Manila Standard - 2019 July 26 - Friday

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Panelo flip-flops on China’s claim

NAVAL ASSETS.

Filipino coast guards demonstrate the capability of newly acquired rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) after the turnover and blessing ceremony on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

The Philippine Coast Guard has acquired 12 units of RHIBs among other assets to enhance its disaster response, maritime security, intercept tasks and patrol operations amid alleged incursions into Philippine waters by foreign fishing vessels.

Norman Cruz

Beijing ‘in possession’ remark slapped down

By MJ Blancaflor and Rey E. Requejo

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HE President’s top legal adviser on Thursday said the Philippines does not recognize China’s claim to territories in the West Philippine Sea, a day after he said Beijing had “legal and constructive possession” of the disputed areas.

“Of course not! We’re not [recognizing their possession]. As far as we’re concerned, we’ve been ruled to be owning that portion of territory or we have [an] exclusive right to particular territories,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing Thursday.

Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday urged Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin to disown Panelo’s earlier statement, saying it was prejudicial to the Philippines’ position in its maritime dispute with China.

Carpio, who has been in the forefront of advocating the country’s maritime interest in the SCS, warned that Panelo’s statement if not denied would bind the Philippines and consequently diminish the 2016 Arbitral Award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China’s nine-dash-line claim in favor of the Philippines.

“It’s very serious because China will always cite the statement of the chief presidential legal counsel that ‘the Philippines has admitted that

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 162 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FOI, ‘endo’ bills in priority list, Palace insists

By MJ Blancaflor and Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is not giving up on a freedom of information bill—and may “tweak” or veto proposed legislation to ban the practice of terminating workers at the of end of their contracts (or “endo”) to avoid regularizing them, the Palace said Thursday.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo offered these assessments after the President failed to mention either bill in his fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday.

Panelo said the President is not dropping his campaign promise to pass FOI into law, which would give the public easier access to public documents.

“The fact is, he issued an executive order on freedom of information precisely to show Congress that it takes only political will to do that and he showed it by example,” he told Palace reporters.

President Duterte signed an executive order establishing the freedom of information three weeks after he had

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Metro mayors given 45 days to remove traffic roadblocks

By Joel E. Zurbano FOLLOWING President Rodrigo Duterte’s orders during his recent fourth State of the Nation Address, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año will issue a memorandum giving mayors across the country 45 days to clear national roads of traffic obstructions or face sanctions or suspensions.

This developed as the Metro Manila Council convened Thursday for the first time since the May midterm elections to

discuss possible solutions to the perennial traffic problem of the metropolis.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called on the President to certify as urgent the Proof-of-Parking Space bill, which he filed, to ease traffic in the big city.

“I hope President Duterte will certify this bill as urgent, as it is very much aligned with his vision of alleviating the constant struggles of the commuting public,” Gatchalian said.

Also, The Lilac Center for Public Interest said the Duterte administration

should consider building the Integrated Pasig River Viaduct Elevated Highway and Personal Rapid System.

The system, already endorsed by an accredited private contractor to the Department of Public Works and Highways two years ago, is touted to cut travel time from Manila to Pasig to just 30 minutes, and reduce traffic volume along the congested Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or EDSA by 39 percent.

During his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duterte told all mayors to

By Maricel V. Cruz

Blanket powers for BOC mulled SENATOR Panfilo Lacson told Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to ask President Rodrigo Duterte for blanket authority to fight the alleged massive corruption in the agency, the lawmaker revealed Thursday.

Meanwhile, Ombudsman Samuel Martires proposed to include the private sector in the Office of the Ombudsman’s scope of graft investigations—and called on lawmakers to consider his suggestion.

In a radio interview with DZMM, Lacson said that when Guerrero visited his office, the senator told the Customs chief to ask the President for blanket authority “even for three months” to prove his worth in combatting corruption.

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Romualdez bill eases process of annulment

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By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

“reclaim all public roads that are being used for private ends.”

The Metro Manila Council, composed of 17 mayors and local executives in the National Capital Region, is the governing board and policy-making body of the Metro Manila Development Authority.

In attendance were mayors Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (Manila); Ma. Josefina Belmonte (Quezon City); Ma. Victor Sotto (Pasig); Tobias Tiangco (Navotas); Imelda Calixto-Rubiano (Pasay);

45-DAY ULTIMATUM. The Metro Manila Council composed of local chief executives in the National Capital Region is joined by the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Department of the Interior and Local Government in discussing testy issues on metropolitan traffic at the MMDA headquarters in Makati. On orders of President Duterte, the mayors are given a 45-day deadline to remove illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions from the roads and ease traffic flow. Manny Palmero

A BILL proposing civil recognition of all church-decreed annulments to make them accessible and not expensive to many Filipinos has been filed at the House of Representatives.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez filed House Bill 11577 recognizing the civil effects of church annulment.

“Priests, pastors, imams and rabbis who solemnize marriage must have the authority to solemnize granted by the State,” the Romualdez couple said in defending the measure, or ‘‘An Act Recognizing the Civil Effects of Church Annulment, Declaration of Nullity and Dissolution of Marriages and for other Purposes.’’

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‘Tele-trial’ tested Whistleblower’s lawyer eyes Robredo impeachment in September—SC

By Rey E. Requejo, Rio N. Araja and MJ Blancaflor THE lawyer for a whistleblower who accused the opposition of being behind a series of online videos discrediting the President and his family said Thursday he would file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Leni Robredo if she is indicted on sedition and inciting to

Great granny for the future GERMAN great-grandmother Lisel Heise’s ambition to enter politics crystalized a few years before her 100th birthday, when organizers of a public hearing cut off her microphone.

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sedition charges.

Larry Gadon, lawyer of Peter Joemel Advincula alias “Bikoy,” who has accused Robredo, other opposition leaders and members of the clergy of planning a campaign to destabilize and oust President Rodrigo Duterte, said he would initiate an impeachment complaint against the vice president if the Justice department finds probable cause to indict her.

“That is one of the direction we may take. If Mrs. Robredo is indicted then that would be the next step—the impeachment proceedings against her.

That’s the plan, but that’s my plan only.

OSG [The Office of the Solicitor General] is not involved,” Gadon, a known Duterte supporter, said in an interview the with ABS-CBN news channel ANC.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure which seeks to increase the excise tax on tobacco products by P5 annually.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the President signed Republic Act No. 11346 to address the “urgent

THE Supreme Court will test in September a video-based system that would allow high-risk detainees to stand trial and testify in criminal cases without having to leave their jail cells.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez revealed on Thursday that

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DENGUE WATCH

New law hikes cigarette tax by P5

By MJ Blancaflor

By Rey E. Requejo

115,986 cases from January 1

need” to protect the right to health of the Filipino people and to maintain a broader fiscal space.

The bill also covers heated tobacco products and vapor products.

Certified urgent by the President, the measure was expected to bring in P15 billion in revenues that will boost funding Next page

to July 6

86 % higher than the 62,267 cases recorded in 2018 for the same period 491 deaths

Western Visayas has highest number of cases at 15,826 and deaths at 89

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FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Selective’ death penalty pushed

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

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OME senators want the death penalty imposed only on heinous crimes like drug trafficking, but others are open to including plunder in it.

share the death penalty with the drug pushers.

Senator Risa Hontiveros says instead of the death penalty to curb heinous crimes, the solution lies in reforming our justice and criminal system.

In his last years as a mayor, Gatchalian says, he has seen drug lords hire the best lawyers to defend themselves because they have money.

Even if they are in prison, Gatchalian says, they can still run their businesses.

“So my view here is let’s go finish the root cause of illegal drugs, which is the drug lords. That’s why my death penalty bill is limited to drug traffick-

ing, which is the drug lords,” he said.

Asked if he is amenable to include plunderers, Gatchalian said he was open to discussing it.

But Gatchalian believes the death penalty bill will stand a better chance in the Senate if it is limited to highvolume drug trafficking because these people have the capacity to defend themselves.

If they get convicted, he says, the death penalty will eventually end the root cause of drugs.

“We are not talking about grams, we are talking about hundreds and thousands of kilos of drugs,” Gatchalian said.

Senator Win Gatchalian, one of those who filed the death penalty bill, wants the capital punishment limited to the drug lords involved in high-volume drug trafficking.

Senator Joel Villanueva, son of the founder and leader of Jesus Is Lord, favors reimposing the death penalty on plunder and rape, but he says he does

not trust the country’s justice system.

Senator Manny Pacquiao, known for his “biblical verses,” says they are yet to tackle the manner by which the death penalty will be implemented.

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday recommended that the law enforcers who will be found guilty of planting evidence in anti-drug operations should

P3-m bounty for capture of cops’ killer

DOH teams sort out P295-m overstocking mess ment teams have been collaborating to resolve the issues on overstocking, distribution and warehousing of drugs, among other things.

Funds have been allocated to pay rent for warehouses and the hauling of commodities to facilitate immediate drug distribution.

COA earlier reported that the Health department had been distributing nearly expired drugs and medicines since January 2019.

But all stocks of filariasis kits, CD4 cartridge kits, Tuberculin PPD and

Japanese Encephalitis vaccines have already been distributed.

As for the remaining stocks of micronutrient powder sachets (84,100,140 units from 157,060,620 units), these will be distributed to Health department hospitals for pediatric patients, nongovernment organizations, orphanages and miners positive for mercury.

The Health department will likewise provide the sachets to the Supplementary Feeding Program and Reception and Study Centers for Children.

During his 4th State of the Nation Address, Duterte said that China is already “in possession” of the South China Sea. However, the country’s defense and security officials immediately clarified the President’s remark.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Tuesday said China was just “in position” in the South China Sea as it had established its presence in key areas. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana supported Esperon’s statement.

Carpio said an admission that China is in possession of the South China Sea would mean that the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which is mandated to protect the country’s territory, “have been remiss.”

“If you say in possession then one: the Armed Forces of the Philippines— tasked under the Constitution to protect our national territory, to protect or exclusive economic zone—have been

remiss, they have not performed their duty,” he said.

“I’m happy that Secretary Lorenzana and Secretary Esperon have taken the position of clarifying that it is not possession, it’s position. And because they understand the consequence,” Carpio added.

“That is like telling to the Armed Forces ‘You have not performed your duty’. So, I think for them [Esperon and Lorenzana], they cannot accept that, and I agree with them, and factually that is not correct because China is not in actual possession,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Palace refused to state its position about a Chinese warship. which passed through the Sibutu Passage near Tawi-Tawi, which is within the Philippines’ archipelagic and territorial waters.

Panelo said he would leave the matter to Locsin.

“That’s his turf,” he said.

road network has problem of congestion because of sidewalks and streets being occupied by illegal structures or illegal occupants,” he said.

Densing also asked the mayors to direct their city councils to start reviewing traffic management ordinances with provisions that allow structures on sidewalks—and amend them to prohibit their existence, thus clearing the way for pedestrians.

Año is set to issue the memo to local chief executives that will be used as the basis of compliance to Duterte’s directives during his recent SONA, the undersecretary added.

“Secretary Año wants a deadline of 45 days from date of issuance [of the memo],” Densing said.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim, who presided over the MMC meeting, asked the mayors to start with national roads, Mabuhay lanes, and identified roads in their cities that serve as alternative routes.

“For the identified routes, no parking and illegal structures must be allowed then we can deal with the side streets later,” said Lim. He gave the mayors a copy of the 17 Mabuhay Lane routes, which serve as alternatives for private vehicles to avoid EDSA. Lim also proposed converting open spaces in cities into parking areas for motorists who do not their own parking spaces. With Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

Guerrero should then use this authority to choose his own people at Customs, a basic tenet in leadership training, the senator stressed.

Without it, Lacson said the former Armed Forces chief would have a “very tough job” cleansing the agency under the Department of Finance.

The senator clarified he is not trying

to meddle with the President’s prerogative to make appointments at the BOC, even after Duterte recently dismissed 64 Customs officials—including Guerrero’s own chief of staff—for alleged corrupt practices.

“If you’re given responsibility, there should be commensurate authority. If you were lacking in authority and the mandate for responsibility, that’s a sure formula for failure. Your people would not obey you, even your deputy, if they’re not your appointee,” he ex-

plained.

“So siga-siga yan (they’ll act as bullies). You won’t be able to rein them in.

But if he (Guerrero) has blanket authority and he knows that he won’t be overruled by Malacañang or his immediate boss at the SOF (Secretary of Finance), there you will see a person’s capacity to lead,” the senator stressed.

If Guerrero fails in this job, Lacson—a former national police chief himself—said the President can always take back the blanket authority.

obstruction of justice against Robredo, opposition Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, and several other members of the opposition.

Advincula said he is the hooded figure “Bikoy” in the “Totoong Narcolist” viral videos that linked President Rodrigo Duterte’s family and allies to the narcotics trade.

After his arrest on a separate case of estafa, Advincula said he was paid to appear in the videos, allegedly masterminded by opposition members who wanted to remove the President to pave the way for Robredo.

Gadon said his client has a lot of evidence including e-mails and text messages between Advincula and the respondents to prove his allegations.

The Robredo camp on Thursday said the sedition case filed against her was politically motivated harassment.

Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesman, challenged Gadon’s plan to file an impeachment rap against the vice president should she be indicted for sedition.

“This is a clear indicator of what their agenda [is]. This criminal case [filed against her] is no ordinary case. It is based on an orderly investigation. It is clearly politically motivated,” he said.

The high court is also planning to have the system applied in civil cases From A1 to allow overseas Filipino workers to testify without going home, he added.

The tele-hearing system would make use the “tele-hearing” system will be pilot of videoconferencing technology to allow tested in Davao City.

“This would allow detainees to testify the remote testimonies and appearances of in court without them leaving their deten- those facings charges and still in jail.

According to Marquez, the equiption cells,” Marquez said in an interview.

ment necessary to conduct the telehearing, such as laptops and monitors, were already installed in the hearing room of the Davao City Jail.

A 100-foot monopole tower with necessary equipment was also built within the Davao Hall of Justice compound and will be connected to the three jail facilities in the city.

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday raised anew the reward money for either death or capture of the murderers of four police officers in Negros Oriental.

From P1.3 million, the Chief Executive has raised the bountry to P3 million for the immediate arrest of those behind the murders of police personnel in Ayungon town in Negros Oriental.

“Just bring to me the head of that s** ** * ***ch,” President Duterte said in his speech in Ilocos Sur during the inaguration of a major road in Candon City.

The slain policemen were Cpl. Relebert Beronio and patrolmen Raffy Callao, Ruel Cabellon, and Marquinto de Leon.

They served as intelligence personnel of the 704th Mobile Force Company of the Philippine National Police in Central Visayas.

They were shot in the head while hogtied on July 18, allegedly by rebels from the New People’s Army.

Ayungon Police Chief Capt. Romel Luga identified the suspects as Victoriano Bangala Anadon Jr., Jonathan Baldivino, Rengie Anadon Baluhabo, Gelie Anadon Ebedo, Joseph Torres Ogates and Jelly Anadon Ebedo.

Duterte said that if the bounty has reached P15 million and the murderers were still at large, he will order the persecution of any NPA leader.

“If it has reached fifteen million, just bring to me any leader. Kill him,” Duterte said.

New law...

From A1

for the Universal Health Care Law and health programs that will be determined by the Department of Health.

Revenues will also be allocated and divided among the tobacco-producing provinces.

From the current P35, a pack of cigarettes will be priced at 45 next year.

It will be sold to P50 per pack in 2021, P55 in 2022, and P60 starting Jan. 1, 2023.

Heated tobacco products or e-cigarettes will be taxed P10 per pack beginning Jan. 1, 2020 and a 5-percent yearly increase will be effective Jan. 1, 2021.

For vapor products, individual cartridge, refill, pod or container of its liquid solutions or gel will be charged P10 per 10 milliliters.

If the product being sold is more than 50 ml, it will be charged P50 excise tax plus P10 per additional 10 ml.

Whistleblower’s...

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Gadon denied that the administration is behind the charges against Robredo and other opposition leaders.

Gadon, who filed the impeachment complaint that eventually paved the way for the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, also denied that he was working for the Duterte administration.

The Philippine National Police has used Advincula’s sworn affidavit to file charges of sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal and

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Health department said Thursday it is taking action on the P 295.767 million in nearly expired drugs and medicines reported by the Commission on Audit.

It asked the public to continue to work toward improving access to health care services, including drugs and medicines, as it pushes for the full implementation of Universal Health Care.

Following the COA’s recommendations in the 2018 report, Health depart-

Panelo...

From A1

we [China] are in legal possession and therefore that ruling will not apply anymore, because this is a subsequent statement of the Philippines’,” Carpio told CNN Philippines.

Both the President and the Department of Foreign Affairs secretary have the duty to reject Panelo’s statement, he said.

“Secretary Panelo added that this is the thinking of the President that China [is in] legal possession. So it’s the duty of the President to disown the statement,” Carpio said.

“Otherwise we will be bound by this statement and China will keep on citing this in the future, every time we assert the ruling they will say ‘Oh, you already admitted we are in legal possession’,” he said.

Metro mayors...

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Francis Zamora (San Juan); Jaime Fresnedi (Muntinlipa); Abigail Binay (Makati); Carmelita Abalos (Mandaluyong); Marcelino Teodoro (Marikina); Antolin Oreta III (Malabon); Oscar Malapitan (Caloocan); Edwin Olivarez (Paranaque); Imelda Aguilar (Las Piñas), and Miguel Ponce III (Pateros).

In the meeting, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III asked the Metro Manila mayors to have an inventory of all public roads in their jurisdiction.

“The inventory of road network can be audited so that we can identify which

Blanket...

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Great granny...

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Heise, who retired from teaching school 40 years ago, was arguing for the reopening of an outdoor pool.

“When I started out, some people really didn’t want to listen to me apparently—they even pulled the plug!” she said, still stunned by the impudence.

“Now people from around the world are coming to talk to me. Who’s laugh-

Romualdez...

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‘Tele-trial’...

“Therefore, if a marriage can be legitimately contracted under the laws of the Church, then it follows that under the same laws, such marriage can also be nullified or annulled.”

Meanwhile, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez has refiled the absolute divorce and civil partner-

Auto trader’s brod indicted for murder

By Rey E. Requejo THE Justice department has indicted of Dennis Sytin for the murder of his brother, businessman Dominic Sytin in March.

The department also found probable cause to file criminal chargests against Edgardo Luib, the self-confessed gunman in the killing.

In its resolution, the DOJ said the three accused conspired to kill Dominic Sytin and injured his driver and bodyguard, Efren Espartero, in an ambush in front of the Lighthouse Hotel in Subic.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the DOJ has asked the Supreme Court to transfer the venue for the proceedings from Olongapo City to Metro Manila.

Earlier, Dennis denied having planned the killing of his brother saying that he is not capable of murder.

“I have no derogatory record. I had no participation or involvement in the murder of my brother, Dominic. I have never met Luib. I did not socialize with Oliver [Fuentes] outside work,” Dennis insisted, referring to another co-accused.

The complaint filed against Sytin is principally based on the statement of Luib, who claimed that the businessman induced him to kill Dominic through Oliver Fuentes.

Contrary to the claim of Luib, Dennis said he was not at the All Hands Beach resort in Subic when they hatched the plan to kill his brother in September 2018.

FOI,...

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assumed office in 2016, but it only covers government offices under the executive branch.

Under the order, a Filipino can make an FOI request as long as he or she presents proof of identification such as a passport or a driver’s license upon the submission of the request.

No person requesting for information shall be denied access unless the information sought “falls under any of the exceptions” covered by existing law or jurisprudence.

But Congress has yet to pass an FOI law that will institutionalize the right to information enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.

The first FOI bill was filed in the Congress 29 years ago.

The FOI saw a push in the 16th Congress when the Senate passed the measure on third and final reading in 2014. But the House of Representatives failed to pass its version, even though then President Benigno Aquino III listed it as a priority bill.

Meanwhile, Panelo said, Duterte will consider the recommendation of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia to “tweak” some of the provisions of the anti-endo bill.

Panelo said the Chief Executive might veto the security of tenure bill if he has “good reasons” to do so.

“If the President feels that the observation of Secretary Pernia is a good reason to vetoing the bill, he will. After all, if you veto the bill, members of Congress can always introduce amendments or pass another bill for the signature of the President—it depends,” Panelo said.

Pernia previously urged improvements in the proposed law to balance the interests of businesses and workers. ing now?”

What changed was Heise’s election, against the odds, to the town council of Kirchheimbolanden in southwestern Germany just weeks after she embarked on her second century on the planet.

It was no accident that the pool galvanized Heise, given two issues close to her heart: Young people and public health.

Those concerns have also dovetailed in another pet cause: Climate protection. AFP ship bills―two of the measures he pushed during his term as Speaker of the House of Representatives―in the 18th Congress.

In the previous Congress, the House approved on third and final reading its version of the absolute divorce bill, then numbered House Bill 7303, but the Senate did not approve it.

The Romualdez couple said the bill will not jeopardize the indissolubility of marriage.

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FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CHR official slams ‘abuses’ in ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ youth centers

By Rio N. Araja

MARIJUANA PLANTATION. A total of 18 marijuana plantation sites were discovered by anti-narcotic operatives at Barangay Loccong, Tinglayan, Kalinga after a three-day operation on July 23-25, 2019. The plantation sites with a total land area of 18, 300 square meters had a total of 251, 500 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants with a total market value of P50, 300, 000.00 that were uprooted and burnt onsite. This is the first eradication operation conducted by operatives in the Region Cordillera for the second semester in the Province of Kalinga for this year under PDEA-CAR Oplan: ‘Linis Barangay Xiii‘ and PNP Oplan: ‘Green Pearl Delta.‘ The successful operation was made through the joint efforts of PDEA-CAR Provincial Offices Kalinga and Apayao, PDEA RO1, PDEA RO2, PDEA 4B, Tinglayan Municipal Police Station, Kalinga Police Provincial Office, PDEU/ PIB, KPMFC 1st and 2nd COY, and RMFB 1503rd COY. PDEA-CAR Photo

Better lives for a third of Filipinos—SWS ABOUT a third of Filipinos surveyed recently by the Social Weather Stations said their lives have improved over the last 12 months, while about one in five said it worsened instead.

The survey, conducted last June 22 to June 26 with results released Thursday, said 36 percent of adult Filipinos saw their lives become better, but 22 percent experienced the opposite, leading to a “very high” net gainers score at plus-13 percent, SWS said in a statement.

Although the score remained “very high” for three consecutive quarters, the survey firm said the June score was 4 points lower to the plus-17 posted last March.

Net gainers score, or the percent of gainers minus the percent of losers, fell in Luzon and Mindanao and among all classes of society, the SWS noted.

“The 4-point decline in the national Net Gainers score in June 2019 was due to decreases in all areas except the Visayas,” it added.

Be united, Go urges SEA Games organizers SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has asked for unity among the organizers of the 30th Southeast Asian Games which will be hosted by the country Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

Go told all conflicting associations to just settle the matter and accept President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision for the sake of the athletes who will represent the country.

“I wish you all much wisdom and the gift of discernment to come up with the best decisions you can make today,” said Go adding that the future of sports in the country is in their hands.

“One team, one goal,” said Go as he cheered the organizers and members of the Philippine team in the meeting. “Let us go for gold.”

During the meeting, it was agreed that the conflicting parties would jointly manage the event. The privately formed Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee Foundation will continue with its functions, which include raising funds from the private sector, the Philippine Olympic Committee will manage the games, while the Philippine Sports Commission will handle the release of government funds.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Plantilla posts sought for day care workers DAY care center workers may expect better benefits once a bill filed at the House of Representatives gets enacted.

House Bill 2173 or the proposed “Magna Carta of Day Care Workers,” authored by Rep. Bernadette HerreraDy of Bagong Henerasyon Partylist, proposes the creation of plantilla positions and security of tenure in day care centers.

Herrera-Dy said day care center workers cater to millions of children, tending to the needs of children while their parents are able to attend to other equally important chores.

“For underprivileged Filipino families, having the option of government day care centers which require little contribution, is a big help,” she said.

Herrera-Dy said that despite the immensity of their work, day care workers receive a measly amount of P500 per month which is insufficient for their daily needs. Maricel V. Cruz

BIR loses bid to collect P9.57-b VAT from PSALM T

By Rey E. Requejo

HE Supreme Court has stopped the Bureau of Internal Revenue from collecting the P9.57 billion in value-added tax it imposed on the Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management Corp. for the sale of power generating assets in 2008.

In a 16-page decision penned by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the SC’s Second Division granted the petition filed

by PSALM seeking for the reversal of the decision rendered by the Court of Tax Appeals on Dec. 2, 2014 which found the latter liable to pay the said amount.

The High Court disagreed with the CTA’s findings that the generating assets of PSALM, such as the Masinloc, Ambuklao-Binga and Pantabangan power plants, fall under “all kinds of goods and properties” subject to VAT under Section 106 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

The BIR had argued that the previous

exemption of National Power Corp. from VAT under Section 13 of Republic Act No. 6395, the law that created the agency, was repealed by Section 24 of Republic Act No. 9337 or the Reformed Value Added Tax Law. As a consequence, the CIR asserted that the VAT exemption accorded to PSALM under BIR Ruling No. 020-02 is also deemed revoked since PSALM is a successor-in-interest of NPC. Besides, the BIR pointed out that prior to the sale, NPC still owned the power plants and not PSALM, which is just considered as the trustee of the NPC properties.

Thus, the sale made by NPC or its

successors-in-interest of its power plants should be subject to the 10 percent VAT beginning Nov. 1, 2005 and 12 percent VAT beginning Feb. 1, 2007, the bureau said.

However, the tribunal held that the BIR’s position is anchored on the wrong premise that PSALM is a successor-ininterest of NPC. The SC said the PSALM is not a successor-in-interest of NPC. The high court stressed that under its charter, the NPC is mandated to “undertake the development of hydroelectric generation of power and the production of electricity from nuclear, geothermal and other sources, as well as the transmission of electric power on a nationwide basis.”

On the other hand, PSALM is a government-owned and -controlled corporation, was created under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 to manage the orderly sale and privatization of NPC’s assets with the objective of liquidating all of NPC’s financial obligations in an optimal manner.

American fugitive faces deportation for abduction

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration has ordered the deportation of a 60-yearold American wanted in Alaska for abducting his two children and bringing them to the Philippines.

The US citizen, identified as Leo James Chaplin, is now detained at the BI detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig City following his arrest inside his boat at the Ocean View Yacht Club in Samal Island, Davao del Norte by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said Chaplin will be deported immediately for being an undesirable and undocumented alien.

“He is also the subject of an arrest warrant issued by a US district court in Alaska for international parental kidnapping,” Morente said.

Chaplin was reportedly accused of abducting his two children whom he brought to the Philippines in 2014 without their mother’s knowledge and consent.

According to BI intelligence officer and FSU chief Bobby Raquepo, Chaplin arrived in the country four years ago and had illegally stayed here since April 2017 when his working visa expired.

“He then went into hiding upon learning of the arrest warrant that was issued to him by the Alaska court,” Raquepo said.

A US federal law, the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act of 1993, penalizes the act of removing a child from the US or retaining a child outside the US with the intent to obstruct a parent’s custodial rights, or to attempt to do so. It is punishable by up to three years in prison.

Raquepo said that Chaplin can no longer return to the Philippines upon his deportation as his name was already placed in the BI’s blacklist.

SOLDIERING ON. Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu makes a clarion call to delegates of a forum held in Davao City recently to ‘soldier on against climate change.’

Cimatu said meeting head-on climate-change related challenges through a whole-ofnation approach has spawned encouraging results as seen in the Boracay and Manila Bay rehabilitation programs of the government. Cimatu is the chairman of the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation and Disaster Risk Reduction.

SSS to speed up services thru e-channels THE state-run Social Security System on Tuesday said it will further improve its services through the digitalization of its core and business processes.

SSS president and chief executive officer Aurora C. Ignacio said the digitalization and the process of acquiring new digital infrastructure for the improvement of its services to its members and pensioners have commenced even prior to her assumption to office. During her term, she aims to fast-track the full transition of SSS core and business processes to digitalization.

“As mandated by our Social Security Commission ex-officio chairperson Carlos G. Dominguez in his first order of business when he took office last March, he instructed to speed up the transition to the digitalization process. This is one of his priority policies under the new charter of the pension fund,” Ignacio said.

At present, SSS services such as online application for SS number issuance,

Payment Reference Number (PRN) inquiry and generation, employment report submission, submission of contribution (R-3) and loan collection lists (ML-2), salary loan application, certification of salary loan application, as well as filing of maternity and sickness notification, can now be made through different electronic and self-service facilities of the pension fund.

These electronic and self-service channels of the SSS include the SSS Website—My.SSS, SSS Mobile App, Self-Service Express Terminal (SET), Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and Text-SSS. Other services that may be done using these channels are filing of retirement claim applications, requests for branch appointment, inquiry on the location of SSS branches, feedback submission, inquiry on SS information, PESO fund enrollment, Flexi-fund enrollment and requesting of records.

THE Commission on Human Rights on Thursday expressed disappointment on the alleged abuses in Bahay Pag-asa centers, the youth-care facilities which are supposed to provide rehabilitation and intervention to children-in-conflict with the law.

“We remind again the government to take to heart its duty to uphold the welfare of children through policies and actions that genuinely nurtures their value and potential, uphold their dignity, and help them envision a better future for themselves,” lawyer-spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said in a statement.

While Bahay Pag-asa centers are meant to reform and rehabilitate children-in-conflict with the law, there have been news on supposed abuses, mistreatment and subhuman conditions in such centers, she said. “[It] is gravely alarming,” she added.

Shelters that are meant to reform children should be the last place that would further victimize them and cultivate negative behaviors in them, she said.

“Children-in-conflict with the law are victims of circumstances and dark elements in society that take advantage of their vulnerability,” she said.

According to De Guia, rehabilitation is crucial for the reformation of children so they could go back to their community and become productive members of society.

“Their plight must be given priority through the full, genuine, and rigorous implementation of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act,” she said.

Out of the 114 Bahay Pag-asa centers, there are only 58 operational centers, while only eight have been accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“The shortage and alleged inhuman conditions and abuses must be addressed expediently. Further, the proposal to lower the minimum age of criminal liability will only worsen these existing problems,” De Guia said.

DENR partners with NGO to clean up Estero de Marala THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. are joining forces to clean up Estero de Marala that drains into the Manila Bay. Secretary Roy Cimatu underscored the importance of collaboration among the national government agencies, non-government organizations, local government units and the community in rehabilitating Manila Bay and its tributaries.

“The parties to this [agreement] will develop a comprehensive program to reduce the degradation of this estero.

But because this estero is linked to other water bodies, their cleanup, too, will be part of the equation,” he said.

“That will also require coordination with other barangays and LGUs, and the communities along the banks of these water bodies,” he added.

Gretchen Fontejon-Enarle, PCAPI president, said environmental protection is not only the duty of the government, but all stakeholders.

“This partnership signifies the importance, the essence of PCAPI, and hoping it will become a benchmark for other associations and organizations to do the same and take part in different environmental advocacies in order to address current environmental issues,” she said.

The 2.7-kilometer Estero de Marala is located on the boundary of the cities of Navotas and Manila.

It is linked to the Estero de Vitas in the south, Estero de Maypad in the north, and Estero de Maypajo in the east.

PCAPI is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization formed in June 1980 to work hand in hand with the government in the protection of the environment, and prevention, abatement and control of land, air and water pollution.

It adopted Estero de Marala under the DENR’s enhanced adopt-an-estero program that aims to collaborate between and among estero communities, donor partners, local government units, other government agencies and the DENR. Rio N. Araja

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Opinion

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Change, and the enemy within IN MY column last week, I expressed what I hoped the President would address in the SONA. To reiterate, I emphasized the need to catalyze development in the countryside. Quezon province is the 8th largest province in the Philippines and the largest in Calabarzon. As Quezon governor, I am hopeful that the commitments of the President will be fulfilled, and the benefits will be felt at the grassroots level.

The President’s speech challenges us all.

Presi In last Monday’s SONA, the President declared war on corruption. In matters of spending public funds, underutilization was a thorny issue in several government departments during budget deliberations. Corruption issues cast a heavy shadow when it comes to underspending, whether such allegations are justified or not.

With the President’s zero tolerance for corruption, issues of underspending will hopefully be a thing of the past. Government spending should achieve its intended goals efficiently and with full accountability and transparency.

Among the President’s legislative

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

agenda, I look forward to the immediate passage and implementation of the Magna Carta for Barangays, which should include retirement benefits.

This has been my advocacy as congressman in recognition of the contribution of barangay officials and employees to the peace and order in their communities. Barangays are at the forefront of public service and important partners in the growth and development of cities and provinces. With the enactment of the Magna Carta, the barangay shall be more equipped and effective in the performance of its functions, delivery of public services, and contribution to nation-building.

An empowered barangay, in the long run, will be able to increase its productivity and gainful opportunities for its citizens.

The President also emphasized the importance of the National Land Use Act to local government units.

Through this Act, we will be able to utilize idle lands and maximize its potential for agriculture and fisheries, and properly allocate considerable land for resettlement. I have always believed that all lands, except protected lands and lands belonging to indigenous peoples, should be fully utilized and developed in order to bring progress to the countryside.

Meanwhile, the establishment of the Coconut Levy Trust Fund will be a big help to the coconut industry.

With the recent Court declaration that these funds are public in nature, it is only rightful that these be devoted to its ultimate purpose of developing the coconut industry and aiding coconut farmers. Research and de-

LGUs should get Duterte’s cue

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's directive to local government units is clear and unmistakable. They should promote investments in their respective areas and ease the environment of doing business in the Philippines.

Mr. Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address Monday, wants to reduce the period of processing business permits to just three days. "I am directing you publicly. All clearances, permits emanating from your office that would also need your approval, must be out, at the very least in three days," Duterte said in his speech.

LGUs should view Mr. Duterte's directive as marching orders from a superior, who has time and again fired officials for ineptness and perceived corruption. It should serve as a fear factor and a warning on LGUs that they should get their act together, cut the red tape and eliminate

a major source of corruption in their level.

President Duterte's order is long overdue. He signed on May 28, 2018 Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Delivery of Government Services Act of 2018, that seeks to make the process of establishing and running a business in the country more efficient and easier. The law amended the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

Many businessmen and entrepreneurs, however, have complained of the tedious process in getting a simple permit from LGUs. It is no surprise then that the Philippines ranked 124th out the 190 economies in the World

Bank's latest Ease of Doing Business report.

The Department of Finance and the Department of the Interior and Local Government recently issued a joint circular providing the guidelines in setting reasonable rates for regulatory fees and other service charges as part of government's efforts to improve the ease of doing business in the country.

The circular seeks to ensure that LGU fees do not unduly burden the public and are imposed only to help local governments recover the costs of services they render, while making them more businessfriendly.

Local executives, meanwhile, must demonstrate their resolve in simplifying the procedures in opening a business in their community and view the greater good. They should discard their parochial view and start acting like a statesman.

Turn to A5

Solar power is the way to go MANY countries have already installed significant solar power capacity into their grids to complement or provide an alternative to conventional energy sources. The trend toward widespread use of renewable energy resources like solar makes eminent sense as it would reduce dependence on expensive imported fuels.

The two chambers of Congress have already approved House Bill 8179, which seeks to grant Solar Para Sa Bayan (SPSB) a non-exclusive right to operate microgrids in unserved or underserved areas in selected provinces at zero cost to government. While power producers see this as a threat to their business, Filipino consumers support its passage into law as this gives them a new choice for electricity.

In fact, an estimated 20 million Filipinos now support the proposed bill, gauging from social media posts that have generated over 2 million likes, comments, and shares. Various local government units have also written Malacañang citing the positive impact of solar projects in their towns and the benefits that’s sure to come if it is approved by legislators. These jibe with the results of a recent Pulse Asia survey showing that 82 percent of Filipinos favor having new options for electric service.

What’s unfortunate, however, is that groups representing the power industry are opposing the bill, which they have labeled a “mega-franchise”.

What they are not saying is that the SPSB franchise is non-exclusive, limited in scope, and will not enjoy any government subsidy. The franchise is necessary to energize unserved and underserved areas. SPSB already operates in 12 towns in 8 provinces, benefiting over 200,000 Filipinos.

HB 8179 will gives consumers a new choice for electricity. With it, consumers can choose between reli-

able, 24/7 service and the poor service provided by existing utilities.

By “choice” we mean real choice, because if unserved or underserved areas do not wish to avail of SPSB’s, then it is their decision to pick the power provider they want. Even if SPSB ends up securing a non-exclusive franchise, nobody will force consumers to pick the one offered by SPSB. This is the essence of genuine choice.

The best part of SPSB’s proposal is it incurs zero cost to the government, and comes with no subsidies and no incentives, unlike existing renewable energy and rural electrification programs.

The very benefit of zero subsidies is the reason the power industry is trying to stop SPSB’s projects, as it shows the government no longer needs to subsidize power companies.

The electric utilities and renewable energy companies opposing HB 8179 are currently receiving billions per year in government subsidies.

The trend toward widespread use of renewable energy resources makes eminent sense.

Co The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Philippine Independent Power Producers Association, and other groups have joined forces to oppose HB 8179. What do they have in common? They represent the interests of self-serving electric utilities. None of them share the sentiments of genuine consumers.

Filipino consumers pay among the highest costs of electricity in Asia, and millions of Filipinos do not even have access to 24/7 electricity. What Filipinos want, and what our government should care about, is what will bring cheaper, better service for the millions Turn to A5

Climate change makes Alpine climbing routes disappear

By Gersende Rambourg HIGH UP in the natural wonder of the French Alps, the climbers who spend their days among the rockfaces and glaciers have come to a grim conclusion: the mountains are falling down around them.

In the Mont Blanc range, a magnet for mountaineers in the summer, many popular routes up or through the peaks have become too dangerous to take because of the risk of falling debris.

"It's going quickly. Ten years ago, I'd have never thought that it would accelerate like this," said Ludovic Ravanel, an academic at the University of Savoie Mont Blanc who has been studying major rockfalls in the area.

"And if you look at the predictions from my climatologist colleagues, for

the next 10 to 20 years, it's only going to get worse," he told AFP. In many areas of western Europe, climate change is happening too slowly to be noticed, although two recordsetting heatwaves in June and July this summer as well as water shortages are focusing minds.

Around Mont Blanc, the warming has already left physical scars.

In 2005, following a major heatwave two years earlier, a huge shard of granite called the Bonatti pillar suddenly collapsed, spewing 292,000 m3 of rock into the valley below and stunning the mountaineering community.

With it went a feature visible from the nearby resort town of Chamonix, as well as the dreams of many climbers hoping to take on a legendary challenge named after celebrated Italian

mountaineer Walter Bonatti.

Major rockfalls on less famous routes continue regularly, without fanfare, and would go unnoticed were it not for the work of researchers like Ravanel who tracked them for his PhD. Occasionally, they register more widely in the climbing community, like a collapse on the Arete des Cosmiques ridge last summer that is often taken by beginners hoping to take on the 4,810-metre Mont-Blanc peak, the highest in western Europe.

"There's not much time left for certain rockfaces," warned 37-year-old Ravanel, whose father was a mountain guide.

The reason is that permafrost—the year-round ice found at high altitude—is melting and with it the glue Turn to A5

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Opinion

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

Duterte and the rich ONE disturbing thread of President Duterte’s July 22, 2019 State of the Nation Address (SONA) was its seeming lack of warmth toward Big Business. A lack of warmth that may seem to some as contempt, in 93 minutes of speech-making.

This apparent contempt is ironic considering that Duterte’s anchor economic modernization and poverty alleviation program is Build, Build, Build (BBB) which calls for 75 major projects, costing a total of P9 billion, to be started or completed within the next three years. That cannot be done without the help or participation of Big Business.

The most critical or urgent of the BBB projects, per House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Joey Salceda’s reckoning, are mostly in or just north and south of Metro Manila, the headquarters of most big companies.

• Metro Subway: Three stations (Tandang Sora, Quirino Highway and North Avenue) of the 15 targeted for operations by 2022. At the same time, they decided to use 21 boring machines.

• PNR South: DOTr has focused on the Calamba-Naga section and using new alignments to reduce protracted resettlement with partial operations up to San Pablo City by 4Q 2021.

• MRT 7: By Q4 2021 from 11 stations from North Avenue to Fairview out of 14 stations over the entire stretch to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

• Clark-Calamba Railways: Out of 36 stations, the 16 stations from Clark to Tutuban will start operations within 2022.

• LRT Cavite: Out of eight stations of the 11-km line, the first five stations in 2021—Baclaran to Bacoor.

Without Big Business’ help or participation, no more than ten of the 75 BBB projects will be started or completed between now and 2022, when Duterte’s six-year term ends.

“Wala akong kaibigang mayaman (I have no rich friends),” the President

Climate...

From A4

that binds together giant slabs of rock.

Retreating glaciers, which are melting under the effect of higher temperatures, are also leaving the peaks more vulnerable and less supported.

Though erosion is a constant natural process—and rockfall has been a danger since climbing began—the effects of climate change are believed by scientists to be speeding up the rate of attrition in the Alps.

Legendary climbs no longer Worries about the impact of shorter winters and hotter summers are commonplace in the ski businesses and mountain refuges where people depend on adventure sports for their livelihoods.

At a high-altitude refuge called Couvercle above the Mer de Glace glacier, conversations among the 50 guides and climbers staying there for the night focused as usual on security.

Many wanted to know if it would re-freeze overnight, making the snow firmer, or whether certain routes were open and safe to pass in the current conditions.

But all of them shared scare stories that they linked to global warming, including a 40-year-old guide from

Solar...

From A4

of our countrymen who have been at the mercy of utilities for so long.

None of the oppositors to HB 8179 can deny the fact that SPSB has already fulfilled its promise to bring cheaper 24/7 power to unserved and underserved areas at zero cost to government. Consumers in these areas chose to leave their previous utilities and switch to SPSB. The duty of the State is not to protect businesses from competition, but to serve Filipinos who have long suffered from inadequate electric service, especially in the case of inefficient electric utilities in unserved and underserved areas.

insisted early in his SONA. “Ayaw kong kaibigan ng mayaman because pagka mayaman ka, tatabi ka lang sa akin, pati ako napahiran na ng… kung ano-ano ang hingiin mo sa gobyerno. (I don’t want to have rich friends because if you are rich and you sidle up to me, even me will be tainted… you will ask for so many things from the government),” Duterte said, clearly distancing himself from the elite of business.

Here are what the President said in his SONA.

Business, but to praise his own cabinet men.

He said: “Through the Build, Build, Build Program in emerging economic hubs outside Metro Manila. This will swiftly gain ground, thanks to the efforts of the Economic Team led by Secretary Dominguez.

Hard at work in the interconnection of our islands and cities by air, land, and sea are Secretaries (Art) Tugade and (Mark) Villar.”

An hour into his speech, Duterte talked of tax reforms “to fund our poverty reduction programs” He implored Congress “to immedi immediately pass Package 2 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, or the TRABAHO Bill, which shall gradually lower the income—corporate income tax, and rationalize and im improve fiscal incentives. It will ener energize our MSMEs and encourage them to expand their business and hopefully generate, hopefully—I’m missing the words hopefully para sabihin na ‘you’re all talk’—hopefully [1.4] million jobs in the coming years. The MSMEs hold the promise of raising a lot of the Filipinos (from poverty).”

The President views the TRAIN 2 or TRABAHO Bill as a measure to empower small businesses so that they “will create 1.4 million jobs in the coming years.”

Ironically, TRABAHO Bill will empower Big Business more than the MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).

TRAIN 2 will lower estate and donor’s tax to only a single rate of 6 percent, from 20 percent (it used to be as high as 40).

To me, a 6 percent estate tax will encourage stolen or hidden wealth to come out of hiding, paying only a penalty of 6 percent. It will trigger massive transfer of inherited wealth from parents who have earned it to the next generation, the latter paying only 6 percent of the windfall.

But there is a cheaper way to transfer ill-gotten and massive inheritance.

Go, list in the stock market. You pay only one-half of one percent transfer tax.

Well, it’s hard to beat the rich. No wonder, Duterte has yet to warm up to them.

Right after saying that, the President complained: “There are those who violate environmental rules. I am giving due notice to the LGUs and other stakeholders, kayo po, of tourist destinations to take extra steps in the enforcement of our laws and the protection of our environment.”

He seems to be blaming Big Business for the pollution in this country.

Then Duterte mentions the rehab of Manila Bay. “We will relocate informal settlers—I hope it can happen during my time—along the waterways,” he said, “and shut down establishments that continue to pollute and poison our waters.”

Warning polluters, the President bristled: “Make a choice. I’m going to the… [Malaki ba ‘yung building diyan?] I’m going to dismantle your burning—ah building or just simply burn it down so that we can have a new set-up of environment-friendly, whatever, that means.”

Duterte talked about buildings, meaning establishments of the rich.

He will dismantle or burn them down. That implies no more due process, just police powers. For that, he has assigned a retired four-star general, Eduardo M. Año, the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Fortunately for Big Business, Duterte at this point hastened to mention BBB, not in appreciation of Big biznewasia@gmail.com

the nearby town of Thonon who was climbing the Aiguille du Peigne in the Chamonix area.

"The rock starting vibrating," he said. "I won't be in a hurry to go back."

A table of trainee guides, athletic young men under 30 aiming for careers in the industry, voiced their worries about the future of their profession.

They said they had seen the change even in their relatively short lifetimes.

"The snow trails are hit-and-miss.

In June, you used to be able to go for it. Nowadays it's not always possible and in July, forget about it," one of them, Remi, said.

His friend, who declined to give his name, said that spring rather than summer had become the busy period for serious climbers.

"It's better than July-August for people who really want to do proper climbing stuff," he said.

When he mentions how he has to avoid some of the legendary routes, the table goes quiet.

"The amazing granite, the legendary faces, you know it's going to drop," he said.

Disappearing routes Confirmation of the decay came in a recent study based on a popular mountaineering book published in 1973 by famed climber Gaston Rebuffat called "100 Most Beautiful Routes."

To the power companies that have mounted a concerted campaign against Solar Para Sa Bayan, we ask: Instead of trying to prevent competition, why not just improve your service? The only reason there is need for this is Filipinos are fed up with the high rates and poor service of electricity. SPSB can only enter areas where there is a need, not areas with satisfied customers and efficient utilities.

In fact, the approval of HB 8179 should serve as a wake-up call for utilities to improve their service and embrace new technologies, just as landline companies adapted to the reality of mobile phones. This should be the model for the power industry.

Disruptive technologies are for them to embrace, not resist, or risk obsoles-

Ravanel and fellow academics analysed the routes in order to measure how they had changed in the more than 45 years since the first appearance of the book, a bible for several generations of mountaineers.

A majority of them had been affected by climate change, concluded the study in June, including 26 which were "very affected" and three which no longer existed.

The team of mountain specialists at the University of Savoie Mont Blanc looked at the ice and snow coverage, as well as the extent of exposed rock and the state of the glaciers, where crevasses are widening.

The optimal climbing conditions had moved to the spring and autumn, it said, while routes in general had become more dangerous and technically more difficult.

For guides, the unpredictability of the conditions, with unexpected warm spells in winter or late snowfalls, is making a dangerous job even more nerve-wracking.

But some are keen to simply enjoy it while they can.

"I've started to accept quite a few things," admits Yann Grava, 33, who will finish his training to be a guide next year. "On average, a guide used to be able to work for about 15 years, but for me I think it'll be around 10.

The mountains are falling." AFP

cence in the near future.

After all, HB 8179 is a non-exclusive franchise, so even should it become law, other companies are encouraged to apply for their own franchises, benefiting more unserved and underserved households in the process. But if the bill is rejected, this would send a signal that utilities can continue to deliver poor and overpriced service, free from competition, and at the expense of Filipino people.

We understand that the approved bill is already awaiting the President’s signature. If he does so—and soon enough—then we go a step further in making renewable energy more accessible to more Filipinos.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EvEryman

Still no to death penalty

By Val Abelgas

year, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo commuted the death sentences of 1,230 death row inmates to life imprisonment of a minimum of 30 years.

Proponents of the death penalty all over the world cite its role as a major deterrent to crime as the primary reason capital punishments should be imposed. However, such claims have no basis in fact. In the Philippines, for example, the revival of the death penalty from 1993 to 2004 did not bring the number of violent crimes down.

In the US, Texas has had the most number of executions for years, but is still ranked 13th in the country in violent crimes and 17th in murders per 100,000 citizens. The American Civil Liberties Union said there is no credible evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than long terms of imprisonment.

“States that have death penalty laws do not have lower crime rates or murder rates than states without such laws. And states that have abolished capital punishment show no significant changes in either crime or murder rates,” it said.

There is no evidence that serial killers and rapists would consider their death by lethal injection or in the gas chamber prior to committing crimes.

Law enforcement experts say criminals usually operate with the belief they will not be caught.

Proponents also claim that “deserved punishment protects society morally by restoring this just order, making the wrongdoer pay a price equivalent to the harm he has done.”

Abolitionists, however, counter: “To kill the person who has killed someone close to you is simply to continue the cycle of violence which ultimately destroys the avenger as well as the offender.”

The biggest argument against the death penalty, however, especially in the Philippines where the judicial system is far from ideal, is the real possibility that a wrongly convicted person could be put to death for a crime he did not commit but was unable to defend himself in court because of various factors, including inadequate legal representation by court-appointed defense attorneys, serious flaw in police investigative work, racial prejudice, political pressure to solve a case, and misrepresentation of evidence.

It is the poor who can’t afford to hire the best lawyers and who often have to rely on public defenders that end up in death rows, unable to defend themselves and nobody willing to listen to their protestation of innocence.

Even in the US, which boasts of one of the best judicial systems in the world, it has been established that two out of three death penalty convictions have been overturned on appeal because of police and prosecutorial misconduct.

In the Philippines, which has one of the worst law enforcement and judicial systems in the world, one can just imagine how many in its Death Row really deserve the capital punishment.

Abolitionists like Senator Richard J. Gordon, suggest that instead of death penalty, those convicted of certain violent crimes should instead be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and made to work while in prison, with a big portion of their pay given to victims or victims’ kin as payment of courtordered restitution.

The death penalty, especially public hanging, is a senseless, barbaric form of state-aided revenge that has long been abolished by civilized society.

The Philippines gained international recognition when it abolished the death penalty in 1987 and 2006, the only country in Asia to do so. Why join the ranks of the uncivilized again?

WHAT is it with death and killings that President Duterte thinks it is the only way to put a stop to crime and corruption?

In many instances in his three years as president, Duterte has uttered the words “I will kill you” in his effort to curb crime and corruption. In warning police officers involved in illegal drugs, the President warned: “If you’ll stay like this, son of a b*tch, I will really kill you. I have a special unit which will watch you for life and, if you commit even a small mistake, I’ll ask that you be killed.”

After reports came out that P6.4 billion worth of shabu had slipped out of Customs, the former Davao City mayor rambled: “Don’t underestimate me, I already warned you. You drug importers, I will really kill you. Told you before do not destroy my country and do not destroy the young people of my country now... Make a mistake, I will kill you. Period. I don’t give a sh*t about human rights.”

In a talk to policemen in 2017, Duterte said: “Your duty requires you to overcome the resistance of the person you are arresting... (if) he resists, and it is a violent one... you are free to kill the idiots, that is my order to you.”

Earlier that year, claiming that drug dealers were plotting to assassinate him, Duterte warned: “Either you kill me, or I kill you.”

Responding to international outrage over the thousands killed in his deadly drug war, Duterte raged: “Human rights, United Nations, that’s fine.

If you have complaints, O.K. You want to file charges, fine. Look for evidence.” And then addressed criminals: “But still, I will kill you.”

Realizing that illegal drugs and corruption continue to hound his administration despite all the killings and the threats, Duterte urged Congress to re-impose the death penalty in heinous crimes and plunder, believing as do many of his Cabinet officials and allies in Congress that the death penalty would be an effective deterrent to crime.

In May 2016, just days after the presidential election, President-elect Duterte said he would ask Congress to allow public executions by hanging as part of a ruthless law-and-order crackdown that would also include ordering military snipers to kill suspected criminals.

He said capital punishment by hanging should be imposed for heinous crimes, and criminals convicted of killing, robbery and rape should receive “double the hanging.”

“After the first hanging, there will be another ceremony for the second time until the head is completely severed from the body,” he said. This is an overkill, of course, often used by Duterte to excite his audience during the presidential campaign. While his derring-do was hailed by several supporters, the proposal was met with strong opposition from various groups.

The Philippines is one of 139 countries all over the world that have abolished the death penalty from their statutes. It is the only country in Asia that does not impose the death penalty.

The country has at one time or another suspended or resumed capital punishment.

Capital punishment was banned by the 1987 Constitution in the Philippines except for certain heinous crimes. In 1993, during the term of President Fidel V. Ramos, the death penalty was revived although the first execution was carried out by lethal injection during the term of President Joseph Estrada. In 2000, Estrada called for a moratorium on the request of his spiritual advisor, Bishop Teodoro Bacani.

On April 15, 2006, Congress passed valabelgas@aol.com Republic Act 9346 that re-abolished Mr. Abelgas is a former editor of the death penalty and in June that Manila Standard.

Change,...

From A4

velopment on coconut farming needs attention, given the weather changes that affect production. The President recommended that a significant portion be invested, perhaps due to fear of misuse. While this issue should be revisited, I share in the plight of our coconut farmers, specifically those involved in copra production. Our coconut farmers are in dire need of fiscal assistance because of the importation of palm oil. While I was congressman, I filed a resolution and personally wrote a letter to the Secretary of

Department of Trade and Industry to halt the importation of palm oil to protect our local coconut industry.

The President’s speech challenged us to take a hard look within ourselves and see if we have indeed become our own enemies. Despite the good intentions of the administration’s agenda, these will be all for naught if we will not overcome the enemy within us.

We should all set our personal agenda and ego aside, and work together to achieve progress and prosperity for our nation. After all, we cannot forward as a nation unless we self-assess and determine what we need to fix as individuals. That said, I agree with the President, change starts from within.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 88, QUEZON CITY CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM, INC., Plaintiff, -versus-

“ALIAS SUMMONS” CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-17-08266-CV

ALBERT LEE YAM, LUZ PIZZARO AND LA VERNE REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Defendants, x--------------------------------------------x To: LUZ PIZAZARO 45 June Street, Congressional Village Project 8, Quezon City GREETINGS: You are hereby required, within sixty (60) days after service of this summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff your answer to the complaint, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes. You are reminded of the provisions in the IBP-OCA Memorandum of Policy Guidelines date March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in the complaint.

WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court, this 16th day of April 2019.

(Sgd.) STEPHANIE MICHELLE C. TAN Branch Clerk of Court

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 88, QUEZON CITY CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM, INC., Plaintiff, -versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-17-08266-CV ALBERT LEE YAM, LUZ PIZZARO AND LA VERNE REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Defendants, x--------------------------------------------x

ORDER Acting on the Motion to Serve Summons to Defendant Luz Pizzaro by Publications dated February 13, 2019 filed by plaintiff, Capitol Golf Townhomes Condominium Association, Inc. through counsel, and it appearing in the Process Server’s Return dated September 7, 2017 that Summons and copy of the Complaint with Annexes cannot be served upon defendant Luz Pizzaro for the reason “Moved Out” per information given by the actual occupants of the given address, and considering that the plaintiffs cannot locate her whereabouts despite efforts exerted, the motion is hereby GRANTED. ACCORDINGLY, the plaintiff is hereby granted of Court to effect the service of Summons and copy of the complaint with Annexes upon defendant Luz Pizzaro by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the country, pursuant to Section 14 Rule 14 of the Revised Rules of Court Civil Procedure; and by registered mail at her last known address at 45 June Street, Congressional Village, Project 8, Quezon City, at the expense of the plaintiff. Further, defendant Luz Pizzaro is hereby directed to file her answer within sixty (60) days from receipt of such notice.

The plaintiff shall file before this Court a manifestation of his compliance within five (5) days from the date of publication and service by registered mail.

Let an Alias Summons be issued for the purpose.

SO ORDERED. Given in Chambers, this 27th day of March 2019, in Quezon City, Philippines.

the condominium project, and correspondingly, it has been making the required assessments against the unit owners.

CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM, INC., Plaintiff, -versusCASE NO. R-QZN-17-08266-CV For: Judicial Foreclosure under the Condominium Act ALBERT LEE YAM, LUZ PIZZARO and LA VERNE REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Defendants, x--------------------------------------------x

COMPLAINT FOR JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE UNDER THE CONDOMINIUM ACT Plaintiff, CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC. by undersigned counsel, respectfully alleges: 1. Plaintiff, CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC. is a nonstock non-profit corporation duly established under Philippine laws, with principal office at Capitol Golf Townhomes Clubhouse Drive, Balara, Quezon City. The copies of the Articles of Incorporation and the By Laws of the plaintiff are herewith attached and made an integral part hereof as Annexes “A” and “B” 2. Defendants are: a) ALBERT LEE YAM, of legal age, Filipino citizen, single, with stated address at 38 Dansalan Street, Mandaluyong City; b) LUZ PIZZARO, married to Teodoro C. Pizzaro, of legal age, Filipino citizen, with stated address at 45 June Street, Congressional Village, Project 8, Quezon City; and c) LA VERNE REALTY AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a corporation duly established under Philippine laws, with principal office address at 951 Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City.

3. A condominium project known as the “CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES” was constructed at Balara, Quezon City. Pursuant to the Master Deed with Declaration of Restrictions of the project, a non-stock, nonprofit condominium corporation was established to hold title to and manage, operate and maintain the common areas of the said condominium project. Further, all condominium owners in the condominium project shall automatically become members of the condominium corporation.

A copy of the aforesaid Master Deed with Declaration of Restrictions is hereto and made an integral part hereof as Annex “C”; 4. The condominium corporation established pursuant to the said provision of the Master Deed with Declaration of Restrictions is the “CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC.,”1 the plaintiff in this case.

5. Article IV, Section 1 of the Master Deed with Declaration of Restrictions of Capitol Golf Townhomes Condominium Project states: “SECTION 1. Creation of the Lien and Personal Obligations of Assessments. The DECLARANT for each unit owned within the project hereby covenants, and each unit owner by acceptance of a deed therefor, whether or not it shall be so expressed in such deed, is deemed to covenant and agree to pay the corporation: (1) annual assessments of charges and (2) special assessments for capital improvements, and such assessments to be established and collected as herein provided. The annual and special assessments, together with interests, cost and reasonable attorney’s fees, shall be charge on the unit and shall be a continuing lien upon the unit against which each such assessment is made, the lien to become effective only upon recordation of a notice of assessment.

Each such assessment, together interest, cost and reasonable attorney’s fees shall also be the personal obligation of the person who is the owner of such unit at the time when the assessment fell due. No unit owner may exempt himself from liability for his contribution towards the common expenses by waiver of the use or enjoyment of any of the common areas or by the abandonment of his unit.”

6. Articles III and IV of the Master Deed with Declaration of Restrictions of Capitol Golf Townhomes give CGTA the power and authority to issue assessments against unit owners.

7. From the time CGTA was established until the present, CGTA has been managing, operating and maintaining the common areas of

R E S E R V E

Standard Manila

ANNEX “A”

TODAY

8. Defendants Albert Lee Yan and Luz Pizzaro are the registered owners of Unit No. 11, with a floor area of 230.81, of the Capitol Golf Townhomes. The copy of the Condominium Certificates of Title (CCT) No. N-9986, issued by the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City, covering the aforesaid condominium unit is hereto attached as Annex “D”.

9. On the other hand, defendant La Verne Realty and Development Corporation has been claiming ownership of aforesaid Unit 11 by virtue of a sale in a public auction made on October 8, 2009 by Quezon City Treasurer in its favor, which transaction is annotated on Annex “D” hereof.

ANNEX “B”

10. From August 1996 to the present, various assessments were issued by CGTA against the condominium units owned by the defendants.

However, defendants refused and/or failed to pay the assessments made against aforesaid Unit 11.

11. Attached as Annex “E” hereof is the Summary of Association Dues and Interests made against aforesaid Unit 11 by CGTA. As of April 1, 2017, the total obligation owed by the defendants by virtue of the assessments made against Unit 11 is P 4,560,086.40.

12. Republic Act No. 4726, as amended, otherwise known as the Condominium Act, provides for the creation and enforcement of liens on the Condominium units assessed and which assessment remained unpaid, viz: “SECTION 20. An assessment upon any condominium made in accordance with a duly registered declaration of restrictions shall be an obligation of the owner thereof at the time the assessment is made. The amount of any such assessment plus any other charges thereon, such as interest, costs (including attorney’s fees) and penalties, as such may be provided for in the declaration of restrictions, shall be and become a lien upon the condominium assessed when the management body causes a notice of assessment to be registered with the Register of Deeds of the city or province where such condominium project is located. The notice shall state the amount of such assessment and such other charges thereon a may be authorized by the declaration of restrictions, a description of the condominium, unit against which same has been assessed, and the name of the registered owner thereof. Such notice shall be signed by an authorized representative of the management body or as otherwise provided in the declaration of restrictions.

Upon payment of said assessment and charges or other satisfaction thereof, the management body shall cause to be registered a release of the lien.

ANNEX “C”

Y O U R

“Such lien shall be superior to all other liens registered subsequent to the registration of said notice of assessment except real property tax liens and except that the declaration of restrictions may provided for the subordination thereof to any other liens and encumbrances.

“Such liens may be enforced in the same manner provided for by law for the judicial or extra-judicial foreclosure of mortgages of real property. Unless otherwise provided for in the declaration of restrictions, the management body shall have power to bid at foreclosure sale. The condominium owner shall have the same right of redemption as in cases of judicial or extra-judicial foreclosure of mortgages.”

13. On August 2014, CGTA caused the registration of Notice of Assessment on the aforesaid Unit 11 owned by the defendants with the Register of Deeds covering unpaid assessments. A copy of said notice is hereto attached and made an integral part hereof as Annex “F”.

14. As a result of non-payment of the said assessments by the defendants on the aforesaid Unit 11, CGTCA was thus compelled to litigate to enforce the lien thereon under the Condominium Act, and secure the services of an attorney, for which reason defendants should pay CGTCA attorney’s fee in the amount of at P100,000.00, as well as incur costs of suit and other expenses estimated to be not less than P100,000.00.

A D

15. Defendants failed and still fails to pay the assessments due on the subject condominium units.

(Sgd.) ROSANNA FEROMERO-MAGLAYA Presiding Judge

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 88, QUEZON CITY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that judgment be rendered as follows: A. Ordering defendants to pay the plaintiff, CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., the following sums: i) Unpaid assessments and interests due on Unit 11 of the Capitol Golf and Townhomes condominium Project, covered by Condominium Certificate of Title No. N-9986, issued by the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City, in the amount of P4,560,086.40, corresponding to the assessment period from August 1996 to April 1, 2017; and ii) as well as subsequent assessments and interests due on Unit 11 of the Capitol Golf and Townhomes Condominium Project, covered by Condominium Certificate of Title No. N-9986, issued by the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City; B. Ordering defendant to pay to plaintiff attorney’s fees in the sum of not less than P100,000.00; C. To reimburse the plaintiff for its expenses of litigation in the amount of not less than P100,000.00; D. In default of such payment as aforestated, to sell at public auction the Unit 11 of the Capitol Golf and Townhomes Condominium Project, covered by Condominium Certificate of Title No. N-9986, issued by the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City, to satisfy the judgment and/or dispose the proceeds thereon in accordance with law; E. To pay costs of suit.

ANNEX “D”

ANNEX “E”

It is further prayed that the plaintiff may have judgment and execution for any deficiency which may remain unpaid after applying the proceeds of said sale, and such relief as may be just in the premises.

Pasig City for Quezon City, 12 JULY 2017.

(Sgd.) ALVIN JOSE B. FELIZARDO Roll No. 36533 IBP No. 1051950/Rizal/12-19-16 PTR No. 253083/Pasig City/01-13-17 MCLE Compliance No. V-17135

ANNEX “F”

E-1503B Philippine Stock Exchange Centre Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City ajbfelizardo@gmail.com/634-6487 to 89 Republic of the Philippines CITY OF MAKATI

} }

S P A C E

VERIFICATION & CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, BERNARDO S. CHANG, JR. of legal age, married, Filipino and with address at Capitol Golf Townhomes Clubhouse Drive, Balara, Quezon City, depose and state: 1. I am the President of CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., the plaintiff corporation in the abovecaptioned case; 2. I am duly authorized and empowered to represent the corporation in this case and, in behalf of CAPITOL GOLF TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., I caused the preparation of the foregoing Complaint, as evidenced by Secretary’s Certificate attached as Annex “G” hereof; 3. I have read and understood the contents thereof, and the allegations contained therein are true and correct of my own personal knowledge and/or based on authentic documents; 4. The plaintiff corporation has not heretofore commenced any action or filed any claim involving the same issue in any court, tribunal or quasi-judicial agency and, to the best of my knowledge, no such other action or claim is pending therein; and 5. If I or any responsible and authorized officer of the plaintiff corporation should thereafter learn that the same or similar action or claim has been filed or is pending, I, or any responsible and authorized officer of the plaintiff corporation shall report that fact to the Honorable Court within five (5) days therefrom

N O W !

ANNEX “G”

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto affix my signature this 12 JULY 2017.

Please call

(Sgd.) BERNARDO S. CHANG, JR. Subscribed and sworn to before me, affiant exhibiting to me his_________ issued on JUL 12, 2017 in CITY OF MAKATI; and CTC No. 19379957 issued on Jan. 15, 2017 in Limay, Bataan.

832-5547

Doc. No. 201; Page NO. 42; Book No. LXI; Series of 2017 1

Hereinafter referred to as CGTA

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

(MStandard - July 26, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

Sports

TODAY

A7

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Kawhi-George goal: Win NBA title L

OS ANGELES—Kawhi Leonard and Paul George made their debuts Wednesday as Los Angeles Clippers teammates, vowing to turn their hometown club into an NBA champion and eclipse city rival Lakers.

“We’re not looking at the Battle of LA. We’ve got bigger goals in mind,” George said. “We’re not thinking about the Lakers shadow. We want to be holding that trophy and we’ll build up Clipper Nation along the way.”

Leonard made the biggest free agent signing in the NBA this month by leaving the Toronto Raptors after leading them to the NBA title while George was obtained in a blockbuster trade deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder at Leonard’s request.

“I’m on my next journey,” Leonard said. “These guys have got a great future.

Paul is a player I always wanted to play

with. Both LA guys. Played down the street from each other. Now we’re on the Clippers We’ve got something special. I think we can make history.”

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s highoctane introduction video became a quick social media sensation, the 63-year-old former Microsoft chief executive screaming and yelling his joy and excitement about his club suddenly becoming a prime NBA contender for the first time.

“I’m just fired up to be here today,” Ballmer yelled. “It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty damn cool.”

In a much more low-key manner,

George and Leonard also showed their excitement about what the future has in store for them and the Clippers as they accepted blue Clippers jerseys, George number 13 and Leonard number 2.

“I’m extremely happy and extrmely excited to be back home,” George said after thanking the Thunder for making the trade deal. “Ultimately they helped me find my way back to LA. I’m pretty appreciative of that.”

Clippers outshine Lakers lately TheClippers are second favorites among Caesar’s Palace sportsbook NBA championship oddsmakers at 7-2, trailing only the 3-1 odds for the Los Angeles Lakers, who boast LeBron James and Anthony Davis plus a host of solid support talent after being unable to add Leonard to their own lineup.

The Lakers have won 16 NBA titles but

none since 2010 with retired star guard Kobe Bryant as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

Leonard instead chose a Clippers’ squad that has never gone past the second round of the NBA playoffs, never reaching even a conference finals since being formed in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves.

But in each of the past seven seasons, the Clippers won more games than the Lakers, a trend Leonard plans to continue.

“The last few years, the Clippers have been better,” Leonard said. “They are going to get the attention -- the Lakers have been winning championships for a long time.

“Who knows how the Clippers will change things over? I’m not focused on that. I just want to win. My goal is just to make us happy. If we’re winning and not getting no coverage, that’s fine with me.” AFP

PUBLIC INFORMATION SHEET FOR COMMERCIAL PROPAGATION PROPOSAL FOR THE COMMERCIAL PROPAGATION OF MON89034xTC1507xNK603 MAIZE 1.

Applicant’s Name Dow AgroSciences B.V. Philippines

2.

Applicant’s Address 8/F iSquare Building 15 Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Center Pasig City, 1605 Philippines

3.

Telephone & Facsimile No./E-Mail Address of the Applicant Tel.: (02) 637-1234; Fax: (02) 687-5114 Email Address: arun.mittal@corteva.com, bella-victoria.ermita@corteva.com

4.

Names of Responsible Officer/Authorized Representative Arun Mittal/Bella Victoria Ermita

5.

PUBLIC INFORMATION SHEET FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING

Description of the Regulated Article for Commercial Propagation The product MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize was developed through conventional breeding methods combining the three single maize events MON89034, TC1507 and NK603. No new genetic modification has been introduced in the stack combination.

PROPOSAL FOR DIRECT USE AS FOOD AND FEED, OR FOR PROCESSING OF TC1507xDAS59122xMON810xMIR604xNK603 MAIZE 1.

Applicant’s Name Pioneer Hi-Bred Philippines, Inc.

The TC1507 maize was generated by the insertion of a cry1F gene, which was isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) subspecies aizawai and a gene for phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (pat), which was isolated from Streptomyces viridochromogenes. The Cry1F protein, encoded by the cry1F gene, confers protection against certain lepidopteran pests including the Asian corn borer. The PAT protein, encoded by the pat gene, confers tolerance to the herbicidal active ingredient glufosinate ammonium. The herbicide tolerance trait in TC1507 maize is utilized as a selectable marker.

The MON 89034 maize was generated by the insertion of two gene cassettes containing the cry1A.105 and cry2Ab2 genes, respectively, from Bacillus thuringiensis. The Cry1A.105 and Cry2AB2 proteins, encoded by the cry1A.105 and cry2Ab2 genes, confer protection against certain lepidopteran pests including Asian corn borer (ACB, Ostrinia furnacalis Guenee), when expressed in plants.

The NK603 maize was generated by the insertion of the cp4 epsps gene encoding the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4. The CP4 EPSPS protein confers tolerance to the herbicidal active ingredient glyphosate.

The safety of MON89034, TC1507 and NK603 as single events has been individually assessed and each was found to be as safe as their conventional counterparts. Each single event has a valid biosafety permit for direct use and for propagation. MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize was approved for food, feed and for processing on December 9, 2010 under DA Administrative Order 8, series of 2002.

6.

If to be imported, Country(ies) of Origin of the Regulated Article Seeds of MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize intended for commercial propagation will be produced locally. In the event seeds of MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize will be sourced from elsewhere, it will be imported from countries that have authorized this event for commercial cultivation such as Brazil, South Africa and the United States.

7.

Brief Summary of Potential Effects on Human and Animal Health and the Environment All the inserted genes and their gene products have a history of safe use and have been assessed previously for food, feed and environmental safety.

Cry1F, Cry1A.105, Cry2AB2, PAT and CP4 EPSPS proteins expressed in MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize do not exhibit the characteristics associated with allergenic proteins.

Based on nutrient composition results from forage samples analyzed for proximates, fiber and minerals, and grains samples analyzed for proximates, fiber, fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, secondary metabolites and antinutrients, MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize was found to be as safe and as nutritious as its near isoline, non-transgenic counterpart. This is further supported by the lack of interaction observed between and among the individual transgenes in MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize.

Field studies have also demonstrated that the concentrations of the Cry1F, PAT, Cry1A.105, Cry2AB2, CP4-EPSPS proteins expressed in MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize tissues were expressed at low levels comparable to the expression by the single maize events MON89034, TC1507, and NK603. Additionally, there is no evidence of antagonistic or synergistic effects in the combined trait product. The cultivation of MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize is not known to have any significant adverse impact on non-target organisms, including those beneficial to agriculture.

8.

Brief Summary of Potential Benefits MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize was developed to have resistance to lepidopteran insect pests, particularly Asian corn borer, and tolerance to glyphosate herbicide. In the Philippines and other countries where ACB causes significant reductions in maize yield, MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize offers farmers with an economical and effective means to control this destructive pest.

Furthermore, the ability of this stacked product to tolerate glyphosate herbicide offers also an effective and economical weed control method to further safeguard yield and increase farmers’ income.

9.

Countries Where Approvals Have Been Granted Country

Argentina Australia /New Zealand Brazil Canada Colombia European Union Honduras Japan Korea Mexico Paraguay Philippines South Africa Taiwan United States Uruguay

Type of approval and Year Approved Environment 2012 2010 2010 2013 2015 2010 2014 2018 2013 2012

Food and/or Feed 2012 2009 (Food) 2010 2010 2014 (Food), 2013 (Feed) 2013 2015 2010 (Food), 2010 (Feed) 2010 (Food), 2011 (Feed) 2011 2014 2010 2012 2011 (Food), 2017 (Feed) 2013 2012

The public is hereby invited to submit their comments to the BPI Director (within 60 days from the date of publication) on the Proposed Commercial Propagation of MON89034xTC1507xNK603 maize.

Director Bureau of Plant Industry San Andres, Malate, Manila Telephone Number: 404-0409 loc. 202/203 E-mail: bpibiotechsecretariat@gmail.com

(MS-JULY 26, 2019)

2.

Applicant’s Address 8/F iSquare Building 15 Meralco Avenue, Ortigas Center Pasig City, 1605 Philippines

3.

Telephone & Facsimile Nos./E-Mail Addresses of the Applicant Tel.: (02) 637-1234; Fax: (02) 687-5114 Email Address: arun.mittal@corteva.com; tony.alfonso@corteva.com

US CHAMP. Monique Arroyo arrived from San Francisco after winning the US Kids’ 4. KIDS’ Name ofGOLF Responsible Officer/Authorized Representative golf Arun eventMittal/Antonio in the 12 to 14 age division recently at the San Ramon Golf Club in San Ramon, California.

Alfonso She was accompanied by Mom, Angela Arroyo and coach former National champion Gerard Cantada.

5. Description for Direct They were met of at the theRegulated airport byArticle her Dad, Rep. Use Mikey Arroyo.

The product TC1507 x DAS59122 x MON810 x MIR604 x NK603 maize (OECD unique identifier: DAS-Ø15Ø7-1 x DAS-59122-7 x MON-ØØ81Ø-6 x SYNIR6Ø4-5 x MON-ØØ6Ø3-6), was developed through conventional breeding methods combining the five single maize events TC1507, DAS59122, MON810, MIR604 and NK603. No new genetic modification has been introduced in the stack combinations. Maize plants that contain this stack event are resistant to the lepideptoran insect pests of corn, such as European Corn Borer (ECB, Ostrinia nubilalis) and western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera), and are tolerant to the herbicides Elijah glyphosate and glufosinate.

UNHERALDED Guillermo dished out Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan

Saso rolls into US Girls’ Round of 32 YUKA Saso crushed Kaylee Sakoda with a 6&4 romp to cruise into the second round of the US Girls’ Junior Championship marred by a number of reversals in Stevens Point, Wisconsin Wednesday (Thursday in Phl).

After gaining medalist honors with a bogey-free 12-under 132 in the 36-hole medal play, Saso actually expressed some concerns over playing head-tohead. But she quickly brushed aside those worries with a strong start to set up a Round of 32 clash with Phoebe Brinker from Delaware, who nipped Colombia’s Valery Plata, 1-up.

She birdied three of the first four holes and rode on that big three-shot cushion to whip the last match play qualifier from California.

“Yeah, I was nervous,” said Saso after finishing off Sakoda with four birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 10 for a sixunder card in just 14 holes.

She took her first bogey after 44 holes on the par-5 No. 9 but Saso more than made for the slip with birdies on Nos. 10, 11, 13 and 14 to close out the match.

“I’m just happy for today (Wednesday),” added Saso. “I struggled on the ninth but I got my momentum back on the 10th.”

She hopes to sustain her drive against Brinker and hopefully against another rival in afternoon play in a grueling day for the surviving 32 players scheduled to play 36 holes Thursday.

“I’m kind of tired, so I might just rest for today (Wednesday). Long day tomorrow (Thursday),” said Saso, gearing up for possibly playing two match play rounds Thursday.

Meanwhile, second seed Maddison Hindon-Tolchard of Australia bowed to No. 63 Caroline Hodge of New York on the 19th hole, 2017 champion Erica Shepherd lost to No. 56 Kelly Su, 3&2; and last year’s runner-up Alexa Pano fell to Aussie Grace Kim, 4&3.

Guillermo stuns Mates, gains Suarez Open semis

Express Pera TC1507and maize and MON810 the Cry1F and Cry1Ab top form hacked out amaize 6-2, expresses 6-4 victory Padala tennisproteins, season.

Both proteins confer protection against certain lepidopteran pests, overrespectively. second seed Mates to barge intoCry34Ab1 the Lance Fernandez particularly ECB. Dan DAS59122 maize expresses and Cry35Ab1 proteins also scored a 1-0 ret. vicwhich confer against premier certain coleopteran suchover as WCR. MIR604 semifinal roundprotection of the boys’ divisionpeststory injured top seed Exequiel Jucutan maize expresses mCry3A protein and PMI enzyme, which confer protection in the PPS-PEPP Fr. Fernando Suarez Open to seal a semis faceoff with No. 4 Allen Romagainst certain coleopteran pests such as WCR and used as a selectable marker for transformation, respectively.

PAT in enzyme expressed TC1507 Championships at the Brent Tennis The Center bawa, who infoiled Kurt Balela, 3-6, 6-0, 10-1, and DAS59122 maize confers resistance to the herbicidal active ingredient Biñan, Laguna last weekend. while 2 Thomas glufosinate-ammonium and used as a selectable marker.

OnNo. the other hand, Bernardo took a 2-6, 5-2 NK603 maize expresses CP4 EPSPS enzyme triwhich ret. confers to the Enriquez for a duel with Guillermo rode on a pair of lopsided wintolerance over Keno herbicidal active ingredient glyphosate. umphs over Gene Zuno (4-0, 4-0) and Jef- fifth ranked Sai Lago, who stopped Ocio, 6-3, 6. If to be imported, Country (ies) of Origin of the Regulated Article ferson Planilla (4-0, 2-0 ret.) to topple Mates 6-1, in the 16-U side of the event held in honor x MON810 MIR604Laurenz x NK603 maize will be imported and TC1507 arrangex DAS59122 a Final Four duelx with of healing priest from Fr. Suarez, a tennis buff. countries that have authorized this event for commercial cultivation such as the Quitara, gained with a 1-0 ret. win over Bernardo and Lago will also dispute one of Unitedwho States and Canada.

Stephen Catipon. the final berths in 14-U section after the former 7. Brief Summary of Potential Effects on Human and Animal Health and the Top seed Leyton Portin and No. 4 Jester turned back Balela, 6-3, 3-6, 10-3, and the latEnvironment OcioAllforged a clash in the upper bracket with ter trounced Frank Dilao, 6-0, 6-0. Unranked the inserted genes in the stack event TC1507 x DAS59122 x MON810 x MIR604 xthwarting NK603 and Terrell their gene products 7-5, have history safe use and have been the former Arejola, 6-3, ofMarcus Guinoo scored a walkover win over by various countries and local regulators for food and feed safety. and assessed the latter holding off Jason Camanting, Lukas Yupangco to forge the other semis clash expressed in this stack product maize do not present the 6-4, The 6-2,proteins in 18-U play ofwiththeallergenic two weekend secondamong seedthe Joshua Diva, who crushed characteristics associated proteins. Nowith interactions gene products or negative effects in the stack6-2, hybrid tournament kicking off thesynergistic second half ofare theexpected Jeff Jimenea, 6-4. product.

In girls’ play, top seed Bliss Bayking and No. 2 Denise Bernardo shoot for the semis seats against France Idjao and Shedyl Gica, respectively, while Gaby Zoleta tangles with Margaud Rosales, and Julia Ignacio clashes with Kaye Emana in the 18-U category of the event put up by PPS-PEPP headed by Bobby Castro and sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. Zoleta, Idjao, Rosales, Gica and Ignacio, on the other hand, head the 16-U quarterfinalists who include Melody Dizon, Chelsea Roque and Mica Emana with Emana and Roque joining Dizon along with Indi Fandino, Felicia Araneta, Murphy Matthews, Sandra Apostol and Sophia Moreno in the Last 8 of the 14-U division.

Nutrient composition studies showed that the proximates, fiber, fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, secondary metabolites and anti-nutrients of grain derived from TC1507 x DAS59122 x MON810 x MIR604 x NK603 maize were comparable to grain derived from the near isoline control maize.

The compositional equivalence assessment demonstrated that the nutrient composition of its grain and forage is comparable to that of non-GM maize with a similar genetic background, indicating that this stack product is as safe and nutritious as non-GM maize for use in food and feed.

Phelps hails Milak after losing record

TC1507 x DAS59122 x MON810 x MIR604 x NK603 maize exhibits agronomic characteristics similar to its conventional counterpart and at the same time exhibits resistance to ECB and WCR, and tolerance to glyphosate and glufosinate herbicides. ItSouth does not exhibit characteristics that increase its fitness compared to GWANGJU, Korea—Michael Phelps paid tribconventional maize.

ute to Hungarian teenager Kristof Milak’s “beautiful 8. Brief Summary of Potential Benefits technique” after he took down the American legend’s In countries where above-ground andyunder the at ground lepidopteran pests (such long-standing 200 metres butterfl record the world as the ECB and WCR, respectively) cause significant reductions in maize yield, championships in South Korea.

TC1507xDAS59122xMON810xMIR604xNK603 maize provides farmers with an economical and effective means to of control insect50.73 pests and weeds. It is Phelps described Milak’s time onethese minute, an important tool to help farmers keep pace with increasing demand for maize seconds inforGwangju as “incredible”, although hefuel. adglobally multiple downstream uses for feed, food and mitted his astonishment was tinged with sadness at los9. Countries Where Approvals Have Been Granted ing a world record which had stood since Type2009. of Authorization Country “As frustrated as I amEnvironment to see that record go down, Food and/orI Feed Australia /be New Zealand to see how he did it,” Phelps 2012 told couldn’t happier Canada 2011 2011 the New York Times.

Colombia 2016 (Food), 2017 (Feed) Japan (Food), “That kid’s last 100 was incredible. He put 2012 together a 2012 (Feed) Korea 2012 (Food), 2012 (Feed) great 200 fl y from start to fi nish.”

The Pinoy poomsae medalists (standing, from left) Jeordan Dominguez, Raphael Enrico Mexico 2011 The 19-year-old Milak sliced a whopping Philippines 2014 0.78 Mella, Rodolfo Reyes Jr., Rani Ann Ortega (coach), Patrick King Perez, Marvin Mori, South Africa 2016 was seconds off Phelps’s previous world best, which Darius Venerable, and seated, from left: Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Taiwan 2012 (Food), 2017 (Feed) Rinna Babanto, Aidaine Krishia Laxa and Janna Dominique Oliva. achieved during the bodysuit with the United States 2012 era, after flirting 2012 record for much of the past season.

“ItThe happened there towas a kidtheir who wanted toto the BPI Director public is because hereby invited submit comments (within 60 days from date of publication) on the Proposal for the Importation of do it, who dreamed of doing it, who fimaize guredforout what TC1507xDAS59122xMON810xMIR604xNK603 direct use as food and feed, for processing. itorwould take to do it,” said Phelps, who had a special fondness for the 200m fly.

CARRYING the colors of SMART/MVP Sports Foundation, the Philippine Director Bureau of Plant on Industry “(He) worked his technique until it was beautiful taekwondo team displayed another splendid international performance by San Andres, Malate, Manila and Telephone put in theNumber really,404-0409 really hard bagging eight medals, topped by three golds, in the recent Chuncheon Korea local work 203 that it takes to do 404-0409 local 203 it -- Fax my Number hat’s off to him.”

Open championships in Chuncheon City.

E-Mail bpibiotechsecretariat@gmail.com Milak became the first swimmer to go under 1:51 minThe Filipinos won three golds and two bronzes in poomsae (forms) and two utes, while his winning margin was, remarkably, more silvers and one bronze in kyorugi (free sparring) against tough athletes from 44 than three seconds as Japan’s Daiya Seto finished a distant countries led by Korea, Iran, China, Russia, the United States, Mexico, Greece, second and the South African Chad le Clos third.

Japan and France.

Le Clos, who famously beat Phelps in the 2012 LonThe Filipino poomsae medalists are Darius Venerable (gold in freestyle male indidon Olympic final, shrugged: “Kristof is in another vidual event), Rodolfo Reyes Jr., Raphael Enrico Mella and Patrick King Perez (gold league -- he’s a hell of a lot faster than all of us.” in authorized male team), Rinna Babanto, Jocel Lyn Ninobla and Aidaine Krishia Milak said he was “honoured” to break a world reLaxa, gold in authorized female team), Janna Dominique Oliva (bronze in freestyle cord held by Phelps, who he had worshipped growing female individual) and Jeordan Dominguez, Darius Venerable, Marvin Mori, Juveup and watched videos of to polish his technique. nile Faye Crisostomo and Janna Dominique Oliva (bronze in freestyle mixed team).

“I wasn’t expecting to break the record,” he admitThe PH medalists in free sparring are Kurt Pajuelas (silver) and Veronica ted. “But if you put in the hard work, good things hapGarces (silver) and Dex Ian Chavez (bronze). pen and I was ready. I just tried to block everything out The Filipinos’ trip were sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, and find a good rhythm.” AFP PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Olympic Committee and MILO.

PH jins capture 8 medals in Korea

(MS-JULY 27, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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

A8

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

CALL FOR UNITY. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, officials of the Philippine Sports Commission and national athletes do the Duterte Fist pose in a Call for Unity for the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Malacañan Palace. Albert Alcain/Presidential Photo

Blazers extend Cards’ woes

By Peter Atencio

J

USTIN Gutang topscored for 12 points as the College of St. Benilde Blazers edged a fired up Mapua Cardinals, 71-67, at the latter’s own homecourt in the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament on Thursday.

Gutang, who got hurt following a pileup in the last 3.2 seconds, capped a decisive 6-2 run that broke a 53-all deadlock and put the Blazers ahead with a 59-55 spread.

The Blazers went on to post their third straight win and now share the lead with the defending champion San Beda Red Lions.

The Cardinals, with Arvin Gamboa showing the way with 14 points, dropped to their fourth straight loss.

“I like the way we played in terms of our grit and grind all throughout the game. But, it’s really our offense. We need to be more efficient,” said Blazers’ coach TY Tang.

The La Salle Greenhills Greenies got the best out of RC Calimag as they upset the defending champion Malayan High School Red Robins, 95-90, in the junior division.

The 6’3” Calimag banged in 26 points and eight rebounds for the Greenies, who

picked up their second win in three outings .

Calimag’s split charity in the last 17 seconds in the third period allowed the Greenies to finally move slowly ahead, 71-67, at the end of the third period. It was Calimag’s best showing after making 13 and 17 points in the Greenies games against Emilio Aguinaldo College and University of Perpetual Help.

Teammate Jan Manansala added 17 points and hauled in 10 rebounds for the Greenies, who moved into a three-way tie for third with Arellano University and San Sebastian.

Raffy Arguelles knocked in 15 points, with his putback in the remaining 31.1 seconds handing the Greenies a 93-86 edge in the final period.

Kobe Palencia, who shot 12, connected

Games Today (The Arena in San Juan) 8 a.m. SSC vs San Beda(jrs) 10 a.m. LPU vs JRU (jrs) 12 noon SSC vs San Beda (srs) 2 p.m. LPU vs JRU (srs) 4 p.m. EAC vs Arellano (srs) 6 p.m. EAC vs Arellano (jrs)

with two triples at the start of the fourth and the Greenies never looked back after they took a 78-67 spread in the remaining 7:49.

“Hindi kami nag-expect ng isang blowout game. But the team displayed good character today,” said Greenies’ coach Karl Santos.

The Red Robins, still winless after four games, got 23 points from Megan Galang, who had 10 points in the last 10 minutes.

Internationalists stamp class in road cycling meet MARCELO Felipe, Marc Ryan Lago, Ismael Gorospe Jr. and Marella Salamat pedaled with wits and legs chiseled to toughness by their experience in international races to rule the road races of the PhilCycling 2019 National Road Cycling Championships on Wednesday in Tagaytay City.

Felipe, captain of continental team 7-Eleven Cliqq Road Bike Philippines and third Best Asian Rider in the 2018 Le Tour de Langkawi, soloed to the finish line in three hours, 11 minutes and .212 second to top the 132.08-km Men’s Road Race that started and ended at the Praying Hands Monument on Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay City.

Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance’s Ronald Oranza, meanwhile, beat another 7-Eleven rider, individual time trial winner John Mark Lexer Galedo, in a sprint finish for the silver medal. Oranza clocked 3:12:47.015 and Galedo crossed two seconds later in the race presented by Standard Insurance, MVP Sports Foundation and Tagaytay City.

Go For Gold’s Lago, who finished fifth in the Men Junior ITT of the Asian Cycling Championships in Uzbekistan last April, was also unmolested in his category’s 91.35km event, clocking 2:24:26.911, beating by close to three minutes Rench Michael Bon-

doc and Efren Reyes, who crossed almost at the same time.

Gorospe, a member of the Go For Gold continental team, on the other hand, had to nose out ITT champion Nichol Pareja to snatch the Men Under-23 gold medal of the championships organized by the PhilCycling headed by Rep. Abraham Tolentino and managed by Ube Media Inc.-Le Tour de Filipinas and supported by One LGC, Air21, Go For Gold, Bike X Singapore, 7-Eleven and the Highway Patrol Group of the Philipine National Police Region 4A command.

Gorospe crossed in 3:13:36.60, only 39-hundredths of a second ahead of Pareja. Daniel Ven Carino, also of Go Gor Gold, finished some six seconds later to settle for the bronze medal.

Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance, meanwhile, extended its domination of the women’s races with Salamat, the 2015 Southeast Asian Games ITT gold medalist, edging teammate and ITT titlist Jermyn Prado in the Women Elite 91.35-km race.

Salamat clocked 2:29:53.418 with Prado finishing a wheel behind. Melisa Jaroda was third in 2:49:31.560.

Standard Insurance reasserted its domination in the younger age categories with Kate Yasmin Velasco (Under 23) and Maritono Krogg (Women Junior) sweeping the championships.

TAGAYTAY City Councilor Athena Tolentino (left, with checkered flag) and Standard Insurance Group Chairman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz (with checkered flag) prepare to send off the women’s and men’s under-23 and junior race.

Bowler Tan wins in Singapore MERWIN Tan bagged the boys’ Masters youth championships in the 51st Singapore International Open 2019 over the weekend, proving his early success in the 20th Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championships in Malaysia was no fluke.

Tan, 19, claimed the championship by rolling a leading 1,687 pinfalls in eight games to beat Malaysian Megan Zaqrul Haiqal by five pins, while Japanese Keita Tokushia settled for third place with 1,657 pinfalls at the Singapore Bowling Tamasek Club in Rifle Range, Singapore.

The country’s emerging national junior bowler supported by the Philippine Bowling Federation won last April the boys’ singles gold in the Asian Youth Championships followed by the men’s open masters title in the recent Philippine International Open in Mandaluyong City.

“I’don’t want to put pressure on Merwin but he is favored to win the title because of his performances in the last few months. Merwin has very good work ethics, trying to improve himself everytime and master his craft. He’s always practicing what he does. He is a good example to other youth bowlers,” said head coach Biboy Rivera.

Ikeda fumbles, recovers to stay ahead in Ladies golf CHIHIRO Ikeda shook off a wobbly start with a fiery backside charge as she salvaged an even-par 69 to regain a three-stroke lead over amateur Chanelle Avaricio after two rounds of the ICTSI Camp John Hay Ladies Championship in Baguio yesterday.

After firing an opening bogey-free 63 on a hot putter for a five-stroke lead Wednesday, Ikeda struggled on John Hay’s tricky, undulating surface, stumbling with two bogeys and a doublebogey in the first five holes and making the turn at fourover 39, enabling her pursuers to gain ground in hot conditions.

They included Avaricio, who overhauled a seven-stroke deficit in a flight ahead and tied the Fil-Japanese at twounder overall with three birdies for a 32 with at least five others, including Princess Superal and Daniella Uy, also getting back into the thick of things.

But Ikeda regained her bearing and rhythm and birdied the first three holes at the back then added two more against a bogey to close out with a 30 in a big rebound fthat gave her a 36-hole total of

stroke on the 10th although the Alabama State U product birdied Nos. 16 and 17, both par-5s, for the second straight day to shoot a 65 and assume the challenger’s role at 135.

“I gained confidence after a near-eagle on No. 1. My driving has been solid and I know where to put my ball on the greens,” said Avaricio, one of the five amateurs vying in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. “I’ll just play my game tomorrow (today) and hope to make the most of my birdie chances,” added Avaricio, who earned a crack at the crown after missing the cut at Pradera Verde last week.

Five shots off the pace after 18 holes, Superal moved to within two off Ikeda with a 36 start but, like Avaricio, the Japan LPGA Step Up campaigner fell short of matching the leader’s backside rebound although she hit two birdies to save a 68 and a 136.

Chihiro Ikeda rebounds in time after nearly losing grip of the lead

six-under 132 after a 69.

“Just couldn’t get the feel of my putter early on. But I was able to regain my touch and rhythm back in time,” said Ikeda after that big backside rebound that moved her closer to scoring a follow-up to her playoff win over Pauline del Rosario at Tagaytay Midlands last May. In contrast, Avaricio failed to sustain her hot frontside run as she yielded a

5,000 PH athletes join Batang Pinoy national tilt OVER 5,000 athletes from all over the country are expected to participate in the Philippine Sports Commission’s national youth sporting event for 15 years old and below.

Batang Pinoy Secretariat Head Manuel Bitog announced this, following the series of Delegation Registration Meetings in Mindanao, Visayas, South Luzon and North Luzon since the start of the month.

“We are looking at more than 5,000 athlete-participants in Palawan.

Our series of delegation registration meetings since the start of July has helped the PSC to clearly determine the number and profile of competing athletes in the games,” said Bitog.

The PSC started its DRMs in Mindanao last July 3 to 5 at the Pinnacle Hotel, Davao City, followed

by Visayas last July 10 to 12 at the Cebu City Sports Complex.

South Luzon was its third stop last July 17 to 19 at Lipa City Youth and Cultural Center and North Luzon last July 24 to 26 at the Provincial Employment and Skills Development Center, Narciso Ramos Sports & Civic Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Bitog also announced the PSC’s strict implementation of ‘Zero Plastic Policy’ on the duration of the games, as mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 760 of 2014 and Republic Act 9003 also known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.”

The national championships happening at Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan on August 25 to 31, will feature 31 sports, with cycling, gymnastics, judo, billiards, muay thai, rugby football, triathlon, soft tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu to be played straight in the games.

WFM Lomibao back in scene LUCBAN, Quezon—Years after settling in Canada, Woman Fide Master Joy Lomibao returns to centerstage as she sees action in the 9th leg of the National Executive Chess Championship, also known as the 2019 Grandmaster Rosendo Balinas Sr. Chess Cup on Saturday, July 27m at the Zurea Hotel, La Purisima Concepcion St., Lucban, Quezon.

Lomibao, a former National Womens’ Open Champion and World Chess Olympiad member, is currently deep in traning under the guidance of International Master Ronald Bancod as part of her preparation for the one-day event.

The tournament is open to all qualified members of Philippine Executive Chess Association bankrolled by GM Balinas’ older brother, Engr. Antonio Balinas.

Tournament director is Joselito Cada.

Philippine Executive Chess Association president Dr. Jenny Mayor said that the tournament will be played in a 7-round Swiss System format of 20 minutes with a five-second increment.

The winner in the Open division (2000 and above NCFP rating) will take home P7,000 plus trophy; the second placer gets to win P5,000 and a medal; the third placer gets P3,000 plus medal; the fourth placer taked home P2,000 plus medal, while the fifth place pockets P1,500 plus medal.

Also up for grabs are special prizes for the Top 2200 and below, Top 2100 and below and Top Senior, receiving P1,000 each plus medals.

Bleeding over for Sta. Lucia tossers in PH Superliga STA. Lucia finally snapped its 10game losing streak as it pulled off a 25-17, 25-19, 31-29 win over Marinerang Pilipina in the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference yesterday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Veterans Amanda Villanueva and Pam Lastimosa led the charge for the Lady Realtors, who had to deploy bench player Glaudine Troncoso in the crucial stretch of the third set to complete the victory in this prestigious women’s club tournament bankrolled by Team Rebel Sports, SOGO, Eurotel, PCSO, Cocolife, UCPB Gen, Mueller, Senoh, Asics, Bizooku and One Sport.

Villanueva delivered nine kills and four blocks for 13 points while Lastimosa chipped in 11 points and 10 digs for Sta. Lucia, whose first—and only —victory came at the expense of the Lady Skippers in the opening day.

But it was Troncoso, who was fielded only in the latter part of the

Games Tomorrow

(FilOil Flying V Centre) 4:00 p.m. -- Generika-Ayala vs F2 Logistics 6:00 p.m. -- Cignal vs Marinerang Pilipina

third set, who kept the Lady Realtors afloat as she delivered the killer blows amid a furious rally waged by the Lady Skippers.

“I want to acknowledge my players who went through a lot of losses, but didn’t give up,” said Sta. Lucia coach Babes Castillo, whose wards improved to 2-10 win-loss card.

“We wanted to solve it and find a way to stop our losing streak. In fact, we really wanted to win in straight sets. They showed their composure in this game.”

After taking control of the first two sets, Sta. Lucia squandered a 23-20 lead from Troncoso’s back-to-back attacks as Judith Abil and Chiara Permentilla lifted Marinerang Pilipina at set point, 25-24.

IN BRIEF

IMF downgrades PH growth forecast THE International Monetary Fund downgraded the 2019 economic growth forecast for the Philippine amid the weak external demand and the delayed implementation of the new government budget.

“We have just updated our growth forecasts for the Philippines. GDP growth is now projected at 6 percent for 2019 from 6.5 percent,” IMF country representative Yongzheng Yang said in an e-mail.

The country’s gross domestic product grew just 5.6 percent in the first quarter, slower than the 6.5-percent expansion in the same period last year.

Yang said the Philippine economy would likely expand by 6.3 percent in 2020, also slower than the previous forecast of 6.7 percent.

“The downward revisions mainly reflect weaker-than-expected external demand and weakerthan-expected public investment, partly due to the delayed approval of the 2019 budget,” he said.

Yang these revised growth forecasts for the Philippines were still among the highest in the region.

The interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee earlier cut its 2019 growth target to a range of 6 percent to 7 percent from the previous estimate of 7 percent to 8 percent. It also reduced the 2020 growth target to a range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent from 7 percent to 8 percent.

Darwin G. Amojelar

EU allots 2.2m euros for off-grid project THE European Union allocated 2.2 million euros (P120 million) for a project that will energize off-grid communities in Cebu, Bohol and Palawan through solar energy to improve lives and foster climate change mitigation in poor and remote communities.

The Project Renewable Energy for Livelihood and Youth is one of the seven awardees of the EUAccess to Sustainable Energy Programme Call for Proposals which aims to promote the use of renewable energy.

Asep is a joint project of the Education Department and the EU that aims to assist the government in expanding sustainable energy generation to meet the growing needs of its economy and provide energy access to the poor and marginalized sector.

The Rely project combines solar electrification with community development and improved vocational education by collaborating with partner senior high schools. The project will energize 16 off-grid public schools in the three provinces.

Alena Mae S. Flores

AirAsia passengers increased 22% in Q2 THE Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest airline said passenger traffic grew 22 percent in the second quarter from a year ago.

Air Asia Philippines said it carried 2.2 million passengers in the second quarter, higher than 1.81 million passengers in the same period last year.

The airline’s load factor, or the number of seats occupied during a flight, improved to 91 percent in the second quarter from 87 percent in the same period last year.

The airline operates several flights to and from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Clark and Iloilo in the Philippines.

It operates international flights to and from Shanghai, Taipei, Incheon (Seoul), Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Guangzhou, Vietnam, Shenzhen, Kaohshing, Bali, Shenzhen, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Business Austal likely to bag P30-b deal to build Navy vessels

By Othel V. Campos

C

EBU City―The Defense Department will likely sign a P30-billion agreement before the end of the year with Austal Philippines, the local unit of Australian shipbuilder Austal, for the construction of six offshore patrol vehicles.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the agreement would be pursued under a government-to-government transaction to make sure the Philippines would get the required equipment in time.

“We are 70-percent sure that the crafting of the OPV will be with Austal. We only need to make sure we can do this via G2G so we can be assured that we will get the equipment

LORENZANA

we need,” Lorenzana said.

He said a G2G transaction would be more efficient and faster than going through the bidding process.

“In addition, the transaction will be protected under a sovereign guarantee,” Lorenzana said.

Austal chief executive David Singleton said the first OPV could be delivered within two years once the agreement was signed before end-2019.

The delivery of the entire fleet of six OPVs might take 10 to 12 years

depending on the urgency and need of the Philippine Navy.

The OPVs will be constructed using high-grade aluminum metal with designs following the specification of the Philippine Coastguard.

It was Austal Philippines that expressed to build the OPVs to complement the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Equipped with a license to construct naval vessels, the shipyard in Cebu province is ready to deliver major naval projects such as the offshore patrol vessels for the Philippine Navy.

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

Austal also offered maintenance services to keep the military vessels in top form while protecting the country, government and civilians.

Austal said it would also accept offers to build other types of military vessels to serve domestic demand and the export market.

BDO wins gold in Kidlat Awards

BDO Unibank Inc. became the first bank to win the coveted Gold Award in the prestigious 2019 Kidlat Awards, an annual creative competition celebrating the country’s most creative advertising work of the past year.

Organized by the 4As Philippines’ Creative Guild, the Kidlat Awards cited BDO for its creative digital campaign highlighting overseas Filipinos finding ways to provide for their families back home―even if it means doing unconventional jobs abroad.

The campaign, launched last year by BDO’s remittance service brand BDO Remit, featured videos of real stories of Filipinos abroad engaged in some of the most uncommon jobs: a father working in Europe as a celebrated drag performer; a young woman working in Japan as a lonely death cleaner or Tokushu Seiso; and a father working as a cross-border driver in the Middle East.

BDO remittance head Geneva Gloria said the three videos depict what BDO is all about: finding ways to meet the needs of its clients, wherever they may be.

“Through BDO Remit and BDO Kabayan Savings Account, BDO ensures that overseas Filipinos’ hard-earned money reaches their families back in the Philippines, because ‘Together, We Find Ways,’” she said.

PetroWind set to invest P1.4b to expand Nabas wind project

By Alena Mae S. Flores NABAS, Aklan―PetroWind Energy Inc., the wind power arm of publiclylisted PetroEnergy Resources Corp., plans to invest P1.4 billion to expand the output of Nabas Wind Farm in this town.

The company said it would expand the 26-megawatt wind facility by another 14 MW with completion targeted by early 2021.

“It will be dependent on NGCP [National Grid Corp. of the Philippines] when will they be allowing more variable renewable energy plants in the Negros-Panay-Cebu grid,” PetroWind executive vice president Francisco Delfin Jr. said.

“Based on their schedule, they say that they can accommodate new variable renewable energy plant in the CNP by early 2021 because they’re still strengthening that line to accommodate more variable renewable energy because there were so many solar plants in Negros,” Delfin said.

The construction of the 14-MW Nabas 2, which will involve seven turbines, will take 16 to 18 months from the award to commissioning, according to Delfin.

The first 36-MW wind project started commercial operations in June 2015 and was built at a cost of P4.6 billion.

Delfin said the expansion project would also depend on whether the company could secure an offtaker or buyer of the additional capacity.

ALSONS' FUND RAISING. Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc., the publicly-listed company of the Alcantara Group and Mindanao’s first and most experienced independent power producer, lists an additional P1.1 billion from the first P1.5-billion tranche of the company’s commercial paper issuance. Attending the ceremonial ringing of the bell to signal the listing are (from left) ACR assistant vice president for treasury and corporate finance Philip Edward Sagun, PDS Group officer-in-charge and concurrently Philippine Depository & Trust Corp. president and COO Ma. Theresa Ravalo, ACR chief finance officer Robert Yenko, ACR executive vice president Tirso Santillan, Jr., Multinational Investment Bancorporation president Marilou Cristobal and Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. president and COO Antonino Nakpil.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

B1

Metrobank’s profit climbed 18% to P13b in 1st semester METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co. said net income climbed 18 percent in the first half to P13 billion from P11 billion it booked in the same period last year.

The country’s second-largest lender said net income in the second quarter also rose 22 percent year-onyear.

Metrobank said the solid performance in the six-month period was driven by the double-digit growth in operating income on the back of consistent loan growth and margin expansion, higher fee-based income and prudent operational expenditures.

“We are pleased with the results as our initiatives are bearing fruit.

We anticipate that the second half will bring even better opportunities as government spending on infrastructure projects continues to accelerate,” said Metrobank president Fabian Dee. “We will continue to make strategic investments in key areas of people and technology so we can deliver more meaningful banking experiences to all our customers,” Dee said.

Metrobank’s deposit base hit P1.6 trillion as of end-June, with Casa (current account, savings account] ratio stable at 61 percent to total deposits. This supported the 6-percent increase in net loans and receivables to P1.4 trillion.

Credit demand was mainly broadbased, as both the commercial segment (comprised of corporate, middle market and SMEs) and consumer portfolio (including mortgage, auto, and credit cards) posted mid-singledigit growth over the comparative period last year.

Metrobank’s net interest margin improved by 6 basis points year-onyear to 3.83 percent in the first six months. Net interest income grew 10 percent to P36.5 billion and accounted for 73 percent of the bank’s total revenues of P50.2 billion.

Rounding off the bank’s growth trajectory was its non-interest income, which rose 16 percent to P13.7 billion. This included an 8-percent increase in service fees and commissions to P6.6 billion, P3.6 billion in net trading and FX gains and P3.5 billion in miscellaneous income.

Govt starts collecting taxes from foreign workers in offshore gaming

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE government expects tax collection from foreign workers in the offshore gaming industry to accelerate after they started securing tax identification numbers from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Thursday.

“We will start collecting [taxes] in July,” Dominguez said, adding that Philippine offshore gaming operators were expected to start withholding income taxes and remit them to the BIR this month.

The Finance Department expects the

BIR to collect at least P2 billion a month from registered foreign workers in POGOs. Government data showed that about 138,000 foreign nationals were working for POGOs. Dominguez said the government would also intensify its campaign targeting unregistered foreign workers to force them to pay income taxes.

“Let’s do this deliberately step-bystep. Whoever is registered should be compliant, then we will look for the unregistered. Let’s not try to solve the whole problem right away. Let’s solve the ones we have in front of us,” he said.

Dominguez also said the government

was only collecting income taxes from foreign workers and not from the POGO operations.

“The way the POGO operates is they pay a fee to Pagcor [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.] in lieu of everything. We are not going after tax for their operation. We are going after the tax they were supposed to withhold from their workers,” he said.

“We know they are tax-free in the Peza [Philippine Economic Zone Authority] zone,” he said.

Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko said foreign workers could en-

joy lower income tax rate as long as they could prove that they have a legal residence status.

“Obviously, the default is they are non-residents and the burden is on the company to prove that they got the work permits, they have resident certificates.

If they can’t show anything, it’s 25-percent tax,” Tionko said.

She also advised foreign workers to complete their personal information when applying for TIN. “I told them to complete the personal information with date of birth, gender, particularly the spelling of their English names,” Tionko said.

PH climbs 19 spots in global innovation THE Philippines jumped 19 places to rank 54th among 129 countries in the Global Innovation Index 2019.

It was a significant improvement from the 73rd spot the country held in 2018 as its score climbed to 36.18 from last year’s 31.56.

The country’s scores increased in five of the GII’s eight pillars: institutions, infrastructure, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs.

“This is great news for our nation and our innovation ecosystem as a whole.

It recognizes the efforts of the various government agencies like the Trade Department, Science Department and National Economic and Development Authority in advancing innovation among our people and MSMEs, creating an innovative culture, as well as in building linkages with academe and industry,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

He said the president’s signing into law of the Philippine Innovation Act

(RA 11293) and Innovative Startup Act (RA 11337) would further improve the country’s ranking “as we intensify our efforts to build our country’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, accelerate and globalize our startups and better prepare our MSMEs and industries for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

The country’s score and rankings in the GII’s input and output sub-indices improved. From 39.14 in 2018 and 82nd rank, the Philippine input subindex score rose to 41.68 to 76th spot.

From 23.98 in 2018 and 68th place, the Philippine output sub-index score also climbed to 30.68 and 42nd sport.

The GII 2019 noted that among the Philippines’s strengths are the percentage of tertiary graduates in science and engineering; e-participation; the percentage of firms offering formal training; trade, competition, and market scale; knowledge absorption; knowledge diffusion; and creative goods exports. Othel V. Campos

METROPOLITAN’S LICENSE. The Insurance Commission issues a certificate of authority to Metropolitan Insurance Co, a non-life insurance company which has been doing business since 1933. A new strategic partnership with its new foreign partner will enable Metropolitan to regain its prominent status as one of the wellknown non-life insurers in the country. Accepting Metropolitan’s license at the office of the Insurance Commission are (from left) IC CRL division manager John Apatan, Metropolitan assistant vice president and head of operations Joseph Jay Periquet, Metropolitan president and CEO Jose Periquet Jr., Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa and Streetcorner E-Commerce Ltd. authorized representative Patrik Ticzon.

B2

Business

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks rise; Jollibee sinks deeper T HE stock market rebounded Thursday on bargain hunting, led by index heavyweights PLDT Inc. and BDO Unibank Inc.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 110.69 points, or 1.4 percent, to 8,272.18 on a value turnover of P8.3 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 124 to 79, with 48 issues unchanged.

PLDT, the biggest telecommunications firm, advanced 3.6 percent to P1,160, while BDO, the largest lender in terms of assets, climbed 3 percent to P151.90. LT Group Inc. of airline and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan rose 3.3 percent to P14.58.

Jollibee Foods Corp., the biggest fast-food chain, slumped 6 percent to P236, after announcing Wednesday its

acquisition of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a specialty coffee and tea chain based in Los Angeles, California, for $350 million. Analysts said market investors turned cautious on Jollibee, whose latest purchase they believed was a costly investment.

The rest of Asian markets were tempered Thursday after two days of gains as doubts emerged over next week’s US-China trade meeting and beleaguered Japanese carmaker Nissan announced massive job cuts.

Hong Kong finished 0.3 percent higher, Shanghai gained 0.5 percent and Tokyo closed up 0.2 percent. Singapore rose 0.4 percent while Seoul was down by the same amount.

Sydney closed up 0.6 percent after Reserve Bank chief Philip Lowe said he would favor further rate cuts to kickstart economic growth.

Reports that US President Donald

Trump’s Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will lead a delegation to China next week to resume trade talks buoyed markets on Wednesday.

The meeting would be the first headto-head since negotiations were cut short in May by Trump’s surprise decision to hit China with more tariffs for what he called Beijing’s backsliding.

But a US warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday, a move that sparked concern in Beijing, while the Wednesday release of a Chinese defense white paper that accuses Washington of undermining “global strategic stability” has softened hopes of a resolution to the long-running trade battle.

Traders had “growing doubts that anything meaningful will come out of next week’s US-China face to face between US and Chinese trade delegates as non-trade-related tensions start to flare”, said Stephen Innes of Vanguard

Markets.

Nissan announced after the market close that it would shed 12,500 jobs, following a 95-percent net profit plunge in the first quarter to $59 million.

The crisis-hit automaker has struggled with weak sales in the United States and Europe and the fallout from the arrest of its former chief Carlos Ghosn.

Investors were also wary of a slump in manufacturing activity, amid signs of Eurozone business growth stalling.

Innes said that weakness in US manufacturing would likely spill over into the services sector.

“When this happens in September or October, it will trigger one of the most significant US dollar and US asset sell signals of the year,” he added.

South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix posted an 89 percent plunge in secondquarter net profit on the back of weak demand. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.9 6,690 91.6 1,894,950 2.21 32,000 151.9 2,246,070 1.16 38,000 27 114,400 7.98 500 18.68 5,000 12.22 1,105,900 4.74 27,000 1.32 2,000 0.46 350,000 75.5 1,853,550 1.1 1,067,000 13.2 171,000 22.9 100 50.65 409,530 185 4,840 59.4 8,480 28.5 39,000 186 348,750 1,760 100 60 103,520

393,290 172,270,585.50 71,710 337,458,199 44,150 3,091,275 3,990 93,400 13,591,822 127,760 2,640 162,250 138,709,550.50 1,165,620 2,257,200 2,290 20,743,357 896,883 505,088 1,094,815 64,703,511 176,000 6,211,623.50

381,095 82,156,588 74,997,375 -1,604,785 -2,090,150 3,093,474 2,577,376.50 -835,691 190,950 25,127,906 -6,133,952.50

36.7 13.92 0.75 1.31 0.265 2.67 14.72 116.8 15.8 15.64 78 85.5 1.95 5.19 6.33 10.34 14.5 10.64 7.49 1.6 26.75 85.2 56.5 2.22 13.96 9.21 1.66 231 4.17 8.85 23.5 14.04 18.16 378 5.5 1.6 4.75 5.6 9.01 2.42 11.72 38.15 5.37 5.03 1.52 1.08 13.4 100.9 6.53 0.128 1.12 168 2.47 1.22 16.1 1.26

INDUSTRIAL 36.8 1,473,800 14 654,400 0.78 2,654,000 1.31 12,000 0.27 1,560,000 2.74 5,296,000 14.9 271,800 116.8 10 16.2 1,015,900 16.94 2,500 80 11,870 86.15 4,750 2.08 391,000 5.4 1,300 6.33 139,200 10.4 2,689,000 14.5 1,883,500 11 724,800 7.55 1,202,900 1.6 10,000 26.8 2,700,900 86.95 557,780 57 184,950 2.23 4,535,000 14.04 555,400 9.42 353,200 1.69 365,000 236 10,785,110 4.2 7,000 8.87 8,300 23.55 172,400 14.3 444,500 18.5 1,757,300 384.2 111,150 5.5 56,000 1.67 6,721,000 4.75 96,000 5.6 4,041,000 9.01 924,300 2.52 35,658,000 11.9 128,200 39 342,500 5.37 114,400 5.1 29,900 1.55 1,759,000 1.09 454,000 14 440,300 102.9 183,420 6.6 156,100 0.128 280,000 1.15 197,000 173.4 831,630 2.47 50,000 1.22 4,023,000 16.1 2,600 1.28 5,681,000

54,267,845 9,187,908 2,037,260 15,720 413,550 14,385,040 4,061,086 1,168 16,677,950 39,290 943,171 417,369 806,380 6,915 885,635 27,963,586 27,386,592 7,863,332 9,051,200 16,000 72,560,735 48,670,605.50 10,489,957.50 10,165,670 7,786,046 3,272,974 1 608,440 2,563,524,072 29,340 73,529 4,119,035 6,371,580 32,384,500 42,495,548 308,000 11,178,310 457,800 22,671,154 8,355,459 89,429,210 2 1,528,374 13,361,435 617,594 151,156 2,709,380 493,170 6,085,862 18,736,461 1,036,212 35,840 224,430 143,143,657 123,640 4,966,870 42,406 7,311,930

-13,570,745 25,106 -21,160 -1,571,780 69,282 255,292 10,990 -250,981 17,303,474 -10,903,688 4,420,742 2,288,478 19,045,870 -17,518,415 245,350.50 2,358,310 -2,977,182 ,618,767.9997 -26,620 -751,204,822 -2,020,045 4,081,840 -10,279,336 13,214,482 -350,080 -6,685,604 ,553,220.0003 105,790.00 -119,870 -1,216,344 2,495,586 3,599,685 106,210 -138,680 -158,470

1.04 57.8 15.8 0.74 7.01 17.68 1.29 1.31 980 4.29 7.1 10.6 14 0.238 972 6.49 69.35 0.52 4.65 15.12 0.73 4.8 0.04 1.56 3.15 172.9 2.7 1,015 0.91 1.39 449.4 261 0.24 0.295

1 55.8 15.54 0.72 7 16.22 1.26 1.3 962.5 4.15 6.88 10.38 13.8 0.223 908.5 6.41 68 0.5 4.39 14.58 0.7 4.71 0.039 1.43 2.91 170.1 2.69 980 0.83 1.37 449.4 255.2 0.232 0.27

HOLDING FIRMS 1.03 13,412,000 57.8 612,300 15.8 5,246,900 0.73 556,000 7 313,400 16.7 180,900 1.28 3,540,000 1.3 354,000 980 503,890 4.22 5,297,000 7.04 875,300 10.48 1,769,600 14 9,600 0.235 560,000 972 147,020 6.43 61,700 69 1,261,110 0.51 39,000 4.56 647,000 14.58 6,250,600 0.71 5,713,000 4.8 16,996,000 0.039 4,500,000 1.54 2,249,000 3 153,000 172.9 350,090 2.69 4,000 1,015 241,660 0.87 2,898,000 1.38 195,000 449.4 10 261 190 0.239 1,920,000 0.28 17,530,000

13,651,600 35,093,580.50 82,096,442 402,800 2,193,826 3,036,140 4,499,640 461,680 489,617,230 22,428,070 6,150,355 18,517,930 133,422 131,290 138,778,935 396,137 86,706,780.5 27 19,560 2,919,220 92,990,756 4,074,640 81,200,530 176,800 3,393,390 458,780 59,946,517 10,770 243,409,345 2,551,870 269,170 4,494 49,218 453,870 4,953,250

-60,700 12,928,543 -1,424,654 -776,301 21,948 188,120 252,188,050 -17,340 1,357,220 -3,792,174 -19,320 62,987,375 -143,169 ,386,469.9996 172,410 -33,171,972 54,061,580 317,740 14,890,893 157,767,405 -65,650 -2,610 -

15.88 0.84 10.92 2.16 1.1 52.55 2.35 5.05 6.1 0.62 0.8 0.89 0.239 0.46 10.52 24.9 0.475 1.94 1.39 4.75 6.35 0.36 0.5 1.71 0.405 2.15 28

15.84 0.82 10.92 2.09 1.06 51.5 2.29 4.99 6.09 0.6 0.8 0.89 0.237 0.455 10.16 24 0.47 1.92 1.36 4.75 6.25 0.335 0.41 1.65 0.405 2.1 27.1

10,640,028 1,156,300 1,092 203,530 9,495,800 170,337,494 587,690 8,681,191 141,320 31,052,810 13,600 13,350 985,610 400,450 13,478,002 12,282,300 691,000 33,078,140 3,804,090 95,000 109,061,497 14,778,400 1,647,500 6,325,420 48,600 1,440,870 126,099,545

-388,178 33,200 -32,650 24,850,653 -78,880 104,045.00 -19,520 39,700 645,390 1,236,790 3,196,530 9,520,030 27,240,282 302,100 -330,030 -40,130 59,062,045

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58 90 2.32 147.3 1.17 27.2 7.98 18.68 12.46 4.79 1.32 0.47 74.95 1.06 13.2 22.9 50.7 190.5 59.7 27.95 184 1,760 59.85

58.9 91.6 2.32 151.9 1.17 27.2 7.98 18.68 12.58 4.79 1.32 0.47 75.5 1.11 13.2 22.9 50.8 190.5 59.75 28.5 186.3 1,760 60.8

58 90 2.21 145.4 1.16 26.95 7.98 18.68 12.22 4.68 1.32 0.46 74.15 1.06 13.2 22.9 50.15 184.5 59.4 27.7 182.1 1,760 59.8

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

37 14 0.79 1.31 0.265 2.67 15.18 116.8 17.6 15.64 85.75 94.95 2.11 5.19 6.35 10.42 14.7 10.92 7.55 1.6 26.9 89.05 58 2.25 13.96 9.29 1.73 250.8 4.17 8.85 24 14.44 18.5 379 5.5 1.73 4.8 5.65 9.05 2.49 11.72 38.55 5.37 5.1 1.55 1.1 13.7 103 6.6 0.128 1.13 171.8 2.47 1.27 16.96 1.31

37.05 14.18 0.81 1.31 0.27 2.75 15.18 116.8 17.6 16.94 85.75 94.95 2.11 5.4 6.4 10.44 14.7 11.06 7.55 1.6 26.95 89.05 58 2.27 14.1 9.42 1.73 250.8 4.2 8.87 24.1 14.48 18.6 384.2 5.5 1.76 4.8 5.66 9.05 2.6 12 39.35 5.6 5.1 1.55 1.1 14 103 7 0.128 1.16 173.4 2.49 1.28 16.96 1.33

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

1.04 56.6 15.6 0.73 7 17.68 1.29 1.3 965 4.21 7.05 10.48 13.8 0.223 924 6.41 69.35 0.51 4.65 15.12 0.71 4.79 0.04 1.52 2.91 170.4 2.7 996.5 0.84 1.39 449.4 259 0.233 0.295

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

15.84 0.83 10.92 2.11 1.09 51.55 2.3 5.02 6.1 0.62 0.8 0.89 0.239 0.455 10.46 24.85 0.47 1.94 1.39 4.75 6.26 0.355 0.5 1.68 0.405 2.15 27.15

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

2.38 3.22 37.5 2.01 6.21 0.8 7.69

2.38 3.22 37.95 2.1 6.21 0.81 7.88

2.33 3.15 37.5 1.98 5.98 0.8 7.66

2.35 3.2 37.8 2.09 6 0.81 7.8

1,151,000 34,000 4,377,800 2,439,000 515,200 691,000 13,635,600

2,704,490 107,970 165,397,055 4,954,710 3,112,378 552,900 106,002,212

-61,377,030 8,100 -5,772,082

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

11 19.72 1.48 0.52 0.048 2.68 11.74 0.062 96 7.17 7.57 6.4 2.06 9.98 2,200 5.35 415 2.12 136 9.5 5.65 0.114 5.51 2.94 14.16 3.7 0.93 19.92 0.52 3.43 2.7 1.5 1.52 2.45 2.95 9.1 5.16 8.23 160 4.2 1,139 0.76 0.8 45.45 78.7 9.28 3.38 0.79 0.355 5.45 0.83 15.94

11 20.35 1.49 0.52 0.05 2.69 11.74 0.065 96.05 7.17 7.61 6.4 2.06 9.98 2,236 5.44 429 2.14 137.3 9.69 5.65 0.114 5.52 2.98 14.2 3.7 0.93 19.96 0.52 3.49 2.71 1.5 1.52 2.49 2.97 9.1 5.18 8.23 160 4.21 1,160 0.76 0.81 46 78.7 9.49 3.38 0.79 0.355 5.52 0.83 16.06

10.8 18.1 1.48 0.48 0.048 2.59 11.54 0.062 93.8 7.17 7.2 6.4 2.06 9.52 2,176 5.32 415 2.09 134.1 9.43 5.65 0.113 5.19 2.9 14.16 3.63 0.9 19.5 0.51 3.4 2.57 1.5 1.5 2.4 2.93 9.01 5 8.23 146 4.06 1,119 0.73 0.79 45.3 77.7 9.27 3.2 0.74 0.345 5.44 0.77 15.66

SERVICES 10.8 18.9 1.49 0.5 0.049 2.69 11.6 0.065 95.5 7.17 7.4 6.4 2.06 9.52 2,236 5.35 420 2.12 137 9.43 5.65 0.113 5.28 2.98 14.16 3.65 0.93 19.78 0.52 3.49 2.59 1.5 1.5 2.4 2.96 9.1 5.1 8.23 156 4.11 1,160 0.74 0.79 46 77.95 9.49 3.25 0.75 0.35 5.52 0.79 15.9

23,500 451,700 10,000 6,237,000 9,890,000 438,000 7,390,500 25,000,000 202,810 3,000 3,409,300 20,100 2,000 49,400 68,780 117,100 390 1,367,000 1,782,170 5,900 800 1,920,000 10,147,400 38,000 2,000 945,000 326,000 319,700 324,000 160,000 4,848,000 20,000 53,000 3,478,000 160,000 32,800 96,600 100 1,530 1,762,000 108,585 5,342,000 58,759,000 236,900 1,396,270 9,000 6,080,000 10,314,000 5,480,000 4,767,300 10,903,000 6,354,000

254,380 8,646,381 14,870 3,125,100 480,440 1,151,850 85,819,294(52 1,577,640 19,250,317 21,510 25,002,621 128,640 4,120 484,355 152,852,160 625,777 162,158 2,879,640 242,099,584 56,060 4,520 217,520 53,835,464 112,140 28,358 3,453,160 300,690 6,307,852 165,630 546,440 12,740,480 30,000 79,760 8,449,110 472,170 296,224 490,722 823 238,910 7,245,110 124,389,435 3,969,740 46,711,510 10,827,025 108,838,379.50 85,192 19,936,850 7,836,740 1,920,700 26,204,730 8,562,530 101,193,982

-14,320 10,000 ,446,184.0001) 14,875,765 -1,893,634 79,416,080 -29,212,213 -2,524,075 -1,158,970 435,688 -34,800 -485,220 -189,120 -118,620 135,320 -12,852,675 1,107,100 -517,700 -1,802,680 53,513,385.50 6,038,890 2,301,810 -11,030,653 93,220 29,099,364

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

0.0017 1.22 2.71 13 2.78 0.28 7.7 1.52 0.241 0.108 0.122 0.0074 0.0075 1.12 2.64 1.09 0.51 0.89 0.011 0.012 0.01 6.1 3.6 8.28 24.55

0.0017 1.22 2.71 13 2.78 0.28 7.8 1.52 0.243 0.108 0.122 0.0074 0.0075 1.15 2.64 1.09 0.51 0.89 0.012 0.013 0.011 6.19 3.6 8.49 24.8

0.0017 1.19 2.71 12.5 2.75 0.27 7.62 1.49 0.23 0.107 0.122 0.0071 0.0075 1.11 2.58 1.05 0.51 0.87 0.011 0.012 0.01 5.3 3.46 8.16 24.2

MINING & OIL 0.0017 151,000,000 1.2 4,403,000 2.71 20,000 12.8 13,800 2.75 1,002,000 0.27 2,720,000 7.64 1,300 1.49 1,699,000 0.23 1,400,000 0.108 1,890,000 0.122 10,000 0.0071 26,000,000 0.0075 18,000,000 1.15 230,000 2.6 6,737,000 1.07 53,000 0.51 21,000 0.87 540,000 0.012 4,600,000 0.013 900,000 0.011 49,100,000 5.84 3,132,800 3.48 1,321,000 8.38 1,072,400 24.55 3,150,000

256,700 5,317,060 54,200 173,124 2,764,050 747,150 10,040 2,549,350 325,850 202,850 1,220 190,400 135,000 258,160 17,524,260 55,780 10,710 473,060 53,500 11,600 534,100 18,286,632 4,617,200 8,863,248 77,448,095

348,780 436,610 5,338,790 -2,600 3,590 -343,620 625,809.00 -24,096,320

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 ALCO PREF C DD PREF FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A LR PREF MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H

18.5 500 495 102 99.4 102.1 485 928 940 99.65 1.05 100 1,008 1,014 980 75.2 76.85 73.75 75 75 74.9

18.5 500 498 102 99.4 102.1 490 928 940 99.65 1.05 101 1,011 1,015 983 75.2 77 73.75 75 75 74.95

17.5 495 495 102 99.4 102 485 928 921 99.65 1.04 100 1,002 1,014 980 75.2 76.85 73.7 75 75 74.9

PREFERRED 17.56 172,000 495 1,500 498 2,110 102 1,000 99.4 320 102 2,000 490 270 928 870 921 200 99.65 480 1.04 2,928,000 101 1,270 1,011 7,950 1,015 6,060 983 500 75.2 460 77 3,900 73.7 40,000 75 73,810 75 25,530 74.95 117,250

3,098,976 749,950 1,045,060 102,000 31,808 204,070 131,800 807,360 184,390 47,832 3,045,350 127,210 8,035,870 6,150,040 491,470 34,592 299,993.50 2,948,500 5,535,750 1,914,750 8,784,682.50

-1,065,346 -

LR WARRANT

1.82

1.82

1.71

WARRANTS 1.77 754,000

1,350,900

-

14,448,921 7,612,930

-211,190 -1,031,230

1,656,570

-384,324

148,277.60 15,147

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 15.84 0.84 10.92 2.09 1.06 52.55 2.32 5.04 6.1 0.6 0.8 0.89 0.238 0.46 10.32 24.4 0.475 1.93 1.38 4.75 6.3 0.335 0.46 1.71 0.405 2.11 27.9

671,600 1,397,000 100 97,000 8,846,000 3,269,150 253,000 1,733,000 23,200 51,203,000 17,000 15,000 4,140,000 880,000 1,301,400 503,700 1,470,000 17,139,000 2,761,000 20,000 17,304,200 43,340,000 3,600,000 3,762,000 120,000 682,000 4,536,600

ITALPINAS XURPAS

6.05 1.06

6.35 1.07

5.99 1.02

FIRST METRO ETF

122.8

123.5

121.7

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10.28 0.99

TRADING SUMMARY

10.3 0.99

SHARES

FINANCIAL

12,769,991

INDUSTRIAL

105,767,295

HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY

96,224,673 193,344,992

SERVICES

196,763,002

MINING & OIL

279,784,065

GRAND TOTAL

894,307,847

10.28 0.99

6.33 1.05

SME

2,339,100 7,300,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 123.5 13,520 DDS 10.28 0.99

14,420 15,300

VALUE 1,873.53 (UP) 30.84 1,030,082,790.99 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,407.16 (DOWN) 94.62 3,506,907,756.097 HOLDING FIRMS 8,077.35 (UP) 152.46 1,519,956,271.92 PROPERTY 4,401.11 (UP) 41.55 SERVICES 1,669.69 (UP) 9.35 876,099,117.445 MINING & OIL 8,038.13 (DOWN) 49.32 1,176,100,522.275 PSEI 8,272.18 (UP) 110.69 140,887,309.0729 All Shares Index 4,993.84 (UP) 37.60 8,273,755,988.44 Gainers: 79; Losers: 124; Unchanged: 48; Total: 251

Aboitiz Power prepares sale of retail bonds valued at P10b

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE board of Aboitiz Power Corp. appointed BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and First Metro Investment Corp. as joint issue managers, book-runners and lead underwriters, and BDO Unibank-Trust and Investments Group as trustee for the proposed issuance of the third tranche of retail bonds worth at least P10 billion.

Aboitiz Power said it will issue retail bonds with a base issue size of P10 billion (and an oversubscription amount to be determined at a later date) as the third tranche of the company’s P30-billion fixed-rate retail bonds registered in 2017 under the shelf registration program with the Securities Exchange Commission.

“Subject to market conditions, the Third Tranche Bonds are expected to be offered to the general public in the second half 2019 and shall be listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corporation (PDEx) as and when issued,” Aboitiz Power said.

The board delegated to the company’s management the final determination of the issue amount, interest rate, offer price, tenors and other terms and conditions of the bonds.

“As previously disclosed, proceeds of the Third Tranche Bonds will be used to finance planned acquisitions, future investments, and/or other corporate requirements,” it said.

Aboitiz Power acquired a 49-percent voting interest and 60-percent economic stake in AA Thermal Inc., the coal asset platform of the Ayala Group in the country, for $579.2 million (P31.4 billion) in September last year.

The company issued the first tranche on July 3, 2017 in the amount of P3 billion, and the second tranche worth P10.2 billion o October 25, 2018.

Aboitiz Power’s second tranche bonds received strong market response when issued last year.

“Despite market volatility, our base offer is fully subscribed. While the purpose of this second offering is to refinance and repay some of our existing loan obligations, it is part of a larger goal of providing the country 4,000 megawatts of installed capacity by 2020,” Aboitiz Power chief finance officer Liza Montelibano said earlier.

Kepwealth bares P384.7m worth of public offering

By Jenniffer B. Austria KEPWEALTH Property Philippines Inc., a former unit of Singapore-based Keppel Corp., is raising as much as P384.7 million through an initial public offering scheduled next month.

Kepwealth said in an offering memorandum approved by the Philippine Stock Exchange it would offer 67,032 million primary shares for up P5.74 apiece.

The offered shares represent 33.34 percent of the company’s issued capital stock. They will be listed under the Small, Medium and Emerging Board of the local bourse.

Kepwealth stands to have a market capitalization of P1.15 billion after the IPO. “It may have taken some time before we had our first IPO but I am pleased that KPPI is embarking on its maiden share sale. I hope that this move will encourage other companies that pushed back their IPOs to revisit their plans and consider the stock market as an avenue for capital raising,” said PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon.

Kepwealth scheduled the offering period from August 5 to August 9 and listing date tentatively on August 19.

The company tapped BDO Capital and Investments Corp. as the sole issue manager and underwriter of the offering.

Kepwealth plans to use net proceeds from the offering to diversify its asset base and expand the office leasing portfolio with the acquisition of about 3,500 square meters of leasable space.

The property firm said it would earmark P245 million of the net proceeds to acquire office spaces mainly in Pasig City and Makati City, and P120 million in Davao City within the first to the second quarters of 2020.

The company currently owns 77 office condominium units with 98 leasable spaces in Kepwealth Center, a commercial building at Samar Loop corner Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

Manila

Standard

World

B3

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TODAY

IN BRIEF Puerto Rico governor quits after protests

SAN JUAN―Puerto Rico’s embattled governor Ricardo Rossello announced his resignation late Wednesday following two weeks of massive protests triggered by the release of a chat exchange in which he and others mocked gays, women and hurricane victims.

“I announce that I will be resigning from the governor’s post effective Friday, August 2 at 5 pm,” Rossello said, in a video statement posted on the government’s Facebook page.

As soon as the video ended, a joyous commotion and cries of “ole ole ole” were heard from protesters who had rallied since the afternoon at the gates of the governor’s mansion, known as La Fortaleza, in San Juan.

The protests have been ongoing since July 13, when the Center for Investigative Journalism released 889 pages of text chats on the encrypted messaging app Telegram in which Rossello and 11 other male administration members criticized officials, politicians and journalists.

“I trust that Puerto Rico will continue united and move forward as it always has,” Rossello said. “And I hope that this decision will serve as a call for reconciliation of citizens.”

The 40-year-old said that Justice Secretary Wanda Vazquez would temporarily succeed him.

Rossello said he made the announcement taking into account the complaints against him and after discussion with his family.

Puerto Ricans had waited expectantly for the announcement throughout the day, after El Nuevo Dia reported early in the morning that the governor would resign Wednesday, citing anonymous sources.

“Everyone feels betrayed by him,” celebrity musician Rene Perez (“Residente”) told Spanish-language news channel Telemundo at the protest, shortly before the governor’s announcement.

Perez and other local celebrities, including pop star Ricky Martin and trap musician Benito Martinez (“Bad Bunny”), have been leading the protests. AFP

Europe heatwave seen to spike P ARIS―A dangerously intense heatwave across much of Europe is to spike even higher Thursday after already breaking records in several countries, impacting rail traffic and sending people in search of shade and water.

Paris was expected to see the mercury soar to as much as 41 or 42 degrees Celsius, breaking a 70-yearplus record of 40.4C (104.7 Fahrenheit) and turning the UNESCO-listed capital into a baking urban bowl.

Britain’s Met Office predicted a chance that the UK record of 38.5C, which was recorded in Faversham, Kent, in August 2004, would also be exceeded on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands all recorded their all-time highest temperatures.

Thursday was forecast to be the peak of Europe’s latest heatwave―the second in less than a month and an impetus for a new focus to be given to climate change. Cooler weather with rain was expected to provide relief from Friday.

The body-sapping, leaden, shriveling heat was posing difficulties for humans, animals and crops across

the continent.

The northern third of France, including Paris, was under a red alert while the rest of the country had a yellow warning and water-use restrictions were in force.

Cyclists in the Tour de France in southern France had to puff their way over the course in well over 30C. In the Netherlands, farmers have been leaving their cows outside to sleep, rather than bringing them in at night, while Dutch media said hundreds of pigs died when a ventilator failed at Middelharnis.

On Wednesday, the southern Dutch town of GilzeRijen experienced 38.8C heat, surpassing a record dating back 75 years.

Belgium registered an all-time high of 39.9C at the Kleine-Brogel military base, beating a record that dated back to June 1947.

And Germany’s western town of Geilenkirche sweltered through 40.5C. Trains in Britain and France were slowed in response to the extreme weather.

French rail operator SNCF advised travellers in the worst affected areas to delay journeys planned at the peak of the heatwave Thursday.

Thalys and Eurostar train services between Brussels, Paris and London were on Wednesday disrupted by a failure on

Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Tel Nos. (632) 929-66-26 to 29 • (632) 929-62-52 Website: http:/www.denr.gov.ph / E-mail: web@denrgov.ph

DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER No. 2019 - 07 SUBJECT : GUIDELINES ON THE DENR PARTICIPATION TO INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS, CONFERENCES AND OTHER RELATED AFFAIRS Pursuant to Executive Order No. 77 dated March 15, 2019 entitled, “Prescribing Rules and Regulations and Rates of Expenses and Allowances for Official Local and Foreign Travels of Government Personnel” and DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 2009-18 or “Transfer of International Affairs Functions to the Planning and Policy Studies Office,” the following guidelines are hereby issued for the guidance and compliance of all concerned.

SECTION 1. Basic Policy. It is the policy of the State to ensure that the official local or foreign travels shall cover the following criteria: (1) it is essential to the effective performance of an official or employees mandates or functions; (2) it is required to meet the needs of the department, agency, bureau or office, or there is substantial benefit to derived by the State; (3) the presence of the official or employee is critical to the outcome of the meeting, conference, seminar, consultation or any official activity to be attended; and (4) the projected expenses are not excessive or involve minimum expenditure.

US warship sails through Taiwan Strait

TAIPEI―A United States warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait, US Navy and Taiwanese authorities said Thursday, a move likely to anger Beijing.

The transit came as China, which views Taiwan as a renegade province, unveiled a defense white paper Wednesday stressing its willingness to use force to thwart any move towards the self-ruled island’s independence, and accusing the US of undermining global stability.

It also followed an unprecedented joint Chinese-Russia air force exercise this week that triggered furious protests of airspace violations by key US regional allies South Korea and Japan.

According to the US Seventh Fleet, the USS Antietam conducted a routine transit through the narrow waterway separating the Chinese mainland and Taiwan during July 24-25.

The transit “demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the Seventh Fleet said in a statement.

“The US Navy will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows.”

US warships periodically conduct navigation exercises in the waterway, triggering angry responses from China every time.

Beijing lodged a protest with Washington in May after a US destroyer and a supply ship sailed through the strait.

China views any ships passing through the strait as essentially a breach of its sovereignty -- while the US and many other nations view the route as international waters open to all.

Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing views the democratic island as part of its territory.

Last month, a Canadian frigate and a support vessel passed through Taiwan Strait in a recent string of such transits, as they came from a visit to Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay heading to Northeast Asia.

The ships were going to join “a multinational effort to counter North Korea’s evasion of UN Security Council sanctions by maritime smuggling”. AFP

an overhead power line, although it was not immediately clear if this was due to the heatwave.

A Eurostar train bound for London tore down part of the cable support just outside Brussels. The 600 passengers were eventually taken back to Brussels, the Belga news agency said.

Across the area affected by the unusually high heat, people tried to cool off in lakes and rivers.

In London, police were searching for three people who went missing in the River Thames after going swimming while three people have drowned in Germany since Tuesday.

France’s weather office said the scorching conditions “require particular care, notably for vulnerable or exposed people” with almost the entire country under an orange-level weather alert, the second-highest level.

Paris, in particular, remains haunted by the early summer of 2003 when 15,000 deaths were blamed on the heat and the authorities were bitterly criticized for not mobilizing fast enough. AFP

SECTION 2. Objectives.

2.1 To provide a rational mechanism in the formulation of the national position to pursue during conferences or related affairs.

2.2 To provide a system of organizing the delegation to conferences, meetings, negotiations and related events.

2.3 To provide for an efficient and facilitative preparation and processing of necessary documents for international travel of the delegates to international conferences, meetings, negotiations and related affairs.

SECTION 3. Scope and Coverage. This Order covers the participation of DENR officials and employees to High-level Meetings, including Preparatory and Working Group meetings, and Technical and Experts Group meetings in the fulfilment of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) International Agreements/Commitments. This shall also include invitations for speaking engagements or receiving awards from foreign governments/ institutions or international agencies/organizations provided that these are within the purview of the international agreements/commitments as enumerated below and are funded by the inviting entity.

These international agreements/commitments are classified into the following: 3.1 United Nations (UN) Conventions; 3.2 Asia Pacific Agreement; 3.3 Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) and sub-regional cooperation; and 3.4 Other Multilateral and Bilateral. Agreement entered into by the Philippines not covered by the above classifications such as RAMSAR and CITES. SECTION 4. Formulation of the Philippine Position to the Conference Agenda. The formulation of the Philippine position to conferences shall follow the policy formulation process under DAO No. 2016-09, and shall be subject to approval of the Secretary or the Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs.

SECTION 5. Organization of the Conference Delegation. The following procedures shall be observed in organizing the delegation: 5.1 Ministerial meetings shall be attended by the Secretary or a DENR official whose rank is not lower than an Assistant Secretary; 5.2 Senior Officials’ meetings shall be attended by an Undersecretary or DENR Official whose rank is not lower than a Director;

SUNRISE. The sun rises over the beach in the northern French city of Sangatte on July 25, 2019.

AFP

Donald Trump gloats as Mueller gives Dems little support for impeachment WASHINGTON―US President Donald Trump declared the Russia meddling and obstruction probe a “big hoax” Wednesday as the Democrats reaped precious little new ammunition for impeachment in marathon testimony to Congress by investigation leader Robert Mueller.

Mueller said during his hotly-anticipated appearance that he had not exonerated Trump of obstruction allegations, but once again declined to accuse the US president of a crime or recommend that Congress do so.

Answering questions on his investigation for the first time, a shaky-voiced, sometimes uncertain Mueller would not go beyond the facts set out in his final investigation report and refused dozens of times to answer questions from both Democrats and Republicans.

Mueller’s report, made public in April, outlined a pattern of attempted cooperation between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia which didn’t rise to the level of a criminal conspiracy -- and at least 10 instances of alleged interference in the probe by Trump.

But the former FBI director denied Democrats seeking an impeachment effort their number one goal, an unequivocal statement on national television that Trump had criminally obstructed justice.

Republicans quickly declared the Russia

investigation over and Trump said it was “a very big day” for himself and the country.

“There was no defense to this ridiculous hoax,” he told reporters.

“This whole thing has been three years of embarrassment and a waste of time for our country.”

“The Democrats lost so big today,” he added.

The marathon day of nationally-televised hearings did little to resolve the outcome of Mueller’s 22-month investigation, which outraged and at times shook the White House, as indictments came down for six former Trump aids and associates, five of whom were convicted.

It came with both parties stepping up campaigning ahead of the November 2020 presidential and congressional elections, with Trump determined to repeat his stunning upset victory of 2016.

The former special counsel started his testimony with a statement that suggested he might be ready to address Trump’s personal attacks on him and his investigators as conducting a politically driven “witch hunt.”

“The president was not exculpated from the acts that he allegedly committed,” Mueller flatly told the House Judiciary Committee. AFP

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 217 - QUEZON CITY IN THE MATTER OF PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF MINOR MARK ANTHON LUAR, MARK ANTHON LUAR AS REPRESENTED BY HIS PARENTS UNECIL LUAR y DUMAGHAN, and MARLOU LUAR y PANADERO, Petitioner.

-versus-

SP CASE NO. R-QZN-19-06675-SP

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA) (and all persons who have or claim any rights under them), Respondents. x------------------------------------------------------------------------x

ORDER

This is a verified amended petition for correction of entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of minor Mark Anthon Luar.

The amended petition alleges that petitioner Mark Anthon Luar as represented by his parents Unecil Luar y Dumaghan and Marlou Luar y Panadero was born on August 16, 2017 in Quezon City to his parents Unecil Luar y Dumaghan and Marlou Luar y Panadero; that there were no entries in the petitioner’s birth certificate in the following bracketed portions: 1) registered child’s middle name; 2) registered child’s father’s details, specifically the name, citizenship, religion/religious sect, occupation, age (at the time of this birth) and residence; and, 3) all details pertaining to the marriage of parents, specifically the date and place; that the biological parents of Mark Anthon Luar were married to each other before the child’s birth on July 17, 2008; that the mentioned entries were not made because Marlou Luar relied on his sister to complete the same but failed to do so; that the instant petition was filed in order to set the child’s birth certificate in accordance with the provision of the family code and other existing laws and to avoid confusion in the future.

Wherefore, the amended petition is hereby set for hearing on August 9, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court located at Room 228, Second Floor, Hall of Justice, Diliman, Quezon City at which place and on which date and time, all interested persons must appear and file their position/s to the amended petition.

Let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation throughout the Philippines.

Further, let a copy of an amended petition, and of this Order be served upon the office of the Solicitor General, Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Philippine Statistics Authority who may file their opposition thereto within fifteen (15) days from notice of this amended petition.

5.3 Technical conferences shall be attended by the Heads of Bureaus or Attached Agencies or Assistant Head or the concerned Division Chief; and 5.4 The size of the delegation shall be organized at the minimum level. For support staff deemed necessary in the attendance to the above affairs, the most relevant Bureau or Attached Agency shall recommend a technical personnel in addition to those identified by the attendees themselves.

SECTION 6. Preparation and Processing of Necessary Travel Documents. The preparation and processing of the necessary papers for international travel involving DENR officials and personnel such as nominations and international funding requests, as well as requests for travel authority and other related papers needed for participation to international commitment conferences and meetings and negotiations shall be prepared by the Policy and Planning Service - Policy Studies Division and will be endorsed by the Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs to the Office of the Secretary for approval and signature. The Human Resources Development Service (HRDS) shall be provided copies of travel authority or a quarterly basis for incorporation to the report to the President.

All nominations and requests for travel authority and other related papers and communications for other foreign, travels, scholarships, training programs, fellowships, study grants, workshops, seminars not covered in Section 3 shall be prepared by the HRDS. SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. All existing Orders, Memoranda and Circular or portions thereof Which are inconsistent herewith are hereby revoked or amended accordingly.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Order shall be held invalid or unconstitutional, the other portions or provisions hereof which are not affected shall continue in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. This Order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation and upon acknowledgment of receipt of a copy hereof by the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) and the UP Law Center.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Philippines, May 29, 2019. cc: THE PUBLIC ATTORNEY’S OFFICE Counsel for the Petitioner 6th Floor, Cecilia Muñoz Palma Hall, DOJ Building, Quezon City Marlou Luar and Unecil Luar #035 Diamond Hills, Molave Ext., Grp 1 B Payatas B. Quezon City Office of the Solicitor General Makati City

ROY A. ClMATU Secretary

(Sgd.) SANTIAGO M. ARENAS Judge Office of the City Prosecutor Quezon City Office of the Local Civil Registrar Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority Quezon City (MStandard - July 19, 26 & Aug. 2, 2019)

(MS-JULY 26, 2019)

LGUs

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

B4

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Du30: Bacolod in good hands with Leonardia PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte recently congratulated Bacolod City Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia on his reelection in the May elections, and said the city is in “safe hands” under his leadership.

“I’m happy that you were elected once again, that Bacolod City is in safe hands,” Duterte said in a video message shown during the inaugural ceremony at the Bacolod City Government Center.

“I wish that you will be there in the political arena, maybe a little bit longer to serve the people. That’s what it’s all about, service to the people—nothing more, nothing less,” the President added.

The President also congratulated Leonardia’s partymates, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Rep. Greg Gasataya.

The three Grupo Progreso leaders were reelected with overwhelming votes and had big margins over their opponents.

Leonardia, now on his sixth term as mayor, is the longest-serving mayor of Bacolod. He garnered a record-breaking 144,776 votes in the latest elections, the highest votes ever for a local candidate in Bacolod.

He also had a lead of 63,528 votes, the biggest margin in Bacolod elections, over his closest opponent.

Leonardia said that for the first time ever, the people of Bacolod voted for an overwhelming majority. Grupo Progreso won 14 of the 15 seats, including 11 of the 12 slots for councilors.

“The people’s message is clear, that they would like to see their city officials working together, cooperating with each other, and living in peace and harmony,” the mayor said.

Massive Isabela cleanup drive vs. dengue set today

By Jessica M. Bacud ILAGAN, Isabela—Isabela Governor Rodolfo “Rodito” T. Albano III has declared today, July 26, as a non-working holiday in the entire province for the conduct of a massive cleanup drive.

Dubbed as “Todas Dengue, Todo Na (Ika-Anim Na Kagat)” the event is a clear-out drive against dengue, strengthening the government effort against mosquito-borne diseases and boosting its continuous, intensified information campaign, Albano said.

The Provincial Health Office reported 15 dengue deaths and 2,398 dengue cases from January to June this year.

Lawyer Noel Manuel Lopez, Provincial Administrator, said the governor is “very much concerned” with the report, citing an increase from the 917 cases for the same period in 2018.

This, Lopez said, compelled the Provincial Government to conduct the oneday cleanup to eliminate the disease and to stop the spread of dengue fever and other mosquito-borne viruses.

Through Executive Order No. 0319, the Provincial Government of Isabela, in collaboration with all the government agencies in the province, are now ready to participate in the massive provincewide cleanup.

The activity is also in observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month and in support of the national government’s declaration of the National Dengue Alert.

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia takes his oath of office before Senate President Vicente Sotto III as his wife Elsa holds the Bible and daughter Loren Kara helps him at the inauguration of city officials at the Government Center. The mayor and the city’s first lady then flank Manila Standard publisher Rolando Estabillo (inset, center), and later entertained several high-profile guests that graced the Bacolod event. Bacolod City PIO

Isko wrecks more roadblocks

By Vito Barcelo and Joel E. Zurbano

M

ANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has ordered the demolition of a fire volunteer outpost and a barangay outpost that occupied streets in Binondo and Quiapo districts as part of the city government’s program to clear streets of obstructions.

Domagoso led the demolition of a barangay outpost and a grotto at Gonzalo Puyat Street (formerly Raon Street) in Quiapo, which was built there six years ago.

The Manila chief executive also ordered the demolition of Fire Volunteer Outpost Hall 289 Zone 27 in Ongpin as part of the city’s traffic decongestion project.

The mayor appealed to all barangay officials to voluntarily demolish barangay halls that occupy streets, saying he will help find them places to build or

rent barangay halls.

Meanwhile, Domagaso on Thursday said he is considering pulling out electronic tricycles from the city and canceling the privilege given to their operators, saying e-trikes are not registered and the project was used by the previous city administration only for political purposes.

“These e-trikes are not motorized, and it cannot be registered by the government. They have no [public transport] franchise but they have a privilege

and were recognized by the local [government],” said Domagaso at the sidelines of the first Metro Manila Council meeting held at the main office of the Metro Manila Development Authority in Makati City.

“They were being accommodated.

They have a group, and their group is being used only for political purposes.

Political accommodation because their votes would go to waste. Now [MMDA] Chairman [Danilo] Lim is telling us they should be given attention because they are everywhere,” the mayor said. “[E-trikes] go wherever they want to go. They take over routes, unlike jeeps that have routes but are penalized when they cut trips,” added Domagoso.

MMDA officials have also classified e-trikes as private “toys” and not transport vehicles.

HONORED BATANGUEÑO.

The city of Tanauan in Batangas, in coordination with the Kapatirang Mabini Foundation, has conferred the ‘Dangal ng Lahing Batangueño’ award on Jamie Christine Berberabe Lim (center) during the 155th birth anniversary of national hero Apolinario Mabini at the Mabini Shrine in Talaga, Tanauan. A recent summa cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, Berberabe-Lim is the daughter of former basketball star Avelino ‘Samboy’ Lim and former Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Darlene Berberabe—also a former Dangal ng Lahi awardee. Flanking the awardee are (from left) Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste, Tanauan Vice Mayor Herminigildo Trinidad Jr., Mayor Mary Angeline ‘Sweet’ Halili, and former Gov. J. Antonio Leviste, president of the Kapatirang Mabini Foundation.

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY—The national government has earmarked some P46 million for the technical education program in support of the Normalization Process under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

The program formed part of a normalization support package the agency is tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to implement for the government’s commitments under the CAB, according to Director-General Isidro Lapeña of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Director OmarKhayyam Dalagan of the Tesda in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the national government has earmarked a total of P46.25 million for skills development education that Moro beneficiaries can avail of under the peace package during the period of normalization, as provided in the peace agreement.

Dalagan said of the amount, P7.36 million will be allotted for Basilan province’s Private Education Students Financial Assistance, Training for Work Scholarship Program, and Universal Quality Tertiary Education Assistance.

Maguindanao will have its share of P18.59 million also allocated for PESFA, TWSP and UQTEA, Dalagan said.

Lanao Sur will have P6.4 million for the three technical skills education scholarships. Sulu and TawiTawi will have P 5.39 million and P 8.76 million, respectively, for PESFA, TWSP, and UQTEA.

Bataan orients 72 ‘Gurong Iskolar’ tutors Smart expands LTE in 2 provinces

By Butch Gunio

DIRECTOR’S FANS. Hundreds of senior high school and college students from different schools in Antipolo City take photographs with acclaimed film director Brillante Mendoza (center) as he presents his latest masterpiece—‘Hilom,’ a tribute to the Doctors to the Barrios program—during a special screening of the film held at SM City Masinag in Antipolo City. Manny Palmero

P46m on tap for Bangsamoro ‘normalization’

BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Vice Governor Cris Garcia recently led the orientation of 72 teachers in the province as recipients of this year “Gurong Iskolar ng Bataan” program.

“Sixty-six teachers were awarded scholarships for masteral degrees and six for doctoral degrees,” said Bataan scholarship coordinator Ramon Canas, who was also present during the orientation held last week at the DepEd Building in the capitol compound.

“You cannot teach what you do not know. The continuing study will broaden your knowledge and further improve your teaching skills,” Canas quoted Garcia as saying to teachers during the orientation.

Before becoming vice governor, Gar-

cia was the original coordinator of the Iskolar ng Bataan and Gurong Iskolar ng Bataan. She now serves as adviser of the program.

The Gurong Iskolar ng Bataan has 171 masteral degree and 41 doctoral degree beneficiaries so far, plus the new recipients for school year 2019-2020.

Gurong Iskolar ng Bataan is a scholarship program of the provincial government in a tie-up with Bataan Peninsula State University for teachers in the province.

Their tuition fee is paid by the provincial government, while the miscellaneous fee is shouldered by the university.

The late Gov. Tet Garcia hatched the scholarship for teachers in 2005, a year after he and current Gov. Abet Garcia, then a congressman, started the Iskolar ng Bataan for college students.

CUSTOMERS of PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Aurora can look forward to improved connectivity as Smart expands its rollout of Long-Term Evolution and LTEAdvanced across the two provinces.

These network upgrades are expected to improve Smart’s cellular service in major roadways in the area such as the Pan-Philippine Highway, the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, and the Pantabangan-Baler Road.

Mobile phone coverage is also expected to be boosted in major points of convergence like Sabang Beach, malls, government offices, hotels, and schools; and populous barangays like Bibiclat, Cuyapo, Dampulan, Poblacion and San Francisco, to name a few.

“As technologies enrich the lives of Filipinos, we continue to build and expand our network to better serve our subscribers,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT-Smart senior vice president for Network Planning and Engineering.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

CULTURE AND MEDIA

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

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Drawing off from obscurity

By Diana B. Noche

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HROUGHOUT history, art production by women artists have been largely sidetracked by works of their more renowned male counterparts. There is a prevalent foot-dragging to opening art galleries and museums featuring female perspectives.

A general view existed that women artists’ compositions are either predicated on their biological prejudices—creating images from experiences of “maternalness” or of having been weighed down by violence—or their images create idealized socially constructed biases that they have run up against.

In part, it is possibly so. Female reality consists of the nitty gritty of women’s lives, feelings, and pertinence, all significant elements in their output.

Significantly, it was a man, Pliny the Elder, a 1st century CE (23-79) Roman writer who acknowledged that the first known drawing was made by a woman, Butades, who sketched her lover’s body contour onto a wall. However, it was not generally recognized until towards the end of the 20th century.

There were several women artists, especially in the painting genre, who earned acceptance for their work, mostly as autodidacts in art, without formal degrees, because the universities were

reluctant to admit them.

Case in point: In 1723, Dutch painter Margareta Haverman got expelled from the French Academie Royale when the paintings she submitted were deemed too excellent that they could not have been accomplished by a woman.

Some women artists persevered— Sofonisba Anguissola, an Italian, during the 16th century; Maria Sibylla Merian, German, whose complex botanical illustrations were highly rated; Laura Knight; Dutch artist Therese Schwartze; and Zinaida Serebriakova, Russian. Other women failed to make a go of their artistic aspirations, bound by a general imposition that a woman’s function was to be a mother, then a housekeeper, then an acquiescent shadow of her husband.

Time heals bias. Today’s works by women artists enjoy more visibility and validation. Particularly, feminist art in the Philippines have been clearly defined and clarified, and a number of

'A Vase of Flowers' by Dutch artist Margareta Haverman who got expelled from the French Academie Royale because the paintings she submitted were deemed too excellent to be created by a woman.

Adelaida Paterno's 'Rural Scene with Child' was created using her hair.

their outstanding works are entrenched on museum walls and prized by private art collectors.

When the Philippines was a colonial province of Spain (1521-1898), Philippine art thrived, with women artists enjoying lenient acceptance. Recently, Eloisa May P. Hernandez, PhD, of the Department of Art Studies at the University of the Philippines and author of the book Homebound, Women Visual Artists in 19th Century Philippines, held a lecture at the Ateneo Law School in Makati City on the beginnings of women artists during that period starting with Pelagia Mendoza as the first female to study at the Escuela de Dibujo y Pintura founded by Damian Domingo.

“Beyond Odalisques: 19th Century Women Artists in the Philippines,” a program under Highlights, is a lecture series presented by the Ateneo Art Gallery and the Lopez Museum. The lecture discussed some of the institutions in the 19th century and how an artist and her pursuit of that passion led to the art world turf’s affirmation of her notability in a Philippine context.

Paz Paterno studied at the Escuela de Dibujo y Pintura under Lorenzo Guerrero. Her first still life was done in 1884 when she was 17 years old. Among her works are “Still Life with Bird,” “Fruit and Basket” 1884 (presently at the Central Bank of the Philippines), and “River Scene with Steamboat” in 1885. She was the first Filipino woman to paint a landscape.

Her sister, Adelaida Paterno (18811962) was also a painter. Her works include “Pasig River Scene” 1896, “Vista de Mariquina” 1897, and “Country Scene” 1897 made using her own hair.

(Note: Some female artists today also use unusual materials to create their art.

Naty Garcia Lozano uses print ad tear sheets, and Sunshine Plata uses barako coffee dissolved in water.)

Other female artists during the 19th century were Carmen Zaragoza, famous for her “Dos Intelligentias,” Concepcion de Montilla, Patricia Reyes, and Femina David.

After World War II, modernistic themes were the more popular artistic bent.

Araceli Dans is a name familiar to art collectors. Her early drawings when she was 8 were influences of Mickey Mouse. Fernando Amorsolo accepted her to the UP College of Fine Arts while she was still in high school, and got her degree in three years. She did propaganda comics during the Japanese occupation, and did portraits of American soldiers when the Japanese left. Dans had over 100 solo and group exhibits and a retrospective at the Ayala Museum.

Anita Magsaysay-Ho (1914-2012) was considered as the first Filipina abstractionist. She studied under Amorsolo and Fabian de la Rosa. She was best known for her Social Realist and Post-Cubist chronicles of Filipino daily life, culture, and of women engaged in labor activities. Her style interprets her modernist ideas—stylization, design, and rhythm rather than a veridical portrayal of the visible world.

Norma Belleza was born in 1939.

Her leanings were influences of her parents who did billboard designs and movie marquees when such were the mediums for advertisement. Her initial renderings were of dark and solemn images of religious objects before she immersed herself in the Philippine everyday life, fiestas, flowers, folk genre, and women vendors.

Fatima Baquiran, born in 1971, is the daughter of Philippine artists Antonio and Norma Belleza. She does still life using impastoed colors with an Impressionist touch.

Remedios Boquiren’s paintings of women and flowers possess a kind of inner glow in them. They are lushly hued in compelling color mixes in the Romanticism style. Her solo exhibition, “The Way We Wear” was a well-received display of Filipiniana wardrobe during the past four centuries.

Lydia Velasco is a member of Malang’s Saturday Group. She worked mostly for advertising companies and focused on women subjects merging their spiritual and sensual conflicts under a chiefly patriarchal society. Thus her women had elongated figures, massive bodies, and had whiffs of masculine decidedness in them.

'Untitled' by Remedios Boquiren

Maria Sibylla Merian's botanical illustration

Maningning Miclat lived for her art. She infused much of the Chinese ideals in her works, like her Chinese bamboo Zen paintings. The mention of her name brings to mind the tragic end of Vincent Van Gogh. Miclat, in 2000 at age 28, jumped to her death from the 7th floor of the Education Hall Building of the Far Eastern University where she was teaching.

Other female artists who have made names are Pacita Abad (1947-2004), Karina Baluyot, Imelda Cajipe-Endaya, Camille de la Rosa, Brenda Fajardo, Nena Saguil (1924-1994), Lyd Arguilla, and Inday Cadapan.

Like a photograph that must silently speak of a thousand word to be considered slashing, a painting must also be essentially wordless. Paintings sing in tinctorial splendor. They tell of a lightness of spirit. They curse with a profound sense of disconnection from what is real. They are images that make a viewer reel back or be refreshed with their sweetness. On these precincts, women artists in the Philippines have succeeded in having their voices heard.

Fashion exhibitions at shopping malls TWO exhibits, showcasing innovation and design breakthroughs in fashion, were mounted at malls in Metro Manila.

Sinulid: Altered Translation

The Atrium of SM Aura Premier served as the gallery for Benilde Fashion Design and Merchandising Program students’ annual show Sinulid: Altered Translation.

Welcoming guests and shoppers was a stunning array of pop-up booths and chic vignettes dressed with fresh brand concepts and novel breakthroughs.

It featured garments from nature- and art-inspired ready-to-wear, upcycled denims, ballet and hip hop-inspired streetwear, distinct avant-garde pieces, eye-catching knits, and elegant evening ensembles.

Nicole Strawford’s display of vibrant ternos won the Best Exhibit Presentation. Her Pino Collection is a contemporary take on a traditional wear, which nods to the roots of Filipinos.

It showcased cultural and temporal transformation through loud prints of the ‘80s and the ‘90s go-to snacks.

Apparel and accessories by H&M made of natural fibers and recycled materials.

Patis Tesoro's malong landap (center) was flanked by fine abaca tapestries.

Fashion Revolution

A joint project of the Embassy of Sweden in Manila and SM, the recent Fashion Revolution Exhibit at the Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall featured Swedish brands’ efforts to reduce waste and make fashion a more sustainable industry.

Swedish brands H&M, Houdini, and Baby Björn showcased how they are changing fashion with garments, backpacks, and baby carriers made of organic materials and recycled PET bottles.

In addition to the Swedish labels, Filipino artist and designer Patis Tesoro, known for her upcycling advocacy, showcased three textile art pieces made of various fabrics sewn together to create beautiful and intricate tapestries.

Tesoro’s take on the malong landap highlighted the Maranao culture and Islamic architecture.

Meanwhile, the delicate abaca pieces were salvaged from flooding in Aklan.

The Fashion Revolution Exhibit was also displayed at SM Southmall on July 15-20 and is currently at S Maison until August 2.

Nicole Strawford's Pino Collection

The exhibit features pop-ups and chic vignettes dressed with fresh concepts.

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Entertainment

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

SNAPSHOT

GMA Pictures’‘Family History’ holds successful premiere IT WAS a successful and star-studded “pink” carpet premiere for Family History, a movie which marks the return of GMA Pictures to film production after a few years in hiatus.

Graced by some of GMA Network’s stars including Alden Richards, Kim Domingo, Barbie Forteza, and Jak Roberto, StarStruck hopefuls, and the station’s bigwigs, the premiere night witnessed the warm reception of hundreds of moviegoers who flocked to SM Megamall Cinema on Tuesday night.

Co-produced by Mic Test Entertainment, Family History also

marks Michael V’s directorial debut. The comedian stars in the movie apart from wearing numerous hats including the film’s producer and writer.

Joining Bitoy in the cast are Dawn Zulueta, Miguel Tanfelix, Bianca Umali, Paolo Contis, Nonie Buencamino, Kakai Bautista, Ina Feleo, Mikoy Morales, Nikki Co, Jemwell Ventenilla, Vince Gamad, and John Estrada with special cameo appearances of Dingdong Dantes and Eugene Domingo.

Family History premiered on Wednesday and now screens nationwide.

‘Family History’ lead cast members Michael V and Dawn Zulueta (left photo) and Bianca Umali and Miguel Tanfelix during the film’s star-studded ‘pink’ carpet premiere at SM Megamall Cinema.

50 glorious years ‘The Lion King’ cast members attend the world premiere of Disney’s latest offering at the Dolby Theatre on July 09, in Hollywood, California.

‘Lion King’ roars to stellar opening weekend in PH MUCH like how Disney’s 1994 original feature film won over the hearts of fans worldwide, the highly-anticipated return of Disney’s The Lion King was met with excitement and nostalgia during its big opening weekend in the Philippines.

With its stunning visuals and updated versions of the fan-favorite soundtrack bringing its story and characters in a whole new way, Disney’s The Lion King roared its way to blockbuster success in the Philippines as it recorded P265,399,494 (est. $ 5,007,538) on its first five days since it opened on July 17.

The film also sets the record as the No. 1 film for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and follows 2017’s Beauty and The Beast as the 2nd Biggest Disney Live Action Opening in

the country.

Film director and screenwriter Jon Favreau utilizes live-action techniques and photoreal computer-generated imagery to retell the classic story of The Lion King to a new generation.

He assembles an all-star talented cast to breathe new life to everyone’s longloved characters including Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé KnowlesCarter as Nala, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, and Billy Eichner as Timon.

Disney’s The Lion King is now showing in cinemas nationwide, available in 2D, IMAX 3D, IMAX with Laser, 4DX and MX4D formats.

Join the conversations online using #TheLionKingPH.

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HAT’S PAGEANT one CONCEPT small ETON CONCEPCION step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” were the exact words uttered by Neil Armstrong as he became the first human to set foot on the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. Held on the eve of the Apollo 11 moon landing, regarded as the most significant event of the 20th century, was the 1969 Miss Universe pageant won by then 18-year-old, Miss Philippines Gloria Diaz.

Diaz was asked the question, “In a next day or so, a man will land on the moon. If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?” To which she replied, “Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been in the moon for so long I think when he comes over he wants to change, I guess.”

The day before the moon landing, the Philippines made history as well. Gloria Diaz, then 18 years old, won the Miss Universe title, making her the first Filipina to wear the crown. (Photo Collection of Townee Paat)

That perfect smile

By Robbie Pangilinan CROATIAN professional dancer, host and model Marija Debelic can rock three fashion styles that all match her personality.

“One of my styles is classy slick, second is ‘Rihanna stylish’ and third is chill and sporty. I am very simple, I don’t like printed clothes. I like black, white, gray and nude colors,” shares Marija, whose fashion icons are Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and Victoria Beckham.

Marija says fashion styles in Croatia and the Philippines are very different.

She prefers the minimalist style but has also tried daring styles such as punk rock.

Marija’s favorite complement for her fashion style is not an accessory, but her confident and beautiful smile.

“A beautiful smile makes any getup complete and perfect,” shares the 26-year-old who starred in the TV drama Be My Lady and in the films Art of Ligaw and Beauty and the Bestie.

Because Marija loves hosting, and is aiming to be a powerful influencer as an artist, businesswoman and later on a politician, her smile is truly an asset.

Courtesy of Global Elite Dental Clinic, Marija enjoys ZOOM Croatian singermodel Marija Debelic

While the eyes of the world were glued on the Moon landing, Diaz was taking the spotlight on the Miss Universe stage. Her victory and physical assets were said to have been relayed to the Apollo 11 crew members while on their mission out in the universe. Fifty years after Apollo 11’s voyage into history, Diaz also marks the 50th year of her Miss Universe victory.

Born Gloria María Aspillera Díaz in Aringay, La Union on March 10, 1951, Diaz is the country’s first Miss Universe winner. She became an instant celebrity upon her return after winning the title in Miami, Florida.

Diaz was introduced in the movies in the 1974 Celso Ad. Castillo classic Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa, for which she received a FAMAS nomination for best actress. She starred in other critically acclaimed film such as Eddie Romero’s 1976 epic Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?, Danny Zialcita’s 1983 trend-setting Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi and Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s 1998 opus Jose Rizal, for which she won her first acting trophy for best supporting actress at the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Thereafter, she went on to win best supporting actress at the 2002 Gawad Urian for Lav Diaz’s Batang Westside and at the FAMAS for Cholo Laurel’s Nasaan Ka Man in 2006 and Joel Lamangan’s Zagrada Familia in 2010.

Diaz continues to be in the limelight, starring in films and television series, and sitting as judge in beauty pageants, while playing mother to her children. “Aging doesn’t bother me, so you shouldn’t be stressed about it, too,” Diaz once said in an interview.

Whitespeed, the most advanced laser teeth whitening system.

“Zoom White-speed Teeth Whitening offers you a full range of options based on your needs and your lifestyle.

Professional teeth whitening with Philips Zoom is safe, pain-free, sustainable and used by over 10 million people,” says Global Elite’s resident dentist.

Zoom’s Laser activated whitening gel’s active ingredient is Hydrogen Peroxide. As the Hydrogen Peroxide is broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentin, bleaching colored substances while the structure of the tooth is unchanged.

“Zoom made my teeth visibly whiter in just one day! The process is tailored to my needs. The duration of the sessions is just right for my busy lifestyle,” adds Marija.

More viewers tune in to ABS-CBN SONA coverage FILIPINOS tuned in to ABS-CBN for the latest reports, analysis, and airing of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s fourth “State of the Nation Address” (SONA) on Monday, showing their trust for the country’s largest news organization.

SONA 2019: The ABS-CBN Special Coverage got a national TV rating of 18 percent based on data from Kantar Media, which covers both urban and rural areas in the country. It surpassed the ratings of its competing programs that day, including the special coverage of GMA7 and TV5, which garnered 10.2 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.

For breaking news and SONA features in the morning, viewers also chose to watch Umagang Kay Ganda, which got a national TV rating of 5.4 percent compared to 4.4 percent of Unang Hirit. After the President’s speech, ABS-CBN News continued to deliver reports from Batasang Pambansa on TV Patrol, which dominated its timeslot with a national TV rating of 31 percent compared to 19.9 percent of 24 Oras and 1.2 percent of Aksyon.

Apart from ABS-CBN, people were also able to follow the stories about SONA 2019 on ANC, the ABSCBN News Channel on cable, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 on radio, DZMM TeleRadyo on cable and ABS-CBN TVplus, and online via news.abs-cbn.com, iWant.ph, and the official social media accounts of ABS-CBN News.

Broadcast journalist Karen Davila leads the way in delivering up-tothe-minute news on SONA 2019.

Motoring

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

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SUZUKI CLIMBS UP INDUSTRY RANKINGS

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HE Philippines’ pioneer subcompact car distributor, Suzuki Philippines, closed the first half of 2019 on a high note, posting 14 percent sales growth over the same period last year and climbing to the sixth spot in the local automobile industry ranking and fifth place in the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) ranking.

“We started the year on the right foot and strengthened our efforts in Q2 to reach more Filipino customers. Our aggressive and strategic marketing campaigns are key in pushing up our position both in the Philippine automobile industry and CAMPI rankings.

These achievements reflect the Filipinos’ growing trust in our brand and the quality Suzuki cars that we provide.

We are more driven now more than ever to bring only quality driving experience in every Suzuki ride,” shared SPH Director and General Manager for Automobile Division Keiichi Suzuki.

Top sales boosters Committed to giving quality driving experience to every Filipino, SPH continues to assure the market with bestperformance vehicles such as the New Ertiga, Swift, Celerio, Dzire and Vitara. These top-selling Suzuki vehicles collectively contributed 77 percent to total H1 2019 sales.

The top-favorite 7-seater family vehicle Ertiga is still the number one best-selling Suzuki vehicle in this year’s lineup with a 34 percent share of sales. The introduction of the new Ertiga Black Interior ramped up sales even further. Its fuel efficiency and spacious interior complement the elegance and modern style, giving the Ertiga a strong edge over its competitors.

Following Ertiga as a top-selling Suzuki vehicle is the hatchback wellloved by millennials. The Suzuki Swift

contributed 13 percent to overall sales for the first half of the year.

The Celerio ranks third among Suzuki’s top-selling vehicles with an 11 percent shares of sales. Powered by a three-cylinder 1.0-liter DOHC engine, the hatchback is available with either a five-speed manual transmission or a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT), making it the first model in its segment to offer CVT. Its compact design surprises with an interior that provides ample space, legroom and storage for stress-free driving.

Riding on the TNVS market SPH buckles up for continued strong growth these succeeding months with more targeted marketing strategies.

Besides continuous efforts to bring the vehicles closer to the target markets through product displays and test drives, SPH reinforces its presence in the transport scene through active campaigns and promotions, including for those in the transport vehicle service (TNVS) ecosystem.

SPH makes ride sharing a more comfortable experience not just for drivers but for the commuters as well with the Suzuki Ciaz. A reliable partner on the road, the Ciaz runs on a refined K14B engine and has a lightweight and aerodynamic body for enhanced efficiency. Its roomy and ergonomically designed interior ensures a safe and comfortable ride for both the driver and passengers.

Where in the world is the pickup truck emoji?

WITH billions of emoji sent daily and nearly every mode of transportation including cars, scooters, boats, spaceships and ski lifts among the 3,000 approved icons available to emoji users, truck fans noticed a glaring omission: There is no pickup truck. Ford decided it was time to do something about this with the debut of the pickup truck emoji.

“When customers started demanding a truck emoji, our drive for continuous innovation meant we knew we had to help make it happen,” said Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager. “Given F-Series’ status as America’s best-selling truck for 42 consecutive years, there’s no one better than Ford to help bring an all-new pickup truck emoji to hard-working texters around the globe.”

In 2018, Ford submitted a proposal to the Unicode Consortium—the organization that reviews and approves proposals for new emoji—to

add a truck to emoji keyboards everywhere. Now, the pickup truck emoji has been short-listed as a candidate for inclusion in a future version of Unicode.

The concept emoji’s capable styling has been tuned to meet current trends.

“Our team spent a lot of time digging through message boards, texting influencers and watching social media feeds to really understand our customers’ needs,” said Eric Grenier, Ford social media manager. “People want a truck emoji that’s fresh, stylish, carries their ideas, and ‘tows’ the line on what a truck means. The end result is a modern icon that should give all truck fans a smiley face emoji.”

If the pickup truck emoji is approved in early 2020, the design will be customized for all mobile platforms to meet the needs of customers—from skilled tradespeople to active families and emoji lovers alike.

Philippines Bus & Trucks Expo Isuzu ‘PUV-X’ program unveiled AT THE Philippines Bus & Trucks 2019 expo held from July 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) unveiled its vaunted “PUV-X” program that provides the optimum “Isuzu Advantage” for its public utility vehicle customers.

IPC discussed the “PUV-X” program in detail during the two-day Truckers Forum.

IPC’s presentation was a key portion during the 4th Transport Cooperative National Congress, an annual event spearheaded by the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives. Held within the Philippines Bus & Trucks 2019, the Congress gathers inputs from the transportation cooperatives sector to help formulate the needed programs, projects and activities to further update and develop these sectors.

The “PUV-X” Program enumerates Isuzu’s 10-Point Advantage: 1) Isuzu’s proven reliability, durability and efficiency; 2) Experienced Body Builders; 3) Accredited Accessories Suppliers; 4) An unmatched 3 years or 150,000 kms warranty coverage; 5) Nationwide dealership network of 43 outlets and counting; 6) Expert Truck Executives (Truck Elites) to help customers; 7) Nationwide parts availability, competent and trained service technicians, technical assistance

from Japanese and Filipino engineers, and Isuzu Service Medic vans for roadside assistance anytime; 8) Drivers and mechanic trainings; 9) Extensive fleet management system, and; 10) All-around customer assistance.

To aid in the discussion, NLR77 Class 2 PUV and NLR85 ref van were displayed at IPC’s booth. Test drives of the Isuzu PUVs used by the Senate Employees Transport Service Cooperative (SETSCO) will be offered during these two days. The SETSCO shuttle will also provide free rides to event participants within the Mall of Asia complex.

The annual PhilBus & Truck Show is recognized by the industry as the number one international bus, truck and commercial vehicle exhibition, a business-tobusiness trade show that prides itself in delivering top-quality trade buyers and decision makers. By working closely with key trade associations, the expo brings together bus, trucks and commercial vehicle operators, mining and construction companies, leasing and logistics companies, manufacturers, trading, parts and service and repair workshops to see and get updated on the latest range of buses, trucks and commercial vehicles.

Hyundai Dream Centre fetes 2nd batch of graduates LAST month, the Hyundai Dream Centre-Philippines held its second graduation ceremony for automotive technology scholars at the Hyundai Logistics Center in Calamba, Laguna. 43 young men and women received their graduation certificates after receiving a world-class education in automotive tech and servicing, customer communication, and work preparedness.

The HDCP, inaugurated in 2018, is an automotive training and education hub established by Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) in partnership with Hyundai Motor Company and global humanitarian organization Plan International. The Dream Centre aims to provide marginalized Filipino youths with comprehensive training on Hyundai vehicle repair and maintenance. The HDCP celebrated the graduation of its first batch of 45 scholars on November 29, 2018.

HARI President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo congratulated the 43 scholars for completing the program. “We at HARI are so proud to see our second batch of Dreamers complete their comprehensive training program. After being launched a little over a year ago, the HDCP has al-

ready seen 88 scholars flourish and graduate. Almost 80 of these graduates have already been deployed to HARI dealerships to begin careers as technicians and service professionals.”

Hyundai Dream Centre Philippines’ second batch of Course 3 automotive technology graduates show off their diplomas with HARI Chief Finance Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Corporate and Trade Operations Support Services Group, Ladislao Avila and Plan International Deputy Country DirectorProgramme, Ryan Lander.

Hyundai Dream Centre Philippines’ second batch of Course 1 and 2 automotive technology scholars celebrate their graduation with HARI Division Head or After-Sales Service Richard Gapasin and Plan International Program Technical Manager Emilio Paz Hyundai has established Dream Centres in collaboration with local vocational schools in Ghana, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. This is the first time Hyundai has partnered with a distributor to design and implement the training courses for a Dream Centre. HARI and Plan International cooperated to imple-

ment a training program made up of 3 courses adapted to the scholars’ diverse educational backgrounds. Notably, about half of the scholars were referred by Plan International from their program areas, including Samar, Leyte, Cotabato, and Maguindanao.

Bennydick James Caliao graduated top of his class in Courses 1 and 2, designed for college graduates or undergraduates.

When asked how he felt after graduating, he said, “Because of Hyundai, I was able to distinguish what path I should take.

They taught me how to be technically and mentally prepared for the automotive industry.” Working for Hyundai North EDSA, Caliao says he plans to continue developing his skills in the industry and to share his knowledge with his colleagues.

Francisco Suyom, Jr., meanwhile, finished ahead of his peers in Course 3, which is crafted for high school graduates. Asked to share his thoughts about his graduation, he said, “Hyundai molded me into a professional technician. The Dream Centre taught not just technology or science, but the attitude that technicians must possess in their chosen field of endeavor.

Forty-three young men and women receive their graduation certificates at the Hyundai Logistics Center.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C4 FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2019

Motoring EV Summit: Electric future beckons

By Lester Dizon

Ferrari rounds off the Super Season in grand manner.

Le Mans 24 hours: Ferrari gallops to 36th win

By Lester Dizon

F

errari has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the 36th time. The win was taken by the 488 GTE fielded by AF Corse and driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Daniel Serra.

The victory is the 27th class win for the Prancing Horse, in addition to nine outright wins, the first one clinched 70 years ago at the hands of Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon in the 166 MM bodied by Touring.

This marks the first victory in the GTEPro class at Le Mans for the 488 GTE as indeed for all the three drivers involved.

For Alessandro and James, this rounds off the Super Season in the best possible manner.

In the GTE-Pro class, the two Ferrari 488 GTEs fielded by AF Corse, cars no.

71 and 51, the Risi Competizione no. 89 were driven respectively by Davide Rigon, Alessandro Pier Guidi and Oliver Jarvis. The two AF Corse cars quickly gained ground, with Ferrari no. 51 soon close behind the top three. With four hours on the clock, the WEC championship-leading Ferrari 51 driven by James Calado had even led the race for a few laps, in a constant battle with three of the Porsches and the no. 63 Corvette.

The AF Corse racing team with their Ferrari 488 GTEs no. 51 and 71.

As evening fell so the complications began to arise for car Ferrari no. 71. First off came a ten-second penalty added to the pit stop for failure to comply with the procedure for the Full Course Yellow, before having to endure an unlucky pit stop when the Safety Car came out forcing Sam Bird to wait for the green light at the end of the pit lane. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue put an end to the Ferrari’s hopes shortly after ten hours with some 140 laps covered.

During the night the very tight bat-

tle between the Corvettes, Ferrari and Porsche raged on but only the first two cars saw daylight arrive, with the German cars no. 91 and 93 now a distance third and fourth. The extraordinary ability of the AF Corse team to nail precise strategic decisions allowed car 51 to avoid refueling while the safety car was out.

The same could not be said for the Corvette, which pitted under another safety car session, losing time waiting for the green light at the end if the pit lane and then spinning off, putting paid to chances of victory. In the final three hours, the AF Corse team and the drivers of car 51, from a strategic point of view, ran a flawless race to finish ahead of everyone with a one-minute advantage over Bruni in the second-place Porsche.

Ferrari teams have frequently battled for podium finishes in this class for gentleman drivers. Three teams in particular stood out: the 488 GTE no. 84 of JMW Motorsport, the 62 of Scuderia Corsa / WeatherTech Racing and the 61 of Clearwater Racing. Jeff Segal, Wei Lu and Rodrigo Baptista held a very fast pace throughout the race, constantly battling for the podium in the cars of Keating Motorsports and Team Project 1. Cooper MacNeil, Rob Smith and Toni Vilander in car no. 62 put up a good fight while in the second part of the race, Luis Perez-Companc, Matteo Cressoni and Matt Griffin emerged before later dropping time some two hours from the end.

JMW Motorsport, winner in the 2017 season, avoided any errors in the latter stretches to earn a well-deserved podium with a team that included two rookies.

SCARLET LETTERS. Fans cheer the winning Ferrari 488 GTE.

There was also a fine run from the Car Guy crew, sixth on their debut with Kei Cozzolino, Takeshi Kimura and Come Ledogar, as well as from the all-female Ferrari team Kessel Racing with Manuela Gostner, Michaela Gatting and Rachel Frey.

James CaladoAF Corse #51 “We’ve been working hard for this. In the last six months a lot of preparation was made into this and I think this is something we were really wanting more than everything. It was not an easy race at all. It was very up and down, with a few issues and after our sister car had an issue so we had to adapt and change a few things. It was great staff, very demanding but we did it and I am really happy for these guys. These are really super teammates, both very quick and we have an amazing team of people around us.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi—AF Corse #51 “It was a very tough race. We had a great race, there are a lot of manufacturers so everyone can win and we had to push from the beginning to the end. Being with the red racing suit on the podium listening to the Italian anthem is something special, and looking down seeing so many people is something that you cannot forget. I think we had the perfect race today both for us drivers and for the strategy set by the engineers.”

Daniel Serra—AF Corse #51 “It’s unbelievable. I think I am a lucky guy to be at the right place in the right moment. It’s only my third time and I have won twice and that’s difficult to achieve.

It’s really special to win in red, I have to say. It is amazing and fantastic. I just drove and they did their job too. They drove amazingly. To watch everything, two guys wanting something so much; they were on a mission and it was nice to watch and to be able to help them.”

Antonello Coletta—Head of Ferrari Attività Sportive GT “As we have said in the past, we just want to compete on equal terms with our rivals and that is just what happened in this edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

We were able to give a display of how much talent there is in both this Ferrari and the fantastic AF Corse team. Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Daniel Serra were perfect and knew exactly how to maximize the strategy that our technical team and Amato Ferrari’s men have developed so splendidly. I’m extremely proud; we deserved to win this race in the GTE-Pro class once again, after such a long time, and to do it exactly 70 years after the first win in 1949 is also another reason to be happy. We finish the season with a smile on our faces even though we were sorry to see the retirement of car 71 and we are very pleased with the results obtained in the GTE-Am class. What we have achieved in the race today will motivate us to give even more in preparation for the new season which gets underway in September.”

WITH the theme “Electric Vehicles: Modernizing the Transportation Landscape, Driving Sustainable Growth”, the 7th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit, which was held from July 17 to 18, 2019 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, tackled key issues and several important aspects about the future of electric vehicles in the country.

“We are highly encouraged by the support we are getting from the major automotive manufacturers, which is a very strong indication that our transportation sector is slowly but steadily transitioning to more modern, energy efficient, greener and sustainable mobility so that we can create cleaner and better cities for our children”, Electric Vehicles Association of the Philippines President Edmund A. Araga said.

“Accelerating our country’s transition to fossil-fuel-free driving would require, more than ever, the help of our academic institutions in terms of research, innovation, industry links, and training among others. That’s why this year, we are launching the EVAP Academe Chapter to help close the knowledge gap that is holding back our countrymen from choosing electric vehicles and to help our local EV industry address the barriers to widespread EV adoption”, Araga said.

For this year’s EV Summit, Araga mentioned that its E-Mobility Award is being relaunched to recognize organizations and individuals for their outstanding contribution to the realization of EVAP’s Vision and Mission through successful EV deployments, advocacy

efforts, or through innovations that aim to simplify and increase the electrification process. Last year, the 6th Philppine EV Summit gathered over 1,000 participants from industry key players across the value chain as well as policy makers, regulators, academe, transport companies, utilities and end users. Foreign delegates from over a dozen countries have seen their network grow by participating in this event.

The 7th Philippine EV Summit highlighted the current efforts on establishing a national regulatory framework for the use of electric vehicles and the establishment of charging stations. Nissan Motor Corporation Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors Corporations presented their respective E-Mobility Solutions with the fully-electric Nissan Leaf, which is slated to be introduced in the Philippines in 2020, and the Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle (MIEV) and Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV).

Plenary sessions on developing the Philippine EV industry were held during the summit, with several delegates brainstorming to address the EV infrastructure challenge in the country.

Foreign delegates and local experts shared their learning and experiences from abroad on how to build a robust EV ecosystem for the Philippines while some companies presented the successful EV deployments, especially in the mass transport sector.

Occupying Hall 1 of the SMX, the two-day summit included an exhibition of electric vehicles while showcasing the latest trends in e-mobility solutions.

Attendees, participants and delegates were also provided with test drive sessions to gain a hands-on experience of driving an EV. And to show their commitment to the future of EVs in the country, EVAP launched the EVAP Academe Chapter during the event.

ELECTRIFYING. Officers of the Electric Vehicles Association of the Philippines make up the main driving force behind the efforts to spur production and sale of EVs.

Toyota Hilux is hot AUTOMOTIVE leader Toyota Motor Philippines closed the first half of 2019 topping key market categories including the pickup segment, having sold a total of 10,554 units of its long-running top seller Toyota Hilux.

Based on sales figures from January to June this year, the Hilux bested its competitors in the pickup segment, gaining 35% increase in sales versus the first half of 2018 numbers, illustrating the growing demand for Commercial Vehicles (CV).

Toyota Hilux sales are highest in Metro Manila with 4,261 units sold year-to-date, followed by Region III with 1,219 units sold year-to-date in the Central Luzon area.

“Hilux is synonymous with Toyota.

The model has been in our lineup for more than five decades, and proves itself time and again to be the prime example of Toyota’s strength as a manufacturer,” said TMP Vice President for Marketing Elijah Marcial.

“Through the years, the Hilux garnered a global reputation for its sturdiness. Its overall utility as a pickup truck, combined with high ground clearance and excellent towing power, makes for a reliable daily hauler for business and family use,” she added.

The Toyota Hilux is currently offered in 12 variants across all dealerships nationwide. Price starts at PHP 829,000.

The Hilux is also included in the Toyota Dealightful Savings promo, where customers can avail up to PHP 100,000 cash discount for the 4x4 G variants. Promo is until July 31, 2019.

TMP remains to be the top automotive manufacturer and distributor in the country with a total of 73,454 units sold nationwide in the first half of 2019. For the month of June 2019, TMP sold 14,568 units, a 27.8% increase from June 2018’s numbers. Toyota’s top five best-selling models from January to June 2019 are as follows: Vios, Hilux, Innova, Fortuner, and Wigo.