Manila Standard - 2019 June 19 - Wednesday

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Captain frets over Rody’s quip

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Nat Mariano THE captain of the Philippine fishing boat that was rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel in Recto Bank said Tuesday he was saddened by President Rodrigo Duterte’s description of the incident as “a little maritime accident.”

“It’s sad what the President said

because it was like he was dismissing what happened to us because nobody died,” Jonel Insigne said in Filipino in an interview on radio dzBB. “Will they wait for one of us to die?”

The Chinese vessel abandoned Insigne and his 21 companions on the FB Gemvir in open water, where they were rescued three hours later by a Vietnamese vessel.

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 125 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

RISING TENSION. Filipino protesters led by Defend Job Philippines burn Tuesday 22 mock flags of China during a protest rally at the country’s Kilometer 0 at Manila’s Luneta Park, condemning in the process the incident near Recto Bank where a Chinese vessel was reported by Filipino fishermen to have rammed their fishing boat on June 9. Lino Santos

US seeks ‘full accountability’ Measures needed to avoid repeat of incident—envoy

By Rey E. Requejo and Nat Mariano

T

HERE should be a “full accountability” into the sinking of a Filipino boat rammed by a Chinese vessel near the Recto Bank in West Philippine Sea, US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said Tuesday.

“I know that Filipino fishers have called on Chinese authorities to fully investigate the incident. And I think that is important, we need to find out exactly what happened, and if in fact there was wrongdoing by the Chinese fishing vessel,” Kim said in an interview in Davao.

The US envoy said the Recto Bank shipramming incident highlights the importance of a code of conduct in the South China Sea.

Zhao Jinhua Sung Kim

“So I think there should be an investigation and there should be full accountability and we need to take measures to make sure we prevent accidents or incidents like that from happening again,” he said.

In its 2018 Annual Report to Congress, the US Defense Department disclosed that China has been using its maritime militia as part of its “period of strategic opportunity” to expand Next page its domain as early as 2002.

‘House no place for OJT Speaker’

By Maricel V. Cruz

PhilHealth stops Kapa scheme a scam—watchdog WellMed claims ByandReyRioE.N.Requejo Araja

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. on Tuesday withdrew the accreditation of WellMed Dialysis Center and Laboratory Corp. due to the fraudulent claims for dialysis services filed on behalf of deceased patients.

“We reiterate that prior to this, PhilHealth has ceased paying the said dialysis center for their claims,” said Ruben Basa, PhilHealth officer-in-charge.

PhilHealth accreditation enables qualified health care providers to participate in the National Health Insurance Program.

“We advise our members and their qualified beneficiaries who are availing of WellMed’s services to transfer to other accredited facilities to ensure continuous availment of their PhilHealth Next page benefits,” Basa said.

9.7-b people by 2050—UN

UNITED NATIONS—The world population is expected to climb to 9.7 billion in 2050 from 7.7 billion today, with the population of sub-Saharan Africa doubling, a United Nations report released Next page Monday said.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday asked the Department of Justice to criminally prosecute Kapa Community Ministry International Inc. and its officials over an alleged largescale investment scam.

In a complaint filed with the DOJ, the SEC accused Kapa, its founder and president Pastor Joel Apolinario, trustee Margie Danao, corporate secretary Reyna Apolinario and officers Marisol Diaz, Adelfa Fernandico, Moises Mopia, Catherine Evangelista and Rene Catubigan of violating the provisions of Republic Act 8799 or Securities Regulation Code.

In particular, the SEC accused the respondents of perpetrating an investment scam by violating Sections 8 and 28 of the SRC.

Section 8 of the SRC prohibits sale or distribution of securities without a registration statement duly filed and approved by the SEC. Section 28, on the other hand, prohibits any person from engaging in the business of buying or selling securities as a broker or dealer, or act as a salesman, or an associated person of any broker or dealer unless registered with the SEC. After investigation, the SEC also found that respondents violated Section 26 of the law that prohibits Ponzi schemes, or schemes that offer impossibly high returns and pays investors using the money contributed by other investors.

The SEC said its investigation showed that Kapa and its officers enticed the public to “donate” at least P10,000 in exchange for a 30 percent monthly “blessing” or “love gift” for life, without having to do anything other than invest and wait for the payout.

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THE next Speaker should hit the ground running to implement the legislative reforms wanted by President Rodrigo Duterte from day one of the coming 18th Congress, a returning congressman said Tuesday.

Duterte is on the second half of his term and should have good point men in Congress if he was to achieve the reforms that he envisioned, the legis-

lator said.

Anakalusugan Party-list Rep.-elect Mike Defensor said there was no room for a candidate who could be compared to a student on an on-the-job training.

Defensor said candidates for Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte and Alan Peter Cayetano had an edge in terms of experience and competence over their rivals that included Marindue Rep. Lord Alan Velasco and former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

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Taipan’s daughter takes reins of PAL Vivienne Tan

By Joel E. Zurbano FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines on Tuesday announced the appointment of PAL executive vice president Vivienne K. Tan as its new officer-in-charge following the retirement of PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime J. Bautista.

Bautista retired to spend more time with his family. His retirement was accepted by PAL Chairman and CEO Dr. Lucio C. Tan and the members of the airline’s board.

In a message to PAL employees, Tan, PAL OIC and concurrent EVP, treasurer Next page

Vanderbilt, heiress, passes away at 95

Puppy eyes, sad faces

NEW YORK—American heiress Gloria Vanderbilt, a designer and artist who became one of the most chronicled socialites of her era, died Monday after a battle with stomach cancer, her son announced. She was 95 years old. Next page

WASHINGTON—Ever wondered how dogs learned to use their “puppy eyes” to bend us to their will?

It turns out our pet Next page

News

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pork ban on ASF areas affirmed

By Joel E. Zurbano

A

NIMAL Industry officials on Tuesday urged returning Filipino workers not to bring Maling luncheon meat and other canned goods as those will be confiscated to prevent the entry of African Swine Fever in the country.

“We appeal to our [workers] to refrain from bringing into the country all canned goods, particularly the Maling Meat Loaf to avoid contaminating the local swine industry,” said Renaldo Quilang, head of the National Veteri-

nary Quarantine Service Division and the Bureau of Animal Industry at the airport in Manila.

Quilang said ASF is not a threat to human health but is highly contagious to domestic and wild pigs, and that

Two ex-PCMC officials told to pay vaccine victim's kin

By Rio N. Araja THE Public Attorney’s Office is asking the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to order two other ex-officials of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center to “jointly or severally” indemnify the kin of a 13-yearold girl who allegedly died after being injected with the Dengvaxia vaccine.

In an amended complaint, Ariel and Ruby Hedia, the parents of Dengvaxia victim Abbie, said Raymundo Lo, ex-PCMC deputy director for Professional Service, and Sonia Gonzales, department manager for Medical Services, were not yet off the hook in their alleged involvement in the multi-million-peso Dengvaxia damage suit filed against the executives of the French firm Sanofi Pasteur Inc. and its distributor Zuellig Pharma Corp., ex-Health secretary Janette Garin, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, other Health department former and incumbent officials, PCMC executive director Julius Lecciones and the other hospital officials.

Officials said Lo and Gonzales must be held liable as signatories to the procurement of the P3-billion Dengvaxia vaccines.

“From the congressional investigation, it was unveiled by the committee on health that Dr. Raymundo W. Lo and Dr. Sonia B. Gonzales, like Dr. Julius Lecciones, Dr. Joyce Ducusin, Dr. Rosalind Vianzon and Dr. Mario Baquigod, are two of the accountable government officials who actively participated in the purchase of Dengvaxia and/or spearheaded the implementation of the anti-dengue mass vaccination program of the Department of Health despite the danger that Dengvaxia posed to the targeted population/recipients,” the complaint says.

PAO said the Health department purchased the Dengvaxia vaccine for P3 bil-

Taipan’s daughter...

From A1

and chief administrative officer, expressed her gratitude and acknowledged Bautista for his many years of dedicated service to the flag carrier.

“As this is the beginning of JJB’s retirement life with his family, let it also be the beginning of even greater dreams for PAL and all PALers,” Tan said.

“On behalf of my father, I am asking all of you to continue working toward our goals.

I am personally committed to working with all of you hand in hand and to build on what we have already accomplished.”

PAL assured its customers, business partners and employees that it’s “business as usual” for the flag carrier. All flights and services are proceeding as scheduled, the company said.

For seamless transition, all official communication and concerns requiring the attention and/or approval of the PAL president should be addressed to Tan, the airline said in a statement.

A US-educated daughter of taipan Lucio Tan, Vivienne has more than 25 years of professional experience in technology, education, entrepreneurship and social advocacy in industries such as education, airline and property development.

Aside from PAL, she also sits in the board of the Tan holding firm LT Group Inc., Philippine National Bank, Eton Properties, Dynamic Holdings, University of the East and UERM-MMC. She is no stranger to the inner workings of PAL, having worked for the airline in various capacities since 2011. Later, she moved to other positions in the LT Group, and mainly in the real estate, banking and education sectors.

She holds a double degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of San Francisco as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Fashion Design and Manufacturing Management from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.

In 2006 she received the Ten Outstanding Young Men Award for Business Education and Entrepreneurship and was also conferred the UNESCO Excellence in Education and Entrepreneurship Award in 2007.

PhilHealth...

From A1

PhilHealth advised the public to call our Action Center at (02) 4417442or log-on to the PhilHealth website for a complete list of accredited dialysis centers.

Earlier, PhilHealth assured the public that fraud control measures and reforms had been put in place to curb fraudulent claims.

Investigations were intensified, and the regions conducted spot checks on health care providers. Benefit payment reforms to deter fraud were also set up.

Earlier, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he was dismayed that WellMed’s accreditation had not yet been pulled.

He said in a radio interview that he would call Basa and find out “what the heck is happening.”

lion and not for P3.5 billion as earlier reported.

In a 2017 audit report, the Commission on Audit flagged the department for the non-disbursement of the anti-dengue program funds worth P556.115 million.

According to the Hedia couple, the “program was recklessly implemented and the life-threatening drug was administered with gross disregard for human lives and at the expense of innocent unsuspecting children, mostly from poor and downtrodden families.”

They said the accused “violated the Medical Protocol for the implementation of the program without appropriate screening process through available diagnostic tests sans informed consent.”

Under Garin’s administration in 2016 until Duque’s term, “more or less 833,00 children aged nine to 14” were vaccinated with the Dengvaxia vaccine shots.

On Nov. 29, 2017, Sanofi issued an advisory saying “for those not previously infected by dengue virus, however, the analysis found that in the longer term, more cases of severe disease could occur following vaccination upon a subsequent dengue infection.””It is criminal to vaccinate children with a trial drug. And the continuing neglect on the victims is a monstrosity,” the Hedia couple said.

The civil suit involved actual and compensatory damages of P3,084,448, death indemnity of P50,000, moral damages of P400,000, exemplary damages of P400,000 and litigation costs.

Earlier, various Quezon City courts ordered the consolidation of the civil suits filed by the kin of the other Dengvaxia victims to Branch 226 that dumped the motions filed by Sanofi, Zuellig, Garin, Duque and the other defendants to dismiss Hedia’s civil case.

Kapa...

From A1 The investment scheme operated by respondents involved the sale and offering for sale or distribution to the public of securities, in the form of investment contracts.

SEC chairman Emilio Aquino said Kapa “amassed wealth through an investment scam in the guise of religion and at the expense of the investing public.”

The SEC said it already issued an advisory against Kapa’s operations as early as March 2017 and also issued a cease and desist order last February and an order of revocation of the nonstock corporation’s registration last April.

The commission, through the AntiMoney Laundering Council, also obtained a freeze order from the Court of Appeals on June 4 to preserve some P100 million in assets linked to Kapa.

Based on investigation conducted by the SEC, Kapa and its officers have at least nine luxury cars and sport utility vehicles, and a helicopter.

The group also claimed to have acquired a hospital, a school and other properties.

The SEC said it will name more respondents as it identifies other persons who have participated in the unlawful public offering or selling of securities by Kapa.

It also called on victims of Kapa to file charges against the group.

The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, said it has implemented 12 search warrants against various groups involved in investment scams.

Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Divina, deputy director of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, said they have teamed up with the National Bureau of Investigation and the SEC to dismantle the operations of investment companies and corporations allegedly involved in scams.

Divina said the subject of these search warrants include Organico Agribusiness Ventures Corp. based in Cebu City; Ada Farm Agriventures in Mandaue City, Cebu; Rigen Marketing and Ever Arm Any Marketing.

“There were several search warrants, five from the CIDG [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group] and seven from the NBI and these were conducted in a number of regions namely Regions 7, 8, 11, 13 and also one in Region 2. So as you see, this is on a nationwide scale because this is really a concern,” Divina told reporters during the press briefing.

Maj. Gen. Amador Corpus, director of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said most of the companies and corporations that they have operated against have initial permits from the SEC, which enabled them to be considered as a corporation.

He explained that what these firms do not have is the secondary permit, which is supposed to allow them to engage in the sale of securities.

Corpus said the PNP found documents that detailed the operations of the investment companies and corporations. With PNA

there is no vaccine against it.

Canned products, including Maling from China, have been recalled from supermarkets and disposed by incineration or buried by importers.

Quilang said fresh, frozen pork, cooked and uncooked processed products and by-products from affected countries like China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, North Korea, Latvia, Romania, Hungary, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa and Zambia is strictly prohibited in the Philippines.

Early this month, authorities at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga confiscated boxes containing canned goods from a newly arrived Filipino from Hong Kong.

In September and October last year, cases of pork meat products being contaminated were recorded in Korea and Japan through dumplings and hotdog products.

Airport officials said the outbreak of the virus could affect the more than 40 million pigs in the Philippines and destroy the P2-billion swine industry in the country.

US...

From A1

“strongly supported and upheld UNCLOS because it provides a comprehensive legal regime for the oceans and the seas.”

“As the ‘constitution of the oceans,’ it affirms the rule of law in maritime space.

Rule of law must be adhered to by all states parties in the belief that no one can thrive nor survive for long in anarchy. Whether international law can be enforced is another matter. And it doesn’t help that parties with the strength to enforce it — and who have invoked a lot the need for it — have not joined it,” Locsin said.

“As such, the Philippines on the basis of UNCLOS … filed a carefully crafted and successful complaint at The Hague to clarify the legal situation in the South China Sea; to remove the confusion or the pretext of confusion on the part of those violating it,” the DFA chief said.

On Tuesday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said a joint investigation into the ramming incident by the Philippines and China is one of the options being considered.

Despite widespread outrage over the Chinese action, President Duterte remained quiet for eight days then called it a “maritime incident.”

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum-West, meanwhile, said the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Thailand on June 22 and 23 might not be the best venue to raise the latest maritime incident.

“Yes, it’s a very important issue, but I don’t think the summit is the best venue to discuss that issue. ASEAN discusses South China Sea in the context of the code of conduct, which is being discussed between China and Asean member states,” she said.

Also on Tuesday, the Palace denied a report from Lorenzana that it would summon Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua to Malacañang over the incident.

“We don’t have jurisdiction on the Ambassador (Zhao). We’re not the government of China to summon an official of China,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

He said inviting Zhao to the Palace would be to “pre-judge” the Chinese.

“It would seem that if you invited him, it’s like you’re pre-judging him that they are at fault,” he said.

“Why would you invite? They’re investigating it already,” he added.

China expressed sympathy for the 22 Filipino fishermen whose fishing boat was rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel but insisted it was an accidental collision.

“We express our sympathy to the Filipino fishermen who were in distress. After the accident took place, China and the Philippines had rounds of communication on this matter at various levels through multiple channels. I’d like to stress that this is only an accidental collision between fishing boats at sea,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, in a regular press conference.

“In a highly responsible attitude, China will continue to earnestly investigate into this matter. We are ready to enhance communication with the Philippine side on the investigation, increase understanding, dispel mistrust and find out what actually happened. In the spirit of cooperation and friendship, we believe this incident will be handled properly based on fact,” the Chinese spokesman said, adding “China attaches great importance to maritime safety, and we will continue to cooperate with littoral countries in this area.”

Lu made the statement the same day that President Duterte described the incident a little maritime accident, saying it was just a collision of two fishing boats.

“The [People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia] plays a major role in coercive activities to achieve China’s political goals without fighting,” the report read, specifically pointing to developments in the South China Sea. The Filipino vessel was anchored near the Reed Bank when it was rammed by a Chinese vessel, causing it to sink and leaving 22 crewmen at the mercy of the elements, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said.

But China has denied this account, saying the trawler merely “bumped”into the Philippine boat and tried to rescue the fishermen but was “afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats.”

“It appears that it was an accident, but obviously a very serious situation,” Kim said.

“The US has continued to support efforts by the region to come up with a meaningful code of conduct, so I hope that effort will continue. Also, an important reminder that there needs to be responsible maritime behavior and activities that are consistent with international law,” the US envoy said.

In his first public comment on the issue, President Rodrigo Duterte said that the sinking was just “a little maritime accident.”

Duterte has largely set aside the Philippines’ row with Beijing over the key waterway to court trade and investments, but also occasionally criticized China’s actions there.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., meanwhile, urged the members of the United Nations to enforce their duty under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to render assistance to persons in distress at sea.

Speaking before the commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the entry into force of UNCLOS at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday, Locsin stressed that the “duty to render assistance” is found in UNCLOS and in the International Maritime Organization’s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the IMO Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue.

He said it is considered a felony for any foreign vessel not to render assistance to persons in distress at sea.

Locsin’s speech came after the Department of Foreign Affairs filed a diplomatic protest against China for abandonment of the 22 Filipino fishermen in distress after a Chinese vessel rammed and sank their boat.

“It is the obligation of every member state of the UN and of the IMO to pay, not just lip service to these conventions but to observe them in real life-and-death situations,” the DFA chief said.

“The rescue of persons in distress is a universally recognized obligation of people and governments; and in the civil law and, maybe even in common law, it is a felony to abandon people in distress; especially when we cause that distress; and more so when it is no bother at all to save them at no risk to oneself,” Locsin said.

Locsin said that while no sanction is available in international law, it should be a cause of some concern.

The 22 Filipino crew were left in the water for three hours until a Vietnamese vessel took them on board. Locsin thanked Vietnam for “this act of mercy and decency.”

The Philippines was one of the original signatories of UNCLOS in 1982, and it ratified it in 1984.

Locsin said that the Philippines has

9.7-b...

From A1

The population could then grow to 11 billion by 2100, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’s “World Population Prospects” report.

The study paints a picture of a future in which a handful of countries see their populaces surge as life expectancy lengthens while the global growth rate slows amid declining fertility rates.

By 2050, more than half of the world’s population growth will be concentrated in just nine countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States.

Meanwhile the world’s most-populous country China will see its population drop by 2.2 percent, or around 31.4 million, between 2019 and 2050.

All told, 27 countries or territories have experienced a reduction of at least one percent in the size of their populations since 2010 due to low levels of fertility.

The report also says deaths are outpacing new births in Belarus, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine, but that population loss will be offset by an inflow of migrants.

The overall global fertility rate, which declined from 3.2 births per-woman in 1990 to 2.5 in 2019, is expected to fall further to 2.2 in 2050.

That’s close to the minimum of 2.1 births needed to ensure the replacement of generations and avoid long-term population decline in the absence of migration, according to the United Nations. AFP

‘House...

From A1

“They are all my friends and [any of them] can serve [as] Speaker. But Congressmen Martin Romualdez and Alan Cayetano have the leadership depth and the capacity to navigate the House in terms of needed legislation. They have the experience, competence and caliber to lead the members of the House,” said Defensor, who served three terms as a district congressman and later as Presidential Chief of Staff and Environment secretary during the Arroyo administration.

“The next Speaker should be Speaker from day one. He should know what to do the very minute he sits as the country’s fourth highest official of the land,” said Defensor in underscoring the urgent need to help Duterte’s efforts in pursuing structural reforms to guarantee the country’s economic takeoff.

Among the candidates, Defensor said, Romualdez had the most excellent interpersonal relationship with his colleagues as attested by the manifesto of support for him to be the next Speaker initially signed by more than 153 lawmakers.

Defensor said interpersonal relationship was very crucial in shepherding the swift passage of Duterte’s legislative measures.

“When you speak of speakership, you need to have an excellent interpersonal relationship with each and every member of the House and clearly with the mandate given to Congressman Romualdez, it goes to show his good relationship with the majority of the lawmakers,” Defensor said.

Captain...

From A1 In a speech Monday night, or more than a week after the June 9 incident, Duterte described the collision as a “little maritime accident” and told the Philippine Navy to “stay out of trouble.”

President Panfilo Lacson expressed dismay at the President’s words.

“The President broke his silence and left us heartbroken,” Lacson said.

“He forgot to explore all resources available before exercising his last option of surrender. The MDT is one yet untapped weapon,” said Lacson while referring to the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana condemned the incident when he first reported it to the public last week.

“We denounce the actions of the Chinese fishing vessel for immediately leaving the incident scene [and] abandoning the 22 Filipino crewmen to the mercy of the elements,” he said.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly action of the Chinese fishing vessel and its crew for abandoning the Filipino crew. This is not the expected action from a responsible and friendly people,” he added.

Lacson noted that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said only recently that the US and the Philippines have an obligation under the MDT to respond accordingly if a vessel belonging to either party, military or civilian, is attacked in the West Philippine Sea. “As I said in my tweet, I am not praying for World War III, but at least a strong presence of the US Pacific Fleet in the WPS can make China feel the balance of power in that area,” he said.

Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan criticized the government’s response to the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese fishing vessel, saying it would take the side of the powerful foreign power over small and powerless Filipino fishermen.

“Am I hearing our government or are they representatives or agents of China?” he said.

Whether the ramming was intentional or accidental, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said what is clear is that the Chinese crew abandoned the Filipino fishermen in distress at sea.

He said this violates China’s obligation under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea) to rescue those in distress at sea. “This is the issue that should be addressed and the basis of China’s liability under international law and the UNCLOS,” he said.

He also dismissed as “baloney” and an “outright and malicious lie” China’s claim that the Chinese boat left after sinking the Filipino vessel for fear of being besieged by other Filipino boats in the area.

“If there were indeed Philippine fishing boats in the vicinity, why did it take a Vietnamese vessel to rescue the 22 Filipinos in distress?” Drilon said.

“And, per testimony of the Filipino crew, the Chinese boat even came back, without hesitation, with bright strong lights, to check on the Philippine boat, presumably to find out if enough damage was inflicted, and not to rescue the Filipino crew,” he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros also blasted Duterte for suggesting during a speech to the Philippine Navy that the country needed “another Marcos”—referring to the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos—if it wanted to rid the country of corruption.

“The President’s ramblings are becoming more incoherent, much like his policy towards China,” Hontiveros said.

“Another Marcos to solve corruption?

Marcos was the paragon of corruption!” she added.

On Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo suggested the Filipino fishing boat was not well lit when it was hit by the Chinese vessel.

He said the boat’s cook, who was the only one awake at the time, said the Chinese might not have seen their boat.

He also said initial investigation showed the Filipino boat was not anchored near the shoreline.

“When you anchor a ship or a vessel, it should be near the land. But it seems now that they were not along the shoreline or near the shore. They were in the middle of the sea,” he said.

Puppy eyes,...

From A1 pooches have evolved human-like eyebrow muscles, which let them make the sad faces that melt our hearts, according to a new study published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

It involved dissecting the cadavers of domestic dogs and comparing them to those of wild wolves, our best friends’ ancestors, whom they branched off from around 33,000 years ago (don’t worry, no animals were killed for the research).

A separate part of the study saw scientists videotaping two-minute interactions between dogs and a human stranger, then repeating the experiment with wolves, to closely track how much they used a specific muscle around the eye that produced an inner eyebrow raise. AFP

Vanderbilt,...

From A1

The great-great granddaughter of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt was thrust into the spotlight as the “poor little rich girl” at the center of a sensational custody battle in the 1930s, before finding fame in her own right for her line of designer blue jeans and it-girl fashion.

“Gloria Vanderbilt was an extraordinary woman, who loved life, and lived it on her own terms,” her son, the CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, said in a tribute read on air.

“She was a painter, a writer, and designer but also a remarkable mother, wife, and friend. She was 95 years old, but ask anyone close to her, and they’d tell you, she was the youngest person they knew, the coolest, and most modern.” AFP

News

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 reminds airlines to ensure convenience of passengers

By Nat Mariano IF AIRLINES could not ensure the riding public convenience and comfort, then why stay in business at all?

President Rodrigo Duterte raised this question on Monday as he reminded airline companies in the country to provide the very essence of a common carrier to their passengers: Convenience.

In his speech during the 121st anniversary of the Philippine Navy, the Chief Executive brought up the suffering of air commuters over flight cancellations and delays.

“There’s one airplane that landed and they [passengers] stayed for five hours inside the plane—incoming. Somebody called after two hours. They would be booked in a hotel. I really pity the riding public,” Duterte said.

“So, I told PAL [Philippine Airlines] and the rest of the carriers: The very essence of a common carrier—whether it is a jeep, a bus, an airplane, a ship—your common [goal] is for public interest and public governance, and convenience.

If you cannot provide convenience and comfort, do we ought not to be there at all?”

The President made the remark a week after he made a surprise inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 and apologized to the passengers for the flight delays and cancellations.

Find another Marcos to solve corruption—Du30 IT WOULD take someone like former President Ferdinand Marcos to end the corrupt practices in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday, admitting that he cannot end corruption under the present Constitution.

Speaking to Philippine Navy soldiers, the Chief Executive told the public to look for another Marcos, whose family remains infamous for their supposed ill-gotten wealth, who would address the corrupt activities in the government that keeps dragging the country down.

Duterte said he almost cried when he realizes that he carries the country’s many burdens, aggravated by the corruption in the bureaucracy, as President.

“I have a duty that is a burden, sometimes more than I can carry. I can, I almost cry. I told myself, I cannot solve this corruption, it’s everywhere. If there’s a table, if there’s a single chair there, there’s really [a corruption] as the papers go back and forth. That is why I lost trust in bureaucracy,” he said.

“That’s why I lost interest. And it’s true, I would say that I have regrets because I thought, with the constitutional powers given to me, I can do it.

But truth to tell, if this happens every day, and every table in the Philippines is like that, I can’t run after them,” the President said. Nat Mariano

DEMOLITION PROBE. Commission of Human Rights investigators look for evidence near a damaged van and a backhoe where about 50 Jericho Security Agency personnel tried to demolish some shanties in Malibay 3 and 4 in Bacoor, Cavite, on Tuesday, June 18. The residents resisted the demolition, resulting in violence that left one person dead and four others injured. Norman Cruz

Angat Dam level alarming—MWSS

By Rio N. Araja and Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System on Tuesday raised the alarm over the poor water supply at Angat Dam in Bulacan, saying its elevation could further dip below the critical level of 160 meters.

In a dzMM radio interview, MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco said the dam’s water level “a little above” the 160-meter critical mark.

He said the rains in the past week were not enough to help replenish the dam’s dwindling supply.

According to Elmer Karingal, a Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s hydrologist, as of yesterday 6 a.m., the dam’s water level went down to 161.78 meters from Monday’s 162.39 meters.

“We observed the water elevation go down by .61 meters yesterday, or more than half-a-meter,” he said.

“We have projected that should there’ll be no rain on June 20, the level would plunge to 160 meters,” Velasco said.

Karingal, for his part, said the dam’s elevation could even dip below 160 meters.

“On July 18, 2010, Angat Dam was at its lowest at 157.56 meters. In July 2014,

its elevation went down to 160 meters something. But based on our hydrograph or manual graph, despite the prevailing El Niño phenomenon during those years, Angat Dam was able to recover from its low water supply,” he said.

“We are hoping rains would come on the third week of July or first week of August since typhoons are expected to enter the country and to spawn rains,” he added.

The enhancement of the southwest monsoon due to a typhoon could trigger downpour, he said.

Velasco fears that Angat Dam’s level would reach 154 meters by end of June, saying the two water concessionaires of MWSS—the Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc.—might end up adopting rotational service or service interruption, and water rationing.

The two water firms advised their over 15-million customers to prepare for pos-

KAPA SUPPORTER.

Danny Mangahas (left) of Ahon Sa Kahirapan Movement and a KAPA member together with legal counsel lawyer. Al Bitangcol presented a certification of membership to KAPACommunity Ministry International Inc., during a press conference in Quezon City.

Mangahas has thrown his support to the KAPA Ministry. Manny Palmero

COA flags PADC for P177.9-m loss

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Audit has flagged the Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. for a P177.9-million loss in the past six years.

State auditors said the PADC was a nonperforming government-owned-and-controlled corporation.

They said the PADC turned in a profit in the 1980s until the 1990s, and even lost money in the late 1990s.

“PADC is no longer performing its core mandate, which warrants a comprehensive review of its structure, policies, financial capability and business market to determine the sustainability and economic viability of its continued existence,” the commission’s audit report read.

The GOCC incurred losses of P149.6 million between 2013 and 2017, and that in 2018, it suffered a P28.29-million loss.

But in 2018, PADCC earned a P5.9million revenue with P34.2-million expenditures.

“With these in view, it is clear that PADC is no longer performing and carrying out its principal/core mandate,” the COA said.

PADC’s main source of income was derived from the lease of budget airline Cebu Pacific and eight other airlines for the use of its three hangars within the Manila International Airport Authority.

sible water interruptions. A rotational service interruption in the East Zone concession area would start Tuesday night, Manila Water said.

The National Water Resources Board has reduced the volume allotted to concessionaires from 46 cubic meters per second to 40 cms.

Meanwhile, grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the Luzon grid on red alert due to shortage of power generation capacity for three hours on Tuesday, the 11th red alert raised since January this year which resulting to rotational brownouts in selected areas.

Manila Electric Co. implemented manual load dropping or removing loads from the grid starting from 1:19 p.m. yesterday which affected areas in Calumpit, Hagonoy and Malolos in Bulacan. Meralco also implemented MLD in some areas in Metro Manila namely Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas.

Meralco put on standby participants of its interruptible load program in the wake of the supply deficiency.

“Corporations and commercial establishments participating under the ILP are ready to use their generator sets to help prevent / minimize incidents of power outage,” the company said.

SC resets oral arguments on ‘kalikasan’ case over WPS

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court has rescheduled its oral arguments on the petition of fishermen from Palawan and Zambales to compel the government to protect disputed shoals in the West Philippine Sea where Chinese fishermen have reportedly been harvesting marine resources.

During its en banc session on Tuesday, the SC resolved to defer the public hearing on the writ of kalikasan case from June 25 to July 2.

Court insiders disclosed that the SC magistrates decided to reschedule the public arguments to a later date to allow longer preparation by petitioners and respondents.

The petition filed by the group led by Monico Abogado through the Integrated Bar of the Philippines sought issuance of writ of continuing mandamus to protect, preserve and rehabilitate the environment in Scarborough or Panatag Shoal, Ayungin Shoal and Mischief Reef or Pangani-

ban Reef.

Last May 3, the Court ordered the government to answer the petition filed by the group led by Monico Abogado last April 16.

Petitioners sought relief from the SC against what they called “neglect of performance of the duties of the government in violation of environmental laws resulting in environmental destruction of damage in the shoals.”

They specifically accused respondents—Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police and Department of Justice—of “failure to perform their duties as mandated in the above-mentioned environmental laws and regulations.”

The petitioners said the government specifically failed to act on activities of Chinese fishermen in the said areas, which violate the country’s environmental laws.

The petitioners also cited the island-

building activities in Panganiban reef as found by the PCA in its ruling.

The group explained that Ayungin Shoal and Panganiban Reef are part of the exclusive economic zone where the country has jurisdiction, as declared by the 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. They said Scarborough Shoal, on the other hand, is part of the EEZ under Republic Act 9522 to the Philippine Baselines Law. Since the three areas are part of the country’s EEZ, they said these should be covered by environmental laws of the country such as the Philippine Fisheries Code.

The petitioners said they sought relief from the SC because they “have no other plain, speedy and adequate remedy as petitioners are complaining of acts by the government agencies themselves who are supposed to be upholding Philippine environmental laws and protecting the environment and resources in Philippine territory.”

Bill on athletes’ right to represent the PH passed THE House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has approved the bill that protects the right of athletes to serve the Philippines as part of the national team and providing penalties for violations.

The proposed “Athletes’ Right To Represent The Philippines Act,” authored by Rep. Cristina Roa-Puno of Antipolo City was approved on second reading before the 17th Congress ended last June.

The bill acknowledges the state policy that the right to represent the country shall be enjoyed by all Filipino athletes, including those belonging to any athletic association, sports organization or club, whether amateur, semi-professional or professional.

Furthermore, the State shall give priority to sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development.

It is the right of an eligible athlete to try out, train, and participate in international sports competitions and represent the country as part of the national team. Maricel V. Cruz

Job matching, not shortage is the problem—TESDA WHILE the unemployment rate in the country is at 5.2 percent as of January 2019, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, this percentage is not solely attributed to the lack of jobs. In fact, the bigger problem may be in job matching instead of job shortage.

According to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Deputy Director for Policies and Planning General Rosanna Urdaneta, a surprising challenge faced by the agency is the lack of job applicants in certain sectors. Urdaneta cited, for example, that this is one of the biggest problems encountered in the construction sector of the government’s Build, Build, Build program.

“Ang daming requirements, pero ayaw ng tao kasi they find it dirty, difficult, and dangerous (There are a lot of job openings but people are not applying because…),” Urdaneta said on the sidelines of the One Step Ahead Forum in Manila on Tuesday, June 4.

One Step Ahead Forum Manila was organized by Asia Society Philippines and J.P. Morgan Philippines as an avenue for education, labor, and business leaders to discuss the role of their industries in bridging the gap between education systems and labor market needs.

CA wraps up hearing on amparo, habeas data plea MILITANT groups have failed to present witnesses on military threats as CA wraps up hearing on amparo, habeas data petition The Court of Appeals on Thursday has concluded its hearing on the writ of amparo petition of the militant groups seeking to protection from the alleged harassment and threats by government security forces.

However, petitioners from Karapatan, Gabriela and Rural Missionaries of the Philippines failed to present their witnesses before the CA’s 14th Division for coming unprepared.

Their counsels from National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers were supposed to present testimonial evidence witnesses and supporting documents during the hearing, but the court did not allow it because they did not have judicial affidavits.

Associate Justice Mario Lopez, who chairs the 14th Division, explained that the rules on petition for writ of amparo requires that hearings be summary.

The appellate court then heard the arguments of both parties on procedural and substantive issues related to the petition.

NUPL secretary-general Ephraim Cortez questioned the decision of the court, calling it a deviation from previous cases of amparo petitions they handled.

Cortez lamented how the CA concluded the hearing when their camp has not even received a copy of the respondents’ verified return, which was sent via snail mail.

Rey E. Requejo

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cowed into silence

AFTER keeping mum for eight days on the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a larger Chinese fishing vessel in Recto Bank, President Rodrigo Duterte broke his silence and described it as “a little maritime incident.” He added that we were not prepared to go to war with China.

The President added that he was not ready to make a full statement

What has become of us as a nation? until a full investigation has been completed.

Come again, Santa Banana? If the President is not yet ready to give a statement, why did he say it was a little maritime incident? It doesn’t make sense.

What was outrageous was not so much the ramming. It was the fact that the Chinese vessel turned and fled, claiming it was besieged by some eight Filipino fishing vessels.

Satellite images show that there were only a few vessels in the area at that time.

This claim by the Chinese simply insults our intelligence. We know only too well that it was a hit-andrun, and the guilty party would rather run than face responsibility for what happened. What was truly abominable was that the 22 Filipino fisherman were left in the water, hanging on to dear life.

Meanwhile, our President claims

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

we are not ready to go to war with China over the incident because it is a superpower. But who said we should go to war? What we are asking for are responsibility, accountability and reparations. The boat was lost, and the 22 fishermen nearly died.

The contradictory statements of Cabinet members, with some echoing of the Chinese claim, make it all worse. My gulay, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who is from Mindoro like the fishermen, called the incident unintentional. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called it a case of hit and run.

What’s truly tragic here is that we Filipinos seem to have been cowed into silence, knowing China’s military might. It seems we no longer have the guts to stand up to China’s bullying. Are the loans and grants worth our obeisance?

Sure, we have filed a diplomatic protest. But will China even give attention to this?

I was hoping President Duterte would ask his friend, Chinese Presi President Xi Jinping, to accept responsibility. But I was disappointed by what our President said. *** President Duterte has vowed that in the next three years, we will see an intensified war against illegal drugs and corruption.

On illegal drugs, I hope he realizes that he’s going about the problem the wrong way. It’s a health issue, first and foremost, so his peace-and-order approach keeps missing the mark.

According to some reports, in the National Capital Region alone there are three million to four-million drug users. If they are not rehabilitated, they soon become pushers.

The drug menace will not be eliminated so long as there is demand.

This is why international syndicates continue to smuggle drugs—shabu for the poor and party drugs for the

Get on with it

P

ERHAPS the Commission on Elections missed the memo.

“No allies, no friends, no supporters—if they have committed any wrong—will be tolerated by this government,” a Palace spokesman said last month in relation to possible wrongdoing by the former chairman of the National Youth Commission.

But in its treatment so far of the very same former official, Duterte Youth chairman Ronald Cardema, the COMELEC seems bent on doing the exact opposite of the official administration line.

COMELEC Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, the lone dissenting vote when the COMELEC gave due course to Cardema’s bid to become the representative of the DuterteYouth Party-list group, got it right when she said the application should have been thrown

out immediately, because Cardema, 34, was too old by law to be eligible to be a youth representative in Congress.

The law is very clear on this point, and it is remarkable that Guanzon was the only one among seven commissioners who seemed to understand this.

"The Commission cannot sit idly by and allow this unabashed mockery and assault to our democratic processes and institutions to go unchastised,” she said as her colleagues voted in favor of Cardema’s bid. “To do so would be tantamount to an abnegation of its Constitutional duty.”

The COMELEC still has an opportunity to redeem itself, however, by settling several petitions seeking to cancel Cardema’s bid for a party-list seat and withholding his certificate of proclamation.

Just this week, a youth group, Millennials PH, filed a petition against Cardema, supported by a former COMELEC chairman and a veteran

election lawyer.

The group's petition is the second to be filed before the COMELEC and comes as the poll body tackles petitions challenging Cardema’s qualifications to serve as youth representative in the incoming 18th Congress.

Cardema’s qualifications, in fact, have been questioned by past leaders of the NYC that he also headed.

Finally conceding that he is too old to legally represent the youth in Congress, Cardema now claims to be representing “young professionals”—a rationalization after the fact that is not supported by the Duterte Youth’s profile, track record, or campaign history.

When the law is so clear and the violation so blatant, we are compelled to ask: What is taking the COMELEC so long to decide? To those with a suspicious bent, the delay could be seen as a tactic to lay low and wait for the heat to pass—before allowing a mockery of democracy to quietly proceed.

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Taking a cue from Hong Kong

WE HAVE always thought of the Chinese in Hong Kong as merchants and culinary exponents of Chinese food that Filipinos relish. But they are more than the stereotype we have of them. The ongoing protests of one-million Chinese in Hong Kong showed us they are more courageous than Filipinos in standing up for their rights.

The core of the Chinese demonstrations was the proposed bill of extradition which would force Hong Kong Chinese suspects accused of a crime to stand trial in mainland China. The Chinese in Hong Kong know that once prosecuted in the mainland, their chances for a fair trial under the onerous extradition bill would be next to nil.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam and her mainland masters were surprised by the massive and virulent reaction of the Hong Kong Chinese who staged a violent and noisy demonstration from Day One last Wednesday. Parked cars were torched and the protesters fought police despite being hosed down and fired upon with rubber bullets.

The politburo cabal in Beijing apparently did not factor in the fact that Hong Kong was, for decades, under British colonial rule that allows civil and political rights. I was in Hong Kong in 1997 during the historical turnover of the Crown Colony from British rule to Chinese control. I saw then many a teary-eyed Hong Kong Chinese who must have seen then and there the implications of the sea change in their lives.

Despite Carrie Lam’s retreat when she suspended the proposed extradition bill, the protesters sense they had won a victory and won’t be appeased by a temporary relief. They demanded the total scrapping of the extradition bill and the resignation of Lam. The massive Hong Kong protest is more than Tiananmen Square student

demonstrations which was confined to the famous plaza in Beijing marked last week. The Hong Kong protests outpouring is a citywide show of defiance by students, workers and families will have none of Mainland China’s tyrannical bossism.

The Hong Kong protest has gained international attention in the foreign press. If at all, Filipinos should take a cue from the Hong Kong Chinese that we can oppose China without declaring war. This, in the light of the Chinese ship ramming of a Filipino fishing boat and abandoning its 22 men crew in waters in the West Philippines Sea. Fortunately for the Filipinos they were rescued by a passing Vietnamese fishing boat. This the basic international maritime law that obliges a ship to help a distressed vessel and its crew. The Chinese ship, on the other hand, fled the scene of the accident— if indeed it was an accident.

The survivors told Philippine authorities they were sure the big ship

Can we ever be as gutsy as those protesters? be was Chinese since they had seen it before in the area shooing away Filipino fishermen from fishing in our own waters even as the Chinese were the ones illegally there. This is gunboat diplomacy that only China knows to use with its mightier navy.

Unlike the gutsy Chinese in Hong Kong, Filipino officials like Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi are the ones weakening the Philippine case with public statements that the boat that rammed and abandoned the Filipino fishermen may probably not even be Chinese.

We certainly cannot wage war against the militarily superior China.

But we can protest in front of the Chinese Embassy and let them know that Turn to A5

San Miguel’s doing-good business SAN Miguel Corp. invests heavily in corporate social responsibility projects and sustainability. If not too many people know about it, it’s probably because SMC vice chairman, president and COO Ramon S. Ang, prefers to do it that way—with little fanfare and publicity.

The amounts involved are not mere stunts. SMC spent P2.1 billion to build 8,000 homes for typhoon victims of

to contribute to pollution. What people call global warming. Or climate change. Relatedly, the company has Food is about survival. pledged to cut water use by half, by 2025. Achievement is two years ahead Water is about quality of schedule. In 2018, SMC saved 8.84 million cubic meters of water— of life. Infrastructure enough to supply nearly 300,000 is about enjoying that homes. Additionally, San Miguel has quality life. planted one million trees.

To me, San Miguel’s best and biggest doing-good business is how it prices its Mindanao. It is spending P1 billion products and services very reasonably. just to dredge the Tullahan River in SanMig beer is a monopoly product.

Malabon.

It has more than 90 percent of the marSan Miguel phased out its profit- ket. Yet, SanMig is one of the cheapest Turn to A5 able plastic bottle business so as not Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

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‘Tis the season to digitize

By Abhimanyu Kashikar WE’VE just passed the halfway mark of 2019, and in a few months, the Philippines will be ushering in the start of the ‘ber’ season—the four-month long period where Filipinos gear up for the end-of-year Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

With the festivities coming up, so too will the number of people who are planning their holiday shopping. And this year—thanks to robust economic growth and rising incomes—Filipinos are expected to spend more.

Yet, while this is signaling a boon to sellers, the expected massive influx of shoppers (especially during the final weeks of the year) will prove challenging for them due to the pressures they’ll face when fulfilling their orders. This challenge will be more pronounced for sellers operating on online channels, considering the steady growth of the country’s e-commerce over the decade.

E-commerce is on the up Thanks to its constant growth in internet penetration and social media activity, the Philippines’ e-commerce sector is now stronger than ever. Currently, the country has over 37-million e-commerce users with an additional 18 million expected over the next three years. On top of that, this year alone, revenue from the sector will reach close to US$1 billion.

The sector’s boom means that retailers are now more encouraged to sell their goods online. Although most Filipinos still choose to do their shopping in-store, e-commerce players are expected to enjoy a larger slice of the retail pie—especially as officials are working hard to help the e-commerce sector contribute a quarter of the country’s national GDP. We can definitely see an all-in effort by sector’s stakeholders, but to sustain the industry for the long-term, the ones that need to thrive are the sellers themselves and, of course, their customers.

Biggest challenges faced by logistics players The Philippines’ archipelagic geography and massive urban traffic gridlocks

San Miguel’s...

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quality beers you can drink anywhere in this world.

SMC is the biggest power producer in Luzon, with more than 4,000 megawatts generating capacity. Yet, it prices its electricity at less than P3 per kwh, one-fourth the price of the biggest retailer on the island.

San Miguel also will be the biggest producer of water in Luzon. Ramon Ang promises to deliver to households the cheapest, cleanest potable water there is. For a start, the company will provide cheap water 24/7 to 24 water districts of Bulacan. It wants to produce water up to 3,800 million liters a day at a cost of P35 billion.

San Miguel is the biggest producer of foods in the Philippines, processed foods like chicken, hotdogs, spam. Magnolia fresh chickens are at least 10 percent cheaper than its rivals in supermarkets.

Yet, the quality of Magnolia chickens is far different from other chickens. There is no residue, which could be harmful to one’s health.

SMC is moving into the rice business in a big way. It plans to import palay, not rice, by the thousands of tonnage, store them in huge silos with stringent temperature control (palay usually has 40 percent moisture), then process the palay into high-grade rice. The resulting by-products or waste is converted into feeds and fuel. The result: 100 percent recovery. Little or no waste. You get quality rice—cheap. Ang promises to plough back rice profits by supporting farmers, with seedlings, technical help, even money.

San Miguel has opened a 1,000-sqm feeding center for Tondo’s poor to help beat hunger and malnutrition. Children, single mothers, the disabled, the elder-

Cowed...

From A4

rich—into our country. Knowing how corrupt the Bureau of Customs is and how porous our borders are, it is no wonder that the Philippines has become a transshipment point for drugs.

Meanwhile, on government corruption, while I admit the President has managed to reduce it a bit, cor-

mean that e-commerce is becoming a more convenient option for Filipino shoppers. On the sellers’ end, this presents a lucrative opportunity to set up an online presence, which is relatively cheap even for new businesses. However, setting up an online commerce presence tends to be the easy part; the harder one is keeping customers happy by fulfilling their order on time—which can be challenging for logistics companies during holiday seasons due to lastminute shopping.

Any mishap occurring along the supply chain network can significantly disrupt the fulfillment process. Communication and management of the process are therefore pivotal; however, many logistics players still regularly face the following challenges: Visibility. The company’s management has or very low (or in some cases, absolutely none) visibility over the overall operations.

Manual management. Most logistics companies still track and manage everything via hard papers or Excel sheets, leading to errors through a tedious and time-consuming process.

Productivity and growth insights.

There is no visibility on the team’s performance; additionally, the management has no insights through which they can aim for better growth.

Accounting and ERP (enterprise resource planning) connectivity. A lot of companies using third-party systems are unable to sync their multichannel selling data with their systems.

On top of these challenges, logistics companies in the Philippines face the issue of infrastructure, which has not kept apace with the steady growth of ecommerce (although this is set to pick up due to the government’s priority to invest in infrastructure). Because of this, e-commerce stakeholders operating on the supply side need to look to technology to bridge the fulfillment gap.

its smallest players.

Yet, the introduction of new digital technologies for logistics is helping sellers, marketplaces and logistics companies (big and small) realistically rethink and strategize their operations to the benefit of their customers.

They are raising the accessibility of innovations for more market players, which can lead to inclusive growth of the Philippines’ logistics sector and, in turn, benefit the consumers with more efficient fulfillment of their orders.

Some of the benefits of digital solutions for logistics include: They are typically web-based and on-demand. This means that they are more flexible and easier to deploy to meet the specific needs of an organisation, no matter its size or the complexity of its processes User friendliness. The solutions have been designed to streamline and manage complicated logistics problems by taking more integrated, holistic approaches to processes such as marketing resource management. This sort of end-to-end functionality helps to optimise planning across the supply chain.

Better resource utilization. SaaS offerings give companies greater access to more advanced tools for route planning such as dashboarding and multichannel data analytics; helping to negate high investment costs related to complicated systems integration and hiring in-house IT staff to manage the process. This is particularly beneficial for newer and smaller companies.

The Philippines e-commerce sector is now performing at an all-time high.

It is helping to provide consumers with more intuitive and convenient ways to shop during the end-of-year shopping rush, whilst simultaneously providing more options for sellers and logistics companies to effectively take part in the digital economy. However, the ones that can tap into the right digital technologies to power their businesses Digitizing delivery processes will be the ones reaping the benefits in While big firms have been able the long-term. to invest in the right technologies to provide more timely, reliable and Abhimanyu Kashikar is co-founder safe deliveries, the longevity of the and COO of Anchanto, an e-comPhilippines’ e-commerce sector will merce company with presence in 14 depend on the participation of even countries.

ly can walk in anytime for a pack of a hearty, nutritious meal.

San Miguel offers at least three million meals every year. That’s like feeding, for free, more than 4,000 people a day, assuming each person gets two packs a day.

“We are spending good money here,” says Ramon Ang. Indeed, assuming P30 per meal, three-million meals is P90 million a year. Plus the cost of running the operation for what, may be, forever.

The meals consist of pre-packed balanced meals and donations of unused, surplus food from restaurants, fastfood chains and convenience stores. Right away, two issues are addressed—waste and hunger.

Mayor Joseph Estrada keeps saying?

“A hungry stomach knows no law.” So a third issue is addressed—crime.

Ramon Ang frames his doing-good business in terms of security. Food security. Water security. He adds a third— infrastructure security. Food to eat. Water to drink. Roads, rails, and airports (Boracay, and soon Bulacan) for you to commute to work or do business.

Ang calls it “creating an impact on important social, economic, and environmental issues.”

Food is 50 percent of household spending, especially by the poor. About 60 percent of communicable diseases, which afflict the poor, are water-borne.

Food is about survival. Water is about quality of life. Infrastructure is about enjoying that quality life.

Infrastructure is a mind-boggling business. San Miguel is No. 1, being the owner or operator of 55 percent of tollroads, mainly the highways south and north of Manila and beyond.

They include the multi-level 51-km South Luzon Expressway, from Paco, in Manila, to Santo Tomas in Batangas.

SLEX connects the business districts of Manila and Makati to the heartland of the Philippines’ industrial hub, booming Calabarzon.

SLEX will be connected by a connector road from Magallanes Exit in Makati to Balintawak, at the entrance to the North Luzon Expressway and TPLEX. SLEX will also be extended by 61 kms, from Santo Tomas, Batangas (and Calamba, Laguna) to Lucena City in Quezon province.

San Miguel has just about completed the 88.5-km Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway (TPLEX), from Tarlac to Rosario, La Union. Even then says. Ang, “we are already gearing up for extension, from Rosario to San Juan, La Union.” In effect, San Miguel has connected both ends of Luzon.

To produce cheaply, cement (a major component of infra), San Miguel has bought Holcim’s local cement business, valued at $2.1 billion. This will bring down the cost of cement and spur President Duterte’s P9-trillion “Build, Build, Build” program.

Also, San Miguel will build roads— using recycled plastic waste. It also produces glass, 97 percent of which is recycled glass.

But the biggest boon is yet to come— a $14-billion San Miguel Airport in Bulacan. It will have four runways, contribute P1 trillion to GDP, and employ up to 40 million directly and indirectly, assuming 20-million arrivals and each arrival attended to by two Filipinos.

Now, if only the government could rush the airport’s approval. Had the unlamented Aquino administration the first time Ramon Ang proposed it to the government in 2014, we would not have had to endure the colossal traffic in the air, at the runways, and on land, at the terrible three terminals of NAIA. Costing $14 billion, the airport will not cost a single centavo to the government and yet, the government will be its biggest beneficiary. In fact, it will make Duterte a great president, overnight.

ruption remains embedded in the government system.

It gets worse when the President makes the corruption war selective—like promoting to Cabinet rank a Customs officer found incompetent or negligent. The President seems to think that military cadets and generals are honest and disciplined. Does he forget that during the Magsaysay administration, President Magsaysay had 300 cadets from the Philippine

Military Academy assigned to the bureau, supposedly to help curb corruption? But soon, the PMA cadets themselves were corrupted. That is precisely the nature of the system—it swallows people, even those meaning to do good.

The Commission on Audit found, for instance, that lawyers in the Office of the Solicitor General and SolGen Jose Calida himself were getting excessive allowances in violation of the

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In Yunlin County, there is a company that processes contract-raiser grown free range chickens. They provide the day-old chicks, which they developed through six years of continuous crossbreeding until they sort of “perfected” the breed. Taiwan chickens, unlike their American counterparts, taste well, simiTODAY is the 158th birth anniversary lar to our native free-range chickens, of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, our proclaimed but larger and more tender.

The company supplies the major national hero. The anniversary is celebrated only in Calamba City, Laguna, chicken fast-food joints in Taiwan as well as specialty restaurants including his birthplace.

Instead, we commemorate Rizal’s Michelin-starred ones like Joel Rogreatness and his inspired contribu- bouchon. Again, nothing goes to waste tion towards the freedom we enjoy on in their processing plant which hires Dec. 30, the day he was felled in Ba- Filipino overseas workers. They also gumbayan, now the Luneta, by Span- produce excellent essence of chicken which is a favorite health and medicinal ish soldiers.

I have always maintained that we tonic of Orientals. And to think that the should celebrate birthdays instead company was founded by a poor farmer of death anniversaries, and victories who used to raise chickens for his faminstead of defeats. I think it is the ily’s consumption aside from tending to Catholic influence that puts primacy a small fruit and vegetable farm.

Looking beyond on martyrdom bethe present, a Taicause of the belief Tai wan biotechnology in the after-life that company has hired has made our leadThese are Taiwan’s food technology ers commemorate and chemistry sciRizal’s death more strides in agricultural entists with doctorthan his birth. technology. ates to do research The US of A deand develop prodclares the birthdays ucts that could rere of George Washingdress the effects of ton and Abraham Lincoln, even if the latter was felled by climate change and extreme weather on an assassin’s bullet in the aftermath of food production. Again amazingly, their the Civil War. Similarly, Martin Luther products are utilized by North American King who was likewise assassinated, and soon, European food chain producis honored in a federal holiday during ers. The research is done in modern, state his birthday. Holidays in the US of A of the art laboratories, where the plants are of course moveable for convenience are tested under actual field conditions to either the nearest Friday or Monday in Nantou County in central Taiwan, but their manufacturing operations are in Onrather than the exact day.

Most Orientals also celebrate the tario, California.

Asked why they decided to site their birth of their leaders, especially their monarchs. But then again, we are a factory in the US of A, the reason given country located in the Orient, but our to us was very market-oriented: If it’s religious and cultural influences are made in the US, market acceptability would be easier than if it were made in more Western than Asian.

China, or Taiwan. Very sensible, and *** Last week, the Ministry of Foreign very business-like.

MECO has partnered with Taiwan Affairs sponsored a two-day field trip to Central and Southern Taiwan for am- government agencies and its private bassadors and resident representatives. sector to introduce modern technologies It was to showcase the strides they have to our farmers. Sometime in July, a button mushroom project in Baguio will be made in agricultural technology, We visited a sweet potato (camote) inaugurated. In the Cebu City highland processing factory in Tainan. What is a area of Maomawan, a vegetable project lowly fruit which urban millennials have has been started in land owned by TIEhardly tasted in Metro Manila is a high ZA, partnered with the Cebu Institute of value crop in Taiwan, exported to Japan Technology, into a potential agro-tourand elsewhere for its culinary and nutri- ism site. Similarly, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, together with an NGO, a tionally healthy characteristics.

In Manila, this kind of Taiwanese vegetable-growing project to teach Dusweet potato is available only in select magats more profitable ways of farmoutlets, at prices only the rich can afford. ing is being done. Another project, the In Taiwan’s cities, steamed or roast- details of which we would reserve for ed sweet potatoes are available in Fam- another column, is being initiated in ily Mart or Seven-Eleven outlets, and Davao City as well as in Cotabato, to farmers raising these make good profits. assist poor farmers who may otherwise Through continuous research and de- be enticed into insurgency. *** velopment (R and D), the private comSome sectors keep chiding governpany we visited which is assisted by the Council of Agriculture and the Taiwan ment for it’s “delayed and less than fiAgricultural Research Institute, has ery” response to the incident in the Recdeveloped several varieties attuned to to Bank where a Chinese fishing vessel domestic and international market pref- rammed into the stern of a Filipino fisherence. They have even developed a ing boat and left it’s 22 fishermen floatsweet potato similar to our ube in taste, ing in the sea without succor.

I am reminded of a scene from the texture and color. And they make use of everything, churning products from po- movie classic “El Cid” where King Altato fries of differing shapes and sizes, fonso VI was wounded in a battle he to jams, as well as usage of the leaves himself led against the Moors. Due to court intrigues, he earlier banished his and flowers of the plant. Amazing!

We also visited in neighboring Chi- acclaimed general, Rodrigo Diaz de Viayi the world’s biggest greenhouse for var, called El Cid by the enemy.

Bleeding from his body wounds, Phalaenopsis, a kind of orchid that is highly prized, not only in Asian but he proudly told his mother, Sancha of European markets as well. The private Leon, that it was not for lack of courage Chiayi company, again with the help that he lost the battle.

Sancha admonished him: “Not by of government agencies, has made a multi-million dollar enterprise in culti- courage alone does a king rule his vating, raising, packaging and export- people.”

Words of instant indignation can pering these flowers all over the world.

We were shown an 11-hectare row of haps salve the national anger over the greenhouses where orchids of differ- incident in the China Sea, but a wise ent colors were cultivated. The quest leader looks at the bigger picture, and for product excellence through focused goes beyond the instant into the longerR and D is the secret to their business term view. Not for lack of courage, but for a plenitude of wisdom. success.

Taking...

From A4

enough is enough and we won’t be bullied anymore.

The US, meanwhile, made it known that an attack on any Philippine civilian or military vessel by a foreign power falls under the USlaw. Under the law, they are only entitled to allowances of up to 50 percent of their salaries.

And, by the way, what happened to that conflict of interest case involving Calida, who was found to have a security agency with contracts with various government agencies?

Another whiff of corruption was the case of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel. The Counsel accused five lawyers of getting exces-

Philippine Military Defense Agreement. The South China Sea territorial dispute and Chinese widening of its scope to include the West Philippine Sea has become a flashpoint which we hope does not blow up into a wider US-China confrontation. The Philippines, for sure, could suffer collateral damage in the crossfire. sive allowances which he considered bribes from government-owned-and -controlled corporations. The irony of it all was that the Counsel himself was the one who was relieved, not the lawyers whom he accused of getting bribes, No wonder there is hardly a dent.

There is one rule for friends and appointees, and another one for the rest. www.emiljurado.weebly.com

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News

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

COA’s rider dismays Morente

Navy marks 121st year with new ‘capabilities’

By Vito Barcelo

IMIGRATION Commissioner Jaime Morente expressed dismay over the Commission on Audit’s recommendation to administratively charge immigration employees for not collecting fines from airline companies that carried undocumented foreign passengers amounting to more than P273 million in fines.

According to COA’s 2018 Annual Audit Report, airline companies were allowed to depart without paying their fines, which at year-end accumulated to P273,011,500.00, and recommended that employees be charged administratively for giving airline clearances and for not collecting penalties.

“Section 44 of the Immigration Act states that vessels or aircrafts who brings in improperly documented aliens may be subjected to a fine of P500 for each person brought, and should not be granted clearance until the fine has been settled,” the report said.

The COA said the BI failed to properly implement he Order of Exclusion imposing administrative fines and sanctions as prescribed in Section 44(d) of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 which was not strictly monitored.

However, Morente said the outdated immigration law restricts them to collect the P50,000 fine implemented by the late Immigration commissioner Leandro Verceles, because the current immigration law penalizes airlines companies only P500 that brought in improperly documented passengers.

“Section 44 of the Immigration Act states that vessels or aircrafts who brings in improperly documented aliens may be subjected to a fine of P500 for each person brought, and should not be granted clearance until the fine has been settled,” Morente said.

Morente said that the amount was increased in 1999 to P50,000 by Verceles, but its legality was questioned by airline companies, resulting in non-payment of imposed fines.

In 2016, former Department of Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas issued a circular directing the BI revert to charging P500, following a petition from an airline questioning the legality of the 1999 Memorandum, stating that the added fine has “no legal basis”, as the immigration act fixes the amount of the said fine at only P500.

Treñas given more time for evidence ILOILO City Rep. Geronino Treñas has been given more time by the Sandiganbayan to present additional evidence to prove his innocence in connection with the graft case filed against him over the grant of P500,000 to a local media group when he was still mayor of the locality.

The anti-graft court’s Seventh Division granted the motion to withdraw demurrer to evidence of Trenas.

“Accordingly, the ends of justice and fairness would be best served if the accused Treñas will be given the full opportunity to threshed out the real issues in a full-blown trial,” the Sandiganbayan said in its May 27 resolution.

The case stemmed from an alleged release of P500,000 to the Iloilo Press Club as assistance in the construction of its building in 2003.

Treñas said the money actually came from the pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund of Senator Loren Legarda, who he said selected the beneficiary.

A motion for demurrer to evidence is an accused’s plea to court to dismiss the case outright with the evidence on hand.

If that motion were filed without an approved motion for leave of court, the accused will lose the right to file a motion for reconsideration and present evidence in his favor if he were found guilty.

The Sandiganbayan also said the mere filing of a demurrer is not considered as a waiver of Treñas’ right.

“This Court is not ready to rule that accused Treñas had waived said right in this case because in the first place, he manifested his intention and willingness to present evidence as can be gleaned from the fact that he sought for the withdrawal of his demurrer without leave by filing the present motion,” it said. Maricel V. Cruz

DRUG RING. Alleged members of a syndicated drug trafficking gang were arrested along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City on Monday, after a buy bust-operation by operatives of the NCRPO Regional Drug Enforcement Unit, the Mandaluyong Police Station and in close coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-NCR Regional Office. Manny Palmero

Over 12,000 barangays now ‘drug-cleared’: PNP M

ORE than 12,000 barangays have been cleared from illegal drugs since the start of the Duterte administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs in 2016, the Philippine National Police said on Tuesday.

The annoucement coincided with authorities reporting they arrested in Mandaluyong City three more members of a syndicate engaged in drug trafficking in Metro Manila and seized P6.8 million worth of shabu.

The suspects—Raihana Pontino, 37; Aliola Sultan, 24, and Jassir Panggaga, 23,—were arrested by elements of the National Capital Region Police OfficeDrug Enforcement Unit, Mandaluyong City Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency during a buy-bust operation along Shaw Boulevard late Monday night.

During the command conference in Camp Crame, Maj. Gen. Mao Aplasca, PNP Director for Operations, said at least 12,177 out of the 42,045 barangays (villages) in the country have been declared drug-cleared from July 1, 2016 to May 31, 2019.

He said Region 1 (Ilocos Region) had the highest number of drug-cleared barangays with 1,967, followed by Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) with 1,919 and Region 6 (Western Visayas) with 852.

The National Capital Region, (88.69 percent); Region 3 (Central Luzon), 75.50 percent; Region 5 (Bicol Region), 72.89

Manila

Standard

TODAY

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that BRIA HOMES, INC. (Formerly: CASA REGALIA, INCORPORATED) with office address at LGF Bldg. B, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Housing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Bria Flats Mactan Bldg. 3, 4 and 5) with a capacity of 240 residential units on a Non-Pioneer status with project site located at Sugtongan, Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

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percent; and Region 7 (Central Visayas), 76.36 percent were the most affected regions by the proliferation of illegal drugs.

Based on PNP data, Aplasca said 1,283,409 drug suspects surrendered, 240,565 individuals were arrested and 6,600 drug suspects died during 153,273 anti-illegal drugs operations in the said period.

According to NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar, “These persons have been the subject of illegal drugs operation for several times in Pasig City but managed to escape.

“They are very elusive but the efforts by the authorities paid off due to continuous intelligence build up.”

Eleaazar said the suspects were members of a syndicated criminal gang connected to the group of Muslims headed

by Ahmin Buratong, now serving jail sentence for illegal drug trafficking at the New Bilibid Prison.

“The group continues operating in Metro Manila and Rizal province,” he said.

Recovered from the suspects were 15 plastics containing a total of one kilo of shabu, eight bundles of P1,000 bills and a silver Toyota Revo with registration plate

number XGP-331 used by the suspects in the delivery of illegal drugs.

In a press briefing, Eleazar revealed that one of the suspects had been formerly arrested last year in Pasig City by the NCRPO Regional Special Operations Unit having in possession of illegal drugs and firearms but managed to post bail.

“We have to pursue our investigation and find out their source and clients,” he said.

Complaints of violation of Section 5 and 11 in relation to Section 26 of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2012) are being prepared for filing in the proper court against the suspects.

Last week, the NCRPO arrested three suspected drug dealers and also seized more than P6.8 million worth of shabu.

The suspects were Rudy Kidlat, 20; Mark Anthony Alcantara, 32, and Rona Valenzuella, 37, all residents of Pasay City.

Recovered from the suspects were 10 pieces of plastic packs containing one kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million, a boodle money worth P1 million, a weighing scale, and a red Suzuki car used by the suspects in the drug trade.

Eleazar assured the public that the NCRPO was on “its leap of maximizing its optimum capacity for the continuing fight against illegal drugs.”

PNA, with Joel Zurbano

primary forests at only 19 percent of the total forest area, compared with a global average of 32 percent, we are worried about the lack of forest quality in our region—as primary forests are rich in biodiversity—and once that’s gone it’s gone,” said Kundhavi Kadiresan, FAO assistant director-general and regional representative, in a statement released Sunday.

“We need to urgently preserve what’s left of our primary forests. Time is running out and we must act now.”

Kadiresan called for a regional and coordinated approach to protecting the region’s forests—something she referred to as ‘forests without borders.’

Ro-Ro gets boost from Arroyo

By Maricel V. Cruz

AS A result of the conduct of oversight hearings on transportation spearheaded

by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, 19 new routes of the Roll-On Roll-Off were added to the Roro System.

In a briefing before Arroyo in Argao, Cebu Monday, Director Marc Pascua of MARINE the MARINA said that as a result of her DISASTER. initiatives as Speaker arising from the (From left) House’s oversight functions, 19 new misModerator and sionary Roro routes were established in Kamuning Bakery different parts of the country this year. owner Wilson Lee Four of the 19 are already operational Flores, former while 15 are just waiting for the arrival of Ambassador to the vessels that will service the routes.

China Alberto It was also revealed that nine more Encomienda new missionary routes will be offered and George Sy based on the recommendation of the of the Integrated shipping Industry.

Development Arroyo had made use of the Lower Studies Institute House’s oversight functions to determine discuss Tuesday if laws and existing projects are properly the recent collision incident involving implemented. a Filipino fishing The 19 new ports were presented boat and a Chinese during the Oversight hearings by the Mavessel during rina. Arroyo pushed for the implementaa forum at the tion of the new routes.

Kamuning Bakery Arroyo visited Cebu Monday on her in Quezon City. final sentimental journey as Speaker. She Manny Palmero visited two of the Roro ports built during CYAN MAGENTA her time as YELLOW President inBLACK southern Cebu namely Taloot port in Argao and Liloan port in Santander.

She then crossed to Dumaguete City on board a Roro vessel using the Liloan to Sibulan port in Dumaguete.

“Unfortunately, conservation of forests She said she was happy that the Ro-Ro in one country often just shifts deforestaproject had been revived by the present adtion to another. We have witnessed many ministration and that she was extremely cases where new frontiers of deforestation delighted and honored to have helped emerged as a result of logging bans elsein lowering the cost of goods, boosting where,” she said. Tackling illegal logging tourism and facilitating travel around and forest crimes would require producer the country through the Roro System and consumer countries to cooperate with which she established when she was each other, participants heard.

President in 2003.

Population growth, urbanization and There are currently 140 Ro-Ro routes their toll on forests and landscapes nationwide servicing millions of passenPopulation growth, urbanization and gers and cargo handlers. demographic shifts have significant imShe also said she went to Cebu pacts on forests of the Asia-Pacific region and Dumaguete to personally thank and their impacts will be even greater in them for the support during her enthe decades to come. tire political career.

Action needed to save Asia-Pacific’s forests—UN A NEW report from the United Nations has warned forests in the Asia-Pacific region are facing a serious threat as primary forest cover is now only 19 percent of total forest area—the lowest level of any region worldwide, a major gathering of forestry stakeholders heard.

Some 2,000 delegates participated in the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, coorganized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Korea Forest Service, at Incheon, South Korea.

Asia and the Pacific have the lowest per capita forest area of any world region.

But quantity is not the only issue. “With

THE Philippine Navy has blest and commissioned two capabilities to highlight its 121st founding anniversary with the introduction of two new capabilities— the commissioning of its first two AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) AW-159 antisubmarine helicopters and activation of the first four Hanwha Techwin amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs).

PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad. Said: “For today’s (Monday) ceremony we blest (and commissioned) two major capabilities of PN. First is the two anti-submarine warfare helicopters, (the) AW-159s (which) we acquired from Leonardo, UK. “The two helos are equipped with modern sonar capability that can detect submarines underneath (the water and) armed with torpedos and missiles that can destroy submarines and big surface vessels and can perform search-and-rescue operations in the most challenging maritime environment.”

The AW-159s arrived in the country last May 7 and will be based on the two missile-armed frigates Hyundai Heavy Industries is constructing in South Korea.

These aircraft were acquired for P5.4 billion, including the munition, mission essential equipment and integrated logistics support.

Meanwhile, more naval assets and equipment will arrive and further boost the capabilities of the Navy in July.

These include three more multi-purpose attack crafts (MPACs), which will be armed with Spike-ER surface-to-surface missiles by the first quarter of 2020.

“Once completed, the PN will have 15 MPACs, six of which [will have] missile capabilities,” he added.

Also in July, the Navy will accept the delivery of its first-ever “Pohang”-class corvette, which was donated by South Korea.

Empedrad said the 60 PN personnel, who will compose its sailing crew, are now on the final stage of their training.

“The ship will be named after a Korean war hero, Capt. Conrado Yap and will sail to the Philippines before the end of July. It has two 76mm guns and two twin-barrel 30mm guns, it also has torpedo launchers and sonar capabilities that can detect submarines,” the PN chief added.

“With the guidance of the President to end insurgency in the next two years, the deployment of five ships, one ‘Pohang’ corvette and the PN’s MPACs in Mindanao, will hasten the end of the 50-year-old insurgency problem,” he added. PNA

Sports Maneja shines in PPS netfest JUSTINE Maneja romped off with the 16-and-under crown then stunned top seed Denise Bernardo to snare the 18-U title to complete a “twin-kill” in the PPS-PEPP Dr. Pablo Olivarez national age-group 2019 at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque last Sunday.

Maneja, 16, dominated her age bracket, yielding eight games in three matches before trouncing Gaby Zoleta, 6-3, 6-0, in the finals. The rising star from Quezon City repeated over Zoleta in the 18-U semis, 6-1, 7-5, then upended Bernardo, 6-0, 6-1, to emerge the lone two-title winner in the Group 1 tournament sponsored by Dr. Pablo Olivarez.

Unranked Joaquin de Leon provided the sparks in the five-day tournament spread over two holidays and weekends to allow the student-athletes to play without missing their respective classes, snatching the boys’ 16-U diadem via a 3-6, 6-0, 11-9 decision over Samuel Nuguit.

He also finished runner-up in the 18-U division ruled by fellow Imus, Cavite bet Laurenz Quitara, 2-6, 6-2, 10-7, and shared the MVP honors with the girls’ champ in the event presented

by Dunlop and held as part of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala circuit.

“It’s inspiring to see these studentathletes putting up their best efforts in pursuit of ranking points in the circuit where fresh faces and promising talents continue to emerge,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Other winners were siblings Kriz Roque Lim (10-unisex) and John Prince Lim (boys’ 12-U) from Urdaneta, Pangasinan; Las Piñas’ Nuguit (boys’ 14U); A;abang’s Margarita Labio (girls’ 12-U); and Sta. Rosa, Laguna’s Melody Dizon (girls’ 14-U) while prevailing in doubles division of the tournament, sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg, were Zoleta-Julia Ignacio and Quitara-Jester Ocio (18-U); Francine Dizon-Shaira Silva and Diva-Prince Ricamara (14-U); and Davila-Kriz Lim (10-unisex).

Osaka remains world’s no. 1 PARIS—Naomi Osaka retained top place in the WTA rankings on Monday in an unchanged top 20 with two weeks to go to Wimbledon.

Osaka and French Open winner Ashleigh Barty are playing on grass in Birmingham this week in preparation for Wimbledon.

American Alison Riske moves up 12 places to 49th following her win over Kiki Bertens in the final of the s’Hertogenbosch tournament in the Netherlands on Sunday.

WTA rankings as of June 17 (changes in brackets): 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 6,377 pts; 2. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,125; 3. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,685; 4. Kiki Bertens (NED) 5,425; 5. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,925; 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,675; 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 3,967; 8. Simona Halep (ROU) 3,963; 9. Sloane Stephens (USA) 3,682; 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,565; 11. Serena Williams (USA) 3,411; 12. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 3,366; 13. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 2,953; 14. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 2,833; 15. Qiang Wang (CHN) 2,752; 16. Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) 2,746; 17. Madison Keys (USA) 2,615; 18. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,430; 19.

Julia Gorges (GER) 2,400; 20. Anett Kontaveit (EST) 2,335. AFP

A7

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Shooting mars Raptors’ revelry T

ORONTO—A giant parade to celebrate the Toronto Raptors winning their first NBA title was marred Monday by a shooting behind the downtown stage at Nathan Phillips Square —which left two people badly injured and sent revelers fleeing in panic.

A crowd estimated at more than one million people gathered across downtown Toronto for a parade in tribute of the team, but the victory rally at the jampacked square was briefly halted by gunshots.

Toronto police tweeted that two victims had serious but not life-threatening injuries, two people were in custody as a result of the incident and two firearms had been recovered.

Footage shared on social media showed dozens of people scattering from the area behind the stage.

But with a crowd of 65,000 packing the square, the celebration went on with only a delay of about two minutes, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joining the team on stage to celebrate the Raptors’ success.

“Raptors fans, every day you showed what Canada is made of, people who believe,” Trudeau told the rally.

People had begun camping out overnight to fill the square, so many that police told people to avoid the area. Subway stations were closed to limit access.

In a super-sized version of the crowds that packed “Jurassic Park” outside the team’s arena to watch game telecasts, supporters filled the square after more than two hours of delays because spectators spilled onto the parade route to witness players ride by on open-topped buses.

“You think the parade is going to be amazing and you can’t even picture this,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

“It’s pretty cool.”

The Raptors beat defending champion Golden State 114-110 on Thursday in California to capture the best-

Kawhi Leonard of the Toronto Raptors interacts with the crowd during the Toronto Raptors’ Championship Victory Parade in Toronto, Ontario. AFP

of-seven NBA Finals four games to two.

“It’s amazing,” Raptors star Kawhi Leonard said.

“Everybody is out. I don’t think anybody went to work today. Everybody got the day off. Look at it. It’s crazy.

“Thank you Canada for the support. We did it.”

NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Leonard said the team has been celebrating ever since they ran off the court in Oakland.

“The last few days have been amazing,” Leonard said. “No sleep. A lot of celebrating. And we’re going to keep going.”

Players wore T-shirts, sunglasses and held cigars and champagne as they watched people line Lake Shore Boulevard and York Street.

“This is why we wanted to win a championship,” Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. “This is unbelievable.

And we ain’t even close to being done.”

Raptors superfan rapper Drake called it, “One of the most important moments I’ve ever been on stage.”

In the ceremony, a roadway near the arena was renamed “Raptors Way” and Leonard accepted the key to the city on behalf of the team to chants of “M-V-P.” “This thing is so special because of you guys,” Nurse told the crowd—moments before the shooting briefly halted festivities.

‘Joy on people’s faces’ The last time Toronto celebrated a major North American sports title was in 1993 when the Toronto Blue Jays won baseball’s World Series.

Canada, a country of 37 million, had 20 million people watching the telecast of game six. AFP

Lifesavers bounce back in Superliga Games Tomorrow (Imus Sports Center) 4:15 p.m. — Marinerang Pilipina vs Petron 7:00 p.m. — Foton vs Generika-Ayala

SLASHER CUP. Rey Canedo (center) and Jun Verano (fifth from left) hoist their silver-plated trophy, along with the newly crowned Binibining Pilipinas queens during the World Slasher Cup awarding ceremony. Paul Gelario

Height is good, but team play is better THE Philippine Youth team may go down in history as the tallest Filipino junior squad ever assembled, but people behind the Gilas Pilipinas U19 team was quick to temper expectations about its coming campaign in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece.

Team manager Andrew Teh did stress height will be among the team’s major edge heading to the June 29 to July 7 meet as it parades a slew of tall players led by 7’2” Kai Sotto, a pair of 6’10”s in AJ Edu and Shaun Geoffrey Chiu, and 6’8” Carl Tamayo.

But as Teh reasoned out, sometimes basketball is not all about height.

“Dito sa Pilipinas, height ‘yung kulang sa atin lagi. But this time, we really have some height. But again, it’s not

only height that can win you games. It’s the team play,” said Teh in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

“So it’s not just about the height, although with height you have a good advantage (against the other). We just have to use that as a tool for us to become a better team.

Chemistry, according to Edu, is also one of the factors the young Philippine team is banking on, the main core of this group having played together as a unit during last year’s FIBA U18 Asian Championship in Nonthaburi, Thailand.

The Filipinos, then handled by Josh Reyes, placed fourth in the Asian meet to qualify to the World Cup. Reyes has since been replaced by Sandy Arespacochaga.

“I’m really liking the chemistry. Ob-

viously I thought after a year we’ve improved, all of us,” said Edu, who was with Teh in the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

“I feel like skills’ wise, we’ve improved. And I feel like the chemistry is already there from last year, so we can only get better (from last year),” added the Cypriot-born Filipino, who just finished his freshman year at the University of Toledo in the U.S. NCAA. The Youth squad will see action in two tune-up games against University of the East and Far Eastern University before leaving for Doha, Qatar on Friday as it will set up training camp and play two matches against pro club Al Rayyan Club.

GENERIKA-AYALA vented its ire on Marinerang Pilipinas following a 2518, 25-15, 25-23 win in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

After getting blown out by F2 Logistics, 12-25, 21-25, 17-25, in the opener last Saturday, the Lifesavers bounced back to barge into the win column, sending the Lady Skippers to their second straight loss in one hour and 23 minutes.

Patty Orendain, who struggled during the opener, put up an all-around performance for Generika-Ayala with 18 points off 15 attacks, a pair of aces and a block and had 16 digs and eight excellent receptions.

Ria Meneses and Fiola Ceballos had 11 points each, while Angeli Araneta added eight markers for the Lifesavers, who also drew an impressive performance from setter Jamie Lavitoria and Kath Arado.

“This is win is a huge help for us, especially the morale of the team, as the league just started,” said Generika-Ayala head coach Sherwin Meneses, who chalked up his first win in this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled

by SOGO, Eurotel, PCSO, Cocolife, UCPB Gen, Mueller, Senoh, Asics, Bizooku and One Sport.

All set for Resorts World’s Run With Me X NOW on its fourth year, Resorts World Manila’s award-winning annual celebrity-led fun run for charity Run With Me is about to become bigger and better as it opens registration for the Aug. 25 event at the SM MOA concert grounds.

Coinciding with celebrations of the integrated resort’s first decade in the industry, this year’s Run With Me X will again open four race categories at 32K, 21K, 10K, and 5K distances, with organizers expecting over 8,000 runners to participate.

Registration period is open until Aug. 10, with corresponding rates at P1,600 for 32K; P1,400 for 21K; P1,200 for 10K; and P1,000 for 5K. All race kits will include singlet, race bib, timing chip, and hydration bottles. Race kits will also include finisher shirts and RWM commemorative finisher’s medals for

21K and 32K runners. The 10K runners will likewise get an RWM commemorative finisher’s medal.

Five charity beneficiaries will share portions of the proceeds from the five celebrity-led teams.

Last year, the charity event raised P3.5 million for YESPinoy Foundation, HERO Foundation, Right Start Community Development, Inc., Empowering Brilliant Minds Foundation, ERDA Tech Foundation, and EPCALM Adult Leukemia Foundation.

Over 5,000 runners showed up for the 2018 race.

“We’re very thankful to RWM because it is really a big help for the orphans’ education,” said General Victor Bayani, Executive Director of HERO Foundation of last year’s run. “We were able to increase the stipends we provide for the elementary and high school students,” he added.

Participants of last year’s Run With Me answer the starting gun.

PSC holds cluster meetings with NSAs

PAYMAYA BACKS MAROONS. PayMaya Philippines, the country’s leading digital payments company, regaled the UP Fighting Maroons with a vigorous and enthusiastic welcome at its office at Launchpad Building in Mandaluyong complete with drums, yells and cheering paraphernalia as it formally sealed its support of the University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team in the coming Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines on Thursday. Led by its Founder-CEO, Orlando B. Vea, a UP alumnus, Pay Maya signed the Memorandum of Agreement with nowheretogobutUP Foundation, a volunteer group assisting the advancement of UP’s varsity programs. Present in the event were UP President Danilo Concepcion, UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Diaz, NTGBUP Chairman and UPMBT Team Manager Atty. Agaton Uvero, Maroons coaching staff, and the whole Fighting Maroons squad.

TEAM Philippines reinforced its commitment to bring the delegation straight to the top of the 30th Southeast Asian Games with its continuous cooperation with Chef de Mission and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez’ initiatives for the delegation.

Eleven sports associations were consulted this morning as Ramirez’s secretariat continue to establish the status of the different sports’ status of preparation for the biennial meet.

The meeting is first of a series of in-depth consultations, headed by a PSC Commissioner per cluster. This morning’s cluster was presided by Comm. Ramon Fernandez. The other clusters are scheduled to meet the whole day of Thursday.

“We have to cover a lot of ground and we are heartened by the cooperation of everyone,” said Ramirez referring to the lively and honest exchange of ideas among the national sports association representatives.

NSAs of boxing, pencak silat, wrestling, skateboarding, sambo, muaythai, wushu, judo, karatedo and arnis were all represented. Only three groups were unable to join the session.

“Just be open and let us know what you need,” was Fernandez’ advise to the group when they started the meeting, following Ramirez’ pronouncements that the agency will support their requirements as much as the PSC can.

A general consensus was the importance that foreign training plays in the overall success of their teams.

PSC Commissioners have thrown their support behind their Chairman as soon as he accepted the CDM position last May. With the Philippine Olympic Committee still unable to name Ramirez’s Deputy Chef de Mission, PSC Commissioners Arnold Agustin, Celia Kiram, Charles Maxey and Fernandez have stepped up their engagements with NSAs under their cluster to expedite the CDM’s work for Team Philippines.

Monty Mendigoria, president of the Skateboarding and Roller Sports Association of the Philippines expressed his appreciation of the PSC and the delegation secretariat’s efforts citing in his social media post how the coordination efforts speed up movement of their requests.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@manilastandard.net sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

Vargas quits as POC chief; VP Romasanta takes over PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas today tendered his irrevocable resignation as head of the Olympic body yesterday (Tuesday).

Vargas formally tendered his resignation during a session he attended with a majority of the POC Board Members held at the POC offices at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.

In the letter, he wrote: “After much introspection, I have determined that there would be other sports leaders who would have the time and inclination needed to lead the POC more effectively”.

He explained to the Board Members that corporate responsibilities and family sentiments played a big role in his decision.

He asked for the understanding of all concerned, “most especially the athletes and NSAs who have supported my initiatives in the organization”.

He also pledged to continue to support Philippine sports in his role as an official of the MVP Sports Foundation and President of ABAP. He instructed Secretary General Patrick Gregorio to assist in the smooth transition of the administration of the POC, but Robert Bachman of the squash association could be tapped as Secretary General.

Former POC first vice president Joey Romasanta will take over Vargas’ position.

The POC board members questioned Vargas’ involvement in various issues, especially in the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Foundation, Inc. and the contract with a company that aims to become the official outfitter of the SEA Games.

Vargas is one of the eight original incorporators of Phisgoc Foundation, together with Gregorio and POC communications director Patrick Gregorio.

POC board members did not recognize the Phisgoc Foundation.

The Phisgoc Foundation is led by Taguig Conressman-elect Alan Peter Cayetano, who is also the Chairman of the original Phisgoc created with the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Le Tour de Filipinas individual overall champion Jeroen Meijers of the Taoyuan Miogee Cycling Team raises his bike in triumph. Ey Acasio

Dutch crowned Le Tour PH king

By Peter Atencio

L

EGAZPI City—Dutch rider Jeroen Meijers did nothing special yesterday as he took the overall classification honors on the final day of Le Tour de Filipinas 2019 here as his two remaining teammates did all the work and helped him protect his leadership in the five-day bikefest.

The 26-year-old Meijers just stayed with the main peloton and watched from a comfortable distance as German rider Mario Vogt claimed his second stage win.

“We attacked in the beginning at the start of the climb. We were together and we took control in the first 35 kilometers of the race,” said Meijers, who is from Tillburg in the Netherlands and rides for Taiyuan Miogee Cycling Team.

Meijers relied on his Taiyuan teammates Edgar Nieto and Li Shuai, who helped him keep the overall leadership after team their teammate Mohammad Rasim crashed in the first 10 kilometers.

After five stages, Singaporean Choon Huat Goh remained 45 seconds behind Meijers, who logged a total time of 20 hours, 38 minutes and seven seconds.

Australian Angus Lyons was third, followed in fourth by Team 7-Eleven’s Daniel Habtemichael.

With a hot morning sun sapping the strength of many riders, Vogt, who is with Team Sapura, was all by himself at the finish line. Vogt clocked a time of 3 hours, 33 minutes and 39 seconds when he was done at the end of the Legazpi City to Donsol-and-back race.

Fresh from his general classification victory in the Tour of Iskandar, Vogt went on to claim his second stage win since taking the Stage 2 honors during the long Pagbilao-Daet run.

The 27-year-old Vogt made his push in the 1-km sprint stage in Ogod, Donsol. He took the sprint honors and towed an eight-man lead group that stayed with Vogt in the final 96.8 kilometers.

Then, the German left the lead group behind with still 10 kilometers left.

“Very hot. Very hot stage. At the start, it was very hot. In the breakaway, it was all up and down, all up and down. I’m

happy it’s finished now,” said Vogt.

Three Filipino riders, led by Team 7-Eleven rider Dominic Perez, joined the chase on Vogt, which started in the last 103 kilometers when they reached a bend in Donsol Road.

Perez finished in second place in the stage as the five members of a sevenman group following Vogt fell behind by 62 seconds.

With Perez were during the initial breakaway were national team member Junrey Navarra and Go For Gold’s Jericho Lucero, Indonesian Jamilidin Novardianto, Malaysian Mohd Zamri Saleh, Thai rider Warut Paekratok and Stage 3 winner Jesse Coyle.

Saleh, Novardianto, Paekratok, Coyle and Navarra were only ones in the lead pack that tried to stay in the chase with Vogt.

The 35-year-old Saleh, a bronze medallist in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games criterium, settled for a thirdplace finish in the stage.

7-Eleven rider Marcelo Felipe was with a 25-man main group that had a time gap of 65 seconds with Vogt.

Felipe’s 26th-place finish denied him a chance to be in the Top 10 of the overall classification and some Olympic qualification points.

Focus on Juvic as PGT Negros begins

Juvic Pagunsan has all the motivation he needs in pursuit of another crown on the Philippine Golf Tour and a back-to-back title feat against an international field teeming with talents.

BACOLOD—Juvic Pagunsan hopes to buck the expected early charge of the souped-up field, the pressure of completing a second straight victory and a successful title-retention drive as action in the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic fires off today (Wednesday, June 19) at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

But coming off an emphatic win at nearby Murcia and playing on a course he calls home, Pagunsan has all the motivation he needs in pursuit of another crown on the Philippine Golf Tour and a back-to-back title feat against an international field teeming with talents.

The Japan PGA Tour-based shotmaker outwitted reigning PGT Order of Merit champion but absentee Jobim Carlos on the second playoff hole to reign here last year and the region’s former No. 1 marked his return to the local circuit this season with a sevenstroke romp over Rufino Bayron in the ICTSI Bacolod Golf Classic last weekend.

That makes him the top favorite in the P3 million event sponsored by ICTSI with the smooth-swinging shotmaker also expected to cash in on his local knowledge of the par-70 Marapara layout that features twisting fairways and a tough backside littered with water hazards and deceptive holes.

Still, the rest of the 106-player field, including 37 foreign aces, remain hopeful of foiling the hometown

hero in the 72-hole championship serving as the third of the four-stage Visayan swing of the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Thais Kammalas Namuangruk and Tawan Phongphun, among the top placers in the recent PGT and PGT Asia Q-School for foreign players, are tipped to contend in the early going along with Aussie Fidel Concepcion, the best-placed foreigner at fifth in last week’s Bacolod, Spain’s Marcos Pastor, and Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational wire-to-wire winner Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands.

Former PGT Asia leg champion David Gleeson, also from Down Under, is also among those seen to have the skills and talent to spoil Pagunsan’s repeat bid along with fellow invitees Colombia’s Mateo Gomez and Sebastian Lopez, Englishman George Twyman, Aussies Jack Sullivan and Swede Sebastian Hansson.

A slew of local aces are also raring to slug it out for top honors worth a whopping P550,000, including former champions Frankie Miñoza (2016), Tony Lascuña (2014) and Zanieboy Gialon (2012).

Clyde Mondilla, who came out of a six-week layoff due to injury and tied for 10th in Murcia, is also expected to have settled down with his game and will be among those seen to be in the early mix along with Jay Bayron, Richard Sinfuego, Ira Alido, Jhonnel Ababa, Michael Bibat and Jerson Balasabas.

Miranda best Asian driver in TCR Asia Series at Shanghai circuit THOUGH still new to the TCR Asia Series, Daniel Miranda continued to impress on his debut season with yet another strong performance, this time at the Shanghai International Circuit last June 1 and 2. The race weekend saw the Cebuano bring the fight to the fastest drivers on the grid and come out as the top Asian driver.

Miranda, however, admitted that he and Eurasia Motorsport struggled with car setup early on. It also took him several sessions to acquaint himself with the 5.451 km F1 circuit before he could truly push the #20 Hyundai i30 N TCR with full confidence. But once everything was sorted out, Miranda was able to set the 8th fastest time in Qualifying out of a massive combined 21-car grid of TCR Asia and TCR China.

Backed by Cebuana Lhuillier, Miranda got a good start off the line in Race 1 and

was up to P6 at the end of the first lap. He then had to forcefully defend his position against his hard-charging rivals, but at the cost of his tires. The lack of grip eventually slowed him down in the closing stages of the race to end up 9th overall and 2nd in the Asian Drivers’ classification.

“I’m so elated and proud of Daniel’s strong performances. Cebuana Lhuillier will continue to support him as I strongly believe that he has what it takes to become one of the best drivers not just in Asia but in the whole world,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier and a known sports patron.

Miranda made up for lost ground the following day with a brilliant drive in Race 2. Starting from P3 on the grid, he shot up to P2 on the run to the first corner and battled with the top TCR drivers from Europe and South America. He showed

Daniel Miranda poses with other top drivers in the Shanghai circuit while wearing his Cebuana Lhuillier uniform.

good pace and even made several attempts for the lead, but inadvertently left the door open for his competitors to get past. Despite the slight misstep,

Miranda continued the fight for position and crossed the finish line 5th overall and landed on the podium with 1st place in the Asian Drivers’ class.

Pringle traded to Ginebra

By Jeric Lopez STANLEY Pringle is now officially a Ginebra Gin King after he was sent

by NorthPort to the crowd darlings in exchange for Sol Mercado, Kevin Ferrer, and Jervy Cruz —a blockbuster trade approved y e s t e r d a y Pringle ( Tu e s d a y ) by the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Office.

How exactly will the 32-year-old Fil-American will fit into a stacked Ginebra backcourt composed of LA Tenorio and Scottie Thompson will be the concern of coach Tim Cone.

Pringle, who has only played two games in the conference so far, missing his team’s last two due to a foot injury, was drafted first overall in the 2014 PBA Rookie Draft. He spent all of his five seasons in the PBA with the Batang Pier.

Ferrer and Cruz, on the other hand, will be reunited with their University of Santo Tomas collegiate coach Pido Jarencio, the NorthPort mentor.

On the other hand, Mercado also returns to the GlobalPort franchise where he had two stints before, his last in being in 2014.

Meanwhile, once again in a position to gain a share of the lead, NorthPort eyes on keeping in-step with its fellow league-leaders when it goes for a third straight win in the resumption of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. The second-running Batang Pier (5-1) take on another streaking team in Rain or Shine (2-2), which is also looking for a third straight win, at 4:30 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City today.

In the nightcap, struggling teams face each other as Meralco (3-4) and hapless NLEX (0-6) go toeto-toe at 7 p.m. with both of them facing must-win situations.

Showing its consistency thus far in the tournament, the Batang Pier now looks to close in on a berth in the quarterfinals as another win will put one foot in the post-season.

For Jarencio, his team’s success thus far is because of the most basic reasons.

“Everyone is stepping up and delivering for us,” said Jarencio. “Not one, not two players but everyone is helping out.”

The Batang Pier last took out Magnolia, 102-99, last week.

On the other hand, the Elasto Painters are riding a two-game winning streak after losing their first two assignments.

IN BRIEF

Aboitiz Equity raises P5b from bond issue

ABOITIZ Equity Ventures Inc. has successfully raised P5 billion from the issuance of fixed rate peso bonds.

AEV chief finance officer Manuel Lozano said in an interview during the listing of the firm’s P5-billion bonds with Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. it would use the net proceeds from the offering to refinance the medium-term loan incurred by wholly owned unit AEV International Pte. The bonds were issued in two series— Series “A” with a fixed interest rate of 6.0157 percent a year and maturing in 2024, and Series “B” with a fixed interest rate of 6.3210 percent a year maturing in 2029.

The P5-billion bond offering represents the first tranche of the company’s P30-billion bond shelf registration program earlier approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lozano said the company had not yet finalized plans to issue the second tranche.

He indicated AEV was optimistic about its growth plans that would enable it to use the remaining P27 billion from the bond registration program within the next three years. Jenniffer B. Austria

Movenpick Resort, BPI form partnership

MOVENPICK Resort & Spa Boracay has teamed up with Bank of the Philippine Islands to provide attractive discounted rates and additional extras for cardholders.

Under the agreement, members of the Ayala-led bank’s various credit card programs¹ will receive an enticing 30-percent discount on the best available rate for all rooms and suites at Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay.

The BPI cardholder promotion is valid for online reservations made directly with the hotel, for bookings and stays taken between now until December 15, 2019.

“At Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay, we are always seeking new ways to make stays more rewarding for our esteemed domestic guests. BPI is one of the Philippines’ largest banks, so this partnership will make it even easier for thousands of cardholders to enjoy blissful beachfront breaks in Boracay,” said André Brulhart, general manager of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Boracay. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business NTC issues rules on easing mobile number portability

By Darwin G. Amojelar

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HE National Telecommunications Commission issued the rules allowing mobile phone subscribers to shift to other networks without changing their numbers.

The agency issued the rules and regulations implementing Republic Act No. 11202, or the “Mobile Number Portability Act,” which was passed into law on February 8, 2019.

The rules on Mobile Number Portability Act promotes easy and expedient mobile phone/device usage by allowing the convenient transfer of a mobile postpaid or prepaid subscriber from one service provider to another, or change the type of subscription from postpaid to prepaid or vice-versa, without changing the subscriber’s mobile number.

The rules state that every subscriber applying for Mobile Number Portability should have no any outstanding financial obligation with the mobile provider or donor provider (DP) and the subscriber is the assignee of the mobile number used in a device that is not locked to any Mobile Service Provider (MSP).

The rules takes effect on July 2, 2019.

The rules added that a period of 60 calendar days have lapsed from the date of activation of the ported number; the subscriber has no pending request for transfer of assignment of the mobile number; no prohibition from a court of law for the porting of the mobile number; and the subscriber is not blacklisted by a MSP due to previous fraudulent activities.

A subscriber who intends to avail of the MNP service should first request from DP a 9-digit unique subscriber code, which is valid for 15 days.

The subscriber must submit his/her porting application indicating a valid USC to Recipient Provider (RP) in person, or through a duly authorized

SUPPORT FOR EVS.

JACCS’ acquisition of MMPC Auto OKd

Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. commits to support electric vehicles in the Philippines at the first landscape automotive industry briefing of 2019. HARI and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors organized the forum.

Shown during the forum are (from left) Ateneo de Manila Dean of the School of Social Sciences Fernando Aldaba, Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines executive director Jose Bienvenido Manuel Biona and HARI president and chief executive Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo.

THE Philippine Competition Commission approved the acquisition by JACCS Co. Ltd. of shares in MMPC Auto Financial Services Corp.

The transaction involved the buyout of shares held by partners, BDO Leasing and Finance Inc. and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. under the MAFS portfolio for Mitsubishi car loans.

The commission in a June 13 decision found that the transaction did not result in substantial lessening of competition in the car loan market.

It found that the transaction would have a pro-competitive effect in the auto loan industry as the BDOLF also offered loans to other car brands other than Mitsubishi.

Moreover, the anti-trust body noted that there was a sufficient number of other players in the auto loan market providing competitive constraints after the transaction.

JACCS is poised to acquire BDOLF’s 3 million common shares in MAFS for P165.63 million and MMPC’s 375,000 common shares for P20.7 million, respectively, amounting to a total agreed purchase price of P186.3 million.

Othel V. Campos

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representation, or online, or through an SMS via a 5-digit access code.

Within 24 hours from the receipt of PA, the DP will transmit the clearance to the RP, or inform the RP through MNPSP that the PA is rejected, or notify the RP through MNPSP that the applicant has outstanding financial obligation.

The porting process will be completed within 48 hours from the time of submission of the PA with the RP, provided the applicant has no outstanding financial obligation or is not rejected.

Postpaid and prepaid subscribers within the same mobile network may avail MNP and should be changed within 24 hours upon submission and acceptance of application and subject to existing policies of the MSP. No fees and charges should be collected from the applicants for MNP. Furthermore, no interconnection fee or charge will be imposed by any MSP for domestic calls and SMS made by a subscriber.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

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BSP okays merger of RCBC with thrift bank

By Julito G. Rada THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas approved the planned merger of RCBC Savings Bank into parent company Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., a move that is seen to improve the latter’s financing and operational cost efficiencies.

RCBC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday it obtained the BSP approval on June 17, 2019.

RCBC Savings Bank is a thrift bank that is fully owned by RCBC, the 10th largest lender in the country.

The board of directors of RCBC on Nov. 26, 2018 approved to merge RCBC Savings Bank into RCBC, subject to regulatory approvals.

Then on Feb. 26, 2019, at least twothirds of its stockholders approved the merger in a stockholders’ meeting.

“The proposed transaction will facilitate for the RCBC Group the following objectives: more efficient capital deployment, more efficient compliance with the Basel 3 liquidity ratios, optimal coordination between the branch banking networks of RCBC and RCBC Savings, medium-term improvement in the funding economics, and operational cost efficiencies,” the bank said.

RCBC is one of the leading banks in the country that offers a wide range of banking and financial products and services.

RCBC posted a 15-percent jump in net income to P1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2019 from P1.1 billion a year ago on the strength of the core businesses. Net interest income increased by 10 percent on year, while fee-based income grew 31 percent.

Loans to small and medium enterprises rose 12 percent to P53.8 billion. Its subsidiary Rizal Microbank improved its loans to small businesses by 20 percent to P1 billion.

Total resources rose 14 percent to P664.7 billion, while total deposits jumped P21.4 billion on year to P416 billion with CASA reaching P229.2 billion.

USAID, ADB launching partnership Austal bares expansion project to build bigger vessels to unlock private sector investments By Othel V. Campis

THE United States Agency for International Development and the Asian Development Bank launched Tuesday a collaboration that will mobilize $7 billion of private sector investments for energy projects in the Asia Pacific region.

USAID Asia Bureau acting assistant administrator Gloria Steele and Tomoyuki Kimura, ADB director general of strategy, policy and review department, signed a partnership agreement at the Asia Clean Energy Forum at the ADB headquarters.

“What we would like to do is to use the resources to get private sector engaged in the energy sector in the region and through their engagement we will mobilize investments from the private sector... We will try to mobilize financing for projects in the energy sector,” Steele said.

Under the framework of the agreement, USAID and ADB will work to

mobilize $7 billion of investment for energy projects in Asia and the Pacific, boost the capacity of clean energy systems by 6 gigawatts (6,000 megawatts) and increase regional energy trade by 10 percent over the next five years.

The parties said the agreement would promote energy efficiency, energy sector reform and good governance of Asia and the Pacific’s energy sector.

“ADB welcomes the increased investment by the USAID and the US government in Asia through its new Indo-Pacific strategy and in partner in the energy sector,” Kimura said.

He said the primary objectives of the agreement involved increased energy access and deployment of advanced energy systems and practices, improved performance of energy utilities and enhanced regional integration and energy trade.

Alena Mae S. Flores

AUSTAL Philippines, an Austalian shipbuilder based in Balamban Cebu province, will embark on a P1.04billion expansion to strengthen its ability to build bigger and better types of marine vessels.

The expansion, set to be completed in July 2019, will enable Austal Philippines to manufacture larger sea vessels.

The expansion included a new 120-meter long, 43-meter wide and 41-meter high assembly bay, said Austal Philippines president Wayne Murray.

Already in use, the bay is designed to manage the construction of the largest high-speed aluminum ferry ever built in the Philippines—a 109-meter catamaran for Fjord Line of Norway.

“Now, with a license to construct naval vessels recently issued, the shipyard is ready to deliver major naval projects such as the offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Philippines Navy,” Murray said during the opening of the Philippines Marine Expo Tuesday at the SMX Mall of Asia.

Austal earlier expressed interest to build six OPVs for the Philippine Navy as part of the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The vessels offered by Austal are a larger variant of the Cape-class boats used by the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Border Force.

Murray noted that the Cebu shipyard operates as the global center for commercial vessel design, development and construction of Australia-based shipbuilding

company Austal.

The facility is strategically positioned to cater to future market demands for ferries, workboats, fast crew transfer boats, commercial vessels and military vessels.

Austal Philippines has successfully delivered 17 ships to 10 operators in nine countries around the world since it began its operations in February 2012.

The shipyard began with 30 employees and now boasts a workforce of over 900. Ninety eight percent of Austal Philippines’ workforce, from engineers, designers to their skilled laborers, are Filipinos.

With a skilled and experienced Filipino workforce, Austal Philippines has demonstrated an ability to deliver complex vessel projects on-time and on budget.

Energy starts review of higher subsidy enjoyed in off-grid areas

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy is seeking ways to cushion the impact of higher subsidy in the off-grid areas, which are expected to soar to P28.373 billion in the next two years from P7.784 billion in 2011.

Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said in a memorandum to stakeholders in off-grid areas the department would study and formulate new policies and programs to rationalize existing tariffs in off-grid areas. He noted that the subsidy under the annual universal charge for missionary electrification was expected to continue to grow.

“This can only be cushioned by a for-

mulation of new well-targeted and efficient subsidy policy for off-grid areas,” said Fuentebella said in a memorandum seeking comments on the guidelines for the rationalization of tariffs in off-grid areas.

“Notwithstanding any policy changes, the DoE will ensure that there will be no abrupt removal of UC-ME subsidy without appropriate safety nets to mitigate the effect of the rationalization to the household consumers in off-grid areas. The DOE therefore, urges the concerned stakeholders to join and participate in these public consultations,” he said.

Fuentebella said the subsidy rationalization policy aims to address social inequity because the UC-ME

is being collected from all electricity consumers, including the average households and poor household consumers in the main grids of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and in off-grid areas.

“However, the existing subsidy policy involves uniform pricing, such that the same level of subsidy per kilowatthour is being provided to residential, commercial and other electricity consumers in off-grid areas. In effect, poor electricity consumers in the main grids are also paying for the UC-ME to subsidize the electricity consumption of large commercial and even industrial consumers in off-grid areas.

This inequity must be immediately addressed,” he said.

TREE PARTNER. Botanic Gardens Conservation International, the world’s largest plant conservation network and the secretariat of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, taps renewable energy leader and geothermal producer Energy Development Corp. as the first and only local partner for its Global Tree Assessment program. Signing the partnership agreement are (from left) Ryan Hills, BGCI conservation specialist; Megan Barstow, BGCI conservation specialist; Federico Lopez, EDC chairman and chief executive officer; and Allan Barcena, EDC corporate social responsibility head.

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Business

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; GT Capital climbs

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HE stock market rose Tuesday in mixed trading, with investors treading uneasily as they await the conclusion of a crucial Federal Reserve meeting this week.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 13.05 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,922.04 on a value turnover of nearly P8 billion. Losers, however, edged gainers, 100 to 96, with 54 issues unchanged.

Conglomerate GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty Group advanced 3.5 percent to P880, while unit Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the biggest lender in terms of assets, gained 1.4 percent to P72.60.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest operator and

owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., climbed 2.1 percent to P147.80, while Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest telecommunications firm, rose 1.8 percent to P2,200.

Meanwhile, Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday but gains were limited.

While geopolitical tensions and the China-US trade war continue to make waves, the key focus for now is what the US central bank plans to do with monetary policy as the tariff stand-off shows signs of impacting the world’s top economy.

The latest weak data saw manufacturing activity in New York state plunge into contraction this month and hit its lowest level since late 2016, reflecting steep drop-offs in new orders, backlogs and employment.

Observers pointed out the reading coincided with US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Mexico over

immigration policy, which he has since withdrawn, but added that the reaction suggests how manufacturers would react to further action against China.

There has been increasing talk that the Fed will cut borrowing costs for the first time in more than a decade, although the expectation is for a move later on. The shift to a more dovish tone from the bank has been a key support for global markets in the face of the trade uncertainty.

Still, Cesar Perez Ruiz, chief investment officer at Pictet Wealth Management, warned: “If market expectations for cuts are not met, we could see a jump in market volatility. Unless US-China trade talks completely derail, we expect a first Fed rate cut to come no earlier than September, in contrast to what markets have priced in.”

Hong Kong jumped one percent, Sydney rose 0.6 percent, Shanghai edged 0.1 percent higher and Singapore put

on one percent while Seoul added 0.4 percent. Wellington, Taipei, Mumbai and Jakarta also climbed, but Tokyo ended 0.7 percent lower as it was hit by a strengthening yen.

Investors are also gearing up for next week’s high-stakes G20 summit, where Trump is penciled in to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines to discuss their trade war.

Officials on both sides have played down the likelihood of a deal being struck in Osaka but experts point out that some sort of breakthrough is in the interests of Beijing and Washington as their economies stutter.

“The trade war is starting to ebb away at US data,” said OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya. “Uncertainty on the trade front remains high and markets will remain undecided until we see the events at the G20 summit in Japan unfold.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2019

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CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

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

58.4 81.25 2.26 138 1.24 26.85 18.7 11.54 4.8 756.5 0.51 72 0.96 13.2 51.9 185 112 57.5 28.35 168.8 1,755 59.9

58.85 81.25 2.26 138.7 1.26 26.9 18.7 11.68 5.07 756.5 0.51 73 0.98 13.2 51.9 185 112 57.5 28.5 168.8 1,755 59.9

58.4 79.95 2.26 137.4 1.24 26.8 18.5 11.52 4.76 756.5 0.49 71.6 0.96 13.2 49.1 185 112 57.25 27.5 162.5 1,755 58

58.85 80.1 2.26 138.2 1.26 26.85 18.5 11.64 4.9 756.5 0.5 72.6 0.96 13.2 50.1 185 112 57.5 28.05 162.5 1,755 58

3,660 1,041,370 1,000 2,396,160 104,000 97,700 121,100 392,900 2,239,000 10 115,000 9,533,510 133,000 30,200 640,290 20 10 1,630 212,400 634,000 5 49,540

215,115.50 83,582,993.50 2,260 330,279,744 130,320 2,623,215 2,256,560 4,554,628 11,052,230 7,565 57,530 688,503,633 127,950 398,640 32,470,753.50 3,700 1,120 93,675 5,927,175 104,387,834 8,775 2,921,678.50

212,775 8,558,502.50 17,802,282 -306,090 -639,540 -420963.9997 86,640 -39558693.5 735,501.50 -1,102,055 -31,431,425 -932,958.50

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

34.9 14.42 0.73 1.38 0.28 2.66 14.9 112 24.1 44 69.8 63.1 2 5.35 5.47 10.28 15.94 10.28 7.54 23.8 76.55 50.45 2.34 13.74 10.1 1.67 282 4.17 9.6 23.65 13.6 19.3 382 0.186 5.65 1.31 4.37 5.92 9.02 2.51 12 38.75 4.9 1.49 1.88 1.16 13.76 106 6.55 0.124 1.31 170 2.8 1.28 1.35

35.5 14.44 0.75 1.4 0.29 2.67 14.98 112 24.1 44.7 69.95 63.1 2.03 5.35 5.78 10.44 16 10.48 7.6 24.3 76.55 51 2.4 13.82 10.1 1.68 282 4.17 9.6 23.65 13.86 19.44 382 0.19 5.71 1.34 4.56 5.96 9.02 2.66 12.1 39.95 4.95 1.49 1.95 1.16 14 106 6.55 0.133 1.33 173.9 2.9 1.3 1.39

34.8 14.24 0.73 1.38 0.28 2.61 14.84 112 23.8 44 69.8 63.1 2 5.35 5.47 10.26 15.92 10.1 7.51 23.8 76.4 50 2.34 13.74 10 1.67 277 4.17 9.4 23.5 13.2 19.22 376.2 0.186 5.65 1.3 4.37 5.91 9.02 2.5 12 37.3 4.9 1.46 1.88 1.12 13.46 105 6.46 0.124 1.27 169 2.75 1.24 1.3

34.85 14.38 0.75 1.4 0.285 2.62 14.94 112 23.8 44.65 69.95 63.1 2.03 5.35 5.48 10.4 16 10.12 7.54 24.05 76.5 51 2.37 13.82 10 1.67 282 4.17 9.4 23.65 13.46 19.42 382 0.19 5.7 1.34 4.56 5.91 9.02 2.65 12.08 37.35 4.95 1.49 1.9 1.16 14 105 6.5 0.125 1.3 173.9 2.85 1.25 1.33

1,021,500 736,600 1,254,000 3,000 5,300,000 14,351,000 1,105,700 20 102,500 3,600 900 10 114,000 15,100 4,900 4,062,800 203,800 330,000 2,070,900 1,385,000 43,630 172,260 2,569,000 258,200 98,900 193,000 683,400 5,000 8,600 83,400 742,300 946,300 171,360 600,000 31,500 5,930,000 73,000 1,467,200 2,800 43,103,000 7,047,500 778,700 61,000 31,000 178,000 360,000 1,214,300 84,440 45,500 780,000 596,000 1,001,760 174,000 6,142,000 10,594,000

35,618,605 10,591,126 933,070 4,160 1,512,700 38,053,730 16,482,200 2,240 2,453,730 159,220 62,892 631 229,350 80,785 27,017 42,096,868 3,256,562 3,393,246 15,641,912 33,373,230 3,336,102.50 8,749,735.50 6,121,230 3,552,488 992,450 322,350 191,624,072 20,850 81,060 1,970,210 10,105,136 18,343,968 65,052,202 112,360 179,738 7,914,300 321,690 8,702,518 25,256 111,980,810 84,572,300 29,657,515 301,610 45,530 337,720 408,630 16,788,706 8,882,439 295,874 98,040 771,530 173,373,799 496,310 7,737,370 14,265,040

374,740 925,036 7,006,960 14,928,054 -942,065 -280 14850087.9996 3,148,052 2064971.9997 -7,279,120 21,058,890 -1,383,232.50 2,956,661 -7,140 24,656 -134,270 -36,137,474 139,235 532,424 3,463,254 25,134,598 -3,099,230 -1,369,802 10,724,470 -84,014,420 -11980110.0003 267,300 993,732 -5,340,894 13,765,427 220,690 188,180

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

0.72 54.05 15.4 0.76 6.7 12.98 1.3 1.3 899 3.74 6.62 10.16 14.18 0.245 850.5 6.22 61.7 5.91 0.5 4.26 15.22 0.59 4.6 0.038 1.26 179.8 2.38 945 0.85 1.35 434 264.4 0.23 0.31

0.73 55 15.4 0.78 6.7 12.98 1.3 1.3 900 3.8 6.86 10.2 14.18 0.255 880 6.22 63.85 6.1 0.5 4.44 15.4 0.61 4.6 0.039 1.3 179.8 2.38 957.5 0.9 1.35 434 270 0.239 0.31

0.7 53.6 15.08 0.76 6.7 12.5 1.27 1.3 892.5 3.6 6.62 10.1 13.74 0.24 850.5 6.22 61.7 5.9 0.47 4.26 15.18 0.59 4.54 0.038 1.19 178.4 2.38 936.5 0.83 1.32 434 264.4 0.23 0.305

0.72 55 15.1 0.76 6.7 12.88 1.28 1.3 900 3.62 6.75 10.12 14.06 0.255 880 6.22 63.85 6.1 0.5 4.4 15.2 0.6 4.56 0.039 1.22 178.8 2.38 947.5 0.9 1.35 434 270 0.239 0.31

16,275,000 891,270 3,313,300 374,000 25,900 48,900 1,855,000 155,000 418,630 15,942,000 123,700 4,895,700 11,600 60,000 253,330 4,000 856,340 7,700 11,000 434,000 593,800 491,000 14,992,000 2,100,000 1,887,000 403,730 4,000 156,910 980,000 105,000 130 80,280 1,660,000 3,550,000

11,633,230 48,395,100.50 50,118,694 287,930 173,530 617,152 2,368,590 201,500 375,699,040 58,956,270 825,500 49,549,194 162,802 14,750 221,716,825 24,880 53,969,592.50 45,460 5,335 1,894,690 9,028,310 295,250 68,449,210 80,400 2,344,100 72,237,012 9,520 148,224,440 832,940 140,010 56,420 21,674,686 389,070 1,095,950

753,960 -5,270,496 -27,651,788 173,530 -17,569,800 1,025,450 -35,343 -36054624.0003 -21,312 152,688,040 18,692,497 14,580.00 -6,027,446 16,022,000 26,600 -11,729,159 44,000,095 -8,500 11,900 21578848.0001 150,550

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

15.86 0.79 11 2.04 0.83 50.05 2.33 4.84 6.25 0.58 0.89 0.87 0.232 0.465 9.96 25.9 0.48 0.125 1.71 1.32 4.79 5.95 0.32 0.465 1.83 0.41 2.07 25.45

16.1 0.8 11 2.1 0.88 50.85 2.35 4.92 6.35 0.59 0.93 0.9 0.232 0.48 10 26.15 0.48 0.125 1.72 1.32 4.79 5.95 0.325 0.465 1.88 0.42 2.2 26

15.6 0.78 11 2.03 0.82 49.9 2.31 4.84 6.25 0.57 0.88 0.86 0.226 0.46 9.92 25.8 0.47 0.125 1.68 1.28 4.68 5.89 0.315 0.455 1.81 0.41 2.05 25

15.6 0.78 11 2.03 0.84 49.9 2.31 4.91 6.35 0.58 0.9 0.9 0.229 0.47 10 25.95 0.475 0.125 1.68 1.28 4.68 5.91 0.32 0.46 1.88 0.42 2.2 25.5

729,000 666,000 4,800 431,000 11,650,000 9,667,740 182,000 777,000 1,200 20,467,000 300,000 53,000 310,000 3,020,000 135,900 303,300 190,000 60,000 34,524,000 6,565,000 8,000 8,147,200 6,300,000 50,000 4,403,000 550,000 6,037,000 1,714,900

11,445,546 524,840 52,800 878,280 9,954,550 486,224,656.50 421,980 3,807,060 7,520 11,865,230 271,090 46,540 71,260 1,406,600 1,353,275 7,864,785 90,350 7,500 58,366,010 8,519,710 37,590 48,162,017 2,007,500 23,100 8,102,330 229,650 12,874,660 43,615,110

-131010.0002 11,570 34,810,467 -13,890 -880999.9998 -7,520 -491,840 -26,100 774,181.00 3,245,535 -39,401,410 -85,140 25,674,636 -67,200 1,405,290 302,610 9,787,465

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

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

2.15 2.99 38.25 1.98 6.18 0.78 7.05

2.15 2.99 38.75 2 6.18 0.78 7.14

2.11 2.98 38 1.98 6.08 0.78 7.02

2.12 2.99 38.1 2 6.1 0.78 7.14

47,000 4,128,000 6,719,300 377,000 247,100 136,000 3,133,000

100,100 12,302,720 256,376,395 750,790 1,513,753 106,080 22,253,432

2,130 -52,154,220 -8,833,731

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

11 17 1.37 0.45 0.043 21.45 2.85 11.56 0.056 86.5 7.23 7.11 5.9 10.2 2,144 5.35 403 9.88 2.33 1.86 143.1 10.08 5.8 0.119 6.69 15.4 4.1 0.81 19.1 0.57 3.4 2.56 1.66 15 2.44 3.07 9.25 4.92 131 3.7 1,195 0.81 0.81 45.45 76.3 9.48 3.42 0.73 0.385 5.11 0.75 16.7

11 17.2 1.38 0.47 0.044 21.45 2.85 11.58 0.059 86.7 7.23 7.5 5.9 10.38 2,200 5.39 411.8 9.88 2.36 1.86 147.8 10.08 5.8 0.122 6.82 15.4 4.31 0.84 19.24 0.57 3.4 2.56 1.78 15.5 2.48 3.08 9.34 5 131 3.75 1,206 0.81 0.81 45.5 76.65 9.49 3.47 0.75 0.39 5.11 0.75 16.98

10.8 17 1.37 0.45 0.041 20.65 2.7 11.32 0.056 85.5 7 7.1 5.9 10.18 2,144 5.34 400.2 9.88 2.28 1.78 143.1 10.08 5.8 0.119 6.62 15.4 4.05 0.81 18.7 0.55 3.25 2.42 1.66 15 2.4 3.06 9.01 4.92 130 3.64 1,164 0.8 0.79 44.9 76 9.48 3.4 0.73 0.38 5.05 0.73 16.7

10.86 17.1 1.38 0.46 0.042 21.45 2.71 11.4 0.059 86.1 7 7.5 5.9 10.3 2,200 5.39 411.8 9.88 2.33 1.85 147.8 10.08 5.8 0.121 6.68 15.4 4.29 0.84 19.18 0.55 3.25 2.43 1.76 15.5 2.44 3.07 9.3 5 131 3.64 1,178 0.81 0.8 45 76.6 9.49 3.46 0.75 0.385 5.09 0.74 16.86

28,200 76,500 30,000 6,790,000 11,600,000 1,800 1,708,000 2,058,000 77,240,000 69,450 22,800 7,196,700 1,000 32,500 33,680 28,300 940 100 2,191,000 10,000 1,526,510 2,200 5,000 310,000 8,040,700 100 1,251,000 278,000 1,652,400 489,000 62,000 5,348,000 78,000 600 1,209,000 175,000 43,700 9,900 5,500 2,217,000 190,270 2,381,000 10,994,000 504,900 647,520 12,000 6,443,000 10,129,000 6,260,000 219,600 874,000 373,000

307,046 1,311,594 41,370 3,121,900 483,700 38,210 4,701,500 23,561,216 4,469,050 5,971,378.50 159,650 52,989,415 5,900 332,278 73,807,270 151,592 385,048 988 5,105,640 18,020 222,840,902 22,176 29,000 37,450 54,018,579 1,540 5,285,900 226,050 31,657,784 271,890 204,650 13,327,290 136,060 9,150 2,949,200 536,980 400,485 49,135 718,350 8,185,570 224,485,435 1,922,970 8,795,190 22,794,300 49,520,480.50 113,790 22,165,540 7,509,490 2,409,750 1,114,775 647,750 6,307,708

1,080 -16,193,116 -100,400 1,338,978 8,412 1,884,143 -6,888,990 -12,354 -347999.9999 62,263,037 -296,879 256,760 19,850,720 -474579.9997 324,050 -153,350 47,050 286,040 -21,742,685 179,700 -32,800 -2,275,610 -6,232,331 8,972,960 1,175,500 96,250 -543,509 2915223.9998

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

0.0018 1.2 2.69 12.34 1.25 2.82 0.29 7.63 1.46 0.232 0.108 0.11 0.0074 1.04 2.11 1.01 0.56 0.87 0.011 0.011 0.01 4.26 3 7.25 22.1 0.0063

0.0018 1.2 2.85 12.34 1.25 2.82 0.29 7.65 1.48 0.232 0.11 0.11 0.0074 1.06 2.2 1.01 0.56 0.87 0.011 0.011 0.011 4.38 3.19 7.27 22.1 0.0063

0.0018 1.17 2.68 12.34 1.25 2.76 0.28 7.55 1.41 0.222 0.107 0.11 0.0074 1.04 2.11 0.96 0.56 0.85 0.011 0.011 0.01 4.18 3 7.12 21.6 0.0063

0.0018 1.18 2.85 12.34 1.25 2.8 0.285 7.62 1.48 0.229 0.11 0.11 0.0074 1.06 2.12 0.96 0.56 0.85 0.011 0.011 0.011 4.2 3.14 7.16 21.75 0.0063

1,033,000,000 862,000 297,000 200 2,000 2,123,000 630,000 20,900 22,880,000 160,000 1,200,000 30,000 1,000,000 94,000 1,466,000 48,000 17,000 384,000 700,000 2,000,000 2,300,000 415,000 1,101,000 520,400 370,600 4,000,000

1,859,400 1,018,120 819,080 2,468 2,500 5,913,790 178,850 158,614 33,812,200 36,050 129,500 3,300 7,400 99,260 3,123,190 46,310 9,520 328,610 7,700 22,000 23,100 1,762,340 3,436,970 3,742,864 8,064,580 25,200

-359,980 -2,174,420 1,323,790 -2,233,160 -2,240 -22,000 8,400 -466,210 26,115 -869,220 -

PREFERRED ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF B DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2I

17 474 497 98 97.5 107.8 485 5.45 899 902 1 102.5 995 103.2 963 75.55 76.9 73.3 72 74.95

17.02 488 497 98.05 97.5 108 485 5.54 900 902 1 102.5 998 103.2 975 75.55 76.9 73.5 72 74.95

17 460.8 486 98 97.5 106 485 5.45 899 902 1 102.5 995 103.2 960 75.55 75.5 73.3 72 71.5

17 460.8 486 98.05 97.5 106.5 485 5.54 900 902 1 102.5 998 103.2 963 75.55 76 73.5 72 73.75

2,019,600 22,610 560 8,000 10,000 14,030 150 10,000 570 200 16,000 20 350 1,300 2,840 90 34,220 2,000 1,500 17,720

34,333,960 10,517,596 272,410 784,150 975,000 1,510,543 72,750 55,175 512,730 180,400 16,000 2,050 348,700 134,160 2,731,450 6,799.50 2,603,742 146,800 108,000 1,305,839.50

-646,760 4,860 33,950 -2,050 -

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

2.03

2.03

1.98

1.99

140,000

280,210

-

SME ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

4.98 2.17 1.11

5.04 2.17 1.15

4.95 2.17 1.04

4.96 2.17 1.04

286,000 1,000 26,582,000

1,424,430 2,170 29,199,290

393,990 -768,870

119.1

118.5

118.7

3,850

457,574

35,700

10.2

10.2

10.2

3,130

31,926

-

MS EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

119

DDS USD DMPL A1

10.2

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

45,041,413

INDUSTRIAL

118,380,040

HOLDING FIRMS

86,590,420

PROPERTY

133,047,530

SERVICES

173,058,513

MINING & OIL

1,075,654,284

GRAND TOTAL

1,658,647,449

VALUE 1,714.93 (down) 8.75 3,472,308,998.10 FINANCIAL 11,661.09 (up) 69.15 INDUSTRIAL 987,977,680.62 7,551.10 (up) 56.74 HOLDING FIRMS 1,458,035,108.76 PROPERTY 4,2962.56 (down) 31.99 1,678.89 (up) 8.10 1,049,933,372.29 SERVICES 7,119.37 (down) 14.20 MINING & OIL 900,472,550.67 7,922.04 (up) 13.05 PSEI 64,659,051.57 All Shares Index 4,845.50 (up) 2.78 Gainers: 96; Losers: 100; Unchanged: 54; Total: 250 7,964,480,183.78

PNB reduces stock rights offering from 300m shares

By Julito G. Rada PHILIPPINE National Bank, the fifthlargest lender in terms of assets, will offer 276.6 million common shares through a stock rights offering to strengthen its common equity tier 1 ratio and enable it to sustain asset growth.

PNB said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday it amended the number of shares to be offered through the SRO from the previous 300 million to 276,625,173.

“On June 17, 2019, the bank advised the exchange that it will offer a total of 276,625,173 common shares. The exchange’s approval of the listing of the offer shares is subject to the bank’s compliance with all applicable post-approval requirements of the exchange,” it said.

“The amendment was made to update the number of shares to be offered,” it said.

On May 29, 2019, the exchange approved the application of the bank for the listing of additional shares of up to 300,000,000 common shares covering the stock rights offering to all stockholders as of the proposed record date of June 21, 2019.

The bank said it was expecting to raise gross proceeds of up to P12 billion from the offer. The offer price will be determined on pricing date by computing the volume-weighted average price of the bank’s common shares on the PSE for each of the 15 consecutive trading days immediately prior to (and excluding) the pricing date.

Earlier, PNB said it was allotting around P4 billion for digitization this year to seize growth opportunities in the growing economy.

PNB president and chief executive Wick Veloso said in a briefing the bank would earmark 50 percent or P2 billion for information-technology related projects. The bank in 2018 just spent 40 percent of its capital expenditures for information technology.

“We want to capture the growth opportunities in the provinces. The opportunities in the provinces are very significant, not only in Metro Manila,” Veloso said.

To fund the P4-billion capex, Veloso said the bank planned to embark on capital-raising initiatives, such as stock rights offering and FCDU offshore funding.

Eagle Cement defers opening of Cebu plant

By Jenniffer B. Austria EAGLE Cement Corp. said the completion of the planned cement plant in Cebu will be delayed to the first half of 2021 from the original target of end 2020 due to permit delays.

Eagle Cement president and chief executive John Paul Ang said in an interview following the annual stockholders’ meeting the cement plant in Malabuyoc, Cebu had experienced delay in securing the Special Use Agreement in Protected Areas permit, which is needed to operate the port.

Ang said delay in getting permits would push back the opening of the cement plant by more than six months.

The cement plant, which will have a capacity of 2 million metric tons a year, was originally scheduled to open by the end of 2020.

“Despite the setback, we are confident we will be able to sell cement in Visayas region by end 2020,” Ang said.

“In a highly competitive environment amid rising input and other costs, we believe that our investment distribution and improvements in supply chain efficiency will give Eagle a clear competitive advantage over our peers,” he added.

Eagle recently announced the expansion of its Bulacan plant that would add another 1.5 million MT a year to the company’s total capacity.

Slated for completion by 2020, the expansion of the Bulacan plant will boost Eagle Cement’s capacity to 8.6 million MT from the current P7.1 million MT. Eagle Cement reported a net income of P1.6 billion in the first quarter of the year, up 49 percent from P1.1 billion recorded in the same period last year.

First-quarter net sales totaled P5.4 billion, up 34 percent from P4 billion in 2018, boosted by the more than 20 percent sales volume growth, coupled by the improvement in the average selling price of cement.

B3

Business/World

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Beijing warns US against opening a ‘Pandora’s Box’

THE PROTEST CONTINUES. Protesters sit next to a supplies stall set up outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong on June 18, 2019, as they continue to rally against a controversial plan to allow extraditions to mainland China. AFP

BEIJING―China on Tuesday warned against opening a “Pandora’s box” in the Middle East after the United States announced the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the region amid its escalating tensions with Iran.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi also urged Tehran to not abandon the nuclear agreement “so easily” after Iran said it would exceed its uranium stockpile limit if the world powers failed to fulfill their commitments under the agreement in 10 days.

The United States ratcheted up the pressure on Iran Monday, announcing the deployment of additional troops to the Middle East and producing new photographs it said showed Tehran was behind an attack on a tanker ship in the Gulf of Oman last week.

“We call on all parties to remain rational and restrained, not to take any actions to provoke the escalation of tension in the region, and not to open a Pandora’s box,” Wang told reporters in Beijing during a joint press conference with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.

“In particular, the United States

US ratchets up the pressure on Iran

W

ASHINGTON― The United States ratcheted up pressure on Iran Monday, announcing the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East and producing new photographs it said showed Tehran was behind an attack on a tanker ship.

The twin moves came as Iran set a 10-day countdown for the world powers to fulfill their commitments under a nuclear deal abandoned by the United States, saying it will otherwise surpass its uranium stockpile limit mandated by

the accord.

The tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated ever since the US quit the deal, with Washington bolstering its military presence in the region and blacklisting Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

On Monday, Washington further upped the ante.

“I have authorized approximately 1,000 additional troops for defensive purposes to address air, naval, and ground-based threats in the Middle East,” acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan said in a statement.

“The recent Iranian attacks validate the reliable, credible intelligence we have received on hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region,” Shana-

han said.

The United States has blamed Iran for last week’s attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, a charge Tehran denies as “baseless.”

The Pentagon released new images on Monday that it said showed Iran was behind the attack on one of the ships.

The US argument centers on an unexploded limpet mine on the Kokuka Courageous tanker ship it says was removed

by Iranians on a patrol boat.

“Iran is responsible for the attack based on video evidence and the resources and proficiency needed to quickly remove the unexploded limpet mine,” the Pentagon said in a statement accompanying the imagery.

The US released a grainy black and white video last week it said showed the Iranians removing the mine, but has not

provided an explanation for why they allegedly did so while the US military was in the area.

The images released Monday show the site where the unexploded mine was allegedly attached, the Iranians on a patrol boat who are said to have removed it, and damage from another device that did explode.

In Iran, the country’s atomic energy organization spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi announced Monday that the country would soon pass the amount of enriched uranium allowed under the nuclear deal.

“The countdown to pass the 300 kilograms reserve of enriched uranium has started and in 10 days’ time... we will pass this limit,” Kamalvandi said.

The move “will be reversed once other parties live up to their commitments,” he added. AFP

Chinese tourists come in waves to North Korea PYONGYANG―On a gray stone column in Pyongyang, a mural shows Chinese and North Korean soldiers rushing into battle against US-led forces in the Korean War. Decades later, the monument is a regular stop for the new waves of Chinese going to the North, this time as tourists.

Hundreds of soldiers and workers have been sprucing up the obelisk and its grounds in recent days ahead of a state visit to Pyongyang by Chinese President Xi Jinping this week.

An inscription on it lauds “the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, who fought with us on this land and smashed down the common enemy”.

Their “immortal exploits” will “last forever”, it proclaims, as will “the friendship forged in blood between the peoples of the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”.

Nearly 70 years after Mao Zedong sent millions of soldiers to save Kim Il Sung’s troops from defeat as General Douglas MacArthur’s men marched up the peninsula, China remains the isolated, nuclear-armed North’s key diplomatic backer and main provider of trade and aid.

Now the Friendship Tower, as the monument is known, attracts growing hordes of Chinese tourists―and the renovations suggest it may also be on Xi’s itinerary.

Ordinary Chinese pay travel companies around 2,500 yuan ($360) for a standard three-day trip, arriving overland by train in Pyongyang to tour the capital’s highlights, from the Arch of Triumph to Kim Il Sung Square.

The following day they head south to the Demilitarized Zone that has divided the peninsula since the two sides fought each other to a stalemate in 1953, before returning home.

“I’m very interested in North Korea and wanted to come to see what North Korea looks like,” said Yu Zhi, a retiree from Anhui province visiting Pyongyang, telling AFP that she had a “special feeling” for the country.

“China is very friendly with North Korea,” added her fellow traveler, a woman surnamed Jin. “We have been friends for generations.”

It was not always so. Mao―whose eldest son Mao Anying was among those killed in what China still calls the “War to Resist US Aggression and Aid the DPRK”―described the neighbors as “as close as lips and teeth”. AFP

PORT OF ENTRY. A woman

sits on the pavement at El Chaparral port of entry to the United States in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on June 17, 2019. AFP

Anchor “SOMETIMES assertiveness isn’t enough. Sometimes you need to be aggressive.”

It was our first day of class in the happiness elective and we were midway through a discussion on personality when we somehow found ourselves deep in a discussion on interpersonal behavior. We had hit the “A” of agreeableness in the big five personality trait and were discussing how agreeableness, like most traits, has both advantages and disadvantages.

Agreeableness Wikipedia describes agreeableness as a spectrum raging from “friendly/ compassionate” to “challenging/ detached.” This means that individuals high in agreeableness help create a smoother working environment, likely with very low levels of conflict.

On the flipside, research shows that successful entrepreneurs are much more likely to be low in agreeability. Further, many individuals who score high in agreeability have very low tolerance for conflict and instead of learning how to manage conflict end up avoiding conflict.

And that, of course, is the heart of the challenge. Human and social capital is one of the most valuable sources of competitive advantage, one that is tough to build and tough to imitate. However, in today’s fast-changing world, innovation is essential. An organization workplace where friendliness and compassion outweigh the drive for competitiveness will eventually fail.

At its simplest, agreeableness first rears its head during feedback sessions. There

is, of course, the question of content, context and delivery. Even positive feedback can be received negatively if provided within the wrong context. For example, think about receiving glowing feedback from a superior who habitually overpraises everyone. Or think about consistently receiving praises in public but receiving a mediocre formal appraisal and an undifferentiated increase. That is the issue of context. Delivery can also be challenging, especially in a multicultural environment. What is polite in one country can be perceived as rude in others. For example, smiling at strangers is considered rude in some countries.

Even the advice of seeking to be assertive rather than aggressive can be confusing. Often, the difference is a matter of boundaries. Assertion is explained as being able to state your opinion while remaining respectful of others. This, of course, continues to beg the question of delivery.

All of this fails to capture the essence of the question. What is the objective? For example, the purpose of feedback is often either to reshape a team plan or to reshape behavior. As far as I am concerned, in the workplace, “I just wanted to voice my opinion” is not enough of an objective.

Why are you trying to voice your opinion?

Do you want to point out a factor that has gone unconsidered? Has someone overstepped a line?

So to the question of agreeableness, assertiveness, or aggressiveness, I pose a one-word substitution: effectiveness.

Good managers shape their behavior in order to achieve a desired outcome.

Effectiveness In the happiness elective, we often contrast two words: happy and successful.

For young people still immersed in building careers, success can often represent primarily success in work.

But there are many aspects of success.

For example, one can be successful professionally but not financially. These levels of success are mirrored in what we can think of as satisfaction.

When we talk about happiness, we are talking not just of one thing. Happiness, satisfaction, or structural well-being has multiple aspects: romantic, social, professional, financial, health, community and even spiritual. The key to gaining satisfaction is not achieving balance.

Much like business strategy, the key to personal happiness lies in choices. No company can be everything to everyone.

It must make choices. One of my students explained that no human being can be firing all burners at full blast all the time.

In business, choices must be made because no business has unlimited resources. This is even more so for individuals. While businesses can be renewed multiple times and even outlive its founders, human beings deal with a finite lifetime.

Once our children are grown, we can never have their childhood years back.

Once our parents are gone, no resource can give us time with them again. Capital can be borrowed but every day that passes is gone forever.

Effectiveness, a clear focus on objectives, has been shown to be an important explanatory factor for

should change its practice of extreme pressure,” Wang said.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have escalated ever since the US quit the nuclear deal and with Washington blacklisting Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.

Wang urged Iran to “make prudent decisions” and not “so easily abandon” the deal that aims to keep Tehran’s nuclear ambitions in check.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced on May 8 that Iran would stop observing restrictions on its stocks of enriched uranium and heavy water agreed under the deal, a move he said was in retaliation for the unilateral US withdrawal.

Tehran on Monday followed through with a 10-day countdown for world powers to fulfill their commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran has threatened to go even further in scaling down nuclear commitments

by July 8 unless remaining partners to the deal—Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia—help it circumvent US sanctions and especially enable it to sell its oil. AFP

Earthquake kills 12, injures 134 in China BEIJING―The toll from a 6.0-magnitude earthquake in southwest China rose to 12 dead and 134 injured on Tuesday as rescuers pulled bodies and survivors from wrecked buildings.

More than 4,000 people were relocated as a large number of structures were damaged or collapsed following late Monday’s earthquake outside Yibin in Sichuan province, according to the city government.

State broadcaster CCTV showed footage of rescuers bringing a survivor out of the rubble of a building on a stretcher overnight. Other images showed a woman being helped out of another collapsed structure.

Images from Changning county showed an electricity pole knocked down on the roof of a building, a hole in a brick home and broken windows on the street.

Cracks appeared in several roads and a major highway connecting Yibin and Xuyong county was closed, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Mud and rock slipped from the side of a hill, blocking a road and wrapping around a truck, according to CCTV footage.

More than 10,000 rooms within an undisclosed number of buildings were moderately damaged while 12 collapsed, according to Yibin authorities.

The homes of more than 4,000 families were damaged in Gong county.

An early warning alarm system was triggered in the provincial capital Chengdu about one minute before the earthquake struck, Xinhua said. The alert rang 10 seconds before it hit Yibin.

A three-second headstart before an earthquake strikes can prevent 14 percent of casualties, Xinhua said.

Nine people died in Changning county and three others in Qixian county, the Yibin city government said in its Twitter-like Weibo account, up from an initial death toll of six overnight. AFP individuals who are multiply successful —financially, professionally, and in personal life. At its heart, effectiveness means using personal time and effort only for pursuing goals that are important. This is no small feat. So much of even adult behavior is rooted in emotions, and until we manage our mindset so that our emotions don’t sabotage our own goals, we continue to have pockets of ineffectiveness. That moment when you decided to give a co-worker “a piece of your mind?”

Time wasted. That moment when you lost valuable time pursuing that rude driver who cut in front of you? Not only time wasted, but also dangerous behavior.

Anchor The key, as it turns out, lies in goals.

Goals, dreams, visions. They create anchors into the future. They keep us rooted in what we want to achieve.

In the question of assertiveness versus aggressiveness, the questions tend to be simple. What is your intent? Is it, over the long-term, good for the other person?

If not, is there an affirmative justification for what you are doing?

In many cases negative feedback is delivered for the good of the other person as well as for the good of the organization. The key is to deliver it in a manner that achieves the goal.

There are other things to aid in delivery, of course - skills, policies, process. But a clear focus on goals and effectiveness is step one.

Readers can email Maya at integrations_manila@yahoo.com or through her Facebook page, integrations manila. Or visit her site at http://integrations.tumblr.com.

From Wattah! celebration to conservation

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

QC JAIL DORM. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista takes a closer look at the jail facilities inside the newly-constructed four-story QC Female Dormitory built by the Quezon City

government at the QC Police District headquarters at Camp Karingal. The facility, which features 15 cells, has an infirmary and a laundry area, and is expected to reduce by at least 700 percent the congestion at the QC female jail ward. With the mayor are Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Regional Director J/CSupt. Ignacio Panti, QC Police District Director Brig.

Gen. Joselito Esquivel, and other BJMP officials. Manny Palmero

Makati kids get more benefits New Christmas Village to rise at Capas area CAPAS, Tarlac—A one-hectare lot adjacent to New Clark City (Sports City) would be developed into a Christmas Village, an added attraction during night time for local and foreign tourists who will be watching the actions during the 20-day South East Asian Games, Capas Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan told reporters Monday.

“Were going to build a Christmas Village where we can showcase our ‘Belenismo’ winners, lanterns made by locals and other attractions during night time, so the athletes that come from other areas can see these at night. Sports in the morning, the Christmas Village in the evening,” said Catacutan.

Belenismo is a yearly pre-Christmas competition of different local government units and other government agencies in Tarlac, where participants make a life-size “Belen” or manger displayed in strategic locations of each town.

Catacutan said Capas is ready in terms of road networks and other businesses vital for the opening of the muchawaited event come Dec. 1. He said the local government is ready to accept the sports facility once it will be turned over by the Bases Conversion Development Authority on Oct. 15.

“Capas is very much ready in hosting SEA ganes comes December 1. All roads leading to the New Clark City also known as the Sports CIty of the Philippines have been improved and widened in preparation for the big event,” said Catacutan.

He said the Capas exit toll gate of the Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway is being rushed to beat the Dec. 1 opening of the SEA Games.

He said structures being built at the NCC that are near completion includes the stadium, aquatic center, government administration building, athletes dormitory and other vital infrastructures including theme park.

Preparing for the influx of millions of visitors, Catacutan said he already met with various sectors including businesses and the law enforcement to ensure the safety of guests and suprvising the smooth flow of vehicles coming in and out of the NCC. Jess Malabanan

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE administration of Mayor Abigail Binay is giving additional benefits to children enrolled from public day care to senior high in Makati City this school year.

The city government had initiated Project FREE (Free Relevant Excellent Education), which provides free school supplies and school uniforms to students, including the “Air Binay” sneakers, raincoats and rain boots, antidengue kits, hygiene kits, and the latest freebies, school socks.

This year, three pairs of brand new white socks will be added to the free school gear and supplies distributed to over 84,000 enrolees.

Binay said she thought it prudent to add the socks to go with the new pair of school shoes, which will help students look smart in their uniform.

“New socks go perfectly well with

new school shoes. We want our students to be dressed smartly from head to toe, without added cost to their parents,” the city chief executive said.

“If our students feel good in what they wear to school, they will also feel confident and motivated to be active learners in class,” she added.

Binay also noted that the distribution of free school wear and supplies has been done faster as thousands of students who participated in “Brigada Eskwela” last month already received theirs even before classes opened last June 3.

The city’s education department reported that some 75,206 students from preschool to senior high school have re-

ceived their allocated uniforms, leather shoes and rubber shoes, and school supplies to date. These include 43,766 enrolees in elementary; 26,576 in junior high school; 3,023, senior high school; 1,156 in Alternative Learning System (ALS); and 685 in Special Education Program (SpEd).

Makati schools division superintendent Rita Riddle said the number of enrollees is expected to rise as schools are still open for enrollment.

Over 5,500 enrolees in Grades 11 and 12 at the Higher School of University of Makati are also set to receive theirs at the end of the month, before classes beginning July 1.

The Makati Social Welfare Department has also reported a total of 3,257 enrolees in the Day Care program. Each learner received two sets of t-shirt and jogging pants, a pair of sneakers and leather shoes, three pairs of socks, hygiene kit and school bag.

Mayor Dolores Binwag of Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya (3rd from left) awards the certificate and prize to one of the winners of their ‘Search for Talentadong Pamilya’. The program was part of the 3rd Tangguyob Festival of the town sponsored by the LGU and FCF Minerals Corp. Ben Moses Ebreo

Family talents featured in NV Quezon fiesta

By Ben Moses Ebreo QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya—Talents of families from various barangays in this town were featured in a show as part of the recent 3rd Tangguyob Festival celebration of this town.

Mayor Dolores Binwag said the show, dubbed “Search for Talentadong Pamilya,” seeks to promote unity, care and coopera-

SIARGAO Island in Surigao del Norte has been known for its pristine white beaches, marine life, rich mangrove forests, and world-class surfing spots.

With tourist arrivals expected to hit around half a million in 2019, the island’s leaders have started the path to sustainability. In 2018, the municipality of Pilar passed an ordinance banning the use of single-use plastics—a pioneering move for the island whose biggest industry depends on its rich natural resources.

The island’s power distributor, Siargao Electric Cooperative, pushed the sustainability envelope even further. The island, which was rated one of the world’s best in 2018 by the prestigious magazine Condé Nast Traveler, is now mostly powered by clean and renewable energy.

“Siargao is one of the top tourist destinations. While we welcome more guests, local and foreign alike, we wanted to ensure that we continue to do our part in taking care of our is-

tion of Quezon town’s families.

“It has been said that the development of a community starts from the unity of families. This is one of the avenues to strengthen their cooperation , unity and love as the foundation of development of our municipality,” Binwag said.

The activity was sponsored by the local government of Quezon and the FCF Minerals Corp., which operates the gold-

land,” SIARELCO general manager Sergio C. Dagooc said.

SIARELCO’s demand for power has almost tripled in only three years to an estimated 8 to 9 MW this year. Most of the island’s supply come from the Private Sector Assets and Liabilities Management, which is powered by the AgusPulangi hydro power complex and the Mt. Apo geothermal power plants.

When it had the opportunity to get power from private suppliers, it added at least 1 MW from AboitizPower’s Hedcor hydro power plant in Bukidnon, under the company’s Cleanergy brand.

“After the ban on single-use plastics on the island last year led by our local government, we take pride in contributing our sustainability efforts for Siargao by adding more renewable energy to our energy supply mix,” added Dagooc, an incoming party-list congressman representing the Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives.

molybdenum project in the municipality.

Binwag said the search also seeks to promote their talents, using various media platforms to generate recognition and appreciation among netizens.

The activity was attended by families from 10 out of 12 barangays of Quezon where songs, short drama, modern and cultural dances were performed by the participants.

IT HAS been a tradition for citizens of San Juan, Metro Manila to celebrate the birthday of the city’s patron saint, St. John the Baptist, through “basaan” or dousing of water. This activity, which simulates the act of baptism, is one of the staples of the city’s Wattah!

Wattah! Festival.

But with the recent water crisis, San Juan residents have begun to rethink the execution of the festival, turning a revered festival into a showcase of conservation efforts.

Earlier in March, a water crisis hit many parts of Metro Manila. Around 52,000 households experienced water shortage, with countless residents lining up for water rations. The intense heat of summer brought the water level of La Mesa Dam to its lowest level in 12 years.

In response, the Wattah! Wattah!

Foundation plans to not only highlight the religious aspects of the festival, but also the environmental awareness of the celebrators.

Through water conservation activities, the festival will demonstrate the faith of San Juaneños to their patron and their responsible use of limited natural resources.

“While the city has already been advocating water conservation campaigns, we think it is about time that the festival itself will highlight the environmental aspect,” said Dante Santiago, Head of San Juan’s City Environment and Natural Resources Office. “We can all have fun and be responsible to our mother nature at the same time.”

This year’s Wattah! Wattah! Festival began by observing the World Environment Day on Wednesday, June 7.

The festival’s grand weekend will kick off on Friday, June 21, and will culminate in the grand celebration on June 24, Monday.

Wattah! Wattah! will hold waterways and river clean-up programs, water caravan, and tree-planting. Organizers will also launch an online water conservation campaign.

DOH gives out anti-dengue curtains in CAR BAGUIO CITY—The Department of Health in the Cordillera Administrative Region has distributed “curtains” treated with insecticides in areas with high incidence of dengue to avoid its spread.

“We have distributed rolls and rolls of treated curtain, volumes in high-risk areas with high cases. The central office’s augmentation for more long-lasting insecticide-laden nets has been also relayed,” Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, DOHCAR acting regional director, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday.

The nets would last four to five years and must not be washed or it would lose its effectiveness by 20 percent, she said.

“Pagpagin lang (Just dust it off),” Pangilinan said.

With the installation of the treated nets on windows and doors, the mosquitoes would immediately die once it touches the net.

Pangilinan said mosquitos have changed their biting behavior and dengue-carrying mosquitos now bite any time of the day.

“Mosquitoes should be our number one enemies. They do not only cause dengue but also Zika, Japanese encephalitis, and chikungunya,” Pangilinan said.

She said the best way to rid of mosquitoes is to rid breeding sites, as the dengue virus has become a yearround illness.

“It used to be that there is a cyclical occurrence of dengue, but as early as January up to the last day of December there are cases and the most common denominator seen or the risk factor are the breeding sites of mosquitoes,” Pangilinan said. PNA

With clean power, Siargao gets greener

Siargao Island is one of the country’s top tourism destinations.

The island is pushing toward sustainability practices with policies like a ban on single-use plastics and by acquiring clean and renewable energy to power the island.

Life

MODERN MOVEMENT.

The Capsule 16 of In Good Company consists of classic pieces the feature volume in a bold, new way—as a way to explore movement in clothes.

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

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

C1

Leather accessories make a confident man

WOMEN IN MOTION K

NOWN for its flowing and constructed silhouettes, Singapore-based fashion label In Good Company brings another capsule collection made for the modern woman who leads a dynamic lifestyle.

Capsule 16 is an exploration of motion in clothes brought about by the label’s fascination in how movement travels in fabric—how it performs, moves, and shapeshifts. It explores new, modern silhouettes that tune exaggerated proportions and deft layering.

Making movement in and within clothes, Capsule 16 consists of pieces that feature volume in a bold, new way. With tailoring and drape work, fabric is manipulated to create body and new dimensions that f low and move, constructed and layered.

In Good Company focuses on the details as the body is defined by clinched ties and draped panels, constructed pleats and soft draping. A contrast of structural shapes and fluid silhouettes, Capsule 16 juxtaposes crisp and tactile natural materials with full needle knits and crepe de chine silks that flatter silhouettes.

Hutton cupro white polka dots shirt

Coinciding with the launch of this latest capsule, In Good Company has recently opened its new store on the R1 Level of Powerplant Mall in Rockwell, Makati City.

Established in Singapore in 2012 by the brand’s creative director Sven Tan and chief of design Kane Tan, along with their fellow good friends Jaclyn Teo and Julene Aw of the label’s finance and operations, In Good Company champions the fashion movement of season-less clothing—bringing only three capsules of ultra-wearable styles a year.

Each capsule boasts timeless silhouettes with a twist—made to last beyond seasonal trends and to suit modern lifestyles, as each piece celebrates thoughtful design and high technical finesse.

THE road to being a successful executive is paved with hits and misses, gains and losses, achievements and mistakes. While persistence and hard work are important, it also helps to look the part of a driven young professional.

A man who looks ready to take on the boardroom and beyond is wellgroomed and appropriately dressed.

When it comes to accessories, a piece or two of classy leather takes a look a few notches higher. Leather, after all, has always been associated with status and achievement.

And wearing leather accessories suggests empowerment and stability because authentic leather is known to last through the years.

Local label McJim Classic offers a wide selection of high-quality real leather accessories for the classy gentleman.

Leather wallets. A must-have accessory for any man is an authentic leather wallet that is crafted to last for years. McJim’s selection comes in various styles that spell utility and function.

Leather bags. An accessory a young professional should never be without is a classy leather bag that functions well in any work environment. The brand suggests choosing one from its collection of sturdy and stylish leather bags: shoulder bag or body bag or gadget bag.

Leather belts.

McJim Classic Leather offers high-quality authentic leather belts with unique metal buckles. These come in different colors and designs—basic dark brown, basic modernist black, and reversible minimalist—that complement a gentleman’s work ensembles, both casual and formal.

Functional leather bag

Laptop bag

In Good Company stores are located at Powerplant Mall and SM Makati. It also has pop-up outlet at SM Aura.

Casserine full needle knit dress

Leather document bag

Authentic leather wallet Structural striped dress

Short sleeve top and paper bag shorts with bow detail

Life

C2

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Jewellery by Goldenhills Jewelry

Themes and Motifs stages midyear wedding summit

Natalie Dormer, Zooey Deschanel, and Kim Se-jeong star in the latest Crocs ‘Come As You Are’ campaign.

I

Crocs campaign stars Natalie Dormer, Zooey Deschanel

N THE third year of its “Come As You Are” campaign, Crocs tapped actress and singer-songwriter Zooey Deschanel, British star Natalie Dormer, and South Korean singer and actress Kim Se-Jeong.

The global ambassadors from different parts of the world are tasked to encourage everyone to declare that being yourself, being comfortable, and looking stylish can be achieved simultaneously.

Crocband Platform Clog

SPOTTED

Classic Clog

For the campaign’s official launch, the footwear brand has released a video that highlights just how easy it is to be comfortable in a person’s own shoes.

“As we enter our third year of ‘Come As You Are,’ we are evolving not only our message and cast but the entire look and feel of our marketing campaign,” said Crocs chief marketing officer Terence Reilly. “Crocs is making a bold declaration that you can have both style and comfort no matter who you are or where your life takes you.”

Reilly added, “Because comfort comes in many shapes and sizes, our

global brand ambassadors will wear and talk about some of our most popular styles in settings that are relevant to their interests and personalities.”

Crocs’ most popular products and collections will be showcased throughout the “Come As You Are” campaign, including LiteRide, Crocband Platform, Crocs Serena, Swiftwater, and the iconic Classic Clog.

Joining Deschanel, Dormer, and Sejeong in the year-long campaign are Chinese actress and model Gina Jin, and Japanese actress and model Suzu Hirose.

THE country’s biggest and most prestigious midyear wedding fair, The Philippine Wedding Summit 2019 is happening on June 22-23 at the SMX Mall of Asia.

Produced and organized by Themes and Motifs, the two-day fiesta will highlight thousands of latest wedding ideas, products, and services.

Mega hotel and posh wedding banquet venue City of Dreams Manila joins the PWS 2019 as a major sponsor.

Also part of the fair are local industry big names such as Goldenhills Jewelry, Hizon’s Catering, and Niceprint Photography, which will showcase their latest wedding packages for today’s upwardly mobile and well traveled soon-to-weds.

Top event stylist, antique collector, and sought-after visual merchandising guru Henry Pascual returns as this year’s official creative director and event stylist.

Hizon’s Catering will treat soonto-weds to a sumptuous sampling of their tried and tested menu selection as well as new culinary delights from their kitchen in a grand food tasting session right inside the main exhibit hall of PWS 2019.

In addition, a special seminar series will be conducted for free by

Pascual. He will discuss in separate sessions the latest trends for soon-toweds and valuable business tips for wedding suppliers.

A special Half-A-Million Pesos promo awaits all soon-to-weds who will book their wedding suppliers in PWS 2019. Every P1,000-worth product or service booked at the event will be entitled to a raffle coupon for a chance to win P500,000 in cash. Other minor prizes will be drawn every hour in special mini raffle draws.

As part of its rebranding to The Wedding Inspirations Co., to better convey its advocacy to bring dream weddings to life, Themes and Motifs launches its feature-rich website with the latest and best wedding ideas, promos and discounts, and access to Inspirations for Weddings eMagazine.

Soon-to-weds can post and upload their wedding planning blogs as well as their prenup photos to the new website. It also features a gifts registry section to enable brides- and grooms-to-be to receive gifts from relatives and friends; while wedding suppliers may easily post to the website their promos, ideas, and photo/ video galleries absolutely free.

Niceprint Photography will showcase latest wedding packages at the PWS 2019.

Serena Sandal

Gems for men PROVING that there is a stunning piece of jewelry for everyone, international luxury brand Jewelmer released sophisticated pieces made for the modern gentleman in celebration of Father’s Day. Set in 18-karat yellow gold, these pieces have the golden South Sea pearl as the centerpiece, creating good conversation pieces and will surely make any dad, or otherwise, the best-dressed man in the room.

Brooch from the Pamana collection

Go to www.jewelmer.com for more information.

Brooklyn Beckham and Hana Cross in Ferragamo BROOKLYN Beckham and his model girlfriend Hana Cross were seen wearing Salvatore Ferragamo head-to-toe at the premiere of Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood at the Cannes Festival.

Salvatore Ferragamo is located at Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, and Solaire Resort and Casino.

Azur bracelet

Les Classiques cufflinks Ocean blues-inspired tablescape by Hizon’s Catering

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

ABS-CBN goes into theater production with Atlantis/Ten Bridges media

From left: Restaurant Brands International (RBI) Asia Pacific regional president Sami Siddiqui, Matteo Guidicelli, Kuya J Group chairman Lowell Yu, and RBI Asia Pacific president Naheem Khan

Popeyes’ star-studded debut in PH S

OME of the biggest names in the entertainment industry recently graced the opening of Popeyes in ArcoVia City, Pasig, the first branch in the Philippines and the first to unveil a new hip and more vibrant global look worldwide.

Getting exclusive first taste of the flavorful crispy fried chicken were showbiz personalities including Iza Calzado, Matteo Guidicelli, Pops Fernandez, and Jed Madela.

Also gracing the opening were JM Rodriguez who hosted the event, Vern and Verniece Enciso, Mikaela Martinez, Jason Abalos, and Kate Valdez.

Aside from its fried chicken that’s juicy not greasy, made fresh daily, and packed with Cajuninspired flavors from Louisiana, USA, guests also indulged in Popeyes classic treats such as the original honey biscuits, Cajun rice, and chicken tenders. Their Popeyes experience were taken up a notch with new treats—the hazelnut and white chocolate biscuits, two delightful flavors which can be paired with your fried chicken or can be served as dessert, and Popeyes Spaghetti, a sweet, meaty meal that’s exclusive to the Philippines.

From entertainment personalities to diplomats, the opening of the first Popeyes restaurant in the Philippines was indeed a momentous occasion with so many firsts in the country.

To learn more, visit the website at www.popeyes. ph or follow them on Facebook www.facebook. com/popeyesph, and Instagram www.instagram. com/popeyesph.

Ehra Madrigal, JM Rodriguez, and Will Devaughn

Jason Abalos

Iza Calzado and Jed Madela

Very Wang...

From C4

Apart from the major acting and technical awards, six special awards will be given out during the big night: The Joe Quirino Award will be handed to TV-radio host-columnist Cristy Fermin; Manny Pichel Award will be given to entertainment columnist and talent manager Ethel Ramos; Rising Producers’ Circle will be awarded to Spring Films and T-Rex Entertainment; Producer of the Year will go to Star Cinema; Lifetime Achievement Award will be received by Elwood Perez; and a recognition will be given posthumously to the late Comedy King, Dolphy.

Carrying on the tradition of paying tribute to movie stars who have made an indelible mark in the industry through their significant bodies of work, this year’s Icon Awards will be conferred upon Amalia Fuentes, Tirso Cruz III, Christopher de Leon, Joseph Estrada, Eddie Gutierrez, Anita Linda, Dante Rivero, Celia Rodriguez, Vilma

Santos, and Lorna Tolentino.

As SPEEd joins in the celebration of the 100 years of Philippine Cinema, the group will also honor some of the industry’s “unsung heroes” who work behind the camera.

This segment of the awards night will be anchored by TV host-journalist Lourd de Veyra.

“We are formally launching it in September but as early as now a lot of institutions have been giving tribute to our film workers and actors to celebrate it. In the last one hundred years, films have been part of our lives. And we are here in the midst of people who have made these beautiful films possible,” Diño said of the much-anticipated centennial celebration.

The EDDYS aims to encourage local filmmakers, producers, writers, and actors to continue pursuing their passion for creating films that mirror the realities of our society.

The SPEEd is made up of entertainment editors of newspapers and tabloids circulated daily nationwide.

The non-profit organization, established in 2015, is led by Ian F. Farinas as president and Isah V. Red as chairman emeritus.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, June 19, 2019

ACROSS 1 Healthy snack 7 — by myself 10 Light rain 14 Meal 15 Moo goo — pan 16 Ms. Ferber 17 Miner’s trough 18 Money machine 19 Genuine 20 Something unknown (2 wds.)

23 Happen 26 Ink’s partner 27 Camel halts 28 Loyal 29 Yr. fractions 30 Uris hero 31 Hull sealant 32 — Antonio Spurs 33 Spicy candy 37 Hot time in Paris 38 Warm greeting 39 Hagen of “The Other” 40 Capitalize on 41 Hold a table 43 Sun, in Acapulco 44 Digital watch readout 45 Truth’s opposite 46 Mild interjections 47 Hibernating animal

48 Concur 51 Up for payment 52 Donkey 53 Halloween cry (3 wds.)

56 Bits of thread 57 Wire thickness 58 Dozing 62 Cathedral part 63 Ms. Longoria 64 — del Fuego 65 Watermelon leftover 66 Just out 67 Summon help DOWN 1 Fabric meas.

2 Mideast export 3 Eland cousin 4 Rarer than rare 5 Happen again 6 Coat rack 7 Rock tumbler stones 8 Livy’s language 9 VIP transport 10 Fishy lady?

11 Brainstorms 12 Bag 13 Squeals 21 Freeload 22 Like always 23 Web-toed mammal 24 Packing container 25 Makes well

again 29 Subdued color 30 Traffic stoppers 32 High-pitched yell 33 Driller’s joy 34 Overlord 35 Wilde or de la Renta 36 Slugger — Guerrero 42 Put in office 46 Fugitive 47 Whodunit suspect 48 Book of maps

49 Bellyache 50 Hair tint 51 Inner motivation 52 Fundamental 54 Bad sign 55 Grabs a bite 59 Previously 60 Diamond stat 61 Tillis or Dawber

THE country’s leading media and entertainment company, ABSCBN, is entering the Philippine theater scene as it partners with Ten Bridges Media Corp/Atlantis, one of the country’s most successful theater companies, with three coproductions of award-winning musicals from Broadway.

“ABS-CBN’s venture into theater production, a first for a media and entertainment company, is among the company’s efforts in expanding its experience business. It is another step forward in creating new possibilities for local theater, which has grown tremendously over the past few years, with its abundance of talent and opportunities locally,” Bobby Barreiro, ABSCBN head of integrated events, said.

The partnership kicked-off last March with the staging of the critically acclaimed Angels In America: Millennium Approaches, which featured Art Acuña, Pinky Amador, Angeli Bayani, Topper Fabregas, Cherie Gil, Nelsito Gomez, Andoy Ranay, and Markki Stroem.

It’s followed by Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which opened on June 14. The original Broadway production has been nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Based on the book by Douglas McGrath, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical has been thrilling theater-goers with the inspiring true story of one woman’s journey from teenage songwriter to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. From the string of pop classics she wrote for the biggest acts in music to her own life-changing, chart-busting success with Tapestry, the musical takes audiences back to where it all began—and takes them on the ride of a lifetime.

Featuring unforgettable classics such as “You’ve Got a Friend”,

“One Fine Day”, “So Far Away”, “Take Good Care of My Baby”, “Up on the Roof”, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”, and “Natural Woman”, this Tonyand Grammy Award-winning musical phenomenon is filled with the songs widely remembered—and a story not to be forgotten. It opens June 14th at the Meralco Theater.

Capping the year-long partnership is the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler’s masterpiece Sweeney Todd, which will star Tony Award winner Lea Salonga and rock icon Jett Pangan.

Sweeney Todd has become a worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony Awards (including Best Musical) for its Broadway premiere, as well as the Oliver Award for Best New Musical.

Stephen Sondheim’s and Hugh Wheeler’s (A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures) tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences across the world. This radically different production of Sweeney Todd also celebrates the shows 40th Anniversary having opened on Broadway in 1979. It will run in October at the Theatre at Solaire.

Atlantis’ Artistic Director Bobby Garcia said that the partnership bodes well for Philippine theater as it helps “create a greater awareness for the Philippine theater scene and for the wondrous world class talent we have in our country on stage and off.”

The partnership comes as ABSCBN celebrates its 65th year and Atlantis, its 20th.

More events will be announced soon. For tickets to Beautiful, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call 891 9999. For more information on show buying and group sales for all shows, contact Atlantis Theatrical at 650 5144 or email atshows@atlantistheatrical.com.

A true story of one woman’s journey from teenage songwriter to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' runs until July 7.

Wise...

From C4

As brand ambassadors for PLDT Home WiFi, MayWard reminds their fans to make the most out of their

internet connection by sharing it with their family and using it for important online activities such as schoolwork or weekend bonding with the family.

Edward noted, “Make sure you have real-life bonding moments with your loved ones and use your data wisely.

When you buy a Home Prepaid WiFi device, you get free 10GB data which you can use for school or for online activities you do for fun.”

When it comes to maximizing data, his advice is to make sure that dataconsuming mobile settings are turned off. “Check your auto-refresh and auto-play settings so you can save your data for videos that you really want to watch. And if possible, watch in SD instead of HD to save data,” he said.

With PLDT Home WiFi, you can also manage your data usage by checking your balance and usage. To check the balance, just connect to your PLDT Home Wifi and visit pldthome. com/homewifiload.

Maymay concluded, “Sa experience namin ni Edward, mas nasusulit mo ang data kapag alam mo kung pa’no i-balance ang paggamit nito. Halimbawa, sa PLDT Home WiFi, pwede ka mag-log in sa dashboard to check your balance para laging sakto sa data at sa budget.”

The PLDT Home WiFi is available at all PLDT Stores and retailers nationwide for a one-time payment of Php1,995. It already comes with free 10GB of data valid for seven days. Check out MayWard’s Techie Hackson YouTube for tips on how to #GetYourSulitOn. You can also visit pldthome.com/homewifi for more information.

Entertainment

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

C4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019

Dimples Romana takes on viral cleaning dance challenge

Pine-Sol Brand Ambassador Dimples Romana shares her cleaning tips through a a cleaning dance video.

VERY WANG

F

NICKIE WANG

ILM and TV stars Dingdong Dantes, Tony Labrusca, Paolo Contis, and Glaiza de Castro, as well as senior actors Tony Mabesa, Ricky Davao, Tirso Cruz III, and Cherie Gil celebrated their nominations at the 3rd edition of EDDYS Awards.

Organized by the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd), the annual glittery bash, in partnership with Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) led by its chairperson CEO Liza Diño, was held on Saturday at Annabel’s Restaurant on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City.

“Award giving bodies, especially EDDYS, are very important for actors and film workers for its the only opportunity that they get some sort of validation, something that boosts their morale,” said Diño during her speech.

The Nominees’ Night, a run-up to the much-anticipated event celebrating the creatives, talented artists, and film workers who were nominated in the EDDYS Awards 2019, was also attended by film directors Joel Lamangan and Kip Oebanda.

The evening’s guests also included representatives and executives from production outfits nominated in the technical awards.

Meanwhile, the big night will happen on July 14 at New Frontier Theater (formerly KIA Theater) and will be telecast on Cignal TV’s Colours Channel on July 21.

Cignal TV is one of the major sponsors/ presenters of the 3rd EDDYS while Echo Jham Entertainment, led by director Calvin Neria, is in charge of the production.

Among the nominees in the Best Picture category are Citizen Jake, Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, Liway, Rainbow’s Sunset, and Signal Rock.

In the Best Director race, Chito Roño (Signal Rock), Jerrold Tarog (Goyo), Joel Lamangan (Rainbow’s Sunset), Kip Oebanda (Liway), at Mike de Leon (Citizen Jake) are vying for the coveted award.

Up for the Best Actress plum are Angelica Panganiban (Exes Baggage), Glaiza de Castro (Liway), Gloria Romero (Rainbow’s Sunset), Judy Ann Santos (Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes), Kathryn Bernardo (The Hows of Us), Nadine Lustre (Never Not Love You) and Sarah Geronimo (Miss Granny).

Piolo Pascual (Ang Panahon ng Halimaw), Carlo Aquino (Exes Baggage), Christian Bables (Signal Rock), Daniel Padilla (The Hows of Us), DingYOUNG stars Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber, popularly known as MayWard, are among the busiest young stars in showbiz today.

With TV series and a lot of projects in the pipeline, free time is a luxury for the phenomenal love team. What’s a day like for MayWard?

“On most days, we’re on set or on location shooting,” Edward shared. “We spend long hours at work, away from our families. So, we really make the most of whatever downtime

“WE WANTED to inject a little fun when doing household chores because more often than not, nobody else will do them for you.”

That’s how the executive from Clorox International described the cleaning dance challenge that encourages people to have fun while doing some thorough cleaning around the house. And to better explain the fun side of it, they tapped Kadenang Ginto star Dimples Romana to be their brand ambassador.

Dimples, known as the feisty Daniela Mondragon in the trending television series, made cleaning extra fun as she collaborated with Pine-Sol, a heritage brand with a 90-year-old history, to do the viral cleaning dance challenge.

“I find peace cleaning my house. It reminds me of the time when my husband and I were just starting out. It centers me in a very peaceful way,” she shared.

The 34-year-old actress further said that cleaning the house really becomes extra fun when you do it as a family turning this household chore into a fun bonding session.

“If you want to involve your children, let them help after they’ve eaten breakfast but if you prefer to do things your way, it’s best to start early in the morning,” she suggested.

She admitted that getting a thorough clean is hard work. It’s time consuming and requires a certain level of concentration and skill. This is true of anyone who juggles home land work life whether you’re a working mom, one who stays at home, a dad who helps his wife with the household chores or a single person who owns his or her own condo unit. It’s a dreaded chore, but still needs to be done.

“That’s why we are trying to introduce a fun way to do things. Cleaning with Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner helps a lot in making

cleaning and tidying up more enjoyable. It is effective in cutting through grease, grime, and dirt, while leaving your surfaces germ-free, smelling fresh and fragrant,” she said.

Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner can be used to clean hard nonporous surface of the house and workplace—from floor tiles, walls, stovetops, countertops, and glass.

To make your cleaning extra fun, join the Pine-Sol Cleaning dance Challenge and get a chance to win exciting prizes. The dance challenge runs until June 30 and winners will be announced on July 12.

For more information about Pine-Sol and the full mechanics of the Pine-Sol Cleaning Dance Challenge, you may visit the official Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/PinesolPhilippines/ and official contest website http://pinesol.com.ph/ dancechallenge.

Stars, film creatives celebrate their nominations at EDDYS soiree Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson in a scene from 'Men in Black: International'

‘Men In Black’ falls short of studio expectations

Officers and members of the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd) hosted the Nominees' Night for the third edition of EDDYS Awards.

From left: Best Actress nominee Glaiza de Castro ('Liway'), Best Supporting Actress nominee Cherie Gil ('Citizen Jake') and Isah V. Red of The Daily Tribune

we get.” As an online gaming enthusiast, Edward likes to play during break times, and tries to teach Maymay as well.

For her part, Maymay enjoys binge-watching fashion, makeup and runway video blogs. In fact, she’s applying some of those tricks to her own runway skills in real life.

She said, “Minsan when online, yun na yung ‘me’ time namin kapag nasa shooting o nasa trabaho.

Tapos siyempre kapag may break, ‘yun na rin ‘yung time namin para tumawag

Best Supporting Actors nominees Tirso Cruz III, Tony Labrusca, Tony Mabesa, and Ricky Davao with SPEEd president Ian Fariñas and FDCP chair Liza Diño (leftmost)

dong Dantes (Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story), Paolo Contis (Through Night & Day) and Eddie Garcia (Rainbow’s Sunset) are competing for the Best Actor trophy. Continued on C3 From left: Best Actor nominees Dingdong Dantes ('Sid & Ay'a) and Paolo Contis ('Through Night And Day') eagerly pose for the cameras with Ricky Davao showing off his Best Supporting Actor nomination certificate for his role in 'Kasal.'

Wise life hack from MayWard

Maymay Entrata and Edward Barber share a few tips on how to spend your time online wisely.

sa family at friends kasi lagi kaming malayo sa kanila.”

Digitally savvy as they are, MayWard makes sure to keep a balance between their online activities and nurturing their reallife relationships. “We definitely enjoy our digital lifestyle, it’s part of who we are and what we do,” Edward said. “But we also enjoy hanging out with our friends and loved ones. It’s all about balancing your time online and offline.”

“Malaking bagay ‘yung internet lalo na kung long distance ‘yung relationship mo

MEN in Black: International led North American box offices over the weekend.

But the new sci-fi comedy was not as far into the black as Sony would have liked, taking in an estimated $28.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported.

In this spinoff to the three earlier Men in Black installments, the roles of blacksuited alien-fighters pass from their originators, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, to the younger Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson also star.

Critics liked the chemistry of the two leads but gave the movie a lukewarm rating of only 24 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Its box-office take for the three-day weekend fell short of ‘even the slimmest of studio expectations,’ website BoxOfficeMojo reported.

But as suggested by its title, the film, shot in five countries, is doing better overseas, with earnings of $73 million to date.

In second spot was last weekend’s leader, The Secret Life of Pets 2 from Universal, at $23.8 million. This sequel features the voices of Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, and Patton Oswalt in another tale of the mischief pets get into when their owners are away.

In third, for the second week, was Disney’s live-action Aladdin, at $16.7 million. It stars Will Smith as the genie and Mena Massoud as the wily title character craving the attention of the enticing Jasmine (Naomi Scott).

Slipping two spots to fourth place was X-Men: Dark Phoenix, at $9 million.

In what is said to be the final installment in the X-men series, the lead characters face the fierce superhuman Phoenix after a space mission goes awry.

The film stars James McAvoy, Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, and Jessica Chastain.

And in fifth, for the second week, was Paramount’s Rocketman, at $8.8 million. Taron Egerton stars in the biopic dramatizing the life of superstar singer Elton John. AFP sa family at friends pero ibang bagay pa rin ‘yung quality time na magkasama kayo,” Maymay furthered.

Aside from their showbiz engagements, the teen idols are also brand ambassadors of PLDT Home WiFi—the telco leader’s prepaid broadband service. It’s the ideal home internet solution for young netizens like MayWard because you only load it when you need it and there are no lockin periods, monthly charges or bill shock from uncontrolled data usage. Continued on C3