Manila Standard - 2019 July 15 - Monday

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 151 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

URBAN SQUALOR. Informal settlers live in the slums of the Delpan Bridge, braving a dirty and filthy surrounding that comes in sharp contrast to the splash-and-dash scene in the nearby area with workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways repainting the infamous structure. Sonny Espiritu

Lacson junks UN meddling Taguig lawmaker stirs furor over term limit

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta BAYAN Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate on Sunday hit Taguig City-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano for proposing to extend the term limit of elected local officials to four years.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Zarate said Cayetano’s plan is self-serving.

“With due respect, such [a]... proposal is self-serving,” he said. “If the official

is inefficient and corrupt, a year is too much for him to stay. He should be removed and be replaced.”

Cayetano wants the Constitution amended to term for local elected officials to four years with no term limits, or five years with a three-term limit.

Zarate, who vowed to block the amendment of the Constitution, was aimed at making Charter change more “palatable” to lawmakers.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, meanwhile, slammed Cayetano for seeking to

half the term of office of senators to just three years.

“It takes two to tango,” Pimentel said.

Under the Constitution, a senator has a six-year term of office, and may seek re-election at the end of that term. This means a senator who is re-elected can have 12 consecutive years in the Senate.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said it was too early for Cayetano to make good on his threat, adding that this would do nothing to convince senators on the need for Charter change.

Next page

55 Lumad schools padlocked; group assails DepEd A TEACHERS group on Sunday denounced the Department of Education order to close 55 schools for indigenous people in the Davao region, calling the decision a “betrayal of lumad children in the name of the state’s fascists policies.”

“These Lumad schools were established out of the initiatives of lumad communities themselves following decades of state abandonment,” the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said in a statement.

The lumad schools had faithfully complied with the DepEd requirements for establishing community schools, said ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio, only to be closed on the say-so Next page

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to establish a department for migrant Filipino workers that will put Philippine-based recruitment agencies under government regulation.

In a speech Friday night, Duterte said he had ordered Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to create the department by December.

“That is why I will rush the department of OFWs under the supervision of government and without horrendous Next page

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

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HE government should come up with its own comprehensive report on its war on drugs, but not allow the United Nations to conduct its own factfinding activities here as this would be an insult to the Philippines, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson, an administration ally, issued the statement after the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voted to adopt a resolution proposed by Iceland to mandate the High Commissioner to provide a comprehensive report into human rights violations in the Philippines.

In an interview on radio dzBB, Lacson said the government could instead furnish the member-states a report on what transpires in the war on drugs.

“We can make a comprehensive report on the actual low-down [on] what happened to our drug war and we can give them [that],” he said.

He also said the Iceland resolution had not even managed to gain support from a majority of the UNHRC members, as only 18 voted for it, while 14 rejected it and 15 abstained.

Next page Senator Panfilo Lacson

Romualdez pushes airports upgrade

By Rio N. Araja BREWING STORM. Weather forecaster Gener Quitlong points to the latest location of a low pressure area as of July 14 , 8 a. m. that has been spotted east of Visayas and expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility today (Monday). Manny Palmero

OFWs department BOC told: Rid Pasig of water lilies in the works—Rody By MJ Blancaflor

By MJ Blancaflor

Drug war probe an insult to PH; Gov’t urged to hold own inquiry

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Friday night that he had asked an entire administrative section of the Bureau of Customs who are allegedly involved in corrupt activities to remove water lilies in the Pasig River.

“From my office in Pasig, my barge cannot run smoothly because of water lilies. I will ask them to work on it,” he said during a thanksgiving day for overseas Filipino workers.

“Yesterday, I fired an entire administrative section of Customs. I fired all of them, 64 of them. I told them to report in Malacanang,” he said.

“Someone told me, ‘You really want

to stop corruption? Remove them.’ So I fired them,” Duterte said.

“That Customs. I’m tired of it. I told them to get out. I just left Jagger,” Duterte said, referring to Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

Duterte previously aired his frustration over widespread corruption in the bureau and ordered the suspension of employees facing charges.

Duterte said the 64 Customs personnel were told to resign or face charges.

“It’s a simple case of―you resign or I file charges. And that goes for all of us.

We are workers of government and we serve the people, period,” Duterte said.

“My view is that [they should] help Next page

LEYTE Rep. Martin Romualdez on Sunday urged his fellow lawmakers to back a 30-year transport road map that will upgrade airports, including the Tacloban City airport, into international facilities.

“I am elated to hear that government has finally committed to upgrade Tacloban airport into an international airport,” said Romualdez, president of the Philippine Constitution Association and the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

“Upgrading our airports in the provinces for international use would surely

Showboat on a flyboard PARIS—A French inventor and entrepreneur on Sunday soared above the Champs-Elysees on a turbine engine-powered flyboard in front of President Emmanuel Macron and other EU leaders.

Next page

boost local economies and ensure equitable growth among the regions.

“The Duterte administration has ushered in the golden era of infrastructure in the Philippines. This is an opportunity for us to come up with a road map that would guide policymakers in developing transport infrastructure linking all areas in the country.”

Last week, Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade met with Romualdez and 40 other members of the House of Representatives and told them about the government’s plan to build additional international airports Next page and rehabilitate the old ones.

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P3b needed to decongest jails—Rody P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says the government will be shelling out around P3 billion to build 60 new jail facilities to address the overcrowding in Philippine jails.

“I am glad to report that the government has allotted P3 billion for the construction of 60 new jail facilities to reduce jail congestion, Duterte said during the 28th anniversary of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Aguinaldo on Friday night last week.

He said prisoners were still human beings and deserved to be given a place

good enough to live in.

“They are human beings and we are supposed to give them habitable prisons, but we are prioritizing the other priorities. Sometimes they are really forgotten, Duterte said.

He praised the BJMP for cooperating with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the administration’s cam-

paign against illegal drugs.

“I am pleased that your conduct of the almost 30,000 Greyhound Operations from January to...2019 has led to the confiscation of illegal drugs, weapons and almost P2 million worth of cash and other contraband from jail cells,” Duterte said.

The BJMP has also conducted more than 13,000 surprise drug testing that led to the dismissal of drug users within the organization.

Meanwhile, Duterte reminded BJMP personnel to continue to upholding the rule of law and protecting democratic

institutions.

“May you continue to embody your institution� vital role of contributing to the transformation and reformation of society. It is my hope that this milestone will further inspire you to harness your professional skills and expertise to promote the common good,” Duterte said.

Reports showed that jails have become increasingly packed since the launching of Duterte’s drug war in 2016.

As of March 12, the BJMP had been holding 138,881 people, but the 476 jail facilities nationwide are supposed to cater to 30,000 only. PNA

Lacson...

From A1

Lacson said the pressure on the Philippines would have been stronger had the resolution been adopted overwhelmingly.

“But out of 47, only 18 signed…

So the pressure is not that strong.

We can show that we can manage whatever abuses sere committed,” he said.

Lacson said any agency in the executive branch can prepare the report, so long as it is based on facts and figures alone.

To rule out bias, he said, the Commission on Human Rights could prepare the report.

The resolution approved last week calls on the UN Human Rights Commissioner to submit a report on its investigation into the Philippine war on drugs, and urges the country to cooperate on the probe.

At the same time, it also enjoins the Philippines to prevent cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

The CHR on Sunday said the UNHRC resolution could not be considered politically motivated.

In an interview with Dobl B sa News TV, the agency’s spokesman, Jacqueline Anne de Guia said the resolution was part of the council’s normal work, noting that the commission had already visited 58 countries on fact-finding missions in 2018.

The resolution, she added, only directs the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit a comprehensive monitoring report.

“This is not an investigation per se, unlike a fat-finding mission of commission of inquiry,” she said.

Catholic bishops, meanwhile, said the government should take the opportunity to clear up issues surrounding President Rodriogo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs.

“I think this the opportunity for the governmen... to clarify issues and to instill in the minds of the Filipino that there are no violations of human rights happening,” said Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) committee on public affairs.

Taguig...

From A1

Cayetano earlier made the threat to cut the term of senators from six years to just three during a meeting with a composite group of congressmen, mostly from the ruling PDPLaban, following criticisms by some senators against his “term extension” proposal.

Cayetano, who was recently endorsed as the next speaker of the House by President Rodrigo Duterte, floated the idea of making the terms of congressmen longer, saying this was more “practical” and “productive” for the country.

But Lacson said Cayetano’s proposal to extend the term of congressmen is “starting on the wrong foot or delivering the wrong message.”

He said this was “another way of saying goodbye” to Charter change under the 18th Congress.

Amid talk that a coup could be staged in the House, the leader of the 54-member Party-list Coalition said they would follow President Duterte’s endorsement and vote for Cayetano as the next speaker.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Romero shrugged off talk of a coup, which had been fueled by statements by the President’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.

“We have been hearing rumors.

But at this state, we will (only) listen to the President, unless the President (would say something else),” he said.

SOCO IN ACTION. Scene of the crime operatives of the Manila police take pictures of the construction site where 23-yearold worker John Eric Barcuzo was pinned to death, crushed by a heavy hook attached to a crane while he was working at a condominum on Dos Castillas St. corner P. Margal in Sampaloc, Manila on Sunday July 14,2019. Norman Cruz

OFW...

From A1

charges,” Duterte said in his speech during the thanksgiving day for migrant workers in Camp Aguinaldo.

“By December for the whole Philippines. Recruitment outside [government] will be banned.”

Meanwhile, six agencies under the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the President are likely to be “regrouped” under the new department that Duterte has vowed to open by December, the ACTS-OFW Coalition of Organizations said Sunday.

“This is a dream coming true for our [workers]. We welcome the President’s decision to finally establish a new department that will rigorously supervise the recruitment of Filipinos for jobs abroad so as to curb rampant abuse, said ACTSOFW chairman Aniceto Bertiz III. “We are counting on the new depart-

Showboat...

From A1

Former jet-skiing champion Franky Zapata, grasping a rifle in a sign of the possible military uses of his device, took to the air in a futuristic showpiece of the annual Bastille Day parade, an AFP reporter said.

French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told France Inter radio ahead of the parade that the flyboard “can allow tests for different kinds of uses, for example as a flying logistical

55 Lumad...

From A1

of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. A spokesperson of DepEd Region XI said the indigenous peoples’ (IPs) schools were shut down based on a report from Esperon that students were taught to rebel against the government.

“By bowing to military command, DepEd is effectively saying that the government’s war and fascism trumps the youth’s democratic right to education.

It gave more weight to the military’s destructive and fascist maneuvers than it did to lumad children’s cry for education,” Basilio said.

The teachers said DepEd has previously failed to protect IP children from military and paramilitary harassment and forced school closures.

“We challenge DepEd to stand by its duty to civilians and resist the creeping takeover of military command over the bureaucracy,” Basilio said.

DepEd XI spokesperson Jenielito Atillio said the 55 suspended tribal schools in Davao Region have been given five days to refute allegations that they have

ment to carry out government policies, strategies and programs to protect and advance the rights and welfare of the growing number of Filipinos toiling outside the country.”

Duterte promised that the recruitment agencies for migrant workers will be found in a single department.

“Just go there to make a deal. There will be a list, just choose,” Duterte said.

He said he had the power to create such department to prevent the abuse of Filipino workers abroad.

He said his administration had instituted reforms that led to the establishment of “one-stop” service centers for migrant workers.

“Let me assure you that the government is also working hard to uphold your rights and protect your welfare,” Duterte said.

He promised to appoint more police attachés to the countries with a huge population of Filipino workers. Migrant workers may approach the police attachés whenever they encounter abuses abroad.

Duterte also said he had maintained a

diplomatic stance towards China to protect the welfare of the Filipinos working there.

“China needs workers. The huge population cannot cope with the industrialization of the place. They want to produce more to make money, but they are short of workers,” Duterte said.

“That would explain to you the reason why I am careful in my dealings with China because there are many Filipinos there. Almost 400,000.

“Other politicians want me to be hostile towards China. You know, I’m okay with that. But you know, I have to think of Filipinos everywhere. In every country with Filipinos, I’m careful. I am easily angered but when it comes to that, I keep my cool because there are so many Filipinos going abroad.”

Duterte has been criticized for his loan agreement with China and for his verbal agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping allowing Chinese fishermen within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

platform or, indeed, as an assault platform.”

Zapata, who first developed his device flying above water, says that the flyboard has the power to take off and reach speeds up to 190 kilometers an hour (118 mph) and run for 10 minutes.

He is now eyeing a crossing of the English Channel which, for the first time, will require a refueling in midflight.

Zapata aims to make the crossing on July 25, 110 years to the day after pioneering aviator Louis Bleriot made the first airplane flight across the Channel.

BOC...

links to the communist rebel movement.

The 55 schools are owned by Salugpungan Ta’Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Centers.

Atillo said the suspension also carried a “show cause” order telling Salugpungan executive director Maria Eugenia Nolasco to provide a written explanation on Esperon’s allegations.

Esperon, who also chairs the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, alleged that the Salugpungan tribal school system promotes the New People’s Army’s (NPA) communist ideology that espouses the violent overthrow of the government; trains its students to hold mass actions against the government; and uses curriculums not in accordance with the DepEd guidelines.

Atillo said Esperon’s allegations are backed by the testimonies of a former teacher of a Salugpungan school who has since left the organization.

“The basis of Secretary Esperon is the affidavit executed by Melvin Loyod who is a former student of a certain Salugpungan school and eventually became a volunteer teacher in a Salugpungan school in Sitio Pongpong, Barangay Sto. Niño Talaingod Davao del Norte,” Atillo said. PNA

Romualdez...

From A1

me craft new implementing rules of how not to rob a country properly, so I will be asking them to report here,” he said.

In a statement Wednesday night, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte ordered the suspension of highranking officials and employees in the bureau as they faced charges.

He said the names of those officials and employees would be disclosed at “the appropriate time.”

From A1

Tugade said the airport development and modernization program was part of the 30-year road map designed by the Duterte administration.

“I am seeking all your help to ensure that this road map will be approved

by Congress. Without legislation, this road map will remain just a program that may be scrapped by future administrations.”

Various transport-related agencies and local governments had come up with their own transport plans or strategies, Tugade said.

“However, to be able to bring a more focused or targeted intervention that is more inclusive, these various strategies need to focus on establishing interconnectivity between key urban growth centers and between lagging and fastgrowing regions, and creating supporting institutions that promote greater integration.”

The 30-year road map will serve as a strategic framework that will help policymakers identify the country’s

15K cops, force multipliers eyed to guard SONA MORE THAN 9,000 policemen and force multipliers will be deployed near the Batasang Pambansa to provide security during the State-of-the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte on July 22, an official said Sunday.

Metro Manila Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar said out of the 9,162 security forces, 7,353 policemen will be coming from Metro Manila, 1,100 from police regional offices, 300 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Joint Task Force-National Capital Regionand 404 from other government agencies.

He said the 9,162 security forces were part of the 15,000 policemen and force multipliers who would be deployed around Metro Manila during the President’s fourth SONA. Eleazar said he was directly supervising the SONA security preparations, including the inspection of Commonwealth Avenue and IBP Road leading to the House of Representatives next week.

“There will be a stakeholders’ meeting and dialogue next week to be followed by an inspection of the leading to the House of Representatives, as well as the area were the rallyists are set to have their program during SONA, Eleazar told the Philippine News Agency.

He said he had already met with the security division of the House and Representatives and inter-agency units on the security matters inside and outside the Batasang Pambansa.

He also met with the leaders of the anti-Duterte groups and they agreed to the rules on mass action during the occasion.

He said rallies would be allowed up to St. Peter Parish along Commonwealth Avenue “for as long as these are held peacefully.

“As usual, our police will exercise maximum tolerance, but at the same time we asked the militant groups to do their share and police their ranks to ensure a peaceful and orderly SONA day, he said.

Aside from the vicinity of the House of Representatives, Eleazar said, the NCRPO will secure places of convergence like malls and churches, as well as vital installations like terminals, airports and seaports.

He said security will be provided in Mendiola, the United States Embassy and the Edsa Shrine where the rallies are expected to be held during the SONA. He said the NCRPO had recorded no violent dispersal of protesters since Duterte assumed the presidency in 2016. He said they had yet to detect any threats to security in relation to Duterte’s coming SONA. “We assure the public that no threats to security have been monitored or reported so far. But the PNP remains vigilant to prevent crime and to respond to any call for assistance, Eleazar said.

PNA Duterte’s latest action underscored his administration’s zero tolerance on corruption among erring officials, Panelo said in a statement.

“We continue to dismantle corruption in the bureaucracy and rid it of corrupt officials and employees,” Panelo said.

“The anti-corruption campaign is continuing as it is relentless. No one will be spared.”

In October 2018, Duterte said he would order military men to take over Customs to address the corruption there.

The Palace then said the rampant corruption in Customs could be considered a form of “lawless violence.” transport needs and guide them in implementing an integrated, more coordinated approach to establish stronger transport infrastructure linkages as part of the Duterte administration’s inclusive growth agenda.

During the meeting, Romualdez, along with the other lawmakers, gave their assurance to initiate support for the passage of law backing the 30-year transport road map.

“I requested the assembly of congressmen here precisely for that reason. We badly need a strategic framework for linking the entire country though well-designed infrastructure projects. This is one program worthy of our all-out support, Romualdez said.

“Even the President has taken notice of the chaos at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 2. He was not pleased to see how passengers endured congestion due to flight delays and cancellations.

“If necessary, we may have to double the amount in the 2020 national budget.

This requires a multi-partisan support from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.”

News

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

A3

SC ok’s multiple murder case vs. Atimonan cops

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Supreme Court has paved the way for the trial and resolution of the multiple murder case filed against police Supt. Hansel Marantan for his involvement in the January 6, 2013 alleged rubout in Atimonan, Quezon which killed 13 people.

In a recent decision, the SC dismissed the petition filed by Marantan assailing the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice to conduct the preliminary investigation on the case for having prejudged it.

Marantan had sought the transfer of the case to the Office of the Ombudsman in his petition.

The high court, however, declared Marantan’s petition for certiorari seeking to stop the DOJ’s investigation as moot and academic considering that the case has already been filed before a regional trial court.

“Here, an information against petitioner has already been filed before the Regional Trial Court. Consequently, whether the case should be dismissed, or whether petitioner should be acquitted or convicted, is for the trial court to determine,” the SC said in a 24-page decision penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

“Resolving whether public respondent Department of Justice should have inhibited from conducting the preliminary investigation and forwarded the case records to the Office of the Ombudsman would be of no practical use and value here,” it added.

Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta, Andres Reyes Jr., Ramon Paul Hernando and Rosemari Carandang concurred with the ruling.

Marantan led a team of policemen and soldiers in firing at a convoy in Atimonan, Quezon province in January 2013.

CoA orders probe on six DPWH bridge projects

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Audit has directed its fraud audit office to conduct a special audit on the supposed irregularities in connection with six bridge projects awarded from 1994 to 2004, with increased contract costs from as low as 9 percent to as high as 342 percent.

CoA chairman Michael Aguinaldo, along with commissioners Jose Fabia and Roland Pondoc, issued an order to look into the involvement of some Department of Public Works and Highways officials in jacking up the cost of the projects as well as the approval of millions of pesos in incentive bonuses to the contractor.

State auditors were prompted to investigate after the contractor, the Ciriaco Corp., filed a claim for payment of a P158.56million incentive bonus, plus interest computed at 6 percent per year for finishing the projects ahead of time.

The projects cited in the claim were the Embarcadero bridge in Pangasinan’s Mangaldan; Don Mariano Marcos bridge in Abra’s Abra-Kalinga Road; Taytay or Barkadahan bridge in Rizal’s Taytay; Quintos bridge in Pangasinan’s Dagupan City; Hector Mendoza bridge in Pangasinan’s Agno River; and Domalandan Bridge in Pangasinan’s Lingayen.

Lawmaker seeks P80k cash gift for 80-yr-old Pinoys A PARTY-LIST lawmaker is batting for the approval of a proposal seeking to grant an P80,000 cash incentive to all Filipinos on their 80th birthday.

Neophyte lawmaker Ako Bisaya party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon filed House Bill No. 907 .

“Our intention in filing HB No. 907 is to make the cash gift more accessible to more Filipinos and enable them to enjoy it during the twilight years of their lives where medicines and other necessities are more urgent,” he said.

Under Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarian Act of 2016, any Filipino reaching the age of 100 years old whether residing in the Philippines or abroad is entitled to a cash reward of P100,000.

Lagon, a registered electronics and communications engineer, said a Filipino who turns 80 must also enjoy the same benefit.

While lauding the passage of RA No. 10868, he lamented that “very few Filipinos get to live long enough to enjoy such special benefits.”

Citing a World Health Organization study in 2018, the average life expectancy of a Filipinos is 69.3 years old. Rio N. Araja

Besides Marantan, also facing multiple murder charges in connection with the encounter are Supt.

Ramon Balauag, Chief Insp. Grant Gollod, Senior Insp. John Paolo Carracedo, SPO3 Joselito de Guzman, SPO1 Carlo Cataquiz, SPO1 Arturo Sarmiento, PO3 Eduardo Oronan, PO2 Nelson Indal, PO2 Al Bhazar Jailani, PO1 Wryan Sardea and PO1 Rodel Talento aka Rodel Tolentino.

COOLING OFF. A farmer gives a refreshing bath to his favored farm animal along a tributary of Lamut River, voted as the cleanest in Northern Luzon by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Dave Leprozo

A4

Opinion

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

Tweeting and twitting THE incoming Speaker of the House, Alan Peter Cayetano, has a lament, and it has to do with the tweet of a former colleague in the Senate and a dear friend, Ping Lacson.

After President Duterte announced that he would step in to fix the royal mess which was the speakership fight among several contenders, and declared his “Magellan Formula” as the solution to the mess, the endorsee, Cayetano made a proposal. He said that charter change, not necessarily to push for federalism, should tackle the lengthening of congressional terms from the current three Let us all years to perhaps discussion. four or five years even. He was pummeled with several reactions.

One of these was a tweet from Lacson last Thursday that said “Incoming House Speaker Cayetano’s longer term limit suggestion—starting on the wrong foot or delivering a wrong message. It’s another way of saying goodbye to chacha under the 18thCongress. I would say, country first before self-interest.”

A tweet is a post on Twitter, the quite popular social network service made more famous by Donald Trump, who keeps using it for his famous or infamous one-liners, depending on whether you like the guy or hate him.

Because Twitter allows messages of at most 280 characters, the message is called a “tweet,” which is similar to the chirp one hears from a bird.

Alan lamented Ping’s tweeted reaction to his proposal. “It’s not a political thing (but) a practical thing,” he said.

“While we will push for federalism, I think there is a way that the Senate will agree that we push either for four years, no term limit, or five years, (with

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

a) four-term limit,” Cayetano added.

The present system allows members of the House as well as all local officials three-year terms with no more than three consecutive terms. Thus, we elect our congressmen along with local officials every three years, our senators for a term of six years, with 12 running intermittently every three years. And our president and his vice-president has a term of six years, with no re-election.

That is what our 1987 Constitution provides.

Cayetano argues that this hinders development, citing both sustainability of plans and programs as well as the short gestation period for proper implementation.

“You are elected in May…take office in June. Yung six months you’re still getting organized. Kung kalaban mo naka-upo, ubos na yung pondo, join in the di ba?

Your budget starts in January…2020.

That’s only one year…because (come) 2021, everyone’s thinking of 2022 (elections). Then the cycle starts again.”

Cayetano makes sense. As I have kept writing in this space, we have far too many elections in this politics-crazy country, and we elect far too many officials.

And if we come around to revising the present Constitution, I have always proposed having six-year terms for all officials, from barangay chiefs to mayors and governors, to congressmen and senators, to the president and his vice-president.

Further I have proposed that we do away with electing municipal and city councilors, as well as provincial board members. Let the mayors comprise the provincial board, and the barangay chairmen or captains the city and municipal councils. Where there are far too many barangays or municipalities, they make take turns sitting in the local legislatures every three years, or electing among themselves who should

O

First leadership test

VER the last few weeks, aspirants to the speakership have jostled and lobbied for the top post in the House of Representatives. If we are to take at face value the announcement from President Rodrigo Duterte, who stepped into a tightly contested race to endorse a term-sharing agreement between his erstwhile losing vice presidential running mate, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, the issue has been settled, and a new speaker will be elected on July 22, just ahead of the State-of-the-Nation Address.

Even as the political wrangling was going on, however, an incoming neophyte congressman was hard at work giving the new speaker his first leadership test.

We refer to Ang Probinsyano partylist Rep. Alfred delos Santos, who was captured on CCTV footage trying to punch a waiter in the head at Biggs Diner in Legazpi, Albay, on July 7.

Police said the waiter, Christian Kent Alejo, 20, related that he was working at about 3:40 a.m. when Delos Santos threw a punch at him for no apparent reason. The video evidence supporting this narration of events is irrefutable.

The congressman has since apologized, but offered no reasonable explanation for his unacceptable behavior.

“I am no troublemaker,” he said in a statement, saying in Filipino that he was no bully or gangster. “The people who know me well can attest to that.”

“For our constituents, I hope and pray that you will find in your hearts a way to forgive and understand. I have learned my lesson out of this experience and given the chance, I would certainly commit myself to work even harder to advance the cause of our constituents, the probinsyanos.”

Delos Santos’ own party at first tried to wash its hands of the incident,

saying Delos Santos’ “actions and decisions are his own and should not reflect on Ang Probinsyano as a party and as a party and as an organization.”

“Definitely we will not tolerate any kind of abuse in our party. We will not hesitate to suspend or even remove Congressman Delos Santos if we establish that this was an unprovoked attack,” a party spokesman said.

The suggestion that the congressman’s actions do not reflect on the party is ludicrous, of course, and the notion that the attack would be somehow more acceptable had it been provoked is equally ridiculous.

If a party or an organization lets Delos Santos get off with an apology and a rap on the knuckle, that speaks volumes about its willingness to overlook uncivilized behavior by a wealthy and powerful member of the group.

By the same token, if the new speaker does nothing to discipline Delos Santos, he will tell all and sundry that the House is more interested in protecting its own that looking out for the people they are supposed to serve. Will the new speaker pass this first leadership test?

Turn to A5

To the Moon and back: 50 years on, a giant leap into the unknown

By Ivan Couronne THE first four days of Apollo 11’s journey to the Moon had gone according to plan, but just 20 minutes before landing, the atmosphere grew tense as the crew encountered a series of problems.

It was July 20, 1969, and as the world followed the spacecraft’s progress, it briefly lost radio contact with mission control in Houston.

Then, as the lunar module Eagle was in the middle of its descent, piloted

by Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and mission commander Neil Armstrong, an alarm bell began ringing.

Eagle had detached two hours earlier from the main part of the vessel, the command module, Columbia, where the third crew member Michael Collins remained in orbit.

It was an anxious moment for Armstrong, a brilliant test pilot and aeronautical engineer, but a man of famously few words.

“Give us a reading on the 1202 Program Alarm,” he radios to mission control. They are told to keep going.

Houston realizes the onboard computer is experiencing an overflow, but all systems are functional.

Below them, the Moon’s craters are zipping by fast. Too fast, realizes Armstrong: at this rate, they will overshoot the landing site by several miles.

He switches to manual control and starts to scope out a new landing site from his porthole. But there’s trouble finding the perfect spot, and it’s going to be tight.

“Pretty rocky area,” he tells Aldrin.

Aldrin continues to tell him speed and altitude readings from the computer.

“Coming down nicely,” he says.

“Gonna be right over that crater,” Armstrong replies.

Meanwhile, the fuel is rapidly depleting.

Houston continues to announce the number of seconds left to the “Bingo fuel call”—the point at which Eagle will have 20 seconds left to land, or abort the

mission.

It is now 30 seconds left to Bingo.

Armstrong, summoning all his experience, is silent as he concentrates.

The module comes to a rest on the ground. “Contact Light,” says Aldrin, meaning one of the leg’s foot sensors has touched down. The engines are switched off.

“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed,” announces Armstrong.

“We copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again. Thanks a lot,” replies Charlie Duke, the CapCom or capsule communicator on the ground.

Nazi rocket man History records that the number of people who worked on the Apollo program was 400,000. But two figures tower above the rest for their contributions.

In 1961, President John F Kennedy called upon his vice president Lyndon Johnson to beat the Soviets in space.

“We are in a strategic space race with the Russians, and we are losing,” Kennedy had written in a magazine the year before. “If a man orbits Earth this year, his name will be Ivan.”

Johnson reaches out to the godfather of NASA’s space program: Wernher von Braun.

The former card-carrying Nazi was the inventor of the V-2 rockets that rained destruction on London in World War II. Toward the end of the war, he surrendered himself to the Americans, who brought him and a hundred of his best engineers to Alabama, as part of the secret “Operation Paperclip.”

Von Braun told Johnson that while the US was well behind, they could conceivably beat the Russians when it came to putting men on the Moon, if they immediately started work on a giant booster rocket.

Kennedy would address Congress later that year, famously committing “to landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth” by the decade’s Turn to A5

That UN resolution THAT United Nations resolution calling for an inquiry into the thousands of deaths from the alleged extra-judicial killings of suspects in the Philippines bloody anti-drug war is raising the hackles of the Duterte administration.

The resolution was introduced

by Iceland at the UN Human Rights Council.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters in the Senate predictably defended Mr. Duterte’s brutal and bloody campaign against narcotics.

Senator Francis Tolentino, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Imee Marcos, in defending the President, only showed the low quality of the present Senate

The Philippines is a member of the community of nations. composition.

Dela Rosa, the former PNP chief and attack dog of Duterte, proved his “utak pulbura” or gunpowder mentality when he made the familiar gesture of his hand going across his throat. Tolentino, the former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman, showed his depth is no more than handling the city’s traffic problem where he also failed.

The surprise statement, however, came from Imee Marcos who proposed breaking diplomatic relations with Iceland for introducing the resolution.

No comment—her suggestion speaks for itself.

Why has the UN resolution— although not unanimous—become a matter of concern to the UN Human Rights Council? For one, the PNP itself came out publicly of an estimated 6,000 plus dead in the drug war. Nongovernment sources say the number is way higher.

Then there is the frequent statement of President Duterte to police operatives to kill all those involved in drug trafficking. That in itself makes it policy, giving them license to kill even if in certain instances the suspects can be merely subdued by the superior police force. And if the suspects were armed and if they threatened the lives of law enforcers , then the shoot-to-kill order is justified.

Why should we allow a UN human rights group into the country? Duterte Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher can be accessed at: manilastandard.net Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

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Opinion Shrewd (2) WHILE he has yet to be formally elected Speaker of the 18thCongress, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano is already manifesting the signs of how shrewd a leader he can be.

He first displayed it when he called for a seminar for incoming members of the House only to turn it into a pledging session for their future projects aimed at getting their support for the Speakership tiff.

Now that he had been personally endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the House of Representatives on the condition he shares the term with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and designate another contender, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as Majority Leader, he is already making moves to run around the agreement and turn the Lower House into his fiefdom, cornering all the powers.

Late last week, Cayetano was reported to have announced his appointments of Mandaluyong Congressman Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales as Deputy Speaker for Internal Affairs and Camarines Sur Congressman LRay Villafuerte as Deputy Speaker for Financial Affairs.

In so doing, Cayetano is effectively easing out Romualdez from the chain of command as whatever functions he will assign to Gonzales would simply be a duplicity of the functions of a Majority Leader.

In the case of Villafuerte’s appointment, his job as Deputy Speaker for Financial Affairs will render toothless the Chairman of the

That UN...

From A4

defenders raised the Philippine flag, claiming this is a transgression into the Philippine sovereignty and our domestic affairs. But the Philippines is a member of the UN and the community of nations. The government signed the UN convention on the protection of human rights. How then can we say that the Philippines will not abide by the human rights council resolution when we accuse China of ignoring The Hague arbitration tribunal ruling, rejecting Beijing’s claim on the entire South China Sea. China as a UN member signed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and yet it did not abide by the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which is a UN arm for settling

Tweeting...

From A4

sit in the council.

Because of a multitude of “honorables” elected every three years, not only do taxpayers foot a large bill, they also get a gaggle of ambitious personalities who look after self-interest within a short time-line of three years.

In fact, one of the reasons the electorate chooses to keep dynasts in office is because they see the need for continuity in plans and programs.

Of course self-interest also propels dynasts to perpetuate their species, but bad dynasts eventually get booted out.

Good performers are rewarded with continued re-election. But need that be every three years?

Why not allow good leaders more time to plan, to get their policies

To the moon...

From A4

end.

Eight years later, Richard Nixon was president when the goal was realized.

In case of a tragedy, he had prepared the following remarks: “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.”

But the extraordinary national efforts paid off.

It all happened fast, thanks to a blank check for the mission from Congress.

Between October 1968 and May 1969, four preparatory Apollo missions were launched. Armstrong was chosen in December 1968 to command the eleventh.

Months from launch, Armstrong told Aldrin he was pulling rank and would be the first to set foot on the lunar surface.

“I kept my silence several more days, all the time struggling not to be angry with Neil,” Aldrin later recalled in his memoirs.

“After all, he was the commander and, as such, the boss.”

The giant leap When the monstrous rocket designed

As far as I remember, having covered the House for more than a decade, those two positions were virtually non-existent. While it is the prerogative of the Speakers to have Deputy Speakers appointed, they were borne out of necessity. Thus, Deputy speakers were appointed for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Women and other major representations. But never were Deputy Speakers appointed to duplicate the functions of other offices and render them useless.

Not only does Cayetano’s twin moves raise doubts on his sincerity to forge a unified House. It also goes to show how shrewd his leadership can be.

But lest he forgets, he has never been the choice of members of the House. Both Romualdez and Velasco claim to have the numbers to get elected. And even if Albay Rep. Joey Salceda’s theory that the members of the House signed both manifestos of support for the two contenders, that would still leave Cayetano out of the race. If ever he gets elected as Speaker, it was not because of House members’ overwhelming support for him, but due to the fact the lawmakers do not want to offend the President who had to force feed him to them.

In fact, since announcing his intention to pursue the top House post, he was always seen to have been seeking a presidential intervention to fulfill his ambition.

But with his shrewdness showing early, given the lack of support from his colleagues, he might easily get deposed, if even he gets elected come July 22. The coalition support arising from his presidential endorsement may just collapse. He is already giving his colleagues all the reasons to throw him overboard.

It had happened to former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. It is not far-fetched it could also happen to Cayetano. And Duterte, just like in Alvarez’s case, cannot or will not save him. That I can be sure of.

territorial disputes.

We cannot be like the Chinese who are selective on which UN laws to follow. Rules are rules They must be followed by everybody. Critics claim that if the government does not have anything to hide, then by all means let the UN rapporteur and her team come to the country. If the UN inquiry team does not get the government side of the controversial EJKs, then let our representatives at the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York speak up on the one-sided UN report. For sure, our UN Mission reps will be heard. That is what the UN is for—a venue for open and free speech.

Let us show the world that the Philippines, despite so many barriers to democratic governance, is a country of civil liberties. We have officials like former Foreign Secretary Albert del

Rosario, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. Morales and Del Rosario were recently barred from entering Hong Kong because they filed a case against Chinese President Xi Jinping for gross violation of human rights. But then I am sure that President Duterte, a close friend of the Chinese president, will not give the case his endorsement.

People are wondering whether Durerte will mention in his State of the Nation Address the ramming of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese gunboat in Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea. Your guess is as good mine. Next week’s SONA will be mostly a spiel of his accomplishments and nothing of the challenges and threats to Philippine security and sovereignty.

supported by their constituents, to provide the wherewithal, and to implement these properly with utmost transparency? Would not six years be better than three years?

And if we want to curtail the perpetuation of political families and the proliferation of such dynasties, as has been our experience since 1987, isn’t the solution systemic? As in bringing back the two-party system where leaders choose who should lead, instead of the task being relegated to public opinion surveys, where celebrity status dwarfs effective and experienced leadership?

In any case, all these systemic changes have to be done, and most of them will require, beyond mere legislation, amending or revising the present Constitution which has become the framework for our political dysfunction for three decades now, more than an entire generation.

It is time to take stock, to learn lessons, and prescribe correct systemic solutions.

To which even Senator Ping Lacson would not object.

Lacson is right, though, when he says Alan may be delivering the wrong message. He should have added that the timing is suspect. Cayetano sounded like he was pandering to his immediate constituency, currying favor among the 300, when he should be looking at the reaction of 105 million.

In any case, let us all join in the discussion; let us debate the merits and demerits of systemic change. Let this Congress be “disruptive,” as Cayetano likes to describe his 15-month stint. For disruption means change, and change is what this country needs, badly.

Let the tweets not be mere exercises in twitting proposals or looking for personal motives.

by von Braun launched with the Apollo 11 capsule at its summit on Wednesday, July 16 1969, one million people flocked to the beach across from Cape Canaveral to watch.

But many had doubts that they’d succeed in landing on the Moon on the first attempt. Armstrong confided in 1999: “My gut feeling was that we had a 90 percent chance—or better—of getting back safely, and a 50 percent chance of making a successful landing.”

For those in America, the final descent would take place on Sunday evening.

In Europe, it was already nighttime, but everyone was glued to their televisions, though they could only hear crackling radio communications until Armstrong set up his black and white camera ahead of his first step.

His grandmother had advised him not to do it if he felt danger; he had agreed, according to the book “Rocket Men” by Craig Nelson.

As he climbed down to the foot of the ladder, he observed that Eagle’s footpads had sunk into the ground by only an inch or two, and the surface appeared very fine grained. “It’s almost like a powder,” he recalled.

Then, over the radio: “Okay. I’m going to step off the LM now.” A pause, and then the immortal words: “That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”

According to Armstrong, the line wasn’t scripted. “I thought about it after landing,” he would say in an oral history recorded by NASA in 2001.

One problem: without the indefinite article (“a man”), it wasn’t grammatically correct. Armstrong said he meant to say it, but agreed it was inaudible.

What does the Moon look like, up close?

Its color varies with the angle of the Sun: from brown to grey to black as coal. And the lower level of gravity takes getting used to.

“I started jogging around a bit, and it felt like I was moving in slow motion in a lazy lope, often with both of my feet floating in the air,” Aldrin wrote in a book in 2009.

Over the course of two-and-a-half hours, Armstrong picks up piles and piles of Moon rocks and takes photographs.

Aldrin installs a seismometer and two other scientific instruments.

They plant the US flag, and leave behind a host of items including a medal

Committee on Appropriations which will supposedly be occupied by Davao City Congressman Isidro Ungab, the choice of Hugpong ng Pagbabago for the Speakership.

Cayetano is Speaker because lawmakers do not want to offend the President who had to force feed him to them.

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

A5

Near-unanimous against China’s incursions war with China to enforce the arbitral award. It is also against international law to go to war to enforce the arbitral award. The United Nations charter has outlawed the resort to war to settle territorial or maritime disputes A MONTH or so after the controversial between states,” he said.

Carpio is referring to the country’s Reed Bank incident involving a Filipino fishing boat and a Chinese legal victory at the Permanent Court trawler, public opinion on the matter of Arbitration in 2016. The magistrate has scarcely subsided. The horrific hit the administration for not only details from the altercation were shelving the potentially decisive rightly met with massive indignation: ruling, but more so for intentionally the fishing boat anchored while the committing an act that risked waiving crew rested, the collision with the or diminishing the implications of the Chinese trawler that led to the boat’s award when Duterte revealed that he sinking, and the 22 Filipino fishermen had a verbal agreement with President Xi Jinping that allows Chinese left to drown on the high seas.

If the early June incident marked a fishermen to fish in Reed Bank.

Carpio had rightly described the typical episode of Chinese aggression in Philippine waters, a recent Social agreement as lopsided; Filipino Weather Station survey confirms that fishermen didn’t gain any new a broad majority of Filipinos rejects fishing grounds, while their Chinese counterparts and opposes such suddenly had brazen incursion. uninhibited For instance, a access to more. huge 93 percent H e said they believe The Duterte explained: it is important “ T h e administration should to regain control agreement of of the West listen to the people. course will Philippine Sea, substantially while 89 percent diminish the said it feels wrong arbitral award to do nothing. as a selfThese numbers offer a stinging rebuke of the defeatist inflicted blow again to our sovereign and lackadaisical line of the Duterte rights in the West Philippine Sea. administration, which had all but We must therefore do everything to given up any position of strength in the convince the present government disputed waters, out of a professed— not to confirm or ratify the supposed and ridiculous—fear of starting a war verbal agreement with China.”

The controversial verbal agreement with Beijing. also behooves the question of whether The other findings of the survey are similarly critical of government Beijing had recently exhibited any inaction, if not ineptitude, on the friendly gestures toward Manila in West Philippine Sea issue. Eighty- the context of the dispute. Not if you three percent said the matter should be ask Filipino fishermen who regularly brought to international organizations have to contend with constant Chinese like the United Nations, 83 percent said intimidation on the high seas. Not the Philippines should form alliances if you ask the residents of Pag-asa to help us defend our territorial waters, Island, who have to deal with hundreds 87 percent said it is very important of Chinese vessels circling the island.

Thus, between remaining that the country should assert its rights submissive to Beijing’s whims and in the West Philippine Sea, and 87 getting involved in an illegal war lie percent believe we should arrest and prosecute Chinese fishermen who a range of options and scenarios for cause the destruction of the marine Manila and Filipinos. Justice Carpio, for instance, urged the Philippine Navy environment there.

It is important to note that for all to join the Freedom of Navigation and these the trend had seen an upward Over Flight Operations, which he swing in terms of opposition to described as “a peaceful and lawful Chinese incursion. This is despite two exercise of the rights of the navies of things: first, the government’s constant coastal states.

He encouraged the public, “lawyering” for Beijing, it seems, hewing close to whatever line the meanwhile, to stay vigilant and prevent Asian superpower was peddling, and, any further erosion of the award’s second, the much-repeated but poorly meaning. “Given the unfortunate conceived argument that balking at decision to shelve the award, it falls on Chinese aggression would lead to war. us ordinary Filipinos to find creative The second one, in particular, is and viable means to enforce the patently misguided, a ruse to intimidate Award, so we may be able to defend Filipinos into submission. It sets up and preserve our national patrimony.”

Ombudsman Conchita Carpioa false dichotomy, as if Manila’s Morales and Ambassador Albert response to Chinese incursion was del Rosario did such an initiative in limited to two things: either letting Chinese fishermen fish in Philippine filing a communication before the waters, or going to war with China. International Criminal Court as a Anyone with a cursory understanding way of enforcing the award to impose of contemporary geopolitics and individual criminal responsibility for economics will know that China, a China’s acts already found unlawful behemoth reliant on global trade, by the arbitral tribunal.

Now that a survey has revealed a stands to lose the most in the event of near-unanimous national sentiment a war.

Moreover, Supreme Court Senior on China and the West Philippine Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, Sea, the Duterte administration is during a recent forum hosted by hard pressed to listen to the people.

Stratbase ADR Institute, issued a After all, it is fond of using continuing reminder that both the Philippine popular support for the president as Constitution and international law a means of defending controversial prohibit a country from going to war to policies. In the same vein, it must pay settle a territorial or maritime dispute. attention to what is turning out to be “It is clearly unconstitutional for an increasingly singular voice against the Philippine government to go to Chinese incursion. honoring the first man in space, Russia’s Yuri Gagarin.

Of the 857 black and white photos, and 550 in color, only four show Armstrong.

The majority are of Aldrin. “He’s a lot more photogenic than I am,” he joked in 2001.

Homeward bound By the time they were set to go, the astronauts were covered in dust. In the cockpit, “It smelled, to me, like wet ashes in a fireplace,” said Armstrong.

Collins had been waiting up in orbit for the past 22 hours.

“My secret terror for the last six months has been leaving them on the moon and returning to Earth alone,” he later wrote.

“If they fail to rise from the surface, or crash back into it, I am not going to commit suicide; I am coming home, forthwith, but I will be a marked man for life and I know it.”

Happily, the lunar module’s engine worked, it rendezvoused back with Columbia, and the trio began the long journey home.

By the end, shorn of its extra modules and fuel, the capsule weighs only 12,250 pounds, or 0.2 percent of the launch weight of the fully loaded Saturn V rocket.

On July 24, it enters the atmosphere, becoming for a while a fireball in the sky before deploying three parachutes and splashing down safely into the Pacific.

The US had dispatched an aircraft carrier to recover them. Nixon was on board.

Elite divers extract the men, who are unharmed but malodorous after their journey, to transfer them by helicopter to the ship.

There, they are placed in quarantine over the fear at the time that they may be contaminated with extraterrestrial microorganisms.

At their first press conference, three weeks later, reporters asked the three men, now global heroes, whether they would ever consider returning to the Moon.

“In the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, we had very little time for meditation,” replied Armstrong, ever to the point.

None of them would go back to space ever again.

After six more missions, the Apollo program was terminated in 1972.

It was not until Donald Trump came to office that the US would decide to return to the Moon, under the Artemis program, named for Apollo’s twin sister. AFP

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News

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CA upholds ‘pork’ case vs ex-vice governor

By Rey E. Requejo

Safeguard ruling on cement out soon, Tariff says

T

HE Court of Appeals has affirmed with finality the dismissal from service of former North Cotabato vice governor and Second District Rep. Gregorio Ipong, in connection with a pork barrel anomaly case in 2007.

In a two-page resolution promulgated last week, the former special 9th division of the appellate court affirmed its decision in Nov. last year that upheld the 2016 dismissal order of the Office of the Ombudsman against Ipong in connection with the misuse of his P4.9-million pork barrel funds during his term.

The appellate court denied for lack of merit the motion for reconsideration filed by the former lawmaker, saying the MR raised the same issues and arguments already addressed and resolved in its earlier decision.

“There being no new matters raised that would warrant a reversal or modification of the said Decision, the said motion is hereby denied for lack of merit,” stated the resolution penned by Associate Justice Ramon Cruz.

The CA sustained the ruling of the Ombudsman in finding petitioner guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

It turned down Ipong’s defense that the Ombudsman had no jurisdiction over the case involving acts when he was still a congressman and beyond the anti-corruption office’s disciplinary authority.

The CA ruled that the administrative complaint was filed against Ipong when he was already the vice-governor of Cotabato province, placing him under the Ombudsman’s investigative power.

This administrative case stemmed from the diversion of Ipong’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations to the fictitious livelihood projects of Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. (AFPI).

The former solon was found to have endorsed AFPI as the partner non-government organization (NGO) for his PDAF projects implemented through the now-defunct Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC).

The NGO turned out to be a dubious NGO as its office address was located in a vacant lot, and it failed to submit liquidation documents to the Commission on Audit (COA).

Ipong is also facing graft and malversation before the Sandiganbayan for the criminal aspect of the multimillion-peso PDAF cases against him, involving one involving P9.4 million that went to NGO Economic and Social Cooperation for Local Development Foundation Inc. (Ecosoc).

FOREST PARK. Strolling on a warm Sunday, a young boy appears mesmerized by the giant roots embedded on an old wall inside the Arroceros forest park. Sonny Espiritu

THE Tariff Commission’s Task Force on Cement is finalizing the report on the outcome of hearings held on the petition to increase and make permanent the safeguard measure on imported cement.

TFC head Director Lourdes Saluta said Tuesday its report and recommendation will be ready for presentation to the Commission’s collegial body for decision before the end of July.

Saluta said the Commission is not late in issuing its decision this month as it is still two months away from the September expiration of the safeguard measure imposed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in February.

Nevertheless, the decision is highly anticipated due to its repercussion to the local cement industry.

The Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (Cemap) petitioned for the higher and permanent safeguard as the P8.40 duty per bag of imported cement imposed by the DTI in February failed to curb the surging importation of the construction commodity.

During the June public hearing on its petition, Cemap said the industry is already reeling from decreased market share and profits as importers and traders have been flooding the market with zero-tariff imported cement since 2016.

Making the higher and permanent safeguard more urgent was the 64 percent increase in the volume of cement imports in the first quarter of 2019.

The DTI monitored 1.74 million metric tons (MMT) of imported cement brought into the country from January to March. In contrast, the volume in the same period last year was 1.06 MMT.

Isko tells other banks to learn lesson from Metrobank holdup

By Macon Ramos-Araneta MANILA Mayor Francisco Domagoso aka Isko Moreno expressed hopes that all other banks would learn a lesson from the Metrobank Binondo branch robbery holdup wherein all the robbers escaped even after policemen responded two minutes after the incident.

“In a matter if two minutes, our policemen were there. But nobody wanted to talk. They remained silent, talking about a bank protocol,” a dismayed Domagoso said.

He said the call for police assistance was received at 9:18 a.m. and the Manila Police District policemen arrived at the scene at 9:20 a.m.

He attributed police’s “quick action” to the clearing operations of the major thoroughfares or major arteries in the city which were carried out immediately after he assumed office as Manila mayor.

But Domagoso has maintained that had the bank personnel spoken and talked about the suspects, responding policemen could have easily rounded up the perpetrators.

He admitted though that it was quite difficult to get through Del Pan bridge because of the heavy trucks traversing the roads. He also cited the nearby police precinct where policemen can put a drag net.

“But that’s already water under the bridge,” said Domagoso who has joined

the ranks of the country’s “rock star” as described by former US Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim. In praising the new Manila Mayor during a Domagoso’s visit at the US Embassy in Manila last Friday, Kim told Domagoso, “You are a total rock star.”

Kim commended Domagoso for bringing 0“new dynamism and energy to his position.”

The 44-year old mayor recently grabbed headlines for dramatically reforming Manila’s congested roads and markets particularly Divisoria by implementing clearing operations against illegal vendors and other road obstructions.

Kim also acknowledged Domagoso’s approach to the government’s anti-drug

campaign that is consistent with human rights and rule of law.

In airing his support for the program, Domagoso has cautioned police to respect human rights.

The US envoy even recalled that Domagoso was a product of US State Department-sponsored International Visitors Leadership Program in 2011.

“We are proud of you being an alumnus. We want to claim that. We have a good success in identifying future leaders.

That is one of the few that we are proud of,” Kim said.

Asked by Kim on what keeps the new mayor awake at night, he replied: “My greatest is for the people to accept that chaos is the norm in the city.”

Angara seeks higher autonomy, higher pay for barangay officials

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

MANILA CLEANUP.

A fire volunteer trains his water hose on a pavement in the City of Manila on Sunday, July 14, 2019, during a simultaneous cleanup activity by different fire brigades in the city. The cleanup covers barangays from Welcome Rotonda to the stretch of España Boulevard in Manila. Norman Cruz

Hontiveros says opposition remains united vs Charter change SENATOR Risa Hontiveros said the Senate minority bloc remains opposed to the proposed Charter change (Chacha) to amend the 1987 Constitution and federalism.

“Yes, until the last time na nag-usap kami, tutol po kami sa Charter Change ni Presidente,” Hontiveros said.

Hontiveros said she is opposed to Cha-cha under the present administration because President Rodrigo Duterte “is just using it for his other political agenda.”

She also described the proposed shift

to federalism as “half-baked,” saying that there is no assurance that proposed federal states will have the “capacity for governance” and “financial autonomy.”

She even accused the President of using the proposed shift for his other political agenda whether its term extension or not or installing a successor that would ensure that he would not be chased for accountability over various crimes and human rights violations.

“He has been peddling about federalism but that is half-baked. It has different shapes but does not guarantee

capacity for governance or financial autonomy- thise that will become federal states,” she added.

The senator noted that the minority bloc remains “united” in its stance that a Constitutional Convention should be the appropriate process to change the charter.

Senator Joel Villanueva, meanwhile, said they have yet to discuss the merits of changing the Constitution.

Villanueva said that while he does not see any urgent need to amend the constitution, he does not want to preempt any discussion. Macon Ramos-Araneta

BARANGAY officials and employees are the nation’s frontline workers and yet what they are receiving is not commensurate to the roles that they play, said Sen. Sonny Angara.

Because of this, Angara has filed Senate Bill 136 or the Magna Carta for Barangays in order to provide the officials of barangays better pay and benefits and greater local autonomy.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, meanwhile, is seeking the creation of the Community Peace and Order Council that will involve the barangay officials and their constituents in the prevention of crimes.

In his Senate Bill No. 233, Dela Rosa, who served in the national police force for over 30 years, underscored the vital role of the citizenry in effectively preventing and suppressing criminality and maintaining public order and safety.

“Despite the creation and reorganization of Peace and Order Council in the national, provincial and city or municipality level, the anti-criminality strategies seem to need a complement at the grass-root level,” Dela Rosa said.

“Our proposal is to create the Barangay Community Peace and Order Council (BCPOC) which will aid our Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies in effectively combating crimes and maintaining public order and safety in the land,” he further noted.

The neophyte senator will chair the

Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs upon the opening of the 18th Congress on July 22.

The bill, which will be known as the “Barangay Community Peace and Order Council Act,” mandates every barangay to organize a Community Peace and Order Council which will serve as the primary government institution that prevents and suppresses criminality.

Meanwhile, Angara said the barangays should be given more attention by the national government as the country’s basic political unit and as the base of the economy.

Under the bill, barangay officials will be treated as regular government employees, meaning they will receive fixed salaries, allowances, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement and other fringe benefits.

“Mahalaga ang trabahong ginagampanan ng ating mga barangay kaya dapat lang na makatanggap sila ng angkop na benepisyo,” Angara said.

The punong barangay will be entitled to the salary being received by a sangguniang bayan member in his or her city or municipality.

An amount equivalent to 80 percent of the salary of a Sanggguniang Bayan member will be received by the six Sangguniang Barangay members.

The Kabataang Barangay chairman, barangay secretary and barangay treasurer, on the other hand, will get an amount equivalent to 75 percent of the salary of a sangguniang bayan member.

Sports

A7

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

EAC’s Mendoza named NCAA Player of Week JUST a week into the NCAA Season 95 Men’s Basketball Tournament, graduating guard Jethro Mendoza has already given Emilio Aguinaldo College a moment to remember.

Mendoza hit the go-ahead layup with 1.5 seconds remaining as EAC pulled off a monumental 84-82 stunner over backto-back runner-up Lyceum last Friday at Filoil Fying V Centre.

That game-winner alone was more than enough for the sweet-shooting guard to earn the season’s first Chooksto-Go Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week.

Along with the shot that sank the league heavyweight, Mendoza poured eight of his team-high 21 points in the closing stretch, towing the Generals to their first win against the Pirates since 2016 and biggest triumph overall since beating eventual champion Letran back in 2015.

He buried six triples to anchor his scoring explosion and also tallied four rebounds, two assists, and a steal against zero turnovers in 26 minutes of action.

“Sabi lang namin, atin ‘to, lalaban tayo hanggang matapos. Kahit na nakakahabol na sila, gawin lang namin ‘yung tama,” said Mendoza, who made sure EAC repelled Lyceum’s fightback from 18 points down.

It also helped that first-year head coach Oliver Bunyi has full trust in his deadshot shooter.

“I was telling them, even if Jethro is doing 0-of-10 in the first part, I will still trust him to take the ball outside. That’s his job. ‘Yun naman, naging successful siya,” said Bunyi.

Balanga team captures 4th 3x3 cage title BALANGA-WILKINS took its fourth crown last Saturday in the 2019 Chooksto-Go Pilipinas 3x3 Patriot’s Cup at the SM Megamall Events Center.

They posted a 21-17 win over archrival Pasig Kings-Gold’s Gym with one minute and 26 seconds to go.

Returning player Santi Santillan, who missed the first three legs, chipped in crucial shots that backed up Alvin Pasaol’s efforts.

“Malaking bagay ni Santi kasi lalo kaming lumaki. Grabe din ‘yung mga shots niya,” said Pasaol, who showed the way with eight points.

With Balanga trailing, 8-9, midway in the finals, Santillan struck with a quick deuce, touching off a 7-2 blast that Bataan team a four-point edge, 15-11.

Pasig’s Taylor Statham and Joshua Munzon rallied their squad back to within two with 2:29 remaining, 16-18.

After Prince Orizu scored again for Pasig, Pasaol sent Balanga to the championship-point with 1:55 left.

Pasaol knocked in a two-pointer that sailed past Nikola Pavlovic and Taylor Statham with 1:26 to spare.

This earned Balanga-Wilkins the P100,000 pot.

Pasig and Balanga will enter the Grand Finals on July 27 still at SM Megamall as the second and third seeds, respectively.

Both are tied with 310 points.

Balanga dropped VetHealth-Delhi 3BL down to solo fourth (290 points) after taking a thrilling 21-20 (1:04) semifinal win.

In the other bracket, Pasig eliminated third-leg champs Phenom-Basilan Steel, 17-7. Peter Atencio

Wimby...

From A8

“He’s been in Romania a few times. I met him. Also I have a snooker ball signed from him. That’s why I follow him.”

Halep has also expressed a childlike delight in the British royal family, confessing she’s a particular fan of the Duchess of Cambridge.

“Kate’s my favorite,” said Halep as the object of her regal affection looked down from the Royal Box. But there still remains a steely streak, illustrated by the decision she made 10 years ago to undergo breast reduction surgery.

“It’s the weight that troubles me. My ability to react quickly, my breasts make me uncomfortable when I play,” she once said.

“I didn’t like them in my everyday life, either. I would have gone for surgery even if I hadn’t been a sportswoman.” AFP

Mighty Sports claims 3rd win in Jones Cup Game Today

(Changhua County Gym in Changhua, Taiwan) 3 p.m. – Mighty Sports-PH vs UBC Thunderbirds Canada

DOMINANT CAMPAIGN. Japan PGA Tour campaigner Angelo Que (center) beams as he holds his trophy while posing with Joop

Kalambakal (left) of ICTSI Public Relations Group and Southwoods golf director Jerome Delariarte after nailing his first Philippine Golf Tour Asia victory with a dominant campaign in the ICTSI Manila Southwoods Championship.

Cambodia hopes to learn from PH’s SEAG hosting F

By Peter Atencio

OR many countries, the Philippines will serve as a role model on how it prepared and hosted the many events of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

One of those nations is Cambodia, which will follow the footsteps of the Philippines when it hosts the 32nd SEA Games in 2023.

Nhan Sokvisal, who is Cambodia’s NOC Director for International Relations, said this after visiting the Philippines during the second chefs de missions meeting last week.

“We are hosting four years from now.

And the Philippine SEA Games will be a good experience. We hope to learn from this,” said Sokvisal.

Sokvisal, along with other heads of delegations from 11-member countries, visited the various venues of the Games last Friday.

The delegation heads got to see the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, where the opening ceremonies will be

held.

They were also at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac to see the venues for athletics and swimming, together with the athletes’ village.

Organizers expect the number of participants to dwindle to around 9,000 once the entries by name of each delegation is processed.

So far, the provinces of Laguna and Cavite have been added to the list of places where event of the Games will be held.

Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee executive director Tom Carrasco said this will solve the shortage in venues they are now experiencing.

So far, the Centro Mall in Los Banos, Laguna will host floor ball and indoor hockey, while women’s football will now be in Binan.

They have found a venue for net ball in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, while underwater hockey will be held at the Vermosa Sports Complex in Imus, Cavite.

There are now 44 venues which will hold events when the Games are held from November 30 to December 10.

There is a need for venues since the Philippines will be holding 56 events.

Nhan Sokvisal

RENALDO Balkman celebrated his birthday in a very special way Sunday as he helped power Mighty Sports-Go For Gold Philippines to a 94-59 drubbing of Japan and into its third straight win in the Jones Cup at the Changhua County Gym in Changhua, Taiwan.

Balkman, who turned 35, had another solid output of 27 points and 12 rebounds for the country’s representative to the annual tournament.

Mighty Sports-Go For Gold is looking to win its second title in four years.

“It’s a good birthday show for Renaldo and he inspired the rest to step up,” said head coach Charles Tiu. “We did not start well but we managed to straighten up things in the second half.”

For the first time in three games, Mighty Sports, also backed by HealthCube, trailed early, 12-5, but when Belkman and Eugene Phelps started to make their shots inside, they began to pull away and settle for a 38-26 halftime lead.

A slam by Balkman and a threepoint shot by Roosevelt Adams to open the third quarter quickly changed the complexion of the game as Mighty padded its lead to 23 points.

Mighty Sports highlighted its onslaught by burying four triples, including two from crafty Fil-Am guard Jason Brickman who finished with eight points.

Fil-Am Mikey Williams enhanced his resume by contributing 17 points, while Phelps had 19 in another show of force. He and Brickman are knocking at the PBA door.

Mighty Sports battles winless University of British Columbia-Canada today before taking on the dangerous Korea side on Tuesday.

The Japanese fell to 2-1.

The Scores: MIGHTY SPORTS 94 — Balkman 27, Phelps 19, Williams 17, Brickman 8, Moore 8, Adams 6, Black 4, Graham 3, Ndiaye 2, Gray 0, Banal 0, Wongchuking 0.

JAPAN 59 — Ogawa 10, Koh 10, Hashimoto 8, Ando Sh. 8, Schafer 8, Hoshino 6, Ando Se. 4, Toews 1, Hiraiwa 0, Nakamura 0, Harimoto 0.

Quarters: 22-17; 38-26; 69-36; 9459.

Del Rosario, Superal target Pradera tiara

Pau del Rosario and Princess Superal brace for a three-day duel of power at Pradera

PAULINE del Rosario can’t wait to get going coming off a two-month long training in the US while Princess Superal takes a break from the Japan LPGA Step Up Tour to headline the stellar cast in the ICTSI Pradera Ladies Classic unfolding Wednesday (July 17) at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club in Lubao, Pampanga.

Being part of the LPGA of Taiwan, the $80,000 event, one of the premier legs of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, features not only the leading Taiwanese players but also those from the other regions, including from Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

That makes the 54-hole championship put up by ICTSI an event to watch for its strong cast with Del Rosario and Superal and the rest of the compact local cast bracing for a duel of power, iron play and putting at the sprawling 27-hole golf complex inside the vast 700-hectare Pradera Verde in Barangay Prado Siongco.

“My chances could be good if I could stick to what my coach and I have been working on the past two months,” said Del Rosario, who hooked up with coach Patrick Leahy, whose used to handle golf greats Nancy Lopez and Tom Kite, in preparation for her LPGA Tour Qualifying School bid later this year.

Del Rosario ran away with a 14-stroke romp over Daniella Uy at Royal Northwoods last April but fell short of her back-to-back LPGT bid at Midlands, losing in a playoff to a resurgent Chihiro Ikeda last May. But the former LPGT Order of Merit winner, who

racked up four victories in her rookie campaign in 2017 to emerge on top of the money list, is eager to flaunt her form again together with Superal, who tied for 12th in the Route Inn Cup in Nagano Prefecture last month, her best effort thus far in her early stint in JLPGA Step Up Tour that also had her placing 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th in other events.

Thai ace Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, who beat compatriot Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro by two to reign here last year, is also back in the hunt for a repeat along with regular LPGT leg winners Onkanok Soisuwan and Supakchaya Pattanaranakrueang along with Alisara Wedchakama, Chatprapa Siriprakob and Tiranan Yoopan.

Six amateurs are also vying in the event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments. Inc. and backed by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire Golf and Sports and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc., all eyeing to sneak into the title picture, including Nicole Abelar, Sam Bruce, Tomi Arejola, Diana Araneta, Sam Martirez and Chanelle Avaricio.

Other pros in the fold are Alex Etter, Gretchen Villacencio, Marvi Monsalve, Pamela Mariano, Thais Chakansim Khamborn, Chitawadee Duangchan, Chommapat Pongthanarak, Chonnikam Chaiyasith, Chouvarest Chourkittisopon and Cristawan Rungruang, Koreans Dayun Kang Yeseul Lee and former leg winner Ye Nah Hwang, Dea Mahendra of Indonesia and Brunei’s Valerie Tan.

Ramirez: We need to agree on SEA Games’ criteria FINALIZATION of criteria and team selection process take front and center stage when Philippine Sports Commission Chairman and 2019 Southeast Asian Games Chef de Mission William Ramirez presides over the 2nd Team Philippines Assessment Meeting on July 17 at the PICC. Presidents and Secretaries General of SEAG-bound national sports associations are expected to attend the said meeting together with Philippine Olympic Committee officials.

“We need to come together as a group to agree on the criteria. The PSC recognizes its strengths and

in this case our strength lies in the knowledge of our partners on their specific sports,” explained the twotime SEAG CDM. The meeting will be held amid the ongoing POC leadership struggle to ensure that team Philippines is on course despite the squabbles.

“We are looking into using the latest SEAG, Asian Games and World-level performances of our athletes as benchmarks for selection. Basically the same criteria used by CDM teams in past multi-sports events we participate in but crafted to serve our purpose for the SEAG siyempre,” Ramirez said.

The CDM, since his appointment late May this year, has been steadily working, at first with his four Commissioners assisting him and now with a complete line-up of Deputy CDMs composed of his 1st Assistant Stephen Fernandez of Taekwondo, Ada Milby of Rugby and his PSC Commissioners Celia Kiram, Arnold Agustin, Charles Maxey and Mon Fernandez.

“We are keeping our focus on the athletes. Madali madala sa mga issues but as our President instructed, we need to shield the athletes from all these confusion, so that is the direction we are taking” the sports chief concluded.

Ramirez

Sports

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

A8

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

Blackwater turns back Alaska, 112 to 104

By Peter Atencio

Romania’s Simona Halep poses with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy after beating US player Serena Williams during their women’s singles final in the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London. AFP

National road cycling tilt breaches 100-rider mark REGISTRATION for the PhilCycling 2019 National Road Championships set July 23 for the Road Races and July 24 for the Time Trial events in Tagaytay City breached the 100-rider mark in the Men Elite and Under-23 and Men Junior categories.

A total of 119 riders registered for the Men Elite and Under-23 Road Race (Massed Start) of the championships presented by Standard Insurance and Tagaytay City and supported by One LGC (Air21, Ube Media Inc. and IWMI), Go For Gold, MVP Sports Foundation, Bike-X Singapore and 7-Eleven Cliqq Air21 by Roadbike Philippines.

In the Men Junior (17-18 years old) Road Race, 101 riders registered hoping to follow the tracks of their idols— including former Tour champions Mark John Lexer Galedo, El Joshua Carino, Ronald Oranza and Jan Paul Morales—all national riders who are staking their slots on the team to the 30th Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting in December.

“The figures [registration] is proof that cycling is very much alive in the Philippines, thanks to our sport’s stakeholders,” PhilCycling President and Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said.

The Men Elite and Under-23 Individual Time Trial (ITT) lured 68 riders, all of whom are also competing in the Road Race, and the Men Junior attracted 43 aspirants in the race that is calendared in the International Cycling Union or UCI. The Women Elite Road Race drew 12 riders and all 12 are also vying in the ITT of the championships where 12 teams have registered for the Men Elite Team Time Trial.

The Men Elite and Under-23 ITT will cover 18 kms and the Road Race 132.08 kms, the Women Elite and Men Junior ITT will be 12 kms and the Road Race will be 91.35 kms, while the Men Elite TTT will be 40 kms.

The championships main hub will be at the Praying Hands (Tagaytay City International Convention Center) on Aguinaldo Highway. The Road Races and time trial events will pass through Batangas’s First District—Agoncillo, Balayan, Calaca, Laurel, Lemery, Lian, Nasugbu, Talisay and Tuy.

Wimby champ Halep proves nice girls do win

L

ONDON—Simona Halep handed Serena Williams her most lopsided Grand Slam final loss to clinch the Wimbledon title on Saturday and there will be few more popular champions.

Humble and grounded, Halep had already showed incredible resolve to win the 2018 Roland Garros title having lost all three of her previous Slam finals.

She further endeared herself by announcing before that Paris final that she “would be okay” if she lost again, as “noone would have died.”

Halep, 27, is only the second Romanian woman to win a major after Virginia Ruzici claimed the 1978 French Open.

Ruzici is now her manager.

Before her 2018 Roland Garros breakthrough, Halep had suffered three agonising defeats when one set from glory at the majors.

She lost the 2014 Roland Garros final to Maria Sharapova and the 2017 championship match in Paris after leading Jelena Ostapenko by a set and 3-0.

Her third came earlier in 2018 against another perennial underachiever on the biggest stage, Caroline Wozniacki, in a

marathon match in sweltering conditions at Melbourne Park.

Halep became world number one in August 2017 and her 2018 French Open win over Sloane Stephens made her the first player to win her first Grand Slam title while holding the top ranking.

A huge star in her home country—Halep has appeared on the front cover of Romania’s ‘Elle’ magazine and opened a restaurant called ‘SH’ in her hometown of Constanta, which lies on the Black Sea. “The fact that I am able to win maybe will give an inspiration also to Romanians, the kids, that it’s possible, even if you come from a little country, it’s possible if you work and if you believe.”

One of the main reasons why Halep had to wait so long to lift a major title was her relative lack of power when compared to the game’s other big stars.

But she has found compensation. “I’m

fast, though, no?”

Halep, who Sports Illustrated once described as an ‘anti-diva,’ now has $33 million banked from her career.

But she has not been seduced by the glitter of the sports world.

On Saturday, she made a point of thanking her mother for inspiration while light-heartedly winning the hearts of the All England Club.

“My mom said when I was 10 that if I want to do something in tennis I have to play in the final at Wimbledon,” she told Centre Court.

“I had lots of nerves, my stomach wasn’t very well.

She added: “I said at the start of the tournament that one of my motivations was to win and become a lifetime member of the club!”

Her folksy charm has also seduced hardened reporters.

She only follows two people on Twitter— one is former coach Darren Cahill and the other, bizarrely, is three-time world snooker champion Mark Selby.

“I have no idea how you play snooker. But I appreciate him,” said Halep.

Turn to A7

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMP.

Aidric Chan holds his trophy after scoring a come-from-behind victory in the premier boys’ 15-18 division in the Junior World Championships in San Diego, California last Friday. The incoming Univ. of Arizona student, one of the products of the Manila Southwoods golf program, will also spearhead the country’s campaign in the SEA Games on Nov. 30-Dec. 10 along with Carl Corpus and Sean Ramos at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.

THE Blackwater Elite turned to their outside shots to turn back the Alaska Aces, 112-104, Sunday night in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Bobby Ray Parks finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds for the Elite as they picked up their seventh win in 11 games.

The Elite ended their elimination-round campaign by taking the no. 3 seeding in the quarterfinals.

This allowed Blackwater to join early co-qualifiers TNT, NorthPort, Barangay Ginebra, Rain or Shine and Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok.

The Elite’s record is the highest that the team has reached in its franchise history.

With the game close, triples from Shej Roj Sunang and Rabeh Al-Hussaini in the last 1:22 allowed the Elite to move away, 109-104.

Alaska, currently at eighth spot with its 6-5 slate, drew 24 points and 16 rebounds from Diamon Simpson.

This put Alaska into a tie with Phoenix Pulse with their 4-7 record.

The Aces, with Chris Banchero making 18 points, are now waiting for the results of the final day of the eliminations.

The last days will determine who their opponent will be in the playoffs for the remaining quarterfinals seats.

The scores: Blackwater 112 - Parks 25, Sumang 18, Maliksi 15, Blair 14, Belo 13, Al-Hussaini 12, Digregorio 6, Desiderio 4, Cortez 3, Sena 2, Alolino 0.

Alaska 104 - Simpson 24, Banchero 18, Thoss 15, Manuel 15, Teng 11, Enciso 9, Casio 6, Racal 4, Pascual 2, Exciminiano 0, Cruz 0.

Quarterscores: 27-32, 56-55, 80-78, 112-104.

San Beda basketball camp slated REGISTRATION is now open for the “Saturdays-only” classes of the San Beda University Basketball Camp, now on its 14th season.

Classes in both the Mendiola and Taytay campuses will commence on July 20.

This is open to boys and girls aged 5 years and above. Sessions are scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Interested parties, may contact Oliver Quiambao at 735-6011, local 2104, or at 0929-1971071, and through camp organizer Edmundo Badolato, at 0908-8624543.

The camp will run for eight Saturdays from July 20 to Sept. 7 in Taytay, and from July 27 to Sept. 14 in Mendiola.

Lessons for first timers and advanced students will be handled by coaches from San Beda.

Fee for the sessions of the camp is set at P4,000, while a package deal of P7,000 is offered for those who will enroll in both the April and May sessions.

Enrollees will get a San Beda jersey at the start of the camp and a Molten at the end of the sessions.

Age does not matter to Masters winner Nepomuceno

SPARRING. Senator Manny Pacquiao continues his sparring at the Wild Card Gym

in Los Angeles. Pacquiao is preparing for his fight against American WBA welterweight super champion Keith Thurman at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 20.

Wendell Alinea/MP Promotions

AT the age of 62, bowling legend Paeng Nepomuceno hasn’t stopped winning.

His latest Masters triumph – the 132nd of his distinguished career – came Saturday when he ruled the 17th PTBA (Playdium Tenpin Bowling Association) mixed open finals by scoring a 12-game series of 2677 pinfalls at the Playdium Center in Quezon City.

“It’s so special because I established a new record of being the oldest Masters champion,” said Nepomuceno, so far the only four-time Bowling World Cup men’s titlist who carried the colors of PRIMA and Philippine Bowling Federation in the starstudded event.

Nepomuceno beat veteran RJ Bautista, Enzo Hernandez and Patrick Nuqui who tallied 2618, 2615 and 2561, respectively.

Krizziah Tabora, also a BWC interna-

tional titlist like Nepomuceno, finished seventh overall but No. 1 among the lady finalists with 2478 pinfalls to emerge women’s champion.

Alexis Sy came in second to Tabora with 2476.

Nepomuceno opened his bid with a 236 game and then chalked up 203, 198, 249, 226, 209, 234, 227, 223, 280, 190 and 202 in the next 11 games.

Bautista rolled big games of 261, 257, 246, 235 and 230.

Here’s how some of the other bowlers finished: Kenneth Chua, 2551; Praise Gahol, 2518; Paolo Darroca, 2471; Frederick Ong, 2469; Kevin Cu, 2463; Benshir Layoso, 2461; Jonas Baltasar, 2451; Alyssa Ty, 2415; Lara Posadas-Wong, 2393; Nicco Olaivar, 2387; Raoul Miranda, 2387; and Paulo Valdez, 2353.

Nepomuceno

IN BRIEF Pagcor remits record P16.17b in dividends STATE-RUN Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. once again made history when it remitted the highest cash dividends to the government during the 2019 Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations Day on July 11, 2019.

Pagcor turned over P16.17 billion in cash dividends, making it a consistent top dividend contributor to government coffers.

The amount, Pagcor’s highest onetime cash dividends remittance, almost matched the state-run gaming agency’s P17.16 billion in cumulative cash dividends from 2011 to 2017.

Pagcor chairman and chief executive Andrea Domingo said the agency every year remits cash dividends to national coffers as required by the law, which requires government-owned and controlled corporations to remit at least 50 percent of their annual net earnings as cash, stock or property dividends to the government.

“Since 2011, Pagcor has been remitting cash dividends to the government. But it was in 2018 when we posted the highest amount,” Domingo said. Julito G. Rada

South Korea vows to hike trade with Asean SEOUL, South Korea—South Korea will increase its trade volume with the Association of Southeast Nations in the years ahead, according to Lee Hyuk, secretary general of the Asean Korea Centre.

Lee in an interview with the Philippine News Agency in his office here cited the good relations between Asean and Korea during the past 30 years.

Lee was formerly the ambassador of South Korea to the Philippines. Ambassador Han Dong-Man is currently the envoy of South Korea to the Philippines.

Lee said the Asean was the second largest trading partner, with volume reaching $160 billion in 2018 and the third largest investment partner with $6.1 billion during the same period.

“Asean and Korea have become key partners of economic cooperation,” Lee said, adding “Asean is the most popular destinations for Koreans with 8.9 million visitors in 2018.”

The AKC will strive to continue playing a pivotal role in building a lasting and genuine partnership between the two sides,” Lee said. Ben Cal, PNA

Hyundai’s PH sales up 9.1% in first half HYUNDAI Asia Resources Inc. sustained a strong recovery in the first half of the year as sales increased 9.1 percent to 17,654 units from 16,181 units year-onyear.

Hyundai sales in June, however, were flat at 2,868 units, reflecting the volatility in the automotive industry.

It attributed the brand’s resilient performance for the year to the strong sales in major segments, namely light commercial vehicles and commercial vehicles.

“We are invigorated to note that our sales performance is still better than industry, which is showing a minor increase, after recovering from a tepid 2018. Despite this flat growth in June, we believe that auto sales will continue to get better in the coming months buoyed by higher infrastructure spending, lower inflation, and increased consumer confidence,” said Hyundai president and chief executive officer Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo. Othel V. Campos

Business Peza wants eight MM cities excluded from ecozone ban

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority asked the Office of the President to exempt eight cities in Metro Manila from the moratorium on economic zone proclamation.

Peza director-general Charito Plaza, in a letter submitted to Malacañang on July 1, spoke of the agency’s growing agitation over investors’ worries on finding appropriate hosts for their investments in the country.

“To give other LGUs in Metro Manila the opportunity to host IT companies that will generate employment and improve their fiscal position, we request for the exclusion of the following cities in the coverage of AO 18 moratorium: Manila, San Juan, Marikina, Las Piñas, Malabon, Caloocan, Pateros and Valenzuela,” Plaza said in the letter.

She also asked Malacañang if Peza would be the lead implementor of the AO given its mandate to strengthen economic zones in the countryside. This portion of the AO was unclear as it cited several agencies, including Peza as lead bodies that should

SM GETS 4 GOLDEN ARROWS.

SM Prime Holdings Inc., one of the largest integrated property developers in Southeast Asia, is awarded with Four Golden Arrows by the Institute of Corporate Directors’ during the ACGS Golden Arrow Recognition Ceremony on June 11 at the Conrad Manila in Pasay City. SM Prime received the recognition for scoring 110 to119 points in its ACGS Scorecard. Receiving the awards is SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim, (center) from ICD chief executive Dr. Alfredo Pascual (left) and Securities and Exchange Commission commissioner Emilio Aquino.

Diokno says BSP monetary action to become independent of US Fed

By Julito G. Rada BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said local monetary authorities do not need to move in line with the US Federal Reserve’s action in the months ahead.

“We decide independent of the decision of the US Fed,” Diokno told reporters in an interview.

“As it is, there are two options on the part of the Fed—a 25-bps cut or a 50-bps cut... But definitely, it will cut,” Diokno said.

He said while the BSP action would be independent of the Fed decision, the latter’s move would be an additional input to the Monetary Board’s decision in its next meeting.

“Even before the decision of the Fed, we are already committed to cutting,” he said. He said the Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the BSP, might cut

RCBC BACKS DISKARTECH. Yuchengco

Group of Companies chairperson Helen Yuchengco Dee (first row, fifth from left) and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief innovation and inclusion officer Lito Villanueva (second row, fourth from left) lead the signing of a memorandum of understanding to launch DiskarTech, the country’s first-ever financial inclusion accelerator program to harness the Filipinos’ entrepreneurial spirit. With them are officials from program partners PLDT Enterprise, Smart WiFi, Malayan Insurance, Liga ng Mga Barangay, League of Municipalities, Local Climate Change Adaptation Development, Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners and Ka-Entrep Micro and Small Entrepreneurs Organization of the Philippines.

promulgate the AO. Other agencies tasked to provide development and support for ecozones in the countryside are Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

The National Capital Region hosted the highest number of operating IT parks and centers as of June 2019. Of the total 278 operating parks and centers nationwide, 167 are located within the central business districts of Metro Manila with approved investments of P286.35 trillion.

Makati hosts the biggest number of economic zones with IT 45 parks and centers, followed by Quezon City with 35; Pasig,

24; Taguig, 19; Mandaluyong, 18; Muntinlupa, 13; Parañaque, 5; Pasay, 4; and Manila, San Juan, Marikina and Las Piñas with 1 each.

Caloocan, Malabon, Pateros and Valenzuela have yet to host these types of investments. Peza said it wanted the last eight cities with one or zero ecozone to be exempted from the moratorium.

Peza said there were 131 pending applications needing presidential endorsement before they could operate as Peza-registered IT facilities.

AO 18 reduced the processing period of pending applications to three months that negatively impacted on pending applications. With the reduced time needed to comply with documentary requirements, only half of the applications might get the green light, according to Peza deputy director Theo Panga.

The agency reiterated its request to extend the processing period for applications pending at the OP from three months to six months.

Malacañang gave affected IT parks and centers three months to look for alternative sites outside Metro Manila.

the interest rate first before the adjustment in the reserve requirement ratio.

The BSP will hold its next policy meeting in August. Diokno said that by that time, there would be additional information on the inflation rate and the secondquarter gross domestic product growth.

First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, said it was expecting the BSP to further cut the reserve requirement ratios of banks by 2 percentage points and reduce policy rates by 50 basis points before the end of the year.

First Metro president Rabboni Francis Arjonillo said in a news briefing that the market would remain conducive for bond investments in the second half “as we anticipate the BSP to further cut the reserve requirement by another 2 percent and potentially reduce policy rates by 50 basis points from its current levels as inflation continues to drop.”

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

B1

MPTC to start construction of NLEx-SLEx link in third quarter

By Darwin G. Amojelar METRO Pacific Tollways Corp. said it expects to start by the third quarter the construction of an expressway that will link North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway.

“We are hoping by third quarter we will start construction,” MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

The P23.3-billion NLEx-SLEx Connector Road is an eight-kilometer elevated four-lane expressway extending NLEx southward from the end of Segment 10 on C3 Road Caloocan City to PUP Sta. Mesa, Manila and connecting to Skyway Stage 3 by mostly traversing the PNR rail track.

The project includes two interchanges at C3 Road/5th Avenue in Caloocan and España in Manila.

Once completed by 2021, the project will reduce travel time from SLEx to NLEx from two hours to just 20 minutes. Some 35,000 motorists are expected to use the project.

It will also reduce the travel time from Clark in Pampaga to Calamba, Laguna from about three hours to one hour and 40 minutes.

NLEx Corp., a unit of MPTC, opened the NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 in February this year, improving the accessibility and connectivity between the key areas of Metro Manila and the northern provinces of Luzon via NLEx. Traversing the cities of Valenzuela, Malabon and Caloocan, the 5.65-km, six-lane NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 is seen to divert 30,000 vehicles daily away from the busy streets of Metro Manila. With the new road, travel time between C3 and NLEx will only take 5 minutes.

It will also facilitate the efficient delivery of goods as cargo trucks will have alternative access from Port Area in Manila to the provinces in Central and Northern Luzon.

The elevated expressway will enable travelers from Manila to Central and North Luzon to head straight to NLEx, bypassing Edsa and the Balintawak Toll Plaza.

The next phase of the project is the 2.6-km section from C3 Road to R10 in Navotas City.

Meralco issues bidding notice for 1,200-MW supply

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. issued a bidding notice for the 10-year supply of 1,200 megawatts starting Dec. 26 this year in compliance with the government’s competitive selection process.

The published invitation to bid is one of the three Meralco scheduled pursuant to the Energy Department’s Circular No. DC 2018-02-0003, which requires distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to conduct public bidding in the procurement of their supply.

“Two more are scheduled to be initiated next week,” Meralco head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said.

Meralco’s third-party bids and awards committee invited all interested and qualified parties to participate in the competitive bidding for the supply of 1,200 MW of electricity.

Meralco is seeking bids for 1,200 MW with supply starting Dec. 26, 2019 up to Dec. 25, 2029. Supply should come from

a baseload (firm and dispatchable) power plant or single or portfolio of plants.

Meralco, however, has the sole discretion and option to annually reduce contract capacity by up to 600 MW from Dec. 26, 2023 to Dece. 25, 2025 “The contracted capacity and associated energy may be reduced equivalent to the reduction in the demand of captive customers of Meralco by reason of the implementation of retail competition and open access, the Renewable Energy Law or other laws and legal requirements,” the company said in its published invitation to bid.

The power retailer said the minimum capacity offer per bidder should be 200 MW. “To constitute a valid bidding process, the total minimum offered capacity received from interested bidders should be at least 1,000 MW. If the bidders’ total offered capacity fail to meet the pay-as-bid minimum as at the expression of interest deadline or the opening of the technical

proposals, it shall result in a failed bidding,” it said.

Meralco said the bidders should guarantee the 100-percent availability (no outage allowance) of supply during the period.

“In case power supplier fails to provide the supply of power from its nominated power plant or portfolio of plants, WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] or any other source, power supplier shall pay a fine equivalent to P908 multiplied by each MWh during a day, which shall be used to reduce the generation charge to the consumers,” it said.

Interested bids can submit expressions of interest until 4 p.m. on July 26 while a pre-bid conference would be held at 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Aug. 8.

Meralco set the bid submission deadline on or before 9 a.m. of Sept. 9.

The company earlier committed to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi that it would comply with the CSP for up to 2,000 MW of their capacity following the decision of the Supreme Court.

POGO operators plan to hire more Filipinos PHILIPPINE offshore gaming operators plan to form an organization to teach Filipinos how to speak Chinese Mandarin so they can be employed in the online gaming industry, a Chinese executive said over the weekend.

Kevin Wong, general manager of Oriental Group, the holding firm that owns Oriental Game Ltd., said during an interview at the sidelines of the three-day Philippine-Asian Gaming Expo at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City that there was a plan to form an association. He did not provide a timeframe.

Observers earlier expressed apprehension over the influx of Chinese nationals working in the so-called POGOs, saying they were getting the jobs that should be made available to Filipinos.

Operators said the language barrier was a big issue in this business.

Initial estimates showed that on the average, Filipinos accounted for just 20 percent of workers in a POGO company.

“For us, we want to police our own... We try to increase the number of Pinoys. Typically, it should be 6040, or 60 percent foreign, 40 percent local,” Wong said in an interview.

“We are trying to find ways on how to increase the number of Pinoys in POGO operations,” he said, adding that Filipino programmers are at par with global standards.

Wong served as the chairman of the gaming exposition that concluded on Sunday. The expo brought to Manila around 30,000 gaming entrepreneurs and 200 exhibitors from 15 countries.

Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market likely to advance S

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HARE prices are expected move sideways this week with an upward bias on the positive outlook on interest rates.

BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the dovish commentary from the US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell gave the local central bank more flexibility in lowering domestic rates.

Ravelas said investors were also positioning ahead of the second-quarter corporate earnings that could push the market upward.

First Metro Investments Corp., meanwhile, expects the Philippine Stock Exchange Index to hit 8,400 points to 8,600 points at the end of 2019 on the back of a 10-percent to 12-percent growth in corporate earnings amid the low inflation and interest rate environments.

FMIC’s stock picks for the period in-

clude BDO Unibank Inc. and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. for banks and Universal Robina Corp., San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc., and Wilcon Depot Inc. for the consumer sector.

It picked Ayala Land Inc., Megaworld Corp. and Robinsons Land Corp. in the property sector and favored Megawide Construction Corp. and Eagle Cement Corp. in infrastructure field.

On conglomerates, it favors Ayala Corp., JG Summit Holdings, Inc., Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and GT Capital Holdings Inc., and chose Aboitiz Power Corp. and Manila Electric Co. as the stock picks in the power sector.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week gained 0.3 percent to 8,141.82,

while the broader All Shares Index was flat at 4,944.70.

Four of the six major indices declined week-on-week, led by industrial (-1.6 percent), holding firms (-0.50 percent), services (-0.3 percent) and mining and oil (-0.03 percent). The financials rose 2.7percent week on week, while property added 1 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers for the week by P601.2 million, while average daily value traded stood at P5.9 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were Puregold Price Club Inc., which rose 4.8 percent to P45.90; Security Bank, which climbed 4.1 percent to P179; and Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., which gained 4 percent to P80.

Weekly top price losers were ISM Communications Corp., which slumped 14.6 percent to P5.80; Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., which dropped 8.4 percent to P7.87; and Petron Corp., which fell 4.4 percent to P5.61.

Meanwhile, all three of Wall Street’s main indices popped to fresh records on

Friday, ending the week on an emphatic note as investors grew increasingly confident the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at the end of the month.

In congressional testimony this week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told lawmakers “crosscurrents” increased risks to the US economic outlook— strongly suggesting a rate cut was in the cards at the Fed’s next policy meeting in less than three weeks.

The broad-based S&P 500 closed above the 3,000-mark for the first time ever.

Jack Ablin of Cresset Wealth Advisors said investors also were encouraged by the outlook for what could be a betterthan-expected corporate revenues.

However, with corporate earnings season set to begin in earnest, S&P 500 companies are forecast to see weaker profit growth compared to last year, according to FactSet. It would be the second consecutive quarter of slowing profit, something that has not happened in three years. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS WEEKLY STOCKS REVIEW STOCKS

JULY 8-12, 2019 Close Volume

Value

Asia United Bank Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Bank of PI BDO Leasing & Fin. INc. Bright Kindle Resources China Bank Citystate Savings COL Financial Eastwest Bank Ferronoux Holding Filipino Fund Inc. First Abacus I-Remit Inc. Manulife Fin. Corp.

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

PB Bank Phil Bank of Comm Phil. National Bank Phil. Savings Bank Philippine trust Co. Prudential Bank PSE Inc. RCBC `A’ Security Bank Sun Life Financial Union Bank Vantage Equities

58.9 148.20 81.05 2.35 1.24 27.45 7.98 18.7 12.16 4.8 7.71 0.53 1.35 750.00 0.475 72.9 0.99 13.2 20.50 53.85 58 115 115 190 27 179 1752.00 61.00 1.12

46,550 7,770,580 16,822,770 860,000 1,347,000 356,800 700 31,900 2,913,100 444,000 5,500 20,000 63,000 790 1,878,000 15,488,030 436,000 514,400 17,900 912,990 7,960 960 430 2,500 200,900 3,317,460 765 34,210 61,000

FINANCIAL 2,726,112.00 1,119,132,026.00 1,340,053,153.00 2,065,780.00 1,594,860.00 9,672,710.00 5,217.00 596,554.00 35,391,396.00 2,151,500.00 42,405.00 10,600.00 83,350.00 595,675.00 899,175.00 1,112,380,192.50 425,180.00 6,790,120.00 367,005.00 49,570,639.50 462,214.00 110,400.00 47,820.00 474,503.00 5,354,195.00 586,379,509.00 1,367,245.00 2,091,924.50 68,320.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Basic Energy Corp.

Bogo Medelin C. Azuc De Tarlac Cemex Holdings Century Food Cirtek Holdings (Chips) Conc. Aggr. ‘A’ Conc. Aggr. ‘B’ Concepcion Crown Asia Da Vinci Capital Del Monte DNL Industries Inc. Eagle Cement EEI Emperador Euro-Med Lab First Gen Corp.

First Holdings ‘A’ Ginebra San Miguel Inc. Greenergy Holcim Philippines Inc. Integ. Micro-Electronics Ionics Inc Jollibee Foods Corp.

LMG Chemicals Mabuhay Vinyl Macay Holdings Manila Water Co. Inc. Maxs Group Megawide MG Holdings Mla. Elect. Co `A’ Panasonic Mfg Phil. Corp.

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

Pilipinas Shell Pryce Corp. `A’ RFM Corporation Roxas and Co. Roxas Holdings SFA Semicon Shakeys Pizza SMC Food and Beverage SPC Power Corp.

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

36.5 14.48 0.82 1.35 0.265 99.9 17.00 2.8 14.62 17.42 93.4 108.9 40.3 1.98 5.01 6.1 10.100 15.3 11.18 7.55 1.64 26.8 89.95 57.70 2.5800 14.48 10 1.690 280.40 4.23 3.42 9.39 25 13.86 18.9 0.182 381.40 5.87 1.77 4.77 5.61 9.25 2.44 12.06 39.05 4.84 5.00 1.35 2 1.1 14.36 102.3 6.49 0.127 1.19 171.7 2.58 1.23 16.10 1.36

7,275,100 4,807,000 13,763,000 2,045,000 8,700,000 1,500 76,000 42,859,000 11,362,200 4,280,800 198,300 54,080 5,600 1,122,000 78,800 353,900 8,685,300 3,056,900 1,787,000 2,992,000 83,000 21,233,000 2,172,430 1,386,610 31,422,000 5,467,200 1,022,400 3,534,000 3,236,040 10,000 29,000 71,900 7,363,900 7,472,900 10,453,900 5,000,000 500,530 166,100 56,686,000 145,000 15,463,600 81,100 68,912,000 409,700 4,253,100 358,000 4,505,000 1,313,000 237,000 3,659,000 2,708,900 3,825,780 716,200 20,000 2,279,000 4,896,250 29,000 15,796,000 3,400 37,884,000

INDUSTRIAL 267,044,095.00 69,208,476.00 10,996,330.00 2,772,340.00 2,279,000.00 136,851.00 654,490.00 124,016,230.00 167,081,784.00 74,750,146.00 19,020,332.50 5,980,426.00 226,040.00 2,257,790.00 394,788.00 2,226,150.00 88,687,052.00 47,197,368.00 19,617,382.00 22,523,377.00 135,450.00 571,579,910.00 197,441,339.50 77,784,873.00 80,552,540.00 77,479,556.00 10,290,744.00 5,988,280.00 910,987,562.00 42,300.00 96,160.00 653,942.00 185,933,605.00 103,262,406.00 193,427,998.00 904,140.00 192,033,258.00 973,779.00 101,746,490.00 684,460.00 88,956,628.00 730,328.00 125,359,820.00 4,925,836.00 165,640,720.00 1,745,310.00 22,097,230.00 1,768,260.00 485,720.00 4,015,960.00 38,248,352.00 1,093,671,562.00 4,658,319.00 2,540.00 2,707,280.00 860,552,282.00 73,380.00 19,176,090.00 54,530.00 51,668,070.00

Abacus Cons. `A’ Aboitiz Equity Alliance Global Inc. Anglo Holdings A Anscor `A’ Asiabest Group ATN Holdings A ATN Holdings B Ayala Corp `A’ Ayala Land Log BHI Holdings Inc. Cosco Capital DMCI Holdings Filinvest Dev. Corp.

Forum Pacific GT Capital House of Inv. JG Summit Holdings Jolliville Holdings Lodestar Invt. Holdg.Corp.

Lopez Holdings Corp.

LT Group Mabuhay Holdings `A’ Metro Pacific Inv. Corp.

MJCI Investments Inc. Pacifica `A’ Prime Media Hldg Republic Glass ‘A’ San Miguel Corp `A’ Seafront `A’ SM Investments Inc. Solid Group Inc. South China Res. Inc. Top Frontier Transgrid Wellex Industries Zeus Holdings

0.990 56.00 15.50 0.74 7.00 13.24 1.310 1.310 917 3.890 1251.00 7.08 10.10 13.98 0.240 900 6.41 67.85 6.36 0.485 4.4 15.76 0.640 4.78 2.61 0.0400 1.760 2.81 176.00 2.48 960.00 1.37 0.84 262.000 460.00 0.2440 0.300

211,324,000 3,718,430 22,360,100 2,821,000 879,300 262,400 10,168,000 1,657,000 1,106,390 24,408,000 5 20,774,500 13,675,200 477,200 600,000 723,390 740,400 4,169,620 1,300 340,000 9,885,000 9,924,200 12,366,000 125,747,000 1,000 117,800,000 36,740,000 5,000 1,103,590 12,000 1,439,310 1,508,000 1,528,000 6,730 70 25,100,000 50,030,000

8990 HLDG A. Brown Co., Inc. Anchor Land Holdings Inc. Araneta Prop `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Ayala Land `B’ Belle Corp. `A’ CEB Landmasters Cebu Holdings Century Property City & Land Dev. Cityland Dev. `A’ Crown Equities Inc. Cyber Bay Corp.

DM Wenceslao Double Dragon Empire East Land Ever Gotesco Filinvest Land,Inc. Global-Estate Megaworld MRC Allied Ind. Phil Infradev Phil. Estates Corp.

Phil. Realty `A’ Phil. Tob. Flue Cur & Redry Primex Corp.

15.500 0.87 11.00 2.030 1.070 53.000 2.31 5.18 6.35 0.620 0.81 0.940 0.246 0.445 9.760 24.7 0.475 0.122 1.91 1.41 6.3 0.345 1.7200 0.5100 0.405 49.50 2.15

3,315,600 26,245,000 5,400 986,000 188,797,000 55,129,190 1,577,000 5,300,900 267,700 173,468,000 1,866,000 452,000 5,290,000 15,910,000 1,684,900 1,290,800 9,730,000 450,000 280,303,000 7,453,000 100,323,100 64,540,000 25,052,000 23,138,000 3,050,000 3,600 6,971,000

JULY 1-5, 2019 Close Volume

Value

58.9 143.00 78.60 2.30 1.26 27.15

38,260 13,587,570 8,322,700 462,000 2,395,000 358,900

2,236,331.00 1,903,976,212.00 657,433,059.00 1,120,860.00 3,153,130.00 9,812,160.00

18.76 12.12 4.84 7.71 0.53 1.34 765.00 0.500 71.75 0.98 13.24

50,600 6,040,700 691,400 1,800 4,000 39,000 240 5,036,000 10,872,130 1,308,000 203,200

948,588.00 72,604,606.00 3,361,589.00 13,893.00 2,120.00 53,950.00 184,100.00 2,550,390.00 783,657,707.00 1,280,110.00 2,683,474.00

55.80 58.05 115

3,486,050 14,030 210

186,531,539.00 813,889.00 24,150.00

190 27.15 172 1750.00 61.95 1.12

5,910 278,100 3,162,490 585 227,320 137,000

1,128,768.00 7,632,895.00 540,930,597.00 1,032,965.00 14,058,713.00 161,170.00

37 14.58 0.85 1.36 0.260 110 17.46 3.07 14.48 16.5 100.5 110.3 40.6 2.09 5.14 6.4 10.500 15.58 11.00 7.62 1.7 26.95 91.65 57.40 2.5900 13.60 10.24 1.700 285.00 4.25 3.44 9.59 25.45 14.56 18 0.186 386.00 5.87 1.91 4.75 5.87 9.30 2.20 12.08 38.8 4.91 4.90 1.38 1.91 1.14 14 104.1 6.58 0.127 1.23 176 2.48 1.28 16.00 1.43

5,732,700 4,154,000 15,416,000 2,769,000 24,730,000 90 30,200 60,779,000 10,365,500 2,342,200 511,870 165,470 75,300 623,000 15,100 829,700 11,579,800 3,321,500 2,697,800 9,743,300 95,000 20,303,600 3,191,710 1,454,230 30,416,000 2,449,200 1,448,100 6,709,000 1,325,070 16,000 96,000 170,500 3,283,800 2,443,900 11,769,500 4,460,000 536,900 600 68,739,000 432,000 5,538,300 227,300 143,271,000 178,900 1,986,100 101,200 7,441,000 1,502,000 81,000 4,048,000 1,995,200 1,740,580 528,900 3,100,000 4,350,000 3,726,640 278,000 11,537,000 2,400 125,051,000

209,570,305.00 61,899,246.00 13,104,460.00 3,814,460.00 6,498,850.00 9,900.00 508,248.00 186,579,850.00 154,954,878.00 41,200,318.00 64,494,246.00 24,152,627.00 3,056,735.00 1,290,120.00 79,454.00 5,186,988.00 121,625,520.00 51,782,258.00 29,919,852.00 74,602,323.00 165,250.00 547,399,670.00 283,788,050.00 88,002,459.00 78,524,950.00 33,379,728.00 14,839,756.00 11,547,970.00 377,541,214.00 68,300.00 321,920.00 1,616,866.00 82,801,640.00 34,823,138.00 216,265,904.00 832,420.00 206,293,930.00 3,528.00 128,056,360.00 1,988,690.00 32,705,699.00 2,112,227.00 339,877,460.00 2,159,058.00 77,708,725.00 499,800.00 36,460,900.00 2,121,650.00 163,880.00 4,681,490.00 27,600,580.00 184,458,043.00 3,440,966.00 405,750.00 5,346,560.00 636,712,730.00 697,020.00 14,529,230.00 38,170.00 191,349,240.00

HOLDING FIRMS 204,327,620.00 207,315,379.50 344,331,468.00 2,075,750.00 6,144,687.00 3,365,954.00 13,101,490.00 2,147,910.00 1,012,137,695.00 91,702,500.00 6,255.00 145,451,238.00 138,646,960.00 6,604,938.00 140,630.00 630,340,145.00 4,738,950.00 285,602,911.00 7,860.00 164,350.00 43,480,690.00 155,165,266.00 7,863,070.00 602,359,810.00 2,610.00 4,720,000.00 63,332,530.00 14,050.00 193,847,909.00 29,240.00 1,383,091,030.00 2,076,710.00 1,254,510.00 1,761,312.00 31,492.00 6,007,050.00 15,105,200.00

1.020 55.50 15.70 0.77 7.00 12.98 1.290 1.300 910 3.860 1251.00 6.87 10.22 14.00 0.240 855 6.40 68.75 6.35 0.485 4.24 15.88 0.640 4.78 2.89 0.0400 1.510 2.81 174.90 2.48 983.00 1.37 0.82 260.200 465.60 0.2370 0.335

472,732,000 5,351,900 26,669,000 8,326,000 164,000 490,500 18,728,000 5,333,000 1,932,700 28,475,000 10 12,558,800 13,779,700 959,600 4,450,000 316,320 1,126,300 4,518,230 500 1,266,000 17,233,000 14,366,000 13,868,000 84,529,000 14,000 83,000,000 70,075,000 24,000 1,558,520 9,000 1,195,610 1,314,000 1,723,000 7,560 270 7,430,000 33,950,000

487,625,930.00 297,210,326.00 419,593,944.00 6,393,910.00 1,138,540.00 6,401,158.00 24,753,110.00 7,113,270.00 1,743,034,480.00 110,093,930.00 12,510.00 85,799,188.00 142,756,206.00 13,463,534.00 1,032,350.00 280,450,020.00 7,232,139.00 305,133,382.00 3,140.00 613,890.00 69,370,240.00 224,002,940.00 8,827,390.00 408,615,210.00 38,680.00 3,331,300.00 115,668,180.00 68,170.00 273,610,107.00 22,170.00 1,176,138,645.00 1,840,050.00 1,422,490.00 1,987,054.00 117,076.00 1,741,580.00 11,294,400.00

PROPERTY 51,063,294.00 22,727,300.00 59,400.00 1,995,390.00 206,534,790.00 2,877,312,991.00 3,660,180.00 27,379,589.00 1,631,109.00 105,592,690.00 1,489,180.00 416,280.00 1,280,660.00 7,425,250.00 16,736,133.00 31,697,170.00 4,552,350.00 54,910.00 518,912,970.00 10,296,280.00 610,631,585.00 21,958,750.00 43,451,040.00 11,464,635.00 1,221,350.00 178,200.00 15,028,250.00

15.300 0.85 11.34 2.050 0.970 52.200 2.35 5.17 6.1 0.630 0.85 0.930 0.238 0.460 10.580 25.2 0.475 0.121 1.90 1.38 6.1 0.340 1.8000 0.4800 0.405 46.00 2.24

4,893,700 7,176,000 4,900 324,000 126,913,000 42,382,210 3,030,000 14,403,000 187,200 230,521,000 1,669,000 2,620,000 5,610,000 8,570,000 1,587,600 1,821,700 8,450,000 50,000 230,423,000 9,784,000 68,648,000 79,690,000 18,669,000 5,530,000 1,670,000 1,500 5,924,000

75,893,608.00 6,009,450.00 54,400.00 657,750.00 116,583,010.00 2,190,831,486.50 7,014,590.00 73,386,754.00 1,139,745.00 144,656,920.00 1,380,070.00 2,480,360.00 1,339,210.00 3,908,300.00 16,352,756.00 45,410,765.00 4,020,450.00 6,050.00 437,064,500.00 13,621,000.00 423,316,303.00 24,921,150.00 34,401,200.00 2,571,500.00 681,400.00 69,010.00 13,108,280.00

STOCKS

JULY 8-12, 2019 Close Volume

JULY 1-5, 2019 Close Volume

Value

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

27.50 2.3 3.19 38.30 2 6.2 0.830 7.270

11,931,200 3,179,000 2,683,000 26,336,800 3,633,000 555,200 6,689,000 21,204,000

321,823,575.00 7,266,880.00 8,450,850.00 1,015,410,660.00 7,153,160.00 3,433,975.00 5,527,160.00 153,114,911.00

2GO Group’ ABS-CBN Acesite Hotel APC Group, Inc. Apollo Global Asian Terminals Inc. Berjaya Phils. Inc. Bloomberry Boulevard Holdings Cebu Air Inc. (5J) Centro Esc. Univ.

Chelsea DFNN Inc. Discovery World Easy Call “Common” FEUI Globe Telecom GMA Network Inc. Golden Haven Harbor Star I.C.T.S.I. Imperial Res. `A’ IPeople Inc. `A’ IPM Holdings Island Info ISM Communications Jackstones LBC Express Leisure & Resorts Lorenzo Shipping Macroasia Corp.

Manila Broadcasting Manila Bulletin Manila Jockey Metro Retail MetroAlliance A MetroAlliance B NOW Corp.

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. Paxys Inc. PH Resorts Group Phil. Seven Corp.

Philweb.Com Inc. PLDT Common PremiereHorizon Premium Leisure Puregold Robinsons RTL SBS Phil. Corp.

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

11 17.5 1.45 0.530 0.052 21.6 2.63 11.50 0.0630 93.5 7 7.87 6.20 2.06 9.62 894.5 2200 5.33 420.00 2.12 143.6 1.95 9.9 5.75 0.119 5.8000 3.14 14.3 3.70 0.89 19.48 14.40 0.530 3.3 2.63 1.53 1.56 2.590 2.9 9.20 3.07 5.19 140.00 4.24 1214.00 0.850 0.710 45.90 80.00 9.49 3.44 0.800 0.35 5.5 0.800 16.820

107,200 680,900 393,000 40,761,000 279,300,000 4,400 5,842,000 26,436,100 457,210,000 1,173,620 4,200 83,337,600 10,500 5,000 311,200 1,170 282,940 363,700 27,490 9,092,000 6,472,480 823,000 25,600 47,300 5,450,000 122,722,800 91,000 6,300 2,586,000 3,567,000 1,297,900 15,800 3,004,000 2,167,000 8,607,000 101,000 19,000 17,745,000 1,083,000 81,500 7,000 467,300 272,290 33,884,000 545,165 157,826,000 52,257,000 5,551,700 1,595,730 143,700 25,642,000 43,262,000 53,480,000 6,019,600 84,950,000 4,281,700

MINING & OIL Abra Mining Apex `A’ Atlas Cons. `A’ Atok-Big Wedge `A’ Benguet Corp `A’ Benguet Corp `B’ Century Peak Metals Hldgs Coal Asia Dizon Ferronickel Geograce Res. Phil. Inc. Lepanto `A’ Lepanto `B’ Manila Mining `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Marcventures Hldgs., Inc. Nickelasia Nihao Mineral Resources Omico Oriental Peninsula Res. Oriental Pet. `A’ Oriental Pet. `B’ Philex `A’ PhilexPetroleum Philodrill Corp. `A’ Phinma Petro Semirara Corp.

United Paragon

0.0018 1.14 2.70 12.08 1.2500 1.1500 2.81 0.280 7.78 1.440 0.218 0.109 0.123 0.008 0.0076 1.18 2.25 1.03 0.5600 0.8500 0.0130 0.0120 3.54 7.75 0.0100 4.8000 22.50 0.0062

4,866,000,000 19,752,000 100,000 23,500 89,000 7,000 2,366,000 3,610,000 3,700 4,246,000 1,370,000 14,260,000 430,000 36,000,000 1,000,000 72,828,000 9,258,000 172,000 545,000 2,827,000 251,800,000 3,000,000 1,643,000 5,954,000 186,500,000 779,000 6,589,800 12,000,000

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

Alco Preferred B Ayala Corp. Pref `B1’ Ayala Corp. Pref ‘B2’ DD PREF First Gen G GLOBE PREF P GMA Holdings Inc. GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B House Preferred Leisure and Resort MWIDE PREF PCOR-Preferred 2A PCOR-Preferred 3A PCOR-Preferred 3B PF Pref 2 PNX PREF 3A SMC Preferred 1 SMC Preferred A SMC Preferred B SMC Preferred C SMC Preferred D SMC Preferred E SMC Preferred F SMC Preferred G SMC Preferred H SMPFC Preferred

16.82 100 490 490 99 104 499 5.37 985 945 96.95 1 102.4 990 1011 1012 100 106 990 75.2 76.75 73 74.95 74.5 74.5 73.8 74 1.36

263,800 10,000 4,060 4,780 69,660 5,730 2,550 17,538,300 5,190 1,100 15,340 42,000 30 2,130 21,720 24,455 13,790 4,580 33,040 45,910 66,070 3,080 87,990 66,250 13,520 56,800 93,830 6,000

LR Warrant

1.840

719,000

SERVICES 1,164,628.00 11,979,300.00 563,690.00 22,039,080.00 13,753,300.00 93,780.00 15,145,230.00 303,092,036.00 27,783,350.00 105,889,714.00 29,698.00 687,191,579.00 62,073.00 11,340.00 3,047,608.00 1,041,390.00 614,600,350.00 1,956,753.00 11,578,478.00 19,656,750.00 918,349,694.00 1,564,990.00 252,787.00 274,682.00 636,470.00 752,503,784.00 272,990.00 90,120.00 9,534,950.00 3,123,580.00 25,168,166.00 229,152.00 1,563,080.00 7,021,630.00 22,318,140.00 155,290.00 29,890.00 44,345,170.00 3,214,450.00 751,584.00 21,010.00 2,534,966.00 38,138,128.00 138,714,720.00 658,595,870.00 135,696,150.00 37,599,410.00 251,233,280.00 124,873,760.50 1,321,515.00 89,115,150.00 34,200,040.00 19,264,800.00 33,034,946.00 69,080,760.00 72,279,938.00 8,423,400.00 22,425,640.00 279,490.00 278,032.00 108,660.00 8,050.00 6,882,540.00 1,010,800.00 28,960.00 6,155,080.00 298,830.00 1,507,660.00 51,520.00 270,200.00 7,600.00 82,597,910.00 20,361,990.00 174,550.00 300,690.00 2,400,670.00 3,225,700.00 36,000.00 5,740,410.00 46,676,881.00 1,968,100.00 3,702,650.00 149,774,910.00 75,200.00

PREFERRED 4,465,814.00 1,000,000.00 1,979,538.00 2,326,102.00 6,896,840.00 596,080.00 1,242,000.00 94,179,844.00 4,938,300.00 1,034,585.00 1,487,739.50 41,780.00 3,045.00 2,125,250.00 21,949,165.00 24,733,925.00 1,379,000.00 485,600.00 32,183,305.00 3,437,965.00 5,038,620.50 224,845.50 6,548,735.50 4,942,411.00 990,480.00 4,097,153.50 6,885,111.00 8,160.00

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,330,910.00 SME 86,800.00 7,704,574.00 52,613,400.00

Value

27.00 2.22 3.14 38.25 1.96 6.32 0.750 7.230

12,375,100 2,379,000 3,281,000 44,760,700 3,665,000 404,500 64,000 18,275,200

329,444,715.00 5,308,660.00 9,927,950.00 1,700,850,700.00 7,116,840.00 2,569,728.00 47,810.00 131,002,963.00

11.3 17.5

74,700 519,500

839,462.00 9,083,210.00

0.530 0.046 21.5 2.74 11.66 0.0570 92.75 7 8.59 6.18 2.23 10.06 890 2258 5.46 420.00 2.21 144.7 1.98 9.8 5.75 0.120 6.7900 3 14.08 3.80 0.85 19.44 15.40 0.530 3.16 2.65 1.55 1.56 2.500 3.04 9.01 3.06 5.53 136.00 3.88 1240.00 0.890 0.750 43.80 77.00 8.98 3.36 0.760 0.39 5.49 0.770 16.940

75,439,000 83,900,000 42,200 2,604,000 52,381,800 137,170,000 1,297,220 2,400 17,976,000 59,300 30,000 326,900 13,000 232,580 1,166,500 45,060 4,891,000 4,286,730 517,000 6,800 49,500 10,650,000 27,576,200 141,000 5,300 12,354,000 5,771,000 3,342,000 1,500 2,222,000 107,000 18,153,000 358,000 217,000 20,247,000 1,304,000 111,400 378,000 261,100 980 27,814,000 282,400 289,886,000 26,777,000 3,516,400 8,266,210 3,855,500 91,433,000 11,889,000 31,330,000 12,162,300 18,831,000 3,762,500

39,930,580.00 3,904,800.00 905,210.00 7,098,370.00 609,358,940.00 7,807,710.00 117,203,033.50 16,800.00 154,502,077.00 368,827.00 66,950.00 3,307,426.00 11,570,000.00 521,714,540.00 6,289,897.00 18,528,510.00 10,931,210.00 624,040,503.00 996,260.00 68,224.00 288,045.00 1,270,590.00 187,412,696.00 429,340.00 76,078.00 47,283,020.00 5,039,100.00 63,964,298.00 21,970.00 1,165,520.00 340,250.00 46,335,400.00 562,950.00 346,520.00 53,503,760.00 4,051,020.00 1,015,896.00 1,100,260.00 1,417,513.00 135,867.00 108,098,440.00 356,657,820.00 260,387,960.00 20,622,350.00 155,103,860.00 628,806,814.50 34,747,568.00 307,582,630.00 8,859,000.00 12,240,600.00 66,738,982.00 14,002,270.00 64,062,688.00

0.0018 1.18 2.78 12.48 1.1900 1.1400 2.73 0.290 7.85 1.470 0.222 0.110 0.121 0.008 0.0076 1.18 2.25 1.02 0.5300 0.8700 0.0120 0.0120 3.51 7.35 0.0100 4.8400 22.70 0.0067

501,000,000 16,836,000 361,000 3,200 135,000 6,000 3,248,000 1,190,000 27,100 63,789,000 2,400,000 27,840,000 5,680,000 55,000,000 8,000,000 304,563,000 11,493,000 857,000 128,000 3,976,000 96,200,000 66,300,000 2,183,000 4,642,100 45,100,000 1,073,000 4,991,300 58,000,000

901,800.00 20,272,700.00 999,570.00 39,266.00 163,680.00 6,840.00 8,955,810.00 337,850.00 211,792.00 97,071,590.00 2,393,250.00 3,096,550.00 680,320.00 414,300.00 67,100.00 346,467,540.00 26,353,720.00 874,020.00 69,470.00 3,583,650.00 1,161,400.00 795,600.00 7,726,160.00 34,468,574.00 470,800.00 5,143,050.00 115,961,830.00 373,400.00

17.1 100 456 496 98.1 104.5 500 5.49 900 900 94.15 1 99.7 999.5 1011 1010 100 107.5 965 75 76.05 72.5 73 74 74.5 73.9 73.7 1.36

546,200 36,010 10,420 1,120 18,590 45,200 16,020 25,900 540 5,000 600 115,000 170 6,580 11,135 8,450 27,590 1,100 18,300 20,110 102,830 31,610 58,130 87,410 1,540,000 28,700 50,020 1,000

9,238,690.00 3,601,000.00 4,840,020.00 555,396.00 1,835,235.50 4,764,911.00 7,957,920.00 141,161.00 480,800.00 4,500,000.00 56,549.50 114,120.00 16,983.00 6,543,650.00 11,238,090.00 8,526,930.00 2,755,305.00 116,750.00 17,654,510.00 1,508,305.00 7,825,436.00 2,294,093.00 4,242,080.00 6,477,860.50 114,580.00 2,050,533.50 3,660,222.00 1,360.00

1.860

979,000

1,831,520.00

2.48 5.01 1.18

6,000 1,736,000 261,845,000

14,880.00 8,448,400.00 67,020,870.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

2.48 5.05 1.09

35,000 1,542,200 47,629,000

First Metro ETF

122.2

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 30,860 3,739,287.00

121.7

64,090

7,731,896.00

10.2 10.2

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 58,740 602,756.00 2,690 27,139.00

10.1

31,230

317,762.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Boulevard Holdings Filinvest Land,Inc. Apollo Global Oriental Pet. `A’ Abacus Cons. `A’ Arthaland Corp.

Philodrill Corp. `A’ Century Property PremiereHorizon

VOLUME 4,866,000,000 457,210,000 280,303,000 279,300,000 251,800,000 211,324,000 188,797,000 186,500,000 173,468,000 157,826,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ SM Investments Inc. Bank of PI Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Metrobank SMC Food and Beverage SM Prime Holdings Ayala Corp `A’ I.C.T.S.I. Jollibee Foods Corp.

VALUE 2,877,312,991.00 1,383,091,030.00 1,340,053,153.00 1,119,132,026.00 1,112,380,192.50 1,093,671,562.00 1,015,410,660.00 1,012,137,695.00 918,349,694.00 910,987,562.00

Ortigas & Co. allotting P75b to develop four lots in 5 years ORTIGAS & Co. is spending up to P75 billion over the next five years to further develop four estate developments in Metro Manila.

Ortigas & Co president Jaime Ysmael during a recent interview the company had programmed to spend between P12 billion and P15 billion annually based on a five-year plan for Greenhills Center, Capital Commons, Ortigas East and Circulo Verde.

Ysmael said the P75-billion capital spending plan would be funded mostly through internally generated funds and pre-selling. It added it had no current plans to conduct any fund-raising activities through an initial public offering or the real estate investment trust option.

“Right now the base plan for our fiveyear investment program does not require any IPO nor REIT,” Ysmael said.

“But just like any other property developers, we will continue to monitor developments in the capital markets. Then we will see,” he said.

The group has earmarked P12 billion in capital expenditures for the current year.

Meanwhile, Ysmael disclosed the company’s plan to start redeveloping a one-hectare property under company’s headquarters at the corner of Meralco Avenue and Ortigas Avenue.

Ysmael said the company would develop the property, one the prime lots in the Ortigas Central Business District, into a mixed-use project with office, serviced apartments, hotel and retail components.

Ysmael said the company would come up with the master plan for the property over the next two years.

“The office space right now is a low building in Ortigas Central Business District and it is nearly 50 years. We will redevelop the entire parcel of land together with the interim parking structure and space currently being leased by a gasoline station,” he said.

The property is near the proposed Ortigas East Subway station of the Metro Manila Subway project, a 36-kilometer line from Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.

Ortigas & Co. last week unveiled an P11-billion twin-tower development project called The Galleon, also in Ortigas Center.

The project will have office for sale and residential components, as well as retail developments. Jenniffer B. Austria

ABS-CBN sells 8m DTTs, bares mobile TVPlus

By Darwin G. Amojelar ABS-CBN Corp. said it sold eight million digital terrestrial television device as of July this year and recently launched a mobile version of TVPlus.

“ABS-CBN TVplus’ accelerated sales (are) indicative of how far the country has moved on from analog television and how closer we are to fully transitioning into digital broadcast ahead of the government-mandated deadline of 2023,” said ABS-CBN Access head Charles Lim. ABS-CBN TVplus sustained its expansion after adding Batangas as its 16th signal coverage area in November lat year. Other coverage areas are Metro Manila, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga, Tarlac, Benguet, Cavite, Metro Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, Iloilo, Bacolod and Davao.

Kantar Media’s establishment survey results in August last year showed a marked increase in digital television ownership in non-cabled homes across the country to 72 percent from 55 percent in August 2017 in Metro Manila; 65 percent from 44 percent in Mega Manila; and 57 percent from 33 percent in the suburbs.

In June 2019, ABS-CBN launched another product aimed at transforming the TV viewing experience of mobile Filipinos with the mobile version of TVplus called ABS-CBN TVplus Go, which turns Android smartphones into portable digital television units.

The company earlier allotted P6 billion in 2019 capital expenditure to fund digital transformation, broadband business expansion and program rights acquisition.

ABS-CBN earlier reported a net income of P808 million in January-toMarch period, up 98 percent from a P410-million net profit it booked in the same period last year.

Consolidated revenues reached P10.3 billion, up from last year’s P9 billion.

The company said of the total revenues, advertising sales amounted to P5.4 billion, up 24.4 percent from last year’s P4.3 billion on higher political placements and growth in regular advertising.

World

B3

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Migrants fear being arrested

by US officials

PRACTICE. French soldiers gets ready on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris prior to the Bastille Day military parade on July 14. AFP

Shanghai leads battle against mountain of trash SHANGHAI―Nie Feng used to toss his rubbish outside his Shanghai flat without a thought while rushing to work, but saving China from a garbage crisis now requires him to consult a complex diagram each morning.

On July 1, Shanghai launched China’s most ambitious garbage separation and recycling program ever, as the country confronts a rising tide of trash created by increasing consumption.

But the program is the talk of China’s biggest city for other reasons as well: confusion over rules and fines for infractions, and thousands of volunteers inspecting citizens’ private garbage each day.

Nie examines a wall-sized diagram saying fish and pork bones must be separated from each other, and from the plastic bag he carries them in.

“It’s for the good of our homeland, but we keep making mistakes,” said Nie, a trading company staffer, laughing as he struggled to separate the bag’s contents into various bins.

“We have to get this right before the

IN BRIEF At least 50 dead in Nepal monsoon KATHMANDU―Floods and landslides caused by torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 50 people across Nepal while dozens more are missing, officials said Sunday.

Northeast India has also been hit by floods with 11 deaths recorded as rivers burst their banks.

Heavy rains since Thursday have hit several districts in Nepal, especially in the country’s eastern region and the southern plains, affecting thousands.

Nepal police spokesman Bishwaraj Pokharel said 33 people are missing while over 1,100 people have been rescued.

“We have mobilized all resources in the country for search, rescue and relief and have been able to reach all affected areas,” Pokharel told AFP. Authorities said river levels are expected to return to normal from Monday.

Monsoon rains from June to September cause widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

In India at least 11 people have died in the country’s northeast, officials said, with some 20,000 being housed in relief camps in badly-hit Assam state. AFP

Taiwan’s Tsai courts Haiti ally PORT-AU-PRINCE―Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen made a brief visit to Haiti on Saturday without unveiling new spending commitments, as she courts Taipei’s dwindling allies in the Caribbean in a diplomatic struggle with China.

Since Tsai became president, Beijing―which considers Taiwan part of its territory―has poached five of the island’s shrinking roster of allies, including Haiti’s neighbor the Dominican Republic.

She spoke with her Haitian counterpart Jovenel Moise for half an hour to discuss possible cooperation in education and infrastructure, without providing specific details.

Taipei has allocated $150 million to the country to help electrify its territory but the funds have not been allocated because they have yet to be ratified by the Haitian parliament.

Port-au-Prince is in the middle of a protracted political crisis which has sapped the country’s ability to leverage financial concessions out of Taipei.

Growing street protests have demanded Moise’s resignation, and he has not had a functioning government for months, with parliament barely able to get enough attendees to hold a session. AFP

fines really start.”

Shanghai is piloting a program set for eventual nationwide adoption in what would likely be the world’s largest waste separation and recycling scheme―and it is desperately needed.

With its 1.4 billion consumers, China is becoming swamped by trash. Every day, Shanghai’s 25 million people alone produce around 26,000 tons―equal in weight to the Statue of Liberty.

The issue is straining municipal services nationwide and prompting unrest.

Last week authorities in the central city of Wuhan sent riot police to quell protests by thousands of citizens against construction of a waste incinerator.

China is spending billions of dollars on waste-to-energy incineration plants across the country, but repeated protests have flared over fears they will emit toxins. Wuhan has shelved its plan, for now.

China produced just 30 million tonnes of trash in 1980, but that soared to 210 million in 2017, according to World Bank figures.

That is still less than the world’s trash titan, the United States, which produced 258 million tonnes. But China is gaining fast and the World Bank predicts Chinese garbage could reach a staggering 500 million tonnes annually by 2030.

Several factors are blamed, including rapid growth and the Communist Party’s ongoing push to develop a domestic consumer economy to lessen reliance on the outside world.

Led by the likes of Alibaba, Chinese e-commerce has exploded, producing billions of parcel deliveries annually with their associated packaging.

The government indicated its alarm last year by banning certain imports of foreign waste that it used to accept for years for recycling, a move that has up-ended global garbage flows.

“We need a really big push and I think the government realized that. There is really a sense of urgency,” said Alizee Buysschaert, founder and director of environmental consultancy Zero Waste Shanghai. AFP

NEW YORK―Thousands of undocumented immigrants were waiting in fear and uncertainty ahead of nationwide raids Sunday that President Donald Trump said would lead to a wave of expulsions.

Demonstrators in dozens of cities protested the planned raids, and local and state officials called for restraint, but to no effect.

Before dawn on Sunday, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are expected to hit the streets of at least 10 major American cities with plans to arrest some 2,000 undocumented migrants who entered the United States recently.

The scope of the operation appears far more modest than the “millions” Trump had promised would be detained and expelled when he first mentioned the raids, and subsequently postponed them month.

But that has not eased the anguish felt by those who fear they might be targeted.

Adding to their concerns are media reports that ICE agents are prepared to scoop up not just those targeted by removal orders but also other undocumented migrants that agents may come upon incidentally.

That, potentially, could include some migrants who have been in the country for years, with homes, jobs and children who are US citizens.

“This uncertainty, this fear, is wreaking havoc,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on CNN. “It’s traumatizing people.”

Trump insisted on Friday that “most mayors” want the raids.

“Most mayors do. You know why?

They don’t want to have crimes in their cities,” he said, repeating his frequent— and incorrect—assertion that migrants are more likely to be criminals than native-born Americans.

Several mayors have expressed concern about the federal operation.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez pointed out that in 2018, his first year in office, his Florida city experienced its “lowest homicide rate in 51 years―so I don’t understand the rationale for choosing Miami.”

“It doesn’t make it easier for us, as mayors, to keep our citizens and those who are in our city ... quiet and calm.”

Some city officials, as well as promigrant and civil rights groups, have sought to educate those who might be targeted on their rights in the event of a raid.

“We’re asking people, if you are in fear of deportation, to stay in on Sunday, to travel in groups,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms said on CNN. If “someone comes to your door, please don’t open the door unless they have a warrant.”

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told MSNBC he sees the raids as “a political act to convince a lot of people in America that immigrants are the problem.”

Like many other city officials, he fears the aggressive roundup could intimidate migrants, making them less likely in future to cooperate with local police, thus making it harder to ensure public safety.

“We have millions of people standing in line waiting to become citizens of this country,” Trump said Friday.

He said it would be unfair to them if others could simply cross the border in an attempt to gain the privileges of American life.

But the impending raids have raised concerns about how a new influx could affect federal detention centers already badly overcrowded.

The United States has been struggling for more than a year with a migration crisis on its southern border, as thousands of people stream into the US each month, mostly from Central American countries riven by violence and poverty. AFP

UK says Iran tanker will be freed after guarantees on destination LONDON―British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt sought to ease tensions with Iran on Saturday, saying a tanker held by Gibraltar would be released if Tehran guaranteed it was not heading to Syria.

He said he had a “constructive call” with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, who he said assured him that Tehran “is not seeking to escalate” tensions between the countries.

“I reassured him our concern was destination not origin of the oil on Grace One,” a tanker seized off the coast of the tiny British territory of Gibraltar on July 4, Hunt tweeted.

An Iranian statement confirmed the conversation and said Hunt underlined Iran’s “right to export oil”. It added that Tehran hoped that an investigation in Gibraltar into the seized ship “would lead quickly to the release of the Iranian tanker”.

US officials believe the tanker was destined for Syria to deliver oil, in violation of separate EU and US sanctions.

Hunt said Britain “would facilitate release if we received guarantees that it would not be going to Syria, following due process in Gib [Gibraltar] courts.

“Was told by FM Zarif that Iran wants to resolve issue and is not seeking to escalate.”

Tehran had reacted angrily to the seizure, and Britain this week said Iranian

military vessels had tried to “impede the passage” of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, in its statement relayed by state media, said Zarif had told Hunt that his country would continue to export its oil “in all circumstances” and that the Grace One’s destination was a “legal” one, in “the eastern Mediterranean”. He did not specify where.

Iran has repeatedly said it deems US and EU sanctions against it as “illegal”.

Hunt said Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo was doing an “excellent job co-ordinating issue and shares UK perspective on the way forward”.

Hunt also said he raised with Zarif the imprisonment of British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and Zarif “said he would continue to seek to find a solution”.

Picardo said in a separate statement that he spoke with Hunt before and after the foreign secretary’s conversation with Zarif and backed several of the points that were raised.

He said notably that he asked Hunt to tell Iran that Gibraltar would continue to enforce EU sanctions but it was also prepared to release the Grace One “if we were satisfied that we had received guarantees that it would not be going to Syria or to any entity sanctioned under the relevant EU regulations”. AFP

TARGET. A participant climbs up a barricade to avoid Miura fighting bulls on the last

bullrun of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain, on July 12, 2019. - People from around the world flock to the city of 200,000 residents to test their bravery and enjoy the festival’s mix of round-the-clock parties, religious processions and concerts. AFP

Three years on, Turkey purge victims struggle to make ends meet ANKARA―Three years ago, Elif was a teacher at a high school in southeast Turkey. Today, she still works in an education centre, but she is only allowed to cook and clean.

Elif, whose name has been changed upon request, is one of 33,000 teachers sacked over suspected links to an Islamic network accused of trying to overthrow the government on July 15, 2016.

“While other teachers teach, I make food and clean toilets,” said Elif. “I am 37 and I am starting my life from scratch again.”

She is far from alone: from the former academic who now works as a construction worker, to the ex-head of an NGO who now runs a cafe, and from an exjudge who sells tea to a former police officer who works as a caretaker—there are many examples in a country where 150,000 public sector workers have lost their jobs since the attempted putsch.

The government says it is necessary to purge followers of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen from the highest echelons of the military and judiciary down to every part of public service.

Gulen, who has lived in the US for 20 years and was once seen as an ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strongly denies the government’s claim that he ordered the putsch in 2016.

Described by the government as a “terrorist organization”, the slightest whiff of association with Gulen has destroyed lives.

Elif describes herself as a “leftist Muslim” and admits to being a “sympathizer” of the movement, but says she has never been an active part of the network.

She was even acquitted in court last summer of being a member, but that was not enough to save her career.

Many highly-educated Turks like

her in the public sector have been stigmatized and frozen out of their professions simply over suspicions of Gulenist ties.

Ahmet, a former chemistry academic who also wished to use a pseudonym, says he has applied for 1,200 jobs and only been granted around 30 or 40 interviews, of which none was successful.

He has been forced to grow fruit and vegetables and sell them on a street corner to survive.

The 44-year-old and his wife are among 6,000 academics sacked by decree during the two-year state of emergency which followed the attempted coup.

“It was a shock,” he told AFP. “When I explain my situation to employers, they don’t want to hire me.

Maybe if I did not say anything, I could work in the black market,” he added, but he refuses to do so since he believes he has nothing to hide. AFP

Manila

NOTICE FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING FOR Standard

TODAY THE DISSOLUTION OF THE

PLX BAGS INCORPORATED BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Sunny Tan Susan Cheung Marites Diesta

Jorg Reiner Kornblum Jenette Simpao

CORPORATE SECRETARY: Joanne C. Dabuit The Board of Directors and the Shareholders of the PLX Bags Inc. is hereby notified that a special meeting will be held on August 15, 2019 at 9:00 am for the plan to dissolve the corporate entity of PLX Bags Inc. The meeting will be held at: SFB No. 6, Lot 2, Block 8, 2nd Street, Phase I, Freeport Area of Bataan, Mariveles, Bataan 2106 This notice is in accordance with the Sec.118 of the Corporation Code. ______________________ Corporate Secretary MS-JULY 15, 22 & 29, 2019)

LGUs

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

B4

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

LOOKING AHEAD. Makati Mayor Abby Binay gives the business community a preview of key projects that her administration plans to implement in the next few years to hasten the city’s digital transformation and recognition as a Smart City. Speaking at a luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila Thursday at the New World Hotel, the mayor also revealed initiatives aimed to improve ease of doing business in the city and promote transparency.

2 die in Sunday AM shootings

By Ronald O. Reyes

T

WO shootings in broad daylight on Sunday—both by motorcycle-riding suspects—claimed the lives of a Filipino-Chinese businessman in Tacloban City and a senior citizen in Makati City.

Authorities in Tacloban identified the victim as Manuel Tan, 50, married and owner of ACN Hardware at Maharlika Highway, Lower Nula-tula in Barangay 74.

Three unidentified bike-riding gunmen shot Tan in front of his establishment at 6:55 a.m., investigators said.

In Makati, another motorcycle-riding assassin shot Jesus de Guzman, 63, a

resident of Bangkal, as he and his wife were headed to church on board their car traveling along the Osmeña Highway Service Road at about 8:25 am.

Ramona Dimayuga, de Guzman’s wife, said they were aboard their silver Honda CRV when a man suddenly approached and fired at their vehicle.

Wearing an olive green jacket and a white helmet, the heavy-set suspect fled

after the shooting, but left his motorcycle after passing an alley in Barangay Bangkal, police probers said.

Initial investigation in Tacloban disclosed that on Sunday, Tan arrived at his hardware store on board his vehicle, and while the security guard was about to open the gate, the three suspects approached the side of his car and shot him several times.

Tan sustained gunshot wounds to different parts of his body, police said. The suspects immediately fled on motorcycles.

Responding policemen brought Tan to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center, but the businessman was pronounced dead on arrival by Dr. Glenn Guzman

at about 7:29 a.m. Sunday.

Police recovered three fired cartridge pieces, one fired bullet and two live ammunition for a .45 caliber pistol.

In Makati, a priest tried to approach de Guzman’s vehicle to give him the last sacrament, but was escorted by police away from the scene, where they recovered shells of a .9mm firearm.

CCTV cameras may have captured the direction where the suspect fled, Barangay Bangkal chairman Mario Montañez said.

“There’s a portion where the perpetrator passed by inside an alley where there was a CCTV camera,” he told ABSCBN News.

IN BRIEF BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— Provincial Board Member Elma Pinao-an-Lejao has asked, through a resolution she filed, that Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) in public elementary and secondary schools in the province submit their Annual Financial Statements (AFS) before they can be recognized and exact voluntary contributions and fees among parents.

She said parents of schoolchildren, especially those belonging to the poor sector, have been complaining on the varying required contributions and fees exacted among students.

In her privileged speech, Lejao said she was bothered why documents regarding request of parents for financial assistance have flooded her office and other board members, seeking similar fund assistance to help them pay the varying school contributions and fees.

Ben Moses Ebreo

NV DPWH marks 121st founding year

‘Iskolar ng Bataan’ get more stipends BALANGA CITY—Bataan Vice Governor Cris Garcia recently distributed P1 million worth of additional educational assistance to 200 beneficiaries of the Iskolar ng Bataan.

The scholars each received P5,000 for their last semester assistance.

“Study hard, grab the opportunity, not all beneficiaries of Iskolar ng Bataan program get additional incentive,” Iskolar ng Bataan coordinator Ramos Canas quoted the vice governor saying in her message to scholars during the distribution of the allowance. Butch Gunio

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY—The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao needs a “policy decision” by President Rodrigo Duterte to continue the stalled exploration of natural gas in Maguindanao.

BARMM officials said Interim Chief Minister Hadji Murad Ebrahim had told the President in a Palace meeting that his fledgling government needed an executive fiat delegating specific national powers if it had to assume authority to develop and allow exploration of the Ligawasan Marsh.

BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo described the Wednesday meeting as being “very fruitful.”

Duterte earlier told the Moro people in a speech during an Independence Day ceremony in Malabang, Lanao del Sur to lead all development efforts for the Ligawasan Marsh as it belongs to them.

The Malaysian Petronas Carigali had started drilling exploration for natural gas in Sultan Sa Barongis, Maguindanao, but had left the site in 1993 due to the region’s peace and order problem.

The state-run Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) had succeeded Petronas but also halted its operations, purportedly after incurring heavy losses.

Under Republic Act 11054 or the BARMM charter, the autonomous region and the national government shall co-manage of any proceeds from recovery efforts for “fossil fuels such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal.”

The national government may also opt to waive its part of resource-generation powers in the case of co-managing and sharing of proceeds from exploration of natural resources in the region.

Sinarimbo, who accompanied Ebrahim in the meeting, said the President maintained his Independence Day pronouncement on the Ligawasan Marsh that the Moro government should lead all development efforts pertaining to the 2,200 square-kilometer river basin.

Big 3-kilo tilapia caught in Pasig estero in Manila

NV mom eyes probe on PTA, school fees

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—A sports fest, a zumba dance workshop, a fun run and bike and a gift giving activity highlighted the 121st founding anniversary celebration of the Department of Public Works and Highways 1st Nueva Vizcaya District Engineering Office.

Management and members and officers of the DPWH’s workers’ union led the 3-day celebration carrying the theme “Gabay Tungo sa Konkretong Pag-Unlad.”

“We thanked all the employees for their hard work and perseverance, which for the district office has resulted in various recognitions and awards for its outstanding role in the progressive development of the district’s area of responsibility,” said Engineer Oscar Gumiran, DPWH 1st DEO district engineer. Ben Moses Ebreo

BARMM needs Palace guidance on Ligawasan

A Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission worker holds up the fresh tilapia, weighing over three kilograms with a length of 20.5 inches, caught from the Estero de San Miguel, a tributary of the Pasig River near the P. Casal Bridge in Manila.

THE Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission caught a fresh tilapia – which weighed over three kilograms with a length of 20.5 inches – from the Estero de San Miguel, a tributary of the Pasig River, last week.

PRRC Executive Director Jose Antonio E. Goitia said it was a good sign that life has returned to the river and its tributaries.

Goitia also emphasized it is also due to the PRRC’s strategic rehabilitation of the waterways.

PRRC River Warriors were conducting their regular clean-up operations in Estero de San Miguel, a 2.3-kilometer tributary of the Pasig River located in Manila by P. Casal Bridge, when the surface of the waterway ruptured and a huge fish leapt into the air, to their surprise.

“If we continue to work together in cleaning our waterways and surroundings, more aquatic resources will thrive in these bodies of water, and we could eventually have a free source of food,” Goitia said.

Still, the PRRC advised the public to be careful with catching fish from the river, as the fish might still contain traces of toxic chemicals harmful to their health.

The tilapia was sent to PRRC’s environmental management division for tissue testing.

Meanwhile, the PRRC Task Force Water Hyacinth has removed over 4,120 sacks of water hyacinth from Metro Manila’s main waterway.

According to the Task Force, the new skimmer boat improved the collection capacity of their operations.

“Based on our operations so far, we collect an average of 500 sacks of water hyacinths,” shared Task Force team leader Niño Gutierrez.

Belmonte forms Quezon City solid waste task force to boost service TO PROVIDE a more comprehensive and strategic Solid Waste Collection plan, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte recently ordered the creation of Task Force on Solid Waste Collection, Cleaning, and Disposal Services Management.

In her Executive Order No. 3 series of 2019, Belmonte stated the need to create

a team that will ensure the implementation of solid waste collection, cleaning, and disposal.

“It is the policy of the City to promote the preservation, protection, and revival of the ecosystem through prevention, control, and abatement of air, water, and land pollution and the spread of hazardous wastes in the environment, hand-in-

hand with the sustained development of the City,” EO 3 reads.

The task force will supervise and manage the collection and transport of solid wastes, as well as collection maintenance and continuity in the city.

Further, the group will also coordinate with the national agencies and barangays to implement solid waste

collection and management and will recommend service providers for disposal services to the city mayor.

The Secretary to the Mayor will be the chairman of the Task Force on Solid Waste Collection and the head of the Environment Protection and Waste Management Department as the vice chairperson.

‘Tropang Ready’ trains S. Leyte students THE Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Southern Leyte continues to work with various institutions and organizations to strengthen the knowledge of and preparedness for calamities across communities—including the youth.

Students of Southern Leyte State University in Sogod town recently underwent a series of emergency preparedness and response trainings as part of a learning initiative in collaboration with PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications.

The initiative is called TNT Tropang Ready, a program by Smart that aims to enhance the youth’s preparedness knowledge.

The Tropang Ready disaster readiness caravan tours schools and universities nationwide to equip students with skills that will

enable them to become preparedness ambassadors in their own communities.

The trainings consisted of standard PDRRMO practices for disaster risk reduction and management, such as administering first aid, and basic steps to take when faced with certain hazards such as earthquakes, flooding and typhoons, noting the terrible aftereffects of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) in Leyte in 2013.

According to PDRRMO head Danilo Atienza, collaborating with groups such as Smart is a big help to them because it supplements their efforts to reach more areas in need of training.

“This activity by Smart and TNT boosts our efforts in teaching disaster preparedness to students and residents. We’ve conducted trainings not just here in Sogod but in other parts of Southern Leyte State University students and teachers learn bandaging techniques from the PDRRMO representatives.

Southern Leyte as well,” Atienza said.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

FOOD

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

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ESTAURATEUR and style maven Trish Panlilio celebrates the second anniversary of Mulberry Door, her dining venture in Forbestown Road, Bonifacio Global City.

But instead of the usual fanfare and dining deals, the restaurant, known for its cozy interior and comfort food dishes, gives back with a series of specially curated dinners in collaboration with women entrepreneurs involved with communitybased projects.

“Mulberry Door by nawwTy’s kitchen turned two on May 17. In lieu of the usual festivities, we have decided to celebrate by partnering with friends who support local artisans and communities,” shared Panlilio.

For the first dinner series on June 26, nawwTy’s collaborated with Holy Carabao Holistic Farm’s Hindy Weber and Melanie Go whose beneficiary is SOIL (Samahan ng Organikong Industriya ng Laguna), an advocacy for local farmers.

“I’m a personal friend of Trish’s and I’ve always loved her food—when she hosts us in her home, even if it’s the simplest get-together, she still brings out such an abundance from her kitchen. We feel so special,” shared Weber.

Weber continued, “It’s nice to bring it (Holy Carabao) to people, bring it to the table, and from a different perspective also, because when it comes from our kitchen we present it in a particular way but when it’s interpreted by a chef or by Trish, it really gives it a new touch and a new flavor. We’ve worked with some other chefs before, but not Trish yet

GIVE BACK. Mullbery Door by

nawwTy’s kitchen celebrates its second anniversary with a specially curated dinner series in collaboration with women-led enterprises.

Dinner with a purpose

The benefit dinner in collaboration with Holy Carabao featured a mouthwaterirng menu including (clockwise) Salad Greens and Pickled Sugar Beets with Mulberry Vinaigrette Dressing, Oven Roasted Cochinillo, Pinakbet Paella and Pickled Banana Peppers, and Aubergine Roll with Lemon Crab Meat.

so this was something that we’re look looking forward to.”

The five-course dinner menu featured dishes using organic produce from Holy Carabao starting with Cream of Zucchini with Roasted Corn Kernels, and Salad Greens and Pickled Sugar Beets with a Mulberry Vinaigrette Dressing.

The appetizer was followed by main courses consisting of Aubergine Roll with Lemon Crab Meat, a mouthwa mouthwatering Oven Roasted Conchinillo with Eggplant Chimichurri, and a hearty portion of Pinakbet Paella and Pickled Banana Peppers.

For dessert, diners indulged in a delec delectable serving of Carabaos Milk Ice Cream with Aratilis Compote and Honey Tuille.

For the upcoming dinners, priced at P7,000 per head, Panlilio will again be preparing a special menu to highlight the woman-led enterprises.

In August, Mulberry Door will be in collaboration with Jenny Yrasuegui to highlight the local livestock ingredi ingredients from Backyard Farms for the ben benefit of Best Buddies Philippines, an organization supported by Michelle Aventajado and Sabrina Go of MothersWhoBrunch.

It will culminate in October with a dinner in partnership with Jeannie Javelosa, for the benefit of GREAT Women Stock Purchase Fund for Weavers. The menu will feature ingredients from Holy Carabao and Backyard Farms.

Send a message to 0918-9987474 or to naw nawwtygivesback@gmail.com for inquiries.

From Monday to Friday: Pancake House slashes price of bestsellers WEEKDAY is like the unwanted cousin of weekend; it could be challenging and no one looks forward to it.

In celebration of its 45th anniversary, Pancake House treats weekday warriors to feel-good meals at discounted prices.

From July 22 to 26, dine-in customers can avail of five Pancake House bestsell-

ers for only P145 each. One classic meal is featured each day of the week, adding variety to an otherwise humdrum day.

Start the week right on Monday with the all-time favorite House Special Set A, which includes the signature Spaghetti with meat sauce, Pan Chicken, and the Best Taco in Town. A total of P154 saving in a single plate.

If one taco is not enough, come back on Tuesday and get an extra serving of the famed snack. Get through the mid-week hump with a crispy delicious Golden Brown Waffle on Wednesday.

Gear up towards the end of the week on Thursday with two of Pancake House’s crispy and succulent Classic Pan Chicken. Enjoy this well-loved

Tuesday: Best Taco in Town

Monday: House Special Set

meal with steaming rice and flavorful homemade gravy, and save P65.

Cap off the week with the homey goodness of three signature Classic Pancakes.

“We know how challenging weekdays can be. The P145 Weekday Classics is our way to offer our best-selling meals to our loyal customers at an affordable price. Hopefully, this will not

only satisfy their craving for our classic meals, but will also see them end a draining weekday feeling good,” says Pancake House senior marketing manager Cherry Hernandez.

The promo is valid at company-owned stores only. Go to Pancake House Philippines on Facebook for more details.

Thursday: Classic Pan Chicken

Wednesday: Golden Brown Waffle

Friday: Classic Pancakes

Life

C2

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Blackbird at The Nielson Tower in Makati has been named one of 2019’s Top 50 restaurants in the world by London-based publication Monocle.

Pinoy pride

RECIPE FILES

Blackbird made it to list of world’s best 50 restaurants; culinary school wins in HK competition

A

VIATION-themed restaurant Blackbird at The Nielson Tower has made it to Monocle’s Top 50 Restaurant Awards—the only restaurant from the Philippines and one from seven in Asia.

The London-based publication identified its menu as “a celebration of travel.”

“Malaysian lamb rendang and Keralan fish curry honor the building’s former life as a gateway to the world,” the Monocle said in its short review of the no. 49 restaurant.

The Nielson Tower, in which the restaurant is located, is an Art Deco building

previously used as the air control tower of the former Manila International Airport, the country’s first commercial airport.

Founder and executive chef Colin Mackay and head chef Kerwin Go have decided to keep the layout of the tower, transforming it to suit the dining establishment: the then-check in counter has been turned into a bar and lounge, the

Apart from putting Filipino heritage food in the global limelight, the Center for Culinary Arts Manila recently celebrated the triumphs of Filipino talents in the HOFEX-Hong Kong International Culinary Classic (HKICC) 2019, where three of its chefs--Kerwin Funtanilla, Krystle San Juan, and Miguel Antonio Lorino—won in various categories.

Chef Miguel garnered a silver medal in the Sustainable Seafood Seabass category and a bronze medal in the Beef Hanging Tender category. Chef Kerwin, on the other hand, won a bronze medal, also in the Beef Hanging Tender category, while Chef Krystle also won a bronze medal, this time in the Porkloin category.

“We are proud to carry the flag for Philippine cuisine. These contributions and achievements positions CCA Manila at the top of the professional culinary field,” said CCA Manila Chancellor Dr. Veritas Luna.

passenger terminal into a grill room, the tarmac as an al fresco dining area, and the control tower now serves as a private room called The Cabin.

It features an eclectic menu inspired by the aviation history of the building, with bestsellers lamb cutlets with potato gratin, Jack’s Creek Wagyu striploin, and the British-style fish pies, which Monocle said, “owes its place to Scottish chefowner Colin Mackay,” who has been in the Philippines for 20 years.

The magazine also recommends its prawn scotch egg with coconut sambal on betel leaf.

HOFEX 2019 winners (from left) CCA Manila chefs Kerwin Funtanilla, Miguel Antonio Lorino, and Krystle San Juan. (inset) Chef Miguel’s winning entry.

FREQUENT FLYER

Inflight meal supports fight against AIDS AIRASIA and Santan have teamed up with (RED) to create a special inflight meal, the INSPI(RED) Burger, in support of the fight to end AIDS. Created by New York-based (RED) Chef Ambassador Hong Thaimee, the burger is made with a chicken patty infused with fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass, topped with zesty nam prik noom mayo (green chilli mayonnaise), shredded purple cabbage, and tomato on a red beetroot bun.

For every INSPI(RED) Burger sold, 10 percent of sales will go to the Global Fund to support HIV/AIDS testing, counseling, treatment, and prevention programs in the Asean region.

Founded in 2006, (RED) aims to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. It partners with the world’s most iconic brands that contribute proceeds from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund.

Healthy treats with raisins CALIFORNIA Raisins let dessert lovers have their cake and be well, too as it claims to provide the sweetness they crave while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“Yummy snacks and desserts can still have a place on your table, even as you commit to a healthy lifestyle,” said Richard Lieu, director of trade promotions at California Raisins. “Opting for natural ingredients like California Raisins, being more informed and intentional about your food choices, and pursuing balance and moderation can help make your wellness journey not just sustainable in the long-term, but even joyful and rewarding as well.”

To demonstrate how people can use California Raisins and cut down on sugar, Chef Klaus Tenbergen shares the following snack creations using this little dried fruit.

Easy Coconut California Raisin Bites

Easy Coconut California Raisin Bites Ingredients: 288g 72g 55g 100g 100g 150g 150g 85g

California Natural Raisins shredded coconut, unsweetened almonds coconut oil, melted wheat germ, toasted oats, toasted raisin paste apricot jam

Procedure: 1. Place the ingredients except the shredded coconut, wheat germ, and oats in a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes a paste.

2. Add the wheat germ and oats to the paste and mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

3. Form 12g balls and roll them in shredded coconut. Place them in an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Mug Cake

AirAsia Group head of brand Rudy Khaw and (RED) Chef Ambassador Hong Thaimee ‘take a bite’ of the INSPI(RED) Burger.

Main Cabin experience reinvented

Delta Airlines’ international Main Cabin meal features premium appetizers and larger entrées.

DELTA Airlines’ international flights are about to become more luxurious in November with the reinvented Main Cabin experience.

Free “Welcome Aboard” cocktails featuring Bellinis to start, hot towel service, and mix-and-match options for premium appetizers and larger entrées are just a few of the ways Delta is differentiating its international Main Cabin service.

“The thoughtful touches we’re investing in throughout the new Main Cabin experience were designed by flight attendants with one goal in mind—delivering an exceptional experience that our customers will rave about and one that our team, the best in the business, is proud to deliver,” said Allison Ausband, Delta’s senior vice president for inflight service.

Delta’s reinvented Main Cabin experience has been met with high marks—with increased customer satisfaction scores on the more than 700 flights it’s been tested on between Portland and Tokyo-NRT over the past year.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Mug Cake Ingredients: 170g 340g 100g 180g 300g 150g 12g 7.5g 3.3g

California Raisins almond milk (can be plant-based milk or cow’s milk) vegetable oil honey gluten-free flour (can be all-purpose flour) gluten-free oats (can be quick oats) baking powder salt cinnamon cinnamon/sugar mix, as needed red berries coulis, as needed

Procedure: 1. Whisk almond milk, oil, and honey.

2. In a separate bowl mix the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk again; stir in half the California Raisins. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Coat a coffee mug with cooking spray and flour. Add 125g of the batter and add 1 tablespoon of red berries coulis. Sprinkle the top with some oats, the remaining California Raisins, and cinnamon-sugar to taste.

4. Cook in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, depending on the oven. The cake is ready when it has stopped rising and no longer looks wet around the sides. Let cool slightly before serving.

Entertainment

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

All-Star gala of the hit Pinoy musical ‘RAK OF AEGIS’ O N ITS muchawaited 7th season-opening, the all-original Filipino musical Rak of Aegis returned with a starstudded gala night on July 5 at the Philippine Educational Theatre Association Theater Center in New Manila, Quezon City.

Rak of Aegis features classic hits from Filipino pop-rock band Aegis including karaoke favorites “Halik,” “Sinta,” and “Basang Basa sa Ulan.”

Since it opened in 2014, the show has gone on to rekindle an appreciation for original Pinoy theater and music.

It’s also one of the longest-running musicals in contemporary Philippine theater, capturing a diverse audience with its outstanding performances and heartwarming story that reflects the daily struggles of many Filipinos.

The iconic musical phenomenon is about a small-town girl, Aileen, who hails from a perpetually-flooded Manila neighborhood, Barangay Venezia. The internet becomes an important factor in the musical’s awe-inspiring story when Aileen realizes that the best way to get up from her humble surroundings is to harness the web’s star-making power, pursue her passion for singing and music, become a viral YouTube sensation, and make money off of her newfound fame.

Of course, things are not always that easy, as there are challenges along the way.

The seventh season of the popular rock musical will feature some of the most iconic OPM artists as part of its cast: household name singer and actor-comedian Randy Santiago as Fernan, multi-award winning singersongwriter Noel Cabangon as Kiel, and award-winning world music performer and actress Bayang Barrios sharing the role of Mary Jane with prominent movie actress and singer Jenine Desiderio.

Randy, Noel, Bayang, and Jenine will be joined by new cast members: Wish 107.5 Wishcovery 2018 1st runner up Kimberly Baluzo (Aileen); Leah Patricio from The Voice of the Philippines Season 2 (Mercy); GMA artist and singer Derrick Monasterio (Tolits); Viva Artist and two-time PhilPop grand prize

'Rak of Aegis' continues to capture the hearts of the Filipino audience through outstanding performances and heartwarming story that features classic hits from Filipino pop-rock band Aegis.

winner Yumi Lacsamana (ensemble); and up and coming theater artists Ashe Uy, Marynor Madamesila, Lemuel Silvestre, and Gerard Dy as members of the ensemble.

Another exciting attraction is the comeback of the star-studded line-up of original cast members including Aicelle Santos and Kim Molina as Aileen, Isay Alvarez-Seña and Sweet Plantado-Tiongson as Mary Jane, Robert

Seña and Renz Verano as Kiel, Kakai Bautista and Neomi Gonzales as Mercy, Jerald Napoles, Pepe Herrera and Joshua Bulot as Tolits,Myke Salomon, Poppert Bernadas and Vince Lim as Kenny, and Ron Alfonso and Jimi Marquez as Jewel.

Digital services leader PLDT Home partners with the PETA) to bring back the all-original Filipino musical. It is staged also in partnership

with Organisasyon ng mga Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) and The PhilPop MusicFest Foundation (Philpop). It will run until Sept. 29.

Join the fun at everyone’s favorite Barangay Venezia. Get your tickets at ticketworld.com.ph. For more information, check out PLDT Home on Facebook (facebook.com/PLDTHome), Twitter (@PLDTHome) and Instagram (@pldthome). Photos by Teddy Pelaez

'Rak of Aegis Season 7' features a star-studded line-up of original cast members including (from left) Robert Seña as Kiel, Aicelle Santos as Aileen, Isay Alvarez-Seña as Mary Jane, and Pepe Herrera as Tolits.

Eleven vs. Philippine monsters

Millie Bobby Brown in a scene from 'Stranger Things‘ Season 3

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, July 15, 2019

ACROSS 1 Pasture plaints 5 Put under the mattress, perhaps 9 Cakelike cookie 12 Lean against 13 Platitude 15 Folk wisdom 16 Coolidge or Gam 17 Rock climber’s device 18 Feedbag morsels 19 “Quo Vadis” co-star 20 “The Raven” poet 21 Need for water 23 Confidential 25 Potatoes partner 26 Term of endearment 27 Most succinct 30 Beseeches 33 Stay near the shore 34 Tiers 36 Uris novel “The —” 37 Guacamole base 40 Personal history 41 Heck!

43 Wanted GI 44 Tidies up

46 Expels air 48 Wernher — Braun 49 Untamed 50 Black-footed critter 53 Feast 56 Baby fox 57 Sunburn remedy 59 Co. honcho 60 Boor 62 Sell 63 Blushing 64 Trunk contents 65 Tennyson heroine 66 Fr. holy woman 67 Puts a stop to 68 Frilly DOWN 1 Currency replaced by the euro 2 Drama awards 3 Bizarre 4 Stiff 5 Take place 6 Foolish person 7 Calendar info 8 I, to Claudius 9 Male raccoon 10 The A in BA 11 Sack out 14 Went inside 15 Dillydally 22 Possesses

24 Diva — Ponselle 25 Award for valor 27 Tortilla treats 28 Expresses grief 29 Annoying person 30 Prof’s degree 31 Less cooked than medium 32 Comet rival 33 Dazzled 35 Distress signal 38 Where streams flow 39 Smell

42 Strike with something flat 45 Come apart 47 Feel under par 48 Nixes 50 Oslo sight (var.)

51 Ms. Verdugo 52 Old-fashioned remedy 53 Gym counts 54 Toll-booth site 55 Mr. Roddenberry 56 Mongol ruler 58 Whirling water 61 Chest-beater

STRANGER Things star Millie Bobby Brown is no stranger (pun unintended) to fighting off the evil creatures from the Upside Down. But how would the real-life Eleven fare against the mythical and also very real monsters of the Philippines?

In a fun interview, which streams on Netflix’s Facebook page, Millie reacts to the blood-sucking and heart-eating manananggal, the creepy half-man and half-horse tikbalang, and even the dreaded Manila traffic.

Also in separate clip, also on the Facebook page of the streaming giant, check out Netflix Philippines’ new episode of Secret Filipino Files, where Tom Dela Cruz proves Gaten Matarazzo (“Dustin”), Sadie Sink (“Max”), Noah Schnapp (“Will”), and Caleb McLaughlin (“Lucas”) are secretly Pinoy child stars.

All episode of Stranger Things 3 is now available for stream and download Netflix.

PBA Legend and comedian-actor Benjie Paras with Neil Gregori Garen, Janine Arana, and Peachy Tiu.

BENJIE PARAS renews contract with JDI and SureSeal WELL-KNOWN actor, comedian, and retired professional basketball player Benjie Paras once more renewed his ties with Jardine Distribution, Inc. (JDI) and SureSeal Elastomeric Sealant in a contract signing with Peachy Tiu, JDI Construction Supplies Division AVP, last June 6 at Chili’s Bar and Restaurant in San Juan City.

As a family man, certified doit-yourself enthusiast, and skilled “handyman around the house,” Paras has always trusted JDI products and services, particularly SureSeal Elastomeric Sealant, which he uses to effectively repair leaks in the house.

“I am grateful to JDI and SureSeal for making me an endorser for the fourth consecutive year. As I have mentioned before, I was a longtime SureSeal user before I signed up to pitch for the product. I can assure all homeowners that you will be in good hands when you use it,” Paras stated during the contract signing.

SureSeal, an elastomeric, solventrelease, temperature curing sealant, is applied in various substrates as an effective sealing and bonding agent.

When cured, it transforms into a strong, rubber-like gasket that offers reasonable contraction, motion, and expansion of connected elements without losing adhesion.

Best used in GI roofing, PVC pipes, downspouts and gutters, SureSeal is made of polychloroprene rubber, resulting in very tough adhesion of joined substrates. It is also available at a much affordable price compared to other elastomeric sealants.

Jardine’s line of Waterproofing, Adhesive and Sealants, Wood Preservative and Protection, and Home Pest Solutions are available at leading supermarkets (Shopwise, Rustans, Wellcome), DIY stores (Handyman, Ace, Citi, and Wilcon), and in your nearest hardware store, among others.

Jardine products are also available online at https://www.lazada.com. ph/shop/jardine-distribution-inc/.

For more information, go towww. jardinedistribution.com.ph.

A deeply...

From C4

Providing lifetime financial security “Kaakbay” is Sun Life’s latest effort geared towards renewing its commitment to becoming the Filipinos’ lifetime financial partner and its purpose of providing its clients with lifetime financial security, which it has been championing since it introduced life insurance in the Philippines in 1895.

“Providing our clients with lifetime financial security is the core of our mission. In fact, Sun Life pioneered life insurance in the Philippines 124 years ago so that Filipinos can enjoy its benefits.

This advocacy is complemented by our products and services, which we have diversified through the years to serve even their health and wealth needs,” Lopa said. “And we will not stop there.

As our clients’ lifetime partner, Sun Life will continue to innovate and improve so we may serve our clients better.”

Piolo, a long-time client and brand ambassador of the company, highlighted that his own relationship with Sun Life is truly one that can be defined as a lifetime partnership. “Sun Life has been my lifetime partner in every step of my journey. A ‘kaakbay’ in every way. With their help, I’ve been able to secure a brighter future not just for myself, but for my family as well,” he said. “I hope that my story, as well as that of my fellow ambassadors, will encourage more Filipinos to pursue financial security and live healthier lives with Sun Life as their lifetime partner.”

Entertainment

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

C4

MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019

Campaign on finding lifetime partners launched

Comedian Michael V and actress Dawn Zulueta in a scene from the drama, 'Family History.'

SunLife's 'Kaakbay: Stories of Lifetime Partnerships' ambassadors (from left) Inigo Pascual, Enchong Dee, Charo Santos-Concio, Piolo Pascual, and Matteo Guidicelli

PIOLO Pascual, Inigo Pascual, Enchong Dee, Matteo Guidicelli, and Charo Santos-Concio have revealed who their lifetime partners are in a deeply personal campaign, which they co-created with Sun Life Financial.

Dubbed “Kaakbay: Stories of Lifetime Partnerships,” the campaign is a set of videos which shows how their lives were made brighter with the help of their respective lifetime partners, who believed in them, supported them, and inspired them.

“It was a very emotional experience developing my video with Sun Life,” Enchong confessed. “When I saw the finished product, I couldn’t help but cry.”

Matteo had the same sentiment. “This is as real as it gets. The authenticity of emotions was clearly captured in the videos, and I look forward to sharing it with everyone,” he said.

Meanwhile, Charo marveled at the experience of sharing her own story. “Seeing an important part of my life immortalized through the video brought back so many memories that I share with my lifetime partner,” she said. “It was unnerving at first but in the end, it was a beautiful way to pay tribute to someone who impacted my life in so many ways.”

Embodying lifetime partnerships Through the stories of lifetime partnerships shared by Piolo, Inigo, Enchong, Matteo, and Charo, Sun Life hopes to encourage Filipinos to find that partner who will help them shine to their full potential. “Their stories exemplify

the kind of partner Sun Life aims to be for every Filipino pursuing his financial journey,” Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopasaid. “We are committed to helping them make life brighter.”

Lopa emphasized that all the brand ambassadors are long-time Sun Life clients as well. “This brings truthfulness to their testimonies of having found a lifetime partner – a ‘kaakbay’ – in Sun Life in their financial journey. We’re thankful that they supported our vision and permitted us to share their stories to Filipinos,” she said.

The “Kaakbay” videos will be posted on Sun Life’s Youtube channel, @SunLifePH, with a new one premiering every week beginning July 13. Those who will watch the videos will get a chance to win a trip for two to Singapore by sharing their own stories of lifetime partnership on @SunLifePH on Youtube or Facebook. Consolation prizes will also be given away. The full mechanics are available on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the soundtrack for the campaign, also entitled “Kaakbay” which was written and performed by Inigo himself, will soon be hitting airwaves nationwide, while its music video will be shown on Myx. “It’s a song you can dedicate to an important person in your life,” he said. “We don’t always tell our loved ones how much we appreciate them, but I hope that this song and our own ‘Kaakbay’ videos will inspire everyone to express just how much their loved ones mean to them.” Continued on C3

INTERNATIONAL

Mattel unveils David Bowie Barbie doll

British singer David Bowie, pictured in 2002, said 'Space Oddity' was inspired by filmmaker Stanley Kubrik's epic film '2001.'

A LIMITED-EDITION David Bowie Barbie was unveiled Thursday by toymaker Mattel to honor the 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic singer’s hit single “Space Oddity.”

The doll, sporting a striped metallic jumpsuit with matching platform red boots and cosmic accessories, symbolizes Bowie’s bisexual alien messenger alter-ego Ziggy Stardust.

“In a definitive celebration of two pop culture icons, Barbie honors the ultimate pop chameleon, English singer, songwriter, and actor, David Bowie, whose dramatic musical transformations continue to influence and inspire,” Mattel said in

introducing the $50 doll.

It added that the collectible was a tribute to “the cultural legacy of the musical genius who redefined rock and roll.”

The singer, who died in 2016, had said that his classic 1969 single “Space Oddity” was inspired by filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s epic film “2001,” which was released a year earlier.

Mattel this week also launched a doll of astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, the European Space Agency’s only active female astronaut, as part of a project to inspire more girls to explore careers in science and technology. AFP

GMA Pictures returns to movie production with a FAMILY DRAMA

The whole cast of GMA Pictures and Mic Test Entertainment's latest big-screen offering.

A

FTER a few years in VERY hiatus, GMA Network’s WANG film outfit is back in NICKIE the game with a heart-warming WANG movie about the values of life, marriage, and love that will always lead you home.

Entitled Family History, the film which is a co-production between GMA Pictures and Mic Test Entertainment, is written, produced, and directed by multi-awarded comedian and content creator Michael V. “I realized it wasn’t easy. I thought at first it would be easy. When we started, that was when I saw the problems coming in, like the location. But with the help of everyone, we were able to do it,” shares Michael V who marks a milestone in his career by wearing many hats for a project.

The big screen project also stars Dawn Zulueta, Miguel Tanfelix, and Bianca Umali,, with the special participation of Dingdong Dantes and multi-awarded comedienne and TV host Eugene Domingo.

In the movie, Michael V takes on the lead role as Alex Dela Cruz, a happily married man who finds himself at a crossroad in his life when a life-changing disease challenges his marriage to his wife, May, portrayed Dawn.

“Love, respect for one another. You still make an effort for our partner. I think that’s important, that you keep the flame alive. Aside from having quality time, it’s important that you also really make the time for your family. They’re only children for the 10 percent of their life, then 20 percent as young adults.

It’s a very short period,” the returning Kapuso actress says of the valuable lessons moviegoers can learn from the film.

The cast and the people behind the film are optimistic that the audience would have a takeaway and appreciate the message imbedded in Family History’s plot. Michale V, for instance, is positive that the trailer alone would already pique the interest of moviegoers.

“Although the trailer doesn’t give much of how the story would unfold, it offers the audience something to pique their interest. I believe I know my audiences, they are my captured market.

But for those who are not my audience,

hopefully, we can capture them, too,” Michale V states.

Also part of the stellar cast are John Estrada, Paolo Contis, Nonie Buencamino, Kakai Bautista, Ina Feleo, Mikoy Morales,Nikki Co, Jemwell Ventenilla, and Vince Gamad.

Family History unspools in cinemas

nationwide on July 24. *** Kilig overload in GMA’s ‘U Prince Series’ As part of GMA Heart of Asia’s 16th anniversary, U Prince Series offers two Lakorn love stories that tickle the heartstrings of Filipino viewers in The Handsome Cowboy and The Gentle Vet. The Handsome Cowboy follows the story of two people who are connected in the past and will reunite in an unlikely setting. In the International University of Central Asia, also known as IUCA, opposites will attract through a down-to-earth girl named Bella (Esther Supreeleela) and the arrogant playboy Steve (Push Puttichai Kasetsin). Will they find their second chance and find harmony with each other?

Meanwhile, The Gentle Vet will make you believe that love will rise above differences. Stacy (Punpun Sutatta Udomsilp), a girl who is afraid of the rain, will catch the attention of Jason (Kang Vorakorn Sirisorn), who is an adventurous second-year veterinary student.

Catch these back-to-back love stories, Monday to Friday, 9:50 a.m. only on GMA-7