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WELLMED OWNER FREE ON BAIL ONE of the owners of legally troubled WellMed Dialysis Center of Quezon City, Dr. Bryan Sy, posted bail on Saturday through his lawyer which prompted the court to immediately order his release from the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation. Sy, one of the owners of WellMed, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of estafa through falsification of

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documents in relation to the alleged scheme involving deceased patients’ PhilHealth benefits. “He [Sy] posted a cash bail bond totalling P72,000,” Sy’s counsel Rowell Ilagan said. But Ilagan noted that “despite the release order issued by the court, the NBI refused to release Bryan Sy.” Turn to A2

CHINA BOAT DID IT, SAYS BEIJING B

EIJING—China confirmed Saturday a Chinese vessel hit a Philippine fishing boat in a collision which has increased tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but denied claims it was a “hit and run.” The Chinese trawler sailed away after the incident Sunday near Reed Bank that sank the fishing boat, sparking outrage from Philippine authorities and media. But the Chinese Embassy in Manila, in a statement, maintained the captain of the Chinese vessel even attempted to rescue the Filipino fishermen following the incident. According to them, China’s preliminary investigation showed that Yuemaobinyu 42212, a Guandong-based fishing boat “engaged in a light purse seine operation” when it was “suddenly besieged by 7 or 8 Filipino fishing boats” at the vicinity of the Reed Bank. “During evacuation, 42212 failed to shun a Filipino fishing boat, and its steel cable on the lighting grid of larboard bumped into the Filipino pilothouse. The Filipino fishing boat tilted and its stern foundered,” the Chinese Embassy narrated. “The Chinese captain tried to rescue the Filipino fishermen, but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats,” it added. The Chinese Embassy also said the 42212 vessel “sailed away from the scene” when they found out that the Filipino fishermen were rescued on board by other Filipino fishing boats. “The above [explanation] shows that there is no such thing as ‘hit-and-run’,” it stressed. Turn to A2

ON A ROLL. An unidentified father, unconsciously depicting the symbol of millions of the family’s rock and pillar, is on a roll with his two children as they roll down the slide at the Children’s Park at the bayside sprawling Luneta Park on the eve of Father’s Day, celebrated today nationwide from Tawi-Tawi to Batanes. Norman Cruz A4

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EXTRADITION BILL SUSPENDED H

ONG KONG—Hong Kong’s embattled leader on Saturday said a divisive bill that would allow extraditions to China would be “suspended” in a major climbdown from her government after a week of unprecedented protests.

6 KAPA MEMBERS COMMIT SUICIDE IN WAKE OF RAID By Nat Mariano

KAPA SUPPORTERS. Members of different religious organizations gather at the Max's Restaurant in Quezon City Saturday to support the embattled Kapa Religious Ministry—the kind of support is not clear—while announcing they will also rate President Rodrigo Duterte when he addresses his countrymen during his forthcoming State of the Nation Address. Manny Palmero twitter.com/ MlaStandard

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EMBATTLED Pastor Joel Apolinario, founder of the Kabus Padatoon (Kapa) Community Ministry, called on members to stay strong following the closure of the religious corporation’s operations. In a telephone interview uploaded on Youtube, Apolinario revealed that President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent directive to close down Kapa’s operations affected its members. According to him, at least half a dozen Kapa members had committed suicide because of despair and hopelessness, fearing they would lose their life savings. The claim could not be immediately independently confirmed. Turn to A2

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a press conference at the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 15. (Inset) Demonstrators are seen while police stand guard next to the Government House in Hong Kong. AFP

MMDA SEEKS HAZARD PAY, INCENTIVES By Joel E. Zurbano METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority chairman Danilo Lim on Saturday said his agency is planning to give hazard pay and other incentives to traffic enforcers whose lives are at risk while on duty. Lim said it is high time the government recognizes the hard work and efforts of the MMDA’s frontliners manning and managing traffic along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the metro’s busiest thoroughfare. “I understand your plight in manning your posts and we have been pushing for the granting of your hazard pay considering the risks you encounter daily,” Lim said addressing some 300 traffic enforcers in a formation ceremony. A research study conduct-

ed by Emmanuel Baja of the National Institute for HealthUniversity of the Philippines revealed that traffic enforcers on EDSA face health risks, which include high blood pressure and respiratory problems due to exposure to black carbon and heavy metals. “We shall write a letter to the President to revive the granting of hazard pay. Let’s hope we be given the chance,” said Lim. The MMDA chief also took the occasion to remind traffic enforcers on the need to instill discipline among their ranks. “Since I took over, we have dismissed a lot because of illegal activities that still happen,” said Lim. Lim assured traffic enforcers their needs are being addressed as long as they perform their

duties well even as he vowed to crack the whip against enforcers who engage in corrupt practices. “Low salary is not an excuse to engage in unscrupulous activities,” he said. “Do not lose hope. We have so many plans. Expect more good things to come our way and as front-liners, you are the first who would benefit. Just render excellent public service in the performance of your duties,” said Lim. The MMDA in 2017 asked the House of Representatives to pass a law providing hazard pay and salary increase for traffic enforcers. Lim is also pushing for the regularization of job order enforcers who are not entitled to benefits.

The city’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam has come under huge pressure to abandon the controversial legislation, including from her own political allies and advisers. “The government has decided to suspend the legislative amendment exercise, restart our communication with all sectors of society, do more... work and listen to different views of society,”Lam told reporters Saturday. “We have no intention to set a deadline for this work and promise to report to and consult members of the legislative council panel on security before we decide on the next step forward.” The international finance hub was rocked by the worst political violence since its 1997 handover to China on Wednesday as tens of thousands of protesters were dispersed by riot police firing tear gas and rubber bullets. As criticism mounted, signs also emerged of a growing discomfort among Communist Party leaders in Beijing, and Lam held her press conference Saturday at the same government complex that was besieged by protesters earlier in the week. The South China Morning Post said Lam held an emergency meeting on Friday night with her advisers while Chinese officials were also meeting in the nearby city of Shenzhen to map a way out of the impasse. Tensions were running high with protest organizers planning another mass rally on Sunday. Lam, who is appointed by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists, had previously refused to consider abandoning the bill, despite months of criticism from business and legal bodies—and a record breaking rally on Sunday where organizers said more than one million protesters hit the streets. “I feel deep sorrow and regret that the deficiencies in our work and various other factors have stirred up substantial controversies and disputes in society following the relatively calm periods of the past two years,” Lam said. ‘Lost credibility’ On Friday, she found herself facing growing calls from within her own political camp to reverse course and tamp down spiraling public anger—including from hardline pro-Beijing lawmakers. “Shouldn’t (we) cool the citizens down? I think to postpone it for a little bit is not a bad thing. At this moment, the government should self-examine,” Ann Chiang, a hardcore pro-Beijing lawmaker, told i-Cable News. But others have warned against Lam bending to the protesters. “If the government caves in to violence and external influences, in the long run that would also make Hong Kong ungovernable,” pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip told reporters. Opposition to the extradition bill has united an unusually wide cross section of Hong Kong. Protest organizers had been calling for a full withdrawal of the bill, not a postponement. James To, a lawmaker from the city’s pan-democrat camp, called on Lam to step down. “The credibility of our chief executive has already been written off, it’s a kind of government that cannot have any credibility to rule anymore,” he told reporters Friday. AFP

3K JOBSEEKERS HIRED CLOSE to 3,000 jobseekers were hired during the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) job and business fair sites nationwide, in celebration of the country’s 121st Independence Day on June 12, the Department of Labor and Employment said on Saturday. The Bureau of Local Employment reported that a total of 2,818 jobseekers were hired on the spot in the job fair held in 22 sites across 16 regions. It added that a total of 9,327 applicants were “near-hires.” Near-hires are individuals who may be considered as hired, but need to submit or lack additional requirements or may need to attend further interviews or tests. They may be hired or placed depending on the outcome of their interview and compliance with pre-employment requirements of the hiring company. A total of 21,722 applicants trooped to the different job and business fair sites

nationwide last Wednesday. With this, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III thanked the 560 participating employers for offering 68,893 local and overseas jobs and taking part in the nationwide job fair. “It is testament to their commitment to the continuing efforts of our government to give our Filipinos decent and productive jobs,” he said. Other jobseekers were referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for skills training. A total of 1,582 were referred to other participating government agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Social Security System, Professional Regulation Commission, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Pag-IBIG, and Philippine Statistics Authority. PNA

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES. Speaker Gloria Arroyo receives a warm welcome from Samareños as she visited the Millennium Challenge road development which was initiated and signed during her time as President.

CBCP SEEKS REVIVAL OF DEPLOYMENT BAN TO KUWAIT THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines–Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People is calling for the imposition anew of the deployment ban on overseas Filipino workers to Kuwait. Aside from the banning of Filipino workers, CBCP-ECMI chairman Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos urged the government to compel Kuwait to implement the memorandum of agreement signed by both countries that will give protection to OFWs. This came after a Filipina worker was allegedly raped by a Kuwaiti police officer shortly after she arrived in the Gulf state. “Both governments must see to it that the suspected rapistin-uniform must be prosecuted, punished; Justice must be served to our con national. All necessary assistance and help should be extended to her,” the Bataan prelate said. “And we must be ready to enforce deployment ban, as she was [the] second victim after the brutal death of Constancia Dayag,” he added. Santos noted the recent case of abuse on the OFW is a clear violation of the agreement signed by the Philippines and Kuwait, which is supposed to protect the rights of Filipino workers. “The rape of our Filipina household service worker is a clear violation of the agreement between our country and Kuwait for the protection of OFWs,” he said. “The Kuwait government must show political will to ensure the safety and security of our OFWs, and rights are promoted and respected,” he added. He also pushed for the prosecution of the 22-year-old suspect, Fayed Naser Hamad Alajmy. Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment said it remains open to the possibility of the reimposition of the deployment ban to Kuwait due to the case of Dayag, who died last May 14 with her body reportedly having various contusions and hematoma as well as signs of sexual abuse. PNA

‘FORM LGU TRANSITION TEAMS’ By Maricel V. Cruz A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Saturday called on outgoing local chief executives to form transition teams at the soonest possible time to ensure the smooth transition of power to their successors in their respective localities. Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte appealed to incumbent local officials who were defeated in last elections to place the welfare of the people ahead of their personal and political interests. “Outgoing LGU officials should chart a positive course for their successors and help them face the challenges ahead by extending whatever help they can to ensure the continuity of functions and delivery of services to the people,” Villafuerte, a deputy majority leader of the 17th Congress, said. “Hostility and hate have no place in nation-building,” he added. Villafuerte made the call to local elective officials in response to Memorandum 2019-39 issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government creating local governance transition teams for local government units after the May 13 elections. The transition teams are to be chaired by the concerned local chief executives, with the respective vice chairpersons to be elected from among the members of the panels through a majority vote. Each team shall consist of LGU department heads, a DILG officer and a representative from civic groups.

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BOC RETOOLS TO PURGE ITS RANKS By Joel E. Zurbano A NEW measure will be introduced to eliminate graft and corruption in the Bureau of Customs, its public information office said in a weekend statement. The project includes a systematic and modernized operation through the use of new computer system in all ports nationwide. The agency’s public information office announced this after a group of brokers appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to act against two Customs personnel who, they claimed, engaged in the so-called “tara” (grease money) payoff system. The brokers are complaining, saying in Customs there still existed a syndicate within its offices that had willfully disregarded the directive of the Chief Executive. The two Customs personnel—assigned at the Office of the Commissioner and Import Assessment Service—are now the subjects of complaint presented by the brokers. The brokers told Malacañang about the wrongdoings of the two personnel who, they said, were in cahoots with Port of Manila and Manila International Container Port employees, who forcibly asked for grease money. According to them, the IAS employee had imposed a new tara system that entailed them to pay P3,000 per container of general merchandise. The amount, the brokers explained, guaranteed that any importer would be able to pay ''duties and taxes'' that reached only from P180,000 to P200,000 each container instead of P250,000 to P300,000 if they refused. On the other hand, importers of vehicles were asked to pay from P50,000 to P100,000 per unit and those who would refuse would be asked to pay the maximum amount in duties and taxes. The brokers also revealed that the two personnel were also in cahoots with a number of Customs appraisers and examiners who were allegedly afraid to disobey them for fear they would be forcibly terminated or suspended from their duties and functions. Among the computer systems that will be formally implemented this month are the Goods Declaration Verification System, National Value Verification System, Portal (Ticketing System), Document Tracking System, and the Customs Dashboard. The systems are part of the bureau’s project designed to improve transparency and reduce opportunities for corruption, and provide seamless trade services with lesser human intervention. The project is also in line with the directive of President Duterte to get rid of all anomalous transactions in government, most especially the corrupt collection agencies. Just recently, authorities arrested a 19-year-old man who they described as Customs “hao-shiao” or bogus employee allegedly involved in the “tara” collection. The bureau claimed that Xavier Daniele Gabriel, a resident of Sampaloc, Manila, was wearing an expired dilapidated Customs identification card valid until March 1, 2019 when he was arrested. Gabriel was arrested after members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, currently detailed with the bureau’s Intelligence Group, found large amount of cash, deposit slips, and four passbooks inside his envelope—all in the name of Renly Tiñana, alias “Empoy,” of the Port of Manila.

5,000 TNVS DRIVERS URGED TO GRAB OFFER FOR NEW SLOTS

IDE-HAILING service giant Grab Philippines said Saturday the 5,000 deactivated transport network vehicle services (TNVS) accounts should have taken advantage of the 10,000 new slots opened by the government’s Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD. Outgoing National Commission on Indigenous Peoples chairman Leonor Oralde-Quintayo (left) personally hands over a symbolic key to retired Col. Allen Capuyan during a simple turnover ceremony at the NCIP office in Quezon City on Friday. Capuyan, a Manobo from Mindanao, has vowed to attend to IP concerns on ancestral domain, right to self-governance, and cultural integrity, among others. PNA

CHINA...

From A1

Days after the Department of National Defense denounced the incident, the Philippine government wasted no time to file a diplomatic protest and blast the Chinese fishermen for “it’s (sic) act of desertion,” which was both “inhuman and barbaric.” Even as the said incident ignited fresh diplomatic tensions between the two claimant countries of the resource-filled waterways, Beijing still puts its friendship with Manila at “great importance.” “The Chinese side attaches great importance to China-Philippines friendship and safety of life at sea, and will continue to properly handle this issue with the Philippines in a serious and responsible manner,”the Chinese Embassy said. “The two sides are maintaining close communication through diplomatic channels,” it added. In related developments: • Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Saturday, for the freedom of navigation to mean anything in the South China Sea, the United States must also use its power to uphold the sovereign rights of states surrounding the strategic waters. “Freedom of navigation in the South China Sea by itself is merely the freedom to walk in a zoo past cages of animals. Freedom of navigation to mean anything includes willingness to use US power to uphold the sovereign rights of the littoral states of Southeast Asia or it is nothing,” Locsin said, reacting to a statement from the US Embassy in Manila. On Friday, the US issued a comment on the collision near Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea involving Chinese and Filipino boats. • The Filipino fishing vessel F/B Gem-Ver I which figured in a colli-

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC The DUTERTE YOUTH PARTY-LIST is hereby serving this public notice for its REVISED AND UPDATED LIST OF NOMINEES for the 2019 National and Local Elections, as given due course and as ordered by the Honorable COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS (COMELEC) En Banc on 4 June 2019. The following new partylist nominees are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

RONALD GIAN CARLO L. CARDEMA GIAN CARLO GALANG CATHERINE R. SANTOS KERWIN M. PAGARAN SHARAH SHANE T. MAKABALI

This publication is being made in compliance with the directive of the Honorable Commission. Quezon City, 15 June 2019 By:

GUILLERMO B. VILLAREAL, JR. President (MS-JUNE 16, 2019)

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, heard nationwide, Grab Philippines spokesperson Nicka Hosaka said some 3,000 TNVS out of the 8,000 TNVS scheduled for deactivation last week were spared since they submitted proper documentation. The 5,000 deactivated accounts were encouraged to re-apply for the 10,000 new slots opened by the LTFRB to fill the 65,000 TNVS supply cap. According to Hosaka, a former legal counsel for Shopee and a former chief of staff of one of the commissioners of the Philippine Competition Commission, there were some 45,000 active TNVS drivers in its system. Grab Philippines earlier announced it would deactivate at least 8,000 TNVS by June 10 for failing to submit proof of provisional authority to operate from the LTFRB. Since January this year, Grab Philippines said it had deactivated 15,000 TNVS for not complying with the required documents.

sion—rammed by a Chinese vessel However, the 22 fishermen told a off the Reed Bank or Recto Bank on very different story, saying they had June 9 is the phrase used by Filipino spent hours in the water awaiting fishermen—dropped anchor in San help. Jose, Occidental Mindoro on SaturThey were eventually picked up day. by a nearbyVietnamese boat and It arrived at 4 a.m. with its stern brought home Friday aboard a Philipor back part destroyed, according pine navy vessel. to a report by Marisol Abdurahman The Philippine coast guard has on Balitanghali Weekend, aired and started an investigation of the inheard nationwide. cident which Duterte’s spokesman Boy Gordiones, the boat’s ma- branded as “outrageous and barchinist, said the almost four days of baric”. pulling the Filipino vessel became a Opposition lawmaker Francis struggle as he had to continuously Pangilinan branded China’s version of draw off water to prevent it from events “as fake as its territorial claims,” sinking. and called for Philippine leaders to Gordiones, like his colleagues, stand up to Beijing. claimed the ramming was intentional “Now is the time to show real on the part of the Chinese vessel. The grit and toughness,” Pangilinan said. Filipino fishermen added they feared “There is never a time to be meek and for their lives when the incident hap- submissive before a foreign power pened. that endangers our own people.” Some of his fellow fishermen forDuterte has yet to make any public tunately paddled through the waters comment but he recently criticized to approach a Vietnamese fishing China’s assertive stance over the sea. vessel and seek for assistance. “I love China... but it behooves While President Rodrigo Du- upon us to ask, ‘Is it right for a country terte has largely set aside the once to claim the whole ocean?’” he said in tense stand-off with China over the a speech last month. resource-rich waterway, many in the Locsin said this week he had Philippines bristle at Beijing’s actions lodged a diplomatic protest with in the sea. China over the sinking. The Chinese Embassy in Manila Chinese foreign ministry spokessaid the crew of trawler Yuemaobinyu man Geng Shuang on Thursday 42212 “bumped into” the Philippine called the incident “an ordinary mariboat and then left due to safety fears. time traffic accident.” “The Chinese captain tried to resGeng said it was irresponsible cue the Filipino fishermen, but was for the Philippines to “politicize the afraid of being besieged by other incident without verification”. Filipino fishing boats,” the statement Competing claims over the South said. China Sea are a point of regional It went on to say the incident was contention because trillions of dollars not a “hit-and-run,” case, CYAN as some of goodsYELLOW pass through it, and rich MAGENTA BLACK Philippine authorities had claimed, petroleum reserves are thought to because the trawler “confirmed the sit deep beneath its waters. fishermen from the Filipino boat were Reed Bank, an area claimed by rescued.” Manila and Beijing, is within the Phil-

WELLMED...

From A1

It was not immediately clear why the NBI refuse to release Sy from its custody and what legal remedies Sy would avail himself of following the filing of the cash bond and the order of the court. Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 6 Judge Jerome Jimenez directed the NBI to release Sy, who was accused of ordering his former employees to make dialysis treatment claims from state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on behalf of dead patients. Sy was arrested while attending an NBI probe on Monday. On Friday, the Department of Justice indicted him along with former employees Edwin Roberto and Leizel Aileen de Leon for estafa through falsification of official documents. Roberto and De Leon had bared the alleged WellMed racket, alleging the Center made P800,000 in ghost PhilHealth claims from 2016 to 2018. In its order, the court said that although no information or criminal charge had been filed against Sy, the rules allowed him to post bail. Sy on Thursday wrote Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and NBI Director Dante Gierran to demand his release because his detention had exceeded 36 hours. Under Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code, authorities have a maximum of 36 hours to detain a suspect without filing any charge in court.

ippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and far from China’s nearest major landmass. Manila won a key 2016 ruling against China’s claims in the waterway, but Duterte opted to set it aside in exchange for Chinese investments. Opposition politicians as well as segments of the public and media charge that Duterte has bartered away Philippine sovereignty with little to show in return. Meanwhile, the United States reiterated Washington’s “clear” position on the South China Sea. “We saw news reports of the collision at sea. We are thankful none of the Filipino fishermen lost their lives and glad that Vietnamese fishermen rescued them from the open sea,” it said. “Our position on the South China Sea is clear: We support lawful uses of the sea, respect for international law, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peace and stability. We urge all parties to refrain from using coercion and intimidation to assert their territorial and maritime claims,” it added. Although Locsin acknowledged that the statement was meant to fence-sit, he recalled that “the last time the US opened its mouth, it told the Philippines and China to stand down in Scarborough and withdraw.” “We did. China stayed. The US was silent. Silence gives consent. We lost. Under (President Donald) Trump this is supposed to change. (Former President Barack) Obama’s craven diplomats must be purged from State,” he said. China, the Philippines, and several littoral states have overlapping claims in the vast South China Sea, believed to have deposits of oil and natural gases. Nat Mariano, with AFP and PNA

6FromKAPA... A1 “In this time, even though there are challenges, I hope you remain hopeful, still pray to the Lord, and do not lose hope. From what I’ve heard, six people already hung themselves, so this hurts my heart because they became members of Kapa to live,” Apolinario said. “I am now asking you a favor not to resort to suicide, do not lose hope,” he added. Last week, Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation to shut down Kapa’s investment scams. Some 50,000 member-donors of the Surigao del Sur-based religious corporation gathered and appealed to Duterte to reconsider his order. But Duterte stood pat in his earlier claim that Kapa was a swindling scam, with Malacañang supporting his order. According to the Kapa official, the religious corporation’s officers and

businesses have been closed down such as fishing boats, rice and banana farms, poultry school, and a hospital. Apolinario also bared he could not distribute salaries to some 5,000 employees, putting the blame on the government for their dire financial straits. “Accounts have been frozen. Who would benefit now from our businesses? The government cannot even fulfill their promise to give jobs to people,” he said. Still, Apolinario remains hopeful that Duterte will change his mind, calling on Kapa members to spread how the religious corporation helped them out of the “hell of poverty” through the use of Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms. Considering the dilemma as a “legal battle,” the Kapa founder then assured members his lawyers would continue to fight for their right as a religious group to take donations.

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LAND FOR 2,000 SQUATTERS

By Maricel V. Cruz

OME 2,000 squatter families in Camarin, Caloocan City now have a chance to own the lots where their houses stand as Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo continues to push for the implementation of Presidential Proclamation 397.

The proclamation set aside 14 hectares of the land reserved for the civic center of the Caloocan City Government to the squatters. Arroyo issued the proclamation when she was still the President but it was never carried out by her successor. In 2003, Arroyo amended Proclamation 843 dated April 26, 1971, which reserved the Tala Estate for various government uses, by segregating an area of 14 hectares from the parcel reserved for Civic Center

purposes of the City Government of Caloocan. Under Arroyo’s proclamation, the area was reserved as socialized housing site open for disposition in favor of the bonafide residents. Arroyo’s proclamation ordered that the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, in coordination with the City Government of Caloocan, shall take the lead in its implementation. The proclamation further mandated that HUDCCto be assisted by the Department of Environmentand Natural Resources, National Housing Authority, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and National Anti-Poverty Commission in accordance with the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 and other issuances on the matter. Arroyo met Thursday with the residents in the area together with officials of concerned people’s organizations, Caloocan City government, the HUDCC, and the DENR. Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan presided over the meeting that was also attended by Rep. Dale Malapitan. The committee confirmed that the boundary and structural surveys have been completed by the DENR and HUDCC, respectively.

The HUDCC contracted out the subdivision survey, which was completed in March 2019. The agency promised to formally submit the results of the survey by this weekend. For its part, the DENR said it is still awaiting a letter of request from the Caloocan City government so that the agency can provide them a deed of conveyance for the land. Also discussed was the failure of many beneficiaries to submit pre-qualification requirements. Chief among these is a fee of P70 for a certification that the beneficiary-family does not own land in Caloocan, as required by a local ordinance. To date, only a small fraction of the 2,000 possible family-beneficiaries had paid the fee. The attendees from the government urged the people’s organizations representing the beneficiaries to increase efforts in encouraging payment of the necessary fees and compliance with requirements so that land titling can progress. The committee hopes that before June 2019 ends, all 2,000 beneficiaries can hurdle the prequalification requirements of the NHA so they can obtain their Certificate of Lot Award.

BANGSAMORO OFFICIALS GATHER FOR ‘ROLE PLAY’

COTABATO CITY—Chief Minister Hadji Murad Ibrahim will meet elected officials of provinces and towns comprising the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on a weekend training and orientation here, hosted by the region’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Governments. “Today [Saturday] is a big event for us in the ministry [MILG]. We will commence this afternoon the first ever simultaneous training cum orientation of all elected governors and mayors of the BARMM,” MILG Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said. All 116 municipal mayors and five provincial governors of the region are expected to meet at Al-Nor Convention Center here for the two-day (June 15-17) forum. Sources said Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Frances Guiani-Sayadi has also been invited to the forum, seen to serve as a venue for local chief execu-

tives and BARMM officials to interface and engage for greater welfare. During the forum, organizers said Murad is expected to start engaging with newly elected local officials to help him lay the principles of and generate support to developing and establishing “moral governance,” as the norms of the Bangsamoro government. Sinarimbo, a lawyer said, the gathering is designed to “orient and prepare newly-elected local chief executives [LCEs] on their roles and responsibilities when they assume office on June 30.” Following the creation of the BARMM, Murad said that the “more difficult jihad (struggle)” is ahead of the Bangsamoro leadership. For instance, he said, the Bangsamoro government has to be transparent about its remittances and contributions to the regional and national coffers.

PH-CHINA RELATIONS. George Siy (left) , director for Trade and Commerce

of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and UP Professor Bobby Tuazon discuss the 44 years of Philippines-China diplomatic relations as well as bilateral ties, trade and investment, cultural exchange and people-to-people contacts and the latest issue of fishing boat collision in the Recto Bank of the West Philippine Sea. Manny Palmero

VATICAN: PINOY IS ‘SERVANT OF GOD’

THE House of Representatives has adopted Resolution 2597 expressing “the jubilation and exultation of the chamber, in solidarity with the Filipino people,” for the honor bestowed by the Vatican on Darwin Ramos, the first nonmartyr Filipino to receive the title Servant of God. The resolution that was adopted under the leadership of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said in 2006, he got acquainted with a group of street educators from the ANAK-Tulay ng Kabataan Foundation, and had since served in one of the centers being run by the foundation to help other street children. On March 29, 2019, the Vatican proclaimed Darwin Ramos as “Servant of God” through a declaration by Cardinal Angelo Becciu, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. Bishop Honesto Ongtioco initiated the process at the request of the Friends of Darwin Ramos Association. Cardinal Angelo Becciu signed the nihil obstat after which the inquiry for the canonization of Darwin Ramos at the Diocesan Court of Cubao will be conducted by the postular, the French Dominican Fr. Thomas de Gabory. Ramos, born on Dec. 17, 1994 in Pasay City, was raised in the slums of P. Villanueva Street and was pushed by extreme poverty to become a garbage scavenger to help his family survive. He passed away on Sept. 23, 2012. While serving in the center, Darwin discovered the Catholic faith at 11 years old and on Dec. 23, 2006, he received the Sacrament of Baptism. He later received the First Communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation on Dec. 22, 2007. Darwin was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscular degeneration. The disease took its toll on him. He suffered in pain until he can no longer stand. He had tight or rigid joints making walking and breathing difficult. Maricel V. Cruz

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Members of the House of Representatives mourn the passing of

REPRESENTATIVE MARIANO U. PIAMONTE, JR. Representative, A TEACHER Party-list 14th,15th, 16th and 18th Congresses

on 13 June 2019 at the age of 71. His remains lie in state at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, Jose Abad Santos St., Davao City. Interment will be on Saturday, 22 June 2019, at the Padada Memorial Park, after the 9:00 a.m. funeral mass at the St. Michael Parish, Padada, Davao del Sur. We request the pious readers to pray for the eternal repose of his soul.

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EXTRADITION BILL SUSPENDED H

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

POP GOES THE WORLD

IN HONOR OF FATHERS

ODAY, but particularly, we join the rest of Filipinos and others overseas in raising the glass to celebrate fathers— however they are addressed in the different languages—for their far-reaching role in the family, the basic social unit, and the bigger community beyond. Indubitably, many have jumped into the observance, one version says, initiated in Fairmont, West Virginia by a woman named Grace Gordon Clayton in 1908 when she campaigned for her local service to honor fathers following the Monongah mining disaster the year before which claimed at least 367 men.

Another story points to US Civil War veteran Sonora Smart Dodd as the champion of Father’s Day, when the daughter from Arkansas wanted to honor her dad who, as a widower, raised his six children all alone after his wife died following the last childbirth. In 1910, the first Father’s Day celebration by Sonora Dodd was staged in Spokane, Washington. In the Philippines, Father’s Day is officially celebrated every third Sunday of June, following a presidential proclamation in 1988. While we argue that fathers, in much the same level as mothers, must be celebrated 365 days every common year and 366 each leap year, we go on a spree today and mark it while we beat the drum for the fathers—dead or alive—who have played and who play a consequential role in the lives of their children. The role touches incredibly on the cognitive, behavioral and general health as well as well-

JENNY ORTUOSTE

THE LIL’ GAY SHOP, REASPORA, AND THE ARTIST’S LIFE

being areas of a child’s life. These are the children, eventual leaders or useful units of their respective communities or even their country on a wall-to-wall scenario. Some research studies have shown the farreaching impact of a nation’s political and economic past on the role of fathers then, linking poor parenting and absence to “the socio-economic legacy” among other social stumbling blocks. More than treating the fathers today to a sumptuous lunch or dinner at a luxury hotel or establishment, more than giving the fathers a much-needed week-long trip outside their usual jurisdictions as a recognition of their contributions to the family and society, let’s honor them—again—by telling how great their gift and service have been. Today, let’s raise the glass for these guileless walls of trust and security, the wellsprings of encouragement.

“BAKLA” the sign screamed at me as I pushed open the heavy glass door to a small shop in Makati City’s ‘Backwell’ area. I looked around. “TIBO” yelled another sign, wreathed in pink roses. I was in The Lil Gay Shop, and it was fabulous. Colorful, quirky jackets and shirts, some embroidered or appliqued, were hung on racks. Tote bags made out of rice sacks hung from hooks. Trays filled with stickers in all the colors of the rainbow invited patrons to touch. Darnas in all shapes and sizes on postcards were strung on clotheslines against a wall. The shop is a pop-up of Pineapple Lab x Hollow Block, and is an “exhibitslash-retail experiment featuring products made by members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” according to their informational material. “Celebrating all things queer and dear,” TLGS brings together the various creative goods of artists and entrepreneurs, in a 70-30 sharing scheme, with the store’s share going toward “the sustainability of our creative hub, Pineapple Lab as well as its Artist-in-Residence Program.” Pineapple Lab, which opened in July 2015, is a creative hub that finds “innovative ways to showcase the works of Filipino art makers, international artists, and collaborators.” They house a “visual arts gallery, performance space, and produce original programming for local and international performing and multimedia artists.” Their Artists-In-Residence program “accepts applications from artists at different levels of their development while they continue to hone and craft their works in the Philippines.” Located beside TLGS and a part of the Pineapple Lab ‘gayborhood’ is Glorious Dias, a vintage clothing shop. They carry deadstock barongs from the 1960s and ‘70s, ternos from the 1920s onward, as well as shirts, pants, skirts, jackets, and other items of apparel, some in psychedelic flavors. My daughter Rika bought a lounging kimono and a paper-thin blouse with embroidered accents, both at affordable prices, to mix and match in her own fashion style. If the name ‘Glorious Dias’ makes you think of the iconic beauty queen, yes, she was the inspiration for that. She has even visited the shop! Jodee (@jodinand on Instagram) is the Fil-Canadian who owns both shops. Originally from Bulacan, he grew up in Canada, but returned to the Philippines to explore and express his artistic, creative, and spiritual side in a way he can’t abroad. This was exactly how Rika and I felt when we were living in the US, that there were things we could pursue only in the Philippines. For artists, and to some extent academics, life is more congenial here, despite the crappy way the country is run. Life is slower-paced here, with more room and opportunities for artistic pursuits. Abroad, it’s all about the grind. Jodee, myself, and my daughter are not the first to chuck foreign residence to return to the Philippines for various reasons. He calls this phenom ‘reaspora,’ and I love the term, it’s quite apt. While packing up all my worldly goods (mostly books) gained over two years’ residence in the U.S., I was surprised to find out how many Fil-Ams plan to return to the Philippines to live out their golden years. “Buti ka pa, uuwi na,” they told me, with envy in their voice. “Kami nag-iipon pa.” The reaspora is real, but for most it happens after retirement. In Jodee’s case, and mine and my daughter’s, we came back well before retirement, seeking to establish (or reestablish) careers here. In Jodee’s reaspora, he has found meaning and purpose in creating a community for gay and queer Filipinos, providing a place where they can showcase and sell their art. Through his entrepreneurial ventures TLGS and Glorious Dias, he shows us the beauty and grooviness in the vintage and retro, and that true style does not mean slavery to commercial fashion trends. Jodee says he’s often asked why he returned. “Nandoon ka na sa ginhawa, bumalik ka pa!” Sometimes it’s not about the money. Sometimes the soul needs to be fed and nurtured, and sometimes it’s the Philippines that’s the gay and perfect place to be. Got this, thanks! Got this. Got it!

RECALLING THE BIGGEST VICTORY BY PH GUERRILLAS By Ben Cal (Concluded from yesterday) THE risky mission to lead the assault on Bessang Pass fell on the unit of Capt. Narcise, commander of the 100-man ragtag guerrilla fighters of “L” Company. He was chosen for the job having undergone combat training as an ROTC cadet officer at the University of the Philippines-Los Banos in Laguna some 50 kilometers south of Manila. Capt. Narcise wasted no time to prepare for the most important combat mission as a guerrilla fighter. Planning was thorough. Narcise got up-to-date information about Bessang Pass and its surrounding environment from the local people who were sympathetic to the guerrillas. He made sure that all his 100 men under him were mentally and physically fit for the assault and long fighting that would follow. Narcise and his men were ready to move in at any moment’s notice. “We were raring to go!” he recalled with his face filled with emotion. “By this time, we were camped in Bitalag, Ilocos Sur and all roads were leading to Bessang Pass which was some 45 kilometers east of where they were bivouacked,” Capt. Narcise said. It was in Bitalag that his unit clashed with Japanese soldiers. The fighting tested the combat readiness and capability of Company L “It was early dawn sometime the month of May 1945 when fighting broke out in Bitalag,” he reminisced. “We surprised the Japanese. In fact, there were 10 to 15 Japanese troops who were killed during the firefight. There was no casualty on our side.” After the fighting, Capt. Narcise’s unit proceeded eastward to Butac and Suyu where they encountered Japanese troops shortly after the Filipino guerrillas crossed a river. The fighting claimed 12 more Japanese lives. The series of victories in“small”skirmishes along the way gave the Filipino guerrilla fighters more confidence and tenacity in fighting the well-equipped Japanese Imperial Army whose once deadly war machine was fast losing its venom. They sustained heavy combat losses and the logistics was waning. Another drawback was that the beleaguered Japanese troops could not expect any reinforcement as Allied Forces led by the

Americans shackled the might of the Japanese Navy during the Leyte Gulf battle. Frustration and despair reigned in the hearts and minds of every Japanese soldier holdout in northern Luzon. The situation at Bessang Pass was reminiscent of the fall of Bataan more than three years before, but on the reverse with Japan at the receiving end. Japanese forces had felt the brunt of the bombardment by US field artillery and aerial attacks. The sustained bombardment was to soften Japanese resistance as a prelude to the ground assault by the guerrillas. Then on June 13, 1945, the green light was given. Gen. Volckmann, overall American commander of the US-Filipino guerrilla forces for Northern Luzon, gave the order to guerilla forces to commence the attack. Capt. Narcise immediately briefed his men about their hazardous mission to assault Bessang Pass the following day. For Capt. Narcise the die was cast. “The most awaited moment is here,” he told his men during the briefing. “I could see from their faces they were eager to go, despite the dangerous mission ahead. For me, I was ready to die for my country.” He gave words of encouragement to his men, who were apparently restless that day. “Silence pervaded the room where I held our final briefing for the Bessang Pass attack. It was understandable as my men psyched themselves for the big battle. The probability of being killed was high. I asked them to pray and trust God. We bowed our heads in silent prayer. Tension pervaded inside the briefing room. There was no doubt each one of us thought of the fighting the following day and its outcome,” Capt. Narcise said. After the briefing, Capt. Narcise lost no time to inspect his automatic rifle to ensure it was in good condition. His men also individually checked their weapons and other provisions for the next day’s combat mission which they considered the most dangerous and most daring. Capt. Narcise got clips of ammunition from the logistics section of his unit. Everything was in order. He then placed his weapon in a corner near his bed. That night they could hardly sleep as their minds wandered of the fighting that would take place only a few hours away. Before daybreak, Capt. Narcise and his men were up. They again prayed for God’s protection. They took a light breakfast before leaving their

camp and walked toward their destination— Bessang Pass several few kilometers away. “Before we knew it, we encountered along the way Japanese soldiers at Nangyatan Hill, a Japanese ammunition depot very early in the morning of June 14, 1945. There was heavy exchange of gunfire. I fired my automatic rifle towards the direction of the enemy. Grenade explosions were everywhere. There was one unexploded grenade that landed near me. I immediately grabbed it and threw back to the enemy where it burst, killing several Japanese. Another Jap tried to throw one more grenade at us but my BAR man, who was carrying his Browning Automatic Rifle, was quick in his reflexes, opened fire before the Jap unleashed the grenade. It exploded in the hand of the Japanese,” Capt. Narcise noted in his diary. The intense fighting lasted for about an hour with the Japanese guarding ammo dump wiped out. “We sustained no casualty as we cautiously climbed towards Bucwal Hill near Bessang Pass. As we moved we observed that there were several Japanese sentries guarding the periphery of Bessang Pass. Luckily, they did not see us. I motioned my hand to my men to move a little bit nearer. When I calculated that we were within firing range, I issued the order to open fire at about 15 to 20 Japanese troops. Heavy fighting again erupted. It was more intense than the first one. We held our ground and continued firing. There was exchange of grenade throwing. We maneuvered to avoid being hit. The enemy also continued firing at us. The fighting reached its crescendo with both sides firing at will. The echoes of gunfire reverberated all over Bessang Pass. Again, we triumphed,” Capt. Narcise said. Seemingly recharged following their victories after victories, Capt. Narcise ordered his men “to continue the fight without let-up. But this time it was a close quarter battle. We did not budge an inch. It was now or never,” he said. “At the height of the fighting, our hopes were buoyed further when US warplanes pounded the Japanese position with burst after burst of machine gun fire. As the planes flew away, the guerrillas took charge, firing their guns, crushing the Japanese’s last line of defense. Capt. Narcise and his men rushed into

the once impregnable fortress. “To signify our victory, I took a towel as a provisional flag, tie it to a broken branch of a pine tree before I pierced it to the ground as we shouted, clapped our hands jump with joy, The scene was full of ecstasy,” Capt. Narcise narrated with a smile on his face. It was a momentous event I will never forget to the last breath of my life,” he added. Capt. Narcise related the battle in Bessang Pass during an interview at his modest home in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur on June 13, 2009 on the eve of the 64th anniversary of the victory at Bessang Pass. The old warrior sat on his chair in his modest home in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, and explained that since they did not carry the Philippine flag at that moment when he and his troops reached the apex of the mountain fortress, he remembered he had a towel with made and decided to make it as a provisional flag. He then tied it to a broken branch of a pine tree and without hesitation he waved it before he planted the flag on the hallowed ground of Bessang Pass to signify victory of the resistance movement over the once mighty Japanese Imperial Army. Many of the guerrillas could not hold back their tears as they embraced each other, not only as a gesture of their personal triumph, but a victory for Filipinos and Americans, especially those who fought and shed their blood in mortal combat for democracy to prevail. God was on their side. “As the victory celebration continued at Bessang Pass, Gen. Eulogio Balao, a top ranking Filipino Philippine Army officer, arrived and congratulated all of us for a job done.” Euphoria filled the air when suddenly, a staccato of gunfire rang out from nowhere sending the guerrillas, including Gen. Balao down on all fours on the muddy ground for cover. They looked around where the shots came from. There was a deafening silence as everyone tried to feel if there were Japanese snipers out there. After a minute or two, everybody was up on their feet. When the people in the Ilocos region and adjoining provinces heard about the great news, many cried, but they were tears of joy. Mr. Cal is the author of the book “Battle of Bessang Pass.”

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World

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EU SEALS DEAL TO END US BEEF ROW BRUSSELS—The European Union has sealed a deal to end a long-running row with Washington over US beef imports, a statement said on Friday, with hopes that the agreement can ease transatlantic trade tensions. “With this step, the European Union reaffirms its commitment to bring about a new phase in the relationship with the United States,” said EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan in a statement. The beef accord comes nearly a year after US President Donald Trump and European Commission head JeanClaude Juncker pledged to hold off from further tit-for-tat tariffs and to a limited trade deal. Tensions between the allies had ratcheted up after Trump slapped steel and aluminum tariffs on Europe and threatened more on cars. The row over hormone-treated beef dates back to 1988, when Europe banned imports of meat from animals injected with growth hormones, a common US practice. In retaliation, and in line with a WTO ruling, in 1999 Washington imposed higher customs duties on some European products, provoking angry protests in France. Under a compromise reached in 2009 and amended in 2014, the United States lifted the sanctions and the EU created an import quota for “highquality” hormone-free foreign beef, including that from the United States. But other producers such as Argentina, Australia and Uruguay seized a large share of the quota, prompting President Barack Obama’s administration to threaten a renewal of the customs penalties. To reach the deal, EU member states allowed the commission to allocate the United States a larger part of the existing hormone-free beef quota that is also available to exporters from other countries. The agreement provides for up to 35,000 tonnes of the quota to be reserved for the United States and to be gradually implemented over seven years. AFP

CALLS FOR FREEZE ON UN PULLOUT FROM SUDAN NIXED NEW YORK—China and Russia on Friday rejected calls from European and African countries to freeze the planned shutdown of a peacekeeping mission to Sudan’s Darfur region. Britain, France, Germany and the African countries on the Security Council told the group that the decision on closing the joint UN-African Union mission should be put on hold while Sudan is engulfed in crisis. The council is scheduled to vote on the mandate of the mission, known as UNAMID, on June 27. “The situation has evolved, the situation is not the same in the center, and we cannot proceed as if nothing has happened,” said South Africa’s Ambassador Jerry Matjila. Russia and China however said the drawdown must continue as planned with a view to end operations in 2020. “The Sudanese government has the capacity to maintain peace and security in Darfur on its own,” said China’s Deputy Ambassador Wu Haitao. China, Sudan’s major trading partner, has long supported Khartoum’s view that the conflict in Darfur was winding down and that peacekeepers were no longer needed. After a series of phased drawdowns, about 7,200 troops and police remain in Darfur from the 16,000 deployed at the height of the conflict. More than 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in the violence, according to the United Nations. Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said the council was right to pull out peacekeepers and warned against any “outside lecturing” to Khartoum. Sudan has been led by a military council since generals ousted Omar al-Bashir on April 11 after months of nationwide protests against his threedecade rule. Protesters remained encamped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum for weeks afterwards demanding civilian rule, until a June 3 crackdown that left scores dead. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have said the instability has an impact on Darfur and that peacekeepers should remain. UN human rights official Andrew Gilmour said there have been increased reports of killings, abduction and sexual violence in Darfur in recent months. AFP

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

TRUMP PINS IRAN TO TANKER BLASTS

ASHINGTON—US President Donald Trump declared Friday that a mysterious attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman had Iran “written all over it,” rejecting Tehran’s denial that it had any involvement. As US-Iranian tensions soared, Trump dismissed previous threats by Tehran that in case of conflict it could block the Hormuz Strait—a narrow seaway vital to the world’s oil supplies. Speaking hours after the US military released grainy footage it said showed an Iranian patrol boat removing an “unexploded limpet mine” from one of the tankers, Trump was emphatic. “Iran did do it,” Trump told Fox News. “You know they did it because you saw the boat. I guess one of the mines didn’t explode and it’s probably got essentially Iran written all over it.” “You saw the boat at night, successfully trying to take the mine off—and that was exposed,” he added. Iran rejected the US accusations. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad

Zarif tweeted that the US had “immediately jumped to make allegations against Iran without a shred of factual or circumstantial evidence.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation. “It’s very important to know the truth. It’s very important that responsibilities are clarified,” Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York. “Obviously that can only be done if there is an independent entity that verifies those facts.” Meanwhile, Britain’s assessment found that Iran was “almost certainly” behind the attacks, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said. London pinned the blame for Thursday’s attack on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard -- a vast and powerful branch of the Iranian military. Iran has repeatedly warned in the past that it could block the Hormuz Strait in a relatively lowtech, high-impact countermeasure to any attack by the United States. Doing so would disrupt oil tankers traveling out of the Gulf region to the Indian Ocean and global export routes. Trump played down the threat. “It’s not going to be closed, it’s not going to be closed for long and they know it. They’ve been told in very strong terms,” Trump said. Oil prices have surged in response to the ris-

ing tensions. Saudi Arabia’s energy minister Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom was monitoring the situation with “great concern” and called for action to secure maritime traffic, the Saudi SPA news agency said. Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, is a bitter regional rival of Iran. China called for all sides to “resolve the conflict through dialogue,” while the European Union called for “maximum restraint.” Russia, which has close -- if sometimes strained —links to Iran, warned through its foreign ministry against “hasty conclusions.” The oil tankers were 10 nautical miles apart and headed to Asia when they were struck by explosions early Thursday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz some 25 nautical miles off Iran’s southern coast. The Front Altair, owned by the Oslo-listed company Frontline, was carrying naphtha, a refined petroleum product. It was hit by three explosions, according to Norwegian officials. Explosions also struck the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous, which was loaded with methanol, but the fire on board was soon extinguished. One crew member suffered minor injuries and the ship was headed Friday toward the UAE port of Khor Fakkan. AFP

NASA SEEKS FIRST FEMALE MOONWALKER

PLASTIC WHALE. This aerial photo taken on June 10 shows a 68-meter long image of a whale formed by plastic waste collected from the ocean during an event to raise awareness on ocean conservation at Rudong Yangkou Harbour in Nantong in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. AFP

NOTRE-DAME HOLDS FIRST MASS AFTER APRIL FIRE PARIS—The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris will host its first mass on Saturday, exactly two months after the devastating blaze that shocked France and the world. For safety reasons, the mass led by Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit will be celebrated on a very small scale. Worshippers will be expected to don hard hats but priests will be wearing their ceremonial garb. There will be just some 30 people —half of them clergy—although the mass will be broadcast live on Catholic TV channel KTO. It will take place at 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) in the Chapel of the Virgin on the east side of the cathedral behind the choir, which has been confirmed to be safe. Aupetit will be joined by the rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick Chauvet, canons, volunteers, people working on the restoration as well a handful of lay worshippers. The date has been chosen as it is the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral’s altar, which is cel-

ebrated every year on June 16. The date is “highly significant, spiritually,” Chauvet told AFP, adding he was happy to be able to show that “Notre-Dame is truly alive”. President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious target of five years for restoring Notre-Dame, which was gutted by a fire on April 15 that felled its steeple and consumed the lattice of beams supporting the roof. The diocese is awaiting a response from the French authorities over whether it can re-open the esplanade in front of the cathedral to the public. If the authorities approve the plan, the idea is to celebrate evening prayers there, the diocese said. The church has also floated the idea of erecting a temporary structure in front of the cathedral to welcome worshippers while the building is repaired. Up to 150 workers have been working at the cathedral daily since the fire, continuing to remove de-

bris and stabilize the structure. Two large white canopies have been placed above the nave and the choir to ensure the edifice is protected, including from the rain. Macron’s call for an “inventive” rather than identical reconstruction of the steeple has left some architects up in arms. Meanwhile, legislation over the reconstruction has been blocked in parliament over disagreements between the upper and lower houses and is now only expected to be adopted at the end of July. Pledges of some 850 million euros ($960 million) had been made from prominent French businessmen and ordinary citizens but only around 10 percent has been donated so far. France Info public radio said just 80 million euros had been paid, with businessmen giving the money in tranches and some private individuals renouncing their pledges due to the apparent success of the campaign. AFP

PARIS—Who will take the giant leap for womankind? More than 50 years after the end of the Apollo program, NASA plans to return to the Moon by 2024 as a “proving ground” to test the next generation of spacecraft ahead of an eventual crewed mission to Mars. The new program has been named Artemis after Apollo’s twin-sister in Greek mythology, and the space agency has said that the mission will see the first woman to stride the lunar surface. So, who will she be? No one knows for sure, but it’s a likely bet the candidate will be selected from among NASA’s current roster of 12 female astronauts. They’re aged between 40 and 53, and are former military pilots, medical doctors and scientists who were picked from among thousands of applicants since the late 1990s. Predicting who will join Neil Armstrong in the annals of history isn’t an exact science, but several former astronauts and experts interviewed by AFP say the proximity of the deadline mean it probably won’t be a new recruit. “Now personally, I’d be okay with flying a rookie astronaut to the Moon,” former astronaut Eileen Collins, who flew and commanded Space Shuttles in the 1990s and 2000s, told AFP. “But if you have enough astronauts who have already flown, they know how they’re going to react in space. “Some go up there and they have symptoms that might interfere with their ability to do the work. But you don’t know who that is.” Ken Bowersox, a senior official at NASA, agreed. “I think it will be better to send people who have had at least one flight,” he told AFP. That objective will be easier than ever before because there have never been so many women astronauts. AFP

ART EXPERT STAKES REPUTATION ON ‘LOST’ CARAVAGGIO

PARIS—Art expert Eric Turquin is not only convinced that a canvas found in the attic of an old house in southwest France is a Caravaggio—he believes it is a revolutionary masterpiece. France’s leading authority on Old Masters paintings has staked his reputation on the assertion that the work —left forgotten under an old mattress for 100 years—is the fiery Italian artist’s lost “Judith and Holofernes”. The painting depicting a grisly biblical scene of the beautiful Jewish widow Judith beheading a sleeping Assyrian general will be displayed in Paris on Friday before it goes under the hammer on June 27 in Toulouse, the city where it was discovered five years ago. Turquin said it should sell for between 100 and 150 million euros

(up to $170 million). “Not only is it a Caravaggio, but of all the Caravaggios that are known today, this is one of the great pictures,” he insisted. “The painting is in an extraordinarily good state, much better than the Caravaggios I have seen in Naples,” he told AFP. But although everyone agrees on the quality of the work, a minority of experts—particularly in Italy—have their doubts. They believe it is a copy made by the Flemish artist Louis Finson, who worked alongside Caravaggio as he painted. But Turquin is adamant it is the original from 1606 whose existence was first noted in letters between Italian dukes and art dealers four centuries ago. AFP

HONORED DEAD. French President Emmanuel Macron prepares to deliver a

speech as he stands by the flag-draped coffins of the three National Society of Sea Rescue ocean rescue volunteers—Yann Chagnolleau, Dimitri Moulic and Alain Guibert —who died in a storm last week after their boat capsized, during a ceremony in their tribute at Fort-Saint Nicolas in Les Sables d’Olonne, western France, on Thursday. AFP

Images

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

START THEM YOUNG. Gabrielle Karlene Sison, the youngest volunteer of Manila Standard’s Adopt-A-Tree program, strikes a pose with other members of the judges and participants of the MSIntegriTree event held at SM Manila on June 10. Charles Dantes

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

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IN THE DARK.

A Palestinian child JUST A GAME. the southern Gaza

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Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May speaks as she addresses attendees at the start of London Tech Week in London on June 10, Monday. The contest to replace May as Britain’s next leader formally got under way on Monday, with frontrunner Boris Johnson facing criticism from Paris over his Brexit plan and a key rival struggling to throw off a drugs scandal. AFP

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

RIVERA BROTHERS DOMINATE SLALOM

PERFECT 1-2 punch was delivered when local and international race aces Milo and Estefano Rivera reigned supreme during the 4th leg of the 2019 Phoenix Pulse National Slalom Series held last Sunday at the Robinsons Antipolo complex.

PH BLU BOYS FALL TO CUBANS IN WORLD MEET

This time, however, the younger Estefano got the best of Milo around the technical, condition-changing race course after clocking a winning time of 44.34, with the latter only achieving a 45.00 best run. Powee Base completed the Top 3 podium with a 45.13-second finish, while Jevoy Moreno (45.18) and Rod Chang (46.16) finished 4th and 5th, respectively. Estefano’s win further extended his overall championship lead as he chases his first National Slalom crown, while Milo, who is the reigning 5-time Slalom king, shared how happy he is with his second-place finish. “It’s been quite a while since I last raced on a slalom track. To be honest, it feels like home. And to produce a relatively good result alongside my brother makes it even sweeter. I do believe that this year should be his and he truly deserves to be on top. I hope he retains his momentum so that the crown can stay in our house for at least another year,” said the Petron-backed Milo who is currently focusing on GT circuit racing this year. Aside from Estefano’s full-time slalom season and Milo’s circuit racing comeback, the brothers have also set their sights on endurance circuit racing as they have been tapped by AutoPerformance Motorsports for a full season onboard their BMW M3 race cars. In addition, Estefano is also a front runner in the 2019 Giti Formula V1 season under Obengers racing team, and Milo is looking forward to international races starting July with the 2019 Asia Auto Gymkhana Championships, among others. “It is going to be a very busy season for the both of us, and we’re really thankful for each opportunity. I guess the best way to show our appreciation to those who have continued to help, support, and make us race is to give our all to produce the results we desire. So we’re looking forward to the season ahead and let’s see how things go,” said a jubilant Estefano.

Milo (left) and Estefano Rivera (right) flash the no. 1 sign.

VARGAS READY TO SIT DOWN WITH EXEC COUNCIL MEMBERS AMID pressure from majority of the Philippine Olympic Committee board members, POC president Ricky Vargas yesterday gave word to attend the crucial executive council meeting on June 18 at the POC headquarters at the Philsports compound. In a statement released Saturday, Vargas said he is now ready to sit down with POC board members to apprise the group about the various issues that hound the organization as well as the country’s preparations for the 30th Southeast Asian Games. With this, he instructed POC secretary general Patrick Gregorio to cancel the executive council meeting he called on June 17 in reaction to the June 18 meeting earlier called by the Board. Vargas wanted Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano to preside over the now cancelled meeting as he is under fire from the members of his own board. It was set at the SM Aura office of Cayetano. In fact, at least eight of the 13 POC executive council members are calling Vargas to an executive session on June 18 to thresh out some pressing matters in the POC, including his in-

volvement in the Phisgoc Foundation, Inc. and a transaction with an apparel company. The Phisgoc Foundation is different from the Phisgoc that was formed to handle the 30th Sea Games. The original Phisgoc was supposedly led by Cayetano as Chairman with Vargas (representing POC) and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez as co-vice chairmen. But Vargas and several of his staff, along with the personnel tapped by Cayetano for the SEA Games, incorporated the Phisgoc Foundation and made it responsible for the hosting of the SEA Games “and other international events” to be hosted by the Philippines in the future. Ramirez was left out of the Phisgoc Foundation. Cayetano remains on top of the Phisgoc Foundation, though. Several sports association presidents, however, questioned the turtle-paced preparations for the SEA Games with only five months left before the event fires off on November 30. But with POC board member Clint Aranas issuing fresh calls for him to explain his role in the various issues hounding what is perceived to be a

very slow SEA Games’ buildup, Vargas has finally agreed to meet his board following fiery exchanges of words during their last meeting last month. “I have decided to accept the call of the majority of executive board members for a session with me on the 18th of June to clear up matters in the interest of unity in this crucial stage of our preparations for the Southeast Asian Games,” Vargas said. “I am canceling the scheduled board meeting called by the POC secretary general on the 17th of June to work out a mutually acceptable date for the executive board to meet.” Among the issues to be tackled is the existence of the Phisgoc Foundation, which is not the organizing body approved by the POC board. Its Articles of Incorporation at the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 2, 2018, shows Vargas as one of the eight incorporators together with POC secretary general Patrick Gregorio, POC communications director Ed Picson and former POC chairman Tom Carrasco. Also to be discussed is the contract with Asics, an apparel company that Phisgoc tapped to serve as official

outfitter of Team Philippines without the approval of the POC board. It was found out that the quoted price of Asics for a set of competition uniform is “unreasonably” higher than the suggested retail prices in the company’s flagship store. In a request made by Phisgoc Foundation to the Philippine Sports Commission, it showed that a set of competition uniform costs P51,5111, while the company’s quotation for the same item during the 18th Asian Games last year was only P25,000. “We’re not calling for an election or declaring any vacancy. All we want is for the POC president to come forward to tell us the truth and discuss how we can help him,” said Aranas, the archery president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System, during a press briefing late Friday. “All his actions were done without board approval. That’s why we’re asking. If you’re talking about good governance, now is the perfect chance for Mr. Vargas to come up with an explanation.” Aranas added that they do not intend to engage in a media war with the POC chief. Aldrin Cardona

GERMAN RIDER TAKES STAGE 2 OF LE TOUR PH By Peter Atencio

Cycling enthusiasts get a bird's eyeview of the peloton of riders at the Quezon National Forest Park's 'Bitukang Manok' road in Stage 2 of Le Tour de Filipinas from Pagbilao, Quezon to Vinzons Avenue in Daet, Camarines Norte on Saturday. Ey Acasio

ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier gives the PH Blu Boys a pep talk.

DAET—German rider Mario Vogt took charge early and never let up to win the top honors in the challenging Old Zigzag Road inside Quezon National Park in Atimonan. The 27-year-old Vogt stayed with a nine-man lead pack while going down the fabled Tatlong Eme route. There were only three riders left when he crossed the finish line at the end of the 194.9-kilometer route along Vinzons Ave. Baton-twirling majorettes and upbeat music greeted Vogt when he finally took Stage 2 honors of the Pagbilao, Quezon to Daet, Camarines Norte leg of the Le Tour de Filipinas 2019 cycling competitions here. Vogt, who is with Team Sapura of Malaysia, finished in four hours, 49 minutes and six seconds, together with Team Ukyo of Japan’s Kohei Uchima, who was just a meter behind him. “I tried to attack in the last kilometer. But the other guy followed me,” said Vogt, who was still dizzy

from the hot afternoon weather. It was Vogt’s fifth stage victory since taking Stage 1 Prologue honors in the Tour of Cartier last year. He also won the overall individual crown in the Tour of Iskandar last April. Terrangganu’s Goh Chu Huat (Singapore) managed to catch up, and was five seconds behind in third place. National team member Jan Paul Morales settled for fourth and was with a 21-man main group which ended up in 4th to 24th positions, with 7-Eleven’s Daniel Habtemichael and Marcelo Felipe in the group. Climbing from 29th place in Stage 1 in Tagaytay City last Friday, Vogt cut overall leader and Dutch rider Jeroen Miejers’ lead time. Miejers’ advantage of one minute and 39 seconds after Stage 1 is now down to 45 seconds. National team rider Jhon Mark Camingao went for the King of the Mountain honors during a 2.7 climb up a stretch of road inside the Quezon National Park, with 7-Eleven’s Nathnael Mebrathom following

him in second, while Go For Gold’s Elmer Navarro placed third. When they left the Tatlong Eme route, and went downhill, Vogt went for the lead with teammate Muhsin Misbah, and national team rider Junrey Navarra in a nine-man group. The nine-man pack, which also included Uchima, Go Lishuan of Taiyuan Miogee, Mehbratom and Nero Bianchi’s Samuel Hill stayed together in the last 50 kilometers. This group of riders were still intact after Goh took the first sprint stage at the outskirts of Bulangin, Atimonan some 30 kilometers into the race. They were still together until Vogt claimed the second sprint stage with 142 kms left inside Gumaca, Quezon. With rains cooling everyone down in the last 50 kilometers, a four-man group composed of Vogt, Goh, Uchima and Hill took the lead upon entering Labo, Camarines Norte as soon as they negotiated a 200-meter stretch of rough roads. And when Vogt made his move in the final kilometer, Hill fell behind when he took a spill.

THE Philippines opened its campaign in the XVI World Baseball & Softball Confederation Men’s Softball World Championship 2019 with a 2-11 setback to Cuba Friday night at the Hippos Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. The Cubans peppered Blu boys’ starting pitcher Leo Barredo with three runs in the second quarter to take an early 3-0 lead. Although the team sent to the tournament by the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines was able to score runs in the third inning courtesy of Denmark Bathan and Ernesto Binarao, who hit a solo homerun in the fourth inning, Cuba retaliated with a seven-run inning in the fourth. “We are playing against the best teams in the world and just being here in the world championship is an honor by itself. We know it will be an uphill battle for us just as what happened in our game against Cuba but the experience our boys will get from their stint here will be invaluable for them,” said ASAPHIL President and softball patron Jean Henri Lhuillier The Blu Boys, who last qualified in the World Championships in 2015 and not 2004 as previously reported, will next face Botswana at the Svoboda Ballpark. The 17th-ranked Philippines is playing in Group A along with Cuba, Botswana, Argentina, Mexico, Asian champion Japan, host Czech Republic and defending champion New Zealand. The action in the event actually started off with another Group A game that saw New Zealand sweeping aside host Czech Republic with a 9-0 victory. Group B games had Venezuela edging out South Africa, 1-0, and Canada blanking Denmark, 7-0.

COCOLIFE TIGERS EDGE ZAMBO IN LAKAN CUP DEFENDING South Division champion Davao Cocolife Tigers started their campaign on a bright note, downing Zamboanga Family Sardines, 84-82, on opening day of 2019-2020 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Cup Season 3 Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena n Pasay City. The MPBL Season 2 Datu Cup runner-up Tigers’ new acquisitions Chester Saldua, Ivan Ludovice, Marco Balagtas and Richard Albo passed their baptism of fire as they easily fit the system of coach Don Dulay and delivered the goods for the Mindanao team of Rep. Claudine Bautista (Dumper) of Davao Occidental, backed by Cocolife President Atty. Jose Martin Loon, CFO Artemio Tanchoco Jr., CHD Franz Joie Araque, CRDD Joseph Ronquillo and AVP Rowena Asnan. Veteran frontliners Mark Yee, Bonbon Custodio and Billy Ray Robles gallantly stood their ground offensively and defensively to spoil Zamboanga’s hotshot Harold Arboleda in his explosive performance in the tight game that had 9 lead changes and 4 deadlocks. Robles’ clean block on a go-ahead attempt by Zamboangueno Med Salim with 23 seconds preserved the victory for Davao Cocolife. “Go hard lang at focus parati sa game ang motivation sa amin ni coach (Dulay),” said the game’s Best Player Robles, who scored 14 points, hauled 7 rebounds and issued 4 assists. Former PBA standout James Forrester, a last-minute bigman acquisition for the Tigers, played briefly in a scoreless performance in the regional basketball tilt organized by Senator Manny Pacquiao.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

Business

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

LAGUNA SKINCARE FIRM PENETRATES FOREIGN MARKETS A

DERMATOLOGICAL company established in Laguna province by a former overseas Filipino worker now exports world-class facial and skincare products to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“We are really eyeing to become international because the brand itself is a world-class brand,” says Dina Dela Paz Stalder, the president and chief executive of the Stalder Group of Companies. Stalder, 55, is the founder and president of BCP Dermatological Corp., Stalder Laboratories Inc. and Diana Stalder Face, Body, Skincare Center or DS Cafe which used to be known as Dermaline Inc. Stalder Lab which has a manufacturing facility in San Isidro, San Pablo City is a contract manufacturer of facial and skincare products. Stalder says the manufacturing business accounts for around 60 percent of the group’s revenues. BCP Dermatological is the exclusive distributor of skin analyzing machines from Germany and counts Splash, Unilab and Unilever among its clients. DS Cafe, named after her now 25-year-old daughter, is the first skincare chain of clinics in the country that also serves food and beverage. “We are the first facial center that has health and beauty cafe,” says Stalder, who was married to a Swiss national. The cafe features Canada’s top weight loss products and program and a medically designed protocol that provides a variety of instant, easyto-prepare and ready-to-serve products. Among DS Cafe’s partners are Casmara Cosmetics, a leading European skincare company and Ideal Protein, a weight loss program of France and Canada. DS offers skin services and specialized treatments handled by medical specialists like basic care, whitening, anti-acne, anti-aging, peel, warts and body treatments. Their specialists, therapist and workers are supervised and trained by Dina and her daughter Diana. DS Cafe serves mouthwatering salads, sandwiches, leafy vegetables, flavorful juices and various meals that offer a lower calorie count. Stalder took a course in weight loss program in Las Vegas and introduced it in DS Cafe. Stalder, who earned a degree in Medical Technology from Centro Escolar University in 1985, was listed among the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the world during the 14th Filipina Leadership Global Summit in Toronto, Canada in October 2017 organized by the Filipina Women’s Network. She achieved the feat on her own through determination, hard work and training. She grew up as a farmer in Laguna and supported her studies in college as a maid for her relatives in Manila. After college, she found work as a medical representative for a dermatological company and teamed up with a pharmacist to open a drugstore. The partnership went sour and Stalder chose to work in London as a domestic helper, baby sitter and inventory clerk while taking short-term courses in aesthetics cosmetic formulations until 1989. After returning to the Philippines, she applied what she learned and developed her own dermatological formula that proved perfect for Filipino women’s skin. She opened Beauchamps Pharmacy, the first company under the Stalder Group. She returned to the United Kingdom in 1995 and earned a certificate in aesthetics, after which she established Dermaline Facial Care Center in the Philippines. While she was married to a foreign national with whom she had three children, it was Dina who financially supported

Stalder Group of Companies founder and chief executive Dina Dela Paz Stalder and her daughter Diana.

the family. Now 33 years in the business, Stalder wants to expand her market by looking for franchisees of DS Cafe in other Southeast Asian countries. Her companies achieved rapid expansion because of the research-based approach towards product development, state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and facilities and world-class products supported by a well-trained and service-oriented team. Stalder is most proud of providing employment in her barangay at the boundary of San Pablo and Tiaong, Quezon. Her group of companies provides direct employment to about 200 individuals. Aside from the laboratory, she has an organic farm in the village. She also started a housing development for her employees and livelihood programs for the community. She is considered the biggest taxpayer in Barangay San Isidro. “I don’t have too much money, but the employees are taken care of,” she says. “I want all my ‘kababayans’ to be employed,” says Stalder. “I might not be able to contribute that much to the whole nation, but at least in that barangay, they know.” DS Skincare Center and Cafe, which currently has three company-owned clinics in the Philippines, is best known for skin whitening, anti-aging and acne-treatment products. “When it comes to acne treatment, I would say we are the best,” says Stalder. “We have only three clinics. Before, we had 33 branches of Dermaline Facial Center. We ended the local franchising to ensure quality compliance. We are now focusing on international franchising,” she says. “We joined the Asian caravan of the Philippine Franchise Association. We have inquiries from Malaysia and Thailand. We are leaving again for Indonesia and there are people in Brunei who are also interested,” she says. “We also received an invitation from Korea,” says Stalder. Stalder says she is training her daughter Dina to

take over the expansion of the DS Cafe chain. Dina is taking a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship in Ateneo de Manila University. Stalder says there are also potential partnerships in other countries who are interested in the online business of DS. “We are export-ready. We have an online, e-commerce store here and in the UK. The South Africans and the Hispanic Latino particularly like our products,” she says. Stalder says her company ensures the high quality of its products and imports only the best raw materials. “I am dealing with the big people in the industry the ABC of the facial skincare market. We don’t want to compromise our quality,” she says. She is optimistic about the continuous growth of the cosmetics industry which is now worth $1 trillion annually. “In the Philippines, it is valued $2.1 billion. That is why local manufacturers and associations push for GMP [Good Manufacturing Practice] standards so that they are export-ready. Our company is already GMP and halal-certified, with our products going to Malaysia, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and others,” says Stalder. Stalder says aside from the people in her hometown, she wants to help mothers in other areas in terms of livelihood assistance. “For mothers without work, my advocacy is to help them have a good business without too much capital. They can start with P2,500 and we will give a 25-percent discount on our products as long as they bring a son or a daughter with them. We are trying to teach the young minds to have an entrepreneurial mindset,” says Stalder. “We want to empower mommies without work,” she says. Stalder advises other entrepreneurs to have a 100-percent focus and passion for their chosen business. “Maybe this is what made us into what we are today. We are passionate about this kind of business. We love this business,” she says. DS Cafe has stores at Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City; SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City; and SM City Calamba in Laguna. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed

CITI, PBSP ASSIST MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS

WITH more than 10,000 students, EM’s Signal Village Elementary School is the biggest school in the division of Taguig and Pateros. The large number of students is a challenge for the 262 teaching staff and 15 utility personnel of the school. “If our enrollees continue to increase, we are not sure if our classrooms and chairs will be enough for the coming school year. We are still waiting for the delivery of the additional chairs we requested,” said Josefina Granada, principal IV of EM’s Signal Village Elementary School. To help address this concern, Citi Philippines and the Philippine Business for Social Progress boldly committed to clean and repaint 1,000 chairs that will be used by the students this school year. “Students are more interested, passionate and excited to learn when they see that the classrooms a re c l e a n a n d n e w l y - p a i n te d and the chairs and desks are in good condition. This initiative of Citi and PBSP will really help us prepare the school. The students will be happy to see when they come to class that their rooms are conducive for learning,” said Granada. Around 450 volunteers from Citi Philippines joined the initiative to clean and repaint chairs in the school led by Citi Philippines chief executive and PBSP trustee Aftab Ahmed. The activity is one of 23 events that Citi Philippines is participating in to mark its 14th Annual Global Community Day. “We harness the spirit of giving back as a Citi volunteer team. Through our combined efforts, we hope to play a constructive role in the communities where we live and work,” said Ahmed. E a c h ye a r o n Ci t i ’s G l o b a l C o m m u n i t y D a y, e m p l o y e e volunteers commit their time and efforts on volunteer projects to improve communities. Since the initiative started in 2006, Citi volunteers have contributed around four million hours of service across 450 cities. In the Philippines, Citi volunteers help advance quality education by revitalizing schools through Brigada Eskwela activities such as the painting of classroom desks and chairs. Citi Philippines and PBSP have been partners since 2012, working together to promote quality education accessible to all. Aside from the painting of chairs, over 600 Citi volunteers also made ecobricks for EM’s Signal Village Elementary School. The ecobricks, made from recycled plastic bottles, wrappers and sachets, will be used to make stools and tables for the school.

CASHALO UNLOCKS FILIPINOS’ FINANCIAL POTENTIAL

Cashalo general manager Hamilton Angluben

SERVING Filipino consumers and businesses remains the core of Cashalo’s mission as it celebrates its first year of operations, says general manager Hamilton Angluben. Launched in May 2018 and designed around the principles of inclusion,

responsibility and transparency, the financial technology firm is committed to improving the lives of Filipinos by empowering them with the tools and knowledge to nurture their financial well-being. “We are building a new equitable

financial services infrastructure that unlocks economic opportunity for millions of unbanked and underserved Filipino consumers and businesses,” says Angluben. With more than 77 percent of Filipinos remaining unbanked and over 90 percent of adults with no access to a credit bureau, Cashalo saw an unprecedented opportunity to build solutions to help accelerate financial inclusion. The company uses alternative data to help more Filipinos build financial identities using their mobile devices and contribute to the local economy. In just a year, Cashalo has already helped more than 1.3 million Filipinos build a financial identity. The company continues to see rapid growth, with the Cashalo app in the phones of more than 3 million users and counting. T h e c o m p a n y ’s p r o p r i e t a r y technology uses artificial intelligence, machine learning and anti-fraud algorithms to analyze a mix of traditional

and non-traditional data to score those who were previously ‘credit-invisible’. The data-driven approach to credit scoring removes unconscious biases and creates a level playing field for every Filipino, who have been undervalued and ignored by traditional financial institutions, regardless of their historical or current economic situation. The Cashalo app’s suite of financially inclusive products was designed specifically for underser ved and unbanked Filipinos and MSMEs. With offline and online components, the product suite is purpose-built to serve consumers wherever they may be. From the app, consumers can apply for digital credit and cash loans and receive a decision within minutes through a fast, easy, and convenient process. Cashacart, its flagship product was introduced in November 2018 and continues to be the Philippines’ first and only true offline-to-online (O2O) basket financing solution that is setting the standard for offline consumer financing.

Its unique offering enables consumers to shop for a “basket of goods” and pay later via digital credit across Cashalo’s network of over 300 merchant partner locations. “At Cashalo, we believe in creating value for our consumers and merchant partners. While other companies focus on financing products, we use technology to finance people and help them build a strong credit profile,” says Angluben. “Our focus is on designing solutions that improve lives and contribute to socio-economic growth,” he says. Financial education is imperative to Cashalo’s mission to improve the lives of every Juan and accelerate financial inclusion in support of the BSP’s own efforts through its National Strategy for Financial Inclusion. Cashalo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Oriente, a Hong Kong-headquartered technology and data-science company committed to financial inclusion in emerging Asia.

Business

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 business@manilastandard.net

NINJA VAN SET TO INVEST P210M IN TRUCKS AND SORTING HUBS RECOGNIZING the rising prominence of electronic commerce in the Philippines, tech-enabled express logistics company Ninja Van will invest heavily into its asset base of sorting hubs and company-owned trucks to strengthen its support for micro, small and medium enterprises by the fourth quarter of 2019. “Filipinos have been ranked highest in terms of social media activity and internet use globally,” Ninja Van Philippines chief operating officer Vin Perez said. “Increasing online engagement is likely to yield in more growth in e-commerce, and this gives us confidence to be aggressive in our investments through ensuring that our asset base is up to par with the rising demands of the market,” he said. Currently with 170 sorting hubs nationwide, Ninja Van committed to invest P105 million in 50 more sorting hubs and another P105 million in 80 fuel-efficient, company-owned trucks to increase efficiencies in handling and transporting parcels. “Ninja Van enjoys a 95-percent reach of the Philippine population,” Perez said. “As we continuously cater to e-commerce businesses, our next step is to densify our presence all over the country, especially in the most populous areas like Metro Manila and Central Visayas, to ultimately speed up delivery times.” An internal Ninja Van survey conducted in the first quarter of 2019 revealed that 70 percent of Philippinebased sellers identified delivery speed as their main challenge in conducting business. “Providing top-notch customer ex p e r i e n ce i s at t h e h e a r t o f everything we do at Ninja Van,” Ninja Van Philippines country head Martin Cu said. “By investing in these assets, we ensure responsiveness to the concerns of both online sellers and shoppers, and cement our position to become the country’s most reliable express logistics service provider,” he said. Launched in the Philippines in 2016, Ninja Van has become the fastest growing express logistics service in the country and has expanded to a fleet of more than 8,000 riders serving e-commerce players including Lazada and Shopee.

EAST-WEST SEED FOUNDER BAGS WORLD FOOD PRIZE

IMON Groot, the founder of East-West Seed in the Philippines, is the recipient of the 2019 World Food Prize.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and World Food Prize Foundation president Kenneth Quinn announced that Groot will receive the 2019 World Food Prize for playing a transformative role in improving the health and economic opportunities of small farmer communities in the Philippines and in more than 60 tropical countries in the world by helping them move from subsistence farming to horticultural entrepreneurship. Known as the“Nobel Prize for Food,”the 2019 World Food Prize honors the unique achievements of Groot and his company EWS over the past four decades. It is considered the most important international award for those who have made exceptional achievements to improve the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, the World Food Prize has honored 49 outstanding people who have made significant contributions worldwide. Groot, a Dutch seedsman, has successfully developed a dynamic, smallholder-centric tropical vegetable seed industry, starting in Lipa City, Batangas and spreading throughout the rest of Asia, Africa and Latin America. His work has invigorated both rural and urban markets for vegetable crops, making nutritious vegetables more widely available and affordable for millions of families each year. “Like Dr. Norman Borlaug before him, Simon Groot has dedicated his life to improving the livelihoods of millions around the world,” said Quinn. “He and his company have, in effect, developed an impactful global network of seed producers who are transforming the lives of 20 million farmers every year. For this extraordinary accomplishment, he truly deserves to be named the 2019 World Food Prize Laureate,” Quinn said. When Groot started East-West Seed with Filipino seed trader Benito Domingo in 1982, commercial vegetable breeding was all but unknown in the Philippines and other tropical countries, and many farmers were having a hard time growing a good crop with the low-quality, poorly adapted seeds they often saved from season to season. Low-quality seeds resulted in low yields, which translated into poverty and malnutrition for farmers and their families. Groot sympathized with the farmers’ plight and saw a way to break the vicious cycle of poverty and help farmers prosper through diversification into high-value vegetable crops. Working closely with local and international NGOs, Groot also created East-West Seed’s innovative knowledge transfer program which trains tens of thousands of farmers each year in agricultural best practices for vegetable production. Emphasizing the hard work and dedication of the local farmers, Groot said: “This prize is really for the millions of small farmers who have successfully moved from farming for survival to building sustainable businesses for themselves and their communities. They have proven that small scale vegetable farming is an effective way to grow rural income and employment and improve nutrition at the same time.” Dr. Ir. Louise Fresco, president of Wageningen University and Research said: “I am proud that with our scientific research we have been able to contribute to the development and growth of the tropical vegetable market, as such cooperation between all parties is the strength of the Dutch approach. Dr. Borlaug would

2019 World Food Prize laureate Simon Groot.

have been impressed by the boldness, commitment, and vision of Simon Groot, and I’m sure he would have shared his conviction that real food security must include not only calories but also the nutritional benefits that vegetables provide.“ Groot will receive the World Food Prize on Oct. 17, 2019 at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines. East-West Seed is the market leader for tropical vegetable seeds in Asia and expanding rapidly in Africa and Latin America. The privately-owned company has played an important role in the development and improvement of tropical vegetable varieties in Southeast Asia and other tropical countries. When Groot and Domingo founded the company in 1982 in Lipa City, Batangas, they set out to improve the income of smallholder farmers in the tropics through high-quality seeds. East-West Seed develops vegetable varieties that are adapted to tropical markets and growing conditions and generate increased yield and productivity for farmers. In addition, the company educates farmers and helps them to maximize their

yield and income through better knowledge on vegetable production. Today, East-West Seed is one of the 10 largest vegetable seed companies in the world. In 2016, EastWest Seed ranked number one in the “Global Index for Vegetable Seed Companies” and “Regional Index for Eastern Africa” by Access to Seeds, an independent organization funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The company maintained its top ranking in the 2019 Global and South and Southeast Asia Indices. The Seed Index measures the efforts of the world’s leading seed companies to enhance the productivity of smallholder farmers. It is a fast-growing, multicultural organization with around 5,000 employees. It has 14 R&D establishments in six countries and 10 seed processing facilities in seven countries. The company exports to over 60 countries in tropical areas of the world. East-West Seed has three R&D establishments in Bulacan, Batangas and Bukidnon, and its local head office is located in San Rafael, Bulacan.

SMOKING PREVALENCE DIPS IN COUNTRIES WHERE PEOPLE SWITCH TO SAFER NICOTINE PRODUCTS WARSAW, Poland—Smoking prevalence has declined in countries where smokers switched to safer nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes, according to public health experts. “We are moving away from the world of combustion. From internal combustion engines and cigarette combustion, we are moving to new ways of delivering energy and delivering pleasure,” says Prof. Gerry Stimson of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the program director of the 6th Global Forum on Nicotine. More than 650 public health experts, academicians, industry executives and consumer advocates from 70 countries including the Philippines met in this city to push for safer nicotine products in place of conventional cigarettes. The Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction Report 2018 states that the arrival of electronic cigarettes (vape) and heat-notburn devices as well as the renewed interest in Swedish snus have disrupted the tobacco industry. E- cigarettes are estimated to be 95-percent less harmful than smoking cigarettes, and they proved effective in making smokers switch, says Stimson. The New Nicotine Alliance says the flavors in e-cigarettes have played a key role in making smokers switch. “E-cigarettes are a proven safer alternative to smoking. The UK boasts of 1.7 million former smokers who have converted from smoking to exclusively vaping instead. Flavors have been a big driver of that success, by distancing smokers from tobacco and providing an incentive to switch, with a wide selection of different options to suit their preferences,” NNA chair Martin Cullip says. Aside from e-cigarettes, smokers now also switch to other non-combustible products such as heat-not-burn tobacco and Swedish snus. Japan saw cigarette sales fall 27 percent in two years with the introduction of heatnot-burn products while Sweden has the

About 650 public health experts, academicians, industry executives and consumer advocates from 70 countries including the Philippines met in Warsaw, Poland to attend the 6th Global Forum on Nicotine. lowest smoking prevalence of 5 percent among European countries because of snus, according to David Sweanor, a lawyer and chair of the advisory board of the Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics at the University of Ottawa. “Sweden has the lowest rate of tobacco-related illness in Europe – they don’t smoke, they use snus. In the last ten years since snus went on sale in Norway, the sale of cigarettes has halved,” says Sweanor. When snus also became popular in Norway, the smoking rate among young Norwegian women dropped to a world record low of 1 percent. “As snus products became available and popular in Norway, the problem of smoking fell by half in just 10 years. When Iceland got electronic cigarettes, there was a 40-percent reduction in smoking in three years. In Japan, with the introduction of heated tobacco products, one third of cigarette market was gone. We have seen the same thing happen in the UK where vaping is more available and people get better information. Millions of smokers switched to vaping,” Sweanor says in a news briefing. “The US cigarette sales are now falling more rapidly than we have seen before because of the availability of vaping products,” says Sweanor. About 62 countries currently regulate e-cigarettes under tobacco regulation, while 39 countries inappropriately ban safer nicotine products, according to the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction Report 2018. The report estimates that by 2021, over 55 million people will be using e-cigarettes or heat-not-burn tobacco

products and that the global market will be worth $35 billion. The top five markets today are the US, the UK, Italy, Germany and France. Japan is the leading market for heat-not-burn tobacco. Research firm Euromonitor estimated the global market of e-cigarettes at $2 billion in 2012, a figure that likely hit $14 billion in 2018. Euromonitor predicts that the vapor market will amount to $34 billion by 2021. Stimson says smokers are switching because cigarette smoking is the most dangerous and harmful way of consuming nicotine as the combustion process releases highly dangerous toxins. “The cigarette is a very dirty nicotine delivery system,” he says. It is the tar and gases from smoking and not nicotine that contains dangerous chemicals, he adds. “Half of those who smoke will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases. This means that about 6 million people die from smoking-related diseases every year,” he says. “More people die from smoking cigarettes than from malaria, HIV and tuberculosis combined – and the World Health Organization estimates that by the end of the century, one billion people will have died from a smokingrelated disease. This is a public health emergency on a global scale. It’s essential that people around the world have access to and are positively encouraged to switch away from cigarettes to safer nicotine products,” says Stimson. The World Health Organization also placed the global

cost of smoking-related diseases and lost productivity at $1 trillion annually. The WHO, however, does not endorse e-cigarettes. Dr. Riccardo Polosa, a professor of Internal Medicine at University of Catania in Italy, cites studies showing the benefits of switching exclusively to electronic cigarettes. “Studies clearly show that those people who make the switch away from cigarettes to exclusively non-combustible nicotine products experience the same health benefits as those people who quit smoking,” says Polosa. “We did a number of studies on COPD, asthma and other respiratory diseases and it clearly showed up to 50-percent reduction in respiratory exacerbation rate which is amazing. You cannot get that level of reduction even with antibiotics,” he says. Polosa explains that vaping is not a form of smoking. “Tobacco smoke contains tar, while aerosol from electronic cigarette does not contain any tar. Tobacco smoke contains 7,000 chemicals while aerosol from electronic cigarette emission has only 150 chemicals that today have not shown any major harmful effect,” he says. “These products are becoming safer all the time; this is an area in which innovation can and is occurring. The potential improvement in individual quality of life offered by safer nicotine products as well as the wider population health benefits, are immense,” says Polosa. Public Health England reported in 2015 that e-cigarettes are 95-percent less harmful than smoking, as the harmful chemicals present in cigarette smoke are either not in EC vapor or only found at much lower levels. Stimson says while many smokers want to quit smoking, they find it difficult to do that because the existing nicotine replacement therapies or smoking cessation medications endorsed by health authorities are not very effective with only about 5-percent success rate. “That is clearly not good enough,” he says. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that smokers are nearly twice as effective at helping smokers quit than nicotine replacement patches and gums. Stimson says e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn tobacco products and Swedish snus have higher success rates because they deliver the same pleasure as smoking does. “What characterize all of them is that there is no combustion. There is no fire, no smoke. They have significantly lower risks than smoking cigarettes. Products like snus which have been here for a very long time are risk-free,” he says. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Tech & Gadgets

LG NURTURES TIES WITH COMMUNITY

HROUGH the years, companies engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives have become the norm, expected even, in doing business.

It’s a trend that’s happening across the globe. Consumers as well have become more discerning with regard to a company’s advocacies and how it resonates with them. More importantly, consumers have been looking for and demanding authenticity in all areas where CSR is concerned. This notion of authenticity shows how these programs play an important role in how consumers view companies. CSR nowadays is more than just writing a check, donating a few items, and having a photo op. One of the pillars of Corporate Social Responsibility is community

THE Philippines’ largest microfinancial services provider, Cebuana Lhuillier, led by president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier (second from left) enters into a joint venture with the country’s pioneering blockchain venture builder, SCI Ventures, Inc., headed by CEO and co-founder JohnBailon (third from left). Joining them are Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corp. senior executive vice president Philippe Andre Lhuillier and SCI Ventures, Inc. chief community officer and co-founder Miguel Cuneta.

CEBUANA LHUILLIER ACQUIRES STAKE IN SCI VENTURES LG Philippines’ Managing Director Inkwun Heo together with volunteers collaborate to build the vertical garden wall inside San Joaquin Kalawaan Highschool grounds.

LG Philippines’ Managing Director Inkwun Heo (left) and San Joaquin Kalawaan Highschool Principal Mr. Lazaro P. Torres Jr.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

engagement. You have to reach out and work hard to be embraced by your local community. It shows sincerity, develops relationships, and inspires loyalty. LG Philippines has been at the forefront of community engagement. The company has throughout the years, made a firm and unwavering commitment to social responsibility. From providing assistance and support to the valiant soldiers from Marawi, to furthering culture and education at the National Museum, LG has been a staunch advocate in making a difference Just recently, LG Philippines together with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) partnered up with a public school within the vicinity of its main

office. San Joaquin Kalawaan Highschool in Pasig served as the staging point for the company’s latest outreach program. In celebration of World Environment Day, LG donated 3 units of its green dual inverter air-conditioners which has a 70% energy saving feature as well as an air purifier. LG also had volunteers from the school, the company, and the community build a Green Living Wall through a collaborative effort inside the school. One of LG’s global advocacies right now is the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Dubbed as the Zero Carbon 2030 initiative, LG commits as a whole to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from its global operations within 12 years. While the Green Living

Wall project might seem like a drop in the bucket with this goal in mind, it shows LG PH’s commitment and alignment to a global objective and more importantly, engages the community at the same time. Speaking more about LG’s commitment to social responsibility and the community, Mr. Inkwun Heo LG Philippines’ Managing Director, reiterates “The most important thing about programs such as these is the authenticity behind it, no matter how small they may seem at the start. By playing an active role in the community and its betterment as well as doing more than what’s required, LG is able to plant seeds that lead to better awareness, a better environment, and perhaps even a better future.”

SONY ANNOUNCES TOTAL VLOGGING SOLUTIONS SONY fronts the “Total Vlogging Solutions”, which showcased an array of the newest and most innovative vlogging line-up covering cameras and accessories with the RX0 II as its flagship product.

The flagship RX0 II is the tiny tough camera for newbies

After its successful launch in Singapore, the compact and tough RX0 II camera reaches Manila. This small but strong camera is powerful enough to shoot high quality videos with its 4K 30p internal recording and image stabilization. With the upgraded LCD screen that can tilt up to 180-degreees, you can always make sure your selfies are perfectly in frame. At the core of the RX0 II sits a 1-inch image sensor and advanced imaging processor that enables Eye Autofocus and delivers beautiful skin tones. The RX0 II is ultra-compact A strong addition to the ‘Total Vlogging in size, with a tough, rigid body that’s waterproof up Solutions’, the A6400 was re-introduced to 10M body only, shockproof up to 2M drop, and during the #VlogwithSony event. crushproof up to 200KG weight. This Sony innovation is ideal for starters. Bring it anytime, anywhere to cap- format recording with 2.4 times oversampling results ture moments in a more creative way. in 4K movies (QFHD: 3840 x 2160) with extraordinary The Sony A6400 is the innovation image quality. for content creation pros Whether you’re a travel, beauty, food, or entertainIf you have been thriving in the vlogging business ment vlogger, this camera can completely adjust to for quite some time, level up your content game and your content creation - use the flip screen for self-porgo beyond what is expected from you by your fol- traits and high and low angle shots. lowers. Equipped with fast 0.02s AF and 425 phaseAnd the best part about this camera is how you can detection points, this mirrorless vlogging camera customize it to suit your personal shooting style and from Sony can detect and hold on to moving subjects. your type of vlogging in pretty much 51 different ways Its Real-time Tracking and Real-time Eye Auto Focus with Sony’s 51 native E-mount lenses. can produce sharp focus results for action shots This Shoot with Grip in style large APS-C sensor sized, 24.2 Megapixel, 11 Frames “Grip-style shooting” requires a camera that is comper second, and ISO 100- 3200 camera with its latest patible to a unique hand-held grip. It makes it handier image-processing engine can produce images even and more flexible to shoot anything in sight since the in low light settings. It also comes with Super 35 mm camera is intact and portable enough suited for any

given situation. Let your RX0 II perform better with grip-style shooting to capture any given momentwhether you are underwater or riding the rollercoaster. The shooting grip acts as a mini handle/ tripod with dedicated rec and shutter buttons, along with a zoom toggle. Share moments upgraded with the A6400 and shooting grip to capture every toss and turn, or even just steady bits with the Sony grips that make cameras more comfortable to use even with medium to large sized lenses. The introduction of Sony Philippines’ “Total Vlogging Solutions” intends to empower the rising trends of vloggers who are always on the lookout for innovative ways to elevate their content with 4K video quality. With the recently launched RX0 II and the A6400, Sony completes its “Total Vlogging Solutions” with the A6500, RX100M5A, RX100M6, AXP55, and the X3000R to innovate creativity. Sony Philippines Marketing Director Hideyuki Wada is hopeful that as they continue to come up with products that are powerful and flexible, they get to capture what the young and dynamic creators truly deserve. “The brand took time to learn and understand the different needs of content creators when it comes to their cameras. Sony is in full effort to innovate and come up with products that are powerful and flexible enough to supply content creators with the right gear —from starters to pro, there is a Sony camera for you.” Wada shared. Sony vlogging Solutions are now available in all Sony Centers and dealers nationwide. Both A6400 and RX0M2 are now available in stores. A6400 (with 16-50mm powerzoom) sells at P58,999 cash price and A6400 body only sells at P52,999 cash price. RX0M2 sells at P35,999 cash price.

FILIPINO-LED blockchain and digital asset platform, Satoshi Citadel Industries Ventures Inc., and Kakao Investment, virtual currency arm of Kakao Talk, Korea’s largest messaging app, announced an investment from P.J. Lhuillier, Inc., parent company of Cebuana Lhuillier, the largest non-bank financial services provider in the Philippines with 2,500 branches nationwide. The company has invested an undisclosed amount to acquire a stake in the local fintech firm as part of its bid to enter the digital financial services market. With the influx of foreign digital payment giants and local start-ups entering the Philippine fintech market, a digital transformation is a natural progression for Cebuana Lhuillier as they are already servicing millions of Filipinos with microloans, microinsurance, and local and international money transfers. “This is another milestone in our continuing pursuit to expand our horizon and make a significant impact as we enter the digital arena. With our robust 2,500 branch network and strong partnerships with key financial players such as SCI and KaKao Talk in place, we are ready to take advantage of our unique ‘bricktech’set-up and make our mark in this space,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, PJLI president and CEO. This partnership allows SCI to introduce cutting-edge blockchain solutions and services to Cebuana Lhuillier’s 4,000 domestic partners and one million combined physical and virtual touchpoints worldwide, expanding the local market for digital assets. “We’re happy to be backed by an institution like Cebuana Lhuillier. We are well-aligned in our goal to provide better inclusive financial services in the Philippines. Their extensive brickand-mortar network is unmatched in reach and efficiency, and going digital is a natural step forward for the company. SCI is excited to be part of this journey as a technology partner,” said Miguel Cuneta, SCI Ventures Inc. CCO and co-founder. As more and more Filipinos go digital, a trusted local name like Cebuana Lhuillier can become the preferred digital financial services provider for the 80 million Filipinos who are not serviced by the banking industry. Currently, Cebuana Lhuillier has 11 million active users in their loyalty card program and serves over 25 million Filipinos in the country and abroad.

LOGITECH RALLY SETS NEW STANDARD FOR VIDE0 CONFERENCECAMS LOGITECH recently announced Logitech® Rally, a premium, modular conferencecam that delivers studio-quality video, exceptional audio clarity, and an automated video conferencing experience that can be tailored to your meeting space. Rally features Ultra-HD 4K video, modular audio components, expansive PTZ capabilities, and Logitech RightSense™ technologies that automatically frame people, optimize color and luminance for human faces, and improve vocal clarity for better meetings. The modular design makes it ideal for everyday conference rooms as well as boardrooms, classrooms and large meeting spaces. “Just a few years ago, a high quality video and audio system like Logitech Rally would have easily been a five-figure investment,” said Scott Wharton, vice presi-

dent and general manager of the Logitech Video Collaboration. “Now, with the Rally portfolio of products, customers get a premium, modular system that raises the bar for USBconnected AV solutions - all at a fraction of the price of other high-end systems.” “Logitech has enjoyed great success with its affordable USB conferencecams which work well in traditional meeting rooms and huddle spaces,” said Ira M. Weinstein, managing partner, Recon Research. “But until now, Logitech lacked a premium offering for larger spaces. The Rally portfolio gives Logitech the opportunity to move up-market and extend the reach of its conferencecam lineup. Based on what I’ve seen, Rally has the potential to be as disruptive as the earlier Logitech conferencecam solutions.” Unlike traditional video conferencing sys-

tems, Rally separates the speakers from the microphones. By mounting speakers near the display, the audio is better aligned with video, and voices of far-

end participants come from the front of the room, which is what people intuitively expect. A modular approach makes Logitech

Rally an ideal solution for meeting spaces of almost any size and shape. Rally Camera features 4K optics and intelligent PTZ features to capture every seat in room. The standalone microphones provide a superior audio experience and more effectively suppress noise and echo. The front-ofroom speakers offer richer sound than tabletop speakerphones. Thoughtful cable management enables custom deployments and integration by AV professionals. Premium materials, streamlined cabling, and sleek industrial design complement architectural spaces and high-end furnishings. Logitech Rally is compatible with almost any video conferencing service, such as Microsoft Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts Meet, Zoom, BlueJeans and more.

TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

VIVO V15 PRO’S MOBILE GAMES SUMMER PICKS

HE rising popularity of mobile games has encouraged even non-enthusiasts to delve into the realm of different fantasy worlds. Thanks to games like PUBG, Mobile Legends and Fortnite, mobile games now own the biggest share in the video game market, eclipsing hardcore games on console and PC.

This summer, kids and adults have already spent a lot of their time discovering other worlds, buying weapons, and boosting their powers in different mobile games. If you’re one who has not yet picked up this summer pastime, you still have the rest of the vacation to play any of these mobile games:

1. Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

Final Fantasy fans will love Brave Exvius. The actual town and dungeon explorations are easy to explore and it would be no sweat finding secret dungeons and hidden treasures. It will train gamers to make well-thought-out decisions to complete the mission and collect rewards.

2. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

This card-dueling game allows you to build your decks and unlock cards to be able to duel other players. What’s even nicer about this is that gamers can build multiple decks. You can also play with other players in real-time PvP combat.

3. The Witness

It would be exciting to navigate an island while tackling mysteries along the way. And like any problem-solving games, there will be clues to uncover and puzzles to solve. It will keep your mind busy analyzing the game and wanting to solve the mystery.

4. Another Eden

This is a mobile JRPG that allows gamers to time-travel to different eras in history. While this is mostly discovering the world or time in history you choose to explore, it still features battle mechanics.

What players would love about Another Eden is its Vivo V15 Pro runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon unlimited gameplay. 675AIE Octa-core processor that assures no lag 5. Alto’s Enemy when playing graphics-intensive games. EveryUnlike some games with battle scenes that can thing is in real-time. It also offers an 8GB RAM + easily cause tired eyes, Alto’s Enemy provides more 128GB ROM capacity that further boosts up the relaxing graphics and layout. The game is basically gaming speed and performance of the phone. about avoiding obstacles, making jumps, and col- It supports dual-engine fast charging that can lecting items to trade so you can customize some quickly top up the battery. Charging time from game features. 10 percent to 100 percent is around one hour Some of the most popular mobile games today and 30 minutes so you won’t have to worry require a lot from a smartphone’s graphics, memo- about running out of juice. ry, and stamina to be fully played and appreciated The Vivo V15 Pro is the ideal partner in by hard-core gamers. Thankfully, like the players in playing mobile because it is packed with NBA 2K19, the Vivo V15 Pro is up to the task and technologies that meet the demands of tomore than ready to deliver the points. day’s mobile games.

HP INK TANK PROVES SUPERIOR IN PRINT QUALITY A STUDY conducted by Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab proves that HP Ink Tank printers produce superior print image quality compared to inkjet models from other competitive brands. In a comparative image quality evaluation, BLI used its proprietary image quality test targets to compare printed images produced using the HP Ink Tank printer and inkjet printers from other leading brands. It tested the color and black prints and copies in default mode to compare color density and visual quality.

Print quality

The tests reveal that HP Ink Tank printers deliver vibrant colors not only with images but also with text, even in draft mode. The lines are smoother without a tiny speck of rough edges,

ly and HP-printed documents can last up to 22 times longer than others.

Easy setup

HP Ink Tank 415 Wireless

the fine details are clear, and the colors are brighter than the others. Using the copy mode also yielded similar results. HP Ink Tank printers can print up to 8,000 color or 6,000 black pages. HP’s prints do not fade quick-

HP Ink Tank also proved advantageous over other printers in terms of setup and installation, especially with ink refill. The ink tanks and refill bottles are designed to avoid spills. The bottles have an easy grip and the tank holes are wide enough to avoid any spillage. The bottle cap also serves as protection for an ink spill. Just remove the caps on the printer and place the bottles upside down. There is no need to squeeze the bottle which is sometimes the cause of the mess. With fewer components, HP Ink Tank is easy to set. Users can also print wirelessly from the smartphone app.

TOP 5 HUAWEI P30 PRO FEATURES TO POWER LIFESTYLE AS FAR as high-end consumer tech goes, there’s no better embodiment of its cutting-edge nature than the Huawei P30 Pro. Critics and consumers have agreed that the P30 Pro’s abundance of innovative refinements—especially the upgraded cameras—make it the must-have smartphone of the year. Given how much technology Huawei has fitted into the P30 Pro’s beautifully futuristic frame, users should keep discovering more to love with the device long after they’ve unboxed it. As such, here are five cool features to help P30 Pro owners master their new phone: 1. Use the P30 Pro like a tape measure—Thanks to its sophisticated camera technology, the P30 Pro can now use the AR Measure app to measure the length, total area and volume of objects with impressive accuracy—just point the camera at the desired object to get a real-time measurement. The AR Measure functionality comes with EMUI 9.1 introduced on the P30 Pro, making it the newest OS version on any Huawei device, but the rest of the world isn’t far behind. EMUI 9.0 has already gained 80 million installations globally, and Huawei expects the figure to hit 100 million by the end of June 2019. Such a speedy rollout and adoption rate ensures that majority of devices constantly receive new features and security updates. 2. Dual View Video Recording—The P30 Pro’s new Dual View Video mode, which simultaneously records in wide-

angle and zoomed-in perspectives, gives users more creative freedom. This new feature comes particularly useful during sporting events or concerts, as the telephoto lens can magnify the subject of choice while capturing surrounding elements (crowd reactions, landscapes) with the wide-angle lens. Huawei is the first to employ such a video mode on a mobile camera, so P30 Pro owners are sure to generate buzz with their amazing clips. 3. Let Nature Paint your Lifestyle with New Colorways—Huawei maintains its distinction as a fashion-forward tech brand by introducing spectacular new color variants for the P30 Pro: Amber Sunrise, Aurora, and Breathing Crystal. In choosing these particular colorways, Huawei invokes the emotional connection we have towards mesmerizing natural phenomena and how they paint our environments in wonderful hues when

seasons change. With this, consumers can further personalize their fashion ensemble through the P30 Pro’s captivating designs. 4. Share the Power with Wireless Reverse Charging—The P30 Pro’s massive 4200 mAh battery not only powers the phone through the day and beyond, it extends the uptime of other devices too. With Reverse Wireless Charging, users can simply stack another wireless charging-capable device on the P30 Pro’s back and top up that device when the situation calls for it. 5. Snap Light Painting Shots Like a Pro—Huawei continues its mobile photography winning streak with the P30 Pro’s new Quad-Camera System. Co-engineered with long-time partner Leica, the Huawei P30 Pro’s new quartet of lenses are bursting with photographical power that’s most evident in its Light Painting mode. Basically a time-lapse long exposure mode for stills, Light Painting mode lets users capture Traffic Trails and Silky Waves with a little help from a tripod for maximum effect. The results are stunning and dramatic enough for display in an exhibition or gallery.

SMART LENDS TECH SUPPORT TO CHURCH HERITAGE CONSERVATION IN ONE of the centuries-old stone churches in Cebu, the parish priest once had the images of the Virgin Mary and three archangels repainted in the same color as the retablo where they were enshrined, gold. The elaborately carved wooden structure with sculptures that served as backdrop to the main altar of the 18th-century St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church in Argao retained its monochromatic appearance for a decade. When participants of the 11th Biennial National Convention of Church Cultural Heritage Workers visited the church recently, however, the retablo of the Baroque Rococo church had been restored to its original colors, notably the sky blue of Mary’s mantle and the maroon of St. Michael’s cloak. Thanks to new technology, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) was able to reverse the damage done to the Argao Church retablo, said Fr. Brian Brigoli, head of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on the Cultural Heritage of the Church. “The statues of the Virgin Mary and the archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael are no longer golden. The technology that allowed NHCP to undo the damage became available about two years ago,” added Father Brigoli, who dated the repainting to a decade ago. Documentation in restoration work Documenting churches by taking pictures and saving copies to the cloud or in online services is important in conservation efforts. Whether the damage is caused by man or nature, as in typhoons and earthquakes, restoration is easier when there are visual records, said architect Maxwell Espina of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Property of the Church (ACCPC). Espina was one of the tour speakers. Under the Digital Tourism program of PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, in partnership with InnoPub Media, interactive markers have been placed on Spanish-era churches. These markers have become a rich repository of materials on Church cultural properties and could help spread awareness on Church history and message, said Father Brigoli, who oversaw the turnover of interactive markers to the parishes of Argao, Dalaguete, Sibonga, Carcar, and Boljoon. “We can’t go into conservation unless we have proper understanding of heritage, its mandate, purpose, meaning and value. These serve as the very foundation of our efforts to restore and safeguard our heritage churches,” he said. At the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church in Bantayan, where markers were recently placed, parish priest

Rev. Fr. Mike Hisoler (in green shirt), parish priest of Our Lady of Pilar in Sibonga, Cebu, recieves the QR marker from Smart Communications.

Joselito Danao said he noted more people scanning the QR code or tapping the NFC (near-field communication) sticker on the markers to learn more about the church. “I would say … we have achieved our purpose to provide easy access to information.” A separate marker explains the visual spectacle on the ceiling of the church and depicts the collaboration of the Church, the local community, and a group of talented artists.

Destinations D1

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

A FATHER’S LOVE FOR HIS SON, FOR COUNTRYMEN

By Sara Grace C. Fojas

OBERT “Bobby” Lim Joseph is known in the business and social spheres as a staunch tourism advocate, and rightly so.

With his experience as a diplomat and as an airline executive, Bobby has developed the awareness of the ins and outs of the industry, the know-how of addressing the issues and improving the current condition, and—perhaps, the most important of all—the genuine concern to aid and uplift the marginalized communities. Although considered one of the top agri-tourism destinations, the farmers in the Philippines are one of the lowest paid citizens in the country. Tending the field under the heat of the sun all day, a farmer earns an income of around P100,000 a year, which is below the poverty line of P108,800 in 2015. As the government pushes for the development of farm tourism, which will not only boost farmers’ income but will also make them entrepreneurs, Bobby invests in Paraiso Village Farm in San Jose, Batangas.

Love for the land

Paraiso Village Farm, a project established by Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto, aims to improve the lives of farmers by providing them residence, livelihood, and sustainable source of income. The farmers plant fruits and vegetables in the huge area, and they get a portion of the total harvest. They also raise livestock and tend to farm animals such as ostrich, carabaos, and chickens. “What we do in Paraiso is investors invest in a small land occupied by the farmers. The farmers who live in that land will plant fruits and vegetables agreed with the investor. Come harvest time, the farmer, who is also a co-owner of the land, will get 30 percent share of the harvest on top of the P3,000 salary they re-

families. Everyone is helping each other. The multi-purpose building is built to conduct livelihood trainings for the families so that we can create a better value chain,” shared the Commodore of Manila Yacht Club.

Love for a son

Robert 'Bobby' Lim Joseph (Photo from grandwineexperience.com)

ceive every month,” explained Bobby, who is one of the social village’s investors. He added, “We also give the families free housing, water, and electricity. They can do whatever they want with their harvest, they can use it for their daily meals or sell it in the market.” Visitors at Paraiso can camp out and enjoy farm-fresh dishes made by the women in the village as well as take home fresh produce for a minimal price. The place can also host functions, weddings, baptismal, birthday receptions, corporate events, and other special occasions. “They can spend a weekend there and the families will gladly accommodate them for a small price,” Bobby said, adding, “The fact that you just go there and rent a space, you are already contributing to their livelihood.” He revealed one of the investors is planning to put a swimming pool and a farm animal zoo in the area, thereby offering more fun activities to visitors, especially to kids. Recently, a multi-purpose hall was built to serve as a venue for their seminars on livelihood and other income opportunities. “We teach them values, skills, and opportunities. We invite businessmen to invest and to help the farmers and their

Visitors can enjoy dishes prepared by the women in the village

Some of the fresh produce grown and sold on the farm.

When his son Richard, who was a Gawad Kalinga volunteer, passed away in 2017, Bobby built a chapel dedicated to him. “As part of our grief and mourning, I donated a chapel under the name of my son Richard. He died at the age of 28 and we found out that he was helping street children,” related Bobby. He also shared that in celebration of Richard’s birthday in May, they hosted a small luncheon for the Paraiso Village’s

farmers and their families. During the said luncheon, Bobby shared, the farmers and their families started setting tables and created flower arrangements for a competition. It was a celebration filled with fun in honor of Richard. “It’s a complete paradise. The chapel is for faith, we have the farm and the food, and when the swimming pool is built—we have fun. We call it rich for all. And if other towns and provinces can also replicate this and use it as a model, then we would greatly improve the lives of the farmers,” enthused Bobby. Truly a loving father, he and other kind-hearted members of the Rotary Club of Manila also donate money for the school allowance and transportation of the farmers’ children.

FAITH AND LOVE. The chapel at Paraiso Village Farm in San, Jose Batangas was built in honor of Bobby's son Richard, who passed away in 2017.

Destinations

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

FATHERS...KINGS AT HOTELS TODAY

SIDE from my birthday, today is one day of the year when I feel like royalty. My children treat me extra special and say the kindest, the most lovable, and the sweetest words any human would delight in. So, today, I just relax, and allow them to run my life, and enjoy the perks of being the family patriarch. Meantime, let’s take a look at how some properties in our accommodations industry celebrate this day: Conrad Manila

My favorite hotel by the bay has prepared something special for today’s celebration for fathers. At the Brasserie on 3, Chef Daniel Patterson has whipped up a de luxe buffet of Filipino specialties, premium meat carvings, and fresh seafood, indeed fit for a king! At China Blue by Jeremy Leung, fathers may enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine which includes golden roast US Duck with barbecue gravy. Ongoing at the hotel’s Gallery 3 is Lizanne Uychaco’s Of Art and Wine: Heaven and Earth exhibit of mixed media masterpieces, rooted in Oriental art, highlighting her modern interpretation of symbols of longevity, prosperity and happiness. Her artworks are positive portrayals of harmony among heaven, nature, and humanity. Often minimalist, yet rich in texture, her artistic style banners her ancient beliefs rendered in modern mixed media. Uychaco’s exhibit runs until August 11, 2019 and is a highlight event of Conrad Manila’s 3rd anniversary, which is celebrated this month, and of Hilton Hotels’ 100 years.

The Henann Group of Resorts' properties in Boracay and Bohol treat dads and their families to a special lunch rate today.

gets a free lunch or dinner buffet at the Cafe Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites This beautiful 230-room de luxe property At The Park, if accompanied by three fullin the heart of Ortigas in Pasig City, right paying guests. For a minimum spend of P1,200 at the across the Asian Development Bank, prides itself on having the biggest guest rooms in Atrium Lounge, fathers get a free bottle of the metro. It also offers top-of-the-line well- local beer or a glass of house wine. At the ness services including a heated indoor pool Century Tsukiji, he gets a free sushi cake, if he spends a minimum of P1,200. and fitness center. Its expansive suites come with Henann Group fully equipped kitchen of Resorts YOUR WEEKEND and laundry facilities. It There are a total of also prides itself on beCHUCKLE seven properties being the only pet-friendly WIFE: I have a bag full of used longing to this brand— property in the area. clothing I’d like to donate. six in Boracay and one The Nostalgia Lounge HUSBAND: Why don’t you in Bohol. Those in Boraand Bar, the hotel’s alljust throw it in the trash? That’s cay are the beachfront day dining restaurant much easier. Henann Palm Beach on the 6th floor, honors WIFE: But there are poor Resort, Henann Crystal fathers with a special gift starving people who can fit into Sands Resort, Henann today: they may avail of these clothes. Regency Resort and the extensive spread of HUSBAND: Honey, anyone Spa, Henann Lagoon international dishes, inwho fits into your clothes is Resort, Henann Garden cluding a special meat NOT starving. Resort, and the Henann carving, for free, if acA big whack was heard, and Prime Beach Resort. companied by three oththe husband is still recuperatIn Bohol, there is the er full-paying customers. ing from massive head inujury. Henann Resort Alona Beach. Seda BGC All these properties This hotel, which is offer a special Fathers known for delivering seamless service to its guests, has just built Day lunch rate of only P700 for adults and a second tower, adding more guest rooms, P350 for children, and a dinner rate of only food and beverage facilities, and function P900 for adults and P450 for children. rooms for up to 400 persons, to cater to its For feedback, I’m at continuously increasing clientele. bobzozobrado@gmail.com. Its new 200-seater Misto restaurant, which opened in time for today’s celebration, offers a special deal for its lunch and dinner buffet. For every group of four full-paying customers, the fourth person gets to eat for free. The meal costs P1,200 inclusive of taxes and service charge.

Filipino-Chinese visual artist Lizanne Uychaco poses with one of her masterpieces currently on exhibit at Conrad Manila.

Century Park Hotel

A typical suite at Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites, showing its complete kitchen facilities.

In recognition of the great tasks that fathers accomplish for their families, the hotel honors them with special gifts at its food and beverage outlets. He

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Entertainment

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

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

Actress Daiana Menezes and her dad

D’S DAD

By Robbie Pangilinan

Singers Iñigo Pascual and Kiana V. performed in New York in an artist showcase which was a partnership between myxTV music channel and underground record label Tarsier Records.

IÑIGO, KIANA V. BREAK MUSICAL

GROUND ON INTERNATIONAL SCENE

IACO—home to the leading portfolio of global multi-platform entertainment brands like MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network, Vidcon, Pluto TV and TV Land and one of the top five largest media conglomerates in America in terms of revenue in 2018 – hosted singers Iñigo Pascual and Kiana V. in an artist showcase celebrating diversity and the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The showcase, which took place at the historic 54-floor skyscraper Viacom headquarters in Times Square, Manhattan, was a partnership between myxTV music channel and underground record label Tarsier Records with AMP at Viacom Group. The well-attended event sponsored by Tanduay Rum included an open invitation to all Viacom employees in the historic Viacom building (also known as the 1 Astor Plaza) where artists like Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, and Rihanna began their careers on popular TV shows like TRL and exclusive industry showcases like these. Additional guests included personally invited entertainment and music industry guests from companies like Sirius XM, Spotify, Live Nation, Universal Records, the New York Knicks and local Filipino community leaders like officials from the Philippine Consulate General from New York. This was Kiana V’s first time in New York and only her second time performing solo in the US after a recent performance before a sold out crowd in Los Angeles last week. She performed songs “530A,” “Keep It Secret,” “Kbye,” and “Get Together” off her new album, See Me. Iñigo debuted his newly co-written songs like “Options” and “Neverland” that were produced by Justin Bieber’s music director Harv and Catching Feelings produced by DJ Moophs (Tarsier Records label head Chris Lopez). myxTV also showcased its new TV show, MyMotto: The Music Edition, before the live crowd that featured the top music talent from across the globe like Australia’s #1 YouTuber and K-pop star Wengie (with whom Iñigo currently has huge viral hit called, “Mr. Nice Guy”), Latin pop star Ally Brooke, formerly of Fifth Harmony, and Saweetie, a bi-racial Filipina and African American rapper. “The general sentiment after the event was much excitement for Iñigo and Kiana,” said ABS-CBN Global Head of Music and Talent Roslynn Cobarrubias. “Both of them were asked to participate or to be considered in future music opportunities ranging from radio appearances to music licensing opportunities that will further expand their goals in getting their music heard on a mainstream level throughout the world.”

SNAPSHOT

GMA WEBSITE NAMED NEWS ONLINE OF THE YEAR BY ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA LEADING broadcasting company GMA Network claims another victory this year as its news website GMA News Online was recognized as News Online of the Year along with other major awards for Kapuso news and radio personalities at the Rotary Club of Manila Journalism Awards. The awarding ceremony was held on June 6 at the Makati Ballroom of the New World Makati Hotel, Makati City. In the Television category, Unang Hirit and I Juander co-host Susan Enriquez won as Television Female Broadcaster of the Year while News Producer Tina Panganiban-Perez was named as Television Female Reporter of the Year.

Meanwhile, for radio, Super Radyo DZBB’s Sino and Dobol A sa Dobol B co-anchor Ali Sotto took home the Radio Female Broadcaster of the Year award. Joel Reyes Zobel, who hosts Anong Say Nyo, Sino, and Bangon na Bayan, bagged the Radio Male Broadcaster of the Year award. Established in 1967, the Rotary Club of Manila (RCM) organized the RCM Journalism Awards to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals in print, television, ad radio. Awardees were carefully deliberated upon by the Journalism Awards Committee and its club membership. The RCM GMA Network AVP for News and Public Affairs Digital Media Jaemark Tordecilla is first in Asia and on its Centennial (right) accepts the News Online of the Year award for GMA News Online along Year Milestone Celebration (1919with news and radio personalities (L-R) Joel Reyes Zobel, Tina Panganiban2019). Perez, Ali Sotto, and Susan Enriquez.

SHE is a known TV host, singer and actress. An international endorser, painter, pianist, performer, and designer. She has traveled the world and soared far and high. But back home, she is still Daddy’s baby girl. Brazilian personality Daiana Menezes is the eldest among three children, so she says she went through all the hardships and learned from and with her father. “My dad is amazing. He’s my hero and he’s a great leader,” says Daiana of her dad. A disciplinarian, D’s dad used the dreaded “sinturon” especially when D or her siblings had tantrums or bad behavior. Through the years, Daiana says she has learned to appreciate her father more as she matured. “I became more confident about his love. He showed me that it doesn’t matter what I go through, he will always be there for me,” adds Daiana, a graduate of the New York Film Academy. D and dad love going to the beach together. The “Brazilipina” who has made the Philippines her home for the past 12 years wants to bring her dad here to enjoy the country’s beautiful beaches. This Father’s Day, Daiana wishes her dad will live to be as old and as healthy as he can. Someday, one Father’s Day, Daiana also prays her dad will be a grandfather. “If I could give him any gift, I will not give him material things because these aren’t important as values for our family. We value respect, quality time and love. So I would give him grandchildren. I want him to get to meet his grandkids one day,” ends Daiana.

YLONA RETURNS TO MYX AS CELEB VJ

Singer and former PBB teen housemate Ylona Garcia TEEN singer and dancer Ylona Garcia once again graces the country’s number one music channel as MYX Celebrity VJ for the month of June. The feisty 17-year-old is on a roll as she recently released her collaboration with R&B artist Jay R entitled “Maybe A Little Bit,” which Ylona wrote herself. Both Jay R and Ylona were in attendance during the MYX VJ Search 2019 finals and performed the stunning new tune live. This month, fans get to know more about the former Pinoy Big Brother housemate as she ushers in cool, new tracks for the season as guest VJ, a stint she first tried in 2016. Meanwhile, one of the most popular rock bands in the country, Sponge Cola, is the “MYX Headliner” this June. After officially marking the group’s comeback in the Sea of Lights concert last March, the iconic band composed of Armo Armovit, Gosh Dilay, Tmac Cruz, and Yael Yuzon, takes over the music channel with well-loved songs including “Nakapagtataka,” “Bitiw,” “Tuliro,” “Tambay” and new tracks alike such as “Paliyabin Na Ang Lahat,”“Meron Ba?,” and “Promises (featuring Karylle).” Five-man band Sandiwa continues to make waves in the local music scene and steps up as “MYX Spotlight” artist for the month. The alternative rock crew, composed of members Alex Rale, Harold Tabuno, Jeremiah Torda, Samuel Mopal, and Yeoj Rivera, proves that their ‘cinematic’ songs deserve to be put on your playlist pronto. Catch Celebrity VJ Ylona on “Pinoy MYX” until June 22, and “My MYX” on June 23 to 29. Watch MYX on ABS-CBN TVplus channel 12, SKYcable channel 23, and SKYdirect channel 37.

SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

DIABETES IN DOGS

PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS

S YOUR dog always urinating? Does your dog drink water more often these days? Does your dog have cataract or is she going blind? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, please have your dog checked by the veterinarian immediately. Your dog may have diabetes which can lead to coma or death if not treated. A dog has to produce insulin and use it normally to prevent the sugar level from going up. An elevated sugar level leads to hyperglycemia. If the hyperglycemia is left untreated, a dog can develop more complicated health problems. “Diabetes in dogs is a complex disease caused by either a lack of the hormone insulin or an inadequate response to insulin. After a dog eats, his digestive system breaks food into various components, including glucose—which is carried into his cells by insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas,” the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA ) said. The good news is diabetes is a disorder that can be managed. Many dogs with diabetes enjoy a happy, healthy life. There are two kinds of diabetes: 1. Type I (lack of insulin production) 2.Type II (impaired insulin production along with an inadequate response to the hormone). Type I is the one more common in dogs. This happens when the pancreas can not produce or secrete adequate levels of insulin. Dogs with Type I diabetes need insulin therapy to survive.

Panchito, furbaby of Portia Carlos, is still a puppy and being trained to eat dry dog food. No table food is given to Panchito to prevent illnesses.

genetics, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, certain medications and abnormal protein deposits in the pancreas can play a major role in the development of the disease, “ASPCA said.

Dogs Prone to Diabetes

How to treat diabetes

· Each dog responds differently “The exact cause of diabetes is to therapy. Treatment will depend unknown. Autoimmune disease, on the signs and on other health

issues present in the dog. · Some dogs may be seriously ill when first diagnosed. They will need intensive hospitalized care for several days to regulate their blood sugar levels. · Dogs who are stable or not so sick when first diagnosed may respond to oral medication or a high-fiber diet that normalizes glucose levels in the blood · For most dogs, insulin injections are needed for adequate regulation of blood glucose. When your pet’s individual insulin treatment is established, typically based on weight, you will be shown how to give him his insulin injections at home. · Spaying is good for a dog because the female sex hormones can have an effect on blood sugar levels. “As your veterinarian will explain, it’s important to always give your dog insulin at the same time every day and feed him regular meals in conjunction with his medication; this allows increased nutrients in the blood to coincide with peak insulin levels. This will lessen the chance that her sugar levels will swing either too high or

too low. You can work with your vet to create a feeding schedule around your pet’s medication time. It is also important to avoid feeding your diabetic dog treats that are high in glucose. Regular blood glucose checks are a critical part of monitoring and treating any diabetic patient, and your veterinarian will help you set up a schedule for checking your dog’s blood sugar,” the ASPCA stressed.

How to prevent diabetes

Proper diet and regular exercise can help prevent diabetes among dogs. “Aside from other negative effects, obesity is known to contribute to insulin resistance,” ASPCA said. “Although a certain form of diabetes—the type found in dogs less than a year of age—is inherited…” ASPCA added. If you suspect your dog has diabetes, please bring your dog to the vet immediately. “If a diabetic dog is not treated, he can develop secondary health problems like cataracts and severe urinary tract problems. Ultimately, untreated diabetes can cause coma and death,” ASPCA warned.

GCASH FOR GOOD FOR NGOS By Red Pasetes SAVE Animals of Love And Light (Save ALL), a non-government, nonprofit animal welfare group, recently partnered with GCash through its corporate social responsibility arm GCash For Good.

Save ALL becomes an official partner of GCash For Good at the latter’s launching held in One Canvas, Makati.

THIS corner features pets of animal lovers every week. We hope new owners and those thinking of getting a pet will be encouraged to be responsible “furparents” through these features. We also hope more people will be moved to be kind to animals when they read about the great relationship that can be created between humans and animals. For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

· Obese dogs and female dogs may develop diabetes later in life (6-9 years of age). · Australian Terriers, Standard and Miniature Schnauzers, DachsSymptoms in Dogs The ASPCA said the following signs hunds, Poodles, Keeshonds and show that your dog may be diabetic: Samoyeds are more prone to develop diabetes. · Change in appetite · Juvenile diabetes is possible · Excessive thirst/increase in waand can also develop particularly in ter consumption golden retrievers and keeshonds. · Weight loss · Increased urination · Unusually sweet-smelling or How to diagnose diabetes Your vet will do the following: fruity breath 1. collect information about clin· Lethargy ical signs, · Dehydration 2. perform a physical examination · Urinary tract infections 3. check blood work ,and · Vomiting 4. have urinalysis done. · Cataract formation, blindness · Chronic skin infections

Causes

MY FURRY BESTIE

Globe Fintech Innovations, Inc. (Mynt), which operates GCash, launched GCash for Good at One Canvas, Makati where it formally welcomed Save ALL and other nongovernment organizations (NGOs) to the GCash family. GCash for Good aims to help NGOs that address environmental, humanitarian, animal welfare, and other social issues by enabling GCash users to send donations via the GCash platform or application. Likewise, it aims to create a community where doing good and giving back is open to all. “We have always strived to build a better financial ecosystem in the Philippines, and as a socially responsible corporate citizen, we want to leverage on our strength as a digital platform to help others create a better country moving forward,” Mynt president Anthony Thomas said. GCash is aware of the current preference of most Filipinos to donate online, as this removes the challenges of long queues and processes. With GCash for Good, users will

Mynt president Anthony Thomas leads the launch of GCash For Good .Thomas presents a plaque to animal welfare group Save ALL through its officer Red Pasetes, which signifies the establishment of an official partnership between GCash For Good and Save ALL.

have the convenience of donating to their chosen organizations and foundations, and will have direct access and transparency regarding where their donations go. “Our purpose for creating GCash for Good lies in our ardent desire to encourage generosity among Filipinos. We want more opportunities to allow people to and give back to the communities,” Thomas said. Through its partnership with

GCash for Good, Save ALL supporters will soon be able to send their donations hassle-free through the GCash app. About the Author: Red is a full time financial advisor, an SFC Unit Head, and an animal welfare advocate from Save ALL. He also teaches grade 2 public students how to read and write in English through Cornerstone. He hikes and spends time in nature.

BELLA is a rescued dog who is now Diorg Seranicne’s furbaby. “On my way home, I pass by LRT where I feed a lot of stray dogs. I specially loved a dog named Tisoy. After a year, I learned from people in the area that Tisoy was adopted. I felt so sad but I prayed he was taken to a good home, “ Diorg says. “After a month, the commercial building in the area was sold and the owner left his dog named Bella. I learned that Bella had no food and water for two weeks, “ Diorg recalls. Diorg adds: “Fortunately, a vendor approached me and told me Bella was in the building and asked if I wanted to adopt Bella. I felt so sorry for Bella that I decided to adopt her right there and then.“ Bella was so weak due to starvation and dehydration. The good people in the area helped Diorg get Bella and put her inside a tricycle so Diorg can bring her home. Bella tried to escape many times while “quarantined” in the garage. Diorg never gave up on Bella. “I decided to put her inside the house, “ Diorg says. However, Diorg’s little dog named Dora refused to allow Bella to go inside the house. Dora barked continuously. “I had to calm Dora while I pet Bella to get Bella used to my touch. Bella is a very shy dog and afraid of the new place. She used to stay in one place,” Diorg says. Diorg was also afraid that Bella might have ticks and fleas.. “I gave her a bath even though she struggled at first, “ Diorg recalls. Bella also did not eat or drink water during the first days. Diorg got Bella’s trust by touching her everyday. Today, Bella is one smiling, happy dog. She is finally learning to enjoy her home, and Diorg's love and attention. (Editor’s note: A new dog must not be mixed with older dog residents immediately to ensure 1). They will not fight. They need time to get used to each other. Eventually, they will realize the threat they perceived had no basis. They will feel secure with each other’s presence as time passes; 2. Any disease can not be transmitted if present in the new dog. It is important to observe the new dog. Better yet, bring the dog to a vet first for a check-up. Dogs also take time to trust people, specially after a traumatic experience. Dogs also try to go back to the place where they grew up or got accustomed to. Thus, extra care is needed. The dog must be secured to keep her or him safe.

KHAL DOGO, born Nov.12 last year, loves to chase empty plastic bottles, says owner Jennifer P. Velasco. “He hates it when we leave him alone in the house. Jennifer adds. She also says, “He looooves belly rubs.. and he has an on-going feud with a plastic chair at home. He's such a ball of energy and good vibes, and we just love him.” These stories were compiled by admin Miks Lim of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), a SEC-registered animal welfare group that helps animals in need, and encourages and promotes responsible pet ownership, adoption of rescued dogs and cats from fosters, shelters and pounds, and spaying and neutering of pets to control animal population in the country, among others.