Manila Standard - 2019 July 4 - Thursday

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PALACE PROBES CHINA MISSILE TEST; US ALARMED

By Rey E. Requejo THE Philippines will conduct its own inquiry into a report that China launched anti-ship ballistic missiles off the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.

“We have no first-hand knowledge about this missile launch except this news report. We will conduct our own inquiry and will decide later what to do if [the report is] proven correct,” Lorenzana said in a message to reporters.

The tests took place last weekend with China warning ships not to approach the test area, and at least one missile was reportedly fired into the sea, the report said.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim reiterated Washington’s position on the South China Sea dispute.

“We urge all countries to refrain from provocative and unilateral actions that [are] inconsistent with international norms and practices,” Kim said during the July 4th US Independence Day celebration at Makati Shangri-La. Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 140 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

8 aspire for Speaker post Hugpong fields own bet, sets off free-for-all

By Maricel V. Cruz

D ROMUALDEZ

VELASCO

GONZALES

UNGAB

CAYETANO

ZARATE

DUTERTE

ALVAREZ

Romualdez cites Coup? Rody to bow only to AFP-PNP desires ‘twin engines’ By Nat Mariano of growth

By Maricel V. Cruz LEYTE Rep. Martin Romualdez on Wednesday cited the successful anticrime efforts and ambitious infrastructure program of President Rodrigo Duterte as the key engines that have propelled the country’s economic growth to greater heights.

“No doubt about it, the President’speace and development efforts were the twin engines that propelled our economic growth,” said Romualdez, one of the top contenders for Speaker in the 18th Congress.

“If we can sustain this, we might just propel our economy to greater heights never seen before.

Romualdez said it was the duty of the 18th Congress to help sustain the successes of the President’s programs and projects by acting favorably and swiftly

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said the military would not have to stage a coup to overthrow him, but simply ask him to leave office “over a cup of coffee.”

Speaking during the 72nd founding anniversary of the Philippine Air Force in Pasay City, the President said members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, who are no longer happy with his governance, could simply ask him to step down.

“I know that the Armed Forces and the Police will have to decide one day somehow. Do not do it please during my term,” President Duterte said.

“I told you be-

fore [what] all [of] you have to do if you don’t want me, do not bring your weapons and mechanized armor there. Just call me and we’ll have coffee and I am ready to say, ‘It’s yours for the taking’,” he added.

This was not the first time that the President said he would bow to the desires of the military.

In May, Duterte said he would rather step down Next page

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261 sickened at Imelda party AS MANY as 261 guests showed symptoms of food poisoning while attending the 90th birthday celebration of former First Lady Imelda Marcos in Pasig on Wednesday, the Philippine Red Cross said.

Mrs. Marcos’ son, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., apologized to the stricken guests and said they were coordinating with those affected and continuously attending to their needs.

“According to reports, an estimated 2,000 participants were present in which at least 137 individuals suffered vomiting and dizziness,”the PRC said in an earlier Twitter post.

Next page

PRESIDENTIAL SALUTE. President Rodrigo Duterte leads officers Tuesday in coming to attention during the 72nd Philippine Air Force Anniversary at the Villamor Air Base as the Philippine National Anthem is being played. The President expressed hope the modernization program of the Philippine Air Force would be completed before he steps down in 2022. Malacañang Photo

Super cockroaches resist pesticides READ this. And be warned.

Some disturbing news is sending ripples across the globe, showing what observers call a fatalistic vision: That cockroaches have apparently begun to develop a cross-resistance to powerful insecticides.

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AVAO City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago is fielding its own candidate for Speaker of the House of Representatives following the announcement of her brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, that he will join the race “to unify” Congress.

This developed as an aspirant for the same position, Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said he would await President Rodrigo Duterte’s final word on the matter.

Going by his last statement on June 27, Romualdez added, the President said he would remain neutral in the speakership race.

“In fact, the President told us, the speakership candidates, that he would not meddle in the race and assured us also that he will not secretly pass on any order to support a candidate,” Romualdez said.

The regional party of Sara DuterteCarpio, the President’s daughter, said it would support Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab as Speaker.

Ungab served as Davao City councilor for nine consecutive years before he became the city’s Third District congressman.

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Locsin junks ‘verbal deal’ with China

By Rey E. Requejo and Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s purported verbal agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping allowing Chinese fishermen to fish within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone cannot be implemented, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday.

Locsin said the President may have been led to believe by his legal advisers that the Philippines can allow other countries to fish in its EEZ if there is an excess of the allowable catch as mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “The verbal agreement cannot be enforced on us because it’s verbal. You need a document to prove an agreement.

That’s the way it is,” Locsin said, in an interview with ANC. He added that the informal agreement between Duterte and Xi was “not policy” and the Philippines was not allowing China to fish within the Philippines’ EEZ. Next page

Bogus cures abound in social media FACEBOOK and YouTube said Tuesday they were moving to reduce the spread of misleading health care claims after a media report showed the proliferation of bogus cancer cures on social media.

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News

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Measures vs. extremism sought

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

LAWMAKER on Wednesday said the reports of a possible involvement of a Filipino and a foreign national in the deadly suicide bombing attack in Sulu were enough grounds for the government to come up with more drastic measures to counter similar attacks in the future.

Apart from amending the provisions of the Human Security Act to give it more teeth against terrorism, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Party-list Rep. Jericho Nograles said next year’s national budget should include allotments to strengthen the country’s border security.

He made the statement even as Army Chief Macairog Alberto met with Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Rafael Harpaz to exchange views on counter-terrorism in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Tuesday.

Harpaz’s made his courtesy call following the Counter-Terrorism Trainers Training between the Philippine Army and the Israel Defense Forces in Fort Magsaysay in

Nueva Ecija from Monday to Wednesday.

Nograles said the country’s archipelagic nature had made it very difficult to secure its border, and this was aggravated by the fact that the Bureau of Immigration and the Transport department were far behind in the use of deterrent technologies such as biometric and facerecognition surveillance systems.

“Terrorists can go in and out of the country even by using our airports and seaports because we do not have the ability to automatically cross-match the people coming in and out of the country using the database of terrorists and international criminals,” Nograles said.

Super...

8Fromaspire...

A1

From A1 A study led by Michael Scharf of the Indiana, USA-based Purdie University, exposed German cockroaches to different insecticides, and discovered the cockroach populations not only developed a resistance to the insecticide they were exposed to, but also picked up resistances to other insecticides.

The super-immune insects can then pass their resistance on to their offspring, making it only a matter of time before a given population becomes, essentially, insecticide-proof, according to the study.

Purdue University is a public research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system.

The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money to establish a college of science, technology, and agriculture in his name.

The study said “This is a previously unrealized challenge in cockroaches; cockroaches developing resistance to multiple classes of insecticides at once will make controlling these pests almost impossible with chemicals alone.”

The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports, and will become the urtext of the coming Global Cockroach Age. Isn’t knowledge wonderful?

Bogus...

From A1 Facebook said it made changes to its page-ranking algorithm to reduce “posts with exaggerated or sensational health claims” and attempts to sell products based on these claims. YouTube said separately it was taking similar actions.

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday published a report based on its own investigation showing the prevalence on Facebook and YouTube of fake claims such as the use of baking soda injections to cure cancer.

The report said Facebook and Googleowned YouTube outlined their plans to curb the spread of such fake medical claims after being presented with the findings of the investigation.

Facebook said it made changes last month as part of efforts to reduce the spread of misleading medical claims including from groups opposing the use of recommended vaccines.

“In order to help people get accurate health information and the support they need, it’s imperative that we minimize health content that is sensational or misleading,” Facebook product manager Travis Yeh said in a blog post.

“We handled this in a similar way to how we’ve previously reduced low-quality content like clickbait: by identifying phrases that were commonly used in these posts to predict which posts might include sensational health claims or promotion of products with health-related claims, and then showing these lower in news feed.”

The Journal report, based on interviews with doctors, lawyers, privacy experts and others, found numerous false or misleading claims about cancer therapies online.

These included videos advocating the use of cell-killing ointments that could be dangerous, unverified dietary regimes, or unvalidated screening techniques.

YouTube said it has been working for some time to reduce the spread of misinformation on the platform. AFP

261 sickened...

From A1 But as of 5:30 p.m., several hospitals in Pasig and nearby cities admitted a total of 261 people who fell ill after attending the birthday party of Mrs. Marcos, who turned 90 on July 2.

According to preliminary findings by the Pasig City Health Office, the food poisoning could have been triggered by chicken adobo and egg served to the guests, Bryant Wong of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said on GMA News TV’s QRT beamed nationwide.

Wong added the organizer of the event already pledged to shoulder all the hospital expenses of the victims.

At the same time, Wong said the packed

“With its three incumbent congressmen from Davao Region, the HNP has been patiently observing the developments in the House of Representatives,” Duterte-Carpio’s group said in a statement.

“We understand if President Duterte, because of delicadeza, will not accept the intent of our brother from Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, Congressman Paolo Duterte, to resolve the conflict among candidates.

“Therefore, we are endorsing the bid of Congressman Isidro Ungab for Speaker,” the HNP said in a statement.

Ungab said he was “deeply honored for the endorsement as House Speaker.”

“I am a good soldier under the command of every Filipino. I am ready, willing and capable to serve in any capacity. HNP is ready and open to work with everyone.

HNP hopes that everyone will aim for and work toward unity and cooperation in order to establish a strong and efficient House,” he added.

The HNP also said the group suggested that Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano take the majority leader position, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco to take the appropriations committee, and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez to head the accounts committee.

“We earnestly hope that everyone can see the light in this option and move forward with urgency in serving our country,” the HNP said.

Earlier, the President’s son, Paolo Duterte, said he would seek the speakership to unify Congress. He did so against the backdrop of a threat from his father that he would step down as President if his son sought the top position in the House.

Duterte, a neophyte congressman, said he decided to put his hat in the ring after persistent talk by Cayetano of sharing the three-year term of Speaker with Velasco.

Locsin...

From A1 “He [Duterte] may have been led to believe we had a surplus and he may have said sure, that’s fine,” the country’s top diplomat said.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, insisted that the verbal agreement is “enforceable and legally binding” and is in effect.

“It’s being enforced right? They [the Chinese] don’t bother us. It means it’s being done,” Panelo told Palace reporters.

He said Locsin was working under the “wrong interpretation.”

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles added that the verbal agreement between the President and Xi was just “an agreement to become good neighbors” with China.

The June 9 ship-ramming incident at Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea has triggered debate on the country’s territory and its rights over the natural resources within its EEZ, the 200-nautical mile area measured from the baselines over which the country enjoys jurisdiction. Recto Bank is part of the country’s EEZ. Meanwhile, Locsin revealed that some of the findings of the Philippine Coast Guard’s investigation into the June 9 Recto Bank incident sinking of a Philippine fishing boat by a Chinese vessel in Recto Bank has put Filipino fishermen in a bad light.

“I got the Coast Guard report immediately.

Our investigation was finished. It was exhaustive. It’s not, I got to tell you, it doesn’t paint our fishermen in the brightest lights,” Locsin said, in the same interview. meals handed out earlier in the morning outside the venue were more probably the culprit than the lunch buffet served inside the Ynares Sports Arena.

PRC Chairman Richard Gordon said the medical teams had already brought three patients to the Rizal Medical Center and assisted 25 others.

“PRC medic teams are currently responding to an alleged food poisoning incident at the birthday celebration of Ms. Imelda Marcos at Ynares Sports Complex this morning,” Gordon said in a Twitter post.

“They transported 3 patients to Rizal Medical Center and assisted 25 other individuals. Updates to follow,” he added.

The Eastern Police District earlier said there were more or less 2,500 visitors present at the event. Macon Ramos-Araneta

“I think that this is the best time to invest on these deterrent technologies because we have a leadership that is really all-out in the war against terrorism.”

Aside from the equipment, Nograles said, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines should be given extra powers through an amended Human Security Act in tracking down and identifying terrorists.

He said the reports indicating that one of the two suicide bombers who attacked an Army Command Post in Sulu might be a Filipino should be a cause of concern among government security officials as that could indicate an emergence of locally-grown suicide bombers.

“Subject to DNA confirmation, Western Mindanao Command reported that a 23-year-old Filipino named Norman Lasuca was one of the two suicide bombers that attacked the command post of the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team in Tanjung in Indanan, Sulu, Nograles said.

“This event should prompt government security officials to review the

existing protocols and tactics in its campaign against terrorism.

“But let us not be too quick to draw conclusions on nationality since prior to this incident, there has been no reported Filipino suicide bomber ever.

Lasuca could just be one of the many local Islamic extremists who have been indoctrinated and trained by foreign terrorists as suicide bombers, and the Indanan incident could be the prelude to more deadlier attacks.

According to reports, one of the suicide bombers detonated himself when he was accosted by Army personnel manning a checkpoint near the command post of the 1st BCT. After the first detonation, the second suicide bomber reportedly rushed inside the command post before setting off the bomb he was carrying.

Eight people were killed while 22 others were injured in the attack that military officials claim to be the first suicide bombing attack involving a Filipino terrorist. The other bomb is yet to be identified but WESMINCOM claim he is Caucasian. With PNA

Cayetano, and Velasco are from the ruling PDP-Laban headed by President Duterte, who has refused to endorse anyone for the post of Speaker. Romualdez heads the Lakas-CMD while Ungab is with the HNP. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the President is serious about resigning if his son seeks the speakership.

“I think Senator [Christopher] Bong Go spoke about it already. And if you go by the words of Senator Go, him knowing the President most, it would seem that… the President is serious,” Nograles told Palace reporters.

The Cabinet official said Duterte’s preference for Speaker matters because he serves as the leader of the PDP-Laban party.

“The President wears many hats and one of the hats that he wears is that he is the head of the PDP-Laban. PDP-Laban is the ruling party. It’s called the ruling party because you have the most number of representatives in the House of Representatives,” he said.

“So inevitably, because you’re the ruling party, people tend to ask what’s the decision of the ruling party. I think that’s where the question is really, that’s why everybody’s asking the President to say what his preference is,” he added.

But he said “everything is still up in the air” until the President decides on the matter.

Several lawmakers, however, are of the opinion that Romualdez’s management and leadership skills make him the most qualified candidate for the speakership.

Then House Minority Leader and now Quezon Gov. Danilo Suarez recognized Romualdez’s track record and persuasive skills that would help the 18th Congress back the President’s structural reforms.

“He is the most experienced and competent candidate and can handily win the speakership race in a free for all fight. Martin is a very credible leader who has the respect of his colleagues. His commitment to help President Duterte, especially in approving vital bills is beyond question,” said Suarez.

Last week, President Duterte refused to say who he preferred, saying he would no longer endorse any of the aspirants and urging congressmen to “sort it out among themselves.”

On Wednesday, PDP-Laban president Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said the ruling party would not support Paolo Duterte for Speaker.

“For as long as there are PDP Laban members aspiring to be House Speaker and they are well qualified to be one, then PDP Laban members should and must consider first supporting their party mate,” Pimentel said.

Paolo Duterte, he said, is not a PDP-Laban member.

PDP spokesperson Ron Munsayac said the ruling party was to meet Wednesday to consult with their party mates in the House over the latest developments.

Sara Duterte said she was surprised by her brother’s decision.

HNP spokesperson Jefry Tupas said the party would not support Paolo Duterte’s bid and would instead endorse Ungab, a four-term congressman.

Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate on Wednesday said the move to endorse Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab as a common candidate for S- peaker will not address the conflict among the other aspirants for the top position at the House.

He said Ungab’s entry into the race would only further divide Congress.

“Proposing Congressman Ungab as a common candidate will not solve anything. Because how will the big parties take it now, that they are being dictated by a regional party like Hugpong ng Pagbabago?” Zarate, member of the leftist Makabayan bloc, said.

“How will the so-called major party, the PDP-Laban, accept this candidate, accept this that the next speaker will be a non-member of the party?” he said.

Zarate also said the HNP suggestion to let Velasco, Cayetano and Romualdez head various key committees would not be acceptable to the front runners in the race.

Locsin said the PCG report found that only the cook was awake before the Filipino fishing boat, Gem-Vir 1, was hit by the Chinese vessel.

“Not that they’re wrong but they had no lookout, even the enemies of the President say you need an assigned lookout on a boat. They didn’t [have any],” he said.

“There was no lookout. The cook was out there on deck. Everybody was asleep.

And he looked up and said ‘there’s a boat coming’ and continued with whatever he was doing and he looked up again and said ‘it’s coming closer.’ And then he looked up again and he said ‘My God it’s gonna hit’ and he shouted,” Locsin said.

He added the cook “had a small light.”

“Whether or not that light should have been sufficient to warn the oncoming Chinese vessel, I don’t know,” he said.

Locsin declined to give more details, saying he was not authorized to do so by the PCG. The 22 Filipino crew members were left at adrift at sea after their fishing boat was rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel. They were later rescued by a Vietnamese vessel.

The Filipino fishermen claimed the Chinese vessel intentionally hit their boat and abandoned them when their vessel began to sink.

However, after meeting with Philippine officials recently, the fishermen changed their statement, saying the collision could have been an accident.

Locsin also maintained his position against holding a joint investigation with China.

“In a joint investigation, I do not believe that China will allow our Coast Guard to go to Chinese soil, no more than we would allow

Chinese Coast Guard to step on Philippine soil to interview our fishermen. Will they allow us to interview the captain of the Chinese vessel?” he said.

“When you come up with separate investigations, the two results are there, then you can compare notes and say why is it like this?” he added.

Locsin also said he will ask China to be careful about sending many vessels into disputed waters.

“I will not ask China to seek safe passage in the EEZ. Safe passage is a legal concept.

What I’m gonna ask, as I’ve said it, be careful of swarming,” Locsin said.

“If you swarm, then what happened in the Reed Bank was an accident waiting to happen so don’t do it. But if you insist on doing it, this will keep deteriorating our friendship and I don’t want to do that because China offers things that the rest of the world does not,” he added.

Recto Bank, also known as Reed Bank, is about 85 nautical miles from the nearest coast of Palawan province.

The feature falls within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which aims to govern the use of offshore areas and sets territorial limits of coastal states.

President Duterte told the Cabinet on Monday that he would seek China’s assurance that the rights and safety of Filipino fishermen are guaranteed in the West Philippine Sea. At the Palace, Nograles said threats of impeachment could lead the President to go to war with China. With MJ Blancaflor, Macon Ramos-Araneta and PNA

Romualdez...

From A1 on the proposed legislative agenda that Duterte was expected to outline in his State of the Nation Address on July 22.

“We should not waste precious time in politics and bickering. We need to hit the ground running in the opening of Congress and help sustain this momentum for economic takeoff, said Romualdez, president of the LakasChristian Muslim Democrats and the Philippine Constitution Association.

“Philippine GDP is expected to grow by 6.4 percent in 2019 and 2020. The inflation rates are forecast to fall from 3.8 percent in 2019 to 3.5 percent in 2020. Per-capita GDP growth is also expected at 4.4 in 2019 and 2020. Economic experts are right: the best is yet to come.”

Romualdez said the investors he had talked with had expressed confidence in the country’s economic prospects due to the success of the President’s war on crime and the breakthrough in his peace efforts in Mindanao.

“With the President staying just two years in office, the country’s crime rate is at alltime low and the local drug cartels are dismantled. Kidnappings are no longer a thriving industry and peace has been restored in the streets, Romualdez said.

“This the climate that investors are looking for before they decide to pump billions of pesos into our economy. It is no wonder that investor confidence in the Philippines is at all-time high.”

Aside from the improved peace and order situation, Romualdez said, investors also cited the ambitious infrastructure development program of President Duterte as one of the reasons for the upsurge in business confidence.

Palace...

From A1 “We have stated our position very clearly for some time now, and I believe our friends in the Philippines agree that countries, including China, should refrain from such actions,” Kim added.

The US envoy called China’s recent missile launch in the disputed South China “provocative” and a violation of international law.

“We have long been concerned and it’s not just the US but I think countries in the region have been concerned about aggressive unilateral actions in the disputed areas including militarization in the area,” he said.

Kim said China continues to renege on its commitment that it will not militarize the waters, where it has installed surface to air missiles in several contested features it recently transformed into artificial islands.

“China itself has committed that it would stop militarization but obviously that has not happened,” he said.

“It’s clear that countries should behave according to international practices and laws,” Kim added.

Reports indicated that China tested multiple anti-ship ballistic missiles over the weekend while the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, which was attended by US President Donald Trump and other world leaders, was taking place.

An expert on maritime law, meanwhile, said the missile tests are aimed at showing off China’s military capability to other countries, but were not targeted specifically at nations with competing claims in the South China Sea. “It could also be seen as kind of signal to other countries that they can do this. The countries, therefore, would act more carefully,” said Jay Batongbacal, director at the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn earlier revealed that a recent Chinese missile launch was done in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands, calling it “disturbing.”

But Batongbacal played down the missiles tests, saying it did not mean that China was threatening other countries with war.

With PNA

Coup?...

From A1 than face a military uprising.

“I told you, Army, Navy, Air Force, even [PNP chief Oscar] Albayalde, if you stand up together now, I am resigning. Don’t stage a coup d’etat, you’re just wasting your time.

If you don’t want me, I’ll step down,” Duterte said.

“Why would you have to shoot at each other? I will not allow the Presidential Security Group to engage in it. That’s nonsense,” he continued.

“You don’t want me? Fine. I’ll just go home, just have the woman president. If she’s good, then there’s no problem,” the President added, referring to Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Do not nurture personal loyalty to me.

I don’t need it. I was elected by the people.

You have your mandate. So, if you think I do not deserve to be there. Just tell me, I’d be happy to oblige. I’m tired after all,” he said, reminding them to be loyal to the country instead.

“Do not go into such stupid thing coup d’etat... You’re wasting your time. Just talk to me. And if you think that you are right, I will agree with you, I will go home,” he said, even urging them to connive with his vocal critic, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who had staged two coup attempts against then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Sought for comment, AFP spokesman Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said Duterte’s statement was just one of his “random” remarks.

“As early as the first Joint AFP-PNP Command Conference that he presided upon his assumption of office and in several other instances after that, he has conveyed that same message to the security forces,” Arevalo said.

“That was a random remark on the part of the President and Commander-in-Chief, in so far as the AFP is concerned,” he added.

Aside from appealing to the military and police forces, Duterte also called on the courts to stop issuing injunctions for criminal cases.

“I hope you will stop the practice of issuing injunctions, especially for criminal cases. Do not do that as a matter of course,” the President said in the same speech.

The President said there has to be clear and convincing evidence before judges issue injunctions and writs of mandamus.

Arevalo said the AFP, is a professional institution composed of servicemen and women who are patriots loyal to the Constitution and the duly constituted authorities.

Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said there was no coup being planned against the Duterte administraiton.

Albayalde said he did not know where the President obtained information about a supposed coup plot.

The Build, Build, Build Program seeks to accelerate infrastructure spending and develop industries that will yield robust growth, create jobs and improve the lives of Filipinos. Public spending on infrastructure projects is targeted at P8 trillion to P9 trillion from 2017 to 2022.

The key infrastructure projects under the BBB Program include six airports, nine railways, three bus rapid transits, 32 roads and bridges and four seaports that will help bring down the costs of production, improve rural incomes, encourage countryside investments, make the movement of goods and people more efficient and create more jobs.

The Duterte administration, according to Romualdez, has also scored points in the “Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade Program,” which was developed to create and enhance industry-developing infrastructure in priority economic and manufacturing zones.

News

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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Du30 wants modernization of AFP done by year 2022 PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night expressed hope that the modernization program of the Philippine Air Force would be completed before he steps down in 2022.

“I am hoping and praying that before my remaining three years will expire, that all of these things especially the labeled ‘Horizon Projects’ of yours will be completed during my term,” Duterte said during the 72nd anniversary of the PAF at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

“I want to leave the office of the presidency with an assurance to myself that I leave the functions, pass it on to the next whoever he will be,” he added.

Duterte was referring to the Second Horizon of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, which involves P139billion worth of projects including the procurement of utility vehicles, drones and other command and control fixedwing aircraft, among others.

He also welcomed the acquisition of an Air Defense Radar System and an FA-50PH flight simulator earlier this year, which will be supplemented by the expected delivery of six A-29B Super Tucano Aircraft and another Air Defense Surveillance Radar System.

Duterte said he wanted to complete the modernization program because he was not sure that his successor would share the same priorities.

“Gusto ko lang kumpletuhin ‘yan baka ang susunod sa akin (I just want to complete it because maybe my successor) would not be a fellow of like-minded. He might have other priorities,” Duterte said.

DILG flagged for failure to liquidate info drive fund

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the non-liquidation of P10 million for its information drive on federalism last year.

In an annual audit report, state auditors said the DILG released a P10-million budget allocation for federalism information campaign to the Presidential Communications Operations Office via a memorandum of agreement between the two agencies in August 2018.

The PCOO was not able to submit a progress report and liquidate the P10 million under the arrangement.

“Verification of the subsidiary ledger showed that no monthly reports were submitted by the PCOO to show the progress of work or projects undertaken and to liquidate all related expenses incurred as required under the MoA,” the report read.

After the PCOO’s submission of the report, the DILG shall forward it to CoA. “The bulk of the activities should have been completed as early as first quarter-end of 2019, considering that the effectivity of the MoA is May 31, 2019. Nevertheless, all the required liquidation and progress reports have yet to be submitted as of this writing,” the commission said.

Hontiveros refiles SOGIE measure

NO TO PLASTIC BAGS. Miss Air Philippines Zahra Bianca Saluda and Miss Water Philippines Berjayneth Chee join EcoWaste Coalition activists for the environment and officials of the Mother Earth Foundation during a visit at the Farmers’ Market in Cubao, Quezon City in campaigning for the use of bayong and other reusable bags to replace plastic bags that are polluting the environment with chemicals and plastic waste. Manny Palmero

Stop issuing injunctions, Duterte orders courts P RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night discouraged courts from issuing injunctions for criminal cases.

Duterte, a former prosecutor, said that “there has to be not only a semblance, a clear and convincing evidence” before an injunction is issued.

“Itong mga korte minsan (These courts). I hope you would stop the practice of issuing injunctions, lalo na sa mga kasong criminal (especially for criminal cases),” Duterte said during his speech at the 72nd anniversary of the Philippine Air Force at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, “Do not do that. Do not hurry up things because I know it is always, pera-pera ‘yan (money involved),” he added.

Duterte, meanwhile, pointed out that “injunctions are really for free.”

“Either stopping or prohibiting a government entity or persons from doing it or a mandamus compelling us to do something which we think are really, really very wrong,” Duterte said.

An injunction is a court order requiring a person to do or cease

from doing a specific action while a mandamus is a court order requiring a person to properly fulfill official duties.

President Duterte is expected to appear in a television show and personally respond to public complaints on corruption and red tape, Malacañang announced Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a new television program will feature cases from the Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888 and Presidential Complaint Center in a bid to address the concerns of the public on government services.

The country’s top executive is expected to answer the queries in the one-hour television program dubbed as “Digong 8888 Hotline,” which will air on the state-television channel PTV and its affiliate provincial stations every Thursday, from 2 to 3 p.m.

The show will also feature one government agency per week, according to a statement by Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

Digong 8888 Hotline, which will premier on July 11, will be hosted by Panelo, Assistant Secretary Kris Roman of the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, and PTV news anchor Trixie Jaafar.

President Duterte institutionalized 8888 as the Citizens’ Complaint Center through Executive Order No. 6 to address grievances related to red tape and corruption in the government.

Managed by the Office of the Executive Secretary, 8888 receives thousands of calls everyday for various requests and complaints on government service, slow processing of papers, fixers, overcharging and misdemeanor of some government employees.

It is mandated to respond to complaints within a 72-hour time frame.

In other developments, the PCC is a frontline desk of the Office of the President which serves as a liaison unit to various departments and agencies on requests for assistance and information, as well as complaints and grievances.

It entertains clients through calls, letters, email messages and personal visits in its headquarters in Bahay Ugnayan in Malacañang.

Taiwan extends 14-day visa-free entry for Pinoys TAIWAN has extended its 14-day visafree entry privilege for Filipinos until July 2020, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Manila announced Tuesday night.

“The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) announced on July 2, 2019 that the visa-free privilege for the nationals of the Philippines will continue for another year from Aug. 1, 2019, through July 31, 2020,” TECO said in a statement.

“This privilege is a display of Taiwan’s amity with the Philippines as the country continues to boost the travel convenience for Filipinos to visit Taiwan for leisure, business, or other short-term purposes,” it added.

The visa-free privilege aims to

further deepen Taiwan’s relations with the Philippines, particularly in the areas of tourism, trade, investment, education, agriculture, fisheries, and healthcare.

Taiwan said that the Philippines is not only its closest neighbor but also a “priority partner” to its “New Southbound Policy” which seeks to bolster relations and people-to-people ties with its neighbor countries in the region.

According to TECO, the implementation of the visa-free program since November 2017 has resulted in a rapid increase of Filipinos visiting Taiwan.

In 2018, visitors from the Philippines reached 419,000, recording a 44 percent increase as compared to the

number in 2017.

Further, regional airlines both from Taiwan and the Philippines have launched more direct flights and opened new routes to the major cities between the two countries.

Filipinos have more choices as they could now depart for Taiwan from Manila, Puerto Princesa, Clark, Cebu, and Kalibo, helping Filipino travelers save more time and money.

“The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines encourages more Filipino friends to maximize the visa-free status and to visit Taiwan as often as possible to enjoy its beautiful attractions, the wide variety of shopping and dining options and the warm hospitality,” TECO said. PNA

Bill excludes gov’t men from Bank Secrecy Law DESTROYED.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno led the destroying of 38 video karera units and 25 video fruit games in Manila City Hall which were confiscated from different areas in the city of Manila.

Norman Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta GOVERNMENT officials and employees who enrich themselves while in office will now have a harder time hiding their ill-gotten wealth, with a bill filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson excluding all public servants from the Bank Secrecy Law. Lacson’s Senate Bill 26 strips public servants of the “protection” from Republic Act 1405, which prohibits disclosure or inquiry into bank deposits as a general rule.

He noted that the Bank Secrecy Act’s provision prohibiting the disclosure of or inquiry to bank deposits has frequently been exploited to “hamper and stall investigations” of government officials and employees suspected of enriching themselves while in public office.

AKBAYAN Senator Risa Hontiveros refiled the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill (Senate Bill 159) as part of her first batch of priority proposed measures in the upcoming 18th Congress.

She expressed confidence that the measure will finally pass the legislature.

“We will paint the Senate with rainbow colors. Our hard work in the previous Congress laid the groundwork for the measure to gain new champions and allies and the massive popularization of the bill inside and outside the halls of the legislature. It has a momentum that can’t be ignored nor halted,” she said.

“If the Senate’s 17th Congress was a big win for women and health, the 18th Congress will be a massive victory against hate and discrimination. The SOGIE Equality Bill will pass. It is a measure whose time has come,” Hontiveros added.

In the 17th Congress, Hontiveros authored and sponsored the passage of the Strengthened Anti-hospital Deposit Law, the Mental Health Law, the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the Safe Spaces Act and the HIV Policy Act, to name just a few.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Drilon seeks creation of Boracay dev’t body WITH the Duterte administration approval of the P25-billion Boracay Medium-Term Action Plan in a Cabinet meeting Monday night, Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon yesterday sought the creation of Boracay Development Authority.

Under Drilon’s proposed Senate Bill No. 17, the BDA will manage and develop Boracay Island.

“The approval of the Boracay Medium-Term Action Plan is a significant development in our desire to restore Boracay as the most beautiful island in Asia,” Drilon said.

He noted that the approval of the action plan all the more calls for the immediate creation of BDA, saying that it is important to have an agency that can take over the management, development, regulation, protection and maintenance of the island, including its coastal and marine biodiversity.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

CAAP to recruit new set of officers THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines announced on Wednesday it is recruiting new set of officers who passed the qualifying examination last May. Of the 1,063 individuals who took the Comprehensive Air Traffic Service Course held in several CAAP testing centers nationwide on May 25, only 111 passed the exam.

CAAP chief information officer and spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the successful examinees are set to undergo interview process and will be selected through a medical exam before being confirmed as qualified for the training course.

The eight-month long training will have three phases of studies which include subjects such as basic navigation, meteorology, the rules of the air, safety management systems and an introduction to ATFM (air traffic flow management).

The trainees will also get to know and familiarize various air traffic facilities such as the Aerodrome Control Service, Approach Control Service, En-route/ Control Service, and the Aeronautical Information and Communication Service.

Apolonio said the training of the aspiring Air Traffic Management Officers will be free of charge but will not come with an allowance.

Through the authority’s CATS Course, which is now on its 14th batch, the CAAP aims not only to promote the industry of aviation as a career option but also to support the International Civil Aviation Organization’s New Generation of Aviation Professionals initiative. Joel E. Zurbano

With his bill, he said law enforcement authorities will now have “the tools needed to go after crooks in REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES government.”

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS Lacson’s bill amends Section 2 of R.A. 1405, to exclude from the ANNOUNCEMENT protection of the Bank Secrecy President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (C.A.) for Law all depositors who are confirmation the nomination of MR. RODOLFO DIA ROBLES, as Permanent Representative of the elective or appointive officials Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in or employees of the government, New York, United States of America, with the salary and emoluments of a Chief of Mission, Class I, in the from the President down to the Department of Foreign Affairs. lowest-ranking employee.

The public may submit any information, written Also covered by the bill are report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions in thirty two (32) copies on the above nomination to members of the uniformed serthe CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila. vices, as well as of governmentowned and controlled corporaFor the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone tions. numbers 834-2713, 831-1824, 831-0527, 832-9830, 834-2706 and 551-1989.

R.A. 1405, which was passed as early as 1955, covers “all deposits 03 July 2019. of whatever nature with banks HECTOR A. VILLACORTA or banking institutions in the Secretary Philippines.”

(MS-JULY 4, 2019)

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Opinion

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

An untold story THE recent demise of my good friend in the diplomatic corps, Ambassador Ralph Gonzales, reminds me of an untold story in the aftermath of the Dovie Beams scandal involving the strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

So here is what I heard. Beams was a Las Vegas stripper recruited by some cronies for Marcos. After the scandal broke, the labor leader Delfin Cueto accosted a Central Intelligence Agent at a bar at Hotel Filipinas, and blamed the CIA for bringing Beams to Manila. Reports had it that a quarrel ensued, leading Cueto and his bodyguards to beat up the CIA agent.

A scandal, a fight, and a man in a box When Cueto went to Hong Kong after this, he booked himself at Am Ambassador Hotel along Nathan Road.

Gonzales was then the consul general of the Philippine diplomatic mission.

He learned that CIA agents knew about Cueto being there and that they were ready to terminate him. Gonzales then placed Cueto inside a big box, and shipped him to Tokyo on the next possible flight out of Hong Kong.

When the CIA agents went to the hotel, they discovered that Cueto had checked out.

There was a Manila journalist there at that time—Louie Beltran. But Gonzales asked him not to report the incident.

Much later on during martial law,

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Cueto died on the creek separating the Development Bank of the Philippines and Mandarin Hotel. This was after an altercation with the late Mayor Nemesio Yabut. The rest is history, as they say. *** The race for Speaker of the House is getting muddled with the entry of presidential son Paolo, a neophyte who wants to unite the lower chamber in the wake of aspirants belonging to different regions and parties.

Duterte is proposing a sharing of the Speakership among representatives from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao as well as the party-list groups.

Santa Banana, that would mean more disunity in the House!

An earlier proposal of time-sharing between Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano was bad enough. Now a plan to “unite” the House will in fact worsen the situation.

I have always believed it is time to amend the Constitution to restructure the political system instead of borrowing from the United States’ bicameral system. Other countries’ parliamentary system have also been working well for them.

Santa Banana, now comes an unknown lawmaker from Mindanao already proposing committee chairmanships with himself as Speaker? My gulay, what’s next? *** I have always admired the best Chief Justice we never had—Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

Carpio is a staunch critic of President Duterte’s policy in the West Philippine Sea. He had the opportunity to become Chief Justice, but he would not sacrifice his convictions just for that.

When former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was ousted by her colleagues from her post, Carpio did

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Promising starts

EWLY elected public servants started their terms of office this week. As with any beginning, there was excitement and a lot of hope.

In Metro Manila, there were many reports about new local leaders embarking on laudable projects. For instance, the mayor of Manila has promised he would restore parks and other heritage sites, as well as clear the sidewalks that have been inhabited by vendors for too many years. In Pasig City, the mayor said he would do away with the oddeven number coding scheme that he characterized as disjointed and unjust.

These two mayors are two of the younger leaders who have toppled big names and established dynasties in their area. They have been called Davids, who challenged and defeated the Goliaths who have ruled their cities for many years. They had less resources and far less experience owing to their youth, but their constituents took a chance on them because they promised change from the ineffective leadership of the incumbent.

It heartening to see that these two Metro Manila executives, like many

of their counterparts in the provinces, are off to a promising start. They are not strangers to governance.

They are aware of the problems and limitations of their LGUs. They have no doubt spoken to ordinary residents and obtained a sense of their aspirations.

They are aware of what they themselves could do to make the LGU function better. Most importantly, they do not harbor any illusions that their term of office would be breeze.

Aside from the things that need to get done, they must also deal with the harsh realities of politics and the risks they face in introducing their own brand of leadership. There will be resistance, even after victory at the polls. People are creatures of habit, even if they know that change is good for them.

The initial euphoria is understandable, but this must be tempered with the acknowledgment that these new leaders’ best ally is time. The best programs are well thought out, carefully planned, and painstaking-

ly executed. They often come with challenges—and some will appear insurmountable.

There are also common pitfalls they should avoid. For instance, they should resist the temptation to reject the predecessors’ worthy initiatives out of mere spite or pride.

Humility serves a person well, and they should have no problem sustaining good programs because ultimately, they are there to serve the people and not boost their personal brand.

Meanwhile, their constituents must stop deluding themselves.

These new leaders are neither saviors nor heroes. They are simply individuals who auditioned for a job and got it. They have admirable qualities, no doubt, but they are never perfect. Much heartbreak comes from idolatry, and if we must change anything at all, it should be this mindset. Instead, we must be ready to draw the line when our leaders commit something that negates their positive traits. The worst will come if these young public servants morph, over time, into a clone of what they purported to slay in the first place.

It’s a promising start, indeed, but we’d rather wait for a satisfying end after three years.

Turn to A5

The unkindness of profanity POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE FOREIGN Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr. may have apologized handsomely for calling Vice President Leni Robredo “boba” and saying “someone give her a brain,” but in the minds of many the damage has been done.

He dropped the insult in the wake of his cancellation of courtesy diplomatic passports following former DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario’s recent passport hassle in Hong Kong.

Intense backlash from netizens met Locsin’s hurtful words. Senator Francis Pangilinan scored Locsin for his meanness. But Locsin is not the only government official in this administration with a penchant for salty language.

His boss, President Rodrigo Duterte, is not above cussing when the spirit moves him. Here’s how the Manila Bulletin transcribed his recent remarks on the impeachment issue: “P******** ninyo gawain ninyo … you f*** with me, kita ko sa inyo kung how not to run properly in government…

“Pero itong mga g*** (But these fools), I said I deal with reality….

Takut-takutin ninyo ako ng impeachment, p******subukan niyo….”

In a succeeding paragraph the writer or editor gave up with the asterisks: “Ako na nga nagsasakripisyo dito.

Kayong mga p******** ninyo. And I will …” and so on.

We’ve heard the President talk this way time and again. No surprise there, you can’t teach an old dog, etcetera.

But I was surprised to find Locsin showing a feudal lord mentality in some of his interactions online.

Run through his Twitter feed and you’ll find him calling people ‘lowborn.’ “Hello, low born moron,” he told someone he was quarreling with on Twitter.

Another time, he was talking to a journalist and told her: “We are not low born. We are different. We are not medjah people. We are writers.”

Last February, speaking again about media people, he tweeted, “This is the ideal of cowardly low born NATIVE

[capitals his] journalists who can’t take as good as they dish out.”

Like Duterte, Locsin uses the F word, ‘p********’, and threatens to kill people. However, using ‘sioki’ in a derogatory manner is his own style.

I don’t recall him speaking or writing like this before.

It’s either Duterte has no control over his verbal expression, or he’s using this language deliberately. I had expected more of Locsin, an elegant wordsmith and intellectual bon vivant.

Is this the legacy they want to leave?

It seems that the President has normalized the use of bad language in government, something that was an absolute no-no up to as recent as the previous administration. His spokesman Salvador Panelo explains this away as “It’s just the President’s way, everyone is used to it.”

Back then a statesman was someone upright, worthy of emulation, one who put country and flag above personal concerns. Times have changed when ‘PI’ gets in the paper and no one bats an eye. As the President might say, “It’s freedom of speech.”

Socially offensive language is precisely that—offensive. It might be used as a figure of speech, to emphasize or exaggerate a point, but insults that demean and belittle others—‘lowborn’, ‘gago’—are unkind and disrespectful, not to mention undiplomatic.

It’s also not a good look for a president and cabinet secretary, particularly in front of children. Speaking of which, Baguio City passed an anti-profanity ordinance last Sept. 24, 2018, with the objective of inculcating good values among the people, especially the youth.

"As you know, we are a ‘character city,'” said then-mayor Mauricio Domogan. “This is also for the protection of our children's rights. Nowadays, it seems like cursing and using obscene language is normal."

There you go. That’s what I’m Turn to A5

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Technical smuggling and command responsibility WE CAN thank our lucky stars we had a forward-looking political leader in the person of former President Fidel V. Ramos who applied his military savvy to expand the coverage of the command responsibility doctrine to cover all offices of the bureaucracy.

About halfway in his watch—Ramos was President from 1992 to 1998—Ramos had his aides cut an order meant to institutionalize the command responsibility rule, heretofore essentially enforced in the police and military services that have commanders in all levels of the hierarchy.

Hence, Executive Order 226, mandating government officials to closely monitor and supervise the activities of his subordinates under pain of administrative liability, was set in motion.

That said, let’s now talk about an inhouse inquiry at the Bureau of Customs

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

This official is supposed to know everything that transpires in his area. that unraveled the alleged illegal release of some 650 containers, presumably containing high-value commodities at the Port of Manila over a six-month period last year without paying tariffs and duties.

We heard it through the grapevine that the probe team created by Customs Commissioner Leonardo Guerrero has submitted its final report citing certain POM officials’ apparent complicity in the irregularity that could classify as technical smuggling.

In retrospect, lawyer Agustin Sandino Austria, who claims to be a godson of the President, was the district collector and head of the POM prior to his transfer with the same job description to the Manila International Container Port

(MICP).

Under the command responsibility rule, Austria could be held administraadministra tively liable for neglect of duty at the very least since the unlawful release of the 650 containers took place during his watch at the POM. As district collector, he was supposed to know everything that transpires in his area of responsibility. Nothing—let alone taxable cargoes—moves without his go-signal.

EO 226 is crystal clear on this issue.

The district collector is presumed to have knowledge of the illicit activities particularly when the irregularities have been repeatedly committed within his AOR (area of responsibility).

Austria’s subordinates who might have had a direct hand in the questionable release of the 650 containers through the misuse and abuse of the socalled “ship spares” scheme are without doubt in hot water with the likelihood of facing administrative and criminal charges.

Existing Customs rules and procedures provide that ship spares in transit Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

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

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

Bridging the gaps I HAVE started my term as Governor of Quezon Province. Coming from the legislative, my concern now revolves around the implementation of projects and programs submitted before Congress during the budget deliberations. If we remember, one of the main issues in passing the budget is the poor utilization of the budget. The three major departments—Department of Health, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of Education—have consistent gaps in the obligation and disbursement rates for the past years.

During budget deliberations in Congress, local governments are often assigned fault for the poor and delayed implementation of their programs. However, having seen some of the issues at the local level, it is sad to note that some of these delays could have been prevented and addressed by the national government. The lack of funds cannot always be put in issue because of the low actual utilization of the budget.

The 2019 budget is remarkably differ-

ent since we will be implementing a cashbased budgeting. As an executive, I am deeply concerned about the coordination with the national government in the implementation of the programs and disbursement of the necessary funds. Regardless of the budgeting scheme, if national agencies are unresponsive to the call of the local governments for timely release of funds, projects and programs will likely be delayed.

Hence, I call on the national agencies to

The House leader of the 18th Congress will play a crucial role in making sure the work of the Congress moves our nation forward. revisit its procedures in disbursement and implement means to ensure the expedient release of funds for local programs. It is necessary to bridge the gap and secure the uninterrupted delivery of public services to our constituents.

Congress is also welcoming its new set

of legislators who will be making great strides in our economic and political atmosphere with the policies they shall put forward. The House leader of the 18th Congress will play a crucial role in making sure the work of the Congress moves our nation forward.

All the aspirants for Speakership are competent and capable. As a veteran legislator, I have seen the importance of having a Speaker that is capable of uniting the 250 different representatives towards one goal. It is not an easy feat, particularly now, where division in the House seems apparent. Among the named candidates for Speakership, I believe that incoming Rep. Martin Romualdez is capable of delivering and doing so.

Having served for full three terms from 2007 to 2016, he has, undoubtedly, the experience and the know-how in legislative matters. His recent pronouncements also show that he is committed to push for the economic agenda of this administration and align future policies towards the country’s growth and development.

He is able to bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds and gather them to the table.

Whoever is chosen to lead, I am confident and hopeful that he will maintain the momentum of the 17th Congress, and add to our gains.

The Armed Forces does it better

BY ALL indications, the Armed Forces does a better job at releasing pension benefits and disseminating information to military retirees than the Philippine National Police does.

At this juncture, PNP retirees are thoroughly confused over the manner they are getting the news about the release of their pension benefits. The news that they are getting is only through the grapevine, because the General Headquarters of the PNP is not issuing any official bulletins. As a result, much of the information reaching them are not true or at best, incomplete. Retirees do not know how much, when or whether the money being released covers the old pension differentials that have not yet been released or the new pension benefits approved under the administration of President Duterte.

A case in point happened two days ago. I again received a text message that regularly circulates when there is a pending release of pension benefits.

True enough, when I checked, there was indeed additional money added to my pension account—but the amount added was different from the information forwarded to everyone last week.

The news received last week was that the 26-month pension differential that has not yet been released as a result of salary increases during the term of President Gloria Arroyo was going to be released last June 29.

I received another message saying that the amount had already been credited to their pension accounts. When I checked with my bank however, there was no change. The one eventually released yesterday was the new pension increase covering only the month of June—a one-month back pay. The new rate will take effect this 15th of July.

This being the case, PNP retirees will have to wait again for the release of 17 months of new pension differentials to add to the old 26-month pension differ-

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saying. A lot of people have realized that swearing and cussing are now normalized in society.

A Philippine News Agency article on the matter said, “The antiprofanity ordinance is specifically implemented in all schools, computer shops, and other business establishments frequented by children, high school, and college students in the city.”

Sure, but what’s to stop these young people seeing curses online, especially when they‘re reading the news to research current events? And current events that showcase top government officials going, “#$%&*^” and being unkind to others?

Instead of being remembered for good qualities or accomplishments in office, Duterte and Locsin might go down in history for their trash talk. Is this the legacy they want to leave?

It doesn’t take much effort to be kind, but it means a lot to others, and can even change their lives for the better. / FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

ential from the Arroyo administration.

Only this time, the amount of the 17 months differential will be more substantial considering that the salary increases are much higher.

On the Armed Forces side, all retirees have already received their pension differentials from the Arroyo administration. Reliable information has it that the AFP is hard at work to get the new 17-month pension differentials released at the earliest possible time. In the PNP, between 26 and 32 months of benefits have not yet been released to many retirees.

Police retirees deserve better.

The PNP also splits releases, which is unheard of in previous years because when the Department of Budget releases funds, it is normally to cover a certain period for all pensioners. But not with the PNP. Several months ago, six months of pension differentials was released but apparently only to some very fortunate retirees. The majority did not get any.

It is about time that the PNP leadership took a hard look at this problem and started doing something about it to improve information dissemination.

This is to avoid confusing reports that are circulating and more importantly work for the timely release of pension benefits.

The PNP leadership should bear in mind that in a few months, or two more years at the most, they will also be waiting for the same pension benefits that the current retirees are eagerly waiting every month. The PNP should upgrade the office in Camp Crame handling retiree benefits. Better still, an office similar to the Philippine Veterans Administration Office should be created by Executive Order to cater to the growing needs of police retirees who are increasing in number every year.

As the strength of the police contin-

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ues to grow, so will the number of retirees. These people will require efficient institutional support in their twilight years. Medical care is the most important.

Currently, many Police retirees were former AFP members, having been part of the Philippine Constabulary and therefore can still avail themselves of the Veterans Hospital and other AFP medical facilities. This is not true for PNP personnel who have no military service. With an office similar to PVAO, the office can better work for police retirees like working to improve health care for both retired and active service personnel.

If it wants to, the PNP is in a better position to provide better health services to its members because there is a regional office in every region. The PNP can upgrade the medical capability in the region and be more useful to the police rank and file. There are many other ways to improve medical services to police members that can be looked into.

For now, military and police retirees may be basking in what pension increase has afforded them but this will not last very long. The amount seems big and enough to sustain the current needs of retirees but as in the case in the past, inflation will eat up the purchasing power of the current pensions and in the coming years I suspect that it will take some time, certainly not in the next administration for police and military to see another increase of this kind in their salaries and pensions.

As I have written in the past, not all police retirees are blessed to have been given positions that allowed them to save for rainy days to take care of their lives when they are pastured off. The vast majority of retirees are people living from paycheck to paycheck, hoping to avoid catastrophic situations that will increase living expenses.

Maybe DILG Secretary Eduardo Año can take care of crafting the Executive Order for an office for police retirees while PGeneral Oscar Albayalde can take care of upgrading the police retirement office at his headquarters. Police retirees do deserve better service.

I wrote about SharePHIL’s opinion on the SEC circular requiring existing corporations and new registrants to publicly disclose their beneficial owners. I have been getting comments agreeing with me.

I said that the SEC had virtually enacted a law here—something only Congress can do.

SharePHIL is headed by respected business personalities Evelyn Singson and Francis Ed. Lim. Their arguments are irrefutable and well-researched.

Thus, those businessmen who talked to me should now rest assured that what the SEC is doing is illegal and unconstitutional, and also prejudicial to the investing public. *** I am glad that the Commission on Audit has given its unqualified opinion on the financial statements of Makati City. An unmodified or unqualified opinion is the highest rating that can be attained. It means the audited financial statements were presented fairly and in conformity to general accounting principles.

Congratulations to Mayor Abby Binay!

not want to benefit from it, and turned down the post. And he continues to criticize Duterte’s policies on China.

Indeed, conviction should come before anything else.

With the Supreme Court discussion on the writ of kalikasan against the government’s policies on three shoals that the Chinese have occupied, Carpio inhibited himself to give Solicitor General Jose Calida some peace of mind.

Calida had been moving for Carpio’s inhibition.

That’s Carpio for you. It’s too bad he is retiring this October. *** My friends have been asking we when my memoirs would come out. I told them the manuscript is ready to be printed. I have been assured of this by Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. I will work in collaboration with Manila Standard opinion editor Adelle Chua and columnist Jenny Ortuoste. I cannot ask for more—I respect both these ladies.

My book is entitled “The Road Never Ends.” Watch out for it. www.emiljurado.weebly.com ***

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Between US and Central America’s: Mexico’s bad location travel through its territory en route to the US border, the administration of Donald Trump threatened to impose an up-to-25-percent tariff on all Mexican exports to the US. Terrified at the thought of such a US action, IF THE people of Mexico say the the Mexican government grudgingly same prayer before they go to sleep agreed to deploy more troops at its each night, it must be that the loca- border with the Triangle countries tion of their country be changed so and tighten the procedures for enthat it ceases to be situated between try into Mexico. Apparently satisthe US and Central America. That fied with the Mexican response, the is because the migrants from the Trump administration has withdrawn countries of Central America’s Tri- the threat. But the withdrawal is only angle—Guatemala, Honduras and temporary; the up-to-25-percent tarEl Salvador—have to traverse Mex- iff could well be imposed eventually. ico in order to reach the US border.

The migration-related measures There is no althat Mexico ternative route. has been com comMexico is pelled to take not the only will necessitate Migrants from place in the the spending world that is Guatemala, Honduras of millions of the victim of and El Salvador have to pesos—money bad geograthat could be phy. Because traverse it to get to the used to finance of its location US border. its many pressbetween Gering social and many and Rusinfrastructure sia, Poland, needs. throughout history, has been caught What the Trump administration in the middle in those two countries’ really wants to see happen is the rewars. Belgium has repeatedly been placement of the US-Mexican bordragged into war because of its be- der with a Mexican-Central Ameriing situated between France and the can border. What Washington really German states. And at the domestic is faulting Mexico for is for allowing level, the northern countries of Eng- the US-Mexican border to become a land and the northern provinces of US-Mexican-Central American borSpain have repeatedly been collat- der. It wants Mexico to prevent these eral damage in the struggles between Central Americans from getting to the rulers in London and Madrid and second base—the US border. the challenges to their thrones.

Mexico is understandably relucThe plight of Mexico is very tant to do that because that would much in the present, and it is caus- deal a heavy blow to Latin-Amering much discomfort in Washing- ican solidarity, Central Americans ton and Mexico City, dislocating being the Mexicans’ Latino brothers. the lives of thousands of Central And even if it willingly wanted to do American adults and children and so, there would be no guarantee of tarnishing America’s moral standing Mexico’s success, its borders with in the world. Media images of tired, Guatemala and Honduras being long weather-beaten and hungry Central and poorly policed.

Americans being detained under unMexico, the festive land of the madignified conditions, separated from riachi, is in a real bind. And the bind their children, are creating the worst cannot be easily unsnarled because human-rights blackeye for the US what is involved is geography. since the internment of tens of thouThat is why I say that before they sands of Japanese-Americans at the go to sleep every night the people of start of World War II. Mexico very likely pray that their To punish Mexico for allowing the country was geographically was not ‘caravans’ of ‘invading’ Guatema- located between the US and Central lans, Hondurans and Salvadorans to America.

Technical...

From A4

are exempted from payment of duties and taxes since the affected commodities were supposedly not intended for domestic consumption. *** Here’s another email coming from a disgusted Philippine Airlines passenger, Eddie Pano.

Apparently, his flight was delayed although he did not mention the length of delay and other circumstances regarding his flight. But he sent PAL’s response, through Sasha Saavedra, the airline’s Customer Experience Officer, to his complaint.

And according to Mr. Pano, it was one of the most rude responses he ever got from a customer service as Ms. Saavedra, instead of providing him some consoling words (a standard among customer service officers aka lip service), the latter merely justified the delay saying it was well within PAL’s right to cancel or change flight schedules.

Here is Mr. Pano’s letter: Mr. Manalo, I wanted to share with you this letter in response to the worst customer service I have ever received from any business, bar none. PAL is essentially saying that they have the right to cancel or change flight schedules without notice. Although I have earned significant miles from previous flights, I will no longer fly PAL (Plane Always Late).

Eddie Pano *** And here is Ms. Saavedra’s response to him.

Dear Mr. Pano, Mabuhay!

I am Sasha Saavedra, Customer Experience Officer from Philippine Airlines.

I sincerely apologize for the delay in my reply, and I hope this email finds you well.

I am sorry to learn that your flight was delayed due to additional servicing of the aircraft. This was necessary to ensure passenger safety. Please find the provision herein below as seen in our

General Conditions of Carriage. https://www.philippineairlines.com/ AboutUs/LegalNotices/GeneralConditionsOfCarriage/GeneralConditionsFullVersion Article 9 - Schedules, Cancellation Of Flights Section 1. SCHEDULES The flight times shown in timetables may change between the date of publication and the date you actually travel, as shown in the Ticket. PAL does not guarantee these schedules and they do not form part of your Conditions of Carriage.

2. Cancellation, Changes Of Schedule, Etc. (a) Subject to applicable laws, rules, or government regulations, PAL may, when circumstances so require, cancel, terminate, divert, postpone, delay any flight, alter or omit stopping places shown on the Ticket or in schedules and may without notice substitute alternate carriers or aircraft and PAL assumes no liability for making connections. (b) If due to circumstances beyond its control, PAL cancels or delays a flight, is unable to provide previously confirmed space, fails to stop at a Stopover or point of destination, or causes you to miss a connecting flight on which you hold a confirmed reservation, PAL shall not be liable for losses or damages including any indirect, special or consequential loss, expense or damage.

I am hoping for your kind understanding as we are unable to act favorably on your request for compensation.

Well noted on your inputs regarding our medical equipment inflight. We believe listening to our passengers is the best way for us to learn and improve our services.

Thank you for the opportunity to communicate with you. Despite the way things turned out, we hope for you to continuously fly with PAL. *** Well, maybe it is within their rights to cancel or change flight schedules and hold passengers as hostages. And that is why the Passenger Bill of Rights has to be amended. It clearly serves only one interest—that is not the interest of the passengers.

News

A6

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cagayan de Oro mayor’s son nabbed in Pampanga CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Republic of the Philippines Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 98, QUEZON CITY

ANTONIO M. LOPEZ, LEOPOLDO M. LOPEZ, JR., ERIC M. LOPEZ, And JEAN L. GIBBONS, Plaintiffs, -versusR-QZN-18-06508-CV FOR: Annulment OF TCT Nos. N-269368 & N-269369 and Deed of Donation, Recovery of Ownership.

Reconveyance, Damages with Application for Writ of Preliminary Attachment MARI-CINDY L. ACOB, and., THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF QUEZON CITY, Defendants. x --------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS Whereas, on June 22, 2018, Antonio M. Lopez, Leopoldo M. Lopez, Jr., Eric M. Lopez and Jean L. Gibbons, filed a verified Complaint with this Court; WHEREAS, the application for the issuance of a writ of preliminary attachment being sufficient in form and substance was set for hearing on July 23, 2018 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning; WHEREAS, the Court on August 3, 2018, issued an Order granting the issuance of a Writ of Preliminary Attachment against the subject properties of defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB upon posting by the plaintiffs of a bond for preliminary attachment and upon approval of the bond posted, for summons, copies of the complaint, this Order and the writ of attachment be served upon said defendant by the Court Sheriff, Mr. Bienvenido S. Reyes, Jr.; WHEREAS, on September 7, 2018, plaintiffs thru counsel filed a Manifestation moving for additional time to submit bond for preliminary attachment WHEREAS, on October 4, 2018, plaintiffs thru counsel filed Compliance for posting of a bond in the amount of PhP 1,800,000.00 for approval of the court; WHEREAS, on the same date a Writ of Attachment and the Summons were issued by this court; WHEREAS, on November 9, 2018, plaintiffs filed a Motion For Leave of Court To Serve Summons By Publication considering that the subject properties in the present case had already been attached and considering likewise that defendant Mari-Cindy L. Acob is a non-resident of the Philippines and an extraterritorial service of the summons should be made to defendant Mari-Cindy L. Acob in accordance with Section 15, Rule 14 of the Rules of Court ; WHEREAS, during the hearing of said Motion on November 12, 2018, plaintiffs’ counsel withdrew the said Motion For Leave Of Court To Serve Summons By Publication as he intends to file an amended complaint; WHEREAS on November 23, 2018, plaintiffs thru counsel filed a Motion To Archive to give plaintiffs sufficient time to obtain certified true copies of defendant’s new-e-titles which are needed in filing plaintiffs’ amended complaint since it cannot be issued on said time for reason that the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City was then undergoing database maintenance; WHEREAS, on November 26, 2018, plaintiffs’ Motion To Archive was granted and the case was archived for a period of two (2) months from said date, subject to immediate revival as soon as the plaintiffs have secure the new e-titles from the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City in the name of the defendant/s, or in lieu thereof the case shall be dismissed; That on January 23, 2019, the case was ordered reinstated to active status and dismissed without prejudice there being no compliance from the plaintiffs since the issuance of the Order dated November 26, 2018; WHEREAS, a Motion To Revive With Motion To Admit Amended Complaint was filed by plaintiffs on January 25, 2019; WHEREAS, during the hearing on January 28, 2019 of plaintiffs’ Motion To Revive With Motion To Admit Amended Complaint, plaintiffs’ counsel manifested he just received on said date the Order of the court dated January 23, 2019 dismissing the case and moved that the Motion To Revive With Motion To Admit Amended Complaint be treated as his Motion For Reconsideration which was granted by the court and the pending incident was submitted for resolution; WHEREAS, on March 8, 2019, the court finding merit in plaintiffs’ Motion to Revive with Motion to Admit Amended Complaint granted the same and the case was ordered re-opened and the Amended Complaint was admitted to form part of the record; WHEREAS, the alleged as follows:

Amended

Complaint

“AMENDED COMPLAINT “PLAINTIFFS, by counsel and unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully alleged that: “THE PARTIES “1. Plaintiffs (a) ANTONIO M. LOPEZ, is of legal age, married, Filipino citizen, with postal address at 3rd Floor LM Building, 346 P. Tuazon Blvd., Project 4, Quezon City, where he may be served with summons and other court processes; (b) LEOPOLDO M. LOPEZ, JR, is of legal are married, Filipino citizen, with postal address at Unit 9-1 Bellagio 2, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City, where he may be served with summons and other court processes; (c) ERIC M. LOPEZ is of legal age, Filipino citizen, with postal address at No. 210 Albany Extension, Vermont Park, Barangay Mayamot, Antipolo City, where he may be served with summons and other processes; and (d) JEAN L. GIBBONS, is of legal age~ married, American and resident of 6833 S. Dayton Street, No. 193 Greenwood Village, Colorado 80112 USA, and for the purpose of this Complaint is being represented by LEOPOLDO M. LOPEZ, JR. and she may be served with summons and other court processes at the latter’s postal address, a copy of his Special Power of Attorney (SPA) is hereto attached as Annex “A”; “2. Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB is of legal age, a Canadian citizen, married, with residence at No. 139 Spyglass Hill Road, Concord Ontario L4 2K6 Canada, and who does not reside and is not found in the Philippines, but has a representative/ administrator named DIVINA MARI L. TUMAQUE, of legal age, Filipino citizen, with postal address at No. 351 P. Tuazon Boulevard, Project 4, Quezon City, a copy of her SPA issued by Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB is hereto attached as Annex “B”; “3. Defendant -REGISTER OF DEEDS OF QUEZON CITY, is a public repository of records of instruments affecting registered or unregistered lands and chattel mortgages with office address at LRA Compound, East Avenue, Quezon City and is impleaded as an indispensable party in order that a complete relief is accorded to the Plaintiffs; “CAUSE OF ACTION ”4. The subject properties of this case consists of two (2) parcels of land with an area of 173.40 and 205.80 square meters, more or less, covered under Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) Nos. 2016911426 and 2017011428 (previously registered as TCT Nos. N-269368 and N-269369 registered under the name of Defendant MARI-CINCY L. ACOB located at No. 349 and 351 P. Tuazon Boulevard, Project 4, Quezon City with market value of 1,387,200.00. and 1,646,400.00. and assessed value of 69,380.00 and 82,320.00 respectively. Copies of TCT Nos. N-269368, N-269369, Tax Declarations Nos. F-01001018 and F-010-01011 under the name of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB are hereto attached as Annexes “C”, “D” , “E”, and “F”, respectively. Copies of the cancelled TCT Nos. N-269368 and N- 269369 with annotations stating that the said titles have been converted into an e-title and processed as TCT Nos. 2017011427 and 2017011428, as well as of the Tax Declaration Nos. F-01001018 and F-010-01011under the name of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB are hereto attached as Annexes “C”, “D”, “E” and “F”, respectively; “5. Plaintiffs are among the surviving heirs of LEOPOLDO M. LOPEZ, SR., (hereafter, Leopoldo), who was the previous registered owner of the above-mentioned two (2) parcels of land covered under TCT Nos. RT-100070 (113616) and 98692 (189392).

The Tax Declaration of TCT No. RT-100070 (113616), including of the improvements, as well as the improvement for TCT NO. 98692 (189392), were likewise previously registered in his name. Copies of TCT Nos. RT-100070 (113616), 98602 (189392), Tax Declaration Nos.C-010-01293, C-010-1294, D-010-01321, and D-010-02069 are hereto attached as Annexes “G”, “H”, and “I” to “I-3”, respectively; “6. The real property taxes over the subject real properties were previously paid under the name of Leopoldo as shown in the Tax Clearance for the period of 2004 hereto

Court that after due hearing, judgment be rendered in favor of the Plaintiffs and against “7. On April 28, 1999, Leopoldo died due the Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB, as to Cardiopulmonary Arrest secondary to follows: Ventricular Fibrillation, among others. A copy of his Certificate of Death is hereto attached “[a] That a Writ of Preliminary Attachment be immediately issued pursuant to Section 1 as Annex “K” (f) of Rule 57, in relation to Section 15 of Rule “8” As one of the surviving heirs of 14 of the Revised Rules of Court; Leopoldo, Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ had transferred his small printing business in “[b] Ordering and declaring the annulment the subject real properties with the full of TCT Nos. 2017011427 and 2017011428 knowledge and consent of his other siblings in the name of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. sometime in February 2013. Plaintiff ERIC ACOB and directing the latter to reconvey the M. LOPEZ made repairs and improvement on subject properties in favor of the state of the the subject property and then put up a portion deceased Leopoldo M. Lopez, Sr.; thereof for lease in order to be able to source funds to support her mother, Ursula M. “[c] Ordering and declaring the annulment Lopez, who was diagnosed with “Parkinson’s of the purported Deed of Donation in Disease Dementia” and then under the pursuance of which TCT Nos. 2017011427 TCT No. N-269368) and custody and care of Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ; (formerly 2017011428 (formerly TCT No. N-269369) , “9. However, Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ were issued; had received a demand letter dated January’ 15, 2014 sent by Defendant MARI-CINDY “[d] Ordering the Defendant Register L. ACOB, through her legal representative, of Deeds of Quezon City to cancel TCT informing him that Defendant MARI-CINDY Nos. 2017011427 and 2017011428 and to L. ACOB is the alleged owner of the subject reinstate the Transfer-Certificates of Title of properties and demanding him to vacate the the deceased Leopoldo M. Lopez, Sr.; same within five (5) days from receipt thereof, “[e] Ordering the Defendant MARI-CINDY a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex L. ACOB to pay the Plaintiffs moral and “L”; exemplary damages in the total amount “10. Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ was of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS surprised and shocked to find out from the (P100,000.00); said demand letter that Defendant MARI- “[f] Ordering the Defendant MARI-CINDY CINDY L. ACOB allegedly is the legal owner L. ACOB to pay the Plaintiffs the sum of of the subject properties, considering that THIRTY THOUSAND PESOS (P30,000.00) he knew very well that the registered owner by way of attorney’s fees and the cost of suit. thereof was Leopoldo. Upon verification with the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City, Plaintiff “Such other reliefs and remedies just and ERIC M. LOPEZ thereafter learned that the equitable under the premises are likewise titles registered in the name of Leopoldo, prayed for. covering the subject properties, were already cancelled and that TCT Nos. N-269368 and “Respectfully submitted. January 23, 2019, N-269369 were issued in lieu thereof in the Quezon City. name of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB through a Deed of Donation dated October “TINGSON TORREVILLAS & CORPUZ 28, 2014, purportedly executed by Leopoldo “LAW OFFICES and his spouse in her favor. A copy of the “Room 308 Franca Arcade falsified or fabricated Deed of Donation is “No. 63 Malakas Street, hereto attached as Annex “M”; “Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City “Telephone No: 435-44-38 “11. It appears, however, that the “E-mail; leotingson@gmail.com signatures of the deceased Leopoldo and his spouse in the above-mentioned Deed of “By: Sgd. “LEO P. TINGSON Donation allegedly executed on October 28, “IBP Lifetime No. 09778/01-03~2011 2004 before the Notary Public, Atty. Hector “PTR No. 7376499/01-08-2019/ B. Centeno, were forged and fraudulent, Quezon City considering the Leopoldo died long before “MCLE Compliance No. V-0004655 the execution of the said document; /11-27 -2014; “Roll No. 54072 “12. Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ exerted earnest effort to resolve the above matter “REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) by sending the Defendant MARI-CINDY L. “ ________________________) S.S ACOB, through her legal representative, a letter dated February 3, 2014, containing his “VERIFICATION/CERTIFICATION reply to the latter’s demand to vacate and asking her why she did not inform her siblings “ERIC M. LOPEZ, married, of legal age, that the titles registered in the name of their Filipino citizen, with postal address at No. father were allegedly transferred to her. A 210 Albany Extension, Vermont Park, copy of the said letter is hereto attached as Barangay Mayamot, Antipolo City, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with Annex “N”; law do hereby depose and states, as follows: “13. However, a Final Demand Letter dated February 6,2014 was instead sent to “1. I am one of the Plaintiffs in the abovethe Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ by Defendant entitled case, and as such, I have caused MARI-CINDY L. ACOB’s legal representative, the preparation of the foregoing Amended informing him that a Complaint had already Complaint; been drafted and requiring him to vacate the subject properties within five (5) days “2. I also have caused the preparation of from receipt thereof, copy of which is hereto the foregoing Amended Complaint in behalf of my siblings and co-plaintiffs ANTONIO M. attached as Annex “O”; LOPEZ, LEOPOLDO M. LOPEZ, JR., and “14. Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB JEAN L. GIBBONS; send a letter dated March 16, 2014 to the Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ in response to the “3. I have read and understood the latter’s letter, which she sent through her legal contents of the foregoing fully and that the representative, but she did not clarify and facts alleged therein are true and correct to explain the issue on their father’s cancelled my own personal knowledge and authentic titles, and instead, she just stated therein that records; Plaintiff ERlC M. LOPEZ should inform her of “4. In compliance with Administrative the definite date for him to voluntarily vacate Circular No. 04-94, I further attest that we the subject premises so that she would have not commenced any other action or inform her lawyer to stop proceeding with a proceedings involving the same issues in lawsuit. A copy of Defendant Mari-Cindy’s the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals letter is hereto attached as Annex “P”; or any other tribunal or agency, except the “15. The ejectment case filed by Defendant present case and the case docketed as Case MARI-CINDY L. ACOB against Plaintiff ERIC No. R-QZN-14-03977-CV I previously filed M. LOPEZ was dismissed on December 3, before the Regional Trial Court of Quezon 2015 by the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) City, Branch 92 which had already been of Quezon City, Branch 40 and was affirmed withdrawn and to the best of my knowledge,

by Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City, no such action or proceedings is pending in Branch 83, copies of the Decision issued by the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or the MeTC and RTC are hereto attached as any other tribunal or agency, that if there is any such action or proceeding which either Annexes “Q” and “R”, respectively; pending or may have been terminated, I “16. Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ is still in will state the status thereof, and if I should possession and occupation of the subject thereafter learn that a similar action or properties at the present. As a matter of proceeding has been filed or is pending fact, Plaintiff ANTONIO M. LOPEZ is still before the Supreme Court, the Court of using a portion of the subject properties as Appeals or any other tribunal or agency, I his parking space and walkway going to his undertake to report such fact within five (5) days therefrom to the Court. printing press business; attached as Annexes “J” to “J-l”;

“17. Plaintiffs ERIC M. LOPEZ, ANTONIO M. LOPEZ and LEOPOLDO M. LOPEZ, JR also exerted earnest effort to settle the said issue with Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB when she visited the country last June 2017 after the burial of their mother Ursula, and had some meetings with her regarding the issue, but Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB still refused any settlement. Thus, Plaintiffs had decided to initiate this suit, but with reservation to file appropriate criminal and/ or administrative cases to those liable for the execution of the purported Deed of Donation;

“IN WITNESSWHEREOF, I hereby affix my signature this _day of January 25, 2019 at Quezon City.

Sgd. ERIC M. LOPEZ Affiant Driver’s License No. N0280-065582 “Expires on : 05-20-2013

“SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this __ day of January 25, 2019 at ___ , affiant has satisfactorily proven his identity to me through his above-mentioned Driver’s License and he is the same person who “18. On August 18, 2017, TCT Nos. personally signed the foregoing before me N-269368 and N-269369 were cancelled and acknowledged that he executed the ad coverted into e-titltes. Thereafter, TCT same free and voluntary.

Nos. 2017011427 and 2017011428 in the nan1e of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB Sgd. ATTY. ARTURO F. TUGONON were issued in lieu thereof, as shown in NOTARY PUBLIC UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2019 the annotations on the cancelled TCT Nos. 96 P. TUAZON BLVD. PROJECT 4, Q.C. N-269368 and N-269369; IBPNo. 0136449, JAN. 11,2018, Q.C. PTR NO. 5642728, JAN. 11,2018 Q.C. ”19. Considering that Leopoldo had MCLE COMPLIANCE No. V-0017378 never executed the said purported Deed of Donation in favor of Defendant MARI-CINDY COMMISSION No’. NP-177 (2018-2019) L. ACOB, the same is therefore null and Doc. No. 326; void. Likewise, TCT Nos. N-2017011427 and Page No. 67; N-2017011428, which were issued pursuant Book No. 67; thereof, are also in effect null and void and Series of 2019. must be annulled. It should be noted that an invalid and void title that was acquired WHEREAS, on April 3, 2019, the court fraudulently and illegally cannot confer any NOTED the Supplemental Manifestation right or title to the person who fraudulently filed by the plaintiffs on April 2, 2019 and caused it to be issued or to his successor- summons and copies of the complaint and in-interest. If at all, it is a mere scrap of paper the writ of attachment were ordered to be that has no value whatsoever. [DIRECTOR served upon the defendant by Court’s Sheriff OF LANDS vs, ADISON 49, PHILS. 19; Bienvenido S. Reyes, Jr.; FULE vs. DELEGARE 7 SCRA, 351] WHEREAS, on April 8, 2019, a Writ of “20. Ownership of the subject properties Attachment was issued by the court to ‘attach must likewise be reconveyed to the estate the properties and assets of defendant of the deceased Leopoldo. Basic is the MARI-CINDY L. ACOB, within the Philippines rule that if the property is acquired through and not exempt from execution, as may be mistake or fraud, the person obtaining it, is sufficient to satisfy the applicant’s demand by force of law, considered a trustee of an of One Million and Eight Hundred Thousand implied trust for the benefit of the person Pesos’ (PhPl,800,000.00), more or less. whom the ‘property comes. Reconveyance therefore of the subject real properties to the WHEREAS, on April 22, 2019, Court estate of the deceased Leopoldo based upon Sheriff Reyes, Jr. submitted his Sheriffs constructive or implied trust resulting from Report wherein it appears that Court Sheriff Bienvenido S. Reyes, Jr. went twice to the fraud is in accordance with law. given address of defendant Mari-Cindy L. “21. With the annulment of the questioned Acob which is at No. 351 P. Tuazon Blvd TCT Nos. 2017011427 and 2017011428 .,Project 4, Quezon City. In the second in the name of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. time that he went there, he was able to talk ACOB, the titles registered in the name of with Ms. Lolita Capricho, personal assistant Leopoldo must be reinstated by the Register of Ms. Divina Mari L. Tumaque, who in of Deeds of Quezon City. The titles of turn is the representative/administrator Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB although defendant Mari-Cindy L. Acob and Ms. registered under the Torrens , System (Act Capricho acknowledged receipt thereof; that 496), do not, however, create or vest title. It substituted service was made by the Court only confirms and records title existing and Sheriff considering that defendant Mari-Cindy vested. It does not protect a usurper from L. Acob seldom goes in her given address; the true owner; it cannot be a shield for the commission of fraud. It does not permit one WHEREAS, Defendant MARI-CINDY L. to enrich herself at the expense of another. ACOB has not been served with summons [GUSTILO vs. MARAVILLA, 48 PHILS. 442; and all court processes in connection with the ANGELES vs. SAMIA, 66 PHILS. 444; and instant case considering that she is a nonDANES vs. AYANCO, 27258-R, AUGUST resident of the Philippines.

31,1964,62 OG NO. 14, P. 272; SOLID WHEREAS, on May 20, 2019, the Court STATE MULTI-PRODUCTS CORP. vs. CA, granted the plaintiffs’ Motion For Leave of 196 SCRA 631; DE GUZMAN vs. CA, 156 Court to Serve Summons by Publication; SCRA701] NOW, THEREFORE, defendant MARI “22. Accordingly, Plaintiffs should be CINDY L. ACOB whose last given address compensated for the mental anguish, fright. is No. 139 Spyglass Hill Road, Concord serious anxiety, besmirched reputation, Ontario L4 2K6 Canada and who does not wounded feelings and mental shock he reside and is not found in the Philippines, but has suffered and of his family at least in has a representative/administrator named the amount of FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS DIVINA MARI L. TUMAQUE with postal (P50,000.00) as moral damages due to address at No. 351 P. Tuazon Boulevard, fraud, bad faith and illegal manipulations Project 4, Quezon City; is required to enter of Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB, in her appearance and answer the complaint in depriving the Plaintiffs their undivided the above-entitled case within sixty (60) days ownership over the subject properties in after the publication hereof, otherwise, the question, and FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS plaintiffs will take judgment’ against her and (P50,000.00) as exemplary damages; demand from this court the relief prayed for “23. That to protect the rights and interest in the complaint. of the Plaintiffs in the illegal actuations of Let this summons be published once a Defendant MARI-CINDY L. ACOB, Plaintiffs week for three (3) consecutive weeks in were constrained to engage the services any newspaper of general circulation in the of the undersigned counsel for which he Philippines at the expense of the plaintiff to obligated himself to pay the Sum of THIRTY be selected by raffle.

THOUSAND PESOS (P30,000.00) by way of WITNESS THE HON. MARILOU D. attorney’s fees; RUNES-TAMANG , MNSA, Presiding Judge “APPLICATION FOR PRELIMINARY of this Court this 24th day of May, 2019 in Quezon City, Philippines.

ATTACHMENT “Plaintiffs replead the foregoing allegations insofar as they are material and relevant, and (Sgd.) RIZZA A. AQUINO-FRIANEZA further alleged: Branch Clerk of Court “24. Plaintiffs have a valid and sufficient cause of action against the Defendant MARI- Copy furnished: CINDY L. ACOB and considering that the latter does not reside and is not found in the Atty. Leo P. Tingson Philippines, there is a need for the subject Counsel for the plaintiffs properties to be attached in order for the Tingson Torrevillas & Corpuz Law Offices Honorable Court to acquire jurisdiction over the action pursuant to Section 15 of Rule 14 Unit 308 Franca Arcade, No. 63 Malakas in relation to Section 1 (f) of Rule 57 of the Street, Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City Revised Rules of Court. In support thereof, Mari-Cindy L. Acob attached hereto is the Affidavit of Merit of Defendant Plaintiff ERIC M. LOPEZ as Annex “S”; No. 139 Spyglass Hill Road, Concord “25. The Plaintiffs are ready and willing Ontario, L4 2K6 Canada to put up a pond as the Honorable Court may fix for the purpose of the application for Divina Mari L. Tumaque Representative/Administrator of Def. Mariattachment.

Cindy L. Acob “PRAYER No. 351 P. Tuazon Boulevard, Project 4, “WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is Quezon City; most respectfully prayed unto this Honorable (MStandard-June 20, 27 & July 4, 2019)

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has nabbed a son of an incumbent mayor from Cagayan de Oro City in a buy-bust operation in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Director General Aaron Aquino identified the suspect as Sean Moreno, 42, of 1023 Domingo Poblete St., Executive Village, BF Homes, Las Piñas City.

Moreno is the son of incumbent Mayor Oscar Moreno, PDEA said.

Also nabbed were Bernice Fabiosa, 31, of Cainta, Rizal; Gregorio Imperial, 36, of Ayala Southville Village, Las Piñas City; Bernadette Saavedra, 19, also of BF Homes, Las Piñas City; Jamie Abaygar, 20, of Escopa III, Project 4, Quezon City; Jessa Scott, 19 of San Pablo, Angeles City; Maria Isabel Lawas, 19, of Paco, Manila, and Aileen Jane Baldon, 23, also of Escopa III, Quezon City.

According to Aquino, on June 29, joint elements of PDEA Regional Office III and Angeles City Police Office conducted a buy-bust operation in front of Lewis Grand Hotel, Malabanias Road, An-

geles City that resulted in the arrest of the suspects.

The suspects yielded more or less 340 pieces of suspected ecstacy, nine pieces of suspected Dimethyltryptamine, 86 pieces of suspected Valium/Diazepam, more or less one gram of suspected Kush, more or less one gram of shabu, more or less one gram, suspected Psilocybin mushroom weighing more or less one ounce with an estimated value of P800,000, a digital weighing scale, one Mitsubishi Lancer and assorted drug paraphernalia.

The suspects were charged with violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Section 26 in relation to Section 5 (Attempt/ Conspiracy), Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

711 Metro Manila police dismissed since 2016 THE National Capital Region Police Office said Wednesday 711 NCR police were dismissed since 2016, with 1,378 suspended, and 190 demoted in the first three years of the Duterte administration, while 398 were exonerated.

Data released by NCR police chief Guillermo Eleazar showed 69 officers were dismissed between 2016 and 2017, 285 between 2017 and 2018, and 357 between 2018 and the first half of this year.

The data showed 190 were demoted in the first three years of the Duterte administration, while 398 were exonerated.

The “most opportune time” to conduct the internal cleansing is now, when the government has doubled the salaries of police and military personnel, Eleazar said.

Data shown by Eleazar during a weekly news forum in Manila reflected figures from the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term up to the first half of 2019.

Eleazar immediately approves recommendations for dismissals as determined by police lawyers, but reviews the cases of those who were exonerated, the NCRPO chief noted.

Five officers had their salaries forfeited, and one lost retirement benefits in the last three years. Thirtythree were reprimanded, according Eleazar’s data.

Mothers told: Have children immunized

By Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Department of Health on Wednesday encouraged mothers and caregivers to avail themselves of the government’s free school-based immunization to provide children, and adolescents greater protection against common childhood diseases.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said school-based immunization was a strategy for reaching older children and adolescents.

He added it was a catch-up opportunity for children who have missed their scheduled vaccinations.

While vaccines given during infancy provide children a good start in life, giving vaccines to older children will ensure that they continue to be protected against life-threatening diseases as they become adults.

The DOH’s school-based immunization program aims to reach more children, especially with the yearly increase in the number of enrollees.

School-based immunization was piloted in 2013 in selected provinces and cities nationwide.

In August 2015, the DOH, in collaboration with Department of Education and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, successfully conducted vaccination in 38,688 public schools nationwide providing a second dose for measles and booster doses for diphtheria and tetanus.

This became a yearly activity since 2015 when August was declared School-Based Immunization Month.

According to Duque, this year’s school-based immunization was aimed at providing all public school learners enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 7 a second opportunity for measles and rubella vaccine.

TWILIGHT GLORY: TRIBUTE TO FILIPINO HEROES & VETERANS. Work on the new legacy book project is now underway with former President Fidel V. Ramos, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Administrator Ernesto G. Carolina and Congressional Veterans Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Leopoldo N. Bataoil following the signing of agreement at the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation in Makati witnessed by adviser Gen. Jose Magno (Ret.) . Looking on is book author Melandrew Velasco (second row, right), biographer of FVR family.

2 undocumented aliens arrested

By Vito Barcelo

IMMIGRATION authorities arrested two undocumented aliens wanted by authorities in Korea and China for fraud in separate enforcement operations.

BI Fugitive Search Unit Chief Bobby Raquepo identified the fugitives as Korean national Kim Dae Yeop, and Chinese national Jiang Rongqun, who were arrested in Malate and Binondo, respectively.

Kim is wanted by authorities in Ko-

rea for defrauding payment a closed circuit television firm worth 250 million Korean Won, while Jiang is wanted by Chinese authorities for fraud and economic crimes.

The BI operations were in cooperation with operatives from the Korean National Police Agency and Chinese Interpol in arresting the aliens.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said this was not only about fugitives getting away with their crimes. This is more importantly about the threat they pose to the security of Filipinos.

Airport, Customs officials remind airlines arrivals must fill out forms

By Joel E. Zurbano

AIRPORT and Customs officials on Wednesday reminded airline operators of a revived policy requiring all arriving crew and passengers of international flights to fill out declaration form before landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Lawyer Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, NAIA Customs Deputy Collector for Passenger Service, said based on Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, and Customs Administrative Order 1-2017, all (airline) passengers and crew members must

accomplish a Customs Baggage Declaration Form and submit it to a Customs Officer.

“Airline operators have been notified of this requirement and have been requested to distribute the CBDF on board the aircraft before landing,” said Mangaoang.

The airport authority, during the time of then President Benigno Aquino III, stopped implementing the policy and the scanning of baggage, saying the system was one of the causes of passenger congestion at the arrival area, specially during peak hour period.

Sports

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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

F2 Logistics faces Sta. Lucia, eyes 6th win SILAY CITY—Powerhouse F2 Logistics seeks to sustain its blazing streak when it tackles struggling Sta. Lucia in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference Thursday at the Natalio Velez Sports and Cultural Center in this beautiful city in Negros Occidental.

Action erupts at 4:15 p.m. with the Cargo Movers looking for their sixth straight victory in this prestigious women’s tourney bankrolled by Team Rebel Sports, SOGO, Eurotel, PCSO, Cocolife, UCPB Gen, Mueller, Senoh, Asics, Bizooku and One Sport.

Meanwhile, Cignal aims to bounce back when it faces Generika-Ayala in the second match at 7 p.m. of this encounter that has ESPN5 and Kapatid TV5 as broadcast partners.

Since claiming Filipino-Spiker Kalei Mau from the disbanded United VC, the Cargo Movers were never the same again as they won their first five matches, including big wins over reigning champion Petron and heavy contender Cignal.

Against the HD Spikers, the Cargo Movers showed that they are capable of regaining the crown.

Mau fired only 10 points, but it didn’t matter as other stars like Ara Galang, Aby Marano and Majoy Baron shone to tow F2 Logistics to an easy 25-22, 25-19, 25-14 victory.

Still, F2 Logistics coach Ramil de Jesus is far from satisfied.

“It’s not about the record. Yes, we have a perfect card so far, but we’re still playing in the eliminations. It’s still a long way to go,” said de Jesus, who led the Cargo Movers to the AllFilipino title in 2017.

“I told the team to keep on playing hard. The playoffs will be a different ballgame so we have to build momentum in this early part of the conference.”

On the contrary, the Lady Realtors are bleeding for form.

After winning over rookie team Marinerang Pilipina in the opener, the Lady Realtors struggled, as they absorbed four consecutive loses despite a star-studded roster of MJ Philips, Amy Ahomiro, Rebecca Rivera, Amanda Villanueva and Pamela Lastimosa.

Their last game was very forgettable as the Lifesavers crushed them, 1225, 23-25, 26-28, in front of a banner crowd at the Cadiz City Arena in Cadiz City.

But de Jesus won’t take the Lady Realtors lightly.

“We prepared for Sta. Lucia the way we prepared for Cignal,” said de Jesus, an 11-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines champion mentor for De La Salle University.

“We will be ready for them.” AFP

US tops England, makes World Cup final

United States’ midfielder Julie Ertz kicks the ball during the France 2019 Women’s World Cup semi-final football match between England and USA, on July 2, 2019, at the Lyon Satdium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France. AFP

Murray, Serena form dream mixed doubles at ‘Wimby’

A

NDY Murray and Serena Williams will form a mixed doubles dream team at Wimbledon, his management announced Tuesday, as he gradually returns to tennis following career-saving surgery.

Murray, who is easing his way back into the sport following a radical hip resurfacing, will join forces with Williams in an all-star partnership when the draw is announced on Wednesday.

The Scot is already entered into the men’s doubles at Wimbledon where he is playing alongside France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

The two-time Wimbledon champion’s partnership with seven-time winner Williams will make them instant favourites for the title.

“We’re a lot alike on the court. I’ve always liked that about him,” Williams said of her fellow former world number one.

“His work ethic is just honestly off the charts. That’s something I’ve always respected about him. His fitness, everything.

“To do what he’s done in an era where there’s so many other great male tennis players, so much competition, to rise above it, not many people have done it.

He’s actually one of the few. There’s so many things to be admired.”

She added: “Above all, he really stands out, he really speaks up about women’s issues no matter what. You can tell he has a really strong woman in his life. I think above all that is just fantastic.”

Murray had been searching for a mixed doubles partner but had complained that he had been turned down by a number of players.

“I do want to play,” the 32-year-old said on Saturday at a pre-Wimbledon media day.

“We’ve had a number of conversations

ONE, ABS-CBN forge sports partnership

Caloocan, Mindoro post wins in MPBL MALOLOS—Expansion team Mindoro and Caloocan barged their way to the win column of the MPBL Lakan Season even as Bulacan got back on track after hurdling powerhouse Basilan late Tuesday night here at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium.

The Tamaraws edged the Paranaque Patriots, 63-61, behind another solid game from Mac Baracael.

A PBA journeyman, Baracael knocked in 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, but he got plenty of help, particularly from Sandy Cenal, who was more active on the offensive end.

Cenal tallied 16 points behind a steady 7-of-10 shooting from the field.

Like Mindoro, Caloocan also stopped its bleeding.

Winless in three games, the Victory Liner-backed Supremos put an end to their misery by bringing down the favored Zamboanga-Family’s Brand Sardines, 83-74.

Almond Vosotros, the high-scoring guard, presided on offense anew for the Supremos as he finished with 31 points to help arrest his team’s alarming skid.

In the nightcap, host Bulacan put the clamps on the usually explosive Basilan squad to complete a huge 65-55 upset win.

“We really want to keep the score low,” said head coach Britt Reroma.

“We know that Basilan is a highscoring team, so we decided to engage them in a defensive battle.

with a few players. Yeah, the plan’s definitely to play.

“Conditions look like it’s supposed to be good for the fortnight, which is a positive thing.

“I was speaking to some of the doubles guys, asking them why they don’t play mixed. It was for the reason that they had some years where they’ve been backed up. Sometimes the mixed is not the priority to get on the court.”

Murray played mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2006 where he teamed with Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens and reached the second round.

He was also a silver medallist with Laura Robson in the London 2012 Olympics which were played at the All England Club.

Serena is a two-time mixed doubles champion at the Slams.

In 1998, she partnered with Max Mirnyi to win Wimbledon and the US Open.

Some 64 pairings compete in the mixed doubles, which is disputed over the best of three sets. AFP

ALEX Morgan scored what proved to be the winner but hailed goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher after her late penalty save from Steph Houghton allowed holders the United States to claim a dramatic 2-1 victory over England in their women’s World Cup semi-final on Tuesday.

On her 30th birthday, USA co-captain Morgan headed home her sixth goal of the World Cup just after the half-hour mark in this last-four showdown to put her team back in front after Ellen White had cancelled out Christen Press’s early opener.

But after an open first 45 minutes, the second half was dominated by more VAR controversy, with England having another White goal disallowed for the tightest of offside calls following a review by the Brazilian referee.

Phil Neville’s team later benefited from Edina Alves Batista’s decision to award them a spot-kick when Becky Sauerbrunn made the slightest of contact with White in the box, yet Houghton’s 84th-minute kick was stopped by Naeher diving low to her right.

England finished with 10 players after Millie Bright was sent off for a second yellow card late on, and the USA held out to reach the final, despite being without the injured Megan Rapinoe.

“Alyssa Naeher, she should be the player of the match today. She saved our butts today,” said Morgan.

They will now go on to face Sweden or the Netherlands in Sunday’s final, as they aim to win the trophy for the fourth time in eight editions. It is their third straight final, and they will hope to have Rapinoe back in time.

“Megan’s got a slight strain to her hamstring so wasn’t available today,” said US coach Jill Ellis.

“I feel we have a really good deep bench, so I called upon other players and I think they did a fantastic job.”

It is another bitterly disappointing way for England to lose, as they go out of a third consecutive major tournament in the semi-finals. Their players cut dejected figures on the pitch at full-time.

“Football can be cruel. We have had a fantastic ride. When we got the penalty I turned to my bench and said ‘we were going to win it,’ but it wasn’t to be,” Neville told the BBC. Perhaps Nikita Parris should have been given the chance to make up for her penalty misses against Argentina and Norway earlier in the competition? Ellis’s side will not be too worried about that, as fortune favoured them. AFP

HARD AT WORK. Workers walk at the under-construction Ariake Gymnastics Centre, venue for the gymnastics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in Tokyo on July 3, 2019. AFP

ONE Championship and ABS-CBN look to the future of global sports with ONE:NXT Philippines Singapore-based martial arts promotion ONE Championship recently touched base with their partners and potential investors in the Philippines during the ONE:NXT Philippines event in partnership with ABS-CBN last Thursday, 27 June at the Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

ONE:NXT Philippines brought together some of the country’s biggest senior leaders and key decision makers from top brands, agencies and the media, as well as industry experts and athletes to discuss how ONE Championship is helping shape the future of sports in the media and in business in the Philippines and in the world.

The opening address was given by none other than ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, who shared with the audience ONE’s story of success and how they were able to emerge into a billion-dollar property by celebrating Asia’s greatest cultural treasure: martial arts, as well as the heroes that it has brought forward.

“I really believe that together, we can change the world, that together, we can millions, even billions of lives through values, heroes, and stories, so I challenge you to be the hero and make a difference with your good fortune, because at the end of the day, we are ONE,” Sityodtong declared on stage.

“It’s great to get all the brands and agencies together to celebrate Asia’s greatest cultural treasure and the deep-rooted values of integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, discipline, and compassion, but more importantly, to think about how we can work together for the next generation, and this kind of event is just phenomenal, and I genuinely think that we’re gonna lead the way in terms of the future of global sports together,” Sityodtong said of the event.

Next to take the stage was Dino Laurena, Head of Integrated Sports for ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ biggest media outlet and ONE Championship’s broadcast partner in the country.

ONE and ABS-CBN have been working handin-hand since 2016, and together, they have helped bring the sport of mixed martial arts to new heights and have helped shape some of the country’s biggest names in the sport, including ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera and two-tme ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, who proudly represent the Philippines everytime they step into the ONE cage.

Laurena spoke of the commonalities of ONE and ABS-CBN in sharing stories and building heroes, something that they have successfully done in their three-year partnership so far.

Schauffele join top 4 ranked players in World Golf tourney REIGNING champion Xander Schauffele will join the world’s top four ranked players, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose in Shanghai later this year to compete for the coveted World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions title.

Tickets to the 15th edition of Asia’s biggest tournament, which takes place from October 31 to November 3, 2019 at Sheshan International Golf Club go on sale today.

It is set to be the ‘must attend’ event of the season with tournament organisers anticipating one of the strongest fields in its history as the world’s best players compete for an increased prize fund of US$10.25 million.

Title holder Schauffele has gone from strength to strength since last year’s vic-

tory, winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions on the PGA TOUR, tying second at the 2019 Masters Tournament and third at last month’s U.S. Open.

Schauffele, an American whose Chinese-speaking mother accompanied him to Shanghai last year, has since risen to as high as ninth on the Official World Golf Rankings. He said: “Winning my first World Golf Championships at the HSBC Champions last year in front of my family was amazing! Coming through such a world class field definitely gave me the confidence to know that I can deliver in the big pressure moments so I am really looking forward to attempting my first successful title defence in Shanghai in a

few months. It was an unbelievable field last year but I think this year sounds like it is going to be even stronger with the announcement that all of the world’s top four will be there.”

World No. 1 Koepka won his fourth major earlier this season at the PGA Championship, and, with second place finishes at both the 2019 Masters and the 2019 U.S. Open, his current position at the top of the game is undisputed.

The American star said: “I am delighted to confirm I will be returning to Shanghai to play in the biggest event in Asia. I finished tied second at Sheshan in 2017 so I know the course suits me well. I love the vibe and energy that the Chinese crowds bring

to the course each year. I think the scheduling changes with the majors has made the WGC-HSBC Champions an even more important event for us this year. With no majors scheduled after July, everyone will be targeting winning the final World Golf Championships of the year.”

World No. 3 McIlroy has already won twice, including THE PLAYERS Championship, this year on the PGA TOUR, and having finished in the top five on three previous occasions, will be looking to finally add this prestigious trophy to his trophy cabinet while World No. 4 and the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champion Rose added a 10th PGA Tour victory to his CV earlier this year at the Farmers Insurance Open.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph; sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

BREAKAWAY. Robert Bolick of NorthPort scored on a breakaway layup against Columbian Dyip’s CJ Perez during their PBA Commissioner;s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

Bolick also scored the winning basket as the Batang Pier won, 110-108.

IOC puts foot down, rebukes Tolentino’s call for POC polls US nationals too good, rout PH’s Blu Girls THE Philippines faltered anew against another hometown American team, the USA Under-19 Women’s National Team, 7-0, in the USA Softball International Cup on Tuesday at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Georgia, USA. The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Blu Girls failed to get their offense going against American pitcher Megan Faraimo who claimed a shutout win. She surrendered zero runs on two hits over five innings and striking out nine.

“We came here for a specific purpose to prepare our team for the 2020 Olympics where qualified earlier, we will treat won games as bonuses in this tournament.The real benefit should show in the futureas the girls upgrade their skills applying what they pick from their experiences here, together with the coaching staff, said Jean Henri Lhuillier, Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (ASAPHIL) president and Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO. It was the third setback by the Philippines in as many outings in this 10-team softball event.

The Blu Girls, ranked no. 13 in the world, and whose campaign here is supported by ASAPHIL and Cebuana Lhuillier, will next face Mexico.

By Riera Mallari

T

HE International Olympic Committee on Tuesday issued a quick rebuke of resigned Philippine Olympic Committee Chairman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino’s call for an election on a date not later than July 18, 2019, placing the resolution of the Council’s leadership vacuum at the hands of the POC Board and later, its General Assembly.

A two-page letter dated July 2, signed

by IOC director for Olympic Solidarity and National Olympic Committee Relations James Macleod and Olympic Council of Asia director general Hussain al-Musallam recognized the resignation of Victorico Vargas as POC President and Tolentino. They also took notice of the resignation of Board Members Clint Aranas and Cynthia Carreon.

Macleod and al-Musallam then instructed the POC to “follow due process

TRAINING HARD. ilipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao hits the body bag hard during training at the Wild Card Gym in preparation for his WBA welterweight fight vs American Keith Thurman on July 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Wendell Alinea

Cignal-HD spikers upset Sta. Elena; clinches top seeding in Final Four CIGNAL HD came back strong from a four-set upset to Sta. Elena the last time out, blasting Animo Green, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17, to clinch the top seeding in the Final Four of the Spikers’ Turf Reinforced Conference at the Paco Arena in Manila last Tuesday.

Ysay Marasigan and Marck Espejo combined for 23 points as the HD Spikers finished the single round elims among 12 teams at 10-1, then nipped the Air Force Jet Spikers in the tiebreak to claim the No. 1 spot in the crossover semis.

The Jet Spikers thwarted Rebisco-Philippines, 25-23, 9-25, 23-25, 25-23, 16-14, to settle for No. 2.

With the Nationals moving to Thailand to vie in a weeklong tournament, PLDT took the third semis seat with an 8-3 card, the same output put in by Rebisco-Phl, with

to avoid any further challenges and hold free and fair elections for (the) vacant positions.”

The IOC and the OCA said the process should start with the POC executive council convening within five days to review the IOC directives.

Then, it should create an independent elections commission before an extraordinary General Assembly is call within 10 days.

If these are followed, the POC will

hold a special board meeting on July 8, with the the first extraordinary general assembly to be set on July 18.

This will also nullify the election commission earlier formed by Tolentino. It was supposedly to be manned by former Commission on Elections commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal, jiu-jitsu secretary-general Ferdie Agustin and POC general counsel Alberto Agra.

The spate of resignations by the top POC officials was spurred by questions raised by the POC Board against the eligibility of the Phisgoc Foundation, led by Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.

The Phisgoc Foundation, which entered into private contracts including those for the athletes’ uniforms later found to be overpriced, was incorporated by Vargas and his staff, along with those of Cayetano, which the POC Board claimed has superceded the existence of the original Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee—or simply Phisgoc—to which Cayetano was appointed to act as chairman by former POC President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco.

the last berth still to be disputed by Sta. Elena (6-4) and BCDA Army (5-4).

Ranran Abadilla fired 24 points, including 17 attacks and six aces, while spiking his superb performance with 21 receptions and six digs as the Jet Spikers denied the Nationals’ bid to build some momentum heading to the Bangkok meet.

Fauzi Ismail backed Abadilla with 14 markers, including a kill that shattered a 14all count in the decider before Madz Gampong soared for his own attack from the right wing to clinch the win for Air Force.

Bryan Bagunas unleashed a 22-kill game and finished with 26 points for the Nationals.

In a duel of ousted teams. Instituto Estetico Manila-Phoenix subdued Coast Guard, 27-25, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20 to for a 2-7 card. Coast Guard slipped to 0-9.

SBC starts bid for 95th NCAA ‘four-peat’ THE San Beda Red Lions start their bid for a rare four-peat when season 95 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament unfolds on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Red Lions coach Boyet Fernandez is on his toes after taking note of the coaching changes that took place during the off-season.

Fernandez is aware that the Red Lions are among the favorites to make it to the finals again.

The Red Lions, he believes, are now in for a tough season with the many changes that have taken place.

“We’re out to defend the crown, pero medyo mahirap kasi magagaling ang mga coaches,” he said.

The Arellano Univerity Chiefs are coached by Cholo Martin, who replaced Jerry Codinera while the Mapua University Cardinals now has Randy Alcantara taking the place of Atoy Co. The Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers lost Vergel Meneses, who ran for public office and is now the mayor of Bulacan town.

Former La Salle Green Archers mentor Louie Gonzales has taken over Meneses’ former job.

The Chiefs and Heavy Bombers are hoping for better finishes this season.

The Cardinals, on the other hand, are confident with a new coach in Alcantara, who had steered the Malayan Red Robins in the finals in the three previous season.

Alcantara’s squad has become among the teams to watch.

What makes the Cardinals scary this year is the presence of many junior players from past teams that Alcantara has handled and have won high school crowns in the junior division.

Bike King TRI2 makes return to Subic Bay LONG-DISTANCE triathlon returns to the Subic Bay Freeport with this year’s edition of Bike King TRI 2 on July 7.

Hailed as one of the toughest triathlon courses in the country, Bike King TRI 2 will see triathletes swim for 2 kilometers at the pristine waters of ACEA Subic Bay, followed by cycling for 60 kilometers along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) unimpeded by cars. The final test of endurance is the 15-km run, which includes the hills of Cubi Point.

At stake in the event supported

by Biogenic Alcohol, Klean Athlete Nutritional Supplements, Apollo Petroleum Jelly, NLEX-SCTEX Metro Pacific Tollways, Standard Insurance, Smart, official timing partner Garmin, hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified Water, ACEA Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Court Meridian Hotel & Suites, and Subic Holiday Villas, are specially designed trophies for all Top 3 Male/ Female age-group champions, relay team and team competition winners.

Close to 450 athletes have registered for the event, which includes contests for individuals, team relay (all-male, all-female and mixed) and the popular team competition, which has attracted several sports clubs vying for honors. The awarding ceremony will start at 11 a.m.

Bike King TRI 2 is organized by Bike King, which has lined up other multisport events for the rest of the year such as the Vermosa Sports Hub Aquathlon 2 on Aug. 25, the Alviera Duathlon on Sept. 8, the Sun Life Aquathlon Series Championship on Oct. 13 and the MediCard Sprint Tri on Nov. 10.

Basketball, shooting headline TOPS ‘Usapang Sports’ THE Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) welcomes the month of July with wide-ranging discussions in basketball, memory games and shooting for the 29th “Usapang Sports” today (July 4) at the National Press Club in Intramuros.

The SOCCSKSARGEN Marlins, the 31st team in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), will talk about their chances in the Lakan Cup of the fast-growing league organized by Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

The Armor on Philippines-supported Marlins will be led by team owner Kevin Espinosa, manager Norm Conti and coach Biboy Simon.

The coming Ballout Hoops Challenge of founder Cris Bautista, commissioner LA Tenorio and deputy commission-

ers Bambi Sevilla and Alvin Bartolome will also be discussed during the 10 a.m. forum sponsored by Philippine Sports Commission, National Press Club, PAGCOR, Community Basketball Association and HG Guyabano Tea Leaf Drinks.

Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines, Inc. (AFAD) president Alaric Topacio and board member Edwin Año will talk about plans to support multiple shooting events and its own competition named the AFAD Cup. Also on the table is the coming 6th Philippine international Open Memory Championship scheduled July 13 and 14 at the Icon Hotel North EDSA. Leading the memory team are Enzo Gabriel Castillon, the newest Filipino

Grandmaster of Memory; Jan Jelo Juanir, the country’s top Junior Memory athlete and Little Big Shots PH “Memory Kid”; Chloe Andrea Galamgam, the reigning Philippine Kids Memory champion; and Anne Bernadette Bonita, president of the Philippine Mind Sports Association Inc. and head coach of Philippine Memory team.

TOPS president Ed Andaya of People’s Tonight is inviting all officers and members of TOPS, as well as friends in the sports community to attend the session shown on Facebook live via Glitter Livestream of actor-director Carlo Maceda.

TOPS is composed of editors, reporters, columnists and photographers of the country’s leading national tabloids.

IN BRIEF Bank reserves ratio to decrease further BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno sees the level of reserve requirement ratios of banks falling to a single digit at the end of his term.

At the sidelines of the launch of new generation banknotes held at the Bangko Sentral on Wednesday, Diokno said the reserve requirements at the current 16 percent remained high. “... Single digit... I can’t tell you if it is 5 or 7 or 9 percent. Right now it is 16 percent... It is really high,” Diokno said. His target of a single-digit level in RRR was the same as that of the late BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. He said no violent turbulence so far was recorded in the exchange rate after the latest cut in RRR in May. “Looking back, it was a smart move to pre-announce the reserve requirement cut so that the banking industry can prepare...,” Diokno said.

The BSP on May 16 cut the RRR of universal and commercial banks by 2 percentage points, or equivalent to about P190 billion in additional peso liquidity to be infused into the financial system. Julito G. Rada

Business

Search on for next president of GSIS FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the chairman of state-run Government Service Insurance System Rolando Macasaet could be the possible replacement to former president and general manager Jesus Clint Aranas, who quit his post Tuesday.

When asked on Wednesday if Macasaet could be the potential replacement for Aranas, Dominguez just replied “possible.” But when asked again if he would recommend Macasaet to the President, Dominguez did not reply.

Aranas resigned due to “personal reasons.”

Aranas’ resignation came following reports on the Commission on Audit’s order on the GSIS to refund P260.5 million in incentives given by the pension fund’s management to its employees, calling them “illegal expenditures.”

The GSIS under Aranas leadership was also in disagreement with the International Container Terminal Services Inc. over planned sale of a 672,645-square meter property at the Manila North Harbor, which is operated by the ICTSI. ICTSI had questioned the plan, saying it would hamper its operations at the site.

Julito G. Rada

Globe taps Aboitiz, Frontier to build common towers

By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. tapped Aboitiz InfraCapital and Frontier Tower Associates Philippines to build common telecom towers in the cities of Cebu, Davao and Olongapo to improve connectivity in these areas.

The parties signed a memorandum of understanding in support of the common tower initiatives of the Department of Information and Communications Technology to explore the possibility of leasing build-to-suit sites, towers and other passive telecommunications infrastructure and facilities.

Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said the common tower agreement with Aboitiz-Frontier Towers would focus on improving connectivity in Cebu, Davao and Olongapo by building and deploying the needed telco infrastructure in the most efficient way.

“Tower sharing is a means to address the demand for better internet experience. Our collaboration with tower experts will enable us to fast track the construction of cell sites and towers in unserved and underserved areas as well as congested urban centers,” Cu said.

Aboitiz InfraCapital chief operating officer Cosette Canilao said the collaboration would augment the existing coverage and capacity of Globe. She said the passive infrastructure including towers and support structures would be made available to other telecommunication service providers in the Philippines.

“Our partnership with Globe represents a significant first step in our effort to ramp up the country’s connectivity through infrastructure. Through the new common towers that will be built, Aboitiz InfraCapital, in partnership with FTAP, aims to build the right infrastructure that will advance the digitalization of businesses and communities,” Canilao said.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

B1

Del Rosario resigns as director of First Pacific

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Widus, Aboitiz Power team up in Clark zone WIDUS International Leisure Inc. has taken a significant leap in promoting sustainable tourism after the company teamed up with Aboitiz Power Corp. to supply the Widus Complex at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga with its Cleanergy brand for clean and renewable energy.

WILI owns and operates a premier leisure destination at the Clark Freeport Zone.

The partnership was established in 2018 when WILI made the switch to Cleanergy by signing up with AboitizPower for a 1.5-megawatt energy requirement, which has since increased to 2.5 MW. “As a thriving metropolis, Clark is teeming with exciting activities and places of interest. Since it opened in 2008, Widus has become a leading destination for its topnotch facilities and world-class entertainment offerings. But apart from being known for our signature warmth and hospitality, we are proud to be a company that values sustainability,” said WILI assistant vice president for corporate planning and compliance Neki A. Liwanag. Alena Mae S. Flores

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

CHAIRMAN EMERITUS. Victorias Milling Company confers the title of chairman emeritus on Dr. Lucio Tan (center) during the ceremonial rites at Century Park Hotel in Manila. With Tan are VMC chairman Wilson Young (left) and president Minnie Chua.

Anti-trust body clears Meralco-Marubeni deal

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Philippine Competition Commission approved the proposed joint venture between state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the consortium of Manila Electric Co. and its Japanese partners for the development of a power distribution system in New Clark City.

PCC records showed the consortium would be comprised of Meralco, Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corp. and power distributors Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. and Chubu Electric Power Co. The transaction of BCDA and the Meralco-Marubeni Consortium will create a joint venture company that will distribute power to locators and facilities in New Clark City in Tarlac province for an initial period of 25 years.

Under the deal, the consortium will

have a 90-percent equity stake in the joint venture company, while BCDA will own the remaining 10 percent.

PCC said in a decision on June 25 the transaction would not affect the competition in the retail electricity supply market within New Clark City and the distribution utility market of generated electricity through a supply agreement in the Luzon and Visayas grids.

It said as New Clark City could give rise to establishments or units that are qualified

to choose their own retail electricity suppliers, these potential “contestable customers” in the area would still be able to choose their own power provider and not necessarily the joint venture company.

PCC said that given the development of New Clark City, it was expecting an influx of potential locators, particularly agro-industrial and institutional clients to qualify as contestable customers.

Contestable customers are consumers with an average monthly consumption of at least 750-kilowatts and are deemed by the Energy Department as qualified establishments to participate in the electricity open access scheme and choose their own retail electricity supplier.

These retail power suppliers from anywhere in the country may compete for the would-be qualified New Clark City locators in need of the supply, it said.

Taiwan extends visa-free entry for Filipino tourists TAIWAN extended the visa-free privilege of Filipino tourists for another year from Aug. 1, 2019 through July 31, 2020.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines said the privilege was a display of Taiwan’s amity with the Philippines as the country continues to boost the travel convenience for Filipinos to visit Taiwan for leisure, business and other short-term purposes.

It said the visa-free privilege also aimed to deepen Taiwan’s multifaceted relations with the Philippines, especially in the fields of tourism, trade, investment, education, agriculture, fisheries and healthcare, it said.

The Philippines is not only Taiwan’s closest neighbor but also a priority partner for Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy,” which aims to build stronger bilateral relations and closer people-topeople connectivity with its neighboring countries in the region.

It said the implementation of the visa-free treatment since Nov. 1, 2017 resulted in a rapid increase in Filipinos visiting Taiwan. In 2018, visitors from the Philippines reached 419,000, recording a 44-percent increase from 2017.

Regional airlines both from Taiwan and the Philippines launched more direct flights and opened new routes to the major cities between the two countries.

Filipinos have more choices as they could now depart for Taiwan from Manila, Puerto Princesa, Clark, Cebu and Kalibo, helping Philippine travelers save more time and money.

Teco also encouraged more Filipinos to maximize the visa-free status and visit Taiwan as often as possible to enjoy its beautiful attractions, the wide variety of shopping and dining options and the warm hospitality.

It asked the Philippine government to grant visa-free treatment to the nationals of the Republic of China on the basis of reciprocity to attract more Taiwanese tourists and businessmen.

Othel V. Campos

FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario resigned as a director of Hong Kong-based conglomerate First Pacific Co. Ltd., more than a week after he was denied entry to the Chinese territory to attend the company’s shareholders meeting.

First Pacific said in a disclosure to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Del Rosario tendered his resignation as a non-executive director of the company effective July 1.

The parent company of PLDT Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said among the reasons given by Del Rosario for the resignation were “poor health as he approaches the age of 80 years and other constraints, such as, his increased involvement in a number of personal advocacies which makes it difficult for him to continue to serve as a director of the company”.

“Ambassador del Rosario confirmed that he has no disagreement with the board and that he is not aware of any matter relating to his resignation that needs to be brought to the attention of the shareholders of the company and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited,” First Pacific said.

“He also confirmed that he has no claims against the company whatsoever, whether in respect of fees, remuneration or compensation for loss of office,” First Pacific said.

“The board would like to express its profound thanks to Ambassador del Rosario, who has been a source of invaluable counsel to the company during his tenure,” it said.

Del Rosario was denied entry to Hong Kong on June 21, preventing him from attending First Pacific’s shareholders’ meeting.

Del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales earlier filed before the International Criminal Court a case against Chinese President Xi Jinping, alleging crimes against humanity in the West Philippine Sea. Del Rosario first joined First Pacific as an independent non-executive director in June 2003 and served as a non-executive director from 2004 until March 2011. He re-joined First Pacific’s board in June 2016.

First Pacific is a Hong Kongbased investment management and holding company with operations located in Asia-Pacific. Its principal business investments cover consumer food products, infrastructure, natural resources and telecommunications.

First Pacific owned by the Salim family of Indonesia holds controlling stakes in PLDT Inc., MPIC, Philex Mining Corp. and Roxas Holdings Inc.

Govt to develop database of foreign workers

By Julito G. Rada THE Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Labor Department plan to develop an interagency database of foreign nationals working in the country to effectively monitor them and ensure that they pay correct taxes.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a report to BIR commissioner Caesar Dulay that revisions were made to a draft joint memorandum circular on the issuance of work permits to foreigners to include a provision on setting up the database.

“To effectively pursue our mandate [of taxing foreign workers], we need accurate data on foreigners working in the Philippines,” Dulay said during a recent DoF executive committee meeting.

Dulay said the agency had invited the BIR to a meeting to discuss the joint memorandum circular on the issuance of work permits to foreign nationals.

“Revisions were made to develop an

inter-agency database to be administered by the Dole,” Dulay said.

The Labor Department earlier said 15,176 foreign nationals had no working permits, but Dulay said several of them were subsequently determined by the BIR to have proper working permits and visas. “Dole was informed of these findings,” Dulay said.

Dulay said the Bureau of Immigration and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. needed to step up their efforts and come up with creative solutions in tracking the entry and employment of foreign nationals in the country.

He said this was necessary to accomplish the goal of coming up with an accurate database of taxable aliens in the Philippines.

Dominguez also said that while the government was focusing on POGOs, the BIR’s mission to ensure that taxes are properly collected would cover all foreign nationals working in the Philippines.

INAUGURAL FLIGHT. Cebu Pacific inaugurates its commercial flights between Manila and Shenzen. Shenzhen is the fifth Cebu Pacific destination in mainland China after Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Xiamen. Cebu Pacific corporate communications director Charo Logarta Lagamon (right) awards a special token to Liao Haoshen, the first passenger to check into the inaugural flight 5J 5226, bound for Shenzen, China on July 1, 2019.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks close flat; GT Capital up T

HE stock market closed virtually flat Wednesday ahead of the release of the official inflation report for June on Friday.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index lost a minimal 0.92 point to 8,092.68 on a value turnover of P7.6 billion. Losers edged gainers, 98 to 90, with 63 issues unchanged.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, fell 1.2 percent to P71.50, while Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest bank, slipped 1.1 percent to P78.20.

Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group rose 2.4 percent to P77, while GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty family climbed 1.5 percent to P869.

Meanwhile, uncertainty over the

global economy weighed on Asian markets Wednesday as the tailwind from the China-US trade ceasefire petered out, with oil prices struggling to claw back the previous day’s hefty losses and safe-haven gold rallying again.

Hong Kong closed down 0.1 percent, while Shanghai ended 0.9 percent lower and Tokyo finished off 0.5 percent.

Singapore fell 0.3 percent, Seoul dropped 1.2 percent and Taipei gave up more than one percent with Jakarta 0.5 percent lower. But Sydney was up 0.5 percent, while Mumbai and Bangkok also edged higher.

While some tensions on trading floors have eased since Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s proclamation that negotiations were back on, analysts pointed to long-running concerns about weak growth and central banks’ willingness to act.

Shanghai was one of the biggest losers after the head of the People’s Bank of China appeared to temper expectations for near-term stimulus measures for the world’s numbertwo economy.

Yi Gang said growth was near potential, interest rates were about right and monetary policy was accommodative enough to absorb various situations.

“Gang sent more hawkish signals by tempering expectations for significant credit growth in (the second half of) 2019” following the positive outcome of the Trump-Xi meeting, said Stephen Innes at Vanguard Markets.

“If this is true, it’s horrible for a market that was positioning for a fillip from a PBoC policy response and a noteworthy shift from his dovish remarks just a few weeks ago that there is ‘tremendous room’ for additional

policy stimulus in China.”

The remarks come soon after data showed factory activity in China continued to shrink in June, adding to worries about the key driver of global growth as economies struggle to deal with the effects of the trade war.

Traders are also nervously awaiting the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting this month, with a 25 basis point cut in borrowing costs largely priced into markets, but with many hoping for double that figure.

The release of US jobs data on Friday is now in investors’ sights, with a weak reading likely to put pressure on the bank to announce slash deep this month.

Adding to the sense of dread, Bank of England boss Mark Carney warned of a “widespread” slowdown in the world economy from rising protectionism.

With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019

NAME

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

57.5 79.1 2.42 139 1.34 27.5 18.72 11.76 4.85 1.39 770 0.495 72.65 1 13.2 52.45 191.8 58 27.4 170 1,760 61.85 1.2

58.5 79.8 2.43 140 1.43 27.5 18.72 12.04 5 1.39 770 0.495 72.65 1 13.24 56 192.5 58 27.4 170.9 1,760 62 1.22

57.5 78.2 2.42 138.8 1.27 27.3 18.72 11.74 4.8 1.35 765 0.48 71.5 0.97 13.2 52.45 191.8 58 27.35 169.6 1,760 61.2 1.12

58.5 78.2 2.43 139.4 1.3 27.4 18.72 11.98 4.85 1.39 765 0.49 71.5 1 13.2 55 191.8 58 27.4 170 1,760 62 1.12

14,200 2,714,150 26,000 4,067,050 1,056,000 100,700 600 1,548,600 102,000 24,000 200 382,000 3,208,920 91,000 60,800 879,260 1,280 30 8,400 1,099,170 10 139,490 135,000

825,000 214,695,589.50 63,140 566,331,495 1,445,360 2,760,380 11,232 18,514,588 495,130 33,030 153,500 184,610 231,534,258 89,710 803,002 47,920,346 245,585 1,740 230,115 187,328,285 17,600 8,622,835 158,910

7,605 -12,186,733.50 4,840 103,156,744 -520,780 -5,719,016 -145,800 -43,265,845 19,152,804 3,836 1,740 -38,360 -51,184,618 2,150,356 -2,400

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

36.55 14.62 0.84 1.38 0.265 3.04 15 18.26 16.62 41 123 150.8 2.08 5.14 6.11 10.54 15.6 11.1 7.66 1.75 26.95 85.3 61 2.58 13.6 10.2 1.74 285.8 4.25 3.43 9.5 25.5 14.26 19 387.8 0.188 1.85 4.56 5.96 9.29 2.36 12 39.25 5 4.9 1.45 1.17 13.88 106.7 6.54 0.133 1.26 167.4 2.5 1.27 1.46

37.5 15 0.84 1.38 0.275 3.21 15 18.26 17.5 41 123 150.9 2.09 5.14 6.11 10.58 15.8 11.18 7.85 1.75 27.25 86.4 63.5 2.64 13.6 10.3 1.76 286 4.26 3.45 9.8 25.55 14.4 19.1 387.8 0.188 1.91 4.69 5.97 9.29 2.42 12.1 39.3 5.06 4.9 1.46 1.18 14 107 6.56 0.133 1.26 171.6 2.6 1.27 1.48

36.4 14.62 0.82 1.35 0.26 3.03 14.84 17.06 16.62 40.5 101 120 2.06 5.14 6.07 10.48 15.58 10.96 7.66 1.75 26.9 85.3 61 2.58 13.48 10.06 1.69 284.8 4.25 3.4 9.3 25.4 14.24 18.5 385.4 0.188 1.76 4.45 5.93 9.29 2.33 12 38.8 5 4.9 1.4 1.16 13.6 105 6.48 0.124 1.22 167 2.49 1.25 1.4

37.5 15 0.83 1.35 0.27 3.15 14.84 17.28 17.48 40.6 105.5 125 2.09 5.14 6.07 10.5 15.7 11 7.77 1.75 27.2 86 61.15 2.62 13.6 10.3 1.74 285 4.26 3.4 9.64 25.5 14.36 18.8 387 0.188 1.8 4.69 5.95 9.29 2.4 12.1 38.85 5.06 4.9 1.4 1.16 13.7 107 6.55 0.127 1.25 170.5 2.6 1.25 1.41

1,982,400 935,000 1,641,000 441,000 6,030,000 12,304,000 1,312,000 432,000 1,400 4,900 76,350 24,260 160,000 200 25,700 2,022,200 71,000 809,100 1,353,000 74,000 2,122,900 328,640 144,510 9,183,000 412,400 205,000 1,278,000 311,030 4,000 43,000 66,200 737,700 302,000 1,178,300 116,490 150,000 13,105,000 53,000 557,300 100 14,038,000 34,600 1,205,400 17,000 7,428,000 161,000 459,000 1,029,700 263,860 119,500 490,000 485,000 1,356,280 29,000 800,000 21,564,000

73,547,570 13,952,486 1,358,210 597,850 1,623,550 38,612,550 19,586,630 7,556,912 24,002 198,835 8,505,488 3,199,482 331,920 1,028 156,390 21,258,490 1,110,520 8,930,986 10,536,918 129,500 57,611,030 28,264,838 8,960,307.50 23,895,630 5,595,702 2,099,814 2,209,350 88,683,192 17,010 146,980 638,472 18,826,785 4,321,002 22,096,888 45,075,646 28,200 24,079,940 239,710 3,318,084 929 33,422,970 417,700 47,251,285 85,060 36,397,200 227,970 532,940 14,217,744 28,113,846 777,334 61,780 600,840 230,224,855 72,430 1,003,180 30,979,380

16,758,920.00 -660,296 55,200.00 52,000 3,207,170 -895,516 -2,172,898.00 101,000 113,610 10,400 -21,311 11,760,136.00 463,584 3,793,858 -766,802 21,765,205 185,190 3,290,650 -7,387,120 -1,090,118 203,578.00 22,237,406 -20,400 -9,620 3,576,905 27,358 -565,070.00 25,640,482 -3,905,890 623,456 -2,546,490 -1,795,365 0 -11,280,516 -1,312,493 17,800 62,000 43,236,389 38,750 445,320

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 KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV MJC INVESTMENTS PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

1.06 55.8 15.84 0.73 7.04 13.34 1.32 1.34 901 3.89 6.8 10.54 14.08 0.236 861 6.4 68.5 6.35 4.5 0.495 4.1 15.3 0.65 4.86 2.8 0.039 1.68 178.9 2.48 996 0.85 1.38 264.4 0.23 0.335

1.09 56.45 15.88 0.76 7.05 13.38 1.35 1.34 903 3.98 6.86 10.56 14.08 0.245 893.5 6.5 68.65 6.35 4.5 0.495 4.14 15.58 0.66 4.88 2.8 0.041 1.87 178.9 2.48 997.5 0.87 1.39 267 0.234 0.335

0.98 55.6 15.7 0.73 7.04 13.06 1.31 1.33 899.5 3.86 6.79 10.3 13.88 0.236 856 6.4 67.1 6.35 4.5 0.48 4 15.28 0.63 4.85 2.7 0.039 1.48 175.6 2.41 981.5 0.81 1.38 261 0.23 0.325

1.02 56 15.7 0.74 7.05 13.06 1.32 1.34 903 3.97 6.79 10.3 14.02 0.245 869 6.48 67.5 6.35 4.5 0.48 4 15.58 0.63 4.87 2.7 0.039 1.53 175.6 2.41 994 0.85 1.39 265 0.232 0.33

80,353,000 1,943,300 3,564,900 465,000 2,300 45,600 2,193,000 1,123,000 754,370 9,063,000 889,000 1,951,500 32,300 40,000 107,320 268,400 1,159,510 100 600 440,000 1,119,000 2,970,100 2,843,000 19,052,000 8,000 11,100,000 14,212,000 382,370 7,000 673,840 132,000 144,000 4,270 820,000 5,720,000

83,792,020 108,967,935 56,324,266 343,960 16,214 600,244 2,905,460 1,496,040 679,340,045 35,687,190 6,047,104 20,360,658 450,240 9,530 93,238,420 1,729,544 78,626,533.50 635 2,700 212,500 4,552,760 45,763,832 1,815,780 92,706,220 21,700 435,600 23,225,830 67,348,269 17,220 671,228,025 110,780 199,180 1,122,078 190,160 1,897,900

2,546,310 -12,897,940.50 -502,130 3,650 981,560 26,601,300 482,680 548,846 -2,340,064 -83,720 4,152,260 -396,160 22,217,257 49,000 -2,519,340 -6,878,310 -926,650 62,120,250 8,200 2,430,175 139,391,170 -2,780 -482,536 -79,550

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 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

15.46 0.85 11.02 2.06 0.92 51.75 2.33 5.05 6.15 0.62 0.82 0.94 0.238 0.46 9.89 25.2 0.48 1.88 1.4 6.2 0.355 0.465 1.88 0.405 2.28 26.1

15.56 0.86 11.34 2.06 1.03 52.35 2.34 5.06 6.35 0.64 0.83 0.94 0.242 0.475 9.9 25.85 0.48 1.89 1.41 6.24 0.36 0.47 1.9 0.415 2.28 26.9

15.4 0.84 11.02 2.06 0.9 51.55 2.28 5.03 6.15 0.61 0.8 0.88 0.238 0.46 9.76 25.2 0.48 1.86 1.4 6.09 0.35 0.465 1.82 0.405 2.2 26.1

15.56 0.84 11.34 2.06 0.98 51.75 2.28 5.04 6.35 0.62 0.83 0.91 0.238 0.46 9.85 25.4 0.48 1.87 1.4 6.1 0.35 0.47 1.82 0.415 2.23 26.7

302,700 1,516,000 2,200 30,000 100,882,000 8,364,750 1,288,000 476,300 7,200 30,442,000 685,000 816,000 40,000 1,880,000 57,300 351,500 210,000 28,686,000 1,045,000 12,311,800 19,310,000 3,530,000 3,265,000 710,000 812,000 3,559,400

4,683,212 1,280,410 24,276 61,800 92,532,600 433,115,915 2,950,750 2,403,409 44,320 19,022,920 556,440 737,060 9,560 874,350 563,911 8,972,230 100,800 53,745,980 1,465,030 75,829,157 6,831,850 1,641,500 6,021,360 291,200 1,816,860 95,015,365

-389,212 -69,457,170 111,021,002.50 -2,352,260.00 615,854.00 -38,170 19,560 21,840 116,452.00 2,358,030 -20,066,800 8,661,369 -1,050,900 -2,489,100 12,300 22,100 34,905,200

NAME

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

2.17 3.04 37.85 1.95 6.47 0.75 7.14

2.25 3.05 38.3 1.96 6.47 0.78 7.14

2.17 3.02 37.85 1.91 6.2 0.74 7.1

2.18 3.02 38.05 1.91 6.2 0.75 7.14

265,000 56,000 10,875,400 979,000 130,500 48,000 3,522,800

578,390 170,610 413,639,345 1,898,250 823,732 35,810 25,122,948

-2,240 -38,485,855 12,750 -1,285,662

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

11.2 17.28 0.5 0.047 21.15 2.77 11.74 0.057 90.25 7 8.75 2.22 10.18 890 2,216 5.38 400.2 12 2.23 1.98 146 10.08 5.8 0.119 6.81 3.04 14.2 3.76 0.88 19.18 0.52 3.2 2.51 1.6 2.7 3.11 9.35 2.91 5.45 125 3.58 1,290 0.78 0.89 44.75 75.2 9 3.5 0.75 0.39 5.47 0.74 17.02

11.2 17.28 0.51 0.047 21.15 2.77 11.74 0.058 91.1 7 8.8 2.22 10.6 890 2,238 5.39 410 12 2.29 2.05 146.9 10.08 5.85 0.119 6.81 3.17 14.48 3.8 0.88 19.4 0.53 3.2 2.64 1.6 2.71 3.17 9.35 2.92 5.56 125 3.77 1,290 0.8 0.95 44.9 77.95 9.08 3.52 0.75 0.4 5.52 0.76 17.28

11.12 17.2 0.49 0.047 20.75 2.68 11.54 0.057 89.05 7 8.4 2.22 10.06 890 2,214 5.33 400 12 2.23 1.9 144.7 10.08 5.75 0.117 6.7 3 14.02 3.63 0.83 19.1 0.52 3.2 2.51 1.6 2.62 3.09 9.15 2.88 5.32 125 3.55 1,256 0.78 0.86 44 75.2 8.99 3.42 0.74 0.39 5.45 0.74 16.84

11.12 17.22 0.495 0.047 20.75 2.72 11.7 0.057 91 7 8.57 2.22 10.08 890 2,236 5.33 410 12 2.25 2 146.5 10.08 5.75 0.118 6.78 3.17 14.48 3.75 0.86 19.38 0.53 3.2 2.59 1.6 2.67 3.1 9.15 2.89 5.55 125 3.77 1,256 0.79 0.93 44 77 8.99 3.42 0.75 0.395 5.49 0.75 16.96

25,900 157,100 4,934,000 2,000,000 4,100 859,000 14,386,700 28,330,000 215,530 1,200 3,304,300 1,000 126,700 500 56,875 153,300 1,500 800 1,502,000 114,000 1,085,240 100 11,500 1,410,000 5,694,100 30,000 1,700 2,306,000 858,000 806,100 258,000 13,000 4,845,000 20,000 1,816,000 250,000 13,500 318,000 86,200 70 3,583,000 53,050 468,000 75,285,000 539,100 2,475,270 1,499,000 5,598,000 2,056,000 5,890,000 580,000 3,123,000 1,173,800

289,044 2,706,866 2,443,755 94,000 86,675 2,320,130 168,231,800 1,628,390 19,579,419 8,400 28,425,110 2,220 1,288,236 445,000 126,820,030 820,349 611,734 9,600 3,390,370 222,350 158,916,099 1,008 66,550 166,400 38,419,533 90,560 24,154 8,523,600 726,000 15,577,896 135,540 41,600 12,536,400 32,000 4,863,780 779,560 123,905 923,520 476,062 8,750 13,297,410 67,255,680 368,360 68,800,380 23,837,645 190,510,550.50 13,488,785 19,268,340 1,540,270 2,301,400 3,187,028 2,346,470 19,935,700

1,114 -59,220 70,420 -11,878,280 -2,286,215.50 1,999,107 -10,180 44,880,640 -35,480 36,022,927 -1,190 -232,541 7,100 40,280 20,620 11,523,394 1,161,840.00 -75,710 -473,220 14,025 -84,390 -37,240 254,390 1,710,975 -120,230 111,830 -4,105,035 16,661,817 -12,508,160 2,732,120 393,500 -8,005,490

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

0.002 1.23 12.5 1.2 1.14 2.78 0.29 7.85 1.54 0.226 0.119 0.122 0.008 0.009 1.24 2.32 1.01 0.54 0.89 0.012 0.012 0.01 4.63 3.63 7.52 23.7 0.006

0.002 1.24 12.5 1.25 1.14 2.8 0.29 7.89 1.54 0.226 0.119 0.122 0.008 0.009 1.44 2.35 1.08 0.54 0.96 0.013 0.012 0.011 4.79 3.69 7.62 23.75 0.007

0.002 1.22 12.5 1.2 1.14 2.78 0.29 7.62 1.5 0.219 0.106 0.114 0.008 0.009 1.2 2.24 0.99 0.54 0.88 0.012 0.012 0.01 4.6 3.54 7.3 23 0.006

0.002 1.22 12.5 1.25 1.14 2.8 0.29 7.85 1.51 0.219 0.106 0.119 0.008 0.009 1.25 2.3 1.03 0.54 0.9 0.012 0.012 0.011 4.79 3.54 7.48 23 0.007

319,000,000 1,969,000 300 35,000 6,000 203,000 400,000 9,100 6,585,000 470,000 17,780,000 1,640,000 12,000,000 7,000,000 145,150,000 2,556,000 595,000 25,000 2,734,000 27,400,000 2,000,000 12,800,000 23,000 631,000 830,000 1,117,600 27,000,000

574,200 2,419,890 3,750 42,050 6,840 566,420 116,000 70,980 10,023,990 104,160 1,967,330 192,520 90,300 59,500 177,897,240 5,876,040 610,240 13,500 2,489,530 330,700 24,000 134,900 107,440 2,287,540 6,158,520 26,122,190 176,900

-466,990 -6,840.00 94,860 -116,000.00 44,080 24,400 -59,500 218,610 1,057,410.00 357,000 10,800 576,830 130,330 412,940 -

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

16.8 480 490.2 100 98.1 107.4 5.49 880 900 992 1,005 1,006 960 75.5 76 73 73 74 73.7

16.8 480 490.2 100 98.1 107.4 5.49 900 900 992 1,010 1,008 960 75.5 76.8 73 73 74 73.7

16.72 456 490.2 100 98.1 104.5 5.49 856 900 990 1,005 1,006 960 75.5 76 73 73 73.75 73.7

16.72 456 490.2 100 98.1 104.5 5.49 900 900 990 1,005 1,008 960 75.5 76.8 73 73 73.75 73.7

138,900 10,420 30 6,000 160 30,100 300 320 200 100 2,145 390 690 90 10,300 4,700 13,800 37,240 3,300

2,326,494 4,840,020 14,706 600,000 15,696 3,145,711 1,647 282,810 180,000 99,020 2,156,200 392,900 662,400 6,795 782,816 343,100 1,007,400 2,753,519 243,210

-1,839,294 15,200 -

1.9

1.9

1.85

1.86

171,000

318,590

-

4.86 1.14

4.89 1.16

4.84 1.13

4.88 1.16

139,000 4,318,000

674,730 4,952,170

-9,760 90,750

MS WARRANTS LR WARRANT SME ITALPINAS XURPAS

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

120.2

121

120.1

121

22,360

2,705,140

-

DDS USD DMPL A1

10.2

10.2

10.2

10.2

5,000

51,000

-

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

17,764,129

INDUSTRIAL

109,524,824

HOLDING FIRMS

169,766,680

PROPERTY

1,641,831,774

SERVICES

182,345,706

MINING & OIL

590,806,440

GRAND TOTAL

1,312,205,874

VALUE 1,721.11 (DOWN) -6.7 1,563,631,370.9 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,921.16 (UP) 79.09 980,829,188.37 HOLDING FIRMS 7,814.47 (DOWN) -3.3 2,269,140,947.93 PROPERTY 4,352 (UP) 9.53 SERVICES 1,698.67 (DOWN) -15.86 1,291,523,044.935 MINING & OIL 7,566.59 (DOWN) -123.54 1,263,694,831.69 PSEI 8,092.68 (DOWN) -0.92 238,482,990.5622 All Shares Index 4,939.63 (DOWN) -2.08 7,615,642,232.48 Gainers: 90; Losers: 98; Unchanged: 63; Total: 251

Manila Water expands, bags contracts in Iloilo, Samar

By Jenniffer B. Austria MANILA Water Co. Inc. has finalized joint venture agreements with two provincial water districts for the construction, maintenance and operation of two water and wastewater projects worth P1.27 billion.

MWC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed and executed a joint venture agreement with the Calbayog City Water District for the design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, operation, financing, expansion, and management of the water and wastewater system in Calbayog City Samar province.

The project, with an estimated capital expenditure of P1.197 billion, is expected to deliver a potential billed volume of 28.48 million liters a day by 2043.

Upon completion of the conditions set out in the joint venture agreement MWC, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Calbayog Water Company Inc. and CCWD will execute the project for a period of 25 years MWC and strategic partner Tubig Pilipinas Group Inc. also agreed to acquire shares in Calbayog Water.

MWC, meantime, finalised a joint venture agreement with the Lambunao Water District for the design, construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, operation, financing, expansion and management of the water system of Lambunao town in Iloilo province.

The project, set to be implemented 35 years is estimated to deliver a potential billed volume of 2.93 million liters per day by 2054. MWC said the project would cost P78.98 million.

MWC is the water concessionaire for the east zone of Metro Manila, which encompasses 23 cities and municipalities that include Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, portions of Manila as well as 14 towns of Rizal province.

MWC through its units also has water projects in Clark, Laguna, Boracay, Cebu, Calasiao (Pangasinan) and Obando (Bulacan).

The company MWC started implementing water projects in Vietnam.

Share price of MWC closed flat Wednesday at P25.50.

SEC stops two firms involved in Ponzi scheme THE Securities and Exchange Commission ordered Alabel Maasim Mining Corp., Alabel-Maasim Small Scale Mining Cooperative and Alabel-Maasim Credit Cooperative to stop soliciting investments from the public without the necessary license.

The SEC issued a cease-and-desist order against ALAMCCO and ALMAMICO after securing substantial evidence that they were engaged in offering and selling to the public securities in the form of investment contracts without the necessary license from the Commission.

ALAMCCO and ALMAMICO operate largely in Saranggani, General Santos City and Koronadal City. They invite members to invest certain amounts in exchange for a guaranteed 35 percent monthly return, which is supposedly compounded when investors lock in their investments for a year.

Both companies were also found to have engaged in public offering of securities when they indiscriminately or randomly promoted their investment schemes through videos posted online.

The Securities Regulation Code provides that “securities shall not be sold or offered for sale or distribution within the Philippines, without a registration statement duly filed with and approved by the Commission.”

Aside from lacking the necessary license, the SEC said the investment scheme of ALMAMICO and ALAMCCO resembled a Ponzi scheme, an investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors.

The SEC also ordered ALMAMICO and ALAMCCO to cease from promoting the investment scheme through the internet or delete or remove immediately the promotional presentation of the investment scheme form the web sites.

“Offering and selling investment contracts to the public without the necessary license or permit will operate as a fraud on investors or is likely to cause grave or irreparable injury or prejudice to the investing public,” the SEC said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

B3

World

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trump makes Fourth of July his own show

PROTEST. Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions shout slogans and hold placards as they attend a protest calling for wage hikes and improvements in employment status at Gwangwhamun Square in central Seoul on July 3, 2019. Labor union members across a number of departments, including public sector non-regular employees, cleaners for local governments, and highway toll collectors participated in the nationwide joint strike, according to Yonhap. AFP

South Americans marvel at solar eclipse LA HIGUERA, Chile―A rare total solar eclipse plunged a vast swath of Latin America’s southern cone into darkness Tuesday, briefly turning day into night and enthralling huge crowds in much of Chile and Argentina.

Hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Chile’s northern Coquimbo region near the Atacama desert―festooned with some of the planet’s most powerful telescopes―which was situated directly on the eclipse’s 100-milewide “path of totality.”

Large crowds congregated in the town of La Higuera, some 2,400 meters above sea level and near the landmark La Silla Observatory, operated by the European Southern Observatory.

“I don’t believe there’s a better place in the world to see an eclipse than La Silla,” said Australian tourist Betsy Clark.

Clark and her family were among thousands who flocked to the craggy peaks around the observatory on Tuesday.

They were not disappointed. The eclipse had its longest duration as it made to La Silla: 2.36 minutes.

“It was an experience to last several lifetimes,” said Chilean tourist Rene Serey.

Solar eclipses happen when the Sun, the Moon and Earth line up, allowing the Moon to cast its shadow on Earth.

The area where the observatory is located, with its dry weather, crystalclear air and low light pollution, is a stargazers’ paradise.

To the west, in the coastal town of La Serena, thousands of people on the beach cheered and clapped at the moment when the Moon closed over the Sun and blocked it out completely.

“Oh my God, it’s incredible!” shouted some, while others chanted “more, more, more!”

Many remained silent, enchanted and moved by one of nature’s spectacles.

“The truth is that even if one knows what’s going on, it is shocking the minute that the shadow of darkness begins to come and that silence begins,” said astronomer Sonia Duffau, as she choked back tears.

Total solar eclipses are rare, but what is even rarer about Tuesday’s event is that it occurred directly over an area of the Earth most prepared to study the heavenly bodies.

“Very seldom has it happened that the whole of an eclipse is seen over an observatory, the last time this happened was in ‘91” at the Mauna Kea observatory in Hawaii, said Matias Jones, an astronomer at La Silla. AFP

Overcrowding decried at detention facilities

W

ASHINGTON―The inspector general for the US Department of Homeland Security warned on Tuesday about “dangerous overcrowding” in migrant detention facilities in Texas.

The report by the agency watchdog came a day after a group of Democratic lawmakers toured detention centers for undocumented immigrants in the state bordering Mexico and denounced “horrifying” conditions there.

“We encourage the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take immediate steps to alleviate dangerous overcrowding and prolonged detention of children and adults in the Rio Grande Valley,” acting DHS Inspector General Jennifer Costello said in a memorandum to acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan.

The report included images taken at several Texas sites, showing dozens of migrants including young children packed shoulder to shoulder into cagelike holding areas or cells.

The acting DHS inspector general said one senior manager at a detention facility described the situation as a “ticking time bomb” and raised security concerns for agency staff and detainees.

Costello said her office had toured five Border Patrol holding facilities in Texas’s

Rio Grande Valley in early June and observed “serious overcrowding and prolonged detention of unaccompanied alien children, families, and single adults.”

“Specifically, Border Patrol was holding about 8,000 detainees in custody at the time of our visit, with 3,400 held longer than the 72 hours generally permitted,” she said. “Of those 3,400 detainees, Border Patrol held 1,500 for more than 10 days.”

“Border Patrol’s custody data indicates that 826 (31 percent) of the 2,669 children at these facilities had been held longer than the 72 hours generally permitted,” she added.

Children at three of the five Border Patrol facilities had no access to showers and few spare clothes while two facilities had not provided hot meals, only sandwiches.

Most single adults had not had a shower in a month and were being given wet-wipes. Some detainees were suffering from constipation after a diet consisting only of bologna sandwiches.

According to Border Patrol figures,

223,263 people were detained in the Rio Grande Valley sector between October 2018 and May 2019, up 124 percent from the same period a year earlier.

US Democratic presidential hopefuls denounced the conditions depicted by the report.

“No human being deserves to be treated like this,” Senator Kamala Harris wrote on Twitter. “This is abuse, it’s dehumanization, and it’s not who we are as a country.”

“Sickening. Human beings are being herded like animals right now in our country,” Senator Elizabeth Warren tweeted, while Senator Bernie Sanders wrote that those in charge of the detention centers “do not respect basic human rights.”

Mayor Pete Butigieg tweeted that he was “outraged by these photos,” and Senator Corey Booker wrote that “this report is nothing short of horrific.”

The report comes as the White House and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials pushed back against criticism from the Democratic lawmakers who toured migrant detention facilities on Monday.

Representative Alexandria OcasioCortez, who visited two such centers in Texas, described the conditions as “horrifying” and said migrants were being subjected to “systemic cruelty.” AFP

IN BRIEF India brings down dead climbers NEW DELHI―Indian rescuers brought down on Wednesday the bodies of four out of eight climbers killed in an avalanche almost six weeks ago on the country’s second-highest mountain.

The four Britons, two Americans, one Indian and one Australian went missing in the last week of May trying to summit a virgin peak on Nanda Devi in the Himalayas.

After a lengthy and dangerous operation by elite Indian mountaineers the bodies of seven of the climbers were found roped together at 21,300 feet. The eighth was not found.

With the area unsuitable for helicopters, the bodies were then brought down to base camp and four were airlifted to Pithoragarh, the main town in the area, on Wednesday. The other three were set to follow.

“We will complete the legal process of identification and postmortem and keep the bodies in a morgue,” local official Vijay Kumar Jogdande told AFP. The foreign embassies will then be informed once this process has been completed.

The climbers were part of a 12-member expedition, but four Britons were rescued after breaking away.

The missing climbers last communicated on May 26, a day before heavy snow fell and massive avalanches hit the slopes.

The expedition—led by experienced British mountaineer Martin Moran—had permission only to climb the eastern peak of Nanda Devi, which has been summited before, according to Indian authorities.

But families of the climbers have disputed this. AFP

Lee Iacocca dead at 94

CANDIDATE. Spanish MEP Sira Rego (GUE/NGL Group), a candidate for the presidency of the European Parliament, delivers a speech during a voting session to elect the new president of the European Parliament during the first plenary session of the newly elected European Assembly on July 3, 2019, in Strasbourg, eastern France. AFP

Japan’s whale restaurants cheer the hunt resumption

TOKYO―”Two sashimis, three steaks,” cries the waitress at one of Tokyo’s most famous whale restaurants during a frantic lunchtime service where Japan’s resumption of commercial whaling has cooked up new hope.

Mitsuo Tani has spent 46 of his 64 years preparing and cooking whale meat and hosts a mixed clientele at his restaurant: salarymen in white shirts gulping down a quick lunch before heading back to the office, single women, retired couples.

Whale steak is the most popular dish at 980 yen ($9). A thin rectangular piece of meat with as much rice, miso soup,

WASHINGTON―Tanks in the center of Washington, fighter jets screaming overhead, and a speech from the Lincoln Memorial steps: welcome to President Donald Trump’s tradition-wrecking Fourth of July.

Trump may be commander in chief but he’s also head showman and on Thursday he’ll turn Independence Day into a personal primetime extravaganza.

Usually, said Rich Hanley, a media and popular culture expert at Quinnipiac University, July 4th works as a kind of national “ceasefire.”

“It’s a day when people can set aside their polarized differences ... and raise the flag without entering into political discussions,” he said.

“Then on the 5th they go back to normal.”

But this year, the familiar script is being given a rewrite.

At around 6:30 pm (2230 GMT), Trump will take to the hallowed steps of the Lincoln Memorial for an unprecedented “Salute to America” event that will include a televised address, military hardware and a giant fireworks display.

The modified Boeing 747 used as Air Force One will fly over, as will noisy, powerful warplanes expected to include F-35s, and jets from the Navy’s Blue Angels air demonstration team.

A handful of tanks and fighting vehicles will be stationed in the vicinity, even if the enormous machines are not expected to roll, as their tracks would likely tear up city streets.

The center of attention, however, will not be the weapons. Or the fireworks.

It will be Trump.

“Your favorite President, me!” as he tweeted when announcing the occasion.

July 4th is a unique holiday in that it is hyper-patriotic but free from usual RepublicanDemocratic fighting and it’s far more civic than military in nature.

Inserting such a high-profile presidential address into the festivities risks changing that, given that Trump is supported strongly by about half the country ahead of his 2020 reelection bid and equally fervently opposed by the other half. AFP

vegetables and iced tea as the customer can eat. Also flying out of the kitchen is whale sashimi―raw slices of whale flesh, skin or liver.

Japan’s resumption of commercial whaling has prompted fury from other countries and campaigners, with activists saying that one of the three species targeted is threatened with extinction and sub-populations of the other two are depleted.

But veteran whale chef Tani is keen to promote the health benefits of whale meat.

“It is five times lower in calories than beef, 10 times lower in cholesterol, two

times less fat than chicken. It’s packed with iron. But abroad, people do not know this,” he told AFP. Not all would agree with Tani’s health based sales-pitch, however.

In 2015, when the Environmental Investigation Agency tested the mercury levels of whale meat sold in Japan, they found it riddled with the substance.

Whipping up a “whale roast beef” at the pass, Tani explained that he had to move from the northern city of Sendai after the 2011 tsunami and the price of whale meat soared amid a significant drop in supply.

In Tokyo, he has never had any problem procuring meat. While Japan was still part of the International Whaling Commission, the whales caught in Antarctic waters for “research” purposes still ended up as sashimi and steak on plates around the country.

Ironically, with Japan leaving the IWC and resuming commercial whaling off its own coast, the quantity of meat may decline.

Japan set an annual quota of more than 600 whales while in the IWC. The cap now stands at 227 until the end of the year—52 minke, 150 Bryde’s and 25 sei whales. AFP

WASHINGTON―Automobile industry legend Lee Iacocca, who is credited with creating the iconic Ford Mustang and saving Chrysler from bankruptcy, died Tuesday at the age of 94, US media reported.

Iacocca died at his home in Bel-Air, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, from complications of Parkinson’s disease, his family told local media.

Chrysler said in a statement that the company “is saddened” by news of Iacocca’s death.

“He played a historic role in steering Chrysler through crisis and making it a competitive force,” the statement read.

“Lee gave us a mindset that still drives us today―one that is characterized by hard work, dedication and grit. His legacy is the resilience and unshakable faith in the future that live on” in the company’s employees.

Iacocca began his career in 1946 at the Ford Motor Company, first as an engineer and then in sales.

It was his talent in marketing that helped realize his full potential.

Iacocca’s first sales campaign in the mid1950s was so successful that it attracted the attention of company executives and brought him to the Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan.

Iacocca had reaped in massive sales over his career, particularly with the Ford Mustang that he designed in 1957.

However he was accused of plotting against Chairman Henry Ford II in a quest to reach the top company position. AFP

LGUs

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

B4

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso points to booklets being used by suspected syndicate members, who were presented to the media on Tuesday, to collect ‘kotong’ or bribes from street vendors along Blumentritt Avenue. Moreno aims to clear Manila’s streets of illegal vendors to reduce traffic in the city and create more pedestrian paths. Norman Cruz

Back reforms, Abby tells dads

By Joel E. Zurbano

M

AKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday asked new members of the City Council to support reforms and innovations being pushed by her administration to raise the quality of life in the city.

“Given a fresh mandate, I am asking for your full cooperation so that we can continue to promote inclusivity and provide the best public service to the people of Makati,” Binay said during the first session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The city chief executive also thanked the people of Makati for their trust and support especially during the eight-month campaign before the May 13 elections.

“Now is the start of a new chapter for us in order to fast-track progress in Makati,” she said.

“We need to push through with the digitalization of Makati for us to be considered as the country’s first certified Smart City that is fully capable of providing efficient, transparent, and first-rate services to Makatizens,” Binay added.

The mayor expressed optimism that the city government will be able to speed up the implementation of initiatives aimed to fast-track the city’s progress and transfor-

mation into a Smart City.

“With the new set of councilors, I am very confident and assured that we are now on the same track. Let us help one another. Together let us promote a better quality of life here in Makati,” Binay said.

She pointed out the need to conceptualize and pass new reforms and innovative ways aimed at improving quality of life, as well as raising the city’s competitiveness as a premier investment destination.

“Within the four walls of the Session Hall, let us start anew in crafting reforms, ordinances, and programs that will bring greater prosperity to our Makatizens,” Binay said.

“I know that our job will be difficult, but I believe that if we all work together, we will succeed in achieving more ambitious goals that will accelerate the transformation of Makati into one of Asia’s most progressive cities,” she added.

The inaugural session of the Makati

City Council was led by Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo as presiding officer. Rep. Luis Campos of the second district, Councilor Cheche Pablo-Santos of Mandaluyong City, City Administrator Claro Certeza, and the heads of the city departments, offices and institutions also attended the session.

The new Sangguniang Panlungsod of Makati is composed of 18 City Councilors, with eight from each of the two districts, the Liga ng mga Barangay president, and the Chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation of Makati.

From District 1, the City Councilors are Virgilio Hilario, Jr., Anna Alcina Yabut, Luis Javier, Jr., Jose Villena IV, Martin John Pio Arenas, Armando Padilla, Rene Andre Saguisag, and Camille Puno-Ramos.

The City Councilors from District 2 are Kristina Sarosa, Arnold Cruz, Dennis Almario, Benedict Baniqued, Maria Dolores Arayon, Leo Magpantay, Shirley Aspillaga, and Israel Cruzado.

Liga ng mga Barangay president Maribel Vitales and Makati SK Federation president Rodolfo San Pedro Jr. have the last two council seats.

Councilor Armando Padilla has been designated as temporary major-

ity floor leader.

In her speech at the session, the mayor also presented the highlights of her first term in office, including recent developments in digital initiatives undertaken by the city through public-private partnerships.

She announced that the installation of the fiber optic cable loop in all 27 target barangays has been completed under the PPP-led Makati Public Wi-Fi Project. To date, free Wi-Fi connection is available in 24 barangays, and activation of access points for the remaining three barangays is nearly completed.

“Let us also not forget our legacy to the Makatizens, the Makati Subway, which is expected to be completed in 2025. The construction of this intra-city mass transportation will create 10,000 jobs,” she said.

The mayor also laid out some of the priority projects of her administration in the next three years.

“For this year, we are making significant investments in raising the standards of the public education system in the city to improve the competencies of young Makatizens in various fields. I plan to establish a modern and digital school that has fast and reliable computers and Wi-Fi connection to hone the technical skills of students and teachers,” Mayor Binay said.

DENR wants CDC model for waste disposal

By Romeo Dizon CLARK FREEPORT—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Luzon want local government units, specially those surrounding the Clark Development Corp., to follow the government firm’s best practice of proper waste disposal to protect the people and the environment.

Lormelyn Claudio, DENR regional director, said the CDC waste disposal is the “best model that must be followed” by local governments in the region.

Claudio made the recommendation during the 21 ”Recyclables Collection Event and Proper Disposal of Hazardous Waste” at the Freeport, as she also urged the CDC to help local government units and partners on their proper waste disposal program.

Claudio envisions CDC, which manages the former American air force base here, to be the benchmark in environment practice in the region, including LGUs. “There is urgent need to create awareness among the LGUs on how to recycle households waste in their respective communities,” she said.

Under the CDC program, waste materials, whether hazardous or nonhazardous, are segregated for proper disposal until they are sold to DENRregistered recyclers and treaters.

Hazardous materials are substances that harm people and the environment if not properly disposed by any company or person after being used.

This year’s event raised a total of P714,998 from sales of recycled waste materials, including busted bulbs and lamps, electronic waste, used lead acid batteries, used motor oil, and others.

The Freeport is the home of about 1,000 different companies and producers, mostly exporters and importers under the Clark Investor and Locators Association.

HISTORIC FIRST. Lourdes Ody Arcasetas (third from right) takes her oath as the first ever woman Mayor of Nagcarlan, Laguna before

Judge Maria Kristine Isabel Falgera Guirero on Monday, with her family members as witnesses. Arcasetas also revealed her 10-point program of government with tourism and health programs as priorities. Roy Tomandao

Mariveles opens sophisticated command center

By Butch Gunio

MARIVELES, Bataan―The highly sophisticated P39-million Mariveles Command Center has started operation in this fast-growing industrial town.

The opening of the command center was led by Gov. Abet Garcia and 2nd District Rep. Joet Garcia on Thursday.

Outgoing Mariveles Mayor Ace Jello Concepcion also joined.

“It is the first command center in the Philippines that used the WISENET SSM 2.1 Version of Korean company Samsung, and this system can use 10,000 radio channels,” said Bataan provincial information officer Angel Ortiz Luis.

“It uses the latest PTZ camera with 37

times optical zooming, the first in the Philippines,” she added. “Its Fixed Bullet camera can calculate the water level in HD video and motion detection.”

All cameras are HD with 14-kilometers fiber optic cables installed, and [data] storage can last 1 to 2 months,” she said.

Seventy cameras are installed in lower Mariveles alone, Ortiz Luis said.

Isko chides Erap admin for P2.9-b Manila contracts

By Vito Barcelo MANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has questioned the previous city administration for entering into P2.9 billion worth of commercial contracts in the last 30 days in office of former Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

The new Manila chief executive said the Estrada administration “could have been busy signing checks from May 13 to June 28” for the multibillion-peso contracts.

Moreno observed that Estrada spent P30 million on June 21, and wondered “how can you process cheques with that amount in just several days?”

While he admitted he tried to mend ties with Estrada, Moreno, however, said he would conduct an inventory of all the expenses and other projects entered by the previous administration during its last days.

Moreno was once vice mayor of Manila from 2007 to 2016, serving with Estrada from 2013.

The new mayor said city hall officials involved in signing the commercial contracts would be held liable, and warned that if there is any violation of the law, they will be held responsible.

Moreno, who assumed office July 1, also said it took him only two days to clear the Manila streets of illegal vendors and other obstructions which the Estrada administration failed to do for the last six years.

The former actor turned politician also said the previous administration “failed in managing the city,” particularly in social services, adding it failed to protecti Manila “from all disasters that affected it.”

Moreno wants Estrada and former city officials to give them reports on the budget, procurement, debt, cash flow, and local disaster risk reduction management fund utilization.

“You have an obligation to the city, the citizens and the law. What did you give us? Zero,” he said.

Montalban wants its old name returned

By Maricel V. Cruz

A NEOPHYTE lawmaker on Wednesday said he will push for the passage of a bill that restores the original name of Rodriguez, a first class municipality in Rizal province, to Montalban, which it is still known as across the country.

Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Nograles revealed that during his tenure as assistant provincial administrator and while on the campaign trail, he was frequently approached by Rodriguez residents who requested him to author a measure restoring the name originally given to the town when it was founded in 1909: Montalban.

“It’s fairly common knowledge that everyone still refers to Rodriguez as Montalban, but it was only recently that I learned that so many of my constituents really want the municipality to officially reclaim its original name,” said Nograles.

With an area that covers over a fourth of the province of Rizal, Rodriguez is the most populous municipality in the country, with close to 370,000 residents.

In 1982, the Batasang Pambansa replaced the name Montalban with Rodriguez, after the late Senate President Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Sr. According to Nograles, “it has been close to forty years since Montalban was renamed, but the people of Rizal have continued to embrace and hold on to the original name of the town.”

“The widespread use of Montalban continues to this day. If you ask for directions to the area, you will be referred to signs pointing you to Montalban,” Nograles, a native of Rizal, said.

KSK Batch 203 winds up training SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna—The gloomy weather did not ruin the excitement of 181 farmer, participants of SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’ Training Program Batch 203, as they celebrated their Harvest Festival at Brgy. Soledad here.

A short program that followed the festival included games with prizes sponsored by the SM Group, intermission numbers, and cooking competition by the trainees.

The following day, the participants gathered at SM City San Pablo for the graduation ceremony. They have been diligently attending the 12, week, long training program to learn new techniques in farming.

For them, it is an opportunity to better their lives, as they are taught not only the latest farming technology but basic entrepre-

neurship as well, SM and KSK officials said.

In receiving their certificates of completion, the graduates expressed their gratitude to SM Foundation and to its partner agencies represented by Ms. Eve Verzola, Mall Manager of SM City San Pablo; Ms. Nina Wong, PR Manager of SM City San Pablo; Ms. Jaymee Guinto, HR Manager of SM City San Pablo; Mr. Ramon Domingo, CRS Manager of SM City San Pablo; Ms. Gretchen Alvarado, OIC of Supermarket, San Pablo; Ms. Yolly Gabuat, Operations Manager, SM Supermarket San Pablo; Mr. Guilbert Pagsinuhin of Harbest Agribusiness; Ms Elizabeth Mendoza, City Agriculturist of San Pablo City; Mr. Nap Calatraba, San Pablo City Councilor; and Mr. Rex Agarrado, Some of the 181 farmer-participants of the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’Training Program Batch 203 show off their produce at the SM Foundation-supported event in San Pablo, Laguna. co-owner of the demo farm site.

Life

Bernadette lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MstandardlIFE

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Where city-weary folks live THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. Accessibility and urban comforts, with the right amount of lush landscape and clean air make Amaia‘s residential property in Cabuyao, Laguna an ideal home for city-weary citizens.

R

ooting in the city comes with a number of living benefits, primarily is the proximity to many establishments and other urban comforts and conveniences.

But great accessibility comes with inconveniences, say, traffic gridlocks and pollution.

Hence homes away from the metro, but still relatively close to said city comforts and conveniences are becoming favored especially with young and growing families.

The best of both worlds—metropolitan and rustic—is one of the selling points of Amaia Scapes Cabuyao in Laguna. The first class city, previously known as the “Richest Municipality in the Philippines,” enjoys progressive and sustainable growth thanks to many enterprises that have found a home within its area.

Amaia Land’s new offering puts homeowners where they want to be: several kilometers south of Mega Manila— where the air is cleaner, the environment is greener, and the community exudes an old hometown vibe.

“The rich forestry of Cabuyao, a premier city in the province of Laguna is what attracts Ayala Land, Inc. to proceed in the construction of the Amaia Scapes Cabuyao,” said the property developer.

The house and lot development

A total of 45 house units are available with provisions for future home expansions.

Jogging paths help residents maintain an active lifestyle.

stretches in more than 19 hectares of flat land located in Barrio Marinig, Sala, Cabuyao, where lush vegetation and fresh air are abundant.

Prospective buyers may choose from a wide selection of modern and distinctive home designs that best define them and the lifestyle they aspire to have.

A typical house at Amaia Scapes Cabuyao measures 60 square meters (f loor area) with a minimum lot area of 80 square meters. Its newest sector has recently opened, thereby offering bigger and better opportunities for buyers.

Amenities at Amaia Scapes Cabuyao include swimming pools and basketball court, among others.

To date, a total of 45 house units are available with provisions for future home expansions. Model units are now ready for viewing and pre-selling.

For residents’ enjoyment and relaxation, amenities include swimming pools, a basketball court, a smooth jogging path, and a pavilion for social gatherings and other events.

The development is accessible from the cities of Calamba and Sta. Rosa.

It is a 25-minute drive away from South Luzon Expressway, and is within reach of malls, public markets, schools, and hospitals.

5 things you missed in this year’s largest home fair

By Angelica Villanueva

New World Makati Hotel offers a weekend room package perfect for the family.

Weekend with the family THEy say the most important time is family time. And weekend is the perfect time to bond and unwind with the gang.

Premier hotel new world Makati Hotel knows how valuable weekend is, hence it offers a special package for the whole family to enjoy.

The weekend Family Treats package, starting at P8,000, comes with breakfast for two adults and two kids aged 11 years old and below, and access to the Family Lounge (open every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.), where kids can have fun playing wii and board games, be creative with coloring materials, or join special activities such as cupcake decorating and many more.

A 40 percent discount is available should the family decides to book another room. The promo also lets families relax a little, and check-out on the same hour they checked-in when they arrive on a Friday or Saturday.

Treat the whole family to the hotel’s sumptuous dining offers with these great discounts: 30 percent off at Café 1228’s famous buffet spread, 30 percent off on Jasmine’s authentic Canton-

FoLLowIng the success of last year’s SM Home Turnover Fair, the retail giant hosted another round of exclusive discounts and experts led talks for shoppers who came by the SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia on June 28-30.

The SM Store proved that “everything’s here at SM” as it brought the largest one-stop shop of modern home furniture, fixtures, and appliances brands.

But what you had really missed during the three-day bonanza was a lot more than a display of home goods. Shoppers and home improvement enthusiasts got to see and experience for themselves what the home fair had to offer. To sum it up, here are the five things you missed at SM Home Fair 2019.

Meet-and-greet with home experts and endorsers

Some of the kitchenware brands that participated in this year’s SM Home Fair.

Shoppers got to meet personally and Some booths featured celebrity endors- with the shoppers, including the Kramer ask questions to home experts regarding ers and home experts for a meet-and-greet family, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, and celebtheir home design issues and problems. rity chefs nancy Reyes-Lumen and gene gonzalez, among many others.

Cooking demo with the master chefs

Chef nancy Reyes-Lumen used Masflex kitchenware in cooking her Family Reunion Dishes. During the chef-led demo, homemakers and foodies were taught how to prepare the exact amount of food during family reunions. on the same day, Chef Jonas ng of Chef next Door demonstrated new ways of cooking using clay pots from Tefal.

Before the day ended, coffee experts Lloyd Eric Lim and Ernesto Mesina Jr., and chefs Kei San, Reggie Aspiras, Ave Bayle, and Loida Arias also showcased their kitchen skills.

Kids enjoy hours of fun at the Family Lounge.

ese a la carte menu, and 20 percent off at the Rescue Bar. Marahai Spa also offers 20 percent off on massages.

Promo is valid for stay on all weekends until September.

Call (02) 811-6888 ext. 3700 for reservations.

Home designing and organizing 101

Over 60 booths showcased home appliances, furniture, and fixtures during the three-day fair.

Attendees got some tips on how to organize their home from celebrity interior

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Get your cleaning groove on

Multi-surface is cleaner Pine-Sol ng tti cu in e tiv ec eff , through grease . rt di d an e, im gr

Dimples Romana is flanked by Pine-Sol brand manager Monique Gonzales and Clorox International sales and marketing manager Paulo Lao.

CLEAN. YOUR WAY. Household cleaning brand Pine-Sol challenges consumers to show their winning cleaning dance moves. (Photos from Pine-Sol/Instagram)

PLDT’s Advanced Fam Cam helps parents check on their children or monitor their homes while they are away.

Monitor home with home security device

SECURITY is a crucial aspect of any happy home, as it should a space where one can live freely and rest comfortably.

However, a survey in 2018 revealed that more than 500,000 families reported break-in in their own homes.

Despite this figure representing a decline compared to the previous year, break-in, among other crimes, is still a major cause of concern to many Filipino families.

While it is impossible to predict what might happen, home security tools are now available to provide parents and homeowners an extra layer of security and added peace of mind.

To address the home security need of Filipino families, leading digital services provider PLDT brings the Advanced Fam

Cam, a home monitoring tool with improved features in visual coverage, motion, and sound detection as well as highdefinition quality images.

The product is a 180-degree wireless HD camera with a speaker and microphone that allows parents to visually check on their kids and communicate with them.

Advanced Fam Cam is designed for on-the-go and working parents who wish to check on their children or monitor their home when they are away. The device can be linked to smartphones through the MyDlink application.

The home monitoring tool is exclusively available to existing PLDT Home Fibr subscribers with Plans 1299 and up for an additional P399 per month.

Fair attendees scored exclusive deals and discounts, and learned more about home organization and design at the SM Home Fair 2019 held on June 28-30.

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designer Tessa Prieto-Valdes. KonMari consultant Christine Dychiao also discussed how the KonMari method can help homemakers in organizing their homes.

Grace Moslares shared home design inspirations, while the basics of “Color Theory and Color Trends” was tackled by Erika Uichanco-Villanueva. Meanwhile, Issa Reyes enlightened shoppers about organizing things at home with the use of Cascade and Sterilite.

First dibs on latest home appliances and furniture

The three-day fair showcased home

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LEAnInG is hard work, and getting a thorough scrub down is a lot harder—it is time-consuming and requires a certain level of concentration and the right amount of patience.

But, as with most things, if it can be done faster and more effective, the task becomes easier, so much so it can make a person dance.

Household cleaning brand Pine-Sol promotes doing things the right way—not necessarily the easiest and fastest way of cleaning, but, as it puts it, “your way.”

Pine-Sol Multi-Surface Cleaner is effective in cutting through grease, grime, and dirt, while leaving surfaces germfree, and smelling fresh and fragrant. It can be used to clean hard non-porous sur-

entry to Facebook upon receiving validation, and add the official contest hashtags #PineSol and #MyCleanMovesPH. Make sure the post is in public setting. The contest runs today until July 30.

Winners will get a BOSE Bluetooth Bucket Speaker, BOSE Waterproof faces such as floor tiles, walls, stovetops, Bluetooth Speakers, and BOSE Wireless Earphones. The 10 most liked and countertops, and glass.

To make cleaning fun, the brand brings shared posts will each receive a threeits Pine-Sol Cleaning Dance Challenge month Spotify subscription. from the US here to the country.

To join, submit a dance photo that Pine-Sol is available in leading supermarshows you cleaning any part of the home kets nationwide. Variants include Original using any Pine-Sol variant to www. Pine, Lavender Clean, Lemon Fresh, and pinesol.com.ph/cleanmoves. Upload your Sparkling Wave.

Subscription service promotes sustainability, offers healthy ‘baon’ A nEW subscription service hits two birds with one stone: first by helping parents provide healthy snacks to their kids, and second by promoting environment friendly initiatives with its upcycling service.

With celebrity parents and kids in attendance, nestlé recently launched its Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Baon Subscription Service available at goodfood.ph.

The subscription and delivery service offers the multinational company’s well-loved brands including Chuckie, Milo Ready-To-Drink, Bear Brand Yogu, and nestle’s Fresh Milk, Low-fat Milk, and non-fat Milk variants.

Automatic replenishment means not having to worry about running out of baon, while doorstep delivery saves consumers from horrible traffic and long lines at the grocery counters.

For added convenience, a variety of payment options are available, including credit cards and cash on delivery.

Subscribers can look forward to regular freebies, gifts, and deals.

Aside from offering easy access to beverages ideal for packed lunch or snack, nestlé allows customers to care for environment by letting them return

Japoy Lizardo and Janice Lagman help their son create his artwork using used beverage carton.

their used beverage cartons to the company’s partner upcycling facility.

“We know that Filipino parents aspire to create a sustainable future for their families, and they are increasingly aware that the path to this begins with them,” said Veronica Cruz, business unit manager of the Ready-To-

Drink portfolio. “nestlé would like to be with them in this, and the RTD subscription service allows them to take part in these efforts while fulfilling their day-to-day needs.”

Go to subscriptions.goodfood.ph/ ready-to-drink.

products that were exclusive to the event. Some SM Home premium brands offered one-of-a-kind products that wowed attendees during product demonstrations.

Over 60 participating home brands helped fair-goers look for the best home products that fit their living space and taste.

Unbeatable savings

With SM Home Fair’s exclusive deals and discounts, shoppers looking to upgrade their households were able to purchase great home finds at reasonable prices. Shoppers also grabbed exclusive home products from premium brands that offered discounts and deals.

Photos by Angelica Villanueva

From left: Nestlé consumer marketing manager Robbie De Vera, Kris de Guzman of GoodFood.PH, Bien Umali of Tetra Pak, Dr. Djacklyn Hernandez, Nestlé business unit representative Joey Uy, and Nestlé business unit representative Veronica Cruz launch Nestlé’s RTD Baon Subscription Service.

The company’s beloved beverage brands can be ordered through the Ready-to-Drink Subscription Service.

Entertainment

Art of playing

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Dance and video games merge in benefit concert

YUGEL LOSORATA

A

ROUND this time last year, my band The Pub Forties was invited to play at the book launch of author Maria Lourdes De Vera for her work The Art of Dying — one described as a “nonfiction narration about dying and death and how a dying person tries to make sense of joys and suffering in her last moments.”

Sounds like some deep digging went into the writing of such a book.

Unsurprisingly it is labeled by many who have read it as intellectual.

Months after that launch, we got to talk and she laughed when I compared the experience of reading her to an underwater dive where you can imagine the haunting wreck of Titanic appearing before you.

A musician herself, she amused me further when she shared personal thoughts about music. You bet never for once did she let herself come across talking shallow.

“Music speaks the crescendo in sunrise, the glissando of the sea rushing to the shore, the sound of heat or the thrill of the leaves, the order and harmony in nature,” she said, or should I say she recited.

Anyway, she was just being herself and that’s not a bad thing.

Being a music writer lets me hear people talk about music from the bottom of their hearts especially during

The Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company stages a charity event that will transport the spectators to a world of wonders, influenced by exhilarating world of video games, where dance and play meet.

Author-musician Maria Lourdes De Vera

interview sessions. It amused me to hear one discuss it with extra strong flavor, consistently going beyond what it must be for everyone’s consumption.

“Drop personal preferences to deeply appreciate the texture, color, experience of another form or style of tonal expression,” she noted in her urge on how one should approach music.

That could be uttered with simpler choices of words for easier grasp. But again, she proved music can be viewed in another way, her own or your own.

With school stints in Ateneo de Naga and University of Santo Tomas, De Vera bloomed scholastically and for long specializes in a lot of academic things, including music education and guidance and counseling. You can always expect her to say a lot and express stuff in complex tones.

She won the 2015 Catholic Mass Media Best Book for Youth and Child for her Art and the Creation Stories

AFTER its successful outreach concerts in Bacolod City earlier this year, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Antique, bringing music-filled evenings on June 30 in front of New Capitol in San Jose de Buenavista, and on July 1 at the Alex Liberman Sports Complex in Pandan.

The PPO outreach concerts were undertaken through the efforts of Cultural Center of the Philippines president Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso.

Program for both shows included Overture to La Gazza ladra (Gioacchino Rossini), Johann Strauss Jr.’s Annen Polka and Emperor Waltz, Selections from Les Miserables (arranged

by Bob Lowden), Serenata (Leroy Anderson), Sunshine Samba (arranged by Bae Jong Hoon), Mga Katutubong Awitin (Lucio San Pedro), Loren ng Antique (Felipe De Leon Jr. / arranged by Herminigildo Ranera), Eraserheads Suite (Ryan Cayabyab), Teleserye Theme Song Medley (arranged by Jedrick Itugot), Regine Velasquez Hits (arranged by Orlando Dela Cruz), Aegis Hits (arranged

by Jedrick Itugot) and Bohemian Rhapsody / Queen (Freddie Mercury/arranged by Herminigildo Ranera). Santhea Jane Atienza performed as a guest soloist.

Both concerts were conducted by Maestro Herminigildo Ranera. A conductor, composer, arranger, performer and educator, Dr. Ranera is the associate conductor of the PPO. He is also currently a faculty member of the UST Conservatory of Music, where he is the conductor of the UST Symphony Orchestra and UST Wind Orchestra.

The PPO is a resident company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Established in 1973, the PPO is regarded as one of the top musical ensembles in the Asia-Pacific region.

It promotes music appreciation through outreach concerts in Metro Manila, and in different regions of the country such as

DOWN 1 Somewhat vulgar 2 Powerful beams 3 Familiar threat (2 wds.)

4 Garr or Hatcher 5 Unit of power 6 Spout rhetoric 7 Domesticated 8 Doctrines 9 Big spreads 10 Food from heaven 11 Mont. neighbor 12 Mav’s foe 13 “Little Women” girl 21 Nickel or dime 22 Love god 26 “Wool” on clay sheep 27 Electric swimmers

28 Tints 30 Leaning Tower town 31 All-purpose trucks 34 District 35 Spy org.

37 Recipe meas.

38 Town in New Mexico 39 Gone to the bottom 40 Quarry 42 Fans 45 Wild plum 47 Stead

Seasoned investors looking to bankroll novel startups

'The Final Pitch' producer and host John Aguilar (leftmost) with the newest set of rising entrepreneurs: (from left) President and Chief Executive Officer of Baskin-Robbins Philippines Michael Dargani; CEO and Founder of Mega Global Corporation William Tiu Lim; CEO of MFT Group of Companies Mica Tan; and Tagcash Ltd. Founder Mark Vernon

The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Bacolod.

The PPO has performed internationally in Japan, Thailand, China, and various European countries. In June 2016, it made history as the first Philippine orchestra to perform at the Carnegie Hall in New York City.

PPO’s outreach concerts in Antique were made possible with the support of Congresswoman Loren Legarda, Antique Provincial Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao, San Jose de Buenavista Municipal Mayor Elmer C. Untaran, and Pandan Municipal Mayor Plaridel E. Sanchez VI.

Thursday, July 4, 2019

brief summary 63 Arizona city 66 Like gymnasts 67 LGA postings 68 Self-images 69 Kitchen appliance 70 Reject 71 Deposed ruler 72 Bird abodes 73 Caesar’s worst day

USA, and first runner-up at the Hip Hop International Philippines 2016 in Manila.

The group has likewise been hailed as the Three-peat National Champion of Hip Hop International Philippines 2014, 2015, and 2016 in Manila, and has received the three-peat Gold Medal Award for the Philippines in the 2018 Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition.

The Heart at Play Foundation, which empowers and improves the lives of persons with special needs by providing free Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) sessions, is the sole beneficiary.

Tickets are priced at P200.

Gameplay: A Dance Concert will be held on July 19 with shows at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the 5th Floor Theater of the College’s School of Design and Arts (SDA) Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo (Vito Cruz) Street, Malate, Manila.

For other inquiries, please call the Office of Culture and Arts (OCA) at +63 230 5100 local 1528 or 1603 or send an email to culture.arts@benilde. edu.ph.

PPO performs in Antique

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Sour, as cream 5 Theme 10 Translucent mineral 14 Not common 15 Expunge 16 Sandler or Arkin 17 Web habitue 18 Delta preceder 19 Conservative hue 20 Pastrami source 23 Um cousins 24 Ran up a tab 25 Made an outline 29 Cuttlefish pigment 31 GI entertainers 32 “Psst!”

33 Undamaged 36 Farm gate 38 Sugar amts.

41 Gave it a go 43 Freshwater catch 44 Mystiques 46 Painters’ supports 48 Any person 49 Mauna — 51 Serpent 54 Luxury seating locale 56 Band member 58 Chop off 60 Review by a

which a pediatrician and educator hailed as a “well-crafted attempt to integrate art appreciation, storytelling, and religion in a structured framework.”

She herself somehow recalled that at the age of three, she already did the Arabesque “in perfect form” and sang “in perfect pitch.”

At a recital, she performed on keyboard an impromptu composition to, in her own words, her “teacher’s surprise and to the Dean’s horror.”

In another occasion, she found herself “harnessing speed and dynamics” while playing George Gershwin’s Rhapsodie in Blue on the Yamaha organ where, once again saying in her own voice, “polarities in releasing and holding back nuances in the melody was something that continually enthralled me.”

Mind you, she plays violin, too.

The point is, however you say it, your music is expressing how you understand it.

IN THANKSGIVING for the widespread acceptance of complimentary classes on the various dance genres, veteran global competitors and champions, the Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company (SBRDC), the internationally lauded resident dance troupe of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), once again gives back through a concert for a cause that delves deep into social issues.

Dubbed Gameplay: A Dance Concert, the much-awaited charity event will transport the spectators to a world of wonders, influenced by exhilarating world of video games, where dance and play meet. The SBRDC will showcase their homegrown talents and varying styles and techniques in ten dance performances that will narrate relevant issues pertaining to identity, relationships, familial bond, corruption, and politics.

The SBRDC was the 3rd runner-up at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship 2014 in Las Vegas, USA, Silver Medalist at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship 2015 in San Diego,

50 Farm vehicle 52 Very pleased 53 Take turns 55 Cheeky 56 Reckon 57 Worthless talk 59 Mexico’s money 61 Lab medium 62 Leah’s son 63 You bet!

64 Snort of disgust 65 Kiwi’s extinct cousin

THE Final Pitch, the Philippines’ first and only business reality TV show, is set to return for its fourth season on CNN Philippines in September. It connects aspiring entrepreneurs with some of the most established businessmen in the country.

“We are excited for this season’s run.

We can’t wait for our entrepreneurs to grow their businesses with the help of our investor-judges,” says the show’s host and creator, John Aguilar. “Every season is different and has something new to offer. Our investors are looking forward to discovering our country’s newest set of rising entrepreneurs and hear their pitches and amazing stories.”

The Final Pitch begins with a

screening; candidates make their initial pitch to the panel of investor-judges.

The selected participants then proceed to a boot camp with mentoring sessions and challenges that allow investors to gain insights into the character of the entrepreneurs.

Their journey concludes with the “Final Pitch” to the investor judges, who in turn, will negotiate their final offer to the entrepreneurs. Both parties may or may not close a deal based on the offers.

The previous season’s investor-judges are set to return including Chief Executive Officer and founder of Mega Global Corporation William Tiu Lim. Just like last year, he’s looking for different businesses to diversify his investments and learn about other industries.

Meanwhile, tech-driven businessmen such as co-founding owner of Philippines AirAsia Congressman Mikee Romero, blockchain evangelist and Tagcash Ltd. founder Mark Vernon, and president and CEO of Baskin Robins Philippines Michael Dargani seek ventures that utilize technology in retail, food, education, power, and the financial technology space.

Returning to the show is season 2 millennial investor-judge Mica Tan, CEO of MFT Group of Companies. She seeks to create value in companies through capital, strategic insight, global relationships, and operational support.

Mentors for the season include Joel Santos of Thames International Business School, Junie del Mundo of EON The Stakeholder Relations Group, and Mark Gorriceta of Gorriceta Law. “If the previous season’s entrepreneurs who joined the show are any indication, we can expect more sophisticated and mature startups coming into the fold as they see The Final Pitch as a legitimate way to raise funding for their next stage of growth,” adds Aguilar.

The Final Pitch is accepting applications until July 8. Applicants can fill out and submit an online entry form via TheFinalPitch.ph/application and submit their one-minute pitch video.

Visit www.thefinalpitch.ph for more information.

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

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Entertainment

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019

VERY WANG

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NICKIE WANG

E ALWAYS hear that Whitney Houston song playing in our heads almost automatically whenever the term self-love gets tossed around in normal conversation. Yes, the line “learning to love yourself, is the greatest love of all” never gets old and can be used in any circumstances that involve appreciation for oneself.

To be the best, we push ourselves to the limits—working long hours, spending weekends in front of the computer, and saying yes to side gigs even if it means sacrificing time spent with loved ones.

Neglecting our health in our quest to achieve our goals can have alarming consequences. From getting sick to experiencing burnout, there are signs we need to watch out for so we can hit the brakes just in time.

But how do we start giving ourselves this much-needed appreciation? How do we take care of ourselves better?

Unplugging, taking a social media break, and doing something for yourself are just some of the ways you can practice self-care. By caring for ourselves better and practicing self-love, we commit to achieving optimal health and well-being.

“It’s very timely now that we practice self-love because of the way we live our lives these days. It’s very fast-paced and we put a lot of pressure on ourselves with regard to work, our social circles, within our family, within our friends—just our whole lives,” Pia Wurtzbach shared with Manila Standard in an intimate interview to talk about #WeSelfLove, a campaign initiated by Centuria Medical Makati to promote self-care.

“And with the involvement of social media, you tend to compare yourself to other people. You always feel like you’re not doing enough and you just keep going and going, until you realize that you’re burnt out already,” the beauty queen added.

A role model for modern Filipinas, Pia knows how to juggle a ton of commitments on a daily basis too well.

Shooting a movie, going to endorsement shoots, and attending to other commitments in between can be tiring.

“One of my mentors told me, ‘Pia you should listen to your body.’ And that’s so simple, which is something that we don’t really do or we tend to forget. There are times as well that we only find solutions when we are already feeling bad. Our approach to self-care is not preventive.

What I am trying to say is that selfcare is a lifestyle, a commitment,” she exclaimed.

“You’re worrying about other people too much that you stop caring for yourself and that’s something that happens to everyone. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that. ‘Teka, kailan ba pwedeng ako naman?’ We all go through

‘Toy Story 4’ tops box office anew

Pia Wurtzbach with speakers and Centuria Medical Makati executives pose for photos during a self-care workshop held in June

This fourth 'Toy Story' again features the unmistakable voice of Tom Hanks as Woody, the ever-eager but emptyholstered cowboy doll.

DISNEY/PIXAR series, Toy Story 4, once again outplayed the competition at the North American box office, raking in $57.9 million in its second weekend in theaters, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

The fourth installment in the wildly popular animation has earned $236.9 million so far in the United States and Canada, alongside another $259 million abroad.

The film again features the unmistakable voices of Tom Hanks as Woody, the ever-eager but empty-holstered cowboy doll, and Tim Allen as the impulsive Buzz Lightyear (“To infinity, and beyond!”).

Far back in second place was Annabelle Comes Home, the latest in a series of horror films featuring the creepy doll, which opened at $20.4 million.

In third place was another debut flick, Yesterday, a romantic comedy based on a fanciful idea: what if the Beatles never existed? A mysterious global blackout leads the world to forget the Fab Four, except for one struggling singer-songwriter who becomes an overnight sensation by performing the iconic tunes.

Yesterday, directed

by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), earned $17 million.

Fourth place went to Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin, at $9.3 million.

And fifth spot went to Universal’s animated The Secret Life of Pets 2, at $7.1 million.

A re-release of the blockbuster superhero film Avengers: Endgame earned $5.5 million for seventh place, but its overall global box office take of $2.761 billion is still $27 million shy of the $2.788 billion earned

by Avatar. AFP

it. We need to remind everyone to take care of ourselves,” Pia pointed out.

As an advocate of the new campaign, the TV host-actress and Miss Universe 2015 titleholder led the recital of the We Self Love Manifesto, a commitment to love ourselves more so we can be the best version of ourselves while still being able to share love with others.

“My definition of self-love is the same as everybody else—to pause and take time for yourself a bit. And do nothing basically. It’s actually a challenge for us to stop and just do nothing. But it’s really needed that we just relax, do nothing, and just reflect on things instead of doing tiring activities,” Pia shared.

Explaining further, Dr. Chelsea Elizabeth Samson, medical director of Centuria Medical Makati said, “#WeSelfLove is [our way] of encouraging all of you to love yourself. We truly believe that the best way for you to take care of others is for you to take care of yourself first.”

To further promote the #WeSelfLove advocacy, Centuria held a series of self-care workshop in June that aimed to help men, women, and parents practice self-love.

Centuria Medical Makati is a 28-storey, onestop, outpatient medical-IT facility located in the heart of Century City. It has centers that address different medical needs—from the Asian Breast Center, the Executive Screening Center, the PET CT Center, and the Surgery Center, to the Urgent Care Clinic and Advanced Lab Solutions.

Stepping inside Centuria feels like checking in a posh hotel with its luxurious and comfortable ambiance. There are fully-furnished suites where guests can rest after a procedure. Round-the-clock assistance and services are also available to make sure patients get the best care.

To know more about Centuria Medical Makati, visit www.centuriamedical.com.ph. You can also follow Centuria on Facebook: facebook.com/centuriamedicaloffical and Instagram:Instagram.com/ centuriamedical.

Promising talents, fresh faces in ‘StarStruck’ new season THE seventh season of GMA Network’s original reality-based artista search, StarStruck, is off to a tough but exciting start.

From 22 auditionees, the competition is now down to its Final 14 Hopefuls who are about to go on more challenges on their journey to become the next Ultimate Female and Male Survivors.

The Final 7 female finalists are Pamela Prinster, Angelic Guzman, Dani Porter, Ella Cristofani, Shayne Sava, Lexi Gonzales, and Rere Madrid.

Meanwhile, the Final 7 male finalists are Abdul Raman, Karl Aquino, Kim de Leon, Gelo Alagban, Jeremy Sabido, Jerick Dolormente, andAllen Ansay.

Now that they have passed their Final Auditions in front of the StarStruck council—Heart Evangelista, Cherie Gil, and Jose Manalo—they will be immersed in more artista tests which include singing, dancing, and acting.

Their outputs will be presented to the judges and will be given comments, recommendations, and evaluated for their scores. However, the judges’ scores will only comprise 50 percent of each hopeful’s total score, while the other 50 percent will come from audience votes.

Voting has been opened for viewers to show support for their favorite

From left: Allen Ansay, Kim de Leon, Karl Aquino, Jeremy Sabido, Gelo Alagban, Abdul Raman, Jerick Dolormente, Lexi Gonzales, Shayne Sava, Rere Madrid, Ella Cristofani, Angelic Guzman, Dani Porter and Pamela Prinster are the 14 finalists of GMA 7’s StarStruck Season 7, which is off to a tough but exciting start.

hopeful. They can vote through SMS by typing Starstruck (space) Name of Hopeful and send to 4627, voting online can be also be done by visiting www.gmanetwork.com/starstruckvote.

StarStruck Season 7 is hosted by Star-

Struck Season 1 Ultimate Female Survivor Jennylyn Mercado and Dingdong Dantes.

Get daily updates on StarStruck and the Final 14 via Inside StarStruck, hosted

by Kyline Alcantara, from Monday to

Friday at 6:00 p.m. on StarStruck’s official YouTube channel.

Follow their transformation journey on StarStruck, every Saturday after Daddy’s Gurl and every Sunday after Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko, on GMA-7.

Kapuso viewers from across the globe can also catch their favorite Kapuso shows via GMA’s international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International. For the program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.