be”—eventually changing as he became involved in civic life, persuaded by the conviction that it was appropriate for poets to engage the world.

Here, Villanueva appears to succeed as a journalist and a poet, if MacLeish’s line were to be followed, because his poems allow his readers to have the ability to feel the facts.

'Persolitika' features Raymund B. Villanueva's poems written in free verse.

Ezra Pound wrote in ABC of Reading, “Literature is news that stays.” With journalism mainly explicit and plain, and poetry mostly implicit and suggestive, Villanueva triumphs in having these “married” to make an effective couple, where his poetry, the tendrils of his observations as a journalist, can be news that stays news.

In his poetry—written in free verse in English, Filipino, and one in his native Ibanag—one can see in him a thinking rebel of society, a friend, a respectful son, a brother, a relative, a husband.

And his camera’s shutter is as quick as his thoughts and sentiments with eyes that would make any ophthalmologist appreciative of the clarity of his vision.

If pictures speak a volume, his compendium speaks volumes about frames that agitate a sleepy soul or make that same soul rest as it rides into the uncharted beyond beneath the tropic, almost unforgiving, Philippine sun.

He talks about the posh city of Makati, post-graduation from San Beda Col-

lege, where he was co-editor of The Bedan and The Spires literary journal in his days, where one of his English professors, a journalist and a poet like him, had dropped a hint.

The older man in the air-conditioned classroom said a journalist could make his readers/watchers understand if a major earthquake was tectonic in origin, but the poet in that journalist could go farther and make the readers/watchers appreciate why there were aftershocks, long after the major shock had taken the bite out.

Villanueva shows his sharpness and affectibility in his poem titled “Makati:” My gleaming shoes walk the paths concrete/ Sandwiched between towering temples/ Where money is god/ Where souls are sold and bought/ Where the perfumed and jacketed are priests/ Where multitudes are sacrificed/ Where I’m off to work.

Much later, he finds himself talking with the moon, the cricket, a small river, and the wind in an adopted language:

where he talks of each vibrations in his chest as a line in his poem; where the cricket’s celebration is his anguish; where his tired limbs are soothed by the river’s cold water; and asks the wind to wipe away the tears that flow down his face.

He starts to reveal himself as a social activist in his answer to a friend he identifies as Cherry, who had said: sa bawat dahong nililipad/ sana’y mga bagong usbong ay magsilbing karugtong ng buhay.

If the dates were to be believed, Villanueva’s retort three days later, also in the language of the friend, has his cards on the table: Ako’y naglalagas ng lason, nagdidilig ng ugat/ Upang pakikibaka’y masigla at mulat.

More than a decade later, in December 2005, Villanueva talks with his father, Noveclieto, who used to work as a local government employee in their home province of Isabela at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountain range.

Villanueva tells his father: I am a rebel Papa. Not your kind –/ silent and suffering/ But the people’s kind –/ Raging and angry.../ And as your sunken eyes look westward/ Your heart beats unrepentant/ Of the poverty you earned./ Am I wrong to hope/ We, the people, may soon win?/ Victory earned not in silence/ But with a cry of rage./ There are many kinds of rebels Papa./ We are two of them.// Nearly two years later, Villanueva, in his poem “A visit,” talks rather touchingly: Finally you paid me a visit, Papa/ Albeit in a dream./ I’ve waited long for this.../ Pay me another visit soon, Papa./ Don’t make me wait long again/ I have many things to tell you.// His soul talks about seeing death: The awaited daughter has arrived/ The family was starting their day/ The dying’s burial concerns have been communicated/ A good time for death to come.// In his “Ode to the man who just died,” Villanueva captures a heart-rending scenario as he tries to describe the man who just died.

He says: It seemed the entire town came/ When we buried the man who died.../ His young grandchild kept looking around/ Wondering why everyone was grim, was crying/ And when his grandfather will wake up/ From his deep and long sleep.

His political heartbeats begin with a picture snapped by his camera titled “Mandirigma ng buhay”—of a young boy, naked from waist up, beating the bushes for food from a heap of filthy city garbage.

Then he talks about “water” during the State of the Nation Address of the incumbent president in 1995, with acidulous lines: But they whom they protected/ with jets of water/ hitting us on our faces, chests, bellies, groins/ will someday pay the price/ more than thrice.

The poem is chased by a page showing a picture of anti-government protesters being hosed down during a rally on the streets of the capital.

Villanueva, in his Taglish poetry that can make one laugh, says: What sensitive mouth and lips you have naman./ Pero what about the nerve endings/ Down your throat, to your chest?/ That’s where your heart is, di ba?// Then he says: Alam mo, you’re mouth centered./ But sa panahong ito, hindi kaya mas mainam/ You feed for the people’s mouths naman?/ Here we are, mouths agape...// W. Dale Nelson, a foreign news agency reporter for decades and published poetry throughout his writing career, must have been thinking of the kind of Villanueva when he said, “The journalist has to get (his facts) right...newspaper stories tell us about names and titles, distances and populations, fatality totals and investigations. Poems tell us about ourselves.”

In his book, Villanueva talks about what a journalist gathers in his run. In between beating his deadlines, he enables the reader to feel what he must feel, what MacLeish points to as meaning in the events and what they should be.

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Entertainment

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Slain mayor’s biopic gets nationwide release

The director (center) and main cast answer the questions of the movie press in a media conference held Tuesday in Quezon City.

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ESS than 24 hours before Mayor Antonio Halili was assassinated while having the flag ceremony at the newly constructed municipal town hall of Tanauan City, journalist and film director Caesar Soriano was able to interview the feisty politician.

The interview was supposedly geared towards Soriano’s plan of making a biopic about the life of the controversial mayor.

In the interview, the politician poured out his strong stand on fighting illegal drugs, the controversies surrounding his walk of shame “parade” campaign, his private life, and all his dreams and aspirations for his dear town.

But by a strange twist of faith, Mayor Halili was gunned down by an unknown assailant on that dreadful morning of July 1, 2018. But being a good friend that he is,

Soriano still stands firmly to push through with the plan of making the movie.

Entitled The Last Interview: The Mayor Antonio Halili Story, the movie depicts about the colorful life of the departed mayor told in the point of view of Soriano who managed to have an in-depth interview with the slain politician.

“The message of the film is not political, it’s all about the good mayor’s accomplishments, his war against drugs, and the reality that we have today,” Soriano, the film’s director and producer said in a press conference on Tuesday.

How ABS-CBN’s Tulong Center rescued an OFW family AN OVERSEAS Filipino worker (OFW) who was recently in danger made it home safely to her husband and children thanks to the quick action of the ABS-CBN Tulong Center, the “ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya sa DZMM” radio program, and government agencies.

Lilian Abenoja, who worked as a helper in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, alerted her husband Renato Rimando after repeatedly suffering various forms of abuse in the hands of her employer. Renato rushed to the Tulong Center in Quezon City frantic for help upon getting a call from his wife, who feared that her employer would rape her or worse, at any moment.

The center, which provides Filipinos with free legal and medical assistance through connecting them to appropriate organizations and agencies, immediately gave him with an endorsement letter to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and endorsed Lilian’s case to ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya sa DZMM radio program with Julius Babao and Bernadette SembranoAguinaldo. They featured Renato and Lilian’s situation on air and connected them to OWWA’s Repatriation Assistance Unit, making immediate action on it possible. They got the agency’s commitment to tap other concerned government agencies here and in Riyadh to rescue Lilian.

Within a month, she was back home with her family.

During a recent visit to the Tulong Center, Lilian shared how her male employer tried to intimidate her into giving him sexual favors, while her female employer accused her of seducing her husband and retaliated by withholding her wages, food,

and basic needs. Moreover, even the children she cared for were hurting and mistreating her too.

“We are so grateful for the help extended to us,” said Renato. “We know about others who’ve had to wait for months to be rescued, and the horror stories of starvation, rape, and worse. But thanks to ABS-CBN, who alerted the authorities on our situation attention and acted quickly, my wife was saved from further harm,” he added.

Launched in February 2014, the Tulong Center aims to serve Kapamilyas in need of legal, medical and other forms of assistance and has served more than 40,000 individuals and counting since then. While it doesn’t provide direct financial assistance like cash, it works with various groups, including hospitals, pharmacies, and government agencies to respond to the needs of Kapamilyas who need help. The Tulong Center also connects the clients with DZMM TeleRadyo’s “Lingkod Kapamilya” program who air their stories and pleas for help to alert the organizations and government agencies to take action immediately.

The Tulong Center is located along Eugenio Lopez Drive at the ABSCBN Compound in Quezon City every weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. They can also call the hotline at 4141296 or 4145431, or get in touch via Facebook at facebook.com/ abscbnfoundationkapamilya. Pleas for help sent via phone, email, social media, or referrals are acted upon within 24 hours. Volunteers and interested donors and partners can call the same hotline to join the Tulong Centers efforts.

For more information, go to facebook.com/abscbnfoundationkapamilya.

Renato Rimando and wife Lilian Abenoja consider themselves lucky because Lilian escaped further abuse from her employees.

“This movie is about the mayor’s determination and political will. There are public servants like him who offered his life in the still ongoing war against drugs, and someone must tell the story so people would know what’s behind the mayor’s actions and why he was respected in the city where usage of illegal drugs used to be rampant,” he continued.

Asked what motivated him to pursue with the late mayor’s story, Soriano said that when he was a reporter he was very fascinated and obsessed with the way Mayor Halili punished drug users and pushers in the cirty of Tanauan.

“I came to know that this mayor was accused of human rights violations. That started my vision of creating a film about him. I wanted to know why was he doing that, what motivated him, what was the reason, what was his driving force why he had to parade these drug pushers and users,” he added.

The Last Interview: The Mayor Antonio Halili Story, which started screening on May 22, stars John Estrada in

Lead star John Estrada (left) on the set with the film’s producer and director Caesar Soriano.

the title role with Ara Mina, Michael Flores, and Phoebe Walker, playing his family members with JM Soriano, Martin Escudero, and Kate Alejandrino as members of the support cast. *** Rescan digital TV box now GMA Network urges Mega Manila viewers to rescan their digital TV boxes immediately to continue watching and to find GMA and GMA News TV much faster when channel surfing.

To rescan, just follow these simple steps: Press “Menu” and go to “Settings.” Under “Installation,” press “Factory Default” and enter the password on the dialogue box (for

example: 0-0-0-0). Then, select “YES” to confirm Factory Default and choose “Auto Search” or “Auto Scan” then press “OK.” Wait for the auto scan to be completed or until “Search Completed” appears on the screen then press “OK” or “Exit.” Search for GMA and GMA News TV using the up and down buttons of the remote control.

Cable and satellite subscribers do not need to rescan.

For more information, contact 462-8177 from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., emailsignalreception@gmanetwork. com, visit facebook.com/gmatvsignal, or log on to www.gmanetwork.com/ digitalhow

INTERNATIONAL

Tarantino strikes Cannes gold with ‘Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood’ QUENTIN Tarantino stormed into best movie in years.

Cannes Tuesday with Once Upon a They heaped praise on the dark Time... in Hollywood, which critics at the Tinseltown fairytale set in the Los Angeles world’s biggest film festival hailed as his of 1969 starring Leonardo DiCaprio as

Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie ‘Once Upon a Time In ... Hollywood’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio (right) and Brad Pitt, made its much-anticipated debut Tuesday in Cannes.

Cristine Reyes starrer ‘Maria’ now on Netflix GLOBAL film streaming giant Netflix recently added the hard-hitting Filipino action flick Maria to its line-up. Maria was produced by Viva Films, BlackOps Studios Asia and PsyOps and distributed by Viva, a Viva Communications, Inc. company.

The action film is topbilled by television and movie star Cristine Reyes. For the first time in her career, she plays a strong, powerful woman in an action film. Excited over the opportunity to do something different, Cristine did her own action scenes and emerged sensational.

Maria is directed by Pedring Lopez, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Yz Carbonell and Rex Lopez. Lopez was initially known for his work in editing and special effects and in directing music videos before moving to features. He was behind the horror film Binhi and the thriller Nilalang. Lopez was named Best Director at the Los Angeles Philippine Film Festival and at the Festival Internacional de Cine Fantastico de Torremolinos for the latter.

In Maria, Lopez showcases females in physically demanding action scenes. He also features the use of traditional Filipino martial arts.

With Maria, Lopez hopes to show the global audience that Filipinos can do entertaining action movies.

Maria tells the story of a woman with a dark, violent pass. The seemingly perfect wife and mother Maria is actually Lily, a former cartel assassin. With her family and herself as the target of a take no prisoners retaliation, Maria is instantly forced to hark back to her former life to save her family.

Maria also stars Ivan Padilla, KC Montero, Guji Lorenzana, Jennifer Lee, Andrea del Rosario, Cindy Miranda, Freddie Webb, and Ronnie Lazaro.

Cristine Reyes in a scene from the action film, ‘Maria.’

a television Western star on the slide and Brad Pitt as his stunt double.

Twenty-five years after the American director won Cannes’ top Palme d’Or prize for Pulp Fiction, he got some of his best reviews since Jackie Brown in 1997.

Critic Peter Howell of the Toronto Star said that Tarantino wanted “to tell us a story about Hollywood life at the time of the Manson family slayings... and man, does he ever, going from awestruck to WTF.” “Brad Pitt the standout, his coolest role yet,” he added in a tweet.

The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw was equally euphoric, calling the film a “brilliant exploitation black-comedy” which “finds a pulp-fictionally redemptive take on the Manson nightmare: shocking, gripping, dazzlingly shot in the celluloidprimary colors of sky blue and sunset gold.”

Deadline declared that it was the “film Tarantino was born to make... gloriously, wickedly indulgent, compelling and hilarious.” The online film magazine even called for a sequel.

“The world is a more colorful place in Tarantino’s twilight zone. Round two, please.”AFP

Motoring

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

ZEST and ZING

Text and Photo by Lester Dizon

A

MONTH ago (March 28-29, 2019), Suzuki Philippines, Inc. invited us to drive the all-new third-generation Suzuki Swift from their Suzuki Auto Kalookan dealership to Bagac, Bataan, spend the night at the Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar resort, and then drive back to Metro Manila the next day. volume than what they can do two or three decades ago. The Swift’s 1,197cc multiport-injected 4-cylinder 16-valve K12M produces just 61 horsepower at 6,000 rpm but, with 113 Newton-meters of torque that

During the drive, we observed that the “… Suzuki Swift has grown bigger, longer and wider than its predecessors because it has evolved according to the demands of the market. The traditional Swift loyalists or its ‘cult followers’ as they are sometimes called, have also evolved. Where they used to look for the sporty, go-kart-like feel of the Swift, they now want a little more comfort. Where they used to want the snug and cozy interior, they want a little more space.

Where they want zest and zing with the motor, they want a little more fuel economy.”

We were quite enamored with Suzuki’s all-new sub-compact hatchback during our drive to Bataan but like the Swift, our tastes and lifestyle has also evolved. We wanted to see if we can comfortably fit our growing family into its cozy interior, evaluate its sporty performance in today’s grueling urban setting, and just see if it really does what its motto “Swift Uplifts You” promises to do. Thankfully, SPH sent us one of their 2019 Suzuki Swift GLX media test units equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and finished in an attractive finish of Pearl Ablaze Red. We had the Swift for a week and drove it exclusively around our crowded metropolis. We drove it to watch two movie block screenings of the Avengers Endgame, to attend a couple of meetings in the business district, to attend an autocross near Manila Bay, to hear mass, and more importantly, to take our son to school. Our teenage son liked the Swift’s interior space, sporty performance and quick acceleration. He was surprised to learn that a small thrifty 1.2-liter engine can rev up so much fun like how our old muscle car, with its gas-guzzling 5.7-liter V8, did.

Handsome facade hides a small but potent powerplant under the hood.

We spoke lengthily in the car how the new generation of small-displacement engines, with precise manufacturing tolerances made possible by an assembly line of robots and computerized equipment, can now rev higher and churn out more power per

C3

peaks at 4,200 rpm and only around 920 kilograms of weight to lug around, it accelerates strongly enough to fool anyone that it has a larger engine under the hood.

It darts strongly to 60 kilometers per hour, which may soon be the legal speed limit if the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has their way, but we weren’t able to explore its top speed capabilities simply because there was no road to do so, especially not in Metro Manila traffic. Despite our lead-footed banzai runs, our Swift returned an average of 10.7 kilometers per liter around town. Tempering our right foot netted us a best fuel mileage of 12.3 kilometers per liter.

The Suzuki Swift has always been about quick go-kart-like handling and our 2019 GLX CVT test unit does not stray far from its original purpose. The longer wheelbase, wider track, recalibrated front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam suspension, performance-tuned progressive coil springs, and electrically-assist-

SOME FEATURES: • Central locking • Power windows • Power mirrors • Automatic climate control • LED running lights/ fog light cruise control • Steering wheelmounted remote controls for the infotainment system hands-free phone connectivity.

u

Suz

ed rack-and-pinion steering all work together to make direction changes almost intuitive and immediate. We breezed through quick turns, sharp corners and zigzags as if the Swift was on rails and we felt that it could win an autocross or a gymkhana competition straight from the showroom. We felt a little body roll and attribute it to the softer suspension settings to provide the car with a little more rebound when driven on undulated surfaces. However, the suspension still feels a little stiff and the ride feels a bit harsh, especially for 50-something occupants who have back problems.

LED rear combination lamps help night time driving safety.

Like a go-kart, the Swift stops quickly aided by front ventilated discs and rear solid discs assisted by an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic

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brake distribution (EBD). All the steering, braking and power outputs are transmitted to the road through the grippy contact patches of its Bridgestone Ecopia EP-150 185/55R16 tires mounted on 16-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. The low-profile 55-series tire walls are quite stiff to resist too much deflection and help the handling, but it also contributes to the harsh ride since the side walls absorb just a small amount of road shock. It’s a difficult task to balance handling and comfort to fit within a sub-compact hatchback’s budget and we commend the Suzuki engineers for the happy compromise with the Swift’s overall ride.

We’d like to explore our Swift’s handling and agility but the city traffic won’t give us space.

Perhaps, part of the happy compromise between handling and comfort

was aided in part by the roomier and more comfortable interior. Aside from the recalibrated suspension, we felt that the ride became a lot smoother and better than the previous Swift because of the new generation’s improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) insulation system, and more comfortable seats. The front seats are ergonomically shaped with ample side bolster to hold the occupants in place during quick maneuvers, such as dodging public utility vehicles (PUVs) that suddenly stop in the middle of the road to pick up passengers. The 60/40 split rear seats are likewise better cushioned and offer more legroom while the seat backs can be folded to accommodate around 918 liters of luggage.

Space saver spare tire and tools are found under the carpeted panel behind the back seats.

Mitsubishi’s ‘Sizzling Summer’ promo MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corporation is making irresistibleoffers this summer with its “Mitsubishi’s Sizzling Summer Deals”. With this promo MMPC makes owning the Mirage G4, XPANDER, and Montero Sport easier and more affordable.

Beginning May 7, customers may avail of the

All-in Low Down Payment plans for the Mirage G4 GLX Manual Transmission, 2018 Montero Sport GLS Premium and the XPANDER GLX MT. You can take home Mitsubishi’s bestsellers at a very low down payment. For example the fuel efficient Mirage G4 GLX MT can be availed for only PHP 12,000 down payment,

the award-winning XPANDER can be yours for only PHP 18,000 down payment for the GLX MT variant and the 2018 Montero Sport GLS Premium is offered at a very low PHP 48,000 down payment only.

This is one of the lowest financing plans that MMPC is offering. (Financing plan is subject to bank approval.)

There’s also a great deal for the recently launched New Strada. With the Mitsubishi’s Sizzling Summer Deals, purchase of any variant of the New Strada entitles customer to a free Periodic Maintenance Service (PMS) until 15,000 kilometers.

The free PMS includes fully synthetic oil, oil filter and drain plug washer.

Those who are planning to purchase a brand new Mitsubishi are encouraged to take advantage of this promo which will be good until May 31, 2019 only.

Pioneering Toyota pushes shift to HEV TOYOTA Motor Philippines is actively working towards a more sustainable future by raising awareness and educating the public on the inevitable global shift of the auto industry from traditional petrol engines to electric vehicles. Paving the way for modern electrification, TMP aims for the wider adoption of its Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology, which can be utilized in numerous sectors and industries.

Toyota, as a global entity responsible for moving millions of people around the world, has been developing its hybrid technology since the late 1990s. It is the first car manufacturer to overcome the technical and engineering nuances that prevent the unique powertrain from being mass-produced. In 1997, the Toyota Prius was launched in Japan and the United States, making it the first-ever hybrid electric vehicle to be publicly available to consumers.

In June 2009, almost a decade ago— TMP brought to Philippine shores the second generation Prius—a model way ahead of its time and local market taste.

Like its global counterpart, the Prius became the pioneer of hybrid electrification in the Philippines, giving motorists an alternative option. The hatchback Prius C

model followed suit in 2012.

The Prius is known for harnessing power from two sources: a gas engine and an electric motor run by a self-charging battery. This combination makes the model fare better with fuel economy and riding comfort.

“As the younger generation becomes more environment-conscious, we feel like it is the perfect time to educate them about eco-friendly technologies readily available to us,” said TMP Vice President Elijah Marcial. Various Toyota efforts using the Prius help people understand the long-term and cumulative benefits of using hybrid electric technology.

In the Philippines, Toyota regards hybrids as the ideal transition phase towards electrification: “Hybrid electric vehicles will be our initial step for a more sustainable future.

Given the local landscape, HEVs are undeniably the smart and prac-

tical way to usher change in the auto industry,” said TMP First Vice President Cristina Arevalo.

To build on this awareness-into-action initiative, TMP is mounting several efforts for the general public. This coming May 29, 2019, a Toyota HEV Conference is slated to happen with Toyota technical experts, key government officials, members of the press, the academe, and several NGOs in attendance. The theme of the conference is “TOWARD SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY.”

Stay cool with Hyundai’s summer promo SUMMER is one of the highly-anticipated seasons in the country. It’s the time when wearing breezy, vibrant clothing becomes acceptable, and it’s the time when families and friends can have the right excuse to go on out-of-town joyrides—whether this means hitting the beach for a healthy dose of “Vitamin Sea”, or going up the mountains to enjoy cooler temperature.

Make that summer escapade within reach with Hyundai’s “Wheel It Sa Init” promo. You can finally own a brand-new Hyundai and wheel off to wherever your heart fancies while saving money, because it’s loaded with Hyundai’s hottest deals for its coolest road trip rides: Grand Starex, Santa Fe, Tucson, H- 100, and Kona.

With “Wheel It Sa Init”, you can stay cool, thanks to affordable financing schemes that come in low monthly or low down payment deals that make owning a brand-new Hyundai car easier.

If the great outdoors or an athletic

getaway is what energizes you, then you can own a Kona for as low as PhP 13,330 a month. If you’re planning to take advantage of the summer season by setting up your own tourist shuttle business, then you can find a worthy partner in the sturdy H- 100. For as low as PhP 13,864 a month, owning the H-100 comes easy and light on your monthly budget. Now, if you’re after road trip pleasures that provide you comfort and luxury beyond the usual, the Grand Starex, Santa Fe, or Tucson can get you there, which you can easily own through financing that offers discounts of up toP100,000.

So don’t hold off on the chance to tick off some of your most sought after road escapades on your bucket list. Head to your nearest authorized Hyundai dealership now and make it happen by having your very own Hyundai through Wheel It Sa Init promo.

This hot summer promo is made possible by Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai passenger vehicles in the Philippines, in partnership with BPI, RCBC, PNB, Chinabank Savings, Eastwest Bank, and PS Bank. Promo runs from May 1 to 31, 2019 only.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 Text and photos

by Lester Dizon

Motoring

I

N AN effort to generate the much needed attention to their unheralded industry, the Used Trucks Rebuilders and Importers Association of the Philippines (UTRIP) mounted the very first UTRIP Rebuilt Truck Show at the Metrotent in Metrowalk, Ortigas Center, Pasig from May 17 to 18, 2019. The show displayed more than 30 rebuilt trucks including work machines from G-Technica, GLC, Solid Machineries, Pioneer Trucks, Megaton, Mana Diesel, Firewolf and Max Edge Industrial Corp. to name a few.

UTRIP president Jaime Vicente holds the ceremonial ribbon while Arsenio Garcia of G Technica Equipment Corp., Elvin Garcia of the DTI Heavy Industries Division, and Baby Ruby P. Navarro of GLC Truck & Equipment look on.

UTRIP is an association of 25 companies that operate used truck rebuilding centers within Metro Manila. It is under the umbrella of the Confederation of Truck Rebuilders and Importers Association of the Philippines (CTRIP), which is composed of close to 300 truck rebuilding companies around the country and employs about 50,000 highly-skilled production line workers. The association fears that the operations of their members in rebuilding used trucks may have only

1st UTRIP Rebuilt Truck Show

Highlighting an unheralded industry

up to June 30, 2019 because of the new impositions by the government that are almost impossible to comply with.

Dutch DAF trucks are imported and rebuilt by Pioneer Trucks.

In opening the show, UTRIP President Jaime Vicente said, “It is the kind of industry where we were vigorously encouraged to invest into by the government shortly after its introduction 17 years ago. Our pioneering members obliged in the advent of the implementation of Executive Order No. 156, better known as the ‘Comprehensive Industrial Policy and Directions for the Motor Vehicle Development Program‘ issued in 2002.”

UTRIP President Jaime “Jimmy” Vicente appealed for government consideration.

Over those years, UTRIP has played a vital and principal role in transforming the truck rebuilding industry from a collection of small-scale backyard operations to a full-blown 100-percent Filipino-owned and Filipino-controlled sector within the Philippine automotive industry. The used truck rebuilding industry has generated billions of pesos in investments, provided employment for tens of thousands of direct-hire workers, and have provided technical skills related to automotive production, assembly, maintenance, and trouble shooting. “The rebuilt used truck industry was conceptualize by the government in 2003, nourished and reared within the parameters set forth by a program it conceived and propagated. We have not

asked for nor were we given incentives other than what was originally offered to us,” said Vicente.

Solid Machineries showcased their 6-wheeler wing panel cargo van.

In July 2018, DTI-FTEB required the submission of Emission Test Results of rebuilt/ imported used trucks from their countries of origin as proof that these trucks have passed the Euro 4 Standard before a Certificate of Authority to Import (CAI) covering an imported used truck can be issued. In response to the new requirement, a series of dialogues were held between CTRIP, BOI and DTI-FTEB, where it was determined that obtaining the required Emission Test Results of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) or fully disassembled used trucks would be impossible.

Metro Pacific Tollways, Japan Expressway sign accord A CONSORTIUM of major Philippine and Japanese expressway players recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on technical cooperation and exchange of information regarding areas of mutual interest in their respective expressway systems.

Witnessed by its Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) executed the MOU with Japan Expressway International Co. Ltd. (JEXWAY), Central Nippon Expressway Co. Ltd (NEXCO Central) and Metropolitan Expressway Co. Ltd. (MEX) to commence the exchange of information on engineering expertise and technology and cooperate on matters concerning designing, building and managing expressways.

Covered by the MOU are asset management and repair of at-grade and elevated road and bridge sections, tunnel design and construction and the use of best practices to monitor the structural performance of expressway assets and facilities including technical audits to address all kinds of conditions and requirements.

MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo

E. Franco said: “We are very happy to sign this technical cooperation agreement with JEXWAY, NEXCO Central and MEX, as this will allow us to tap into the wealth of Japanese road engineering experience and technology,” including Japan’s history of effectively responding to and managing to natural disasters.

“This expertise comes in handy,” Franco added, as we prepare ourselves to manage our roadways effectively in cases of emergencies like earthquakes and other natural calamities.”

For his part, JEXWAY President Dr. Koji Kuroda said: “Japan lies on the socalled ‘ring of fire’ and volcanic eruption are very common.” During disasters, “operations and maintenance (O&M) is key” as the expressways are the most important infrastructure in the region.

MPTC is the largest toll road developer and operator in the Philippines in terms of annual average daily traffic and combined length of the expressway network. MPTC’s tollway concessions include the North Luzon Expressway, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, the Cavite Expressway, the NLEX Con-

nector, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway.

MPTC also has significant investments in tollway companies in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

JEXWAY has been established jointly by five Japanese expressway companies to develop global expressway projects.

Together with other Japanese institutions, JEXWAY has led international efforts to take advantage of the technology and know-how cultivated by Japan’s expressway companies over the past fifty years.

Signing as witnesses were, for NLEX—President J. Luigi Bautista and TOLLWAY COOPERATION. Four tollway firms—one from the Philippines and three Senior VP for Communication and Stakefrom Japan—signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will advance the business holder Management Romulo Quimbo, goals of each firm. Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation of thePhilippines and three JapaJr.; for the Japanese firms–JEXWAY Senese firms, Japan Expressway International Company Limited (JEXWAY), Central Nippon nior Director Toru Suzuki, NEXCO CenExpressway Company Limited (NEXCO Central), and Metropolitan Expressway Company tral Managing Director Takeo Nakamura, Limited (MEX) signed an accord for Technical and Information Exchange that assures sharing of systems and technologies concerning expressways and allied fields. Each party hopes and MEX Executive Officer Dr. Hiroshi Dobashi. to strengthen its company’s market position that will accelerate tollway business growth After the MOU signing, MPTC, JEXstrides. Signing the MOU are (seated from left): MPTC president and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, MPTC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, (center) and JEXWAY president Dr. Koji Kuroda. Also in WAY, NEXCO Central and MEX—jointphoto are (standing from left): MPTC SVP for communication and stakeholder management ly conducted a seminar attended by the technical teams of the firms, focusing on Romulo S Quimbo, Jr., NLEX Corp. president and general manager J. Luigi Bautista, NEXCO engineering, electronic toll collection sysCentral managing director Takeo Nakamura, MEX executive officer Hiroshi Dobashi, and tems and commercial areas development.

JEXWAY board member/senior director for Project Development Toru Suzuki.