Manila Standard - 2019 August 12 - Monday

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‘EID’L ADHA.’ Filipino Muslims gather at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila on Sunday, Aug. 11, for morning prayers celebrating Eid’l Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice. Eid’l Adha commemorates the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God’s command.

Norman Cruz VOL. XXXIII • NO. 179 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte exhorts Muslims: Work for greater good

By MJ Blancaflor IN LIGHT of Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday urged the Filipino Muslims to work for the greater good and to deepen their faith.

“Now, more than ever, we are called [upon] to lend a piece of ourselves to endeavors that redound to the common good and benefit the most number of people, President Duterte said in his message.

He also said the complete willingness of the prophet Ibrahim, known in Jewish and Christian texts as Abraham, to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to Allah is “one of the most remarkable demonstrations of faith of all time.”

Eid’l Adha also marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the fifth pillar of Islam.

“This account not only teaches us the importance of personal sacrifice, but also inculcates in us the value of submission to a higher authority even though, at times, our feelings and emotions compel us otherwise,” Duterte said.

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Dengue epidemic hits 3 more regions

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

T

HREE more regions have breached the dengue epidemic threshold, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Sunday, bringing the total to 10 regions since the government declared a national outbreak.

In an interview on dzBB, Duque said and General Santos or Soccksargen) and the three regions are Region 7 (Central the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Visayas) and Region 12 ( South Cotaba- Muslim Mindanao. to, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani The seven other regions which initially

breached the epidemic threshold are Region 4-A, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), and Regions 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas, 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) and 10 (Northern Mindanao).

The World Health Organization said the epidemic threshold is the critical number or density of susceptible hosts required for an epidemic to occur.

The epidemic threshold is used to confirm the emergence of an epidemic so as

to step-up appropriate control measures.

On Tuesday, the Department of Health declared a national dengue epidemic due to the spike in recorded cases, at 146,062 from Jan. 1 to July 20.

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Palace backs Rody on cops’ receiving gifts

By MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Palace on Sunday defended President Rodrigo Duterte for saying that policemen can ignore the anti-graft law when receiving gifts as long as donors gave it out of “generosity.”

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said receiving “rewards” does not go against police officers’ code of conduct and will even “inspire” them to do their job better.

“If you were given a reward, that will even inspire you because you received something without asking for it. You will become more hard working because you are appreciated,” Panelo said in a radio interview.

In a separate statement, Panelo said gift giving is “simply an appreciation by a thankful community for a job well done performed by the law enforcers Next page

ISKO’S DRUG WAR. MPD operatives conduct a house-to-house search in Baseco Compound Tondo, Manila on the order of Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Domagoso who is waging his own version of war on drugs to make Manila a drug-free city. One individual engaged policemen in a gunfight and taken to the hospital with bullet wound inflected by the raiding team on Sunday Aug. 11. Norman Cruz

Cops to go on campus tour to stop Red recruitment

By Francisco Tuyay THE Philippine National Police plans to deploy policemen inside universities and colleges in Metro Manila to stem the recruitment of students by communist New People’s Army rebels.

Metropolitan police director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the presence of policemen in campuses would deter potential NPA recruitment and thus ensure

Epstein dies in NY jail NEW YORK—US financier Jeffrey Epstein, awaiting trial on charges he trafficked underage girls for sex, was found dead in jail Saturday of an apparent suicide, triggering outcry over how the high-profile detainee could die in custody.

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the safety and security of the students.

Eleazar bared his intention on Sunday following a Senate hearing where parents of some senior high school students testified how their children went missing after being recruited by left-leaning organizations.

Previously, the PNP planned to position policemen inside Metro Manila campuses, but university and college officials rebuffed the plan.

Eleazar said he believes that allowing police officers access to campuses would not disrupt or interfere in school activities.

During a Senate hearing, President Rodrigo Duterte’s former PNP chief Senator Ronald dela Rosa said about 513 minors allegedly recruited by the underground movement in the last 20 years have already been neutralized.

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PCSO, franchisees face House inquiry

By Rio N. Araja THE House of Representatives’ committee on games and amusement will this week summon officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, its franchise holders and the operators of its different games to ex-

plain the agency’s losses.

Rep. Eric Yap, the committee chairman, said the gaming operators had a lot of explaining to do as to why they were the ones dictating how much money they would remit.

He asserted the right of the people Next page

NBI told to hunt down terrorists

By Rey E. Requejo and Francisco Tuyay JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday said he will order the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate reports on the alleged presence of Islamic State-affiliated terrorists in Northern Luzon.

Guevarra said the NBI, which is under his administrative supervision, will coordinate with other intelligence agencies to determine if there is a terror threat, particularly a possible attack on churches The Justice secretary said his department will act promptly on any terrorism-related information.

The Justice Secretary was reacting to reports that the intelligence units of the Armed Forces of the PhilippinesNorthern Luzon Command issued an Next page

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Rice price decline blamed on cartel She told Super Balita over dzBB that despite inflation easing further to a 31-month low at 2.4 percent in July and the price of rice going down by 2.9 percent, the farm-gate price of palay remained down by 17 percent.

Meanwhile, Senator Cynthia Villar said about 947 rice producing-towns will be adversely affected by the failure to return the P4 billion of the P5 billion allocation to the Philippine Post-harvest Development and Mechanization under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

Villar, head of the Senate agriculture and food committee, said this would hamper the procurement of farm equipment to be distributed to those towns.

This was the reason she asked the newly-designated Agriculture Secretary William Dar to ensure the return of

funds intended for the programs to help farmers after the expiration of the quantitative restriction on rice imports.

Quimbo attributed the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law or Republic Act 11203 to the fall in the price of palay.

“Since imported rice is much cheaper, on the average it is cheaper than the [locally] produced rice. When imported rice comes in from Thailand, the farmer would bring down their palay price from P19 to P17,” Quimbo said.

“If I am the farmer with a stocked palay in my house, I will get anxious if there is a coming importation of rice from Thailand. How can I compete?

I will be forced to sell from P19 to P17 only.”

She said the burden of competition

must be shared among the farmers, rice millers and even traders.

“Why should the farmers sacrifice?

The rice millers and traders should also sacrifice. The question is, why do the farmers have to bear the brunt alone?”

Quimbo said.

Quimbo, wife of the three-term representative Miro Quimbo, is an economist, a professor at the University of the Philippines’ School of Economics and a former PCC commissioner.

She raised concern over the alleged abuses of rice millers and traders to the detriment of farmers.

“If there is this so-called rice cartel, it only means there is conspiracy among the millers and traders to mount pressure on the palay farmers,” Quimbo said.

“We hope the PCC would pursue this.

This is under its jurisdiction.”

Quimbo said there was an ongoing investigation into rice cartels, particularly into the “anti-competitive agreements” between millers and traders.

“We call on the PCC to resolve this so we would know what are its findings about cartel,” she said. With Macon Ramos-Araneta

Dengue...

investigation into the deaths.

The families said the House committee on good government and accountability and committee on health’s June 4 report recommended further investigation for the filing of criminal, civil and administrative charges against former President Benigno Aquino III and his former Cabinet officials over their P3.5-billion purchase of the anti-dengue vaccine.

Both House committees also urged the Anti-Money Laundering Council to investigate former and incumbent government officials and employees involved in the Dengvaxia vaccine procurement.

Sunachen Dominguez, spokesperson and leader of Justice for Dengvaxia Victims Movement, along with at least over 40 parents filed multiple counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against Aquino, former Health Secretary Jannette Garin, Duque and the others.

Amid calls to make the vaccine available to the public again, Senator Chris-

topher Go said doing so would be “useless.”

“It is hard and useless. Nobody believes anymore that Dengvaxia is effective and can minimize dengue cases,” he said.

He urged hospitals nationwide to put up “Dengue express lanes” to give immediate medical attention to suspected dengue patients following a national dengue epidemic declaration.

He said patients afflicted with the mosquito-borne disease should be speedily provided medical treatment.

He raised concern over the increasing number of dengue cases, which has spiked to 98 percent from January to July 20 compared to the same period last year.

Health officials have warned that if the public will be lax in fighting the denguecarrying mosquitoes by eliminating their breeding grounds, the 10,000-weekly increase in dengue cases will continue and reach its peak in October.

“We submit to the better wisdom of our lawyer-president that it is harmless to receive gifts so long as there is no element of corruption involved and no oppression or abuse of authority is committed,” the PNP said in a statement.

Panelo said Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act speaks of “unsolicited gifts or presents of small or insignificant value offered or given as a mere ordinary token of gratitude or friendship according to local customs or usage.”

He said this provision is an exemption from the anti-graft provisions.

But Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former national police chief, chided Duterte for his remarks.

“Mr. President, insatiable greed starts with simple, petty graft. It could be more addicting than drugs. There is no detox, nor is there rehab facility available for addiction to money,” Lacson said in a tweet posted Saturday.

Civil Service Commission Commissioner Aileen Lizada on Sunday said there are laws that should be followed.

She added that the Department of the

Interior and Local Government should decide how to respond the Duterte pronouncement, since the PNP is under its jurisdiction.

Vice President Leni Robredo said on Sunday that allowing public officials and employees to accept gifts—whether directly or indirectly—is against the law and will contribute to corruption in government.

Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan said allowing police to accept gifts would make them more abusive and corrupt.

He warned that there will come a time when policemen will not act if there is no grease. He also cautioned against police siding only with the rich who can afford a lot of grease.

But Duterte’s former PNP chief, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, defended the President.

“Let us be truthful. Let us not give bad meaning to what the President said,” he said.

“For me, it’s okay, let us not put it out of context... For example, if the family of a rescued kidnap victim who was happy brought lechon to be eaten by policemen, so what’s wrong with that? “ Dela Rosa said.

By Rio N. Araja

M

ARIKINA City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo wants the Philippine Competition Commission to speed up its probe of the rice cartel triggering the fall in the prices of unmilled rice or palay prices.

Mercene, veteran newsman, passes away in Los Angeles; 93

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VETERAN reporter and later Manila Bulletin columnist Floro L. Mercene died of heart failure on Aug. 7 in Los Angeles, California. He was 93.

He is survived by his brothers Recto and Dante; wife Felisa; sons Ovid and Maro; daughters Fleurdeliz M. San Pedro and Jasmine M. Eugenio; grandchildren Francine, Christopher, Andrew, Malaka, Yasmine, Felisha and Elina; great grandchild Derrick; wife Miko Nakajima; daughter Roxy and grandchildren Christopher, Nina and Miguel.

Floro started out as a reporter for the defunct Philippine News Service cover-

ing Pasay City, including the old Balagbag Airport where he interviewed arriving Hollywood luminaries such as William Holden, John Wayne, Ingrid Bergman and future US president Richard Nixon.

He was director of Publication for the Department of Tourism until 1986.

He wrote the book Manila Men in the New World, the Filipino migration to Mexico and the Americas in the sixteenth century during 250 years of the Galleon Trade.

His body will lie in state at the Englewood Park Cemetery Mortuary on 720 E. Florence Avenue, Inglewood 90301.

NBI...

the public on Sunday to “always be vigilant, always be ready and stay alert at all times.

Since last week, law enforcers in the province along with some augmentation force from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 1st Company have been conducting area security, police presence, and mobile patrolling in downtown Laoag.

Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams in the 80 barangays of Laoag were also deployed in public areas as they worked with the police on duty day and night.

Also on Sunday, the military denied a New Straits Times story that two Sri Lankan terrorists have entered the country to launch attacks in Northern Luzon.

“This appears to be family matters where relationship has gone awry and went from bad to worst,” Edgard Arevalo, acting Civil Relations Service chief said upon verification of the report tagging both Mark Kevin Samhoon and Victoria Sophia Sto Domingo as suicide bombers.

“Victoria denied vehemently that she and her fiancé and father of her newborn child Mark Kevin Samhoon are suicide bombers,” Arevalo said.

He urged people not to be easily swayed by unconfirmed media reports and information from individuals or groups whose reports come from unverified sources or are yet to be validated.

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alert about “Crusader Cities” and “Crusader Churches,” which could be a targets for terrorist attacks.

“Crusader Cities” is reportedly a term used by the IS to refer to “target areas” to incite a religious war. The authorities are verifying intelligence reports that jihadists are planning to bomb Catholic churches in the cities.

The military is reportedly monitoring Laoag City in Ilocos Norte; Vigan City in Ilocos Sur; Manaoag, Pangasinan and Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.

The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Manaoag is a popular pilgrimage site located in Pangasinan.

The Laoag and Vigan are home to historic landmarks, including major churches that are among favorite tourist destinations. While an 18th-century Baroque church can be found in Tuguegarao.

Members of the Ilocos Norte police force, meanwhile, have increased police visibility in places of convergence such as churches, business establishments, bus stations and at the Laoag International Airport.

Lt. Col. Amador Quiocho, acting chief of the Laoag City police, reiterated to

Cops...

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“This is alarming in the sense that these are minors who should be studying. Why are they cout on the streets? They are being brainwashed. Their brains are being poisoned by the leftists to fight the government. That’s very alarming,” he said in Filipino.

The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has filed a complaint against Anakbayan over the cases of a missing senior high school student, but the left-leaning group denied the allegations they were brainwashing students.

Instead, Anakbayan assailed the government, saying the revival of

Duterte...

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He called on the Filipino Muslims to ref lect on the lessons they can learn during the feast to deepen their faith and to strengthen their resolve to bring about “a society that is worthy of

mandatory Reserve Officer’ Training Corps program would brainwash high school students.

In an interview with GMA News, however, former Bayan Muna partylist representative Teddy Casiño said students who joint left-leaning organizations do not automatically become NPA members.

Casiño said that while left-leaning organizations like Anakbayan recruit members, they do not do so for the NPA. Casiño said the end goal of joining a left-leaning organization is to make members more involved and aware of national issues.

“Most of the Anakbayan members I know did not become NPA. Many of them, in fact, are part of the government now,” Casiño said.

Allah’s continued blessings and protection.”

Malacañang earlier declared Monday a regular holiday in honor of Eid’l Adha.

In a separate message, Vice President Leni Robredo also urged the Filipinos to continue praying for the residents displaced by the Marawi siege in 2017.

But in just a week, as of July 27, dengue cases grew further to 167,607 cases.

“This is 96 percent higher than fhe 85,011 dengue cases in 2018,” Duque added.

He said the dengue situation in other ASEAN countries like in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore are actually worse where the dengue cases skyrocketed three times.

Duque said that every three to four years, a spike in dengue cases is expected, according to WHO. However, the reason behind this phenomenon has not yet been established.

Meanwhile, relatives of children who had died after they were given the Dengvaxia vaccine said they welcomed the decision by Congress to conduct its own

Palace...

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whose lives flirt with death every time they step out of their homes.”

“Certainly it is not given in anticipation of—or in exchange for—a favor from the members of the police force.

The gift giving in fact inspires them to do their work faithfully and efficiently as their toil is not left unnoticed and unappreciated,” he said in a statement.

In a speech addressed to PNP officials in the 118th Police Anniversary in Camp Crame Friday, President Duterte said he will not stop police officers from receiving gifts.

“I will not stop you. If you are given, take it. It is not bribery. It cannot be bribery because it is allowed by law. What I mean, if there’s generosity in them, according to the anti-graft law, you cannot accept gifts? Foolishness,” he said.

For its part, the PNP said it respects the President’s remarks in accepting gifts, but the entire organization was still bound by law.

Epstein...

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The government and FBI immediately launched probes as politicians, law enforcement officials and alleged victims expressed shock that Epstein could take his own life, when a recent reported suicide attempt meant he should have been under close watch.

Epstein, a convicted pedophile who befriended numerous politicians and celebrities over the years, was found unresponsive in his cell around 6:30 a.m. (1030 GMT) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York from “an apparent suicide,” the US Department of Justice said.

He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

US Attorney General Bill Barr said he was “appalled” and instructed the Justice Department’s inspector general to probe the circumstances.

“Mr Epstein’s death raises serious questions that must be answered,” Barr said.

The FBI is also investigating, the Justice Department said.

The New York Times and other media reported Epstein hanged himself. The city medical examiner’s office did not confirm the cause of death.

On July 23, the 66-year-old was found unconscious with marks on his neck. He was put on suicide watch for six days before being

returned to his cell in a high-security part of the jail, the New York Times reported.

His death came one day after a New York court released a tranche of sealed legal documents, providing new details about what prosecutors allege was Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation.

Epstein last appeared in court on July 31 when a judge told him that his trial wouldn’t begin before next June.

‘We need answers’ The wealthy hedge fund manager had been charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.

Epstein, who denied the charges, had faced up to 45 years in prison—effectively the rest of his life—if convicted.

The Metropolitan Correctional Center, a federal facility in Manhattan that often houses suspects awaiting or during trial, is considered one of the most secure penal establishments in the US. Infamous Mexican drug trafficker Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman spent more than two years there as an inmate.

“We need answers. Lots of them,” tweeted New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Republican Senator Ben Sasse, who heads the Senate’s judiciary oversight committee, said the government had failed Epstein’s alleged victims “yet again.” AFP

PCSO,...

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and the government to know why the PCSO was losing a lot of money from the small-town lottery, EZ2 and other PCSO games.

“Reports reached me that franchise holders and operators are just remitting any amount they would want to.

The PCSO would readily accept any amount. The government must be the one to dictate how much each operator would give,” Yap said.

“Based on the intelligence information of ACT-CIS, only a total of P400 million is being remitted a day out of the earnings of the small town lottery operators nationwide when, in fact, it should be a total of P400 million a day nationwide.”

Yap said he would summon and invite PSCO officials and other stakeholders to a congressional inquiry.

He threatened to recommend the filing of appropriate charges against erring PCSO officials and gaming operators for conspiring with one another to “steal” money from the government.

“I will also recommend the cancellation of their franchises or licenses,” Yap said.

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Du30 decision to invoke tribunal ruling stays—Palace

By MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta

CLEARING THE DEBRIS. A composite team from the PNP, DPWH, Bakun LGU and locals manually cleared debris along Kibungan to Bakun streets in Brgy. Gambang National road, after intermittent rains brought by Typhoon ‘Hanna’ caused the rocks to fall and landslides.

President right in appointing ex-military men in gov’t—Gullas CEBU Rep. Eduardo Gullas sees nothing wrong with President Rodrigo Duterte’s enlistment of retired generals for government service, especially if the appointees are Philippine Military Academy graduates.

“If we look at America, West Point alumni now serve in various capacities both in government and in the private sector there, mostly as administrators,” Gullas said, referring to the US Military Academy.

“West Point graduates have been performing high purely civilian functions as chief executive officers of some of the largest corporations in America and as presidents of American universities,” Gullas said.

“Frankly, we find it absurd for critics to even suggest that the President has been ‘militarizing government’ or ‘undermining civilian supremacy over the military’ with his selection of a number of retired generals to head certain executive departments,” Gullas said.

“To begin with, these retired generals are already civilians—just like everybody else—having been discharged from active military service,” Gullas pointed out.

Gullas made the statement not long after Duterte named yet another PMA graduate, retired Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, this time as a member of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System’s governing board.

Salamat was former chief of the Armed Forces’ Northern Luzon Command and one-time Philippine Marines commandant.

“Clearly, the President believes that there are instances wherein he needs the help of an executive with a deep military background to get the job done,” Gullas, a former provincial governor of Cebu, said.

“What the President is doing— harnessing the services of highly qualified and disciplined men with extensive military training—is nothing new,” Gullas said.

Gullas said other post-EDSA People Power Revolution chief executives before Duterte also designated a number of retired generals to various senior government posts, including ambassadorships.

Gullas once served as a head of the House contingent to the bicameral Commission on Appointments, the constitutional body that confirms or rejects presidential appointees such as Cabinet secretaries; senior diplomats; military officers from the rank of Colonel or Naval Captain; regular members of the Judicial and Bar Council; and the chairpersons and members of the Commission on Elections, Commission on Audit and the Civil Service Commission, among others.

Palace alarmed over ‘suicide’ of Chinese national in Las Piñas

By MJ Blancaflor and Rio N. Araja

M

ALACAÑANG on Sunday expressed concern over the death of a Chinese national who reportedly jumped off a building in Las Piñas City.

The Palace called on the police to resolve the case immediately, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“We ask the Philippine National Police, which is seriously looking into the matter, including tracking down the supervisor of the victim who allegedly made the former a prisoner, to treat the case with dispatch,” he said.

His statement came after Yang Kang, a 27-year-old information technology employee, supposedly fell from his office building in Pamplona, Las Piñas Friday morning.

The police found that Kang was recruited to work in the country by his fellow Chinese and that he opted to resign after a few weeks, but his employer required him to pay the amount he had lent for his flight.

As shown in a CCTV footage, Kang was handcuffed by his employer.

Kang fell to his death as he tried to escape the room through a window.

His body was discovered by a

security guard who was conducting a routine inspection.

In a television interview, Las Piñas City Police chief Col. Simnar Gran said that Kang was initially brought to the Las Piñas District Hospital then transferred to the Asian Hopsital in Alabang, where he died four hours after.

Gran said they have identified Kang’s supervisor, who will face charges for serious illegal detention.

Earlier, the Chinese Embassy alleged that Chinese workers were being subjected to torture and extortion by their employers.

Malacañang urged the Chinese workers to file complaints if they were abused.

“We need to put a stop to these illegal acts. We will not allow nor tolerate any kind of abuse inflicted on any foreigner whether sojourning or working in this country, whether done by their fellow nationals or by our own citizens,” Panelo said.

“No one is exempted from the strict

enforcement of our laws of the land,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo has challenge the Duterte administration to do something about the influx of Chinese gamblers in the country.

“For me only.. isn’t it we already stopped gambling. Then why do they have permits and why allow them [here]? she asked.

“Isn’t it [gambling] illegal there [China]. That’s why they go here. If that is illegal to them, why do we house them here?”

She called on the government to look at the legality of the Chinese gamblers to stay in the Philippines.

“The question is, why do we allow these illegals to stay? That’s no. 1.

Secondly, how many exactly are they?

They are already too many that we do not now know the numbers,” she said.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. wanted the transfer of the Chinese nationals working in Philippine offshore gaming operations to “selfcontained” communities or hubs that would limit their interaction with Filipinos.

Pagcor vice president Jose Tria said the POGO hubs would respond to the complaints of many Filipinos about the reported unruly behavior of some Chinese offshore gambling workers.

Solon wants stronger alternative care of children

By Rio N. Araja BUKIDNON Rep. Maria Lourdes Acosta-Alba is batting for the recognition and strengthening of an alternative care of children.

She filed House Bill No. 2282 or the proposed Alternative Care of Children Act in a bid to provide a planned temporary substitute parental care to a child by an agency.

The measure aims to institutionalize

alternative family care as an option other than adoption and foster family care, she said, adding an alternative care agency shall be established, and licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“The alternative care agency is basically very like an ordinary private foster family. It has, however, certain advantages. It can be supervised and controlled in its work and adults-incharge of the children can be carefully

selected and trained. It has the merit of existing solely in the interests of the children committed to its care,” the Bukidnon lawmaker said.

“It is exclusively concerned with meeting their needs and with caring for their many and diverse problems,” she added.

Those who could be placed under the alternative care agency are children who are abandoned, abused and under social difficult situations.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will still invoke the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea during his upcoming visit to China despite its refusal to recognize the landmark 2016 decision, Malacañang said Sunday.

The Chief Executive remains committed in his promise to raise Manila’s legal victory in his dialogue with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

This came after Chinese Ambassador Xiao Jianhua said that China will not recognize the ruling despite President Duterte’s insistence.

“That’s the position and right of China not to budge on their position, in the same way that it is our right not to budge in ours. That’s the way it is. But that will not stop the President from raising the issue of the arbitral ruling,” Panelo said in a radio interview.

“You know, when friends meet, they can always discuss anything under the sun. And if friendship is present, then both parties will be open to discussion,” he added.

The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague refuted China’s maritime claim in the South China Sea. It also upheld the Philippines’ rights over its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Panelo also expressed confidence that Duterte will settle the territorial issue with his Chinese counterpart through diplomacy and negotiations.

“As I have repeatedly said, we are resorting to a friendlier network of settling differences which is negotiation.

What we cannot get by invoking, we might be able to do so through talks.

Asserting something as a matter of right and principle is different from talking as friends,” he said.

Since he took office in 2016, Duterte has been slammed by critics for taking a soft stance toward China. The President has also repeatedly mentioned his “friendship” with Xi. “There’s nothing wrong with the President raising the issue. What’s the matter if he says, ‘By the way, what are we going to do with the ruling by the international court? I know you don’t recognize it but we can talk about it, maybe we can do something about it,’” Panelo said.

Apart from the arbitral ruling, Duterte also said he will discuss the proposed joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea. Panelo assured the public that the joint exploration would not be disadvantageous to the government.

“They offered a 60-40 [deal)]. How can that be disadvantageous? Second, the ambassador of China said they won’t ask for a share that is bigger than that of the Philippines,” Panelo said.

“If you assert that and they do not recognize it, there would be no oil exploration. At the same time, we can use that as a bargaining leverage, you can say, ‘After all, it’s ours although you are claiming it, why can’t we just talk about the exploration so both of us can benefit?” he added.

Duterte had said that he will approve the joint exploration with China as long as Manila will get the bigger share.

Malacañang said earlier the June 9 Recto Bank incident might also be discussed in Duterte’s upcoming visit to the East Asian country.

More than 20 Filipino fishermen were left adrift the open sea for several hours after their boat was rammed by a Chinese trawler in Recto Bank last month.

‘Security a concern in common tower policy’ AN INFRASTRUCTURE-ORIENTED think tank called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology to consider cybersecurity as a main pillar in its proposed common tower policy.

“Consistent with cybersecurity, the DICT should prohibit tower companies [towercos] and end-users with ties or funding from foreign governments.

Second, the towers should not be used as a platform for surveillance and intelligence activities.”

This was the statement of Terry Ridon, Infrawatch PH convenor and former member of the House ICT committee.

Ridon said that in view of the still unresolved issues in the West Philippine Sea, it should be government policy to disallow foreign state-owned or statefunded corporations to enter the country’s tower industry.

“If these types of companies are allowed access to the country’s tower

industry, there is no limit on the types of activities it can undertake, and no limit on the end-users it can allow in its towers.

This presents as a national security and cybersecurity threat to the nation, as these companies and its end-users can install intelligence and surveillance equipment on its towers to monitor activities and gather information and data from our citizens and institutions.”

Ridon, who studied cybersecurity at the Harvard Kennedy School, said that the advice of the country’s security sector should be considered in crafting its comprehensive common tower policy.

“There is a real danger in having a blind spot on issues involving security, given that tensions in WPS continue. It should be noted that the tower business is not merely confined to servicing existing telecom companies, but all other types of activities which require actual, physical towers. This, unfortunately, may include surveillance activities by foreign nations.”

OVERLOADED. A motorcycle overloaded with bed mattresses to be delivered in a furniture store traverses the road in Las Piñas City. Lino Santos

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Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

Finally, hope

IN THE long-parched desert of the state of Philippine agriculture, President Rodrigo Duterte’s appointment of William Dar as the new head of the Department of Agriculture comes as a downpour of hope. Finally, the career officers and employees of the DA are heaving a sigh of relief.

In the conferences our office has had with mid-level officials of various DA agencies, we could feel the demoralization brought about by a lack of direction, not to mention the appointment of persons in key positions who seem to be taking the longest time to pass the learning curve.

The new Agriculture secretary needs competent and wellintentioned people to assist him to overturn many years of lethargy.

In the previous administration, the DA was labelled derisively as “Quezon Institute” by career officials and staff.

Quezon here refers to the southern Tagalog province from whence came the secretary appointed by the previous president, who brought in a gaggle of province-mates, some qualified, some not.

And even before “Quezon Institute” moved from España Extension to the corner of Visayas Avenue and Quezon Memorial Circle, there were

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

the corruption issues hounding the department, from Joc-Joc’s fertilizer scam to the now mercifully defunct Quedancor and its swine-lending scandals to the country, causing an unprecedented spike in rice prices worldwide.

To be fair, the DA is much too big, with more than 40 agencies to supervise and manage, and much too varied in scope as to be quite difficult to coordinate. One cannot be a grains expert and a fisheries expert at the same time. Not even both a poultry and hog specialist. There is merit in the long-advocated proposal (by former DTI secretary, former congressman and former governor Luis Villafuerte of Camarines Sur) to divide the DA into one concerned with land-based concerns and one for marine and aquatic resources.

But then again, one need only to be a good manager, able to harness diverse talents and motivate them to achieve.

Good governance is not always about specialization rather than administrative skills and right directions.

Willy comes to a highly problematic department which is being blamed by most everyone for sluggish performance, the effects of which on the macro-economy for the last few years has been depressing. Not only that, he comes to an agency whose experienced and well-trained middle management have been afflicted with low morale.

Some of them retired facing several graft cases lodged in the Sandiganbayan simply because they followed orders from previous top management, their meager pensions eaten up by heavy costs of litigation. Many still in the service are thus petrified into inaction, incapable of decisive action in a department where immediate solutions are needed to stave food crisis, and projects need to be implemented within the budget cycle because food is an every day matter and farmers live on Turn to A5

T

Better wisdom

HE Philippine National Police reminded its officers over the weekend that they may not accept gifts from the public, but said it would defer to the “better wisdom” of President Rodrigo Duterte, who earlier said it was all right to receive gifts as long as there was no corruption or abuse involved.

On Friday, the President told police he would not begrudge them for accepting gifts from generous citizens.

“I will not stop you. If you are given, take it. It is not bribery,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino during ceremonies marking the 118th anniversary of the country’s police service.

“What I mean, if there’s generosity in them, according to the antigraft law, you cannot accept gifts?

Foolishness. If you’re able to solve a crime and the family would like to be generous to you or nurture a feeling of gratitude for what you accomplished, then you accept. I have nothing against that.”

Reacting to the President’s remarks Saturday, a spokesman for the PNP said they “always explain to the public that there is no need for them to give gifts” since they are just doing their job and are paid by the people through their salaries.

But Banac added: “We submit to the better wisdom of our lawyerPresident that it is harmless to receive gifts so long as there is no

element of corruption involved and no oppression or abuse of authority is committed.”

The law itself leaves some wriggle room.

The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act prohibits public officers from “directly or indirectly requesting or receiving any gift, present, share, percentage, or benefit, for himself or for any other person, in connection with any contract or transaction between the government and any other party, wherein the public officer in his official capacity has to intervene under the law.”

But the same law allows “unsolicited gifts or presents of small or insignificant value offered or given as a mere ordinary token of gratitude or friendship according to local customs or usage.”

The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees also bars government officials and employees from soliciting or accepting, “directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or anything of

monetary value from any person in the course of their official duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”

But the law again excludes “unsolicited gifts of nominal or insignificant value not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor from a public official or employee.”

The problem with these exceptions is that they are open to interpretation.

How are we to determine what constitutes a gift of “nominal or insignificant” value? Are we to trust the receiver of the gift to honestly make such an appraisal? What if the gift is not material in nature? What if it takes the form of a service or favor? Would that be considered allowable?

The Indian Minister of Railways and Commerce, Piyush Goyal, sums up the risk of such a situation succinctly.

“Corruption is the by-product of discretion when there is scope for interpretation of policies,” he says.

Unfortunately, that discretion is written into our laws—and we need “better wisdom” by way of specific rules to avoid its inevitable by-product.

Work from home to ease traffic POP GOES THE WORLD JENNY ORTUOSTE IT WAS too bad that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s recent traffic experiment failed.

Many hoped it would be a workable solution to the daily carmaggedon on EDSA, but the move to ban provincial buses and limit buses to two lanes was a gross disservice to those who use public service, which are the majority of Filipinos.

A photo by Karl Mercado, taken the day of the experiment (Aug. 7) and posted on Facebook, showed the stark divide between rich and poor. On one side of EDSA in Cubao, buses were shown crammed nose to ass and they looked like they were barely moving.

The other side of the road was ghosttown empty, so empty that a traffic enforcer even put his motorcycle right across the middle of the road.

That situation looked like heaven for the upper- and middle-class owners of cars. But it was woe for the rest of us who do not have the same financial comfort nor privilege.

The outcome we ask for from government is that a solution be found that will ease traffic enough for people to get to and from where they are going without feeling like they’ve gone to hell and back.

I read somewhere that a Japanese organization did a study on the Manila traffic but that their recommendations were not adopted—is this true, MMDA or Department of Transportation or whatever appropriate agency?

May we be enlightened on this?

Again I reiterate to employers, both government and private: Look into work-from-home options for your employees. Seriously, please do this.

WFH will help ease traffic because there will be fewer people on the road. This is the wave of the future.

Already this is an option many employers in countries abroad offer, particularly for creative professions like writers, editors, and designers, and

people working in information technology.

I have a friend in IT who worked in Chicago for many years. “When I was in the States, I never stepped foot in an office,” he told me. “Many IT people abroad do their work from home.”

He is now back in Manila and hating every moment he spends in traffic, because he now has to report to an office daily.

WFH is also advantageous to employers because it will greatly reduce overhead expenses such as rent and utilities.

This is an option many employers in countries abroad already offer.

Schools and universities should also fully implement learning technolo technologies such as Blackboard and Moodle.

While students will benefit from faceto-face interaction with faculty and fellow students for at least several days a week, employing the Internet for learning will be most useful during days when classes are suspended because of inclement weather. That way, there need be no makeup days, the academic calendar can be kept to, and no one loses vacation days. *** By now we should be aware that many of the comments on and rejoinders we see to practically every published criticism of the President and this administration are created by ‘trolls,’ people who are paid to attack the writer and pose counter-arguments, sometimes way off the topic.

I have read recruitment announcements for such trolls and these often stipulate that the comments need not be exactly related to the topic being discussed in the columns or pieces.

Small wonder, then, that I and others critical of this administration are labeled ‘yellows,’ ‘yellowtards,’ or ‘dilawans.’ This is the catchall word Turn to A5

Boon or curse

AFTER having tendered an unopposed offer to build the New Manila International Airport, San Miguel Corp. has been given the green light to proceed with the construction of the four-terminal airport in Bulacan over a 3,300 hectare property, standing on water and which has yet to be reclaimed.

The project is expected to decongest the already overcrowded Ninoy Aquino

An expert says the new airport will be a disaster for Bulacan, Metro Manila and adjacent provinces.

International Airport as it targets to service 100-million passengers a year.

However, former press attachè to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, Ado Paglinawan, insists that the mega project touted to deliver us from the miseries of the overcrowded NAIA

terminals will only spell disaster not only for Bulacan but for the whole of Metro Manila and adjacent provinces.

In his paper, Paglinawan said the Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the Regional Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the project is anomalous because the adverse environmental impact of the Bulacan Airport project extends to the National Capital Region and Region IV-A because of the interconnecting over and underground river basin systems and network of river deltas behind the coastlines of the entire Manila Bay. Paglinawan says further that if and

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

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

Filipino voters trust automated elections

Second chances

By Ola Almgren IN 2002, 19-YEAR-OLD Radam Jalani, who lived in the small seaside village of Mercedes in Zamboanga City, was resigned to being a seaweed farmer for the rest of his life.

When he was 12 years old, Radam's father asked him to quit school to help his family scrape out a living from planting seaweed.

The 10 years that followed stretched out like a lifetime for Radam, taking him farther and farther away from school. And yet, just six years after contemplating a future he thought he could not escape, Radam began to live the life he had chosen for himself.

Radam returned to school. As a teacher.

Not too far away from Radam, Rijal Ibrahim Rasul and Jewelyn Baguio watched helplessly as their lives were turned upside down by the 2013 Zamboanga siege. Rijal had dropped out of college to sell fish with his father. When the conflict had passed, Rijal tried to find better work but he found his options severely limited by his age, religion and inadequate education.

Jewelyn took a long time to recover from the trauma of hearing gunshots and had to stop working.

Rijal and Jewelyn needed to make a living but the disruption in their lives had affected their ability to find decent work. Help came through the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office, where the International Labour Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization helped young people like Rijal and Jewelyn to find jobs and sustainable livelihoods in Zamboanga.

The ILO worked with industry partners to transform education by matching skills with the demands of employers, thus enhancing youth employability. Rijal and Jewelyn were among those trained under a special course in hotel management.

As they gained knowledge and skills, they also developed a positive mindset, which boosted their confidence.

When Rijal and Jewelyn completed the course in 2017, they were immediately hired by one of the largest hotels in Zamboanga.

The Philippines has achieved nearuniversal primary enrolment rate at

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hand-to-mouth.

Willy, though, comes with far better credentials than any of his predecessors in the last decade and a half, a real agriculturist with both domestic and international experience.

He was appointed by President Estrada in 1998 as acting secretary, a stand-in for Erap’s vice presidential candidate Ed Angara who wanted to head the department, having chaired the agriculture committee in the Senate before. And in a year at the helm, Willy managed to grow agriculture by 6 percent, a record in the history of the department.

Thus is William Dar welcomed into a department in crisis.

But the challenges that face him and his department are also quite daunting: the first years of the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law which removed quantitative restrictions on the importation of the country’s staple food and its effects on the incomes and livelihood of some 3 million palay farmers; the continuing high prices of fish, vegetables, pork and poultry, and not only because of seasonal or cyclical

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for ‘critic,’ regardless of whether or not the writer is actually on the side of the traditional politicians associated with the previous administration.

Anyone who has read my columns across the years will know that I am critical of ALL administrations re-

94.2 as of 2017. Furthermore, in the past two years, the Government has substantially increased completion rates for primary and secondary education, by 8.4 and 10.3 percentage points, respectively. We commend the Government for progress on this front. However, we need to turn our attention to Filipino children and youth who should be in school, but are not.

According to the latest Annual Poverty Indicators Survey, one out of every 10 Filipinos aged six to 24 was out of school, and the prevalence has generally been higher among the older age groups. Of the 3.6 million out of school children and youth, 83.1 percent were 16 to 24 years old, 11.2 percent were 12 to 15 years old and 5.7 percent were 6 to 11 years old.

The high cost of education accounts for why many of the country's children and youth are not in school. According to the APIS, financial difficulty was one of the top three reasons (17.9 percent), for not attending school. About half of all out-of-school children and youth belong to the poorest 30 percent of Filipino families, most of whom live in rural, agricultural areas. In many instances, boys and girls have missed classes—or skipped school entirely—to help their families to put food on the table.

Yet, while poverty factors largely in school-leaving, it is not the foremost reason.

Early marriage and family matters topped the list of reasons, at 37 percent, followed by lack of interest, at 24.7 percent.

It is notable that the proportion of out-of-school children and youth was also higher among females (63.3 percent) than males (36.7 percent), and that for over half of all girls and young women that have had to leave school, early marriage or family matters were the leading causes. In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has the highest percentage of outof-school children and youth in the country, girls have a particularly hard time staying in school.

Household chores, and poor menstrual hygiene management, including the lack of appropriate water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in school, have driven girls to distraction, causing them to miss classes and thereafter to stay away from school.

In order to reduce drop-out rates, it is necessary to curb the high incidence of early pregnancy among young Filipinos. The Department of Education, with support from the United Nations Population Fund is leading the implementation of an age- and development- ap-

propriate Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum that will also be implemented in Alternative Learning System.

CSE is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality and reproductive health. It will equip young Filipinos with the correct information and appropriate life skills that would enable them to make responsible decision-making and respectful behavior, protecting their health, well-being and dignity. Apart from reducing the incidence of early pregnancy, CSE also seeks to address violence, particularly bullying, and HIV infection.

By adopting the 2030 Agenda, UN Member States, including the Philippines, have committed to Leave No One Behind in their implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

All people, regardless of their backgrounds, have rights and responsibilities to fulfill their potential in life, including out-of-school youth.

Tackling the persistent disparities in education participation and promoting education enrollment and quality is also a government strategy to address the challenges to inclusive growth, as highlighted in the 10-point socioeconomic agenda of the Duterte administration: “Invest in human capital development, including health and education systems, and match skills and training to meet the demand of businesses and the private sector.”

Beyond the classroom, opportunities for young people who are not in school are growing. There are now many ways to transition from school or out-of-school to work or event entrepreneurship. Non-formal education should not be seen as an alternative to formal education, but rather recognized for its complementariness in providing a more fully rounded and skillsbased approach, to equip young people to meet the competing demands of the workforce. Youth engagement is crucial to bringing about more relevant, equitable and inclusive education.

On Aug. 12, we celebrate International Youth Day. This year's theme, "Transforming Education," resonates in the work that the Government and UN agencies are doing to make education fit the learner, and not the other way around. To find solutions to ensure that children and young people who have fallen back are not left behind. To give the Radam Jalanis of this country the one thing that could turn their life around: a second chance.

Ola Almgren is the Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in the United Nations in the Philippines.

reasons but due to continued neglect and wrong implementation of right policies or no policies whatsoever. And there is climate change which affects the resources upon which food is produced.

So many, many more, which we are certain Secretary Dar knows all too well even before he accepted the position.

With the help of the economic managers, particularly Secretary Sonny Dominguez who recommended him to the President, he should be allowed to replace some of the clear misfits who have never bothered to improve their learning abilities on the job. He should now be part of the economic team because agriculture is an integral part of the macro-economy, and affects the lives of everyone, whether farmer or consumer.

There are a hundred and one details that the new agriculture secretary will have to manage properly, and he needs competent and well-intentioned people to assist him to overturn many years of lethargy.

We wish him the best. *** To show how ingenious a mix of Filipino and Taiwanese blood can be, let me cite here a Chinese Filipino, Tsai

Sheng-lun, who was able to turn the non-recyclable plastic layer of paper cups and boxes into floor tiles.

To be able to withstand moisture seepage, paper cups and boxes, especially those used for food products are coated with a thin layer of plastic.

These have to be peeled off before recycling by machines because these are non-recyclable.

Working as a volunteer of Tzu Chi Foundation, and leaving a high-paying job as an architect to devote himself to the humanitarian endeavors of the foundation under the leadership of Master Cheng Yen, Tsai invested effort to make the most use of waste plastic.

After two years of research and continuous experimentation, he was able to convert the plastic waste into floor tiles which can be joined seamlessly and can withstand weights of up to 40 tons. The innovation can also make use of candy plastic wraps and other plastic wastes, advancing the cause of environmental protection.

There are no limits to what the human mind can invent. Put to good use for the benefit of humankind, the world will be a better place to inhabit as God’s creatures.

gardless of who is in charge. What I and many writers like myself do is speak truth to power and call out who and what is wrong, regardless of who is elected.

In the same manner, I praise whatever I see is right and beneficial for the people and the country, again regardless of whoever accomplished it.

The role of the critic is important to society because critics provide in-

formation and insights that government needs to check itself and do better. It is not to denigrate the efforts of people in power, nor to minimize their accomplishments based on party lines.

It is to point out what’s wrong or what’s not working so that attention can be turned to it and solutions found.

FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

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the deactivation of their registration.

One percent said they didn’t trust the electoral system, while another 1 percent could not vote because the VCM machine broke down.

Outside these isolated incidents and MONTHS after the 2019 midterm sentiments, there is a near-unanimous elections, it’s the fate of the auto- consensus that the headways achieved mated elections that seems to be up by the switch to the automated sysfor scrutiny. For some quarters, an tem need to be maintained even as the hours-long delay in the transmission Comelec and other entities learn from of votes during canvassing was sup- the problems they encountered. The posedly enough to cast doubts on the widespread vote buying, for instance, is credibility of the polls. There were proof that some politicians might have even calls to invalidate the results of observed that tampering the system was the entire elections and switch to a not feasible, so they had to directly enhybrid manual and automated system. gage the voters.

A recent Pulse Asia survey, however, “We should be more focused on gofound that 91 percent, or nine out of 10 ing after, on accountability aspect, the Filipinos, are in favor of continuing the vote buying and the vote sellers,” said fully automated elections system going Ona Carritos of LENTE. “We’re good forward, with 84 percent expressing with the procedure. People believe the big trust in the results and 87 percent results of the automated elections. What saying they were satisfied. A further 94 is happening is the fraud outside the percent saying the vote-counting ma- machine or outside the systems we use. chines were easy to use, while some 55 We need to focus on that for the 2022 percent even said they were able to cast polls and the succeeding elections.” their vote in less than 30 minutes.

What is clear, too, is the rejection of This tells us that, among others, the any insinuation that we discard a sysnoise against the tem that has clearly automated elecworked toward the tion system does strengthening of not have popular our democracy and There ought to be no shift to something support. In a press briefing organized turning back after the that’s not as tested.

by Stratbase ADRi Indeed, why should and Democracy crucial and long overdue we risk experimenWatch, Pulse Asia shift. tal, unproven conpresident Ronald cepts on the very Holmes said that foundations of our voters, “trust the democratic system? system, and they For instance, want automation because faster results there are proposals to amend the make them find the election credible.” Automated Elections System law to Moreover, reports of problems re- remove the provision that limits pogarding the use of VCMs might have tential providers from qualifying bebeen slightly blown out of proportion, cause the law requires the system to with a mere 6 percent of respondents have been deployed in past elections saying they experienced malfunction- with similar conditions and scale. ing VCMs, which Holmes said was “a This does not make sense. The wissmall percentage.” dom of this provision is to guarantee “And of those who experienced mal- the success and credibility of national functioning VCMs, 57 percent left their elections. ballots to the Board of Election InspecComelec spokesperson James tors, while 40 percent did not vote when Jimenez said starting with a new system told the VCM was not working but re- might pose a challenge especially since turned to vote and fed their ballot to the the upcoming polls will determine the new VCM,” he said. next president. “How long does it take These findings were confirmed by the to establish the reliability and accurandom manual audit done by the Com- racy of the system to be used for the mission on Elections RMA Committee first time to the level that you would in partnership with Legal Network for be comfortable using it for presidential Truthful Elections, which found that the elections?” he said.

VCM count had been 99.9953 percent Our standards on what system will accurate. we accept as reliable should be higher, All these paints one picture, Holmes he added. said. It represents a validation of a Claudette Guevara, Secretary Gensystem in which the problems of the eral of DemocracyWatch Philippines “archaic” manual method are a thing said, “For a country riddled with of the past. patronage politics and corruption, “One reason is really the ease of vot- automation has proved effective in ing. Gone are the days when the voter had addressing a decades old problem to write the surname of the candidate, and wholesale election cheating. The conyou have to wait three weeks to find out the tinuing economic gains of our counresults, have winners proclaimed,” he said. try are directly linked to the stability These numbers represent continu- of our government instituted by our ing progress for the automated system. credible democratic processes.”

The 87-percent satisfaction rating, for True enough, there ought to be no instance, is four percent higher than turning back after the crucial and long the figure posted in the aftermath of overdue shift to automation in 2010. the 2016 polls. The near-perfect accu- Widespread popular support is critiracy rate is the highest since the coun- cal for any democratic exercise such try switched to the automated system as the elections, and that is something in 2010. Transmission and validation that automation was able to achieve. turnout had also become faster despite As the integrity and credibility of the transparency server glitch. the polls are non-negotiable in a deThat being said, no system is com- mocracy, the people’s overwhelming pletely faultless. During the May polls, trust in the electoral process go handamong the problems encountered by in-hand with rejecting any attempts voters include the long lines, not find- to throw us back to the dark ages of ing their names in the voters’ list, and manual elections.

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when it should have been issued at all, the responsibility should have not been below the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources himself.

As it currently stands, Paglinawan says that even without the Bulacan Airport, there is already a warning of a clear and present danger to human lives and safety for all those in the areas affected by the interconnections.

And he hits the nail right on the head. The amount of rainfall that fell on Metro Manila last week, which inundated streets resulting in horrific traffic conditions and sent schools to close for several days, is enough proof of this.

And we are not even talking about “Ondoy” and habagat that in recent years cost thousands of lives, billions in private properties and immobilized Metro Manila for days, and Typhoon “Yoling” which flooded many parts of Central Luzon for six months.

It is interesting to note that presently, there are already areas in Bulacan where the municipalities have already raised street and drainage canals by one meter, causing the inundation to seep into and dwell on the ground floors of residential communities for months.

As such, Paglinawan says any reclamation or land development

project, regardless of the semantics, especially in the magnitude of 3,000 hectares, can perpetuate this despicable condition for many generations.

Serious flood control mitigation and disaster resiliency strategies and infrastructure, not just for immediate areas but all those fronting the entire Manila Bay, must precede any development project, especially one of this magnitude. *** Golden Boy How time flies. It seems not too long ago I used to hang out with this guy, along with his brothers Joy and Roy (It was actually Roy whom I got first acquainted with), first in their apartment in EDSA , and then in another compound in Kamuning. Playing basketball, music and downing a few bottles thereafter (With Joy and Roy only as he was not of the drinking age then).

Oh what a time it was, but it was really fun. And that was long ago. Their apartment on EDSA had to give way for the MRT Quezon Avenue Station.

I don’t know who now dwells in their former abode in Kamuning.

But the other night, we had some sort of reunion. He, his gorgeous wife Vangie, Joy, Roy and their lovely sons and daughters, all grown up. The event—his 50th birthday, marks his entry to a golden era.

Happy Birthday Neil Brillantes.

Hope to sit down with you again soon.

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News

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cusi to NPC: Stop off-grid rate hike P64.6m E suspected

NERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi has ordered the National Power Corp. to hold its plan to increase generation charges in missionary and off-grid islands across the country by passing on to poor consumers the excise taxes and added fuel costs.

Instead, Cusi said the NPC should find ways to reduce missionary subsidies by improving operational efficiency.

Cusi made the directive to NPC president Pio Benavidez after the corporation petitioned the Energy Regulatory Commission to increase missionary generation charges in the off-grid islands.

The increase would result in

poorer consumers in off-grid islands paying much more in generation charges than Metro Manila consumers.

The corporation had filed an application with the ERC to increase the missionary generation charge in off-grid communities by P2.9140 per kilowatt hour in Luzon, P3.4034 per kWh in the Visayas, and P3.4515 per kWh in Mindanao.

This would raise the generation charge by more than 50 percent to P8.5544 per kWh, Cusi said.

In his memorandum to Benavidez, Cusi expressed serious concern that the generation charge of P8.5544 per kWh sought by the NPC—compared to the P5.25 charge in Manila—would bring a heavy burden to Filipino consumers in the poorer, off-grid islands.

This, he said, is contrary to the government’s mandate to keep power rates affordable under the Electric PowerIndustry Reform Act of 2001.

Cusi directed the NPC to reduce missionary subsidies instead of passing on to these poorer areas the costs of excise taxes and fuel and other costs.

The NPC had applied to pass on to consumers the added excise taxes on fuel being used to generate power in off-grid islands (P1.9648/kWh). This is on top of its previous application for an increase of P0.9492/kWh, bringing the total increase to P2.9140/kWh. The NPC is the administrator of the missionary subsidies provided by the government to consumers through the local electric cooperatives.

Under the EPIRA, the NPC can cover its missionary subsidies by charging the consumers in those areas a missionary generation rate called the subsidized approved generation rate. with the remainder likewise passed on as the universal charge for missionary electrification.

shabu found in N. Samar

By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN CITY—A fisherman has turned over four bags containing suspected “shabu” worth P64.6 million in Biri, Northern Samar on Saturday.

Police identified the fisherman as Eduardo Golondrina, 53, who found the illegal substance at the shoreline of Sitio Pagul, Barangay Pio Del Pilar in Biri town.

Three heat-sealed plastic bag weighing two kilos each and one open plastic bag weighing 1.5 kilo, with an estimated value of P51 million, were turned over to the police at about 2 p.m.

Another sealed plastic bag weighing two kilos with an estimated market value of P13.6 million was turned over Saturday evening.

The fisherman said the second batch of “shabu” was allegedly hidden by another person at the grassy portion of the coastline.

The recovered items are now under the custody of the Biri Municipal Police Station for safekeeping prior to the examination by the Regional Crime Laboratory Office 8, police said.

Search is on for new CebuPac cadet pilots

NEVER TOO YOUNG TO TRAIN. An officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection demonstrates safety procedures to children before they enter an obstacle course for earthquakes during the BFP’s 28th anniversary held at the Rizal Park in Manila. Norman Cruz

US Embassy SSS releases P4.23b in benefits to OFWs in 2018 to help search for missing Cessna plane The United States Embassy in Manila on Sunday vowed to assist the government in finding a missing Cessna plane and its pilot, which is believed to have crashed in the mountain ranges of Aurora last month.

The assurance was made after Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. personally appealed to the embassy through his social media page to assist in the search.

“We need a special satellite image that can penetrate the jungle to detect plane’s aluminum. CAAP [Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines] has no capability whatsoever in this weather for this mission,” Locsin said, tagging the embassy in one of his public tweets.

“One more day and it won’t be search & rescue but search & recovery of cadaver. Please US help,” Locsin wrote on his Twitter account.

In response, the embassy said Washington is ready to assist as a “friend, partner, and ally.” “[The US Embassy in the Philippines] is ready to assist. We’ve been in touch with Philippine authorities to determine what assistance is needed and how we can help,” the embassy said.

The missing C-152 plane, piloted by 25-year-old Aaron Dizon, was supposed to have landed in Clark after it left Baler on July 28.

The aircraft, owned by Omni Aviation Corp., is one of the five planes that took off from San Luis town in Baler.

However, only four managed to land in Clark. PNA

STATE-RUN Social Security System said more than P4.23 billion worth of benefits were disbursed to some 61,406 land-based overseas Filipino workers in 2018.

SSS president and chief executive officer Aurora Ignacio said the 2018 benefit disbursement to land-based OFWs was equivalent to 66 percent of the P6.37billion contribution collection from landbased OFWs in the same year.

“We are glad that we were able to translate the contributions of our dear OFW-members into benefits that were disbursed to them during times of contingencies. SSS stands by its mandate to provide adequate, universal social security protection for all workers in

‘PASAWAY.’

Unmindful of the huge signage put up by the Manila Police District, riders still parked their motorcycles at a restricted area at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo.

Ey Acasio

the private sector in times of retirement, disability, death, funeral, sickness or maternity,” Ignacio said.

Of the total disbursements, P2.87 billion were disbursed for regular pensions such as retirement, death, and disability pensions while short-term benefits such as sickness and maternity, amounted to P271 million, and initial and lump-sum benefits at P1.09 billion.

Meanwhile, the state-run pension fund reiterated that Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 which provides for mandatory coverage of OFWs will ensure viable social security for OFWs and their families.

The compulsory OFW coverage provision of the implementing rules and

regulations of the law guarantees that OFWs who are deployed can enjoy the benefits offered by SSS—sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, funeral, anad death.

“SSS is duty-bound to implement the law. We would like to urge OFW-members to look at the compulsory coverage as an added savings and protection for their future and not as an additional expense,” Ignacio added.

Under the mandatory coverage of OFWs, all land-based and sea-based Filipinos working abroad will have to pay at least a minimum monthly contribution of P960 which is equivalent to 12 percent of the P8,000 monthly salary credit.

LEADING Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific is searching for a new batch of 16 recruits to enter its cadet pilot program.

The Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilot Program is a “study now, pay later, zero-interest” training program to become fullfledged commercial pilots with guaranteed employment with the airline.

The program is open to all Filipino citizens who are college graduates, proficient in English and are in good physical condition.

There are no preferred college degrees, and applicants need only have an average grade of at least 80 percent or its equivalent in subjects related to Math, Physics and English.

The program entails 52 weeks of integrated flight training, theory and education at Flight Training Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia—one of the best aviation schools in the region.

They will also undergo an additional four weeks of training to obtain a Pilot’s License under the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

Seventy-four cadet-pilots are currently undergoing training at FTA. CEB’s first batch of Cadet Pilots is wrapping-up licensing and is expected to assume First Officer duties by the fourth quarter of 2019. A second batch of Cadet Pilots will be graduating from FTA next month.

The entire program will be financed by Cebu Pacific, and successful cadet-pilots who enter the CEB corps of pilots will reimburse the cost of the program through salary deduction over a maximum of ten years.

Application period for the eighth batch of Cebu Pacific Cadet Pilots will run until August 18, 2019. Interested applicants may apply for the program through https:// w w w. s u r v e y m o n k e y. c o m / r/6ZSZDBK.

Sports

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MONDAY, JULY 12, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Bigger Run With Me X to highlight RWM’s 10th anniversary

Cocolife Tigers stop Navotas in MPBL Lakan

By Peter Atencio TWENTY-THREE celebrities will spearhead the participants joining the Resorts World Manila’s fun run for charity, Run with Me X, now on its fourth year.

The fun run will be held as Resorts World Manila celebrates its 10th year anniversary.

“It’s (run) now on its fourth staging since 2016 as an internal event. And as years went by, lumaki nang lumaki,” said Joee Guilas, RWM Director for Corporate Communications on the award-winning activity.

Last year’s run drew around 5,000 entries and organizers are looking forward to having more this time.

The race is seen to ger bigger and better as it opens registration for the August 25 event at the SM MOA concert grounds.

“As an internal event, we have opened it up to the public following the 2018 edition,” added Guilas on the footrace.

The fun run coincides with celebrations of the integrated resort’s first decade in the industry.

This year’s Run With Me X will again open four race categories at 32K, 21K, 10K, and 5K distances, with organizers expecting over 8,000 runners to participate.

Registration period is set until August 24, with corresponding rates of P1,600 for the 32-kilometer run; P1,400 for the 21K; P1,200 for the 10K; and P1,000 for the 5K. All race kits will include singlet, race bib, timing chip, and hydration bottles.

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

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

Some of the celebrities joining are Korina Sanchez, Gian Magdangal, OJ Mariano, Myke Salomon, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Norman Pascual, Neil Perez, Ara Mina, Chuckie and Yen Dreyfus, Polo Ravales, Paulyn Quiza, Yael Yuzon, Jana Victoria, Will Devaughn, Jay Kent, Rovilson Fernandez, Meg Imperial, Ray Gibson and Ronnie Liang.

Caluag tries to boost world UCI ranking FILIPINO BMX rider Daniel Caluag is seeking points that will boost his world rankings.

Currently ranked 122nd in the world, Caluag will join more Olympic qualifying competitions in the coming months.

Caluag is set to join a UCI test event in Ariake Urban Sports Park from October 1 to 5.

The test event will serve as a prelude to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics BMX event.

Caluag’s world ranking went up last April following a silver-medal finish in the Malaysian BMX competitions last April.

It will be recalled that Caluag was the Philippines’ lone gold medalist in the 2014 Asian Games.

In the qualifiers, Caluag is one of 64 riders from the top 28 countries invited by the UCI. “The allocation is for Team Philippines to send one male elite BMX rider.

The final slot for the Olympics will be announced after the October event in Japan,” PhilCycling secretary general Billy Sumagui. Peter Atencio

LAKAMBINI WINNER. Winning connections of Shanghai Grey (inset 2A) raise their trophies during the awards ceremonies of the 2019 Philracom Lakambini Stakes Race, namely trainer Ruben Tupas, Richard Tupas, representing owner Melanie Habla and jockeyJB Hernandez.

They are joined by Philippine Racing Club Manager Oyet Alcasid and club handicapper Donnie Tan Selda and Philracom Commissioner Reli de Leon. My Jopay actually won the race by a nose, but ended up placing runner-up to eventual champion Shanghai Grey due to two infractions.

Nadal seeks 2nd straight Montreal Masters’ crown M

ONTREAL—Rafael Nadal is homing in on a second straight ATP title in Canada after reaching the Montreal Masters final without hitting a shot on Saturday.

The top-seeded world number two was handed an extra day of rest when Gael Monfils withdrew from their semi-final—scheduled to start just hours after the French player defeated Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2) in a rain-delayed quarterfinal.

Nadal will aim for his fifth Canadian trophy on Sunday when he faces Daniil Medvedev, who dominated Russian compatriot Karen Khachanov 6-1, 7-6 (8/6).

Monfils and Bautista, rained out on Friday night, were delayed a further two and a half hours by rain on Saturday.

Although 16th-seeded Monfils outlasted the Spaniard, he rolled his ankle in the process. A few hours to prepare

for Nadal was too much for the French showman—especially with the US Open coming up at Flushing Meadows this month.

“I was happy that I fought no matter what. As I say, I felt good this week, tried to give my best,” Monfils said. “I showed today that I’m still a fighter.

“I love these matches, night session, I play tennis for the big moments, big shows. But maybe it was a safest decision not to play tonight.”

Monfils said he felt his ankle early in the second set.

“At 6-4, 2-1 I had a pain moving backwards, my ankle was already painful, I hurt it again,” he said. “It was OK because I was able to run a lot in the next game.

But very quickly you could see that physically I was not fit as I was during the beginning of the week.

“In the third set, I only played on my service games. On return games I didn’t have enough energy to win. I was afraid for my ankle,” added Monfils who lifted a title in Rotterdam this season but retired injured in the first round at Wimbledon.

Medvedev won the first Masters 1000 semi-final ever played between a pair of Russians to line up a first career meeting with Nadal.

“It’s extra special, but there is some extra pressure,” Medvedev said, noting that he’s played matches against Nadal’s fellow superstars Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

“But this is what I have been working for all my life. I would never expect to play against them (the ATP elite), especially in the finals of a Masters 1000.

“I won’t be intimidated. I want to win every match I play. Hopefully I can do it tomorrow.” AFP

THE DAVAO Cocolife Tigers played like a well-oiled machine to break down Navotas Clutch, 94-74, in the elimination round of the 2019-2020 Lakan Season Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League at the Bulacan Capitol Gym in Malolos City.

Veteran gunner Billy Robles put up another sterling performance of 24 points, 4 rebounds and a pair of assists as he was named Best Player of the Game.

With huge support from newcomers James Forrester, Kenneth Mocon, Ivan Ludovice, deadshot Joseph Terso and main man Mark Yee, the Tigers, owned

by Dumper Party List Congresswoman Claudine Bautista of Davao Occidental and backed by Cocolife President Atty. Jose Martin Loon, FVP Joseph Ronquillo, AVP Rowena Asnan and SVP Franz Joie Araque, cruised to their seventh win to stay on top of the team standings in the south division of 31-team league organized by Senator Manny Pacquiao.

A high-octane defense applied by Tigers’ coach Don Dulay and a fluid offense on the other end by its second troopers, led by Chester Saldua, Richard Albo, Emman Calo and Mocon, clamped the Clutch’s attempted acceleration by Kojak Melegrito and Jong Bondoc early in the third period.

Davao Cocolife set its offense in motion via returning playmaker Bonbon Custodio to break loose as it padded its lead to 20 off Calo’s freebies at the line for a 59-39 count with 3:24 left.

They cruised the rest of the fame en route to another lopsided victory, the Tigers’ seventh in eight outings.

“Our big ‘D and run-and-gun offense spoiled our opposition’s uprising in the second half. I give credit to our Tigers from frontline to our third troopers, who delivered from both ends,” said Dulay.

Navotas Cluch skidded to a 2-3 winloss record.

Deputy team manager Ray Alao said their their masterful back-to-back triumphs will serve as a motivation in preparation for a tougher challenge coming against another title contender, the Bataan Risers at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

PLDT-Smart Omega wins The Nationals Mobile Legends tourney PLDT-Smart Omega proved to be unstoppable as it emerged as the first champion of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Conference 1 of The Nationals held at Eastwood City, Libis recently.

Formed in partnership with professional esports management Sterling Global Dragons, PLDT-Smart Omega represents the country’s biggest telcos at The Nationals, the country’s first franchise-based esports league.

PLDT-Smart Omega is comprised of the country’s youngest and top esports athletes including Dexter “Exort” Martinez, 22, top Kadita and Harith user in the Philippines; Adrian “Toshi” Bacallo, 18, one of the top marksman in the country; EJ “Heath” Esperanza, 23, dubbed as the best Members of the PLDT Smart Omega Team minotaur and Lolita user in the country; Anthony Dennis “Ynot” Senedrin, 31, one of the pioneers team swept Cignal Ultra Warriors in three of Philippine Esports becoming a pro as straight games in the best-of-five finals. early as 2008; Kenneth “Kenji” Villa, 21, The team bagged P500,000 cash prize, one of the top fighter-user/ offlaner in the while first runner-up Cignal and second Philippines. Paul “Kingpin” Rabandaban, runner-up Bren Epro took home P250,000 23, a rising mage user in the country and and P150,000, respectively.

Jay “Crypzu” Villanueva, 25, the captain “We are very proud of our PLDT-Smart and veteran tank player. Together, the Omega team for making history as the

very first conference champions at the Nationals,” said Oscar A. Reyes, Jr., PLDTSmart SVP and Consumer Market Development Head.

“They have worked tirelessly and given their maximum effort toward this momentous achievement, and we couldn’t be any happier to support them.”

Team Omega gave Cignal no quarter even until the very last moment, with a stunning play that saw the champions bring Lord into Cignal’s base through the bottom lane, protecting the giant boss minion well with great teamwork as it took down the enemy inhibitor. This surprise attack sealed the finals at a relatively early 11 minutes into the third game.

The teams will return for Conference 2 of The Nationals: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang in November.

Steadfast support for E-sports PLDT and Smart, as the Philippines’ telecommunications and digital services leaders, are valuable supporters of the highly competitive local e-sports scene by providing Filipinos with the best gaming experience powered by the fastest fixed and mobile networks in the country, as certified by global leaders in internet testing and analysis Ookla, Tutela, and OpenSignal.

Get the latest e-sports updates by following the official Facebook account of PLDT-Smart Omega (www.facebook.com/ PLDTSMARTOMEGA) and the official Twitter and Instagram accounts of PLDT and Smart at @PLDTHome and @LiveSmart.

San Juan stuns favorite Octagon in Metro League SOLID San Juan completed an epic comefrom-behind win from 11 points down to stun heavy favorite Octagon, 77-71, and claim the Metro League 13-and-under boys’ basketball tournament championship Sunday morning at the San Juan Gym. Staring at a 49-60 deficit early in the payoff period, the determined La Salle Greenhillsbacked squad launched a blistering 22-9 blast capped off by a Zio Hizon transition layup to snatch the driver’s seat at 71-69 with only 2:01 to spare.

Buoyed by a wild crowd, San Juan just would not be denied from there as it even pounded Octagon with a 6-2 closeout highlighted by a monster triple by Janeil Peralta and Hizon’s freebie

anew to seal the win for the 13U crown of the M-League boys tourney that is backed by the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Philippine Basketball Association with Barangay 143 as league presentor.

Hizon finished with 10 points, six rebounds and two assists while Michael Zion Cortez, son of Blackwater Elite PBA player Mike, and Peralta added 11 and 10 markers, respectively.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Bryan Andrei Hachuela was also instrumental with 14 points, seven boards and four blocks in San Juan’s breakthrough championship in the M-League for 13-and-under cagers also bankrolled by Synergy 88, World Balance, Excellent Noodles and San Miguel Corporation as major

sponsors.

Hachuela, who was hailed as Best Player of the Game in seven games this season, inclusive of the Fibnals, logged in averages of 12.0 points and 9.8 rebounds for San Juan in this championship run of theirs, making his choice as tournament MVP a no-brainer.

The classic comeback win of San Juan thus punctuated its winning run from the quarterfinals up to the championship against outright finalist Octagon.

Octagon had its expected championship celebration foiled after having a month-long rest when it booked an outright ticket to the Finals as the top seed in the eliminations of this MLeague which also has SMS Global Technolo-

Thirteen-under MVP Bryan Hachuela (5th from right) with 3 of his 4 co-Mythical Five members receive their trophies and other prizes from Metro League officials.

Sports

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

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MONDAY, JULY 12, 2019

Steffen, Reed live up to billing in IRONMAN

By Reuel Vidal

Regent Aguila IRONMAN 70.3 Powered by Philam Vitality winners Tim Reed and Caroline Steffen celebrate after ruling their respective categories.

Serena survives scare, sets clash with Andreescu TORONTO—Serena Williams withstood the determined challenge of Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova Saturday, rallying for a 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory to reach the WTA Toronto final.

Williams, seeded eighth in a tournament she has won three times, will take on home hope Bianca Andreescu in the championship match on Sunday.

Williams will be seeking her first title since she won her 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open—and her first since the birth of her daughter Olympia on September 1 of that year.

Meanwhile 19-year-old Andreescu will be trying to become the first Canadian in 50 years to lift the trophy.

Bouzkova, 21 and ranked 91st in the world, had said it was a dream come true to take on 37-year-old US superstar Williams, and she made a dream start—breaking Williams three times to take the first set in less than half an hour.

But Williams rallied, slashing her unforced errors in a second set that saw her win the last four games to force the decider.

“I just needed to be more consistent and not make so many errors and just mentally be ready to hit a thousand balls if I needed to,” Williams said.

“In the first set, I was going for a little too much, so I just had to just play a different game.”

The hard work wasn’t over, as Williams had to fight off three break points in the third game of the third set.

She broke Bouzkova in the next game to finally take control and end the Czech’s breakout week.

Bouzkova departs Toronto having beaten three straight Grand Slam winners in Sloane Stephens, Jelena Ostapenko and, in the quarter-finals, reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep—who retired injured after dropping the first to Bouzkova on Friday night.

Williams said she was looking forward to taking on Andreescu, whose run to the final has electrified Toronto crowds. AFP

Swimmers air concern over hot Tokyo venue

T

OKYO—Athletes voiced concerns over water quality and temperature at a marathon swimming test event for Tokyo 2020 Sunday, as officials vowed to monitor the situation closely in the run-up to the games.

“That was the warmest race I’ve ever done,” said three-time Olympic medallist Oussama Mellouli from Tunisia after completing the 5km men’s competition.

“It felt good for the first 2km then I got super overheated,” added the 35-yearold, who won gold in the 10km swim at the London Olympics in 2012.

The event started at 7am with the air temperature already over 30 degrees as the Japanese capital swelters through a deadly heatwave.

“The water temperature was high so I’m a bit concerned about that,” said Yumi Kida from Japan, who said she guzzled iced water before the race in an effort to reduce her body heat.

International Swimming Federation (FINA) rules state that athletes may not race when the water temperature exceeds 31 degrees and FINA’s executive direc-

tor Cornel Marculescu said competitors’ wellbeing was top priority.

Marculescu said an external body would be set up in conjunction with Tokyo 2020 organisers to monitor both water quality and temperature in the run-up to the games and the results could affect the timing of the marathon swimming event.

“Based on this information, we will decide the time the event will start. Could be 5am, could be 5:30am, can be 6am, can be 6:30am—depends on the water temperature,” he told reporters.

“Working with a specialised company like we are going to do here in Tokyo, we will have the right information to take the right decision.”

Hot weather issues have become the biggest headache for Tokyo organisers, who have already moved up the start time

CHAMP AGAIN.

Juvic Pagunsan (center) holds his trophy after another dominant showing in the ICTSI Riviera Classic, which he ruled by eight at Langer course last Saturday for a record fourth straight championship on the Philippine Golf Tour. With him are Riviera Golf and Country Club president/ CEO Florian Concepcion (left) and Narlene Soriano, executive director of the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Alkhaldi shatters PH’s freestyle swim record OLYMPIAN Jasmine Alkhaldi set a new national record after she snared a silver medal Saturday at the Hong Kong Open Swimming Championships 2019 Alkhaldi clocked a time of 25.66 seconds in the finals of the women’s 50m freestyle event to finish behind Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey, who claimed the gold in 25.08.

According results posted online, Camille Cheng, another Hong Kong swimmer, took the bronze with 25.94 Alkhaldi, who has seen action in the London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics, was seeded second going into the finals after submitting a preliminary time of 25.86.

Her clocking eclipsed the 25.67 second national record that she registered two years

of several events including the marathon in a bid to mitigate the effects of the blistering heat of the Japanese summer.

‘A little stinky’ In terms of water quality, David Gerrard from FINA’s medical committee said readings from the test event would not be ready for 48 hours but previous results gave cause for optimism.

“What we have had are readings fom the last month, daily readings that have given us very clear indications of the water quality, which has been good,” he said.

Organizers are desperate to avoid the embarrassment of the Rio Olympics in 2016 when the pool used for diving events turned an unsettling shade of green overnight.

Brazilian officials also had to scramble to clean up the bay used for sailing and windsurfing that was plagued by sewer bacteria and filthy with rubbish.

In October 2017, Tokyo 2020 organisers were left red-faced after tests revealed levels of e-coli bacteria more than 20 times higher than international standards, sparking doubts about the venue’s safety. AFP

ago at the 29th Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.

She is set to the lead the Philippine national swimming team’s campaign at home.

Members of the national team will make their presence felt in the first Philippine National Open Swimming Championships, which is slated as a test event at the New Clark City Aquatic Center in Capas, Tarlac.

The test meet will serve as the final qualifying meet for the 30th SEA Games.

Alkhaldi later settled for fourth in the women’s 100m butterfly finals, with a time of 1:02.12.

Earlier, Alkhaldi had a time 25.51 seconds during a short course meet in Germany.

But this was not recognized as a national mark, according to reports. Peter Atencio

MACTAN ISLAND, Cebu—Everything went according to plan.

Tim Reed of Australia kept close to the leaders in the swim, rode the field off the road in the bike to erect a big lead which he protected until the end to rule the Regent Aguila IRONMAN 70.3 Powered by Philam Vitality held here yesterday, August 11.

Reed finished with a time of four hours, one minute and 23 seconds to win his fourth IRONMAN 70.3 in Cebu. He was followed by Mike Philips (4:02:09) of Switzerland, Tim van Berkel (4:03:12) of Australia and Jacub Langhammer (4:03:18) of the Czech Republic.

In the female pro category Caroline Steffen (4:24:10) of Switzerland won her sixth IRONMAN 70.3 in Cebu with a wire-to-wire victory over Dimity Lee Duke (4:36:48) and Courtney Gilfilan (4:39:18) both of Australia. Beth Mckenzie (4:54:55) of the US was fourth.

Two-time Southeast Asia Games triathlon gold medalist Nikko Huelgas (4:24:56) of the Philippines won the Asian Elite male while Alexandra Ganzon (5:43:31), also of the Philippines, won the Asian Elite female.

Reed trailed Lindsey Lawry, Eric Watson, Phillips and defending champion Mauricio Mendez after the swim. He took the lead early at the bike ride and held a six-minute advantage over his closest pursuer after the ride.

Mendez, still not fully recovered from an injury, bowed out after the bike ride.

Reed’s plan however almost backfired as the fast pace of the ride took its toll. Philips cut Reed’s six-minute advantage at the start of the run to less than a minute almost catching up to Reed who was slowed by cramps.

“I had cramps at kilometer 1 of the run. I couldn’t really run in my proper stride. The last three kilometers I was just shuffling. My hamstrings just kept cramping and cramping. I was so relieved to get to the finish line. It was really mind over matter today,” Reed said.

The eventual winner was visibly hurting towards the end and near the finish line even took a peek over his shoulder several times just to make sure that Philips was still far behind.

Terenzo Bozzone (4:06:01) of New Zealand was fifth; Justin Ghosh (4:15:39), Australia, sixth; Blake Kappler (4:16:18), Australia, seventh; Eric Watson (4:27:34), Bahrain, eighth; and Luke Mckenzie (4:27:34), Australia, ninth.

Reed said that if the race were held anywhere else he would have quit but he kept going because he was inspired by the cheers from crowds who lined the streets of Cebu watching him along the way.

“The crowd is the best of any triathlon in the world. It’s just an amazing atmosphere. It pushes you to the absolute limit. So I just can’t thank the crowd enough. The people of Cebu. The government of Cebu. Sunrise Events. It’s just such a special race for me,” said Reed.

For details about the past event, visit www.ironman.com/philippines70.3 with official hashtags #IM703Philippines, #AguilaIM703 with social media accounts (Facebook) aguilaIM703PH, (twitter) aguilaim703ph, (Instagram) aguilaim703ph.

Other backers of the Regent Aguilasponsored event are Province of Cebu, City of Lapu Lapu and Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa, Lungsod ng Mandaue, Dept. of Tourism, David’s Salon, Alaska, AlcoPlus, Borromeo Motoring Group, Cetaphil, DeVant, Timex, Sanicare, Regent, Motor Ace, Ever Bilena, Active Network, One Sports, Cignal, The Philippine Star, TriLife, AsiaTri and Finisher Pix.

PH netters settle for 5th in World Junior Tournament TEAM Philippines settled for fifth place with its 2-1 victory over Japan last Saturday in the 2019 International Tennis Federation World Junior Team Tennis Tournament in Prosjetov, Czech Republic.

The team failed to match or surpass a Czarina Arevalo-coached squad that placed third in the Asia/ Oceania qualifying matches last year.

Alexandra Eala and Alexa Joy Milliam claimed the decisive win in the doubles with their 6-2, 3-6, 11-9 verdict over Sayaka Ishii and Mio Mushika.

“This is it! The final day of the tournament unfolded with some extra energy. The electricity in the air seemed to energize all the players, as everyone wanted to finish the tournament strong,” said Team Philippines’ guardian Michael Francis Eala.

To reach the battle for fifth position, the Philippines had to hurdle Ukraine, 3-0, on Friday.

Eala and Milliam, trailing, 7-8, unleashed a 4-1 spurt to take the final set.

Host Czech Republic, behind Linda Fruhvirtova, bounced back from last year’s disppointments to prevail over Team USA, 2-0, and take the girls’ crown.

“Out of 97 nations, finishing 5th in the World Juniors Tennis Championships 2019 looks like a record we all hope that the next generation will break soon,” added the elder Eala.

The 14-year-old Fruhvirtova recovered from a troublesome hand injury and dispatched previously unbeaten USA No. 1 Clervie Ngounoue, 6-0, 6-1, in less than an hour, giving the Czechs their first girls’ title since 2003.

Canada placed third with a 2-1 win over top seeds Switzerland, with Kayla Cross and Victoria Mboko taking down Karolina Kozakova and Celine Naef in the doubles.

Ukraine placed seventh after stopping Serbia, while Korea ended up in ninth by dispatching China. Peter Atencio

IN BRIEF Phirst Park books total sales of P6b PHIRST Park Homes, the affordable housing brand of listed real estate developer Century Properties Group Inc., registered sales of about P6 billion across its first three projects since May 2017, or equivalent to 3,706 units sold from 4,187 launched units.

PHirst Park Homes Inc. president Ricky Celis was experiencing an uptick in sales for horizontal developments in Tanza, Cavite; Lipa, Batangas; and San Pablo, Laguna.

The first and second phases of the 26-hectare, P4.5-billion PHirst Park Homes Tanza is already 100 percent sold, while the third is on the pre-selling stage.

Land development for Tanza’s first phase is 95 percent complete, while the second phase is 87 percent as of end of July 2019.

“The strategic location, quality, and the affordability of our projects are the primary reasons why we are receiving an overwhelming demand to purchase PHirst Park Homes. We’ve accelerated the pace of our developments especially in the Tanza project, the third and final phase of which is now being offered ahead of schedule,” Celis said.

Medical City building genomics hub in Clark THE Medical City Clark announced the establishment of the country’s first genomics facility that will be housed within the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone.

TMCC president and chief executive Almario Jabson said the new facility would allow the early detection of common and even dreaded diseases, like cancer, kidney and cardio-vascular problems.

“We will focus on the propensity for cardiovascular and kidney diseases and cancer. The whole concept (of genomics) is for TMC Clark to be able to tell someone at age of 20 or 30 years old the propensity to these diseases based on chromosomal patterns. From there, we can also help in nutritional and lifestyle support. If not preventive, we should be able to delay (diseases),” he said.

The medical center is leaning toward the provision of more modern facilities to bring better health and lifestyle to the public. Othel V. Campos

Business Filinvest-JG consortium to take over Clark airport

By Darwin G. Amojelar

T

HE Department of Transportation said it is set to turn over the operations and maintenance of Clark International Airport to Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. on Aug. 16.

“By Aug. 16, we’ll be ready to turn over the O&M to Lipad Corp.,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

Lipad is the corporate name of the former North Luzon Airport Consortium composed of Changi Airports Philippines Pte. Ltd., Filinvest Develop-

ment Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. The company won the public bidding in December 2018 for the operations and maintenance of Clark International Airport’s existing passenger terminal and the development of a new modern terminal building targeted for operation by 2020.

Lipad plans to establish a new reputation for Philippine international gateway airports to ensure ease and seamless travel in the Philippine airports with the consortium’s technical partner, Changi Airport Philippines, a whollyowned subsidiary of Changi Airports International of Singapore.

Tugade also said he was expecting Terminal 2 at Clark to be operational by June or July next year.

Megawide-GMR earlier won the bidding for the construction of a new passenger terminal in Clark Airport when it

submitted the lowest financial proposal of P9.36 billion on Dec. 14.

“Our expectation is to increase the capacity from 4 million to 12 million passengers,” Tugade said.

Clark International Airport is the second main gateway in Luzon. The new 100,000-square-meter terminal will double its capacity to eight million passengers a year, easing the strain on Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque City and boosting the development of Central Luzon.

Clark International Airport has an annual capacity of four million passengers. Airlines operating in Clark include Qatar Airways, Cebu Pacific, Tigerair, Jin Air, Asiana Airlines, Dragon Air, AirAsia Berhad, Philippine Airlines and Emirates Airlines.

These airlines mount flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Macau, Pudong, Incheon, Doha, Dubai, Davao, Cebu and Kalibo.

More Filipino travelers visiting Japan—official CLARK FREEPORT—Japan is fast becoming a top destination for Filipino travelers, with local visitors hitting over 500,000 in 2018 from 450,000 in 2017, said Japan National Tourism Organization executive director Daisuke Tonai.

Tonai said Filipinos were the second largest group of tourists from Asia, next to China. He expressed optimism the figures would go up with the opening of the Cebu Pacific Airline Clark-Narita flight.

“Since the opening of JNTO office, we have been working with CEB which is very active in promoting Japan,” said Tonai during the launching of the CEB Clark-Narita flight held at the Mariott Hotel here.

Filipinos like to visit Japan because of different sceneries, foods and shopping, and the chance to experience four seasons, said Tonai during an interview with the February edition of Primer Magazine.

Easy access for visa application, he said, was is one of the main factors for the influx of Filipino visitors to Japan.

Jess Malabanan

BULACAN AIRPORT. San Miguel Corp. releases select design studies for the proposed New Manila International Airport which it plans to build in Bulakan, Bulacan just north of Metro Manila. The company is investing P734 billion to build a new, world-class international gateway that it envisions will be the best in the region—at no cost to the government. The proposed gateway will have four runways, with enough space to expand to six and will be capable of handling up to 100 million passengers per year.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

B1

PSBank hiked net income by 2 % to P1.4b in first six months

By Julito G. Rada PHILIPPINE Savings Bank, the thriftbanking arm of the Metrobank Group, said over the weekend net income increased 2.5 percent in the first half to P1.4 billion from P1.3 billion in the same period last year on the back of consistent growth in consumer loans.

Loans and receivables rose 6.8 percent to P160.8 billion from P150.5 billion a year ago. Auto and mortgage loans continued to be the main contributors for growth in consumer lending, while the increase in SME loans reinforced the growth in commercial lending.

The bank said it managed to keep non-performing loans in check, with the net NPL ratio improving to 2.8 percent in the second quarter from 3.1 percent in the first quarter.

PSBank president Jose Vicente Alde attributed these successes to strategic initiatives that were focused on excellent customer experience and digitalization.

“The sustainability of our revenues coming from our consumer loans, supported by a bank-wide mindset of increasing productivity via process streamlining and automation, truly helped us generate strong financial results for the first half of 2019. Our customer-centric and technology-driven approach is a blueprint that will help us prepare for the future,” Alde said.

Total interest income climbed 8.6 percent to P8.6 billion from P8 billion year-on-year while other operating income which includes net service fees and commissions registered a 16.2-percent growth to P1.7 billion from P1.4 billion.

Total deposits went down to P179.4 billion in the first half from P200.1 billion in the same period last year, as the bank re-balanced its funding profile to emphasize more on retail deposits and alternative funding sources.

Low-cost deposits went up by 4.5 percent year-on-year to P55.9 billion from P53.5 billion.

PSBank raised P6.3 billion in peso fixed-rate bond offering on July 1, 2019. It said the proceeds would give PSBank an opportunity to access longterm funding to expand its consumer banking business.

BPO remains optimistic on expansion PSALM asks 11 electric co-ops to remit P238m outlook after growing by 5.1% in 2018 By Alena Mae S. Flores

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Information Technology Business Process Association of the Philippines remains hopeful about its growth outlook in 2019 despite the government’s planned rationalization of tax incentives.

“We have been able to look at 2017 was not a good year. 2018 was also lower than our projection. We are very hopeful about 2019, but we have yet to see,” said Lito Tayag, chairman of IBPAP and country managing director of Accenture Philippines.

The business process outsourcing sector reported a 5.1-percent growth in 2018, below the 8-percent annual growth target under Roadmap 2022.

The Philippines BPO sector, however, still grew faster than the average global market growth of 3 percent to 4

percent in 2018. The BPO industry ended 2018 with 1.23 million employees in the Philippines, according to the group.

It said given the slow growth of the industry in the last two years, the association would recalibrate its employment and revenue targets under the roadmap.

“The actual exercise is ongoing right now. I think within September we will be able to come up with the recalibration of the roadmap that happened two years ago,” Tayag said.

Under the roadmap, IBPAP is targeting to generate $40 billion worth of revenues and 1.8 million direct employees by 2022.

Tayag said the group was keenly watching the impact of the proposed Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities bill on the industry.

STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., whose board of directors is chaired by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, warned 11 electric cooperatives of civil and criminal charges for their alleged failure to remit P238.3 million worth of universal charges that they collected from consumers.

PSALM said in a statement over the weekend about P238.3 million collected by these cooperatives from electricity consumers as universal charge was not remitted to the agency, which is the administrator of the universal charge.

PSALM said it sent out final demand letters to the cooperatives with a stern warning that aside from being liable for interest charges, these cooperatives and their officers would face civil, administrative and criminal charges.

PSALM said the universal charge is a non-bypassable charge collected from

electricity consumers on a monthly basis by distribution utilities including cooperatives for the recovery of stranded debts, stranded contract costs of the National Power Corp. and other mandated purposes under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

“Such universal charge collections must be remitted to PSALM as administrator on or before the 15th day of the succeeding month together with the required reports,” it said.

PSALM reminded delinquent cooperatives that every month of non-remittance of universal charge to PSALM represented a count of violation of the Epira law which is punishable by fines and penalties of up to P50 million.

It said the directors and officers who allowed such violation by the cooperatives would be liable for imprisonment of up to two years and/or fine of double the amount of the damages caused.

It said a patent refusal to comply with the Epira law might further expose offi-

cers to a fine of up to P5 million and/or imprisonment of up to six years.

PSALM said the non-remittance of universal charge was also tantamount to estafa by misappropriation under the Revised Penal Code and thus punishable by imprisonment of up to 20 years.

“Non-remittance of universal charge collections to PSALM is a fraud perpetrated against the consumers who paid for the UC and against the government that is mandated to use the UC in accordance with Epira. PSALM will continue to relentlessly pursue all efforts to collect what is legally due to it. It will not allow delinquent coops to get away with illegal use and misappropriation of the UC collections,” it said.

PSALM said Camarines Sur III Electric Cooperative Inc. topped the list of the 11 delinquent coops with the highest un-remitted universal charge collections amounting to P66.281 million. The demand letter was addressed to Casureco chairman Ana Sylvia Alsisto and other officers.

Govt extending cash assistance to farmers

By Othel V. Campos

SEARCHFOR FOR CADET PILOTS. Cebuc is Pacifi c is searching for batch a newof batch of 16 recruits enter itspilot cadet pilot program.

The SEARCH CADET PILOTS. Cebu Pacifi searching for a new 16 recruits to entertoits cadet program.

The Cebu Cebu c Cadet Pilot Program is a “study now,later, pay zero-interest” later, zero-interest” training program to become full-fledged commercial PacificPacifi Cadet Pilot Program is a “study now, pay training program to become full-fledged commercial pilots pilots with with guaranteed employment the airline.

The program is open all Filipino citizens whocollege are college graduates, proficient in guaranteed employment with with the airline.

The program is open to allto Filipino citizens who are graduates, proficient in English English and in good physical condition. is the firstofbatch Cebu Pacifipilots. c cadet pilots. and in good physical condition.

Shown isShown the first batch Cebuof Pacifi c cadet

AGRICULTURE Secretary William Dar and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III agreed over the weekend to extend unconditional cash assistance to help rice farmers adjust to low prices of the staple following the enactment of Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. The cash assistance will be distributed to affected farmers by expanding the ongoing Survival and Recovery program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council―an attached agency of the Agriculture Department.

The expansion of the Sure program will also build on the good experience under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Social Welfare Department. It is an added program

mandated under the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund, the annual P10-billion fund established under RA 11203 to be sourced from the collection of tariffs on rice imports.

“This unconditional cash assistance program is meant to help cushion the initial impact of lower palay prices on our farmers as they transition to the new rice tariffication regime,” Dominguez said.

“For the long haul, the RCEF facility under RA 11203 will help sharpen the global competitiveness of our farmers by way of an array of programs providing them with access to farm machinery and equipment, high-yield seeds, cheap credit and skills training programs on farm mechanization and modern farming techniques,” he said.

B2

Business

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

US-China trade tiff to dampen stocks

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

HARE prices are expected to continue to consolidate between 7,700 points and 7,800 points as the US-China trade war, and the disappointing corporate earnings and second-quarter economic growth make a dent on overall market sentiments.

Analysts said investors would continue to digest the weaker-than-expected second quarter economic growth as well as the second-quarter financial reports of listed firms.

“Movement could remain sideways in the near-term as the PSEi trades with a lack of clear immediate catalysts. Resistance is at the psychological round number of 8,000, while support is at the most recent low around 7,720,” said Papa Securities trader Gabriel Jose Perez.

With the second-quarter earnings season reaching the tail end this week, investors are expected to look for overseas for guidance.

Among the companies scheduled to report their second-quarter results this week are Ayala Corp., LT Group Inc., GT Capital Holdings Inc., DMCI Holdings Inc. and Puregold Price Club Inc. The Philippine Stock Exchange Index tumbled for the third straight week, losing 3.4 percent week-onweek to close at 7,854.39, while the broader All Shares Index declined 2.9 percent to 4,784.11.

Except for the mining and oil sector which rose 0.6 percent, all other subindices ended in the red led by industrial (-5.33 percent), property (-5.18 percent), holding firms (-3.43 percent),

services (-1.33 percent) and financials (-0.53 percent).

Foreign investors were net sellers for the week by P3.9 billion, while the average daily value traded stood at P7 billion from P6.3 billion in the previous week.

Weekly too price gainers were Security Bank Corp., which rose 7.5 percent to P193.50; PLDT Inc., which advanced 2.9 percent to P1,184; and Bank of the Philippine Islands gained two percent to P94.25.

Weekly top price losers were Jollibee Foods Corp., which sank 12.8 percent to P225; JG Summit Holdings Inc., which dropped 9.3 percent to P63.05; and Megaworld Corp., which fell 8.6 percent to P5.70.

Meanwhile, global stocks fell Friday on worries about the grinding US-China trade war amid rising gloom over the global growth outlook.

Leading bourses in Europe lost more than one percent, including in

Milan after Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini pulled support for the government coalition and called for snap elections while parliament was on summer recess.

Wall Street stocks dove after US President Donald Trump said he might cancel trade talks with China scheduled for September and that the US would not do business with Chinese tech company Huawei.

US equities later staged a partial rebound due to bargain-hunting, but finished the day and week lower.

“The trade back and forth between the US and China is huge on the market,” said FTN Financial’s Chris Low, who also cited heightened recession risk as a drag on stocks.

In other markets, the British pound fell to fresh lows after Britain reported its first economic contraction in nearly seven years, while oil prices rallied on talk Saudi Arabia will move to boost oil prices. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS Weekly StockS revieW STOCKS

AUGUST 5-9, 2019 Close Volume

Value

JULY 29-AUGUST 2, 2019 Close Volume Value

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

58 146.50 94.25 2.27 1.18 26.65 18.3 11.92 4.7 7.71 1.3 750.00 0.455 71.75 1.02 13.1 49.50 58.5 111.3 190.8 29.5 193.5 1751.00 59.55 1.12

15,040 10,067,890 20,189,910 345,000 166,000 864,400 193,800 4,927,500 351,000 300 7,000 1,520 1,180,000 16,900,160 2,933,000 66,200 1,737,500 27,830 360 18,060 502,800 5,861,560 370 221,840 275,000

FINANCIAL 874,806.00 1,471,981,939.00 1,862,516,072.00 746,590.00 191,330.00 23,047,485.00 3,564,320.00 59,648,642.00 1,582,020.00 2,314.00 9,100.00 1,140,900.00 545,250.00 1,213,585,682.00 2,930,640.00 867,522.00 85,023,745.00 1,623,036.00 40,108.00 3,403,763.00 14,958,670.00 1,097,485,264.00 648,020.00 13,383,440.50 320,980.00

57.65 150.00 92.40 2.31 1.23 26.85 18.78 12.42 4.69 7.80 1.32 770.00 0.460 75 1.01 13.12 48.90 59

10,080 9,247,970 12,021,090 3,646,000 16,000 643,900 50,900 3,043,400 248,000 4,100 38,000 100 570,000 13,402,320 9,106,000 393,200 2,062,700 28,480

586,472.00 1,374,177,052.00 1,087,226,833.00 8,196,310.00 19,280.00 17,358,905.00 952,130.00 37,587,640.00 1,145,120.00 31,859.00 50,190.00 77,000.00 261,100.00 1,011,378,722.00 9,957,710.00 5,179,672.00 101,976,630.00 1,689,901.00

191 30.4 180 1800.00 60.70 1.12

9,000 2,083,900 1,576,760 285 79,070 689,000

1,706,216.00 63,100,280.00 287,073,227.00 502,200.00 4,767,960.50 782,350.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

34.5 14 0.73 1.31 0.245 99.15 16.38 3.34 14.58 106.4 13.76 73.5 87 40 2.09 5.4 6.25 9.290 15.24 9.73 7.62 1.74 26.1 82.15 58.85 2.1000 14.08 8.45 1.670 225.00 4.2 3.42 8.64 22.5 13.5 18.7 0.184 360.00 5.50 1.8 4.78 5.22 9.28 2.67 11.10 37.6 5.25 5.09 1.72 2.1 1.02 13.38 100.9 7.06 0.130 1.14 161 2.43 1.32 1.12

6,501,200 3,499,500 4,879,000 255,000 15,200,000 1,310 2,900 100,574,000 4,853,200 1,610 1,067,100 17,570 3,390 34,200 1,352,000 234,000 362,100 27,807,700 9,279,300 7,400,000 4,689,000 17,000 10,503,100 1,101,350 2,495,070 38,203,000 7,168,300 2,187,600 1,195,000 9,763,110 17,000 14,000 21,000 2,824,100 2,778,900 845,600 1,500,000 961,040 72,900 37,805,000 191,000 10,639,000 3,512,400 173,374,000 542,600 925,700 147,400 97,400 18,384,000 94,000 1,320,000 1,634,200 920,680 930,000 30,000 4,589,000 4,934,800 276,000 30,210,000 13,805,000

INDUSTRIAL 228,483,020.00 49,331,922.00 3,537,300.00 334,110.00 3,826,400.00 124,529.00 46,180.00 321,946,840.00 70,064,418.00 171,336.00 14,946,260.00 1,289,123.50 292,893.50 1,368,115.00 2,779,430.00 1,214,621.00 2,250,137.00 270,011,910.00 134,035,364.00 73,044,377.00 35,718,724.00 28,450.00 270,027,455.00 92,552,221.00 159,433,825.50 78,765,790.00 100,695,726.00 19,138,748.00 1,963,920.00 2,305,367,040.00 72,200.00 46,530.00 183,409.00 63,565,565.00 37,655,196.00 15,813,072.00 278,350.00 348,363,600.00 400,060.00 68,337,110.00 899,350.00 56,752,043.00 32,316,253.00 450,475,320.00 6,310,454.00 35,073,445.00 757,451.00 487,307.00 31,589,620.00 208,080.00 1,359,010.00 21,705,018.00 93,464,609.50 6,558,966.00 3,860.00 5,263,440.00 801,194,779.00 675,960.00 40,062,980.00 16,057,740.00

34.8 14.28 0.77 1.34 0.270 99.5 16.86 3.11 14.42 116 14.6 75 89.95 41.75 2.02 5.19 6.37 10.200 14.5 11.00 7.60 1.7 26.15 85.95 68.30 2.1700 14.06 9.42 1.700 258.00 4.2 3.43 9.00 22.85 13.96 18.98 0.195 372.60 5.58 1.88 4.86 5.48 9.05 2.42 11.98 38.5 5.4 5.10 1.55 2.3 1.1 13.96 102 6.92 0.127 1.12 169.6 2.46 1.39 1.22

12,820,300 4,742,000 4,447,000 790,000 4,680,000 120 6,200 71,657,000 1,463,800 170 1,458,100 23,470 5,080 1,700 258,000 61,100 451,900 19,169,200 4,920,100 1,513,700 7,135,000 3,000 10,757,800 938,920 2,479,090 37,101,000 3,371,800 785,700 383,000 6,915,510 5,000 12,000 24,400 8,852,100 1,626,000 1,593,400 610,000 854,200 270,700 26,879,000 203,000 7,424,200 3,466,000 109,464,000 97,400 781,000 59,700 2,021,200 3,765,000 199,000 1,173,000 1,402,500 965,020 765,000 210,000 710,000 6,786,260 173,000 57,281,000 23,105,000

450,468,795.00 67,407,632.00 3,325,980.00 1,041,010.00 1,250,200.00 11,737.00 100,718.00 213,843,160.00 21,513,712.00 19,379.00 22,268,012.00 1,821,296.00 449,758.50 70,975.00 523,180.00 317,119.00 2,883,694.00 195,621,940.00 71,383,164.00 16,566,014.00 53,808,090.00 5,090.00 283,777,035.00 81,246,901.00 157,875,514.50 81,800,810.00 47,342,026.00 7,470,254.00 640,770.00 1,760,365,978.00 21,000.00 41,050.00 216,140.00 206,103,900.00 22,727,864.00 30,106,682.00 115,540.00 315,616,088.00 1,495,554.00 48,246,180.00 979,700.00 41,080,289.00 31,194,486.00 267,367,840.00 1,162,756.00 30,065,235.00 307,110.00 10,115,613.00 5,433,350.00 440,070.00 1,250,910.00 6,547,516.00 97,590,167.50 5,227,801.00 26,670.00 786,690.00 1,121,528,516.00 426,560.00 76,767,090.00 28,741,560.00

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

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

Lopez Holdings Corp.

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

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

0.950 49.85 14.18 0.71 7.00 15.18 1.210 1.250 938 3.740 6.77 9.67 4.12 13.80 0.244 882 6.30 63.05 6.05 0.51 4.47 14.2 0.670 4.61 0.0380 1.350 2.75 177.10 2.5 986.00 1.41 0.86 257.000 415.00 0.2300 0.275

224,606,000 7,839,700 23,828,100 1,007,000 180,100 489,800 11,282,000 1,556,000 1,322,830 24,554,000 4,300,900 24,609,800 16,000 414,100 2,630,000 621,680 78,800 9,242,670 20,500 1,089,000 9,199,000 6,598,000 17,730,000 104,689,000 10,400,000 3,210,000 30,000 737,010 8,000 1,831,370 1,498,000 15,226,000 2,480 610 2,420,000 32,980,000

HOLDING FIRMS 204,054,130.00 395,501,311.00 352,669,036.00 706,180.00 1,261,380.00 7,847,770.00 13,713,370.00 1,950,080.00 1,228,402,765.00 93,555,880.00 29,008,731.00 242,688,014.00 68,410.00 5,687,880.00 618,290.00 555,056,505.00 493,001.00 609,969,407.50 129,545.00 543,700.00 40,518,640.00 94,632,372.00 11,641,930.00 484,228,260.00 402,300.00 4,424,680.00 85,210.00 129,871,411.00 20,000.00 1,781,433,135.00 2,041,230.00 14,442,990.00 637,212.00 255,516.00 558,650.00 3,616,100.00

0.940 52.60 15.50 0.72 7.02 15.34 1.270 1.330 950 4.040 6.78 10.30 4.01 13.86 0.226 928.5 6.40 69.50 6.05 0.5 4.54 14.38 0.680 4.8 0.0390 1.470 2.90 178.50 2.48 1000.00 1.39 0.89 259.000

269,286,000 6,179,390 18,866,800 2,720,000 425,400 585,600 27,980,000 3,337,000 1,448,690 35,534,000 3,056,300 29,304,700 27,000 51,578,100 1,050,000 428,110 357,600 6,761,070 4,200 550,000 2,566,000 8,409,700 40,923,000 91,029,000 28,200,000 6,934,000 33,000 1,131,160 84,000 2,389,285 319,000 2,676,000 305,050

266,855,390.00 330,279,228.50 292,663,234.00 1,934,130.00 2,979,125.00 9,494,036.00 36,011,210.00 4,352,280.00 1,380,897,520.00 144,805,330.00 21,034,140.00 300,503,726.00 120,470.00 712,805,828.00 234,340.00 400,842,395.00 2,290,555.00 451,023,079.00 26,860.00 270,500.00 11,545,180.00 120,841,096.00 29,592,250.00 435,925,010.00 1,099,800.00 10,244,310.00 96,250.00 199,171,584.00 208,530.00 2,384,343,835.00 436,320.00 2,382,600.00 79,068,430.00

0.2380 0.295

1,800,000 11,510,000

418,670.00 3,279,850.00

3,484,300 3,059,000 26,500 1,400,000 45,400,000 61,354,710 2,298,000 4,518,000 172,800 143,568,000 329,000 290,000 4,940,000 7,890,000 6,276,900 3,586,700 6,200,000 880,000 161,365,000 5,167,000 18,000 196,799,300 73,470,000 21,893,000 520,000 1,990,000 2,100 1,480,000 14,306,900

PROPERTY 54,926,294.00 2,481,870.00 275,668.00 2,799,400.00 44,927,060.00 2,981,170,192.00 5,088,640.00 17,260,650.00 1,042,467.00 81,462,480.00 256,070.00 254,090.00 1,162,850.00 3,502,100.00 67,186,432.00 84,045,415.00 2,866,750.00 116,530.00 297,742,890.00 6,955,950.00 79,910.00 1,158,317,806.00 23,140,550.00 34,360,820.00 229,300.00 787,600.00 97,305.00 2,995,750.00 367,022,870.00

15.840 0.82 11.14 2.080 0.980 51.000 2.27 5.05 6.1 0.590 0.80 0.880 0.236 0.465 11.400 24.7 0.470 0.125 1.90 1.39

1,937,300 3,824,000 132,200 970,000 123,875,000 32,033,620 3,125,000 2,962,700 351,100 87,672,000 283,000 818,000 20,690,000 3,790,000 8,062,400 1,704,200 3,480,000 290,000 184,533,000 5,511,000

30,582,232.00 3,150,790.00 1,395,688.00 1,967,350.00 130,781,770.00 1,608,367,829.50 6,934,230.00 14,993,973.00 2,135,510.00 52,419,460.00 226,060.00 732,180.00 4,891,240.00 1,714,200.00 89,002,286.00 41,537,020.00 1,627,350.00 36,030.00 354,998,010.00 6,568,900.00

6.24 0.320 1.7000 0.4450 0.395

72,254,800 72,600,000 35,696,000 1,860,000 1,050,000

442,783,051.00 23,884,300.00 63,102,030.00 827,750.00 418,800.00

2.05 26.60

4,379,000 10,023,300

8,952,980.00 271,669,865.00

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

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

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

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

Robinson’s Land `B’

15.740 0.83 10.40 2.020 1.030 48.650 2.2 4.8 6.02 0.550 0.79 0.870 0.240 0.430 10.400 23 0.465 0.134 1.81 1.35 4.74 5.7 0.310 1.5300 0.4350 0.390 38.05 2.03 25.00

STOCKS

AUGUST 5-9, 2019 Close Volume

JULY 29-AUGUST 2, 2019 Close Volume Value

Value

Rockwell Shang Properties Inc. SM Prime Holdings Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Starmalls Suntrust Home Dev. Inc. Vista Land & Lifescapes

2.3 3.22 35.50 2.23 5.81 0.800 7.570

3,016,000 925,000 53,792,200 8,069,000 579,900 509,000 27,202,000

7,018,860.00 2,977,680.00 1,953,990,740.00 17,567,430.00 3,407,776.00 410,080.00 207,601,782.00

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

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

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

PAL Holdings Inc. PH Resorts Group Phil. Racing Club Phil. Seven Corp.

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

10 19.16 1.55 0.520 0.049 19.84 2.34 11.58 0.0590 92.5 7 7.09 5.85 9.74 890 1950 5.39 420.00 1.84 125.5 1.97 9.43 5.20 0.115 5.3500 2.95 14.52 3.39 0.93 19.16 14.02 0.480 3.17 2.60 1.39 2.350 2.74 8.75 5.04 8.22 135.00 3.54 1184.00 0.560 0.700 44.75 78.50 9.35 3.16 0.730 0.345 5.45 0.740 15.720

103,100 881,700 742,000 3,741,000 35,900,000 4,900 1,661,000 20,922,200 117,710,000 1,336,280 4,300 8,657,100 588,600 138,500 1,600 276,605 455,600 4,940 12,310,000 14,634,530 111,000 126,500 28,200 1,540,000 12,225,500 4,000 2,300 3,922,000 749,000 628,800 200 830,000 172,000 18,590,000 102,000 9,658,000 1,330,000 165,100 80,100 4,000 3,460 22,777,000 914,110 262,610,000 11,224,000 2,665,200 2,639,860 56,600 14,463,000 3,299,000 27,170,000 7,436,400 14,940,000 15,982,100

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

United Paragon

0.0017 1.30 2.74 12.86 1.1000 2.72 0.270 7.79 1.460 0.205 0.111 0.119 0.010 0.0110 1.04 2.57 1 0.4600 0.8600 0.0110 0.0110 4.00 11.52 0.0110 6.0000 22.90 0.0063

MINING & OIL 1,760,000,000 2,972,500.00 60,388,000 78,194,650.00 278,000 739,380.00 68,700 875,484.00 10,000 11,050.00 1,875,000 5,078,750.00 1,110,000 299,300.00 42,600 329,117.00 4,392,000 6,404,010.00 3,800,000 770,350.00 26,910,000 3,018,860.00 2,940,000 341,770.00 411,830,000 4,210,440.00 200,500,000 2,198,600.00 451,000 471,990.00 26,423,000 68,392,050.00 471,000 473,310.00 207,000 98,720.00 1,744,000 1,480,070.00 57,200,000 665,100.00 832,300,000 9,305,700.00 15,271,000 61,794,120.00 29,171,800 330,442,690.00 155,900,000 1,735,800.00 6,538,100 40,174,013.00 5,691,200 127,832,910.00 8,000,000 50,500.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

17.38 102 105 493 499 101 104.7 500 5.36 950 970 100 0.99 102.3 995 1010 1030 1022 101.8 108 1010 76 77.95 75.5 76 76.5 76.95 76.2 76 1.42

453,600 1,510 1,500 72,620 2,930 154,200 178,510 6,820 144,100 3,100 6,400 50,290 764,000 53,030 3,150 1,955 30,105 27,600 2,690 1,810 7,255 29,350 134,980 59,860 43,350 231,490 25,660 182,360 135,050 5,000

LR Warrant

1.630

WARRANTS & BONDS 1,240,000 2,101,860.00

SERVICES 1,057,062.00 16,624,424.00 1,198,000.00 1,932,070.00 1,716,100.00 92,452.00 3,919,490.00 239,252,258.00 6,982,290.00 120,934,554.50 30,100.00 60,885,478.00 3,553,047.00 1,364,827.00 1,431,060.00 550,156,870.00 2,449,972.00 2,059,386.00 22,620,960.00 1,854,954,938.00 216,010.00 1,198,987.00 157,145.00 174,510.00 63,344,700.00 11,770.00 32,546.00 13,834,450.00 673,110.00 12,148,652.00 2,804.00 398,750.00 547,310.00 47,635,360.00 143,750.00 22,491,090.00 3,552,170.00 1,400,938.00 430,874.00 32,900.00 475,641.00 86,063,290.00 1,040,329,865.00 68,522,930.00 7,794,550.00 117,690,200.00 207,266,581.50 525,778.00 45,102,040.00 2,417,150.00 9,531,000.00 40,812,149.00 10,856,500.00 251,092,268.00

PREFERRED 7,918,882.00 154,001.00 157,500.00 35,605,670.00 1,461,948.00 15,538,298.00 48,657,691.00 3,392,840.00 765,661.00 2,906,060.00 6,063,150.00 5,012,825.50 755,340.00 5,253,077.00 3,132,575.00 1,972,050.00 30,674,965.00 28,137,005.00 273,723.00 194,499.00 7,244,175.00 1,260,809.00 10,498,019.00 4,509,194.00 3,259,364.00 17,505,724.00 1,944,930.50 13,659,834.00 10,153,456.00 7,280.00

SME 75,315,503.00 13,225,690.00

2.42 3.18 37.60 2.2 6 0.810 7.840

8,986,000 1,070,000 57,482,700 3,050,000 843,700 512,000 26,219,600

21,980,100.00 3,461,620.00 2,144,634,890.00 6,586,650.00 5,055,553.00 417,040.00 201,481,991.00

10.9 18.6 1.5 0.520 0.049 18.16 2.5 11.48 0.0600 93.4 7.19 7.32 6.00 10.04 895 2100 5.38 423.80 1.95 129.7 1.88 9.7 5.55 0.116 5.3100 3.13 14.68 3.64 0.92 19.38 15.18 0.490 3.28 2.69 1.43 2.480 2.79 8.62 5.35 9.25 135.00 4.25 1150.00 0.710 0.710 44.85 79.50 9.29 3.24 0.750 0.35 5.49 0.760 15.880

39,100 1,378,000 948,000 6,890,000 66,800,000 7,500 6,298,000 11,566,000 50,840,000 1,309,900 162,100 4,502,600 667,100 120,200 10 228,165 392,600 3,280 12,690,000 6,726,380 94,000 30,900 41,800 6,400,000 9,109,300 20,000 14,300 6,920,000 1,089,000 4,192,300 200 2,744,000 324,000 20,338,000 51,000 11,300,000 9,336,000 236,600 458,200 11,300 88,090 27,254,000 491,060 161,255,000 63,317,000 2,108,610 2,291,730 60,900 12,626,000 16,630,000 13,470,000 243,913,600 21,829,000 13,271,600

420,904.00 25,217,828.00 1,484,880.00 3,539,530.00 3,154,600.00 140,920.00 15,115,210.00 132,035,294.00 3,182,110.00 122,770,035.00 272,623.00 33,423,667.00 2,396,109.00 1,182,571.00 8,950.00 492,771,810.00 2,109,198.00 1,354,454.00 25,242,870.00 892,963,302.00 178,160.00 291,557.00 236,355.00 717,830.00 48,335,290.00 61,370.00 204,036.00 24,862,090.00 993,950.00 79,630,544.00 3,036.00 1,379,250.00 1,072,140.00 53,968,790.00 73,110.00 28,277,260.00 25,179,160.00 2,099,415.00 2,514,112.00 97,067.00 13,800,745.00 110,246,730.00 562,692,090.00 117,994,890.00 43,881,530.00 94,896,365.00 179,598,920.00 565,708.00 40,496,540.00 12,139,180.00 4,783,000.00 1,336,734,161.00 16,692,750.00 207,941,782.00

0.0017 1.28 2.67 12.84 1.1400 2.72 0.270 7.55 1.460 0.209 0.112 0.121 0.010 0.0110 1.07 2.58 1.03 0.4700 0.8400 0.0130 0.0120 3.90 10.68 0.0110 6.0400 23.15 0.0066

324,000,000 57,496,000 208,000 89,100 16,000 1,689,000 1,240,000 115,900 5,281,000 7,670,000 14,880,000 3,340,000 616,000,000 255,000,000 2,265,000 15,127,000 732,000 424,000 5,363,000 27,600,000 2,757,700,000 16,954,000 37,031,100 63,000,000 5,891,800 22,445,900 23,000,000

543,600.00 72,620,470.00 555,890.00 1,132,586.00 18,390.00 4,618,150.00 334,800.00 880,735.00 7,653,640.00 1,634,510.00 1,603,560.00 381,320.00 5,767,600.00 2,390,300.00 7,674,810.00 38,122,390.00 749,420.00 211,050.00 4,476,950.00 331,300.00 33,786,100.00 63,486,210.00 367,247,550.00 683,600.00 23,227,512.00 522,457,360.00 148,200.00

17.5 101 105 490 500 101 105.2 497 5.46 928 949 99.6 0.99 100 994 1019 1013 1018 101.7 107.4 995 75.2 77.55 74.8 75 75.5 74.55 75.95 74.5 1.74

942,300 7,660 1,000 29,090 13,040 178,280 127,120 3,110 28,100 3,080 1,530 6,980 8,144,000 6,270 2,670 4,800 143,720 22,665 11,000 760 18,190 101,310 99,710 65,690 468,400 497,890 46,060 254,710 715,880 7,000

16,511,152.00 773,460.00 105,000.00 5,762,500.00 6,472,222.00 17,956,902.00 13,371,923.00 1,525,378.00 149,588.00 2,858,460.00 1,445,830.00 694,623.50 8,168,390.00 626,548.00 2,648,230.00 4,848,045.00 145,652,425.00 23,062,400.00 1,110,130.00 81,624.00 17,860,500.00 7,717,867.50 7,693,621.00 4,911,702.00 35,131,000.00 37,496,797.50 3,433,328.00 19,176,138.00 53,694,675.50 11,830.00

1.800

759,000

1,372,740.00

6.67 1.03

17,840,800 12,819,000

122,544,016.00 13,175,100.00

Italpinas Xurpas

6.7 1

11,819,200 13,195,000

First Metro ETF

118.1

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 74,720 8,868,632.00

121.3

59,850

7,238,868.00

10.3 10.4 1

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 39,760 408,909.60 10,000 104,000.00 1,124,520 1,125,646.40

10.26 10.1 1

32,200 3,900 29,800

330,120.00 39,390.00 29,559.00

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

WEEKLY MOST TRADED STOCKS Abra Mining Oriental Pet. `B’ Manila Mining `A’ PremiereHorizon Abacus Cons. `A’ Manila Mining `B’ Megaworld Phinma Energy Filinvest Land,Inc. Philodrill Corp. `A’

VOLUME 1,760,000,000 832,300,000 411,830,000 262,610,000 224,606,000 200,500,000 196,799,300 173,374,000 161,365,000 155,900,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ Jollibee Foods Corp.

SM Prime Holdings Bank of PI I.C.T.S.I. SM Investments Inc. Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Metrobank Megaworld

VALUE 2,981,170,192.00 2,305,367,040.00 1,953,990,740.00 1,862,516,072.00 1,854,954,938.00 1,781,433,135.00 1,471,981,939.00 1,228,402,765.00 1,213,585,682.00 1,158,317,806.00

Shakey’s says net income up 5% to P418m in six months SHAKEY’S Pizza Asia Ventures Inc., a leading chained full-service restaurant, posted a consolidated net income ₱418 million in the first six months of the year, up five percent from P396 million year-on-year.

Shakey’s in a disclosure to the stock exchange attributed the company’s positive first-half performance to the ongoing store network expansion and improved margins brought about by lower input costs and enhanced operating efficiencies both at the store and corporate level.

Systemwide sales, a measure of both company-owned and franchised stores’ topline, rose eight percent in the first half of 2019 to P5 billion, driven mainly by branch openings, while same-store sales growth (SSSG) was flat during the period.

Shakey’s said SSSG, however, improved in the second quarter after reverting to positive growth from a negative one percent in the first three months of the year.

“We are pleased to see sales pick up and SSSG revert back to positive territory in the second quarter. We look forward to increasing contributions from new stores, with the opening of at least 15 more outlets in the Philippines during the second half of 2019,” said Shakey’s president and chief executive Vicente Gregorio.

“We’ve consolidated Peri-Peri beginning June 1 and though still relatively small to total, we remain very excited about its prospects,” Gregorio added.

He said the overall business was still challenged by continued competition in the restaurant space and the promotion-heavy initiatives of several industry players.

“We will likely miss our target SSSG of 3 to 5 percent for this year, but remain positive that we can make up for it via margin expansion and bottom line improvements with the efficiency-enhancing and cost reduction initiatives in place. Margins in the second quarter already show some of the results from these measures, and we will continue to intensify our efforts in this area,” he said.

Net income margins in the first six months of 2019 increased 10.8 percent from 10.7 percent the year before.

Jenniffer B. Austria

SEC warns public against investing in ‘millennial jeepney’ THE Securities and Exchange Commission warned the public from investing in Yellowdot Transport Terminal Inc., which is offering investment contracts for “millennial jeepney.”

The SEC said in an advisory posted on its wesbite it received information that individuals or group of persons representing YTTI were enticing the public to invest their money in the company with the promise of monetary rewards or profits.

YTTI’s registration with the SEC does not allow it to solicit investments from the public, as it has not secured prior registration or license to sell securities or solicit investments as prescribed under Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code.

Based on reports YTTI is engaged in fleet management business with a concept of “You Avail, We Manage, You Earn.”

The company is offering investment contracts to the public with an initial payment of P250,000 and a monthly amortization of P30,000 to acquire a public utility vehicle known as millennial jeepney.

But part of the modus operandi is a promise of unusually high profits or returns amounting to P55,000.00 to P85,000.00 a month.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in KMarch warned the public against an investment scheme run by transport firm YTTI, which has no license from the SEC. The SEC said those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents of YTTI in selling or convincing people to invest in the scheme being offered by entities, including soliciting investments or recruiting investors through the internet, may be held criminally liable and penalized with a maximum fine of P5 million, or imprisonment of 21 years or both.

“In view thereof, the public is hereby advised to stop investing in the investment scheme being offered by the said entity,” the SEC said.

The corporate regulator said it would also report the names of all those involved in YTTI to the Bureau of Internal Revenue for appropriate penalties or taxes to be correspondingly assessed. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World

B3

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tourism sector hit hardest by HK protesters H

ONG KONG―Empty hotel rooms, struggling shops and even disruption at Disneyland: months of protests in Hong Kong have taken a major toll on the city’s economy, with no end in sight.

RACE. A boy competes in a downhill-kart racing known as ‘Mundialito de Rolima do Abacate’ as flour is thrown against him as part of obstacles from attendants that competitors have to avoid during the event in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on August 10, 2019. AFP

North Korea says latest test was a ‘new weapon’ SEOUL―North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a “new weapon” test, state media reported Sunday, the latest in a series of launches that US President Donald Trump has played down as Washington seeks to restart nuclear talks with Pyongyang.

The report carried by the Korean Central News Agency followed Trump’s comments that Kim had expressed a willingness to meet once the US-South Korean exercises are over and apologized for the slew of missile tests.

Saturday’s launch was the North’s fifth test in two weeks as it protests the annual military drills under way between Seoul and Washington which always infuriates Pyongyang.

Defense officials in Seoul said Pyongyang fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles Saturday, flying 400 kilometers before splashing down in the sea between the

Korean peninsula and Japan.

KCNA provided no technical specifications but said Sunday they were a “new weapon” developed to suit the country’s “terrain condition”.

The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried several photos showing a broadly grinning Kim surrounded by his aides as he observed the test.

Kim Dong-yub, a researcher at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said the weapons were likely to be new shortrange ballistic missiles that are part of Pyongyang’s modernization of its military capabilities.

They were the “North Korean version of a low-cost, high-efficiency retaliation system” aimed at “incapacitating missile defense systems” in the South, Kim added.

In a statement issued by KCNA on Sunday, the North’s foreign ministry said the South’s refusal to cancel its joint drills

Unpopular pair seek presidency in corruption-weary Guatemala GUATEMALA CITY―More than eight million Guatemalans head to the polls on Sunday as former first lady Sandra Torres and opinion poll front runner Alejandro Giammattei bid to succeed the corruption-tainted Jimmy Morales as president.

Corruption was the main issue leading up to the first round of elections in June―which Torres topped―but that has been superseded by a political scandal over a controversial migration deal with the United States.

Neither candidate arrives with a glowing reputation, both having failed in previous bids for the presidency.

The center-left Torres, whose ex-husband Alvaro Colom was president from 2008-12, has been suspected of involvement in corruption before.

Influential businessman Dionisio Gutierrez recently described her as “a questionable politician with a history that should worry any citizen.”

Giammattei, a conservative, has hardly come off any better, with investigative

with the US had effectively scuppered any prospect of future talks with Seoul.

“They had better keep in mind that this dialogue would be held strictly between (North Korea) and the US, not between the North and the South,” it said.

Trump has appeared determined to secure a denuclearization agreement with North Korea ahead of next year’s US presidential elections, despite a breakdown in talks since he first met Kim in a historic summit in Singapore in June 2018.

Even after their abortive second summit in February―and as Pyongyang has continued to test short-range missiles― Trump has been reluctant to criticize the North Korean leader.

On Friday the US president said he agreed with Kim’s opposition to the war games—albeit for financial rather than military reasons—and indicated the missile launches were not important. AFP

City leader Carrie Lam has warned that the international financial hub is facing an economic crisis worse than either the 2003 SARS outbreak that paralyzed Hong Kong or the 2008 financial crisis.

“The situation this time is more severe,” she said. “In other words, the economic recovery will take a very long time.”

The private sector, in particular the tourism industry, has begun counting the cost of more than two months of demonstrations that erupted in opposition to a bill allowing extraditions to China but have morphed into a broader pro-democracy movement.

The figures are stark: hotel occupancy rates are down “double-digit” percentages, as were visitor arrivals in July. Group tour bookings from the short-haul market have plunged up to 50 percent.

“In recent months, what has happened in Hong Kong has indeed put local people’s livelihoods as well as the economy in a worrying, or even dangerous situation,” warned Edward Yau, Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development.

The city’s tourism industry says it feels under siege.

“I think the situation is getting more and more serious,” Jason Wong, chairman of the Travel Industry Council of

IN BRIEF

HAZE. A Muslim family gathers for

Idul Adha prayers at the An Nur mosque in Pekanbaru, Riau, as thick haze from the forest fires blankets the area on August 11, 2019. AFP

Tanzania mourns 64 killed in tanker blast MOROGORO―Tanzania was in mourning Sunday, preparing to bury the dead after 64 people perished when a crashed fuel tanker exploded as crowds rushed to syphon off leaking gasoline.

President John Magufuli declared a period of mourning through Monday following the deadly blast near the town of Morogoro, west of Dar es Salaam.

He will be represented at the funerals by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, an official statement said.

The burials will start Sunday afternoon, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jenista Mhagama announced during the morning after relatives identified the dead.

The latest in a series of similar disasters in Africa left 64 dead and 70 injured, said Morogoro governor Stephen Kebwe.

Thirty-nine seriously hurt patients had been taken to hospital in Dar es Salaam while the others were being treated in Morogoro, 200 kilometers west of the economic capital of Tanzania. AFP

website Nomada branding him as “impulsive... despotic, tyrannical... capricious, vindictive,” among other undesirable traits.

But the 63-year-old, a doctor by profession, scores well on key voter concerns such as the economy, corruption and security, according to Risa GraisTargow of the Eurasia Group.

Should he win, though, she said he “would face a lose-lose scenario” regarding the migration pact.

One of Morales’s last acts as president was to authorize an agreement with the US administration of Donald Trump designating Guatemala as a “safe third country,” meaning the US can turn away asylum seekers who have passed through the Central American country without seeking refuge there.

The pact―part of Trump’s campaign to stem migration at his country’s southern border―has proved highly unpopular in Guatemala, with demonstrators blocking roads and occupying the emblematic University of San Carlos. AFP

Fellowship through service KARLA PATRICIA RAVIDA

Green LiGht “One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.”—Gordon Hinckle PERHAPS when one thinks of volunteer work, a common idea which comes to mind is simply participating in community service or outreach projects such as giving donations to an indigent community or relief goods to a community badly affected by floods or earthquake. And the participation to such project may be in a form of physically handing out the goods or giving monetary donations.

To be involved in such activities is said to be very beneficial. Mark Horoszowksi, in his article “Surprising Benefits of Volunteering,” mentioned five benefits of volunteering: (1) it makes one feel like they have more time, (2) it develops new skills, (3) it helps the body to be healthier, (4) it helps build the experience and (5) it makes one feel more love. And I want to add that these benefits are better achieved when the involvement in the volunteer organization is consistent.

For the past five years that I have been doing volunteer work with the Rotaract Club of Manila, a socio-civic organization for young professionals, I have gained new skills and

went through different experiences in activities such as outreach projects, project management, public speaking and even travel and tours planning. And what keeps me hooked in this organization is its diverse membership, collaborative nature and exciting activities.

Rotaract stands for “Rotary in Action.”

Established in 1968, it is a program of Rotary International that caters to young students and professionals ages 18-31. The objective of this organization is to bring together young people to exchange ideas with leaders in their community, to develop their leadership and professional skills, and to have fellowship through service. Around the world, there are roughly 10,904 recognized and registered Rotaract Clubs. And these clubs are sponsored by Rotary Clubs.

In each Rotaract Clubs, the members decide how to organize and run the club, to manage their funds, and to plan and implement activities and community service projects through the leadership of elected and appointed officers. Their sponsoring Rotary Clubs provide guidance and support on how to manage the club and facilitate the activities.

The motto of the Rotaract program is “Fellowship Through Service.” This concept is the core of all activities and service projects, and it unites every Rotaract member (Rotaractor) anywhere in the world. In Rotaract, the clubs conduct service projects while building and refining good working relationships with like-minded people. And this is how we establish effective teams within the

organization.

In the book “Culture and Organizational Behavior,” Sinha (2008) quoted McGregor (1960) on the characteristics of effective teams. Some of these characteristics are: (a) the atmosphere within teams is informal, relaxed, and comfortable getting the members quite involved and interested in the team; (b) the team has lots of free and frank discussions in which all members participate; (c) the task or objective is well understood and owned by the members; (d) members listen to each other, every idea is given hearing, and members feel comfortable in placing any idea without being afraid of looking stupid; (e) members are free to disagree; (f) criticism is frequent, frank and is taken in good faith.

Perhaps it can be said that is it easier to unite members in a volunteer organization since each individual is drawn to participate in activities because of their shared interests and values. Their collective interest and passion spark good communication among members. And having good communication forms good teams.

However, good teams can be further enriched to become effective teams through fellowships, simple activities that engage and motivate members further. With more engaged and highly motivated members, an effective team is formed, and we are practicing this in Rotaract.

Fellowships can be as simple as sharing meals, going for coffees, unwinding after work, or sharing tasks in service projects. In doing such activities consistently, we build

Hong Kong, told AFP. The impact is so bad that travel agents are considering putting staff on unpaid leave as they try to weather the storm, he warned.

Images of increasingly violent clashes between masked protesters and police firing tear gas in the city’s streets have made global headlines, with protesters announcing new demonstrations throughout August as they press their demands.

A Hong Kong Tourism Board spokesperson told AFP that the number of forward bookings in August and September has “dropped significantly,” suggesting the economic toll will linger throughout the summer season.

A string of travel warnings issued by countries including the United States, Australia and Japan is likely to compound the industry’s woes.

The fall in arrivals has hurt Hong Kong’s carrier Cathay Pacific, which was also forced to cancel flights this week during a general strike that caused chaos in the city.

And even Disneyland Hong Kong has been hit, with CEO Bob Iger telling reporters: “We have seen an impact from the protests.”

“There’s definitely been disruption. That has impacted our visitation there.” AFP

and strengthen relationships in the organization. We become comfortable in working with each other and really expressing our ideas and inputs. Hence, planning and implementing of service projects in the Rotaract Club are more enjoyable and exciting.

Looking back at the characteristics of an effective team, the key to having an effective team is doing fellowships. It is in knowing and understanding the members of the team outside functional tasks that we are able to establish and strengthen good working relationships. And it is in having working relationships that we have collaborative and effective teams.

For anyone who wants to be involved in making communities a better place for everyone or those who want to develop their professional skills, Rotaract is a good avenue to experience all of these and meet likeminded young professionals.

Karla Patricia M. Ravida is an MBA Candidate of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University (DLSU), and currently works as an Associate Consultant for Ipsos Business Consulting. She dedicates time to do volunteer work as the president of the Rotaract Club of Manila, a socio-civic organization geared towards developing young professionals through nation building and community projects. She can be emailed at ravida.karla@gmail.com. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and its administrators.

Typhoon death toll hits 30 in China SHANGHAI―The death toll from Typhoon Lekima rose to 30 in eastern China, local authorities said Sunday, as rescue teams worked to find more than a dozen missing after the storm triggered a landslide and forced more than a million people to evacuate.

The monster storm arrived in Wenling city in the early hours of Saturday, packing winds of 187 kilometers per hour, with waves several meters high hitting the coastline.

At least 18 people were killed in a landslide triggered by torrential downpours in the municipality of Wenzhou, around 400 kilometers south of Shanghai, national broadcaster CCTV said Saturday.

A further 12 deaths were announced Sunday but it was unclear if they were from the same incident.

Eighteen people were still missing, according to Zhejiang provincial authorities.

“Currently, search and rescue work from various regions is still ongoing,” they said on social media platform Weibo.

More than a million people were evacuated from their homes ahead of the typhoon, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Some 110,000 people were housed in shelters. AFP

Parañaque opens express lane for business permits

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

PARAÑAQUE is the first city in the country to fully comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to simplify business MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019 permit processes with the recent formal launching of Project Express Lane Operation (ELO) 2.0.

Project ELO 2.0 also includes the computerization of the occupational work permit in the city, thus cutting the process from 10 steps to four steps.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez also disclosed that the city is the first local government unit to integrate the barangay business clearance in their BOSS (business one stop shop) operations in city hall, making the city fully compliant with RA 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act. “This is a game changer,” Olivarez said.

“This should boost our ongoing efforts to digitize and computerize all our systems, especially those involving applications for business and work permits, which will enhance investor confidence and improve service delivery.”

He explained that the project “is the fruit of our efforts to raise the bar of service delivery to our people.” It brings together several innovative IT solutions into Parañaque’s pioneering concierge system, effectively redefining what it means to be business friendly.

“Together with our partners in government, we are excited to finally launch this new and improved Project ELO which has been many months in the making,” he added.

Project ELO 2.0 is the second phase of the city’s Project ELO launched last JanuLOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS ary in compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 signed by Duterte in May 2018.

Lawyer Melanie Malaya, who heads the Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivares (second from right) and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (right) shake hands as they lead the launching of Project ELO 2.0 to hasten business permit and license Business Permits and Licensing Office in processing in the city. Joining them are (from left) Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya and the city’s first lady Janeth Olivares. Lino Santos the city, explained that ELO 2.0 also consolidates the workers’ work permit, sanitary or health permit, and police clearance.

Once done, the worker will be given the Parañaque HELP card, an identification card that unifies the occupational permit, health certificate, and the police clearance.

Olivarez prides the HELP card as the first of its kind in the country. The system provides for online application and scheduling, uploading of pictures, bulk printing of occupational IDs for large firms, full integration with the business permits and licensing system, off-site availability PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is de(including payments) and no-contact protermined to secure an “A” credit raton its laurels and build on their early cessing through the Smart Kiosk.

By Rio N. Araja ing for the country through levelling

B4

LGUs

Duterte targets ‘A’ credit rating, Bicol solon says

up the fiscal reform momentum and priority legislations, which are designed to make the Philippines more competitive, a Bicolano lawmaker said Sunday.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, House Ways and Means Committee chair, said these would include structural reforms to open the economy by amending the 83-year-old Public Service Act, ramp up infrastructure including faster internet and lower power costs, ease doing business, and tax reforms.

“Getting an ‘A’ credit upgrade means lower interest expenses and lower risk premium for investing or lending to the Philippines, its government and its enterprises. A competitive Philippines means comfortable life for all and a better future for the next generation,” he explained.

Recent fiscal reforms have led to a credit rating upgrade from the agency Standard and Poor—BBB+from BBB, showing a strong vote of confidence to Duterte’s reform agenda.

Salceda said TRAIN 2 or TRABAHO Bill, now called Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act or CITIRA, which is a certified priority legislation, will pass renewed scrutiny even if it reduces revenues and has a fiscal impact of negative five (on a scale of 1 to 10), but bears a positive structural impact of ten.

CITIRA, which was originally crafted by Salceda as a tax incentive for business, aims to reduce thecorporate income tax from 30% to 20% by 2029, or 2% every two years but generate 1.4 million jobs within the same period.

He said passing CITIRA, the second package of the government’s comprehensive tax reform program, is meant to transfer the dynamism of the economy back to the private sector and make the country competitive with the rest of the world.

While it lowers the corporate income tax rate, it also modernizes the incentive system by granting superior incentives to companies who create quality jobs, train their people, invest in research and technology, and invest in less developed areas or places recovering from calamity or armed conflict, and urges the private sector to contribute to the future of the next generation of Filipinos.

“It’s all about love of country. You must learn to contribute and share for the sake of the next generations... that’s how simple [TRAIN] package 2 is,” he added.

Councilor eyes weekends for anti-dengue cleanup Q

UEZON City District 2 Councilor Winston Castelo is urging the public to use their long weekends for clean-up drives in a bid to quell the endemic problem of dengue.

Castelo said Sunday people must take advantage of the three long weekends this month to initiate a clean-up drive to thwart any potential victims of the deadly disease.

The three long weekends are due to of Eid'l Adha on Aug. 12, Quezon City Day on Aug. 19, and National Heroes Day on Aug. 26, which all fall on a Monday.

“They should be maximized by the people to clean their homes of stagnant water and other breeding grounds of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes,” the councilor said.

He said a massive information drive is also important to raise public awareness amid the declaration of a national dengue

epidemic by the Department of Health.

According to Castelo, the 37-member city council has recently approved a resolution to purchase anti- dengue machines.

Meanwhile, Mayor Joy Belmonte thanked the Department of the Interior and Local Government for recognizing the city’s endeavor to clear its roads even before President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to get rid of road obstructions in 60 days.

Belmonte dubbed the city’s clearing operations “Bayanihan sa Lansangan” because it will not only focus on clearing of streets, but also on the welfare of those who will be displaced by the move.

Despite the DILG’s praise, Belmonte said the city government should not rest

The Rotary Club of Manila, represented by its president Jackie Rodriguez (third from right) and Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso hold up a signed memorandum of understanding to undertake a national and functional The Rotary Ecological and Environmental Stratagem in the city, making Manila a pilot city for the tree-planting program. With them are (from left) RC Pasay president Joey Ignacio, RC Director Raffy Alunan, RC director Bobby Lim Joseph, former Manila Mayor and Rotarian Alfredo Lim, and Rotarian Hans Palacios.

Councilors unite to laud Manila’s ‘Isko-governance’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SOME councilors have crossed party lines as the Manila City Council unanimously passed a resolution recognizing Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso’s popular and dynamic city governance, which they called “local Isko-governance.”

“This simple yet important measure,

approved without any dissent, by all councilors from all sides of the aisles speaks profound volumes indeed for it solidifies unity in our city while reinforcing the leadership's vision,” stressed 4th District Councilor DJ Bagatsing.

As principal author of the resolution, Bagatsing said the recognition of the popular dynamic city governance of Domagoso shall serve as “utmost ideal

San Miguel Brewery sustains regreening program BEER market leader San Miguel Brewery Inc. stayed true to its commitment as stewards of the environment with its annual Trees Brew Life tree planting activity.

Already on its 10th year, the program will conduct nine separate tree planting activities in different locations across the company’s areas of operations. The regreening efforts will kick off in Mandaue and Bacolod to be followed by activities in Valenzuela, Laguna, Davao, and Angeles.

Under San Miguel Brewery’s flagship Buhayin ang Kalisan, the nationwide en-

accomplishments to fulfil the enormous task at hand.

“With the help of everyone, I am confident that we can clear the city streets before the 60-day deadline,” bsaid Belmonte.

Belmonte made the pronouncement after DILG Undersecretary Bernardo Florece Jr. cited Belmonte’s efforts to clear the city streets, adding that the local government has been doing its job even before President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.

“Silently, Quezon City has been doing its work even before the SONA,” said Florece, who added that QC is ahead of other Metro Manila cities in terms of progress in their road-clearing operations.

In his fourth SONA, Duterte ordered local government units to clear city streets of illegally parked vehicles and illegal vendors within 60 days to help solve the perennial traffic problem in Metro Manila.

vironmental program has succeeded in planting about 1 Million seedlings since its inception. This year, around 70,000 seedlings of hardwood, mangrove and fruit-bearing species will be planted in identified areas nationwide by officers and employees of the company.

“It is not only about planting trees, but it is also about brewing the foundation of life for generations to come,” says SMB President Roberto N. Huang. “This year, we will focus on re-greening parks and communal areas, and adopt forest parks so that we will have more green spaces where

our families can commune with nature.

Our watersheds and forests are a valuable source of water, food, shelter, and a host of other benefits that offer immeasurable impact on our lives and that of future generations.”

The project aims to protect, preserve, and rehabilitate forest covers in both urban and rural settings and aid in regenerating mangrove areas in coastal communities. Another purpose of the initiative is to ensure the availability of water supply in the communities where the company operates.

inspiration and most effective example for our future leaders to emulate.”

Emphasizing the bipartisan nature and unifying quality of this “very symbolic yet relevant measure,” Bagatsing said he is not part of the ruling majority coalition in the City Council. He also does not belong to Domagoso’s party, Asenso Manileño, even in previous elections.

DepEd Taguig workers accuse boss of graft OFFICIALS and employees of the Department of Education in Taguig City have filed three separate complaints of graft, serious misconduct, dishonesty and conduct unbecoming of a public official and employee before the Office of the Ombudsman against their superior.

They have accused Dr. George Tizon of DepEd's chief school governance operations in Taguig City-Pateros of failure to declare some properties in his Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth "using various dummies."

The complainants—Nestor Ramos, Bernadeth Bautista, Ma. Leny Manaoat, Salome Castro, Joseph Son, and Irma San Pedro—are represented by lawyer Noharddin Haron.

They have urged Ombudsman Samuel Martires to conduct a lifestyle check on Tizon.

"With the wealth that he has amassed thus far, respondent Tizon has no qualms displaying his lavish lifestyle by sporting high-end cars and owning large villas and several commercial buildings," the first complaint read.

Haron said Tizon supposedly used his shareholdings in Joy-Leigh Realty Holding Inc. “as convenient dummy to hide his unexplained wealth."

In the second complaint, Noharddin said the DepEd official would recommend his family-owned G3 Natural Hot Springs Resort located in Calamba, Laguna as a venue for field trips, and that he would instruct the school's transport provider to overcharge the student-participants.

In another complaint, Son and company filed graft and serious misconduct charges against Tizon and Dr. Carleen Sedilla, Dr. Romulo Rocena and the other Bids and Awards Committee members for awarding a contract to ProAds Events Management, the owner of G3 Natural Hot Springs Resort.

Tizon, a concurrent officer-in-charge principal of Senator Renato "Companero" Cayetano High School, "demanded P40 per student as his share or percentage in the school field trip fees in public high schools in Taguig and Pateros division,” Noharddin alleged. Rio N. Araja

MEDICAL FREEBIES.

SM Foundation volunteers give free medicines to beneficiaries during the Gamot Sa Kapwa Medical and Dental Mission at SM City Masinag.

Residents from several barangays in Antipolo City also received free medical and dental checkups such as ECGs, X-Rays, and blood tests.

Manny Palmero

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

FOOD

@MStandardLIFE MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

C1

FLAVORS FROM THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN.

Ogetsu Hime’s karai shake maki is one of its many authentic Japanese fare.

All you can eat Japanese specialties

N

AMED after the food goddess of Japan, Ogetsu Hime restaurant takes its name seriously as it serves fresh and authentic Japanese food fare using premium ingredients.

Some of its specialties include seafood sourced from Tsukiji Market, high-grade beef dishes, and an array of sushi and sashimi, among others.

The restaurant serves these top quality dishes at order-all-youcan price with its Oget and Enjoy All-You-Can promotion.

From Monday to Friday, diners can enjoy unlimited US Angus Tenderloin, premium sushi rolls, and more than 100 Japanese dishes for P988 for lunch or P1,088 for dinner. The P1,088 rate is also available for both lunch and dinner during weekends and holidays.

Ogetsu Hime serves US Angus Tenderloin and other meat and seafood options teppan-style, cooked by a master teppan chef over an iron griddle in front of diners.

Buffet diners can feast on the restaurant’s specialty rolls such as Ogetsu Hime Roll, Goma Ebi Tempura Roll, Kaisen Fried Roll, Tokubetsu California Roll, and Momo Teri Maki.

In addition to sushi, sashimi, and makimono, there’s also an array of yakitori, kushiyaki, tempura, tonkatsu, ebi furai, gyoza, nabemono (Japanese dishes cooked in a hot pot), udon, and jumono (rice box dishes).

Clockwise from top left: Tokubetsu sashimi, ebi shiitake, US beef sukiyaki, and maguro tataki

Contact Ogetsu Hime SM Aura Premier at (02) 519-9840 or 09178096585 or SM Megamall at (02) 470-8241 or 0917-5762377 for inquiries and reservations.

The power of purple

FOR 150 years now, Welch’s has been serving the natural goodness of grape juice in millions of homes across the globe, including the Philippines, with its advocacy of “sharing what’s good” and offering healthier nutritional choices.

“Welch’s is an advocate of better nutritional choices for families,” said Erika Rodriguez, vice president for marketing of GEMCo, the Philippine marketing agent of Welch’s International.

“Opening a bottle of Welch’s 100% Grape Juice is like unleashing the power of purple in every sip. Unlike other beverages that contain huge amounts of sugar and artificial coloring, Welch’s is vitamin-packed and 100 percent natural,” she added.

There are over 900 farmer-owned vineyards across America and Canada that have partnered with Welch’s to ensure a steady supply of grape juice for a century and a half now.

“This celebration serves as an opportunity for us to pay tribute to the family farmers that actually own Welch’s and who have grown the grapes for generations, as well as the cooperatives that put their heart and soul to making the brand reach 150 years,” said Rodriguez.

Over the years, Welch’s has adopted innovations that provided additional convenience to its customers, such as the introduction of PET bottle containers, and expanded its product line to include the Welch’s Fruit Snack gummies.

For his part, Lucio Cochanco Jr., president of local distributor Fly Ace Corporation, said Welch’s was not only a heritage brand but one that became synonymous to delicious goodness among Filipinos.

“Fly Ace has been a partner of Welch’s since 1997. It is a product that we are proud of since it is well loved because

Cibo serves 22-peso dishes

Chef Margarita Forés offers 10 of her Italian restaurant’s specialties at P22 each.

Chefs Trisha Ocampo and Peachy Mathay preparing food and drinks using Welch’s.

family moments,” said Cochanco.

One serving of Welch’s is equivalent to about 40 pieces of Concord grapes, which are rich in polyphenols—natural antioxidants that can help fight most chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.

According to Ma. Paz Sales of the Nutritionist-Dietitians Association of the Philippines, Filipinos should regularly consume vegetables and fruits, especially purple-colored ones like the Concord grapes used in Welch’s products.

Scientific studies showed juice made from Concord grapes contain natural sugars, which, compared to other forms of sugars, are considered to be low in the glycemic index.

“Welch’s juice uses the entire Concord grape—skin, seeds, and all—to release the plant’s true polyphenol power.

You can just imagine the vitamins and minerals in each glass of Welch’s that Welch’s 100% Grape Juice products has nurtured generations of families not of its nutritional values. Moving for- only in the Philippines but all over the ward, we want more Filipinos to share world,” Rodriguez added. in the joy of drinking Welch’s together I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com especially during special occasions and

IN CELEBRATION of its 22nd anniversary, Cibo offers 10 of its specialties for only P22 each.

Featured dishes in the promotion are Pizza 5 Formaggi (classic Cibo pizza), Pizza Margherita (classic Neapolitan pizza), Tramezzini Pollo (chicken sandwich), Linguine alla Nettuno (fresh seafood pasta), Penne al Telefono (penne pasta), Panino Porchetta (roast pork sandwich), Panino Tonno (tuna sandwich), Rigatoni di Bruto (sausage and tomato pasta), Farfalle alla Veneziana (seafood and parsley

cream pasta), and Spaghettini alla Bolognese (red sauce pasta).

To order any of the P22 dishes requires a Cibo Boarding Pass which is part of the limited Cibo gift card, a P599 face-value gift certificate.

As part of the celebration, customers using the Cibo Boarding Pass and with dine-in purchase worth P2,000 have a chance to win two tickets to Rome courtesy of Cathay Pacific.

The promo is ongoing until Sept. 31 at Cibo’s 13 branches.

Life

C2

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Where to get fried chicken

as hot as Papa P

By Angelica Villanueva

Baon dishes made by busy moms for picky kids SCHOOL season for homemakers mean stressful hours of planning and preparing healthy packed lunch their kids would eat. Swedish appliance brand Electrolux shares the following recipes that even the pickiest eater wouldn’t be able to resist.

A

NDOK’S, a homegrown food chain popular for its roasted chicken, has recently launched a hot and spicy version of its fried chicken variant.

The new Spicy Dokito boasts the same original flavor as the non-spicy variant, but made spicier and more flavorful, not with chili powder, but with real chili added to the marinade.

The term “Dokito” was derived from the nickname of Andok’s Litson Corporation president and chief executive Sandy M. Javier, Jr.’s father, Dokito, which means “young Andok.”

Coinciding with the launch of its spicy fried chicken variant, Andok’s introduced Piolo Pascual as its first brand ambassador, who, officials said, embodies the brand and Spicy Dokito’s “anghangkulit” experience.

In an interview with Manila Standard, Pascual expressed how grateful he was to be chosen by Andok’s as its first brand ambassador.

The hot and self-avowed “makulit” actor also revealed that he has long been a patron of the brand’s chicken.

Chicken and Broccoli Quesadilla Cooking time: 15 mins. | Serves: 2

The new Spicy Dokito is now available at all Andok’s branches in a five-piece bucket for P285 or ala carte for P57.

Photos by Angelica Villanueva

RECIPE FILES

The new Spicy Dokito is made more flavorful with real chili added to the marinade.

Andok’s first celebrity brand ambassador Piolo Pascual (middle) with Andok’s president and chief executive Sandy Javier, Jr. and executive vice president Maverick Javier.

Ingredients: 4 pcs.

140g 120g 175g

flour tortillas shredded chicken shredded cheddar cheese cooked broccoli florets

Procedure: 1. Place two flour tortillas on a plate, top with cheddar cheese 2. Add chicken and broccoli florets.

3. Top with remaining tortillas then place in a toaster oven at 350-degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Cut using a pizza cutter. Serve.

Teriyaki Pork Rolls Cooking time: 30 mins. | Serves: 6

Ingredients: 6 pcs.

18 pcs.

1 pc.

1 pc.

2 tbsp.

2 tbsp.

1 tbsp.

2 tbsp.

SIP

The whisky best served in Antarctica IN 1907, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton made a daring attempt to become the first man to reach farthest south in the South Pole.

Facing bitter winds, days of total darkness, and the perils of unknown terrain midway into the expedition, Shackleton decided to abandon his quest to bring his crew to safety.

Racing against time, the group left behind all their supplies at their base camp in Cape Royds, including three crates of Mackinlay’s Rare Old High-

land Malt Whisky.

A century later in 2007, 11 bottles of perfectly preserved whiskies were discovered frozen in ice and unearthed in Sir Ernest’s hut—a masterpiece that eventually gave birth to the modern taste of Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

Shackleton Blended Malt Whisky, based on the whisky Whyte and Mackay’s distillery produced 100 years ago, features a rich and robust taste, with notes of vanilla, honey, ginger,

thin pork cutlets green beans, trimmed small carrot, thinly sliced deseeded small red bell pepper, thinly sliced vegetable oil soy sauce granulated sugar water all-purpose flour salt and pepper

Procedure: 1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Add the green beans, sliced carrot, and sliced bell pepper to the boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes, strain and dry with paper towel. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, white granulated sugar, and water to make a sauce. Set aside.

4. Take one of the pork cutlets and dust with all-purpose flour on both sides.

Add three of the green beans, three of the carrot slices, and three of the red bell pepper slices on the cutlet.

5. Season with salt and pepper and begin rolling the pork. Close with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining cutlets.

6. Add vegetable oil to pan and when the oil is hot, add pork rolls. Cook until the pork is golden brown and remove toothpicks, about 8 minutes.

7. Add the sauce and shake the pan to make sure all sides are coated, continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes.

8. Turn heat off, and slice rolls into pieces. Serve warm over leftover sliced vegetables or rice.

Baked Zucchini Fries Cooking time: 30 mins. | Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 pcs.

50g 25g 3g 1g Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky features a rich and robust taste, with notes of vanilla, honey, ginger, and liquorice.

The roving iceberg museum lets guests try the blended Scotch whisky at negative 15-degree Celsius.

and liquorice, and a whisper of bonfire smoke.

Whyte & Mackay brings to the Philippines the blended malt whisky brand in a way that lets whisky lovers experience and the thrill of its discovery—the Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is now touring select spots in Metro Manila via a roving iceberg museum.

Inside the truck, temperatures can go as low as -15 degrees Celsius. There, visitors can also learn about the unique history of Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky through a lights and sound show.

“We are bringing the Antarctic experience closer to whisky aficionados with our Shackleton ice truck beginning here at Landers Arcovia in Pasig City. Through this, we will be giving an interactive tasting experience where the flavor notes of our blended malt will come to life,” says Pia Bonalos-Mercado, brand manager for Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

2 pcs.

57g 142g 50g 60g 6g

zucchini panko breadcrumbs shredded parmesan cheese salt smoked paprika ground black pepper large egg all-purpose flour plain Greek yogurt gorgonzola cheese light mayonnaise chopped fresh chives

Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 425-degree Fahrenheit (220-degree Celsius).

2. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice into roughly ½ inch wide by 4 inch long fries (no need to peel them).

3. Combine panko, parmesan cheese, salt, smoked paprika, and pepper in a medium bowl.

4. Place eggs in a separate medium bowl, and the all-purpose flour in a third medium bowl.

5. Working in small batches, dip zucchini pieces into the flour, then egg, then the panko mixture. Set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

6. When all zucchini are breaded, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

7. Add plain Greek yogurt, gorgonzola cheese, light mayonnaise, and fresh chives to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season to taste with ground black pepper.

8. Serve zucchini fries warm with dipping sauce.

Entertainment

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

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Reigning Mexican Miss World in Manila

M

ISS World 2018 Vanessa Ponce de Leon arrived in Manila on Tuesday for a brief visit to promote the forthcoming Mr. World 2019, which is being hosted for the first time in the Philippines.

The 27-year-old model and International Commerce graduate is scheduled to attend a fund-raising charity event under the auspices of the Miss World Organization (MWO), headed by MWO chairwoman Julia Morley.

Captivating in an orange dress, an engaging De Leon met with the press at the Novotel all-purpose hall. “I hope I can keep working with “Beauty with a Purpose” and the Miss World Organization which is doing an amazing job, raising funds and charity works all over the world, as you know. I’m gonna be opening my own non-profit, for sure, and I’ll keep encouraging people to do good and help others,” said the first Mexican to win Miss World on her future plans.

“It’s my first time in the Philippines and it’s like magic, the weather is fantastic, I’m feeling Mexico!,” De Leon said. “I still don’t know about the schedule but probably we will be seeing Father Rocky and his project which the MWO has been helping for many years here in the Philippines,” De Leon added. Father Rocky Evangelista heads the Tuloy Foundation which houses and teaches poor street children, one of the project beneficiaries of MWO in cooperation with the Miss World Philippines organization, headed by Arnold Vegafria.

The reigning Miss World arrived together with reigning Mr. World 2016 Rohit Khandelwal of India who will crown a new Mr. World 2019 at the finals of the 10th edition of Mr. World to be held on August 23, 2019. Mr. World Philippines JB Saliba will compete against almost a hundred of the world’s most desirable men.

PAGEANT CONCEPT

Miss World 2018 Vanessa Ponce de Leon

BLUE Ant Media Asia Pacific, a wholly-owned subsidiary Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Late Late Show with of international producer, distributor and channel operator James Corden. The channel also airs box office classics and Blue Ant Media, appoints Asian Cable Communications, ‘LIVE’ broadcasts some of the biggest award shows in the Inc. (ACCION) as the network’s exclusive channel distributor world including The Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors in the Philippines with the exception of Sky Cable Corporation Guild Awards, American Music Awards and Billboard Music and Cignal TV Inc. Awards.

Effective Aug. 1, ACCION is the exclusive partner and Taking entertainment to the extreme, Blue Ant Extreme authorized distributor of Blue Ant Entertainment, Blue Ant brings a mix of magic, reality, paranormal, factual, and Extreme, and ZooMoo channels in the country, carrying e-gaming programming to the audience. Show titles exclusive and up-to-date content to cater the Filipino audience. include Knock Knock Ghost, Lift Off, Losing Traction, Arcade ACCION, a cable distribution company, will be providing Cloud and more. a gateway for Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific channels to further The innovative pre-school channel ZooMoo brings a wellreach, connect, and engage the curated show line-up produced Philippine market with its valuable in collaboration with some of the experience in strategizing and world’s foremost wildlife makers, marketing products and services, early childhood educationalists bridging the gap between brands and technology developers. and the local market.

Programming include LOST!, Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific Animal All Stars, Animal Alphabet, offers a wide variety of specialized ZooMoo Groove, ZooMoo’s Got channels and exclusively licensed Brains, ZooMooPedia, and Dear content in the Philippines including Scout.

Blue Ant Entertainment, Blue Ant Blue Ant Media Asia Pacific is a Extreme, and ZooMoo. wholly-owned subsidiary of Blue Ant Entertainment, a geninternational producer, distributor eral entertainment channel, carries and channel operator, Blue Ant hit series and shows airing same Media. The Blue Ant Media Asia day and express from the U.S. such Pacific channel portfolio includes as Siren, Bull, FBI, Charmed, The Love Nature 4K, ZooMoo, Blue InBetween and dailies includAnt Entertainment, Blue Ant ing Entertainment Tonight, The The Late Night Show with James Corden Extreme and Makeful.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, August 12, 2019

55 Flow 57 Louis L’Amour genre 61 Sleeping 62 Contaminate 64 Bright thought 65 Tender meat 66 Chemical compound 67 Cat’s lives 68 Oceangoing bird 69 All set 70 Haw opposite DOWN 1 Grant 2 Perched on 3 Stronghold 4 Roman ship 5 Port near Kyoto 6 Likely 7 Caesar’s day 8 Fix eggs 9 Navy helicopter 10 Novelist — Drury 11 Layered rock 12 Wielded an ax 13 Microwave 20 “Rush, Rush” singer 22 Dove’s cry 24 Stingiest 26 Made do with 27 Butte cousin 28 Famed organist

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ETON CONCEPCION

Blue Ant Media appoints new channel rep in PH

ACROSS 1 Mass-transit alternative 4 Urges on 9 Window part 13 Sweater letter 14 Savory jelly 15 She, in Cherbourg 16 Hubbubs 17 Down the road 18 — — unto itself 19 Vigorous speech (2 wds.)

21 Large knife 23 Skyscraper part (hyph.)

25 Sighed loudly 26 Personify 29 Nudge 31 Actor — Reeves 32 Use a parachute 33 Tool sets 37 PC abandon key 38 Wash 41 Kind of deer 42 Telegraph syllables 44 Half of seis 45 Fill with joy 47 Puts in hock 49 Keyboard instruments 50 Elk 53 Bugs Bunny and Popeye

Bea Alonzo, Gerald Anderson, and Julia Barretto

30 Pot covers 32 Combust 34 Shah’s kingdom 35 Oz pooch 36 Witnesses 39 Excited 40 Harness parts 43 Sales slip holder 46 Permanent 48 — — disadvantage 49 Verse 50 Use a loom 51 Color of honey 52 Joyous outburst

54 Had 56 Smooth the way 58 Ms. Falco of “The Sopranos” 59 Artist — Magritte 60 Dundee turndown 63 Give — — rest!

FROM his play As Like It comes William Shakespeare’s most quoted lines, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.”

His words ring true, especially in the present as we all gawk and watch on the stage that is show business and the major players are Bea Alonzo, Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto.

In fact, the bizarre love triangle has launched a Rashomon plot where one needs to decipher who declared the truth, the nothing but the truth, and the absolute truth.

Bea made “Enough!” iconic. Gerald shared, “It were a series of fights that lead to one big fight,” and the latest, Julia released her “statement.”

With Julia’s version of truth, in an instant, we all could not care less if the Department of Health announced that there was clear and present danger because of the dengue outbreak.

Gretchen Barretto, the aunt of the so labelled millennial nymphet proclaimed that her niece emoloyed a ghost writer. That overshadowed the news about the three days in a row traffic congestion that was made worst because of the habagat induced rains.

We did not mind as we wait in bated breath what will Ms. Bea’s reaction be to the young miss’s official statement.

Since we cannot get enough of the salacious details that the trio d’amoreux portion with all us, the horrible conditions that the Ivatans are currently facing after the earthquake that shook Batanes, seems to be a minor news.

Even the Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen tweeted recently: “Dear Bea and Julia, is he really worth it? #JustAsking” Thus I cannot help but wonder, isn’t it alarming or pitiful that we prefer to be consumed with gossip instead of our thoughts, indignation and opinions on the political turmoil that are affecting us all?

Since most of us have expressed their take on this most pressing concern, allow me to share my thoughts.

Julia dear, in your career as a relatively young actress, Bea became a step mom to you in a prime time drama

The dog...

From C4

Throughout this engrossing drama, everything is seen from the vantage point of Enzo, a dog with a unique view of life. Wonderfully witty, philosophical and funny, Enzo, voiced by Kevin Costner, has remarkable insights into human nature, where he realizes that the

and “Ate” is how you called and treated her, which is why when you addressed her as just BEA in your official statement, it is without a doubt, disrespectful.

Reading your aria, it is overrun with high levels of arrogance and pride.

Do you think anyone believes you are the victim here? If you just kept quiet, employed the “silence is my best defense” tactic, it is more dignified.

You could have swayed more sympathy votes. More people might not believe that it’s not your fault that you were with Gerald Anderson in a movie that fueled the conflagration that is happening now.

Whoever advised you to do this is foolish and you should have not listened to the gullible part of you. If you believe that you were out of the loop simply because Gerald said you are not the reason for the unfortunate break up, young miss, you are all wrong with holding on to that belief and using it as your ace.

Julia dear, with your defiant statement, all the more people perceive you as guilty. Nobody would buy the victim card story arc you and your team project and the finger pointing and blaming Bea will not atone you from whatever “mistake” you committed.

Of course, you can always blame this incident to your youth. Your being young is your biggest salvation because you are still entitled to do stupid things.

Hopefully, once the dust has been settled and the doubts are cast aside, you have learned a thing or two. All our brazen and callous choices, there are consequences and repercussions that follow.

We reap, what we sow, a golden rule that cannot be changed.

Given this entire circumstance, with all our collective beings anxious what will be her reaction, wouldn’t it be wise for us to launch the BEA ALONZO FOR PRESIDENT movement? Laugh out loud!

Is it expedient to conclude then, that we all accept our lives as part and parcel of the bigger stage that are the movies and television shows, and that we all project as actors and actresses? Or let us be frank about it, gossip, for as long it does not involve us, our kin and friends, has become a predilection? techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. In turn poignant, humorous and inspiring, the film sweeps us up in the lives of this endearing family —but, unusually, it is Enzo, who relates the story.

“I was excited that this great story was being turned into a feature film,” shares Ventimiglia, who has numerous acting, producing and directing credits under his belt. “It’s an emotional and uplifting film that shows life through the wise and humorous perspective of Enzo, the dog.”

Ventimiglia also appreciates how the film is for families and that Denny is a family man. “It appeals to an audience that wants to experience emotion. It’s also very relatable.”

For her part, Seyfried, who plays opposite Ventimiglia and who has her fair share of acting credits, says that the film brought with it a variety of challenges, but the beauty of the story ultimately won her over.

“I read the book as soon as it came out and I was completely blown away,” Seyfried says. “I was so excited that they were making this film as I’m obsessed with dogs and it is a beautiful story about family—and a dog and love and connection.”

As a mother, Seyfried also finds the story relevant. “I have a kid now myself, so the stories that I’m attracted to are a little bit different from the ones that used to appeal. I want to make movies about families and love and trust, films about the beauty of life.”

“I loved how this family is being observed by this dog”, Director Simon Curtis reveals. ”It’s one of my favorite moments in the film where the dog is integrated and Enzo feels like the daughter’s big brother. I find that very, very moving.”

The Art of Racing in the Rain premiered in Philippine theaters on Aug. 7.

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

C4

Entertainment

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2019

GMA dramas break into new territory GMA Network, through its content distribution subsidiary, GMA Worldwide, Inc. (GWI), breaks into a new territory as it brings four of its top rating drama series to Georgia, the country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

Through the network’s first-ever acquisition deal with Georgian broadcaster Telecompany Pirveli, several GMA dramas are aired on TV Pirveli, the latest of which is Impostora that premiered last July 15.

Other GMA dramas acquired by TV Pirveli are Stay With Me, The Stepdaughters, and Angela. The series are dubbed in Georgian and airs weekday afternoons.

Impostora is the remake of one the network’s bestselling dramas The Impostor distributed in at least thirteen territories. It is also the first GMA scripted format to have a local adaptation in Cambodia. The Spanishdubbed vers i o n of Impostora also had a successful run in Ecuador.

It is the story of a woman with a disfigured face who goes under the knife to become beautiful, only to find out she will assume another woman’s life and identity. It stars Kris Bernal (Silent Shadow) playing dual roles.

Stay With Me tells the struggles of Thea played by Yasmien Kurdi (Ysabel), a wife and a mother who tests positive for HIV. The Stepdaughters is about two women destined to be rivals who suddenly became family when their single parents fall for one another and got married, making them stepsisters. It is top billed

by Miss World 2013, Megan Young.

Angela is also a rivalry drama about half-sisters played by Sanya Lopez (For Love or Money) and Thea Tolentino (The Half Sisters) who both possess superpowers: one can heal with her touch while the other causes pain.

Going in for

THE KILL

Maja Salvador returns on primetime as Camila, a woman betrayed by the people she loved in 'The Killer Bride.'

T Katrina Halili and Megan Young, principal cast of 'The Stepdaughters'

Teen singer launches new single, music video BIG things start to come Janah Zaplan’s way after the release of her first English single, “More Than That,” written and produced by award-winning record producer Paulo Zarate.

“I want an English song this time so that I can reach out to other territories and hopefully they can enjoy my music, too,” said Janah.

On July 6, Janah serenaded and inspired her audience at the launch of the single and music video at the Farmers Plaza, Araneta Center in Quezon City. She could not believe that

Teen singer Janah Zaplan

the venue was full to the rafters In an interview, Janah said that her new single is her gift to her fans, as she celebrated her birthday the following day. The music video had its official launch on July 18 in all digital platforms.

The 17-year-old rising star of OPM is grateful for the support of her family and friends and for all the blessings she received as a new artist. For 2018, she released not just one, but two singles, “Di Ko Na Kaya” and “Mahal Na Kita”distributed digitally by Ivory Music through online platforms such as iTunes, Spotify and AmazonMP3. The music videos for both songs debuted on YouTube as well.

Janah has also emerged as a serious artist on the local music scene.

She performed in the 1st Catwalk Philippines’ Finals, Aliw Awards night, and as a Featured New Artist in Wish 107.5 Bus at SM by the Bay, with the lead band Aegis.

An Aliw Awardee as Best New Female Artist 2018 and PMPC Star Awards for Music 2018 Nominee as New Female Recording Artist of the Year, Janah headlined her first major concert at the Music Museum.

She has also performed on stage alongside some of today’s popular young artists such as Ylona Garcia, Sharlene San Pedro, AC Bonifacio, Ms. Dulce, Jeremiah, Side A, boy band Upgrade and more.

With a new single and music video, Janah has come a long way since she joined and became part of Eat Bulaga Music Hero The Vocal Battle.

Now available on digital format worldwide, “More Than That” is expected to catapult Janah Zaplan into greater heights.

HE trailer of The Killer Bride, the television series that premieres tonight on primetime, makes it easy for us to conclude that it’s another Wildflower (a revenge drama that aired in 2017) based on how the sneak peak goes and on how the lead star Maja Salvador gives another compelling, or in Gen Z’s vocabulary, meme-worthy performance.

“The Killer Bride is wilder, it has an entirely different story. In other series, you fight for your love, but in this drama, the person who you gave your whole heart to will be the one who will betray you,” Maja said during the drama’s media conference.

The 30-year-old actress further said that the new drama is campy and action-packed and definitely a gothic romance.

But that said, she pointed out the series is still family-oriented and the main story is still anchored on the theme of love.

“Love is the reason why there’s a killer bride. Love makes us do evil things, it’s the reason why people fight. But love also does a lot of good things in our life,” she said.

In the suspense romantic drama, Maja portrays the titular

character Camilla, a woman who has a forbidden love with the scion of a rival family. But as their wedding day comes, a major scandal will shake the whole town NICKIE of Las Espadas as Vito sees his soon to be WANG wife drenched in blood and holding a knife beside his brother’s dead body. The whole town will persecute Camila and tag her as the “killer bride.”

She eventually faces an unexpected death as the prison she is thrown in is ravaged by fire.

Joining Salvador in the cast is returning Kapamilya actor Geoff Eigenmann as Vito, Camilla’s love interest, and the fresh team-up of Janella Salvador and Joshua Garcia, who play Emma and Elias, respectively.

One of the central mysteries of The Killer Bride, according to Maja is Emma’s claim of “possession” by the ghost of Camilla.

Years will pass and the legend of the killer bride will live on, with townsfolk claiming to have seen a woman in a bloodied white dress and veil. But what was once an urban legend would turn into a reality with the arrival of Emma (Janella), who claims she is possessed by Camila’s spirit.

Many will doubt her, including Elias (Joshua), one of Vito’s workers. With the kindness that the Dela Cuestas have showed him, Elias vows to protect their family at all costs, even from Emma and the harm she could bring.

Also part of the The Killer Bride are Dominic Ochoa, Loren Burgos, Alexa Ilacad, Eric Nicolas, Keanna Reeves, Eddie Gutierrez, Aurora Sevilla, Cris Villanueva, James Blanco, Lara Quigaman, Ariella Arida, and Sam Concepcion.

VERY WANG

The lead cast of 'The Killer Bride' (from left) Joshua Garcia, Janella Salvador, Maja Salvador, and Geoff Eigenmann with Dado Lumibao (center)

The dog who shows the world how to be human NO DOUBT, a dog is truly a man’s best friend. It is this belief that drives the heartwarming film The Art of Racing in the Rain, based on Garth Stein’s beloved bestselling novel of the same title, produced by 20th Century Fox. Directed by Simon Curtis, the film stars Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried and the voice of Kevin Costner as Enzo, the philosophical dog, who narrates the tale.

The film follows the journey of Denny (Milo Ventimiglia), a man with big dreams of becoming a Formula One race car driver. Those dreams are momentarily placed on hold

when he meets Eve (Amanda Seyfried), the love of his life.

Inevitable challenges then occur in the marriage —as there are for any family. Denny’s demanding career sees him being away from home, forcing him to carefully balance his job and home life. But these problems soon prove small in comparison to the big challenges that lie ahead. Complaining of headaches, Eve starts to feel unwell and it’s revealed that she has a life-threatening disease.

Things become more difficult as Eve’s parents (Martin Donovan and Kathy Baker) do not see eye to eye with their son-in-law. Continued on C3

Enzo, voice by Kevin Costner, the phylosophical dog in the film 'The Art of Racing in the Rain.'