Manila Standard - 2019 August 14 - Wednesday

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 181 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Locsin backs out of ban on survey ships

By MJ Blancaflor MALACAÑANG on Tuesday backed the order of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. banning Chinese survey ships in the country’s waters, only to withdraw his directive hours later.

In a tweet, Locsin said the country cannot ban marine surveys after all, under the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea .

Locsin said he had consulted a Singaporean expert from the International Institute for Strategic Studies and learned that foreign navies enjoy freedom of navigation through the country’s exclusive economic zone, and asked Filipino maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal to “double check” the finding.

Earlier in the Palace, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Malacañang supports the position of Foreign Affairs chief to ban foreign survey ships in the country’s Next page EEZ.

CONTINUING PROTESTS.

The screen grab (above) taken from AFPTV video footage Tuesday shows Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaking during a news conference in the region concerning the continuing protests that have gripped the Chinese territory. At right, a traveller (center) shouts while holding her luggage to enter the departure gate area as Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters block access during another demonstration at the international airport while tanks (topmost) stand at the ready near the border with Shenzhen. AFP, CHINA PLUS

‘HK treads path of no return’ • City leader Lam raises warning • Newsman quips: When will you die?

• Pinoys told: Avoid travel to Hong Kong

POGO hubs near military facilities bared

By Maricel V. Cruz A CONGRESSMAN on Monday voiced concern over the presence of Chinese-run Philippine offshore gaming operations or POGOS in the areas near the country’s military facilities.

“Primarily, we [POGOs] should stay away from sensitive areas like the AFP and our security-risk areas. We must be more sensitive to that, PBA Partylist Rep. Jericho Nograles, a nephew of President Rodrigo Duterte and brother of Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles, said in a television interview.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III expressed support behind the creation of online gaming hubs or IT parks that host call centers and other service providers of Philippine offshore gaming operators for easier monitoring and tax collection.

Dominguez told reporters he welcomed the POGO hub concept approved earlier by the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

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EDSA gridlock solution sought

By MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Palace on Tuesday said it is open to suggestions from the public on how to solve the gridlock on EDSA as senators suggested moving Malacañang to Clark and other government agencies to the provinces to decongest Metro Manila.

“The government should always be open to any suggestion that will improve whatever problem the government faces. After all, we are in a society and each one is part of the whole,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

Panelo said recommendations could be sent to the Metro Manila Development Authority, the Office of the President, and the Department of Transportation.

“In fact, if there’s any written suggestion in my office, I forward it immediately to the MMDA and they act on it,” Panelo said in a press briefing.

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H HIGH GEAR. Health Secretary Francisco Duque (right) and Executive Committee members of the Department of Health lead Tuesday the Search and Destroy Activity at the DOH compound as part of its anti-dengue campaign. Norman Cruz

MM, Ilocos near dengue epidemic scale, DOH says AN OFFICIAL of the Department of Health urged residents in Metro Manila and the Ilocos region to be more vigilant in fighting dengue as both areas are close to hitting the “epidemic threshold.”

In a TV interview on Monday, DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the department is closely monitoring the two regions because they are now “above the alert level and nearing the epidemic threshold.”

“Alert level meaning, you’re seeing cases more than the average cases in the past five years and there’s a higher threshold, this is the epidemic, this is way higher than we’re expecting for that area.

For the past few months, they were below the alert threshold, but now the cases are going up,” Domingo added.

He said Region 4-A (Calabarzon), Region 4-B (Mimaropa), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mind-

anao, and Regions 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 10 (Northern Mindanao), and 12 (Soccsksargen), remain in the epidemic threshold.

The DOH-Epidemiology Bureau said about 167,606 dengue cases were recorded from Jan. 1 to July 27, 2019.

“These cases equate to a 98 percent increase in January to July 2019 compared

ONG KONG— Pro-democracy protesters blocked passengers at Hong Kong’s airport Tuesday, causing further travel chaos a day after triggering an unprecedented shutdown and defying the city’s leader who warned against heading down a “path of no return.”

In Shenzhen, a convoy of armed policemen have gathered in the Chinese city near Hong Kong, fueling speculations that “something extraordinarily bad is about to happen,” said Alexandre Krauss, a senior political advisor at Renrew Europe.

Krauss shared video clips on the convoy on his Twitter account.

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office on Monday said attacks on policemen in the special administrative Next page

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Trump’s new rules House panel okays alcohol tax hike curb migrant perks By Maricel V. Cruz WASHINGTON—The administration of US President Donald Trum announced Monday new rules that aim to deny permanent residency and citizenship to migrants who receive food stamps, public health care and other welfare.

The new rules threatened to set back the citizenship hopes of millions of mostly Hispanic migrants who work for low wages and depend in part on public services to get by.

Announcing a new definition of the Next page

HOUSE Majority Leader Martin Romualdez’s bill mandating an increase in the excise tax rates on alcohol products will be incorporated into similar measures that the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means will craft.

During a hearing on Tuesday, the panel adopted House Bill 1026, authored by the panel’s chairman Rep. Joey Salceda of Albay, to be the basis of the consolidated measure that will incorporate the salient features of other bills, including that of Romualdez, providing for an increase in

the tax on alcohol products.

A similar bill was passed on Third Reading by the House of Representatives in the 17th Congress but was not passed by the Senate, prompting Albay Rep. Joey Salceda to refile the bill as HB 1026, soon after the 18th Congress convened.

Several legislators including Romualdez filed similar measures.

In a hearing by the committee that Salceda chairs, the panel adopted the bill to increase the excise tax rates on alcohol products and the indexation rate to 10 percent to account for inflation and income.

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EXCISE TAX ISSUE. Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez delivers his sponsorship speech on HB 2467 on increasing the excise tax on alcohol products, heated tobacco products and vapor products during a briefing with the Department of Finance on priority tax measures. Ver Noveno

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

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Anti-subversion law’s revival bucked

By Rey E. Requejo

J

USTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday opposed the proposal of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to restore the law making subversion a crime.

of the New People’s Army of students in campuses.

“That should be addressed to the lawmakers because they are the ones legislating the laws. They should provide more teeth to that,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo told reporters.

Panelo also expressed concern over the alleged recruitment of leftist groups in schools, but he shot down the proposed tight police presence in the campuses.

In calling for the restoration of the AntiSubversion Law, Año cited intelligence reports showing that from 500 to 1,000 youths were being indoctrinated every year by the communist movement to either become members of its armed wing, the New People’s Army, or serve as leaders of militant groups in their schools.

Año said the communist movement

Guevarra suggested that instead of restoring the Anti-Subversion Law or Republic Act 1700, the focus should be more on amending and giving more teeth to RA 9372 or the Human Rights Act. “With all due respect to Secretary Año, mere membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines is not a crime unless overt criminal acts are committed,” Guevarra said.

At least two senators also rejected Año’s proposal.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said he was not inclined to support the Anti-Subversion Law or to criminalize it again.

“It encroaches on the fundamental right to peaceful assembly, to protest. I don’t think I will support that, he said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon also objected to reviving the AntiSubversion Law. The Palace on Tuesday asked Congress to “put more teeth” to the Human Security Act in the wake of the alleged recruitment

ATM fee hike 'burdensome for workers'

Toddler, 2 soldiers killed in Sulu

By Vito Barcelo A LABOR group is opposing the planned increase in ATM—automated teller machines—fees by charging P15 per withdrawal, saying the amount is burdensome to millions of daily minimum workers who only receive each a measly P537 a day.

“Doubling the fee would be onerous on workers receiving their wages through payroll ATM accounts,” according to Partido Manggagawa chairman Rene Magtubo.

He explained that P15 was almost 3 percent of the daily minimum wage at the National Capital Region.

“Worse it is around 4 percent of the daily of a minimum wage earner in the Cavite economic zone. Doubling the ATM fee would mean banks taking 6 to 8 percent of the minimum wage of workers per withdrawal. This is highway robbery,” he said.

The labor group called on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to use its regulatory power to freeze any ATM fee hikes and support the congressional inquiry into the issue.

“We call on the bankers to moderate their greed. Unlike workers’ wages, banks’ profits are higher by 26 percent compared to last year,” Magtubo opined.

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Rep. Estrellita Suansing of Nueva Ecija raised the motion to approve HB 1026, invoking Rule 10 Section 48 of the House which states: “In case of bills or resolutions that are identified as priority measures of the House, which were previously filed in the immediately preceding Congress and have already been approved on third reading, the same may be disposed of as matters already reported upon the approval of majority of the Members of the committee present, there being a quorum.”

The consolidated bill will be drafted into a committee report that will be approved by the ways and means committee, setting the stage for the measure’s approval by the chamber in plenary session.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro objected to the swift approval of the measure as he demanded “constitutional right” to hear out lawmakers and stakeholders to raise their concerns on the measure during deliberations.

“There is no equitable taxation if in this Congress the stakeholders are not heard,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was persistent in opposing the approval of the bill, prompting Salceda to stand as the session was suspended while telling Rodriguez: “You are not even a member (of the committee). I just do not want to embarrass you.”

Prior to the HB 1026’s approval, Romualdez, author of House Bill 2467, said in his bill that “imposing higher taxes is still the most effective policy tool to affect prices to discourage consumption of sin products, in particular, among the youth and the poor who are the most sensitive to price changes.”

Romualdez said in his bill that was co-authored by his wife, Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Republic Act 10351 or the Sin Tax Reform Act, that was signed into law in December 2012, “is a good governance measure with positive impact on both fiscal and public health.”

He said RA 10351 corrected the long standing weaknesses of the tobacco and alcohol excise tax system and increased the rates to reduce the demands for these products, he said.

The Sin Tax Law also raised the much needed revenues to fund the Universal Health Care (UHC) program of the government.

By Francisco Tuyay ABU SAYYAF terrorists shot dead two soldiers and a two-year-old child and critically wounded another minor as the Muslim community celebrated Eid’l Adha in Talipao town in Sulu on Monday morning.

Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, spokesman of Joint Task Force Sulu, said the incident happened in Kagay village in Talipao town.

Killed were PFC Joie Halasan of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion and Civilian Auxiliary member Aldazier Hassan of the 1st Sulu CAA Company.

Monfort identified the slain toddler as Abdukalim Sahisa who died hours after being treated at the Integrated Provincial Health Office. The wounded student, 11-year-old Darna Abdukalim, was still in critical condition at the hospital.

‘HK...

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region were clear “signs of terrorism.”

In Manila, Malacañang advised Filipinos to avoid going to Hong Kong in the wake of massive protests against the controversial extradition bill.

“For now, avoid going there. That’s the advice because you’re not sure you’re going to reach Hong Kong in the first place,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“This is not the right time to go there because your flight might be canceled,” he added.

Hong Kong airport authorities on Tuesday suspended all check-ins, but reversed a previous statement saying that all departing flights had been cancelled as pro-democracy protesters blocked the facility.

“Terminal operations at Hong Kong International Airport have been seriously disrupted, and all check-in processes have now been suspended,” a statement on the airport website said. “All passengers are advised to leave the terminal buildings as soon as possible.”

The new rally on Tuesday came as Beijing sent further ominous signals that the 10 weeks of unrest must end, with state-run media showing videos of security forces gathering across the border.

The crisis, which has seen millions of people take to Hong Kong’s streets, has become the biggest challenge to Chinese rule of the semi-autonomous city since its 1997 handover from Britain.

Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing leader, Carrie Lam, gave an at-times emotional press conference on Tuesday morning in which she warned of dangerous consequences if escalating violence was not curbed.

“Violence, no matter if it’s using violence or condoning violence, will push Hong Kong down a path of no return,” Lam said. “The situation in Hong Kong in the past week has made me very worried that we have reached this dangerous

MM, Ilocos...

From A1

to the same period last year. Dengue, as we know, has ups and downs, it usually goes with two years low burden and the third year becomes a high burden, and 2019 is proving to be that,” Domingo said, adding that the same trend is true for other Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand.

Saying that rain patterns affect the breeding of dengue-carrying mosquitoes, Domingo urged the public to make their surroundings clean and keep their children protected all the time.

“The dengue mosquito does not travel far, but because of the wind factor, they can travel two to three more blocks. That’s why we say if there is clustering in your barangay, say yes to selective fogging because we know that the mosquitoes are concentrated in that certain area,” he said.

On Aug. 6, the DOH launched the Sabayang 4-o’clock Habit to raise awareness and encourage the community to do its share and take time to weed out dengue breeding sites at 4 p.m. every day.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III urged other government agencies, local

He said Halasan and Hassan were on board a motorcycle and were ambushed while traversing the populated Kagay village.

In June, seven people, including four army soldiers, were killed after the Abu Sayyaf detonated an explosive device at the front gate of the 1st Battalion Combat Team in Indanan, Sulu.

Monfort said family members and the community of Kagay expressed their willingness to assist law enforcers in tracking down the killers.

“We would like to extend our sympathies to the bereaved families of the victims of the Sayyaf’s inhumane act. Rest assured all sorts of assistance will be provided,’’ said Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana.

Major General Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the JTF Sulu, said the AFP in Sulu was saddened by the incident. situation.”

But a few hours after her press conference, thousands of protesters returned to Hong Kong airport with many sitting down in front of security gates at the departure hall.

“I want to shut down the airport just like yesterday so most of the departure flights will be cancelled,” a 21-year-old student who gave his surname as Kwok told AFP at the rally.

The protesters set up a long barricade made of luggage trolleys at one of the main security gates, then stood up to block passengers who sought to get through.

The protesters chanted: “Stand with Hong Kong, stand for freedom,” and daubed graffiti that included the term “an eye for an eye.” This was in reference to a serious facial injury that reportedly caused a woman to lose the vision in one eye at a demonstration that turned violent on Sunday night. The demonstrators accused police of causing the injury by firing a bean-bag round.

While the disruptions caused headaches for travelers, many said they sympathized with the protesters.

“The protesters are the loveliest people in the world,” said Pete Knox, a 65-year-old Brit on his way to Vietnam. “I understand the basics of the protest and they’ve got a point: It’s about freedom and democracy and it’s incredibly important.”

On Tuesday, Chinese state media upped the ante, calling protesters “mobsters,” warning they must never be appeased and raising the specter of mainland security forces intervening to quash them.

The official state news agency Xinhua warned in a commentary Tuesday that “violent radicals” were pushing Hong Kong into an “abyss.”

In a video posted on its Weibo channel, a CCTV anchor warned viewers: “When dealing with terrorism, there is no soft hand.”

The UN rights chief on Tuesday voiced concern over police force used against protesters during massive demonstrations in Hong Kong and called for an impartial probe. AFP with MJ Blancaflor government units, schools and communities to conduct the “4-o’clock habit para dengget out!” vector control program to effectively address the national epidemic.

“The pattern of dengue in the Philippines starts in July, and it stays up there until November because even after the rain stops there’s still water for two to three weeks where mosquitoes breed, the cases only go down by December. Awareness is really key,” Domingo said.

Stressing that early diagnosis and treatment improve the survival rate of dengue victims, Domingo reported the DOH has downloaded funds to provide help especially to those in the epidemic areas.

“We also made sure that our resources are prepositioned like the medicines and testing kits in the region, and of course, activated the dengue fast lanes in the hospitals and we’ve opened dedicated hospitals for dengue and referral centers,” he said.

Domingo added increased dengue cases can be expected in September and October, but should decline in November.

With 3,089 dengue cases, Quezon City topped the cities in Metro Manila with the most number of dengue cases.

Rio N. Araja, PNA

had taken advantage of the repeal of the Anti-Subverseion Law to continue their recruitment activities.

He said a revival of the Anti-Subversion Law would also complement President Rodrigo Duterte’s order creating the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Guevarra said among the amendments that could be done to further strengthen RA 9372 was to scrap the P500,000 penalty for each day of mistaken incarceration.

“There are many provisions that need to be amended. One of them imposes a penalty of P500,000 per day of incarceration upon any law enforcement officer who mistakenly accuses and prosecutes a person for terrorism, even if done in good faith, Guevarra said. With Macon RamosAraneta and MJ Blancaflor

EDSA...

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The Palace spokesman also said the MMDA will review the provincial bus ban and yellow lane policy, which came under fire for allegedly worsening the heavy traffic on EDSA. He has also asked the public to be patient since the MMDA is “doing its job” but also admitted that its “experiments” on EDSA were “hit or miss.”

Panelo also said the MMDA is considering the suggestion to relocate government offices outside Metro Manila and to reduce working hours to four days a week.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday said transferring government offices to the provinces would ease traffic in Metro Manila.

Malacañang could be moved to Clark in Pampanga, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to Zambales, and the Department of Public Works and Highways to Bulacan, for example, to stop people from converging on Metro Manila.

“Another way to do it, perhaps… as far as the grand transportation plan is concerned, is to decongest Metro Manila itself by transferring all the government departments and department’s offices outside of Metro Manila,” said Sotto.

“Nobody would go to Metro Manila then,” he said in Filipino. “They’ll be going there.”

Sotto added that the provincial bus ban along EDSA, which the MMDA proposed as a way to decongest the busy thoroughfare, is just a “band-aid” solution.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri pushed for the construction of elevated walkways and bike lanes along EDSA. He said the construction of an elevated walkway was “long overdue,” citing the lack of convenient inter-connection between the LRT and MRT systems as well as with other forms of public transport.

Other senators questioned the proposed provincial bus ban on EDSA, noting that a Quezon City court had stopped the MMDA from pushing through with it, and arguing that it inconvenienced those traveling to Metro Manila from the provinces.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon called for a review of the MMDA’s mandate, given the chaotic situation.

Drilon said he can imagine the difficulty of managing EDSA with all the local government units invoking their power over their respective jurisdiction.

“We are not depriving local government units of any power but just on that particular issue, the management of EDSA, this is a thoroughfare that is so critical to our economy. Maybe we should review the power of MMDA,” he said.

POGO...

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Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said wanted the Senate to investigate the apparent billions of pesos the government might be losing due to its failure to collect from the POGO hubs.

There may be 200,000 Chinese POGO workers in the Philippines based on studies, but Gatchalian said only 16,500 were registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“Where are the 170,000 POGO workers? If we are to estimate the supposed collection of the government from POGO workers, were are expecting to collect P40 billion,” Gatchalian said.

Nograles said the presence of POGOs near military facilities raised security concerns.

“What I’m afraid of is the government has this tendency to forget the big picture and being too parochial as far as POGOs are concerned, he said.

He urged the House committee on national defense and security to look into the matter to allow the issue to be discussed publicly.

The Finance department earlier said the income taxes that could be collected from foreign nationals working for POGOs was P32 billion annually, with the list of workers pegged at 138,001. With Julito G. Rada and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Terror suspect denies link with ISIS THE Department of Justice on Tuesday said one of the three suspected foreign terrorists that entered the country had appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation to clear her name.

“There were three names floated as potential terrorists from an Asian country planning to enter the Philippines,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters.

“Two of them have no arrival records as per the Bureau of Immigration. The woman is already here but has presented herself to the NBI and has disavowed any terrorist connection,” he added.

Nonetheless, Guevarra stressed that the BI’s Anti-Terror Group was on the alert regarding further movements of these persons.

Earlier, Guevarra directed the NBI to conduct its own investigation on the report of a terror plot in Northern Luzon.

The DOJ chief gave the NBI probers up to the end of the month to submit an initial report.

“The NBI has also been directed by the DOJ to do its own probe, particularly in northern Luzon,” he added.

The DOJ chief earlier said verifying the alleged terror threat was a topmost priority for the department since it generates fear and anxiety among the public.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines previously said they were still verifying the presence of the alleged terrorists in coordination with other government agencies.

The AFP also called on the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual activities to the police or the military.

Rey E. Requejo

Locsin...

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“Whatever the department says, that’s the policy of the administration, unless the President makes another policy statement,” Panelo said.

Locsin banned Chinese survey ships after Ryan Martinson, an assistant professor at the China Maritime Studies Institute of the US Naval War College, reported that Chinese-owned Zhanjian and Dong Fang Hong 3 have been conducting marine scientific research in the country’s EEZ without permission from the authorities.

The Zhanjian has been operating off the waters of Bicol and Eastern Visayas since Saturday while Dong Fang Hong 3 was spotted near Ilocos on Wednesday, Martinson said.

Under the UNCLOS, a ship conducting a scientific survey must request permission from the country that has jurisdiction over the area where the survey will take place.

The country had previously restricted France and Japan’s vessels, but Locsin added China, saying he would “universalize the ban.”

For his part, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana noted that survey ships were allowed in the country’s waters if they had asked for permission, clarified their purpose, and allowed a representative from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to board their vessel during their survey.

“I will talk to him first to find out what he really meant because we have been allowing foreign survey ships into our waters in the past,” Lorenzana told Manila Standard in a text message.

Since June, Locsin had announced the filing of at least three diplomatic protests over recent reports of Chinese vessels circling near or in Philippine waters on different occasions.

Trump’s...

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longstanding “public charge” law, the White House said the 22 million noncitizen residents of the United States who are using public services will not be able to obtain green cards or US citizenship.

In addition, hopeful migrants will not be granted resident visas if they are deemed too poor and likely to need public assistance.

“To protect benefits for American citizens, immigrants must be financially self-sufficient,” Trump said in a White House statement.

The move expands the Trump administration’s broad assault on immigration.

The government has already tried to crack down on illegal border crossers.

It has also stepped up arrests and deportations of the estimated 10.5 million undocumented migrants who live in the country, two-thirds of whom have been present for more than 10 years.

Both groups are largely ethnically Hispanic.

The newest move seeks to limit the path to citizenship for millions in the United States legally, tying their future hopes to not using public assistance programs. AFP

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Compensate Marawi City siege victims —lawmakers

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

TERRORISM PREVENTION. Senator Panfilo Lacson, Chairman of Senate Committee on National Defense and Security/Finance, fields questions to National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. during the Senate hearing on the proposed Prevention of Terrorism Act. Lino Santos

Pinoy law students abroad get new rules THE Supreme Court is imposing additional requirements for Filipino law students who will graduate from foreign law schools and who will be applying to take the Philippine bar examinations.

The SC said starting the 2023 bar examinations, Filipino bar applicants who will graduate from foreign law schools must submit certifications “on completion of all courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Laws or its equivalent degree, recognition or accreditation of the law school by the proper authority, and completion of all the fourth year subjects in the Bachelor of Laws academic program in a law school duly recognized by the Philippine Government.”

Aside from these new requirements, the bar takers are required to submit a certification that they completed satisfactorily the program on clinical legal education.

The prescribed courses in law schools are civil law, commercial law, remedial law, criminal law, public and private international law, political law, labor and social legislation, medical jurisprudence, taxation, and legal ethics, and clinical legal education program.

Rey E. Requejo

Protect foreigners in PH, says Locsin FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said gov’t authorities should protect foreigners, including the Chinese nationals, as he warned of dire consequences.

Locsin on Tuesday urged government authorities to make sure that those behind the death of a 27-year-old Chinese national in Las Piñas City last Friday is brought to justice, saying failure to do so will have dire consequences for Filipinos living and working in China.

“It makes no difference who the killers, killing happened here. Our obligation is to bring them to justice pronto,” Locsin said in his Twitter account.

Locsin was referring to the death of Chinese national Yang Kang who fell to his death from the sixth floor of his office building in Pamplona Dos, Las Piñas city.

A security officer later found Kang’s body handcuffed and sprawled across the street. Rey E. Requejo

Du30 signs two new measures PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved a measure that will reduce the cost of electricity and a law creating the Philippine Space Agency.

Republic Act No. 11371 or the “Murang Kuryente Act” aims to source government shares on the Malampaya fund to pay the debts of the National Power Corp.

The debts were now being charged to consumers as reflected in monthly electricity bills.

Based on the new law, P208 billion of the proceeds from the net national government share from Malampaya fund will be utilized for the payment of stranded contract costs and stranded debts transferred to and assumed by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.

Meanwhile, Republic Act No. 11363 or the “Philippine Space Act” will establish the Philippine Space Agency expected to foster nationalism while contributing to the development of space technology.

Under the new law, the country will focus on space applications that will preserve and enhance national security.

It will also develop space applications to formulate hazard management and disaster mitigation strategy.

Speed up poll protest vs. Leni, Marcos asks PET

By Rey E. Requejo

M

ARCOS asks PET to convene its panel of commissioners to speed up resolution of his poll protest vs. VP Robredo.

The camp of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has asked the Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, to immediately order the panel of commissioners to constitute itself and subsequently conduct a preliminary conference with regard to his election protect against Vice President Leni Robredo.

In a seven-page motion, Marcos invoked Rule 56 of the 2010 PET Rules mandating the panel of commissioners to fix the date for the reception of evidence and the submission of the affidavits of the witnesses by setting a preliminary conference together with the parties in the case.

The panel of commissioners chaired by retired Associate Justice Jose Vitug was earlier created by PET to assist it in the expeditious disposition of the election protest.

“Unfortunately, despite the lapse of more than five months since the termination of the revision proceedings for the pilot provinces in this election protest, the designated hearing commissioners of the Honorable Tribunal have yet to set the preliminary conference in this case for the purpose of fixing the date for the reception of evidence and the submission of the affidavits of the witnesses,” Marcos said, in his sevenpage urgent motion filed through his

lawyer George Garcia.

The pilot provinces—Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental—cover a total of 5,418 clustered precincts.

Marcos argued that the grant of his motion is consistent with the PET’s mandate to ensure a prompt and expeditious resolution of the election protest.

“Public interest demands that this electoral controversy be resolved with dispatch to determine once and for all the genuine choice of the electorate for the contested position,” the former lawmaker said.

On June 29, 2016, Marcos filed the election protest, claiming that Robredo’s camp cheated in the automated polls in May that year.

In his protest, Marcos contested the results from 132,446 precincts in 39,221 clusters, covering 27 provinces and cities.

Robredo won the vice presidential race in the May 2016 polls with 14,418,817 votes or 263,473 more than Marcos’ 14,155,344 votes.

Guimaras-Iloilo motorbancas OKd to sail again THE Maritime Industry Authority on Tuesday lifted the suspension order on the sailing of woodenhulled motorbancas plying the Iloilo-Guimaras route to address the stranding of passengers in the affected ports.

Newly appointed Director Jose Venancio Vero Jr., regional director of MARINA Regional Office VI (Western Visayas), signed the memorandum dated Aug. 13, ordering the temporary lifting of the suspension.

“Upon the directive of the officerin-charge, MARINA and in order to address the stranding of passengers in Guimaras, the suspension of operation of passenger bancas in the Guimaras to Iloilo and vice versa route is hereby temporarily lifted,” the memorandum read.

Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Communications Goddes Hope Libiran said the order was based on the directive of DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade.

“Upon the directive of Secretary Tugade, MARINA recently ordered the temporary lifting of the suspension,” Libiran said in a message sent to reporters.

The lifting of the suspension came with the following conditions: Passengers should wear life jackets at all times throughout the voyage; Motorbancas shall carry passengers up to 75 percent of their authorized capacity only; the tarpaulins/canvas shall either be rolled-up or removed; the operation of motorbancas shall be during fair weather only; Wind not more than Force 3 of the Beaufort scale (7-10 knots) and the wave height is not more than 0.5 meters; and the operation will be from sunrise to sunset only.

The directive also said that motorbancas shall be equipped with distress signals/equipment. PNA

TWO lawmakers from Mindanao have filed a bill that proposes to compensate victims of the five-month Marawi Siege over two years ago, citing the current deplorable state of the evacuated residents who are still waiting for the government’s promise of rehabilitation.

Representatives Mujiv Hataman of Basilan and Amihilda Sangcopan of Anak Mindanao Party-list group, authors of House Bill 3543, known as “Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2019,” seek ‘to quantify and eventually legislate payment for lost, damaged or destroyed properties of victims of the 2017 Marawi crisis.”

Hataman, the former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said the Marawi Compensation Bill is an “urgent piece of legislation” that “will address the grievances of our fellow Meranaw who have survived the Marawi siege and, yet, continue to suffer due to a continuous cycle of injustice.”

“As the bill goes through the legislative process, we need every ounce of support from our Meranaw brothers and sisters whose strength sustains their calls for justice. We also seek support from the rest of the Filipino people, whose solidarity is necessary for this bill to pass as a national expression of the government’s commitment to its people,” Hataman said.

The bill provides for the monetary compensation for real estate properties damaged or destroyed during the siege. It pegged the amount at P1,500 per square meter for residences and P2,000 per square meter for commercial structures.

There are, however, preconditions in the granting of this amount, which are specified on the bill’s Chapter 3 (Claimants and Compensation), specifically sections 14 and 15. Payment applies only to lawful owners of the properties lost or damaged.

“Two years after the Marawi siege, it is heartbreaking that many Maranaw families affected by the crisis still spend their Eid in tents and temporary shelters.

I am with them in their suffering and I pray that their suffering will be eased both in law and in life,” Hataman said, noting the recent Eid’l Adha celebration among Muslims. With PNA

Medialdea files more libel cases vs. Tulfo

By MJ Blancaflor

SHOE CAPITAL. Workers of a shoe factory in Marikina City seen mass producing durable and quality shoe products. Marikina is known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines because of its shoe industry and for being the biggest manufacturer of shoes nationwide. Manny Palmero

‘Sixto Brillante’ an honest airport worker

By Joel E. Zurbano A NAMESAKE of former Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. working at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport returned a bag containing money worth P430,000 to a Turkish air traveler.

Sixto O. Brillante Jr., an airport cleaner of Manila Allied Management Service Cooperative, was mopping the floor at the immigration area of NAIA Terminal 1 on Aug. 10 when a passenger called his attention to inform him about a black sling bag left behind by another passenger.

Brillante immediately coordinated with his partner assigned at the female comfort room to help him locate the owner through the paging system then turned over the bag to the Lost and Found Section of the Intelligence and

Investigation Division.

IID personnel found 7,300 euros inside two white envelopes in the bag.

In Philippine currency, the total amount would reach some P430,000. A wallet and an Ipad gadget were also inside the bag.

Hours later, a Turkish air traveler came and found to be the rightful owner of the bag. The passenger, however, requested anonymity for purposes other than the official report.

Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal commended Brillante for his honesty.

“Mr. Brillante could have easily kept the bag and favorably benefitted from what’s inside it, but he chose to surrender it. I admire him for his integrity. Hearing stories like this makes us Filipinos proud,” said Monreal.

EXECUTIVE Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday filed his third libel complaint against columnist Ramon Tulfo, who was recently appointed as special envoy for public diplomacy to China.

Medialdea sued Tulfo for another four counts of libel for articles that were published by the Manila Times on July 25 and on Aug. 1.

The first column alleged that Medialdea’s office was withholding the release of P272.07million cash reward of Felicito Mejorado, who purportedly tipped off authorities in a 1997 seizure of smuggled goods in Mariveles, Bataan.

The executive secretary had denied Tulfo’s allegations.

In the Aug. 1 column Tulfo implied that Medialdea is “onion-skinned” and “incompetent” as an executive secretary.

“Clearly, respondent Tulfo’s unfounded, baseless and malicious allegations gravely injured my reputation, diminished the esteem, confidence and respect of the public for me and my office, and incited derogatory opinions about me and the office I hold,” Medialdea said.

Also named respondents in the complaint were five executives and editors from the Manila Times.

Medialdea previously filed a libel comlaint against Tulfo on July 17 and on Aug. 6.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

POGOs should be confined to their own hubs THE plan to confine Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations within economic hubs is practical and doable.

It’s the best way to prevent unruly Chinese workers from getting into trouble with Filipinos. This will also make it easier for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to identify who the illegal operators are.

We, Filipinos, if we go to China, will also have our rights curtailed. For

This will make it easier for PAGCOR to identify who the illegal operators are. example, I cannot join the protests in Hong Kong. Nor can any Filipino.

The Chinese Embassy is claiming that confining POGO workers within economic hubs would curtail their rights. But the Chinese ambassador forgets that aliens really do not enjoy the same rights as they do in their home countries.

POGOS have been giving the government much-needed revenue in terms of taxes, sure. But it’s time we put in place measures to ensure that only the legal ones operate. *** If we say it is all right for public officials to accept “small and insignificant” gifts if the people appreciate the work they do, the next logical question is this: How do we define “small and insignificant”?

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Will a simple shirt or lechon count as small and insignificant?

If you are affluent, you can show your appreciation to cops by giving them gifts. What if you are poor or jobless? This is where the problem lies.

Soon, every public official will be expecting and demanding gifts just for doing what should be done.

What the President suggested destroys our concept of government as a form of public service. No wonder the Civil Service Commission did not agree with the President. With Mr. Duterte’s suggestion, government corruption will not only continue but worsen.

Remember, if there is discretion, graft and corruption are sure to fol follow. *** Santa Banana, what will they think of next?

I refer to the move of banks to increase ATM charges to P10-P15 per inter-bank withdrawal. Obviously, banks have been making oodles of money. Just read the business section of newspapers. There must be a law to stop banks from taking advantage of the public through these ATM charges!

I support the move of Congress to investigate this. In fact, I would go further and say that the probe should also look into the usurious 3.60 percent monthly charge for the use of credit cards. This is extortion in any language! If you had to pay 3.60 percent monthly for the use of credit cards, you can easily go bankrupt. *** The continued protests in Hong Kong is something for us Filipinos to look at and learn from. There are 110,000 overseas Filipinos there.

F

The thinking trigger

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday the country has banned all foreign marine survey ships— including those from China—from entering the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, only to take the order back later.

Secretary Locsin’s initial statement, as often is the case, came by way of a post on his official Twitter page, and bore his inimitable imperious imprint.

“I banned marine survey ships, amending restriction to France & Japan by adding China,” the secretary declared, eschewing the editorial “we” that would be far more appropriate for a major government action, such as a ban on maritime traffic.

The secretary’s remarks came on the heels of reports earlier this month that Chinese oceanographic survey ships Zhanjian and Dong Fang Hong 3 have been conducting marine scientific research in the country's EEZ. In his previous tweets, the secretary makes no secret of the key role he believes he plays.

“When it comes to national security, I am the thinking trigger; the finger is the Commander-in-Chief and the Armed Forces which are the

protector of people and state," Locsin tweeted.

One problem with this tweet-fromthe-hip approach is that sometimes he gets it wrong. Shortly after announcing the ban, for example, Locsin admitted that the country may not ban marine surveys after all, under the terms of the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea. The most it can do is demand that the surveying parties seek permission.

The secretary’s bold statements are nonetheless welcome, particularly to those among the public that feel China has been pushing us around long enough in the West Philippine Sea, and that the national leadership has been soft on Beijing.

But here’s the rub. The secretary’s statements are often at odds with the actions of President Rodrigo Duterte when it comes to China.

For example, when the President revealed that he had a verbal agree-

ment with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016 that China would no longer block Filipino fishermen from the Chinese-occupied Scarborough Shoal as long as their vessels would be allowed to fish in Recto Bank, Locsin said this did not constitute a national policy.

The verbal agreement, which would in effect allow the Chinese to exploit the country’s EEZ, was unenforceable, Locsin said. “You need a document to prove an agreement...”

That view went directly against the Palace position that the verbal agreement was legally binding.

There was word of honor among the heads of state, said Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo, who also serves as the President’s chief legal counsel.

“Even if the agreement is verbal, it is valid and binding as long as there is mutual consent among the two parties,” he added in Filipino.

In the real world that exists outside of Twitter, what does the “thinking trigger” do in matters of national security, when his boss gives him the finger?

Turn to A5

Epidemic

I JUST got back from a two-week sabbatical in the United States hoping to decompress from the stress of the daily news here on riding-in-tandem shooting, kidnap for ransom and the monster traffic in Metro Manila.

But I was wrong. Instead I was subjected to a surfeit of horrific news of mass shootings in three places in just two weeks.

The worst incident was the killing of 20 people at a shopping mall in El Paso, Texas. This was followed by another random act of violence in Dayton, Ohio which left nine people dead. Earlier, seven were shot dead in a garlic festival in California.

Why is this epidemic of violence happening in America?

First is the easy access and availability of guns under the US policy of the right of every citizen to bear arms to protect himself or herself against lawless elements. The problem is that instead of preventing crime and defending oneself against criminals, the gun buyer becomes the potential criminal.

US authorities describe the recent mass shootings as an act of terrorism by homegrown terrorists. These are the US’ new enemies from within.

They are not your stereotype Middle Eastern variety. He could be the son who’s breaking up emotionally or a co-worker who feels left out and despondent.

It is when this depressed person reaches a tipping point that he decides to commit a senseless act of violence as reprisal for imagined hurt and offenses against him.

In the El Paso shooting, the sus-

pect who was captured told police he was targeting Mexicans in the area.

The police refused to relate his statement to the anti-illegal Mexican immigrants position of President Donald Trump.

Why build a wall along the USMexico border? Shoot them instead, the El Paso gunman must have thought.

Many and most Americans condemned the mass shootings as senseless act of cowardice. But after the furor and outrage, expect more such incidents to happen.

America from the East and westward is a land founded on guns.

Why is this happening in America?

Hence, we see the lore of gun duels between bad men and sheriffs as the stuff of Western movies.

The lobby and influence of the powerful National Rifle Association is a factor to reckon with. Politicians seeking public office know they need the endorsement and funding of this lobby group to win. So don’t expect legislation to curb gun sales. It won’t happen.

What will happen is that there will be more incidents of mass shootings by crazed lone-wolf gunmen.

Fortunately in the Philippines, mass shooting and suicide bombing is not an acceptable practice. Suicide bombing was resorted to by police in Indanan, Sulu but has yet to be repeated in Metro Manila’s crowded shopping malls where the casualty rate would be high.

It is therefore, incumbent upon security guards to make sure a mass

Turn to A5

Climate change, land and your life A SPECIAL report, Climate Change and Land, by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released Aug. 7 in Geneva, will make you stop eating rice, pork, beef, hamburgers, and everything processed and genetically modified.

It says the only thing safe to eat, if you are serious about preserving the environment, for your children, grandchildren and their children, is fish.

You may have to ditch your car into the river for good. And you should also limit the amount of water you drink—a rule, which if followed seriously, will make you dead, of course.

And even after you die, you will still

Which is more important—food security and reducing malnutrition or halting and reversing desertification and land degradation? pollute the environment. reSo I advise you, if you read the re port, don’t be too serious about it. Eat. Enjoy life, which is short anyway, by global standards, for Filipinos, only 68-69 years.

After all, the contribution of all Filipinos, 106 million of us, is less than one-tenth of one percent. The top six countries who contribute 60 percent of

total pollution (as of 2015) are: China 28 percent; United States 15 percent; JaIndia 6 percent; Russia 5 percent, Ja pan 4 percent, and Germany 2 percent.

So before citizens of the Philippines suffer, shouldn’t the Chinese, Americans, Indians, Russians, Japanese, and the Germans suffer first? By so doing, the world will solve 60 percent of its total carbon dioxide emissions. And the rest of the world can live better.

According to IPCC, agriculture eats up 70 percent of total water use. Global population growth and changes in per capita consumption of food, feed, fiber, timber and energy have caused unprecedented rates of land and freshwater use.

Currently, 25-30 percent (about 1.2 billion tons) of total food produced is lost or wasted. Changes in consumption patterns have contributed to about 2 billion adults now being overweight Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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

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Opinion Kashmiri Hindus dream of going home

By Abhaya Srivastava UTPAL Kaul, a Hindu, has dreamt of returning to his lakeside property and peach orchard in Kashmir ever since he fled the Muslimdominated valley three decades ago in fear of his life.

It seemed like an impossible hope—until last week, when India's Hindu-nationalist government dramatically revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special autonomy, paving the way for the 67-year-old to finally go home.

"I never thought I will see this day in my lifetime," Kaul told AFP as he broke down in tears at his house in New Delhi.

"I may be physically here but my heart is in Kashmir."

The historian was among around 200,000 Hindus who fled the Kashmir Valley after an insurgency against Indian rule erupted in 1989.

Known as Kashmiri Pandits, they re-settled in the Hindu-dominated southern part of the state, Jammu, and other parts of India.

Many thought they would never be able to return.

The scrapping of Article 370— which was in force for seven decades—means Indians across the country can now buy property in the picturesque Himalayan region.

For Kashmiri Pandits like Kaul, it offers the chance to return to a place that holds a lifetime of memories.

Kaul's five-storey home was looted and burnt down in the 1990s as a violent insurgency took hold in Kashmir, with some militants

Climate...

From A4

or obese.

An estimated 821 million people are still undernourished. About 500 million people live in places turning into desert. Soil is being lost between 10 and 100 times faster than it is forming, according to the report.

About a quarter of the Earth’s icefree land area is subject to humaninduced degradation. Soil erosion from agricultural fields is estimated to be currently 10 to 20 times (no tillage) to more than 100 times (conventional tillage) higher than the soil formation rate.

Humans degrade the land. Land use by humans is “unprecedented in human history,” the report says. Human use “affects about 60-85 percent of forests and 70-90 percent of other natural ecosystems (e.g., savannahs, natural grasslands).” And land use has caused an 11-to-14 percent drop in global biodiversity, IPCC notes.

Not only is human use of the land more pervasive than ever, it is set against a background of a warming climate. Climate change is magnifying the pressures that humans are already putting on the land.

Climate change “not only exacerbates many of the well acknowledged ongoing land degradation processes” of managed landscapes, such as croplands and pasture, but it “becomes a dominant pressure that introduces novel degradation pathways in natural and semi-natural ecosystems,” the report says.

The report also notes that “changes in extreme weather and climate have negative impacts on food security through regional reductions of crop

POGOs...

From A4

Many others are expatriates and residents.

There are now fears that if the protesters continue what they are doing, Beijing may be forced to what is necessary to stop them.

And if China quelled the Hong Kong protests, this can only have bad consequences for the former Crown colony.

First to go will be tourism. And then the rich will take advantage of the dual citizenship they got in 1997. I am told there is now an exodus of Hong Kong residents to England. They are

explicitly targeting the Hindu minority who had resided there for centuries.

"I was born there, my family has lived there for generations... but still I was required to prove my Kashmiri identity," he said.

He and his family were forced to salvage whatever they could and escape, he added, showing AFP old books he has carefully kept for decades.

India's decision represents a "new dawn" for his "beloved homeland", he said.

"All will be equal in Kashmir now."

Eager to go back Bordered by China, India, Pakistan and Tibet, Kashmir is a spectacularly scenic region of snowcapped peaks, vast valleys and barren plateaus.

It was divided between Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindumajority India after independence troops in the region, and tens of thousands of reinforcements were sent in to enforce a security lockdown after Article 370 was revoked last week.

Vivek Raina, another displaced Kashmiri Pandit living in Delhi, is haunted by the violence his family experienced when the insurgency broke out.

The 37-year-old said his uncle who stayed back in Kashmir was gunned down on the street after he defied a shutdown call by separatists.

As a child, Raina recalled being slapped by a barber in Srinagar when he asked for a haircut re-

sembling that of an Indian—rather than a Pakistani—cricketer.

Despite the painful memories, the pull of Kashmir remains strong, the software engineer said.

"I am very eager to go back and contribute in some way. I am interested in beekeeping, now I see this as possible," Raina told AFP.

Kashmir a part of us But the spectre of further unrest lingers, with the main Kashmiri city of Srinagar choked by razor wire, security checkpoints and armed soldiers.

India has also imposed a communications blackout—with mobile, landline and internet services cut to prevent any organised violence.

Experts have warned of a long and bloody fightback by locals who believe New Delhi is seeking to dilute the region's Muslim majority by allowing Hindus to migrate to the territory.

In 2015 India's government said it would establish gated communities for Hindu returnees with schools, hospitals and shopping areas located within the township.

But opinion is divided.

"If we are talking of integration we have to live together with our Muslim neighbours like before," said Raina.

In a region wracked by violence, it could be a long time before that ever comes to pass.

After decades spent dreaming of home, many say they are willing to wait a little longer.

"But we will definitely go and make Kashmir a part of us again," Kaul said. AFP

yields.” Around 10 percent of cereal production has been lost globally because of extreme weather events.

Since 1961 methane emissions from ruminant livestock, which includes cows as well as sheep, buffalo and goats, have significantly increased, notes the New York Times quoting IPCC. Yearly, forested land that is cleared—much of that propelled by demand for pasture land for cattle— releases the emissions equivalent of driving 600 million cars.

Cattle are significant producers of methane, another powerful greenhouse gas, and an increase in global demand for beef and other meats has fueled their numbers and increased deforestation in critical forest systems like the Amazon.

Land contributes an annual value of $75 trillion to 85 trillion—to the global economy, an amount greater than the world’s GDP. Per IPCC data, humans have appropriated three-quarters of the ice-free land globally. About 12-14 percent of that area is used for growing crops, 22 percent are managed or planted forests; and 37 percent is grassland for grazing and other uses.

Warming—and changes in rainfall patterns—have “altered the start and end of growing seasons, contributed to regional crop yield reductions, reduced freshwater availability, and put biodiversity under further stress and increased tree mortality.”

“Conversion of natural land, and land management, are significant net contributors to GHG [greenhouse gas] emissions and climate change, but land ecosystems are also a GHG sink.”

So which is more important—food security and reducing malnutrition or halting and reversing desertification

and land degradation?

The world’s forest declined by 3 percent from 1990-2015. Satellite data suggest that forest loss is accelerating.

Warming conditions and changing rainfall patterns will also “trigger changes in land—and crop management, such as changes in planting and harvest dates, type of crops, and type of cultivars”, the report notes, “which may alter the conditions for soil erosion.”

The air can generally hold around 7 percent more moisture for every 1 degree Celsius of temperature rise. This means a warmer climate has the potential for more intense rainfall events, which “increase the erosive power of rainfall (erosivity) and hence increase the likelihood of water erosion,” the report says.

Heavy rainfall and flooding can also “delay planting, increase soil compaction, and cause crop losses,” the report says, and “flooding associated with tropical cyclones can lead to crop failure from both rainfall and storm surges.”

In some cases, this flooding can affect yields more than drought, the report notes—particularly in tropical regions, such as India, and in some mid- and high-latitude regions, such as China and central and northern Europe.

Extreme heat events can reduce photosynthesis in trees, restrict growth rates of leaves and reduce growth of the whole tree, the report notes. Forests can become less resilient to future heat stress as extreme events occur more often, the report adds, and “widespread regional tree mortality may be triggered directly by drought and heat stress (including warm winters) and exacerbated by insect outbreak and fire.”

definitely taking advantage of their British passports. Those billionaires are definitely not staying. *** My former student, Bobby Ongpin, does not seem to know when to stop. He is continually improving the facilities of his island paradise, Balesin.

Bobby has just put up a new events facility which has a capacity of 1,000.

Called the Balesin Marquee, it is certainly impressive.

The Chinese restaurant should be ready for business by October.

A Cantonese chef will be flown in from Hong Kong. This restaurant has a seating capacity of 150.

Not content with all these, Ongpin has also decided to have a Vietnamese restaurant.

Bobby is truly outdoing himself. *** What is China’s true intention on the Philippines? Frankly, I don’t know.

What I do know is that the presence of so many Chinese in the country is disturbing.

Since we cannot go to war with China, all we can do is have a policy of appeasement, accommodation and acquiescence. I am truly about the future—not mine, but that of my children and grandchildren.

biznewsasia@gmail.com

www.emiljurado.weebly.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Harvesting rain of all that water for irrigation.

So much debate has put to a halt the construction of the Kaliwa and Kanan dams, or the Laiban, or whatever else, such as the over-stretched concern for the ancestral domain of indigenous peoples, but what about AS THE plane circles Taoyuan be- the needs of millions of our populafore landing at the Taiwan Inter- tion who need water. Need we renational Airport, one would notice mind everybody that water is life? several “lakes” which are actually We speak of food security, parcatch basins for rain water. Actu- ticularly as it concerns rice proally you can see these reservoirs, duction. We keep arguing that the these water impounding basins, all Vietnamese and the Thais studied over the island. agriculture at Los Baños, yet they Before Davao City had safe and are rice surplus countries from clean water piped into homes and which we now import our staple. establishments from Dumoy in the It’s really such an absurd argument. late sixties, residents had galvaFirst there is the impact of our nized iron water e ve r-g r ow i ng tanks connected population.

I to their downkeep repeating spouts, which that our 7,100 I have always served their wa- wondered why we islands all comter requirements. prise 30 million Those were the do not make use of hectares while days when for- the tons and tons of Thailand’s conests were still rainwater that pour tiguous whole is lush, and rain from the heavens during all of 51 million occurred each hectares. But on afternoon until our wet season. the demand side, early evening we are 110 milin most parts of lion mouths to Mindanao. feed versus Thailand’s 68 million.

One of the biggest problems of And then there is water. It takes Baguio City is the paucity of wa- 5,000 liters of water to produce a ter. In a city that sits on a river kilogram of rice. Thailand has the delta at the mouth of Agusan Riv- Chao Phrya; Vietnam, Laos and er, the water supply that f lows into Cambodia have the Mekong River, the taps of residents is chancy. even Myanmar has the Irrawady.

Ironically, when the rains swell Our Cagayan River is long but relthe Taguibo River from where the atively shallow and narrow. The water concessionaire gets its sup- Agusan and Rio Grande, Pulangi ply, that is when the taps run dry. and Agus in Mindanao are not When I built my house on the fully exploited for their irrigation Tagaytay Ridge way back 1977, potential.

But this is the worst part: the there was no assurance I would get water from the Tagaytay City number of irrigated ricelands we Water District, because my lot have has not significantly increased was about 200 meters from the na- since the time when Ferdinand Martional highway. So I had a huge cos was the president. When Marcistern built underneath what was cos left, 1.4 million hectares were to be my carport and the down- irrigated, some of them built as far spouts of the house were connect- back as when Elpidio Quirino was president in the early fifties. We ed to that cistern.

But by 1978, when the house was have added to that just about a hunfinished, the water district began dred thousand hectares.

I just read a news item about the laying pipes to my property and the adjoining house owned by a Commission on Audit taking the celebrated movie star, so the rain- National Irrigation Authority (NIA) water collected into my cistern was to explain why some P20 billion of used for watering the plants and the irrigation projects are grinding exceedingly slow. lawn.

Add to all these the specter of cliI have always wondered why we do not make use of the tons and mate change, the impact of which tons of rainwater that pour from everyone and his mother have exthe heavens during our wet season. plained to death.

Even the water supply for the padThese days, for instance, we have torrents of rainfall pounding on dies of the Indo-Chinese peninsula rooftops, causing floods and inun- are in danger. China is building dating both urban streets and ru- more and more dams, trapping the ral fields. The water, the precious water that flows from the Tibetan water, just stays there, waiting for highlands into the mighty Mekong River. Laos, for its part, is getting natural evaporation.

When a prolonged El Niño started both China and Thailand to finance to dry up Angat Dam, the entire me- the construction of dam after dam tropolis was in near panic as one of that would produce hydro-electric the water concessionaires, Manila power that they would then sell to Water, started rationing its supply Thailand.

The geographical fact that China in some parts of its concession area.

Now we are relieved because the controls the territory in the upland rains have come, and Angat as well sources presents a potential danger as La Mesa have leveled up. But to the low countries.

So the President in his latest wait for the next drought.

Whenever I pass the Quezon Me- SONA proposes a Department of morial Circle during a heavy down- Water Resource Management, putpour, I always wonder why either ting together the various agencies the national or local governments that are mandated to manage water have not constructed a huge cistern supply: the MWSS, the LWUA, the underneath the Circle to catch all NWRB, and whatever else.

Will the new department finally the floodwaters that cover the ellipput direction and create plans that tical road network.

When heavy rainfall causes land- will answer the ever-growing need slides in the Cordilleras, the streams for water?

Meanwhile, water conversation and rivulets that feed into the Agno River get swollen, but all that pre- could be started by local governcious water just flows into the sea ments, households, and everyone after traversing Pangasinan. Think for that matter.

Epidemic From A4

shooter or suicide bomber does not slip past them and wreak mayhem inside the mall.

A rash of random shootings would be a worse epidemic than the current epidemic of dengue cases on the domestic front. So far more than 100,000 dengue cases with more than 400 deaths have been reported nationwide, with Metro Manila recording the highest number of cases.

With the onset of the rainy sea-

son, resulting in flooding in many areas, the dengue-carrying mosquito is expected to proliferate.

It is heartening to see that the Department of Health and the Department of the Interior and Local Government are joining hands on the dengue problem. The use of the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine is being studied by the DOH to fight the dreaded disease. If this is successful, the French pharmaceutical firm Pasteur Sanofi will be vindicated against allegations that its drug is non-effective and even lethal.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 Standard A6 TODAY Manila

Republic of the Philippines CITY OF MAKATI Office of the City Treasurer

No.

NOTICE

The owners of the motor vehicles listed below are hereby given notice of their option to redeem their respective vehicles after paying all the necessary charges to the Ordinance Violation Receipt Redemption Management Division, 7th floor, Makati City Hall Building II, F. Zobel St., Brgy. Poblacion, Makati City, within a period of fifteen (15) calendar days from date of first publication, on August 9, 2019.

All vehicles not redeemed within the period provided above will be deemed abandoned for failure to pay the necessary and required fines and penalties within six (6) months from date of apprehension and shall be considered for disposal in accordance with the requirements of Makati City Ordinance 2014-066 and other existing laws, rules and regulation.

No.

Type of Vehicle/Brand

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146

RUSI BLACK 9514 TD ROUSER BLACK NO PLATE FURY WHITE 2671 PG RUSI BLACK 4464 SD SUZUKI BLACK 5489 AO HONDA RED NO PLATE YAMAHA GOLD/BLACK 1308 SO SUZUKI WHITE/RED FOR REG RACAL WHITE/RED NO PLATE EURO BLACK NO PLATE SYM BLACK 4219 NO SYM BLACK 31641 NA YAMAHA BLACK 5336 NI KAWASAKI RED 6654 IO KAWASAKI RED 6749 OQ KAWASAKI RED 7712 TN SYM BLACK NO PLATE YAMAHA BLACK 3913 SE HONDA BLACK 5278 UA HONDA BLACK/RED FOR REG MOTORSTAR RED 1337 PS SYM BLACK NO PLATE HONDA RED FOR REG HONDA BLUE FOR REG RUSI RED FOR REG EURO WHITE/BLUE FOR REG HONDA BLACK/RED 2958 TE YAMAHA BLUE 1333 TE EURO RED 2309 PB MOTORSTAR BLUE 5025 UP KAWASAKI RED FOR REG SUZUKI GOLD 8731 TB HONDA BLACK 7271 UE HONDA RED 2030 NO HONDA RED 6215 PP SYM BLACK 4573 XZ MOTOROSH BLUE 7941 EM SYM BLACK&WHITE FOR REG JAILING BLACK/RED 19192 NA SYM BLACK FOR REG RACAL BLACK FOR REG JAILING BLACK 4928 NK SUZUKI BLACK/RED 9960 PP HONDA BLACK 2772 NF RACAL WHITE FOR REG HONDA RED 3200 UP EURO RED NO PLATE RUSI BLACK 7258 DL HONDA BLACK 9593 UQ HONDA BLACK 9765 TG EURO BLACK 3154 NI EURO RED NO PLATE KAWASAKI BLUE 9187 PN SYM RED NO PLATE YAMAHA BLACK/RED NO PLATE YAMAGUCHI BLUE 9651 NI MOTORSTAR BLACK NO PLATE EURO BLACK FOR REG HONDA RED 7593 UU JAILING BLACK NO PLATE MOTORSTAR BLACK 9838 PR HONDA BLACK FOR REG EURO BLACK 6422 XR EURO RED FOR REG SUZUKI BLACK 8389 UP KAWASAKI BLACK 4885 OV RACAL BLACK FOR REG RACAL YELLOW NO PLATE ZUNGSING RED 4980 PW YAMAHA WHITE 1426 OM YAMAHA RED 4251 QO HONDA RED 4750 PO RUSI BLUE NO PLATE HONDA RED FOR REG EURO BLUE FOR REG RUSI BLUE NO PLATE SYM RED 95035 DC YAMAHA BLACK 32697 DS EURO BLACK/RED 57016 BD HAOJUE BLUE NO PLATE SYM BLUE 72914 BD SUZUKI BLUE 7288 OT HONDA RED NO PLATE SKYDRIVE BLACK 2032 OD SYM RED 48750 DA SUZUKI BLACK 81844 NA SYM RED/WHITE 75349 BA RUSI ORANGE 5803 W EURO RED 61925 BC SYM BLUE 75266 BA KYMCO RED FOR REG SYM BLUE NO PLATE KAWASAKI BLACK 26173 NC EURO WHITE FOR REG SYM RED FOR REG SUZUKI BLACK NO PLATE HONDA BLUE 9417 N HONDA BLACK 4483 CR HONDA BLUE 3935 CR RACAL RED NO PLATE MOTORSTAR RED FOR REG SUZUKI BLACK/RED 6906 NH SYM BLACK/RED 68592 BA HONDA BLACK 5235 HR RUSI BLUE 4948 US ZONGZIN BLUE 9698 OR KAWASAKI BLUE 5422 PY SYM WHITE/BLACK 90020 BA HIONDA BLACK 92199 NC SUZUKI BLACK 9718 NK SYM RED 38786 BC HONDA BLACK NO PLATE HONDA RED/BLACK 17025 NA HONDA BLACK 9242 TR HONDA BLACK 5735 TA EURO BLACK FOR REG SYM RED FOR REG RACAL RED NO PLATE SYM WHITE/BLUE NO PLATE HONDA RED 99799 DC MOTORSTAR WHITE/BLUE FOR REG SUZUKI BLACK 9841 XF EURO BLACK 95760 BO SYM RED 97095 DC EURO WHITE 85891 BC HONDA BLUE 4508 ZL YAMAHA BLACK FOR REG RUSI BLACK FOR REG EURO BLUE 69095 BF MIO BLACK 7250 UA SUZUKI BLACK 5521 QY SUZUKI BLACK 6797 NR SUZUKI BLACK NO PLATE SYM BLUE 29200 BC SKYGO BLACK FOR REG HONDA RED 4408 NJ KYMCO BLACK 56699 NA KAWASAKI RED NO PLATE MOTORSTAR RED FOR REG RUSI RED 4216 UW HONDA WHITE 2954 UF YAMAHA BLACK 3731 PY SYM WHITE FOR REG HONDA WHITE 3210 QB SUZUKI BLACK NO PLATE EURO RED 72689 BD

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Date Violators Name Apprehended MOTOR CYCLES: 3/21/2015 4/26/2014 4/24/2014 4/25/2014 6/17/2015 5/25/2015 4/19/2016 4/18/2015 12/20/2014 1/28/2015 ENRIQUEZ, DEXTER V. 3/19/2015 6/25/2015 12/18/2014 4/27/2015 9/3/2014 5/25/2015 4/7/2015 3/9/2015 4/18/2015 5/6/2015 11/7/2017 6/9/2015 9/14/2015 3/24/2015 9/20/2015 7/6/2016 9/15/2015 10/1/2015 7/18/2015 ACOSTA, RYAN 9/25/2015 4/21/2015 9/5/2015 3/29/2015 CAJARO, CAMILLO T. 6/9/2015 9/18/2015 11/12/2015 SALONATIN, JOHN MANDE 10/16/2015 8/15/2015 10/14/2015 DE JESUS, JILYANNE D. 8/3/2016 CANALA, RODOLFO 8/23/2016 DUMAGPI, DAPPEN 8/9/2016 RAMOS, ALFRED V. 7/11/2016 PALILIO, NESTOR 10/17/2016 12/9/2016 LUMAJAR 10/20/2016 12/9/2016 8/19/2016 APSON, PERANNO 10/29/2016 6/28/2016 6/23/2016 BAYAGA, MICHAEL 8/21/2016 7/26/2016 JUN 9/18/2016 3/31/2016 10/27/2016 5/14/2016 12/28/2016 ABAD, RYAN 9/17/2017 ROLLO, MANDEL 1/20/2017 12/13/2016 LIGARAY, MICHAEL 12/10/2016 GRANIL 11/29/2016 11/6/2016 7/7/2016 TANES, JOVERT 9/18/2016 9/18/2016 PASCUAL, VHON 9/18/2016 DIZON, LOUIE 5/2/2017 2/4/2017 1/22/2016 1/17/2017 12/11/2016 ARCANGEL 1/17/2017 2/12/2017 3/22/2017 1/28/2017 1/24/2017 2/23/2017 12/24/2017 10/31/2017 EBONA, MARK ADRIAN 12/14/2017 11/6/2017 12/20/2017 8/22/2017 LOBO, RIZALRYN 1/24/2017 2/23/2017 4/9/2017 4/15/2017 2/4/2017 CONCEPCION, JAY-R 6/5/2017 11/6/2017 NAVARRA, ARNOLD 4/7/2017 6/25/2017 QUINOLA, JOSELITO 6/24/2017 ESTRELLA, MANNY 5/14/2017 11/21/2017 GO, JUPETTER 4/15/2017 -

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147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312

Type of Plate/ Date Color Violators Name Vehicle/Brand Tag No. Apprehended YAMAHA BLACK 3611 TV MIO BLACK 33648 ND RACAL RED FOR REG MIO BLACK FOR REG HONDA BLACK 8654 UN HONDA BLACK 1955 TU SYM BLACK 93006 BA LOMONTOC, MICHAEL HJAILIN BLACK &WHITE FOR REG BELOLO, REGGIE SYM WHITE 39162 BC SYM RED/WHITE FOR REG SUZUKI ORANGE NO PLATE SUZUKI WHITE NO PLATE RACAL RED FOR REG HONDA BLUE 4131 IY 9/11/2015 ALEJO, ROBERTO JR. S. KAWASAKI RED 8477 NG 6/9/2016 YAMAHA BLACK 1138 NI 10/11/2016 SYM BLACK &WHITE FOR REG 9/22/2016 SYM BLUE FOR REG KAWASAKI BLUE 8704 TY 7/2/2015 HONDA BLACK 2215 OY 6/18/2015 FERNALES, ARNOLD EURO WHITE NO PLATE EURO ORANGE NO PLATE RUSI RED 5527 TO 7/16/2015 ESPOSO, FLORENCIO JR. SUZUKI BLACK/RED 5146 SF 11/16/2015 YAMAHA BLUE 4506 BD 7/28/2015 CONCEPCION, S.C. HONDA BLACK 6077 SQ 8/31/2015 HONDA BLUE 8623 YL 3/21/2016 REPALDA, NOLI BOY EURO BLUE NO PLATE 5/22/2015 SUZUKI RED NO PLATE HONDA WHITE/RED FOR REG HONDA BLACK 2195 TE 7/10/2016 HONDA BLUE 2752 PF 7/4/2016 HONDA BLACK 6143 NH 7/4/2016 ALTIZO, EFREN S. SYM SILVER 41215 BA HONDA RED 317 UM 7/1/2016 KAWASAKI RED 4699 UA 9/25/2015 STEELER, LESTER EURO WHITE NO PLATE SYM BLUE 21968 BC SYM RED 4465 NQ 11/23/2015 EURO WHITE FOR REG SYM BLACK 7416 TG 6/22/2015 HABABAG, DONELO RED FOR REG HONDA RED 5425 OJ 9/2/2016 BUENO, GERRY YAMAHA BLACK 1532 XI 5/14/2016 RACAL BLACK&WHITE FOR REG HONDA GREEN 6019 OO 7/15/2016 OROPESO, JOHN HONDA BLUE 6376 NO RUSI RED 72125 NC 8/5/2016 AQUAREZ, RAMIN SYM WHITE 48326 BC 9/1/2016 YAMAHA RED 6163 WG 6/28/2016 ESTEVEN SUZUKI BLACK 8636 NL 5/3/2016 HONDA BLACK 9043 QZ 5/15/2016 GARIN, WINEFREDO YAMAHA RED 5771 VO 3/31/2016 BALDOMAR, ALLAN SUZUKI BLACK 9953 PD 6/12/2016 HONDA BLACK 3563 NE 5/12/2016 EURO BLACK/RED NO PLATE EURO RED/BLUE 1432 CS 3/17/2016 ADMANA, VICENTE EURO GREEN FOR REG 7/25/2016 SYM RED 9147 UA 10/1/2016 HONDA BLACK FOR REG KYMCO ORANGE 4930 TH 8/5/2016 EURO RED NO PLATE 1/2/2017 RUSI RED/WHITE 7505 HZ BENILLE RED FOR REG SKYDRIVE BLACK 3305 OO EURO WHITE FOR REG SYM RED/WHITE FOR REG SYM BLACK 7274 TC HONDA BLACK 3115 UA HAOJUE BLACK/WHITE FOR REG 12/21/2016 HONDA RED NO PLATE YAMAHA WHITE 48742 BD 10/14/2017 KAWASAKI BLUE 19023 NO 6/28/2017 SYM BLUE 38793 BC 1/3/2017 HONDA BLUE FOR REG SYM WHITE 29247 BC 1/3/2017 SYM RED 13851 BE 12/26/2016 CARREON, JESTER RACAL BLUE 87864 ND 1/12/2017 HONDA BLACK 6878 PO 2/14/2017 SYM BLACK 33113 BC 12/13/2017 KAWASAKI YELLOW 35805 NE 1/18/2017 HONDA BLACK/RED 8338 TN 2/15/2017 SUZUKI RED 1893 II 1/21/2017 EURO BLACK 3702TK 4/12/2017 RUSI BLACK NO PLATE 1/26/2017 ALEX SYM RED 70987 BC 2/7/2017 HONDA RED 30310 1/29/2017 RUSI BLACK 777472 1/20/2017 RACAL BLUE 7947 JW 2/15/2017 RIGON, ANGELITO SUZUKI BLUE FOR REG 3/7/2017 RAGASA, PAULINO RUSI GREEN 1596 ND KAWASAKI RED 4304 ND HAOJUE RED FOR REG SUZUKI BLUE 3764 AO 5/15/2015 KAWASAKI RED 6148 UX KAWASAKI RED NO PLATE 10/13/2015 SUZUKI RED 6683 TZ KAWASAKI BLACK 9056 QZ 6/28/2015 ROA, ANTONIO E. SKYGO BLACK 9193 UJ 5/12/2017 HONDA BLACK 5011 NP SUZUKI RED 6625 TZ KAWASAKI RED FOR REG 5/26/2015 HONDA BLUE 5659 BL 7/17/2015 POSO, JASON ESCANOR SKYGO BLACK 9181 UO LUZON, ALFREDO HONDA BLACK 3045 UY 9/1/2015 MORATA PMR RED 7159 TN RACAL BLACK 42410 NO HONDA RED 7035 AO 10/28/2015 RUSI RED NO PLATE 7/25/2016 PEREZ, WILBUR SKYGO BLACK 9176 UO 10/13/2015 SUNRISER BLACK 8764 ZK 3/14/2017 RACAL BLACK NO PLATE SYM BLACK 3631 QW 6/16/2015 KAWASAKI BLACK 6915 TY RUSI BLACK FOR REG 4/17/2017 RACAL RED 3482 XT SUZUKI RED 5665 YX KAWASAKI RED 1029 SO RUSI BLUE NO PLATE EURO RED NO PLATE SUZUKI RED 7169 NV 6/8/2015 MANGAOANG, SUZUKI RED 6626 TZ 4/17/2017 ARSENIO JR. D. KAWASAKI RED 6063 WW 5/3/2017 RACAL BLUE 3503 XT BERNALDO, KENNEY YAMAHA BLACK 1969 TL 1/11/2018 HONDA RED NO PLATE SKYGO BLACK 9022 OP KAWASAKI BLUE 4228 QG SKYGO BLACK 3277 AX HONDA RED 8341 UY EURO RED 2925 UY KAWASAKI RED 4985 UU TRICYCLES KAWASAKI RED 4304 ND HAOJUE RED FOR REG SUZUKI BLACK 3764 UA KAWASAKI BLUE 6148 UY KAWASAKI RED NO PLATE SUZUKI RED 6683 TZ KAWASAKI BLACK 9056 QZ RACAL BLACK NO PLATE SUZUKI RED 7169 NV KAWASAKI MAROON FOR REG HONDA BLUE 4548 BL RACAL BLACK 42410 ND HONDA BLACK 3045 UY PMR RED 7159 TN KAWASAKI BLACK 1028 SO HONDA RED 7035 AO RED NO PLATE RUSI HONDA BLACK 5011 NP SYM BLACK 3631 QW SUZUKI RED/BLUE 6625 TC YAMAHA BLUE 1959 JL RACAL RED 3482 XT KAWASAKI BLACK 6915 TY HONDA RED 9181 UO SUZUKI RED 5665 YX EURO RED NO PLATE RUSI BLUE NO PLATE KAWASAKI RED 6063 WM SKYGO BLACK 9193 UJ SRM BLACK 8764 ZK SUZUKI RED 6626 TZ RUSI BLACK NO PLATE SKYGO BLACK 9176 UO RACAL BLUE 3500 XT -

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Sports Weightlifting doping scandal snarls Thai medal machine CHIANG MAI—Thai weightlifter Sarat Sumpradit eats up to 10 egg whites for breakfast, works out four hours a day, and is banned from his smartphone at night as his training shifts into high gear for the world championships.

However, the muscle-bound 25-year-old has a problem: Thailand is under a self-imposed ban from weightlifting for doping, meaning the hosts may be unrepresented at next month’s world championships on home turf in Pattaya.

After nine Thai lifters were suspended following drug tests, Thailand is facing a crisis in its most successful Olympic sport, less than a year before the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

“I’m fighting for those who have been suspended,” Sarat said defiantly after his afternoon workout, his second of the day.

“There are only a few of us left (in the team).”

With five Olympic gold medals since 2004, all won by women, weightlifting has been a rare sporting success story for the Southeast Asian nation, turning ordinary people from the rural hinterland into celebrities.

The dream turned sour last year, when Thailand was caught in a global doping crackdown by weightlifting authorities that was prompted by a threat to expel the sport from the Olympic Games.

Nine Thais including reigning Olympic champions Sukanya Srisurat and Sopita Tanasan have returned positive drug tests since the world championships in November, where Thailand finished second in the medals table.

It prompted Thailand to voluntarily ban itself from competition, ruling its lifters out of the world championships in Pattaya and next year’s Olympics.

Dozens of cheats However, the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) now wants athletes who did not test positive to compete in the world championships and have a shot at the Olympics.

A final decision will be made next month by the International Weightlifting Federation, which has come under sustained calls to act after a long list of doping incidents.

Nine countries, including powerhouse China, were suspended from competition after re-testing of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics ensnared dozens of cheats. AFP

No.

Type of Vehicle/Brand

313 YAMAHA MIO STAR 314 MOTOR NICES 315 HONDA WAVE 316 SYM 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381

RACAL SYM SYM HONDA SYM HONDA HONDA SYM EURO MOTORSTAR HONDA SYM SUZUKI SYM SCOOTER SUZUKI EURO HONDA KAWASAKI SUZUKI SUZUKI KYMCO EURO BLACK EURO YAMAHA SUZUKI RED YAMAHA SUZUKI HONDA EURO YAMAHA ION SUZUKI SYM SUZUKI HONDA HONDA HONDA HONDA KAWASAKI EURO SYM SYM HONDA EURO SYM SYM RACAL HONDA HONDA SUZUKI MOTORSTAR RUSI SYM HONDA YAMAHA SUZUKI SUZUKI HONDA SYM YAMAHA MOTORSTAR HONDA HONDA RUSI

382

HONDA

383 384 385 386

SYM SYM KAWASAKI RUSI

387

RUSI

388 HONDA 389 KAWASAKI 390 RUSI 391 RUSI 392 ZEONG SYEN 393

YAMAHA

394 395 396 397 398

TOPMOTOR SUZUKI KYMCO EURO SUZUKI

399

HONDA

400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414

SYM SYM HONDA KAWASAKI SYM SYM EURO HONDA LUCKY STAR HONDA HONDA TMX HONDA HONDA HONDA SUZUKI

415

SUZUKI

416

SYM

Color

Plate/ Date Violators Name Registered Owner Tag No. Apprehended BRGY SINGKAMAS - MOTORCYCLES 1404 PG ND 43383

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A7

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

PSC rues lack of work at SEAG triathlon venue

By Peter Atencio

C

APAS, Tarlac—While ongoing preparations for the 30th Southeast Asian Games are almost finished in New Clark City, getting the facilities ready in other venues is almost at a standstill.

This has disappointed Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez when he and members of his board visited the places that have been tapped inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as venues for the biennial meet.

“Wala pang ginagawa,” said Ramirez when he stepped into the beach front area at the Boardwalk along Dewey Blvd., which will be the site of the triathlon competitions.

The Boardwalk will also be used for duathlon, open water swimming and modern pentathlon and PSC officials noted the lack of sign boards declaring the area as a site for the Games.

Ramirez, who is also the Chef de Mission of the national team, paid a surprise visit to the many facilities of the Games on the eve Address

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417 418 419

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7928 NC For Reg. BOTANICAL GARDEN - MOTORCYCLES NO PLATE 2413 PU NO PLATE 4814 PI 3454 HY NO PLATE 1647 XY NO PLATE SF 3281 TG 4057 YK 4107 8892 UQ 3550 QB 5724 UG 2478 WF 8502 QW 1475 QD 9676 XI 1497 PS 4535 NB 5251 HV NO PLATE NO PLATE 3154 PQ 4888 NO PLATE 2958 UD NO PLATE 2905 TJ 7967 ZL 2202 UV 4971 NL 4971 OE 2002 PF 3693 UJ 6051 UN 7388 TH 6454 XH 4814 TT 6662 QZ 3136 NT 9396 PF NO PLATE NA 92792 NO PLATE BD 57548 BENEDICT AGUIRRE NO PLATE NE 38326 KENNETH BOCTAI MAKATI CITY UY 8542 ROWEL TORRES NO PLATE MAKATI CITY NO PLATE ND 45858 ALBERTO RAYMOND NA 90529 BC 33386 BRGY. TEJEROS UP 8648 ND 62339 NO PLATE NO PLATE 3340 PM NO PLATE NO PLATE NO PLATE RONEL RAMIREZ PASAY CITY NQ 5876 MARVIN QUEJADA UQ 5876 ALVIN DELA CRUZ NUEVA ECIJA 1388 WQ ELISEO PASCUA 584 SAN ANDRES BUKID MARK JOSEPH 6706 HX TAGUIG CITY CABUATAN NO PLATE 1924 UC VHON DELOS SANTOS BRGY. RIZAL, MAKATI CITY 1522 PX JASEN RODRIGO MAKATI CITY 8070 U ALEJANDRO REYES MANILA 4765 SOLCHUAGA ST. NE 15653 GERALD REVILLA MAKATI CITY UU 8542 NC 33010 SALEH EMAD MANDALUYONG CITY NE 60109 ALEX CANAYAN BRGY. BANGKAL DC 93679 RAFAEL RIVERA PASAY CITY 7472 HO ABE FLOAG SAMPALOC MANILA NO PLATE TRANS. NO PLATE NOEL NEO BRGY. SINGKAMAS NO 85271 ERWIN SUMANO PASAY CITY 9718 TC 9878 PA ABSCONDED 1445 US ALLAN HALICLIC MANILA ROLDAN JAY TS 2000 TAGUIG CITY TOLINGDAN CD 20117 JOSHUA RUBIO EAST REMBO MAKATI CITY AD 18681 MANUEL ESTLOCO NO ADDRESS 5740 NN MARTIN SABUSA QUEZON CITY CQ 9869 EDWIN BARAGAS MAKATI CITY FOR REG. NO PLATE NO PLATE 8335 OG NO PLATE NO PLATE NO PLATE 3024 TH JHON LERY ENRIQUEZ MANDALUYONG CITY 4036 PJ PETER LAGAS PASAY CITY 8541 OO EDUARDO REPUTAG PASAY CITY 5025 DA JESTONI BIBON MUNTINLUPA CITY 1742 EVANGELISTA NC 7858 JHOJHO TULAGAN BANGKAL MKT NO PLATE -

Type of Vehicle/Brand MOTORSTAR SYM SUZUKI

420

HONDA

421

SUZUKI

422

YAMAHA

423 424

YAMAHA KAWASAKI

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KAWASAKI

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RUSI

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SUZUKI

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YAMAHA

429 430 431

SUZUKI SUZUKI HONDA

432

MOTORSTAR

of the signing of a tripartite take this up during the triagreement with the Philippartite meeting. We will find pine Olympic Committee out when work will start and the Philippine SEA here,” Ramirez said.

Games Organizing ComOn the other hand, the mittee.

Subic gymnasium will be The agreement will the site of sepak takraw and pave the way for the reit was empty when agency lease of the P6-billion officials took a peek from budget that PHISGOC their assigned vehicles. needs in its operations.

Meanwhile, the track Joining Ramirez in the oval is already finished and visit were commissioners is ready for use by national Ramon Fernandez, Charles PSC Chairman William Ramirez athletes from many discMaxey and Arnold Agustin. plines over at New Clark Deputy Chef de Mission Stephen Fernandez City in Capas, Tarlac. was also around.

The venue managers of the Bases and The PSC chief took note of the debris Conversion and Development Authority and the trash that have been collected in said this after giving PSC officials a tour. certain areas around the beach.

Members of the national athletics team Ramirez also expressed disappointment were supposed set foot on the oval for when he and three other commissioners training on Aug. 19, and do their workouts went to Remy Field and its tennis courts, there. But this has been reset for Aug. 27. where they saw that renovation work was On the other hand, the final tryouts for still in progress. the national athletics’ squad are slated on At the Subic Bay Exposition and Con- Sept. 1. vention Center, Ramirez noted that the The aquatics center is almost done and rooms that will be used for muay, table ten- needs only a few finishing touches to be nis and pencak silat are still bare. completed. The water at the training pool “We will double check on this. We will has already been treated.

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433 SYM 434 MOTORTRADE 435 KAWASAKI 436 HONDA 437 SUZUKI 438 SYM 439 HONDA 440 HONDA BEAT

Plate/ Date Violators Name Tag No. Apprehended NC 12994 7766 PK SE 1753 Reg No. 0302994 NC 60875 Reg No. 0302994 AC 58810 QB 8037 NO PLATE (JOLLIE) NO PLATE (YELLOW) 8254 XJ For Reg. BLACK 7071 HZ NF 81541 6464 PO For Reg. 13030449792 FOR REG FOR REG 9869 CQ 4036 PJ NC 78258 NO PLATE NO PLATE NO PLATE TRICYCLES

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442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475

MOTORSTAR SUZUKI EURO HONDA RUSI SUZUKI SUZUKI SYM KAWASAKI KAWASAKI MOTORSTAR HONDA KAWASAKI SUZUKI SUZUKI KAWASAKI MOTORSTAR KAWASAKI YAMAHA YAMAHA SUZUKI SUZUKI MOTORSTAR RUSI EURO SUZUKI KAWASAKI MOTORSTAR HONDA YAMAHA YAMAHA KAWASAKI KAWASAKI KAWASAKI

NA 24493 PZ 2976 UD 1804 NO PLATE NO 19666 UC 1290 TX 3441 6961 SP UW 3220 TF 9349 2051 XI 2178 TR 7821 HZ TV 1312 UW 3374 NW 5644 FOR REG TE 5742 TX 8168 TG 8915 PR 5037 YN 5819 OO 5695 2137 XH 6164 YF 7710 NQ NO PLATE NA 63205 NO PLATE PF 8679 TN 1457 8053 PF 4961 YS UY 6116

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477 478 479

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NO PLATE NO 34614 TX 6374

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BAYAN ARMANA RYAN HABANA ALFREDO HALILI ABSCONDED EDWINN EDUARDO RANDY HUEVA ABSCONDED RINGEL BELTRAN PASAWAYTO GASGARCO NOLI ROBEDILLO ARIE GAMIT JHUN PATRICK MAMOYACK

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EURO

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MANDALUYONG CITY

482

RUSI

6482 BY

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SUZUKI

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MOTORSTAR

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PASAY CITY 1888 P. DOMINGO ST. CARMONA 4117 KALAYAAN AVE. OLYMPIA 8479 TRABAJO ST. OLYMPIA -

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4136 UW

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DON CARLOS MARCELLANA

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RUSI

TEJEROS

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ARTURO ATRIGAN

487 488 489 490

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NF 2537 NO PLATE NO PLATE UU 2971

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492 493 494 495

RUSI HONDA RUSI KAWASAKI

7855 HZ WY 6211 9277 HZ 9091 PG

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496 JIANSHIE 497 JEEP OWNER 498 NISSAN GRAY 499 NISSAN TAXI 500 NISSAN TAXI

6426 NA DRG 418 THK 881 PYY 508 PYJ 760

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Very truly yours, (Sgd.) Atty. Michael Arthur R. Camiña City Legal Officer

M. Standard – Aug. 14 & 21, 2019

Sports

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

A8

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

Cardinals turn back Generals, 76 to 66 CYRIL Gonzales banged 13 points for the Mapua University Cardinals as they prevailed over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 76-66, yesterday at the FilOil-Flying Sports Center in San Juan.

Paolo Hernandez finished with 11 points for the Cardinals, who picked up their second win in seven games in the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Cardinals, with Laurenz Victoria adding 10 points, were up by one, 35-34, early in the third period when they found the right time to move out of reach.

They unloaded a 21-0 blast to take a 56-34 lead before the fourth canto got under way.

“Galing kami sa 0-5, down ang mga bata, pero ang focus lang namin is one game at a time,” said Cardinals assistant coach Yong Garcia.

JC Luciano had 12 points for the Generals, who have a 1-6 win-loss slate.

Earlier, RC Calimag and Kobe Palencia sizzled with 19 and 17 points for La Salle Greenhills Greenies as they got past the Arellano Braves, 71-66.

Jiam Quimbao added 13 points for the Greenies, who were safe with their 5848 edge at the end of the third period.

Rookie Megan Galang struck with 16 points as the defending champion Malayan High School Red Robins High School finally got their title defense going with an 83-68 swamping of the EAC Brigadiers.

Main man Jonnel Policarpio came up with a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double showing to help push the Red Robins to their second win in seven matches. Peter Atencio

Germida scores PPS Baybay net twin-kill MIA Gemida mastered top seed Corazon Lambonao twice to emerge the lone double gold medalist in the PPS-PEPP Baybay national age-group tennis tournament at Baybay City Tennis Club in Leyte over the weekend.

Gemida surprised fellow Ormoc City bet Lambonao in the girls’ 16-and-under finals, 6-3, 6-2, then toughened up in the second set to score a repeat in the 18-U championship, 6-3, 7-5, and bag the MVP honors in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

She actually finished with three titles as she later teamed up with Cassandra Laguna to rout Annah Gonzaga and Nicky Rizada, 8-2, in the 18-U doubles finals.

The young Lambonao, meantime, averted a shutout campaign by ruling the 14-U division, holding off Kimi Brodeth, 6-2, 6-4, while Jewel Velasco from Maasin City dominated the 12-U category with a 6-2, 6-0 triumph over Brodeth.

Nicolas Ocat from Valencia, completed the Ormor City bets’ romp in the four-day event which served as part of the nation-wide Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala age-grouper, upending No. 1 Gerald Gemida, 6-4, 6-3, in the boys’ 14-U finals.

“The PPS-PEPP circuit continues to grow (in numbers) because of these youngsters seeking to raise the level of their games and aspiring to become the country’s next superstars,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. “With new, fresh faces emerging from each stop, we’re confident to produce the next batch of tennis heroes in due time.”

Top seed Cedrick Bravo from Ormoc, however, foiled Ocat’s bid for a second title, hacking out a 5-7, 6-3, 11-9 decision in the 16-U championship with unranked Cymer Casem shocking the No. 1 Bravo, 7-5, 7-5, in the 18-U finals of the event sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPS-PEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. Other singles winners were Baybay City’s Thirdy Jocson (boys’ 12-U), Kenzo Brodeth from Ormoc (10-unisex), while sharing top honors in doubles were Ocat and Casem (18-U), Bert ManlimusFranz Solemne and Lambonao-Kimi Brodeth (14-U) and Christian LagunaKenzo Brodeth (10-unisex).

TNT’s Terrence Jones shoots against the outstretched arm of SMB’s Christian Standgardinger in a PBA game won by the Beermen.

Beermen, Texters seek upperhand

By Jeric Lopez

T

AKING a pivotal edge is all that matters for TNT and San Miguel as the heated rivals resume their fiery battle in the best-of-seven finals of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup. Knotted at 2-2, the Tropang Texters and Beermen both want to seize a key upperhand as they meet again in Game 5 at 7 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Leaning on its championship experience, San Miguel was able to equalize the series by taking Game 4, 106-101, last Sunday night in yet another entertaining battle.

The Beermen, behind Alex Cabagnot and Chris McCullough, got off to a good start and that set the tone for them

before June Mar Fajardo did some damage in the second half.

Looking forward, San Miguel Beer is eyeing its first taste of the lead in the series as it has been playing catch-up to TNT since Game 1.

San Miguel Beer tactician Leo Austria emphasized the importance of the critical Game 5.

“This game is really important. We want to get a 3-2 lead,” said Austria. “In a tough series, every lead is crucial.”

TNT active consultant Mark Dickel

eyes making key adjustments to help his team get the key game ahead.

“We got to find a way to make a couple of adjustments, find a way to come back again and win Game 5,” said Dickel.

Best Import awardee Terrence Jones said that for the Tropang Texters to have a good shot at regaining the series lead, they simply can’t afford to start slow, something that happened to them in Game 4.

“I think we did a great job of coming back in Game 4, but with the timing of when they made their run, it was just a little difficult for us to try to get over that hump,” said Jones. “We can’t afford another slow start.”

In the four games thus far, the team which emerged victories was able to carve a double-digit lead at one point in each contest.

No Pacquiao-Floyd rematch, for now A REMATCH with Floyd Mayweather may be out of the picture for now, but that doesn’t mean Manny Pacquiao won’t have any worthy opponent.

Consider the names Danny Garcia, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter.

These are just some of those under the radar of boxing legend Pacquaio for his next possible opponent when he returns to the ring by early 2020.

Sean Gibbons, president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, mentioned the three fighters as among the possible opponents of the 40-year-old fighting senator, who is just coming off a 12-round split decision win over Keith Thurman last month.

“Danny Garcia, Mikey Garcia, there’s other guys out there to fight. Shawn Porter,” Gibbons said as he rattled off the names of the three world champions when he appeared for the first time at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila on Tuesday.

Before taking on the 30-year-old Thurman, Pacquiao’s camp initially considered facing Danny Garcia, the former holder of the World Boxing Council version of the 147-lb. title belt, following his April 20 fight against Adrian Granados.

Mikey Garcia has also been added to the mix, although he lost to reigning International Boxing Federation champion Errol Spence via unanimous decision in his first attempt as a welterweight last March. The 31-year-old Garcia, younger brother of champion trainer Robert Garcia, was a former lightweight and

Sean Gibbons

junior welterweight title holder.

Porter, meanwhile, was a former sparring partner of Pacquiao and current WBC champion who’s scheduled for a unification match against Spence this September at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

“Let’s say if Shawn Porter somehow came out winning, he can get into the mix. I’m not against fighting Shawn Porter,” said Gibbons in the session presented

by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel-Manila, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

That being said, Gibbons made it clear a rematch with Thurman is definitely out of the window.

“He (Thurman) had his opportunity, he had his shot,” stressed the veteran inter-

national matchmaker, who once fought as a light-heavyweight.

“If there’s a real demand for it like the (Juan Manuel) Marquez, the (Marco Antonio) Barrera, the (Eric) Morales, those type of fights. If the public has a huge demand to do it again, if there’s an outcry for it. But he (Pacquiao) beat him clean.”

Gibson even reasoned out that there was hardly any controversy generated by the fight other than the outcome of a split decision caused by the score of 114-113 by judge Glen Feldman favoring Thurman.

“There was no controversy. At the end of the day, everybody knows who won the fight,” said the MP Promotions official.

Gibson did admit the object of Pacquiao’s camp is still to get Mayweather Jr. But until Floyd Jr. makes everything official that he’s coming out of retirement to face the Filipino boxing great, speculations of Mayweather willing to mix it up again with Pacquiao will just remain all talk.

“End of the story on the Floyd thing right now. There is no fight, there is no possibility at this moment. Floyd has said numerous time that he’s retired, he’s enjoying his retirement,” said Gibson.

“We’ll let thing unfold and see what happens.”

Meanwhile, MP Promotions will have a big boxing card coming up this Aug. 24 in San Juan City when Johnriel Casimero stakes his World Boxing Organization interim bantamweight crown against dangerous Mexican Cesar Ramirez.

Araneta named PH’s new chef de mission for Tokyo games

By Peter Atencio PHILIPPINE Football Federation president Mariano Araneta will play a big role in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Araneta formally accepted an appointment yesterday to become the new national team Chief of Mission for the Olympiad next year.

Newly elected Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Bambol Tolentino’s decision to give Araneta a major responsibility in forming the national team for the quadrennial meet was ratified yesterday during the POC General Assembly meeting at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

Also ratified during the meeting was the appointment of PFF general secretary Atty. Ed Gastanes as the new POC secretary general, taking the place of Pato Gregorio.

Fencing head Ormoc Mayor Richard Gomez is deputy secretary general.

The body also approved by the appointment of muay thai chief Gen. (ret.) Lucas Managuelod as head of the POC membership, in place of squash head Robert Bachmann “I would like to thank president Bambol for appointing yours truly as the Chef de Mission (to the Tokyo Olympics) as well as the general assembly for formalizing my appointment,” said Araneta.

The 65-year-old Araneta is also a member of the powerful Executive Council of the International Football Federation.

A former national player, Araneta is also part of the Executive Council of the Asian Football Confederation, and was recently re-appointed as head of its Finance Committee.

“Of course, this is another challenge for us. But we are willing to learn,” said Araneta, who has been at the helm of the PFF since 2010.

Superal boosts cast as Malarayat golf begins

Princess Superal eyes 2nd straight LPGT diadem

PRINCESS Superal delayed her departure for Japan LPGA Step Up for a week to spearhead the local challenge against a crack roster of rivals from Thailand and Korea in what promises to be an explosive start to the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic today (Wednesday) in Lipa City, Batangas.

Superal was set to leave for Hiroshima to prepare for her next tournament in the farm league of LPGA Japan Tour following her come-from-behind four-shot triumph at John Hay last month. But she deferred her plans to join the likes of Chihiro Ikeda, Sarah Ababa, Marvi Monsalve, Alex Etter and the come-backing Cyna Rodriguez in the P750,000 event serving as the 10th leg of the seventh season of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The reigning LPGT Order of Merit missed this event last year that saw young Thai Onkanok Soisuwan rip the field to mark her pro debut in winning fashion with the duo, along with a slew of others,

gearing up for three days of battle of shotmaking and iron game in the wind.

Though Superal has opted to tone down expectations for another title romp, she remained hopeful of duplicating her Baguio feat.

“I don’t expect to win just like what happened in Baguio where I rallied from four-down in the final round and won by four. But I have set my goal—stay focused and enjoy it,” said Superal. “Actually, I’m preparing for Japan so I practice a lot.”

That should make the former US Girls’ Junior champion the marked player together with Rodriguez, who vowed to go for no less for the crown coming off a three-month break due to operation.

“My goal is not only to get a good score but to win,” said Rodriguez, a former three-time OOM winner who underwent surgery last May. “Now I’m back, fully motivated and ready to start again.”

Business

IN BRIEF Semirara earned P6b in first half

SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. on Tuesday reported a 26-percent decline in net income to P6 billion from P8.1 billion in the same period last year following the shutdown of one unit of its 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant.

“The Unit 1 of the 2x300 MW was offline for the whole period because of the life-extension project,” SMPC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Semirara said earnings in the second quarter reached P3.67 billion, or almost unchanged from P3.65 billion in the same period last year.

The company said higher volume sold by the coal segment and higher prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market mitigated the drop in earnings in the first half.

Net of eliminations, its coal business and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. contributed P4.64 billion and P1.62 billion, respectively. SCPC suffered losses of P242 million.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

ICTSI’s profit jumped 42% in six months

PAL’s net loss widens to P3b THE parent company of Philippine Airlines said comprehensive net loss widened by 355 percent in the first half to P3.01 billion from P661.56 million in the same period last year.

PAL Holdings Inc. said consolidated revenues from January to June rose 8.6 percent to P81.25 billion from 74.85 billion in support of the growth in flights and revenues.

“The increase was attributable to the growth in passenger and ancillary revenues, resulting from additional flight frequencies and introduction of new routes,” PAL Holdings said.

This was offset in part by the reduction in cargo revenues by 6.1 percent.

Consolidated expenses for the period increased 3.3 percent to P77.75 billion from P75.27 billion a year ago. Financing and other charges increased to P6.27 billion from P902 million a year ago.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Century Properties posts P760-m profit CENTURY Properties Group said it posted a net income of P760 million in the first half, up by 55 percent from P490 million it earned in the same period last year.

The property developer said consolidated revenues grew 26 percent in the six-month period to P5.4 billion from a year ago.

“This remarkable increase in our first-half performance further affirms that we are on track with our business plans. We expect this positive momentum to continue as revenues from our expansion plans have started contributing significantly and steadily to CPG’s bottom line even as our existing in-city projects still significantly provide a stable revenue stream,” said CPG chief finance officer Ponciano Carreon Jr. “Our affordable housing business now accounts for 12 percent of our revenue and is expected to further ramp up as more homes will be completed in the third and fourth quarters,” said Carreon, The company said it completed three new buildings in 2018 with P7 billion in sales value.

These include Boracay Tower at the Azure Urban Resort Residences in Parañaque City, Osmeña East Tower at the Residences at Commonwealth in Quezon City and Iguazu Tower at Acqua Private Residences in Mandaluyong City.

MyTown taps BDO Insurance MYTOWN, the co-living brand under Philippines Urban Living Solutions, tapped BDO Insurance Brokers Inc. to provide renters’ insurance for the peace of mind of its tenants.

MyTown’s renter’s insurance will provide coverage to thousands of tenants in its co-living community, against theft, injury and liability, including the coverage of expenses of temporary accommodation in the case of an unexpected calamity.

This goes beyond standard local property insurance products, which mainly cover the building or condominium itself.

“We aim to make our tenants feel assured and at home in MyTown and to continue to be a leader in co-living. Introducing the sector to renter’s insurance helps us further that dual mission. It’s another way we hope to show our dedication and support for the well-being of each individual who makes up the amazing community inside our buildings. We’re glad to have found a partner in BDO Insurance Brokers, Inc. who was willing to share our vision and offers this product to PULS” said Jelmer Ikink, group director of PULS.

B1

GREEN ARCHITECTURE. The Philippine International Convention Center signs a partnership agreement with Green Architecture Advocacy Philippines to be the venue of the organization’s 16th Green Forum on Aug. 30 to 31. The event with the theme ‘Sustainability for All: A Decade and Beyond’ also marks the 10th anniversary of GreenAP. Attending the signing ceremony are (from left) PICC marketing officer Vianca Bocolan, deputy general manager Roberto Garcia, marketing director Dinah Gonzalez, assistant director for events Elizabeth Aguila, assistant director for marketing Leonor Gertes and general manager Atty. Renato Padilla, GreenAP deputy chairman Lui Daya-Garcia, membership director Carmela Prado, founding member Carmelito Tatlonghari, academic relations director Kathleen Runas and program director Alfredo Bautista

SMC taps 3 foreign firms to build Bulacan airport power boats where they could easily re-establish their livelihood.

“This project’s success is anchored on helping support the AN Miguel Corp. said Tuesday it tapped the local fishing industry. We are in the process of identifying arservices of global companies Groupe ADPi, eas where together we can build a fishing community that will Meinhardt Group and Jacobs Engineering last for generations to come. We want Bulacan to eventually Group to design and build the P734-billion New become the seafood capital of the Philippines where seafood Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan. is exported to other countries, and tourists come in droves to sample them―similar to what happened to Japan’s Tsukiji for The three companies were involved in building world-class so many years,” Ang said.

The conglomerate said it was expecting to set the stage for airports including Changi Airport in Singapore, Atlanta Airport in the United States and Charles de Gaulle Airport in a meaningful and productive engagement soon once it seManila cured the final approval from the government.

France.

Standard San Miguel said the initial designs, some of TODAY which were released earlier, envisioned a futureCITIBANK N.A. ready airport focusing on overall passenger exBalance Sheet perience and sustainable technologies consistent (Head Office and Branches) with the needs of the environment and the local As of June 30, 2019 communities of Bulacan and nearby provinces.

The conglomerate said it would also engage a ASSETS Current Quarter world-class airport operator to help manage the Cash and Cash Items 621,229,927.02 Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas 30,276,407,380.48 future premier gateway.

Due from Other Banks 830,303,534.15 Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss 13,642,652,142.53 “This is our biggest investment in a single Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net 48,546,561,284.52 Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net project to date―one that will definitely impact Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net the lives of millions of Filipinos and the country Loans and Receivables - Net 210,288,275,520.16 Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in general―all the more reason for us to push for Interbank Loans Receivable 10,661,200,000.00 Loans and Receivables - Others 109,651,215,015.97 greater sustainability and choose the best people Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB 91,255,183,343.46 to work with us,” SMC president and chief operGeneral Loan Loss Provision 1,279,322,839.27 Other Financial Assets 1,579,388,006.42 ating officer Ramon Ang said.

Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures-Net 227,434,200.00 Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net 1,266,430,258.71 Meanwhile, Ang assured fisherfolks who Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Non-Current Assets Held for Sale would be affected by the project that they would Other Assets-Net 4,447,666,080.91 Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies, if any (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) have better homes in relocation sites with fishing TOTAL ASSETS 311,726,348,334.90

By Darwin G. Amojelar

S

THE Philippine Competition Commission is giving transport service provider Grab Philippines Inc. another 71 days to resolve the competition issues surrounding the merger with rival Uber.

PCC said it would extend the effectivity period of the voluntary commitments undertaken by Grab Philippines in 2018 for the conditional clearance of its acquisition of Uber in order to give way to talks on a new or amended set of commitments.

The commission is extending Grab’s voluntary commitments for 71 days, or from Aug. 11 to Oct. 20, to negotiate for a new or amended set of voluntary commitments to address the lingering competition concerns arising from the acquisition.

The same framework of measures may be the basis of new or amended commitments but possibly with adjusted metrics to hold Grab in check for its price surges, driver dis-

crimination through booking cancellations and service quality, according to PCC. It said the term of the new or amended commitments would also be the subject of negotiations.

“The task ahead for PCC and Grab is to ink a renewed set of commitments that is fair and reasonable and that protects consumers from Grab’s currently unchallenged dominance in the market. We also hope to raise the level of competitive intensity in the market and bring about market conditions conducive to new entrants,” said PCC chairman Arsenio Balisacan.

Grab earlier committed to bring back market averages for acceptance and cancellation rates before the transaction and response time to rider complaints; show the fare breakdown per trip, including distance, fare surges, discounts, promo reductions and perminute waiting charge in every trip receipt; and maintain pricing at a level comparable to the period prior to the acquisition of Uber.

Ayala Corp’s earnings soar 127% to P37.8b

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said net income soared 127 percent in the first half to P37.8 billion from P16.1 billion a year ago, driven by solid growth in core businesses, one-time divestment gains from the merger of AC Education and iPeople and partial divestment of AC Energy’s thermal assets.

The conglomerate said that with the strong first-half results, it was on track to hit the P50-billion net income in 2019 or a year ahead of its 2020 target.

Ayala Corp. said in a disclosure to the stock exchange equity earnings doubled to P41.7 billion in the first semester as revenues hit P160.38 billion.

“Our first-half results reflect the strength of our core holdings in real estate, banking and telecommunications. This was comple-

Previous Quarter 808,019,404.38 27,473,416,107.35 833,617,701.11 32,188,373,566.98 47,425,136,440.81 187,905,071,696.95 12,600,000,000.00 106,077,178,250.78 70,394,692,244.11 1,166,798,797.94 1,370,694,188.60 227,434,200.00 1,311,678,179.77 5,808,400,611.29 305,351,842,097.24

LIABILITIES

PCC gives Grab another 71 days to resolve merger issues with Uber

By Othel V. Campos

CONTAINER port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. said Tuesday net income jumped 42 percent in the first six months to $128.5 million from $90.2 million in the same period last year.

“ICTSI’s performance in the first half of 2019 has been very positive.

The group’s focus on generating highquality earnings from our ports, ramping up activities at our newer terminals and strong cost control has enabled us to continue to deliver on our strategic objectives,” ICTSI chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr. said.

“Our business remains relatively unscathed by current geopolitical headwinds, but we remain vigilant and continue to monitor the situation closely.

ICTSI is a robust business, strongly placed for the second half and the board remains confident of the future,” he said.

Gross revenues from port operations increased 14 percent in the six-month period to $751.8 million from $661.8 million a year earlier.

“The increase in revenues was mainly due to volume growth; tariff adjustments for certain services at multiple terminals; new contracts with shipping lines and services; continuing ramp-up at ICTSI’s operations in Melbourne, Australia and Manzanillo, Mexico; and the contribution from the company’s new terminals in Lae and Motukea in Papua New Guinea,” ICTSI said.

ICTSI said consolidated volume reached 5,041,916 twenty-foot equivalent units in the first six months, or 7 percent more than 4,714,255 TEUs it handled in the same period in 2018.

Darwin G. Amojelar

mented by the value realization initiatives in our energy business,” Ayala Corp. president and chief operating officer Fernando Zobel de Ayala said.

“We are pleased with the rapid growth of AC Energy, its growing contribution to our overall profitability and the regular value realization exercises to deliver investment returns to Ayala,” he said.

The business units of Ayala Corp. include Ayala Land Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom, Manila Water Company, AC Industrials and AC Energy Ayala Land reported a 12-percent growth in net income to P15.2 billion on strong revenues from commercial leasing and the sale of offices and commercial and industrial lots.

BPI saw its earnings rise 25 percent to P13.7 billion while Globe Telecom boosted its income by 21 percent to P12 billion.

Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Due to Other Banks Bills Payable a) BSP (Rediscounting and Other Advances) b) Interbank Loans Payable c) Other Deposit Substitute d) Others Bonds Payable-Net Unsecured Subordinated Debt-Net Redeemable Preferred Shares Special Time Deposit Due to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL LIABILITIES

1,992,353,416.31 207,046,217,363.82 17,965,379,165.40 28,847,905.54 28,847,905.54 9,619,019,616.37 13,715,658,072.01 42,819,421,640.29 293,186,897,179.74

1,389,198,604.42 205,423,908,350.58 20,304,558,952.23 4,002,630,996.83 4,000,000,000.00 2,630,996.83 10,926,271,844.44 11,306,171,881.26 35,380,496,568.45 288,733,237,198.21

Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings Assigned Capital TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

4,688,022,681.86 691,580,982.18 13,159,847,491.12 18,539,451,155.16 311,726,348,334.90

2,388,032,220.14 1,070,725,187.77 13,159,847,491.12 16,618,604,899.03 305,351,842,097.24

CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Guarantees Issued Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Securities Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts c) Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Others TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

460,661,708.48 3,193,050,425.24 307,036,801.45 2,540,260,371.90 167,227,889,235.00 15,021,474,439.86 490,181,708,814.35 35,043,665.51 35,043,665.51 187,069,687,809.51 236,004,742.12 866,272,818,013.42

478,875,491.70 3,259,013,212.62 312,589,355.38 1,810,054,717.28 161,658,353,017.00 16,748,570,193.76 512,601,919,301.05 42,389,001.55 42,389,001.55 203,733,253,711.90 200,812,779.80 900,845,830,782.04

213,553,226,173.31 1,985,627,813.88

190,989,734,104.46 1,917,863,609.57

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c. Net NPLs d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) e. Ratio of total allowance for credit losses to gross NPLs (%) f. Ratio of specific allowance for credit losses on the gross TLP to gross NPLs (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses DOSRI Loans & receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses Ratio of DOSRI loans & receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to gross TLP (%) Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations a. Total CAR (%) b. Tier 1 Ratio (%) c. Common Tier 1 ratio (%) Deferred Charges not yet Written Down Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instruments Received Leverage Ratio Liquidity Coverage Ratio

1,291,627,864.19 0.60 455,956,157.92 0.21 252.78 153.73 5,180,815,986.57 89,310,318.92 0.04 -

LIST OF OFFICERS AFTAB AHMED Citi Country Officer MANOJ VARMA Consumer Business Head PAUL RAYMOND FAVILA Country Treasury and M&SS Head MANISH CHAWLA Country Operations and Technology Head VIKRAM SINGH Corporate and Investment Banking Head SARAB SINGH Country Human Resources Officer ARNOLD SAN GABRIEL ICG Risk Management Head ERWIN WIRIADI GCB Risk Management Head ARLENE NETHERCOTT Treasury & Trade Solutions Head ATTY. ANGELICA PIA LACSON Country Legal Counsel LISA COORY Country Corporate Affairs ATTY. NARLETTE MANACAP-JARAVATA

Country Compliance Officer, Acting ASIM MUNIR Country Finance Officer, Acting DON MARK RANCES Country Controller Head EDITH FADUL Country ORM Head MARK ADRIAN RAMIREZ Market Risk Manager AIMEE LUZ GO Chief Internal Auditor, Acting

1,180,097,403.07 0.62 275,091,730.70 0.14 261.39 162.52 3,016,099,323.24 * 90,260,250.35 0.05 -

0.02 28.62

0.02 38.40

17.63 16.94 16.94 10.72 298.86

16.25 15.54 15.54 9.90 279.63

* ERRATUM: Reported amount under Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses as of March 31, 2019 was restated from PHP1,960,125,457.40 to PHP3,016,099,323.24.

Republic of the Philippines) MAKATI CITY ) s.s.

We, DON MARK RANCES and AFTAB AHMED of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above balance sheet are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

(SGD) DON MARK RANCES Country Controller Head, Senior Vice President

(SGD) AFTAB AHMED Citi Country Officer, Managing Director

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 13th day of August 2019 at City of Makati, affiants exhibiting their Passport ID No. EC4479986 issued in Manila, Philippines valid until June 23, 2020 AND Passport ID No. 530433199 issued in the United States of America valid until March 03, 2025 respectively.

Doc No. 383 Book No. 108 Page No.78 Series of 2019

NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. RAYMOND A. RAMOS Commission No. M-239 Notary Public for Makati City Until December 31, 2020 No.15 J.P. Rizal Extn. Cor. Tanguile St. Comembo, Makati City SC Roll No. 62179 / 04-26-2013 IBP No. 071434 / 01-29-2019 / Pasig City PTR No. MKT7378446 / 01-24-2019 / Makati City MCLE Compliance No. VI-0007878 / 4-06-2018

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market dips; JG, Aboitiz advance S TOCKS fell Tuesday, tracking the downtrend in Asia as uncertainty over the China-US trade talks was compounded by increasing tensions in Hong Kong and an economic crisis in Argentina.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 65 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 7,788.45, its lowest in 10 weeks.

Despite the loss, the bellwether was still up 4.3 percent since the start of the year.

The broader all-share index also tumbled 41 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 4,742.22 on a value turnover of P8.6 billion. Losers outnumbered

gainers, 157 to 53, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Eight of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei family which climbed 4 percent to P65.60 and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. which rose 3.3 percent to P51.50. Power retailer Manila Electric Co. gained 2.7 percent to P369.80.

Investor confidence has been knocked this month by a perfect storm of negative issues, only slightly offset by hopes for further central bank easing measures as the global outlook dims.

Comments from Donald Trump throwing next month’s planned trade talks into doubt, as well as his decision to unveil more tariffs on Chinese goods, sent equities tumbling last week and analysts at Goldman Sachs have said they do not expect a deal before the 2020 US presidential election.

The Wall Street titan also warned the standoff could hit US growth, while Treasury yields plunged in a sign of growing concerns for the country’s economic health.

All three main indices on Wall Street ended more than one percent lower on Monday, while there were also losses in Europe and gold—a go-to asset in times of turmoil—climbed back above $1,500 to sit around six-year highs.

Increasing unrest in Hong Kong was also moving into global investors’ view, as protests extend into a third month, with the city’s airport—a major world transport hub—canceling all flights in and out on Monday evening as thousands of demonstrators descended.

The protests are raising pressure on Chief Executive Carrie Lam and led Beijing to warn of “terrorism emerging”.

Stephen Innes, the managing partner at VM Markets, said: “Dropping the ‘T’ word is particularly disturbing as it does

suggest a more aggressive mainland response, which triggered a wave of risk aversion across global markets.”

Hong Kong fell more than two percent while Shanghai ended down 0.6 percent.

Tokyo retreated more than one percent as exporters were hit by a rush into the safe-haven yen, Sydney fell 0.3 percent, Seoul dropped 0.9 percent and Singapore dived one percent.

There were also losses in Mumbai, Jakarta, Taipei, Bangkok and Wellington.

Michael Hewson, the chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said that global issues –from the trade standoff and Brexit to Hong Kong’s unrest and Middle East tensions—could be containable for markets.

But he added: “Taken together in the round as a cocktail of risks against a backdrop of central banks almost out of ammunition and you have a recipe for a lot of nervous investors.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

FINANCIALS 57.2 1,650 91.65 3,921,770 1.8 93,000 144.2 1,969,360 1.18 15,000 26.3 211,700 18.7 800 11.52 1,309,300 4.9 669,000 1.26 1,000 750 80 0.44 1,440,000 70.4 3,121,750 0.98 561,000 13.18 4,600 47.8 896,600 190 7,460 57.65 5,990 27.9 110,800 195 484,190 1,800 350 59.1 67,010 1.12 22,000

94,380 360,602,486.50 193,640 280,750,038 17,700 5,588,480 14,880 15,144,128 3,220,880 1,260 60,000 639,300 220,218,658.50 546,370 60,500 42,965,920 1,417,342 348,014.50 3,140,825 91,747,444 630,000 3,958,156 24,620

-2,860 79,494,795.50 31,000 -87,707,100.00 -3,068,020 -1,714,480 45,000 -118,764,375 1,960 4,235,355 -366,660 -163,715 -4,009,500 -1,153,967.50 -2,220

34 13.52 0.71 1.29 0.24 2.96 14 105.3 12.16 15.52 70.3 82.05 2.02 5.19 6.1 8.82 14.74 9.2 7.49 25 81 55 1.97 13.76 7.7 1.5 217.2 8.35 22.4 13.4 18.24 350 0.184 5.55 1.63 5.1 9.06 2.68 10.02 36.4 5.2 5.09 1.66 2.1 1 12.4 96.9 6.8 0.126 1.08 157.3 2.48 1.12 1.06

INDUSTRIAL 34.1 1,259,900 14 1,296,100 0.71 856,000 1.29 1,179,000 0.243 1,710,000 3.03 18,911,000 14 1,546,700 105.3 30 12.2 383,400 16.2 1,800 73.5 1,150 82.05 970 2.02 399,000 5.19 700 6.1 21,600 8.92 5,797,500 14.8 694,100 9.2 713,000 7.5 1,180,500 25.45 2,449,100 81.05 178,720 56 492,780 1.99 7,078,000 13.84 2,634,000 7.99 906,600 1.51 610,000 217.4 1,578,160 8.51 11,000 22.5 558,700 13.42 765,600 18.36 734,800 369.8 269,440 0.184 300,000 5.55 5,000 1.68 11,811,000 5.1 3,003,700 9.06 2,800 2.71 39,086,000 11 120,300 36.75 363,900 5.22 7,900 5.1 1,000 1.72 709,000 2.29 3,000 1.01 142,000 12.62 1,486,200 101.5 134,920 6.8 181,900 0.129 30,000 1.12 531,000 163 1,013,630 2.48 18,000 1.15 27,186,000 1.08 3,257,000

42,987,910 18,159,890 613,450 1,535,370 411,820 58,704,880 22,057,240 3,159 4,823,756 28,610 81,569 81,716 812,790 3,633 132,078 52,232,918 10,301,360 6,645,494 8,898,353 62,765,850 14,620,969.50 27,997,662 14,121,220 36,750,918 7,139,341 971,650 344,837,226 93,412 12,554,290 10,340,844 13,479,794 97,473,374 55,200 27,750 19,943,900 15,475,514 25,448 107,070,920 1,279,226 13,461,750 41,148 5,098 1,199,190 6,490 142,960 18,755,746 13,414,219 1,254,945 3,810 586,940 163,585,519 44,640 32,072,070 3,589,710

-33,994,405 6,790,952 265,130 7,877,140 -3,373,376 43,852 -26,894 -15,685,832.00 440,198 -3,099,486 -6,067,355 5,548,145 -6,904,340.50 8,098,045.50 -1,328,510 -14,655,870 100,162.00 -126,680,428 -8,500 5,069,755 6,942,546 -5,682,492.00 -38,208,834 -3,383,800 614,365 -4,676,130 1,080 -5,030,595.00 -17,000 -2,937,104.00 -8,994,375.50 -1,290 -75,129,618 -823,400 -540,410.00

0.88 49 13.34 0.69 7 14.6 1.15 1.24 918 3.5 6.6 9.06 13.4 0.243 850 6.2 61.05 6.04 0.5 4.38 13.9 0.61 4.47 0.038 1.26 174 958 0.8 1.37 255 0.229 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.9 27,966,000 51.5 2,135,900 14.12 7,329,800 0.71 346,000 7 82,800 14.76 82,400 1.16 3,337,000 1.24 8,000 940 327,740 3.56 6,030,000 6.66 1,659,900 9.14 6,010,600 13.78 54,500 0.243 150,000 855 107,210 6.3 367,000 65.6 2,360,120 6.04 900 0.52 64,000 4.4 103,000 14.4 2,197,700 0.61 2,657,000 4.6 19,168,000 0.039 1,800,000 1.3 1,340,000 177 127,500 987 274,520 0.84 1,021,000 1.37 19,000 257 3,020 0.23 1,870,000 0.265 7,640,000

25,520,150 106,300,325 100,588,576 238,810 579,600 1,209,194 3,899,850 9,920 303,918,085 21,703,620 11,046,846 55,590,385 742,390 36,450 91,526,705 2,307,810 149,628,765.50 5,436 32,550 451,980 30,994,440 1,658,330 87,167,590 69,300 1,720,100 22,419,618 266,811,295 832,530 26,290 772,246 430,010 2,041,900

2,931,700 -58,071,670 -46,480,384 -9,920 -55,267,565 1,534,030 -1,029,583 -23,937,270 -76,055,750 -2,072,250 -61,422,755 -78,910 -3,321,908 15,500 3,579,140 -65,000 -1,392,067 -85,414,735 -115,072 -

28,761,152 864,120 1,225,466 911,300 20,291,610 1,206,533,415 979,940 11,664,300 480,746 20,095,570 98,070 228,200 1,063,480 1,533,700 18,211,418 23,924,370 193,850 6,250 143,501,750 2,013,450 9,440 614,926,802 2,463,350 555,450 7,087,330 374,900 2,845,750 4,940 100,400,315 1,356,420 801,360

-1,237,510 -4,060.00 97,330 -482,107,420 -157,440 673,990 -480,746 1,053,680 -67,270 212,500 8,883,328 7,279,570 -64,821,690 -131,443,564 221,600 -126,000 390,350 -41,000 -29,628,875 9,060

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

57.2 93.9 2.26 146.2 1.18 26.7 18.3 11.92 4.71 1.26 750 0.45 71.75 1 13.1 50 191.7 58.8 29.65 194 1,800 59.6 1.11

57.2 94.15 2.26 146.3 1.18 26.75 18.7 11.92 4.91 1.26 750 0.45 72.25 1 13.18 50 191.7 58.8 29.75 195 1,800 59.6 1.12

57.2 89 1.8 141 1.18 26.25 18.3 11.48 4.7 1.26 750 0.44 70 0.95 13.1 47.25 188.1 57.55 27.9 183.6 1,800 59 1.11

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

34.5 14 0.71 1.31 0.25 3.31 14.58 105.3 13.76 15.52 72.5 88.5 2.08 5.19 6.28 9.29 15.36 9.52 7.61 26 82.3 58.2 2.09 14.08 8.45 1.66 225 8.64 22.5 13.52 18.7 360.6 0.184 5.55 1.79 5.21 9.1 2.73 11 37.8 5.23 5.09 1.76 2.1 1.01 13.2 98.9 6.95 0.126 1.14 160.8 2.48 1.27 1.12

35 14.26 0.74 1.32 0.25 3.31 14.58 105.3 13.76 16.3 73.5 88.5 2.08 5.19 6.28 9.29 15.36 9.59 7.61 26.3 82.4 59 2.09 14.08 8.45 1.66 226 8.64 22.7 13.82 18.7 369.8 0.184 5.55 1.79 5.25 9.1 2.78 11 37.8 5.23 5.1 1.76 2.29 1.01 13.2 101.5 7.06 0.129 1.14 164 2.48 1.27 1.15

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

0.95 49.85 14.18 0.69 7 15.4 1.2 1.24 935 3.7 6.9 9.65 13.4 0.243 882 6.3 63 6.04 0.51 4.41 14.2 0.67 4.64 0.038 1.35 177 986.5 0.88 1.39 256.6 0.23 0.275

0.96 51.5 14.18 0.71 7 15.4 1.22 1.24 940 3.7 6.9 9.65 13.78 0.243 882 6.3 65.6 6.04 0.52 4.41 14.4 0.67 4.64 0.039 1.35 177 988 0.88 1.39 257 0.23 0.28

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

15.8 0.83 10.06 2 1.04 48.4 2.22 4.9 6.02 0.55 0.78 0.85 0.241 0.43 10.6 22.4 0.455 0.125 1.81 1.33 4.72 5.6 0.31 0.44 1.54 0.39 2.01 49.4 24.9 2.29 3.22

15.84 0.83 10.12 2.03 1.06 48.4 2.22 4.92 6.1 0.57 0.79 0.9 0.241 0.43 10.6 23.4 0.47 0.125 1.81 1.36 4.72 5.6 0.32 0.46 1.54 0.39 2.09 49.4 25 2.29 3.22

15.7 0.8 10.06 2 0.9 46.3 2.18 4.61 5.96 0.52 0.75 0.82 0.232 0.42 10 22.3 0.455 0.125 1.68 1.32 4.72 5.25 0.305 0.44 1.49 0.38 2 49.4 23.75 2.09 3

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

35.5 2.24 5.8 0.81 7.45

35.9 2.3 5.81 0.84 7.57

34.45 2.24 5.76 0.8 7.27

34.7 2.28 5.76 0.8 7.32

20,577,300 1,023,000 162,600 63,000 8,620,800

716,137,300 2,328,880 938,802 50,740 63,308,589

-483,315,310 -24,463,054

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

10 19.18 1.55 0.53 0.046 19.84 2.3 11.54 0.059 92.8 7.15 5.76 2.06 9.75 890.5 1,976 5.39 418 9.78 1.82 1.86 127.4 9.43 5.4 0.112 5.4 2.95 3.35 0.94 19.06 0.47 3.15 2.62 1.39 1.27 2.35 2.68 8.75 2.91 4.75 140 3.52 1,185 0.69 0.55 44.75 77.4 9.31 3.16 0.72 0.34 5.45 0.74 15.72

10 19.18 1.63 0.53 0.049 19.84 2.34 11.54 0.06 93.9 7.16 6.4 2.06 9.75 890.5 1,976 5.4 420 9.78 1.82 1.86 130.5 9.7 5.4 0.112 5.43 2.95 3.4 0.94 19.06 0.47 3.15 2.62 1.39 1.27 2.35 2.74 8.75 2.91 5 140 3.6 1,210 0.7 0.55 44.75 81.7 9.37 3.17 0.75 0.35 5.46 0.75 15.74

9.7 18.7 1.55 0.5 0.046 19.5 2.25 10.94 0.057 89.5 6.81 5.76 2.06 9.42 890 1,891 5.32 411.2 9.78 1.64 1.86 120 9 5.4 0.11 5.15 2.95 3.27 0.92 18 0.42 3 2.47 1.26 1.27 2.23 2.68 8.45 2.91 4.7 140 3.31 1,140 0.68 0.48 43.65 77.4 8.97 3.03 0.72 0.32 5.43 0.7 15.64

SERVICES 9.8 18.74 1.6 0.5 0.049 19.5 2.25 11 0.059 91 6.82 6 2.06 9.42 890 1,965 5.33 414 9.78 1.67 1.86 120 9.7 5.4 0.11 5.2 2.95 3.3 0.92 18.8 0.45 3.14 2.49 1.26 1.27 2.27 2.69 8.5 2.91 5 140 3.37 1,170 0.68 0.485 44.5 81.7 9.36 3.05 0.74 0.325 5.43 0.71 15.72

34,500 307,500 27,000 3,238,000 10,500,000 242,100 251,000 8,380,700 13,540,000 372,350 1,519,100 177,700 5,000 37,400 250 87,545 114,300 1,360 200 4,150,000 3,000 2,311,550 77,200 2,000 3,950,000 2,865,000 4,000 528,000 10,000 248,700 390,000 141,000 1,539,000 13,000 12,000 1,276,000 79,000 7,500 5,000 112,000 50,140 3,667,000 393,760 1,985,000 100,428,000 1,262,300 323,730 1,405,900 2,493,000 3,087,000 7,200,000 175,900 2,523,000 2,382,800

339,530 5,827,050 42,880 1,663,090 500,100 4,721,290 566,320 92,626,106 800,040 33,816,517 10,536,861 1,125,156 10,300 355,127 222,560 168,834,315 610,634 564,112 1,956 7,049,290 5,580 285,210,416 710,930 10,800 437,810 15,117,301 11,800 1,742,610 9,220 4,689,738 171,850 436,340 3,858,190 17,030 15,240 2,881,250 212,370 64,225 14,550 532,071 7,019,600 12,514,370 462,442,535 1,362,320 51,284,070 55,597,470 25,548,772 12,694,093 7,599,730 2,273,790 2,378,900 956,609 1,786,340 37,371,178

990 -156,000 1,950 -31,600,386 -1,034,745.50 -625,771 -28,800 -76,501,110 33,440 -69,500 34,115,406 -310,800 -174,189 -209,160 -505,604 -266,750 -63,550 -26,900 30,800 -298,530 -27,282,785 204,000 -2,173,340 16,107,650 2,507,387.50 -126,340 1,284,230 -17,020 252,100 -91,936 332,500 12,741,898

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

0.0017 1.31 2.78 12.7 1.15 2.72 7.7 1.47 0.209 0.115 0.112 0.0096 0.011 1.05 2.57 1.01 0.84 0.011 0.012 0.011 6.17 4.04 11.62 22.8 0.0062

0.0017 1.37 2.78 13 1.15 2.72 7.85 1.47 0.209 0.119 0.12 0.0096 0.011 1.05 2.6 1.01 0.85 0.011 0.012 0.011 6.17 4.22 12.46 23.5 0.0062

0.0016 1.3 2.65 12.32 1.15 2.69 7.68 1.41 0.2 0.112 0.112 0.0095 0.01 1.02 2.4 0.99 0.83 0.011 0.012 0.011 5.5 4.01 11.62 21.55 0.0062

MINING & OIL 0.0017 134,000,000 1.36 24,780,000 2.65 41,000 13 33,500 1.15 19,000 2.69 1,386,000 7.71 2,800 1.42 2,819,000 0.208 30,000 0.116 2,720,000 0.12 40,000 0.0095 26,000,000 0.011 40,100,000 1.04 109,000 2.41 7,131,000 1.01 123,000 0.85 90,000 0.011 200,000 0.012 736,300,000 0.011 22,000,000 5.5 1,728,700 4.05 4,395,000 12.12 6,051,600 23.5 1,623,400 0.0062 1,000,000

227,700 33,117,970 108,800 428,802 21,850 3,749,080 21,631 4,024,770 6,170 317,650 4,560 248,100 433,800 111,890 17,526,720 121,850 74,840 2,200 8,835,600 242,000 9,822,470 18,028,120 72,895,576 35,955,570 6,200

-1,600 250,560 -2,525,810 -1,268,370 -11,000 1,100 -768,360 13,314,768 5,484,440 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2 DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A HOUSE PREF A LR PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

17.5 494.6 497 101 104.7 498 495 5.25 950 100 0.98 1,030 1,025 101.9 107 996 76 78 75.8 75.75 76 76

17.5 495 500 101.3 104.7 498 495 5.36 950 100 0.99 1,035 1,025 101.9 107.5 996 76 78.85 76 75.8 76 76

17.38 494.6 496 101 104.7 498 491 5.2 950 99 0.98 1,030 1,022 101.8 107 996 76 78 75.8 75.1 75 76

PREFERRED 17.4 81,200 495 1,460 500 14,000 101.2 28,040 104.7 150 498 50 491 6,000 5.36 39,700 950 1,600 99 5,890 0.99 527,000 1,035 1,270 1,022 360 101.8 8,930 107.5 2,210 996 40 76 37,000 78.7 6,280 76 7,030 75.8 29,500 75 13,000 76 5,000

1,416,280 722,688 6,985,998 2,836,353 15,705 24,900 2,966,050 208,856 1,520,000 586,210 516,780 1,314,200 368,085 909,174 237,230 39,840 2,812,000 491,020.50 533,980 2,227,940 976,720 380,000

-1,364,080 -208,856 -101,900 -

LR WARRANT

1.64

1.67

1.62

WARRANTS 1.62 266,000

435,760

3,320

6,186,739 3,946,940

-311,880

4,932,626

-242,164

279,130 10,000

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 15.7 1,826,000 0.8 1,071,000 10.12 121,100 2 454,000 0.94 20,803,000 47.25 25,680,900 2.19 447,000 4.65 2,449,000 6.1 80,600 0.54 36,894,000 0.75 129,000 0.84 270,000 0.232 4,550,000 0.42 3,620,000 10.18 1,788,000 23 1,049,400 0.47 420,000 0.125 50,000 1.68 83,528,000 1.33 1,515,000 4.72 2,000 5.4 114,634,200 0.315 7,890,000 0.45 1,240,000 1.49 4,715,000 0.39 980,000 2.05 1,389,000 49.4 100 25 4,107,400 2.16 627,000 3 259,000

ITALPINAS XURPAS

6.67 1

6.67 1.02

6.25 0.98

FIRST METRO ETF

119.3

119.3

116.1

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10.3 1

TRADING SUMMARY

10.3 1

SHARES

FINANCIAL

15,233,403

INDUSTRIAL

144,458,961

HOLDING FIRMS

96,834,206

PROPERTY

364,638,226

SERVICES

184,939,685

MINING & OIL

1,013,100,983

GRAND TOTAL

1,824,174,334

10.3 1

6.52 1

SME

963,700 3,962,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117.2 42,300 10.3 1

DDS

27,100 10,000

VALUE 1,819.00 (down) 32.60 1,085,895,462.77 FINANCIAL 10,700.98 (down) 103.29 INDUSTRIAL 1,461,565,120.12 7,671.01 (up) 40.59 HOLDING FIRMS 1,350,413,894.95 PROPERTY 3,993.40 (down) 106.62 1,569.74 (down) 21.85 3,126,542,385.525 SERVICES 8,202.99 (up) 50.77 MINING & OIL 1,332,805,583.79 7,788.45 (down) 65.94 PSEI 206,351,971.8975 All Shares Index 4,742.22 (down) 41.89 8,578,641,512.65 Gainers: 53; Losers: 157; Unchanged: 42; Total: 252

Manila Water’s income dropped 18% in first half

By Othel V. Campos MANILA Water Company said Tuesday net income fell 18 percent in the first half to P2.9 billion from a year ago as a drought-induced supply shortage hit its main concession area in the east zone of Metro Manila and Rizal.

Manila Water said outside the east zone, business operations saw higher earnings contribution, foreign operations held steady and new business developments continued to provide market expansion and new sector opportunities.

It said that in the east zone, “billed volume declined by 2 percent, directly driven by lower water supply and service availability during the period.”

Manila Water’s net income for east zone dropped 25 percent in the first half to P2.5 billion. The company said the one-time bill waiver program also affected topline growth, with the company recognizing a revenue reduction of P353 million in the east zone.

East zone revenues in the six-month period reached P8.1 billion, as cost and expenses rose 6 percent to P2.3 billion driven primarily by the penalty imposed

by Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System in the first quarter of 2019.

Consolidated revenues, including provincial and overseas operations, rose 7 percent to P10.5 billion, driven by increased billed volume and higher average effective tariff in several key business units.

Domestic operations under Manila Water Philippine Ventures posted significant growth, with earnings for the period up 31 percent from the previous year to P303 million. This growth was led by key subsidiaries Laguna Water and Estate Water.

These gains have been partially offset by market challenges experienced in other subsidiaries such as Boracay Water and Clark Water, both registering lower earnings for the period.

The company said that from the water supply challenges early this year, it successfully restored water availability to its customers in the Manila concession.

The company said it implemented network management and efficiency programs, bringing non-revenue water down to an all-time low of 7.5 percent.

Reinforced by a more deliberate network management and optimization program, 24/7 water availability at sufficient pressure was successfully restored to 99 percent of Manila concession customers, it said.

Cebu Pacific’s net profit jumps 116% to P7.1b

By Darwin G. Amojelar

CEBU Air Inc., the operator of Cebu Pacific and Cebgo, said Tuesday net income surged 115.7 percent in the first half from a year ago on the back of higher passenger and cargo revenues.

The airline carrier led by the Gokongwei family said it earned P7.14 billion from January to June, up from P3.31 billion it booked in the same period last year.

Revenues rose 18.2 percent in the six-month period to P44.70 billion from P37.84 billion in the same period last year. Passenger revenues went up by 17.8 percent to P33.35 billion from P28.30 billion.

Cebu Pacific attributed the growth to the 8.8-percent increase in average fare to P2,974 this year from P2,734 a year ago.

Passenger volume increased 8.3 percent to 11.213 million from 10.354 million last year as the group added bigger A321 aircraft to its fleet.

Cargo revenues increased 6.9 percent to P2.84 billion from P2.65 billion following the increase in both volume and yield of cargo.

Operating expenses rose 8.2 percent to P35.772 billion from P33.06 billion last year.

“The increase was driven by its expanded operations, growth in seat capacity from the acquisition of new aircraft and the weakening of the Philippine peso against the US dollar,” the company said.

The peso averaged 52.20 against the greenback in the first six months, compared to 51.98 per dollar last year based on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.’s weighted average rates.

Flying operations expenses increased 4.6 percent to P15.201 billion from P14.52 billion incurred in the same period last year. “This was largely attributable to the increase in pilot training costs,” the company said.

Fuel expenses slightly increased as fuel volume went up 8.3 percent while the average published fuel MOPS price eased to $78 per barrel this year from $84 a barrel in 2018.

B3

World

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Stranded passengers voice support for protesters in HK

FESTIVAL. Revellers take part in the pirate boarding festival in the Spanish Basque city of San Sebastian on August 12, 2019. AFP

IN BRIEF Defector, son found dead SEOUL―The bodies of a North Korean defector and her young son have been found in their apartment, Seoul police said Tuesday, with local media reporting they appeared to have died of starvation.

The mother, only identified by the surname Han, and her six-year-old son were found on July 31, about two months after their deaths, authorities said.

“We did not see any signs of murder or suicide,” an officer at Seoul’s Gwanak Police Station told AFP. “We are waiting to get the autopsy results from the National Forensic Service.”

Defectors in South Korea are eligible for subsidies from the authorities, but some struggle to integrate into the South’s very different society.

Han, believed to be in her 40s, withdrew the 3,858 won (US$3.16) she had in her bank account two months ago, according to the South’s Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.

Her monthly rent and gas bills were more than a year overdue, it reported, and there was no food in her fridge when the bodies were found.

The newspaper said she had defected to the South via China and Thailand in 2009, later marrying a Korean-Chinese man and moving to China. After a divorce she returned to Seoul last year with her son, but had difficulty finding work. AFP

HONG KONG―Travelers in Hong Kong’s airport voiced support for prodemocracy demonstrators on Tuesday, despite an overnight occupation of the international transit hub that saw tens of thousands of passengers stranded.

The airport, one of the busiest in the world, reopened on Tuesday morning but hundreds of flights remained canceled and several hundred protesters returned for a fresh rally on Tuesday afternoon.

Monday’s abrupt closure came 10 weeks into a crisis that has seen millions of people take to Hong Kong’s streets in the biggest challenge to Chinese rule of the semi-autonomous city since its 1997 handover from Britain.

“It may affect me, but I still know what they are doing and I support them so it doesn’t matter, said 27-year-old advertising worker Mag Mak, whose flight back home to Hong Kong from Dubai was delayed by five hours.

“I think the government is so rubbish and they don’t have any response to the protesters,” she added.

Frank Filser, 53, was struggling to reschedule a flight back to Germany to visit his father who has terminal cancer.

Reporters grill Hong Kong leader H ONG KONG― When Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam appeared before the press on Tuesday, she appeared to be expecting to deliver a brief statement and move on.

Instead she faced a media onslaught.

No sooner were her prepared remarks finished than the full-frontal assault―in both Cantonese and English―began.

“You blame your own political misjudgment on others, and refuse to acknowledge your mistakes,” one journalist said.

“When will you accept political responsibility to end citizens’ fear?...

When will you be willing to step down?

When will you tell the police to stop?,” the reporter from Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK asked.

Before Lam could respond, the reporter added an admonition: “You asked me in the past to take my job seriously, so please answer me seriously as well.”

The embattled Beijing-backed leader began to reply but more questions were shouted.

“Citizens are afraid of you and the police, can you answer the question?”

The combative press conference was an indication of the rising tensions in the city after a weekend of violence that left dozens of people with injuries, some of them serious.

Under the “One country, two systems” principle, the media in Hong Kong enjoys freedoms unheard of in mainland China. A broad spectrum of political leanings are represented, from feisty independent elements to strongly pro-

Beijing outlets.

Lam at times appeared caught offguard by the intensity of the questioning, with reporters repeatedly interrupting her and accusing her of failing to respond.

“Please don’t interrupt,” an official pleaded as reporters shouted over Lam. At one point she paused, looked down, and then looked up again at reporters with her eyebrows raised as they continued to fire questions at her.

Manila At other moments, she sipped from a glass of water asStandard the barrage of questions TODAY continued.

In her opening remarks she called for calm.

“I again ask everyone to put aside your differences and calm down,” Lam said, who appeared to be on the verge of tears at one point.

“Take a minute to think, look at our city, our home, do you all really want to

Typhoon death toll hits 49 in China BEIJING―The death toll from Typhoon Lekima rose to 49 on Tuesday and 21 were still missing after the monster storm wreaked havoc on China’s eastern coast, causing huge damage with strong gales and torrential rain.

Lekima hit the three Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Shandong and Anhui over the weekend and forced more than a million residents to flee.

China’s official news agency Xinhua said late Monday that at least 49 people are dead with dozens still missing.

Footage on state broadcaster CCTV showed flooded fields and streets, submerged vehicles, scattered debris and trees blown over as strong winds and rain pounded cities along the seaboard.

Lekima made landfall in Zhejiang province on Saturday, which bore the brunt of the damage after the storm hit with winds of nearly 190 kilometers per hour and pounded the coast with waves several metres in height.

Xinhua said the rainfall recorded this weekend in Shandong province was the largest since records began in 1952.

The natural disaster has inflicted economic losses of at least 26 billion yuan (US$3.7 billion), authorities said. AFP

see it pushed into an abyss?”

Lam defended the police against accusations of excessive force over the weekend, when rounds of tear gas were fired into subway stations and on crowded shopping streets.

She said she was “heartbroken” by reports of serious injuries, but offered no concessions to the demonstrators and insisted that police were facing “extremely difficult circumstances”.

“This question has been answered,” she repeated as she was pressed on whether Beijing would allow her to fully withdraw a now-suspended bill allowing extradition to the mainland―a key protester demand.

And the barrage continued as she abruptly left the podium: “Do you have a conscience?” shouted one journalist.

“Mrs Lam, many citizens have been asking recently when you will die,” yelled another. AFP

CHECKPOINT. A motorist shows his

identity card to a security personnel after being stopped for questioning at a roadblock during a lockdown in Srinagar on August 12, 2019. Indian troops clamped tight restrictions on mosques across Kashmir for the Eid al-Adha festival, fearing anti-government protests over the stripping of the Muslimmajority region’s autonomy, according to residents. AFP

Woman stabbed in knife rampage SYDNEY―A man stabbed a woman and attempted to stab several other people in central Sydney Tuesday before being pinned down by members of the public and detained by police, eyewitnesses and officials said.

Images broadcast by Australian media showed the man jumping on the roof of a car brandishing a knife, appearing to shout “Allahu Akbar” and “shoot me”.

Police said the woman was in a stable condition and there were no immediate reports of other injuries, despite “a number of attempted stabbings by the same offender”.

Eyewitness Megan Hayley told AFP she saw a man in his 20s or 30s brandishing a large kitchen knife and chasing several people though the busy central business district shortly after lunchtime.

“Five or six others were chasing him behind, trying to stop him, they caught him and restrained him” in front of two popular cafes in the heart of the city, she said.

Edward Wong, 24, who also witnessed the attack, said the man “looked like he had blood on his chin and chest.” AFP

But he said he sympathized with the protesters despite the disruption.

“They fight for Hong Kong and that’s their view,” he said.

“Anytime I can go back to Germany, but what about the people who grew up here? This is their home.”

Real estate worker Tibor, a long-term foreign resident of Hong Kong, was waiting at the terminal for a rescheduled flight after his journey on Monday was canceled.

He said he understood the protests because “it’s really frustrating to live in a society where your government is not really having a dialogue with their own people”.

A wide cross-section of Hong Kong has taken to the streets in recent weeks to show their support for the pro-democracy movement and condemn the police response to protests, including rallies of elderly residents and civil servants.

But the movement has divided parts of the city, with small demonstrations in support of police and the government, and scuffles breaking out between proBeijing residents and protesters in some neighborhoods. AFP

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given to the public that an Extra-Judicial Settlement has been executed by the heirs of the late MARTIN MARTAL AND PETRA JIMENO MARTAL, namely: Balbino J. Martal married to Angelita Salazar Martal with their three (3) children; Evangelyn S. Martal, single, Marvin S. Martal married to Catherine Ferrer Martal, and Marianne Martal Legaspi, married to Melvin Legaspi, all of legal age, over personal and real properties, per deed executed on 01 August 2019 before Notary Public Atty. James K. Abuganper Doc. No. 360; Page No. 73; Book No. 86; Series of 2019.

(MS-AUG. 14,21 & 28, 2019)

Pinnacle of the hippie dream turns 50 NEW YORK―A freewheeling weekend of indulgence. A New York farm transformed by idealistic youths into a mid-size city. A celebration of rock music and Utopian ideals.

Woodstock was many things but one thing is clear―it is revered by many as the cultural touchstone of a generation.

The 1969 festival of peace, love and music marks its 50th anniversary this weekend, triggering a wave of nostalgia for an era when rock was for the young, tie-dye was cool, long hair was a statement, and kids said “groovy” without a trace of irony.

It’s estimated that anywhere from 400,000 to half a million people descended on Max Yasgur’s alfalfa fields in upstate New York that August 15-18, embarking on a trip of a party that saw icons like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Santana jam as increasingly filthy festivalgoers danced, stripped and dropped acid in torrential rain.

At the outset, organizers were charging $18 a ticket for revelers to attend the event, which featured now legendary rock bands like Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

John Roberts and Joel Rosenman bankrolled the festival, which they dreamed up with fellow 20-somethings Michael Lang and Artie Kornfeld as a business opportunity to promote a would-be recording studio in upstate New York.

But as news of the bucolic rock concert spread, a crush of eager attendees bottlenecked country roads winding to the festival site in White Lake, a hamlet of the small town

of Bethel, some 60 miles southwest of the namesake town of Woodstock.

The overwhelmed masterminds had little choice but to declare that Woodstock would be, like the love, free.

As the music began, rains swept in, food ran out and helicopters whirred overhead―sometimes delivering musicians, other times supplies.

Despite the mud and warnings of bad acid, the myth of Woodstock lives on―the festival is venerated as a beacon of hope that emerged out of the tumultuous 1960s, rife with assassinations and riots as the Vietnam War raged.

Sri Swami Satchidananda, a yoga master from India, opened the festival with an address urging compassion, a moment seen as embodying the non-violent culture Woodstock aimed to represent.

“I am overwhelmed with joy to see the entire youth of America gathered here in the name of the fine art of music,” said the slight, bearded man, sitting cross-legged before the massive crowd, leading the concert-goers in chants of “om.”

Later on, Country Joe McDonald of the psychedelic rock band Country Joe & the Fish famously led them in chants of “fuck,” before playing the anti-war protest song “I-Feel-LikeI’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag.” By the time Hendrix tore through his electrified, abstract rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” now considered iconic, the masses were heading back to the real world, just beginning to sear their collective myth into the history books. AFP

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN THE MATTER OF : FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN : PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. :

Amended Registration Statement

(Registrant) x--------------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that on June 20, 2019 an Amended Registration Statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN PHILIPPINE . INDEX FUND, INC.1(“SALPHIN”) to reflect the following changes in its registration statement as follows:

Subject Fund Name

Original Provision Proposed Amendments One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.

Investment The Fund is Objective designed to seek long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in carefully selected listed and non-listed equity securities.

Reason/s For Amendment First Metro Save & Change in ownership Learn Philippine Index of the Fund.

Fund, Inc. (“SALPHIN”) The Fund’s investment Based on studies, a objective is to replicate passive/index fund the performance of its has a more consistent market benchmark, performance than an the Philippine Stock actively managed fund.

Exchange Index The management (“PSEi”) by gaining decided to switch the exposure in equity Fund into an index securities that make up fund to be able to the PSEi. offer a more diverse investment products to its clients.

Said Amended Registration Statement and other papers/documents attached thereto are open to inspection by interested parties during business hours and copies thereof, photostatic or otherwise, shall be furnished to any party upon request at such fees as the Commission may prescribe. The Amended Registration Statement dated May 27,2019 may also be downloaded from www.fami.com.ph.

Issued on July 4, 2019.

(MS-AUG. 14,21, 2019)

LGUs

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

QC task force formed for nat’l infra projects

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte has established a task force for five major national infrastructure projects, including the Metro Manila subway project.

Belmonte said she will personally head the Task Force Build 5, which will include all stakeholders and the Quezon City communications team, to ensure the smooth planning and implementation of the projects.

"With the help of the task force, we can ensure an orderly planning for our infrastructure projects," she added.

Belmonte earlier met with representatives from the Department of Transportation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency regarding the Metro Manila subway project.

By 2025, all 15 stations should be fully operational, connecting Quirino Highway in northern Metro Manila to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City within 30 minutes. Subway trains will run at up to 80 kilometers per hour.

Seven of the 15 stations will be in Quezon City, including the vital North Avenue and Quezon Avenue portals, the mayor noted.

Belmonte said four other major infrastructure projects are also in the pipeline, including the Metro Rail Transit 7, the new Skyway section, Segment 8.2 from North Luzon Expressway to C-6, and the relocation site for 18,000 informal settler families.

She is seeking the understanding and cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure the smooth and speedy completion of the projects.

"I am asking for your cooperation.

Let us help one another so we could fix swiftly the construction of the projects toward the uplift of our living condition in Quezon City," Belmonte said.

P156m allotted to 26k farmers in Region 2, CAR

By Brenda Jocson TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan—The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. in Region 2 has allotted at least P156 million for farmers whose crops were damaged due to El Niño during this year's first quarter.

Benito Taguibao of PCIC Region 2 said more than half of the 26,000 farmers in Region 2 and Cordillera Administrative Region will receive financial assistance this month.

Taguibao said 10,492 farmers have already received more than P83.38 million based on a general assessment and validation to assure that the right amount is given to them.

Based on the assessment, he said the agency is giving P5,000 to P6,000 for partially damaged lands and P10,000 for totally damaged lands as financial help to the farmers.

The PCIC Region 2 is targeting 500 farmers daily to complete the 26,000 goal by the end of August.

Taguibao said that for farmers in Cagayan's southwestern municipalities, the PCIC has setup a service desk at Barangay Libertad in Abulug town, while farmers in Aparri, Gattaran, Lal-lo and Santa Ana towns can go to the Camalaniugan town service desk.

For farmers in Isabela province, service desks were setup in Ilagan City, Santiago City and Mallig town.

"With these service desks, we will be able to speed up processing claims by the farmers," Taguibao said.

He said the agency will be sending out confirmation to farmers once the assistance is ready for release.

Meanwhile, the PCIC has recorded 1,300 farmers who were affected by Typhoon “Falcon” in July.

Passengers scramble for safety as their boat MB Miar Romces capsizes off the waters of Calbayog City, Samar on Monday.

All 52 passengers and boat crew were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard. Photo courtesy of Analyn Calimbo

Banca sinks near Calbayog port, 52 passengers saved

By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN CITY—The Philippine Coast Guard and other units have rescued at least 52 passengers, seven boat crew and a captain of a motorized banca that capsized off the waters of Samar on Monday.

Authorities said the incident happened at the waters of Barangay Matobato, Calbayog City, as the rescuers came to the aid of a passenger boat marked “MB Miar Romces” at around 11:40 a.m. Monday.

Responding authorities saw the boat sinking about one kilometer from the port area.

“This was the worst experience, not knowing if I would live or die,” wrote passenger Analyn Calimbo on Facebook shortly after the incident. “The rescuers took a while to get to us, yet you could see the boat slowly sinking. Thank you so much Lord for not leaving us.”

Initial investigation showed that the boat left the Calbayog City port at Barangay Aguit-itan at about 11:30 a.m. Upon reaching the seawaters of Matobato, the boat suddenly sank due to the strong current of waves brought about by the southwest monsoon.

The boat was on its way to Tagapul-an town in Samar. The rescued passengers and boat crew are being attended by personnel of the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection. Also joining the rescue were members from the Calbayog City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Maritime Group, and Lite Ferries Crews.

This incident comes after a motorized banca capsized off Iloilo and Guimaras waters due to bad weather, killing 31 people.

Pay up or else, Isko tells market firms Lanao mayor M believes in

By Vito Barcelo

ANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso on Tuesday gave two companies that operate five public markets in the city 72 hours to pay more than P25 million in debt or the city government will take over their operations.

The city government issued a demand letter on Aug. 5 directing XRC Mall Developers and Marketlife Management and Leasing Corp. to settle their obligations within 72 hours, Domagoso said.

XRC Mall Developers operates the Sta. Ana Market, San Andres Market, Sampaloc Market, and Trabajo Market. The company has incurred a P14.38-million debt to the city between April 2017 and July 2019. Marketlife, the corporation behind Quinta Market, has P11.16 million in unpaid obligations for the same period.

Domagoso said he gave the two companies about three days to pay and yet they continue to ignore the demand letter.

“This is unfair. In the absence of payment, we will invalidate or strike down your contract. No extension. You have to pay,” Domagoso warned.

The two companies entered into a joint venture agreement with the past administration under former Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, in line with the

privatization of public markets.

Under the agreement, the two companies will remit a revenue share to the city every year from P1 million to P6 million.

The total unpaid obligations are the sum of the unremitted guaranteed annual revenue share (GARS), penalty fees, and surcharges, the mayor said.

“What is sad here is that the small vendors in the market pay their rental fees to the companies. Unfortunately, these two companies failed to remit their obligations to the city government, and that is unfair,” Domagoso said.

Meanwhile, the Russian envoy to Manila offered to help Domagoso ease the traffic congestion in the capital and to adopt a renewable energy program currently being utilized in many Russian cities.

Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev made the offer during a courtesy call to the mayor at City Hall on Tuesday.

Khovaev also invited Domagoso to

travel to Moscow on an exchange program to meet Russian officials to discuss local governance, traffic management and energy efficiency solutions, among other issues.

The envoy said Manila and Moscow have many common problems, and an exchange of experiences would help find solutions that would benefit its citizens.

Domagoso said he love to visit Russia this October and see if Manila could adopt Russia’s renewable energy program and ease the city government’s burden in paying high electricity bills every year.

“We want to come up with ways on how we can save energy and generate reusable water,” Domagoso said after the courtesy call.

He said his visit to Russia would give him an opportunity “for the people of Manila to learn something.”

The Russian envoy was the fourth ambassador to meet with Domagoso since he assumed office.

Khovaev also urged the mayor to send a delegation of educators and students to Moscow later this month to participate in the International Olympiad of Metropolises, a competition held in the Russian capital annually.

EXCELLENCE AWARD. Cocolife and Cocolife Healthcare have received new accolades from the Q Asia’s National Product Quality

Excellence Awards with the Seal of Product and Service Quality for Best Life Insurance Company and Best Quality Healthcare Services Provider, respectively, at Diamond Hotel in Manila. Pictured are Q Asia president Engr. Andrew C. Ramirez (right) with Q Asia Magazine editor-in-chief Redd de Guzman (left) and Awards Committee chairman and Rotary Club secretary Dr. Nestor B. Lucas (second from left) handing the awards to Cocolife assistant manager for pomo sales operation Alexander A. Canlas (fourth from left) and Cocolife manager for Healthcare Leo Alexander S. Quiambao (third from left).

values-based leadership

Tamparan, Lanao del Sur Mayor Johar Dimaporo Disomimba

By Ayunan Gunting JOHAR Dimaporo Disomimba, the new mayor of Tamparan, a fifth-class municipality in Lanao del Sur, aims to strengthen the values of his constituents for an orderly society.

Disomimba believes in appointing an inspiring imam, an Islamic worship leader, who can set an example of right conduct.

“Through teachings, the people will fear committing ‘haram’ or breaking Islamic laws,” he says.

The mayor said he will support ustadz or teachers in every madrasa, a school for Islamic studies, to impart values, ethics and cleanliness to the students. He will also assist the imam, the person who conducts prayers, in every masjid or place of worship.

“The people will understand the importance of daily prayers (salaat) in strengthening their conscience,” says Disomimba.

The new mayor’s greatest challenge is controlling the culture of violence, which is contrary to Islamic ideals.

“The Tamparan I know is a town of peace-loving people. But when I assumed office, rido (a Maranao term for destructive family feuds) and drugs were rampant. Reining them in is the priority in our first 100 days of office,” said the 38-year-old mayor.

Although the prevention and settlement of rido are difficult as it is steeped in the local culture, Disomimba includes it in his campaign for security.

NV vice gov promotes Ifugao attire in session

By Ben Moses Ebreo

Vice Governor Jose Tam-an Tomas Sr. dressed in traditional Ifugao clothing. Ben Moses Ebreo

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— Garbed in his Ifugao attire, Vice Governor Jose Tam-an Tomas Sr. recently presided over a special session of the provincial board to promote unity and indigenous peoples’ culture.

Complete with his headdress, Tomas directed the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session, which tackled the unfinished matters in their previous meeting.

He immediately drew criticisms from netizens, saying the provincial board should not be a place for his

traditional costume.

Tomas, however, pointed out the internal rules of the SP, which allows the wearing of Barong Tagalog and other cultural attire during their sessions.

On his Facebook account, the vice governor considered his wearing of the Ifugao attire as “a special attire for a special session.”

“During our special session, I opted to wear my native attire and show my great pride in being an IP. I am also delighted since our Internal Rules authorize the wearing of native attire during

sessions, allowing your humble representation to be in Ifugao clothing,” Tomas said.

He added IPs “must be proud” to have Nueva Vizcaya as their home, as it hosts many cultures and traditions.

Tomas is the first Ifugao elected official in the province, winning vice governor over then-incumbent Lambert Galima by over 6,000 votes.

The province also conducts the Grand Ammungan Festival every third week of May each year to promote the unity of its villagers despite their diverse cultures.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

C1

Sandals

for all seasons RAIN OR SHINE.

Salt-Water Sandal offers sandals made of genuine leather coated with water-resistant sealant, allowing each pair to stand against the elements of nature.

By Bernadette Lunas

T

HEY look like summer, but they’re also made for the rainy weather.

US-made Salt-Water Sandal is not your ordinary pair—only ideal for walking around the city under the bright sun—as it boasts features that allow it to stand against the elements of nature, which means it can be worn even during rainy days or in the flood, if you’re up to that.

Joy Dauz, brand manager of Tykes Trading, Inc., the local distributor of the brand in the Philippines, told Manila Standard Salt-Water’s sandals are made of 100 percent genuine leather coated with a water-resistant sealant, which keeps each pair in tiptop form and, interestingly, gives each pair the unique ability to become even more durable when wet.

“The water-resistant sealant also helps keep the color stay put,” she said.

The material molds itself to fit snuggly on the wearer’s feet; an instruction included in the box teaches owners how to use the pair properly.

Citing a previous experience walking on hard stones wearing a pair of Salt-Water Sandals, Dauz also noted the material and the grip allow them to be worn for a few minutes of “light trekking.”

Salt-Water Sandals come in seven— almost identical—styles, the first two: Original and Classic, Original Mashup, Shark Original, Slide, and the newly launched Retro and Retro Slide. All

styles are flat and feature a weavelike design.

The Retro sandal, like its name suggests, is a blast from the past. An archive model relaunched

by Salt-Water 50 years ago, this style is reminiscent of the Mexican Huarache sandal that was wellloved in the 1960s. It comes with an elegant basket-woven upper and an ankle strap.

The Retro Slide boasts similar design, with an easy-towear silhouette and a little more coverage than its Classic counterpart.

“It’s (SaltWater) not really following any fashion

Original in mustard

trend, they just update colors since most buyers only

like to collect colors,” said Dauz.

Colors include neutrals, with an addition of must a rd , olive, a n d

Shark in red

Make beauty healthy SINCE its launch in the US in 2007, Mineral Fusion has been consistently offering makeup products that improve and nourish skin; leaving it better than before use.

The makeup brand offers products not tested on animals, and are free from gluten, parabens, talc, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances, SLS, and phthalates. Its full line of mineral cosmetics is formulated with clean, non-toxic ingredients infused with a blend of beneficial minerals and rich botanical actives to enhance natural beauty.

Combining makeup and skin care in one, each of Mineral Fusion’s products, it says, is carefully formulated to have multiple skin benefits such as boost collagen, block UV rays, camouflage hyperpigmentation, and nourish and brighten skin.

Its range includes concealer duos, pressed powder foundations, 3-in-1 color sticks, eye shadow trios, and lipsticks.

Concealer duos

metallic silver, gold, and rose gold for select styles.

In the Philippines, Original in tan is the best-selling pair, according to Dauz. The brand is mainly patronized by moms who like to wear their pair along with their sons and daughters, as the brand also offers sandals for kids.

But TTI said they aim to tap into the millennial and Gen Z markets, those who love to go to the beach.

Salt-Water Sandal started in 1940s when Missouri-based Walter Hoy created sandals for his daughter with sturdiness and practicality in mind—at the height of the Second World War. Hoy made the sandals using scrap leftover leather from military boots.

Salt-Water Sandals are available at CommonThread (Greenbelt 5, Rockwell), Mothercare (Alabang, ActiveFun BGC, Glorietta 4, Greenbelt 5, Podium), The Playground Store (Robinsons Magnolia, The Podium, TriNoma), Rustan’s (Alabang, Makati, ShangriLa), Mosaic (Powerplant, SM Aura, Shangri-La, Alabang Town Center, Vertis North) Baobao Babies (Cebu), and M o d e r n M a m a (Cebu).

The unique duo-shade system allows users to blend a custom color with smooth, creamy coverage.

Made with Pycnogenol, sea kelp, and vitamins C and E to provide age-defying antioxidant protection, and licorice root to soothe and calm skin, it conceals flaws and dark circles, while naturally treating hyperpigmentation.

Pressed powder foundation

Available in a wide range of shades, the brand’s pressed powder foundation is formulated with silky, triple-milled minerals that offer buildable coverage to even skin tone and smooth the appearance of fine lines and pores, for a beautiful, shine-free finish. A powerful blend of pomegranate, white tea, red tea, and sea kelp, plus skin-soothing aloe, and vitamins C and E defend skin against free radical damage and provide natural UV protection.

3-in-1 color sticks

A multi-tasking creamy color stick for eyes, cheeks, and lips, this all-in-one product speeds up makeup routine. With pure mineral color plus skin-soothing aloe and licorice root, it provides a nourishing flush of color.

Eye shadow trio

Richly pigmented and crease-resistant shades offer numerous color possibilities in addition to age-defying properties.

Skin-soothing aloe vera, pomegranate, red tea, white tea, and vitamins C and E help defend against radical damage.

Lipstick

Retro Slide in premium pewter

The luxurious formula of the brand’s lipsticks smoothes onto lips, delivering rich color with staying power, plus antioxidant protection. Available in 15 shades, this 100 percent vegan formula is likewise infused with pomegranate, red tea, and white tea, plus vitamins C and E. Mineral Fusion is available at select Healthy Options branches nationwide.

C2

Life

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

T

HEY say it’s best to start them young, which is exactly what Awit at Laro aims to accomplish with its upcoming fashion show that will highlight local designers’ creations made for the younger generation.

The show, dubbed Baro at Sayá, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Manila in BGC on September 22, will be headlined by Len Cabili, Ito Curata, Rhett Eala, Zarah Juan, Marga Nograles’ Kaayo, Anne Marie Saguil, Paloma Zobel’s PioPio. It will be led by Rajo Laurel who also serves as overall fashion consultant for the project.

Baro at Sayá is the follow up to Awit at Laro, which was spearheaded by UNICEF Ambassador Gary Valenciano and Tukod Foundation’s Bambi Mañosa-Tanjutco to promote Filipino culture and celebrate the spirit of play by reintroducing traditional games to the youth through music and the arts.

This year, the campaign brings innately Filipino elements to the catwalk, where featured designers draw inspiration from the Awit at Laro songs to create modern outfits using ethnic designs and weavings set against the backdrop of Filipino traditional games and Original Pilipino Music.

“You can expect to see fun, playful, and beautiful creations that go across generations. We are working with extremely talented designers whose inspiration runs deep. They create not only for themselves but to help inspire and uplift the Filipino people in more ways than one,” enthuses project head Kat Mañosa.

She adds, “We are also working with families to be our ambassadors to help represent what the Baro at Sayá fashion show represents. Families that also want to give back to our communities and to our children.”

Laurel’s collection has an element of play. He shares, “I actually made my own fabric for the collection and

Promoting Filipino fashion to the younger generation

Dress by Rajo Laurel

Standing: Marga Nograles, Rajo Laurel, Paloma Zobel, Gary Valenciano, Anne Marie Saguil, and Zarah Juan. Kneeling: Bambi MañosaTanjutco, Museo Pambata’s Nina Yuson, and Kat Mañosa.

asked my nephews and nieces to help.

One weekend I brought some fabric and paint and we just had a blast. I wanted to truly incorporate the sense of play in the collection and what better way to do this than by literally playing with my nieces

How to be a picture-perfect bride Glow on your special day with the help of a few easy-to-do tips, like getting enough sleep.

A LOCAL cosmetics brand shares easy- day, Ever Bilena offers All Day Liquid to-do tips to ensure brides stay flawless Foundation, EB Matte Long-lasting and picture-perfect on their wedding day. Dip Liner for the eyes, and EB Power Curl Mascara for lashes.

Get your beauty sleep

Getting enough sleep prior to the wedding day is nonnegotiable; a hundred percent necessary for flawless and healthy-looking skin. Practice the habit of clocking in seven to nine hours of sleep at least months or weeks leading up to the big day.

Prep your skin

Having clear skin is a good base for makeup. Achieve healthy skin by drinking lots of water to keep it hydrated. Prep skin by cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen. Consider setting an appointment with the derma for facial cleansing and the salon for brow grooming.

On a clean base, apply long-wearing, waterproof products. Wedding days can get very emotional. To ensure that makeup stays in place the whole

Accentuate your features

Enhance natural beauty by using light and neutral colors that can go from day to night like the EB Ultimatte Eyeshadow Palette. Add dimension to face with the EB Sculpt and Strobe Stick which are best for contouring and highlighting.

Be a blushing bride with the EB Matte Blush-on in Willow—a blush color shade that’s not too pale nor too dark.

Lastly, complete the look with EB Matte Liquid Lipstick.

Relax and enjoy

Planning a wedding can get pretty nerve-wracking. But remember to take a breather! Set up a spa appointment alone or with friends. Let your team take care of all the small details and just enjoy one of the most important moments in your life.

and nephews. It was fun!”

His fellow designers who are participating in the event are equally as excited to showcase Filipino culture through fashion and play.

Cabili will highlight her children’s line, saying that the revival of games we grew up with is something close to her heart. “The theme is really unique and fun, we focused on our core competencies and found a way to relate it to the whole thrust of the project,” she shares.

The project brought back childhood memories and the moments Curata spent playing with his son. “It brought out so many emotions in me, and I was challenged because designing with a Filipino game in mind brought me out of my design comfort zone.”

Eala, meanwhile, will show off the stately side of Filipiniana. “Our pieces combine several fabrics and techniques of embroidery to highlight our mixed cultures, making you stand out. Each piece was made to reflect the rich culture that we represent made wearable and relatable for the modern woman,” he explains.

Juan, who likewise experienced the joy of play, turns to playing piko with her team for inspiration. “This collaboration is a celebration of who we are as Filipinos. It is deeply rooted to our culture and heritage which makes it inspiring and exciting.”

Nograles, for her part, will highlight the traditional weaves in her work.

“We took inspiration and put together

our favorite weaves that represented Filipino song and play. Then we mixed some hand beading and embroidery by the indigenous tribes that we work with and topped it off with fun Filipino accessories. Each piece we will present will tell a fun and unique story,” she promises.

It’s embroidered wearable art that Saguil will set out on the runway, she says, as her part in empowering the Filipino people through art, craftsmanship, culture, and sustainability.

“The design process for the collection was quite different and a lot of fun for me because childhood, fun, and play was the central theme for the clothes’ colors and silhouettes. As a result, the collection took on a younger playful vibe but still always suitable for the adult modern Filipina,” shares Saguil.

For Zobel’s PioPio, the collection is all about the Filipino family. “We thought it would be fun to include the Mañosas, our brand ambassadors, in all stages of this project. By allowing our brand ambassadors to help in the designing process, from picking fabrics to designing their dream outfits, we carried through this theme of getting back in touch with our roots and using art and creativity to help bond families and friends.”

The September show is a fundraiser for UNICEF, Museo Pambata’s renovation project, and Tukod Foundation’s “Pamato sa Pagtuturo” Awit at Laro workshops for teachers.

Marga Nograles’ creation

Part of Paloma Zobel’s collection

Beauty and more

ALWAYS celebrating women who define the meaning of beauty, Céleteque introduces another three, who the local skin care and cosmetics brand says, exemplify a new degree of beauty—beauty, intelligence, substance, and more.

A sustainable energy advocate, Jacque Kwen Buskovitz’s job as a business development manager for a solar company allows her to touch base with areas all over the Philippines to talk about the cost-effective benefits of going solar.

Although she often receives complements about her beauty, Buskovitz is always quick to keep people aware of her environmental advocacy, reminding people around her that beauty goes beyond skin-deep.

Danie Laurel, on the other hand, is a finance expert, news anchor, and ambassador for education and responsible voting.

With PhD in Finance and being a finance lecturer and TV host has helped Laurel prove that women can excel in men-dominated fields. While women are often gauged based on their beauty, she asserts that the best way to combat this is to simply “Break the stereotype [and have] more things than a pretty face. You break the stereotype of beauty by really having a genuine interest and cultivating things other than your physi-

The new faces of Céleteque’s beauty with a plus include (from left) lawyer/former model Marge Gutierrez, solar power executive/cover girl Jacque Kwen Buskovitz, and finance

cal appearance.”

Finally, Marge Gutierrez is the vice president of the Professional Models Association of the Philippines. But more than a former professional model, she is a lawyer specializing in corporate housekeeping, compliance in real estate, and immigration.

Her dual role as a lawyer and PMAP officer allows Gutierrez to positively affect the lives of those around her, taking on powerful positions to defend people’s rights. “’Beauty with a plus’ for me is being a woman of substance, a woman of power, and someone who

is a positive influence to the people around her. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and gets it done.” She believes “Women nowadays can be beautiful and smart.”

Just like these three women, Céleteque elevates beauty through smart skin care solutions that are clinically proven and dermatologically tested to give healthy and beautiful skin. It currently has six skin care lines co-developed with dermatologists, namely, Hydration, Advanced Anti-Aging, Acne Solutions, Brightening, Sun Care, and Hair & Scalp Care.

Entertainment

A

Best actress Ruby Ruiz, best actor Jansen Magpusao and best supporting actor Ricky Davao. Teddy Pelaez

Winners of the Cinemalaya 2019 Full-Length and Short Feature categories. Kiko Cabuena

The Special Jury Prize went to Thop Nazareno’s Edward, whose lead character comes of age as he is left alone to take care of his father in a public hospital. Nazareno’s film also bagged the awards for Best Actress (Ella Cruz) and Best Production Design (Alvin Francisco).

The Best Direction award went to Eduardo Roy Jr. for Fuccbois. The film also gave Ricky Davao the Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of a libidinous politician with a fondness for young men. Davao was cited for “for lending the weight of his artistic acclaim and professional reputation to

Film director Thop Nazareno and the cast of ‘Edward’ receive the Special Jury Prize. Kiko Cabuena

independent cinema, and for taking on a very daring role and effectively playing it without lapsing into parody or cliché.

Theodor Boborol’s Iska, the story of an impoverished woman who lovingly cares for her autistic grandson, won Best Actress for Ruby Ruiz who played the lead role. The film also won Best

DIGITAL MEDIA

People...

From C4

While she isn’t opposed to putting veneers on patients, she first makes it a point to check if there are other problems that needs to be addressed first. “Veneers are just options and there are other conservative treatments and solutions to their dental concerns,” she added.

“It’s a comprehensive procedure to check the status of the patient’s oral health. I get 21 series of photos of the patient’s teeth and face, a complete series of X-Ray and a diagnostic cast of patient’s upper and lower teeth mounted on adjustable articulator to analyze the bite,” she explained.

After the initial examination, patients would have to come back after a few days for their treatment plan, unless of course, it’s an emergency situation.

She said that she’s proud because while she doesn’t usually promote herself, her clientele does it for her: they recommend her to other patients who might need her expertise “When you come to me, don’t just come to get whiter teeth, come to me because you want a healthy oral cavity,” she ended.

(Ortho Dental Clinic is located at Unit 4-C Antonia Mansion 690 Banawe st. Quezon City. For inquiries, call 742-1108 or 0917 804 2522 or email at dr.mnc@yahoo.com.)s

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, August 14, 2019

DOWN 1 Skimpy skirt 2 Service ender 3 Canine noises 4 With mouth wide open 5 Chooses 6 Sprung a leak 7 Woody’s singing son 8 Fauna and — 9 Recipe amt.

10 Famed circus name 11 Even up 12 Send payment 13 Kind of arcade 21 Cut short

nickie.standard@gmail.com

named Best Film at Cinemalaya 2019

A film about a 14-year-old farm boy whose life is upended when a video of him brutally attacking a classmate went viral, John Denver Trending also scooped up five awards, namely, Best Actor for Jansen Magpusao who made his debut in the film in the lead role, Best Original Music Score (Len Calvo), Best Editing (Benjo Ferrer III), Best Cinematography (Rommel Sales) and the NETPAC Award for the Full-Length Category.

John Denver Trending was cited “for its highly relevant subject matter, its highly convincing characters and effective ensemble acting by a cast of non-professional actors; for its nearly epic sweep of its masterful use of the resources of cinema to depict a boy’s entrapment and doom; and for its coruscating critique of the social media as an engine of lies, hate, and destruction.”

50 Wool giver 51 Potato buy 52 Close kin 53 Overbearing 57 Insect eater 59 Bombay nannies 60 Talked like chipmunks 65 Army wear 66 Soft, white cheese 67 Rousseau novel 68 Genghis — 69 Diving birds 70 Bakery items 71 Letter encl.

72 Help a crook 73 Go furtively

C3

‘JOHN DENVER TRENDING’

RDEN Rod Condez’s John Denver Trending was named Best Film at the 15th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival Awards held Aug. 11 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo.

ACROSS 1 Residents of Uxmal 6 Ride the rapids 10 Buckle, as lumber 14 Sketch 15 WWW addresses 16 Nautical position 17 Where Kathmandu is 18 Thud 19 Sketch 20 Police officer 22 Illinois town 23 Brownish tint 24 More than enough 26 Motor lodge 29 Ripped 31 Coq au — 32 Former Portuguese colony in India 33 Went licketysplit 34 Military students 38 Garfield’s housemate 40 Cloudy 42 Met highlight 43 Have rapport 46 Hardy’s dairymaid 49 APB datum

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

22 Director — Kazan 25 Pipe type 26 Mr. Stravinsky 27 Protuberance 28 Do perfectly 30 Changes a text 35 Southpaws’ stats 36 “Kon- —” 37 Volvo rival 39 Audio receiver 41 Most substantial 44 Arty New Mexico town

45 Outback bird 47 Laird 48 Hockey team 53 Wolf families 54 Nebraska city 55 Informal parents 56 Use steel wool 58 Evil spirit 61 Nature outing 62 Vex 63 “Mack the Knife” singer 64 Workstation 66 Ewe’s plaint

FILIPINOS will have access to reliable and accurate news anytime and anywhere with the launch of the ABS-CBN News App. The app, which is now available for free on Android and iOs phones, aims to make it easier and more convenient for Filipinos to be abreast on the topics and issues that matter to them with features like alerts whenever there is breaking news or a big news event is being streamed live via the app.

It also offers audio streaming of DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, while the biggest news from the entire force of the country’s largest news organization --- ABS-CBN, ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), DZMM, ABS-CBN Regional, news.abs-cbn.com, and Patrol. ph, are also accessible.

The launch of the ABS-CBN News app is part of the news organization’s evolution to suit the needs of an increasingly digital

Screenplay (Mary Rose Colindres) and Best Sound (Immanuel Verona).

In the Short Feature Category, the animated Wag Mo Akong Kausapin by Josef Dielle Gacutan grabbed the Best Film plum “for its very unique depiction of the universal rift between generations

and for its craftsmanship” while Special Jury Prize went to Shaira Advincula’s Tembong “for its poignant take on grieving and loss and its incisive character study of a man challenging culture and tradition.”

Also in the short Feature category, the Best Direction award went to Don Madula Senoc for Sa Among Agwat while Best Screenplay went to Gilb Baldoza for Kontrolado ni Girly ang Buhay Niya. Special Mention for Subject Matter went to the film Hele ng Maharlika by Norvin De Los Santos for its “timely but sensitive handling of the trenchant reality of juvenile warriors.”

Disconnection Notice by Glenn Lowell Forneste Averia won the NETPAC award in the Short Feature category.

Audience Choice awards went to Joji Villanueva Alonso’s Belle Douleur in the full length feature category and Julius Renomeron Jr.’s Heist School in the short feature category.

Now on its 15th year, Cinemalaya has supported and promoted the production of Filipino full feature independent films and short films.

Many of these films have won awards in local and international competitions and festivals. Through the annual festival, Cinemalaya has showcased over 1,000 works by independent filmmakers including full feature films, shorts, documentaries, Filipino film classics, and art films.

This year, Cinemalaya went nationwide. It was held at the CCP from Aug. 2 to 11 and at selected Ayala Cinemas and Vista Malls in Manila, Pampanga, Naga and Legaspi in Bicol, Bacolod, Iloilo and Davao from Aug. 7 to 13.

Cinemalaya was established in 2005 with the aim to discover, encourage and support the cinematic works of upcoming and veteran Filipino filmmakers who boldly articulate and freely interpret the Philippine experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.

For more information about Cinemalaya, visit www.cinemalaya. org, www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and the Cinemalaya Facebook page.

News app to keep Pinoys updated audience. It offers a personalized news feed where users can customize and choose topics relevant to them—whether on current affairs, business, sports, entertainment, or lifestyle. Filipinos who prefer getting their news in video form can opt for the video feed, which features the content from ABS-CBN News’ YouTube channel, while those who want to save their data usage can opt for the app’s Lite Mode that features all-text news.

As a new tool for ABS-CBN News to fight the spread of fake news online, the app also enables users to share relevant and vetted articles to family, friends, and colleagues. Those who are busy can also save items for later reading or viewing during their free time, even while offline. The app will also have a “Report” feature soon where Filipinos can send tips, photos, or videos of wrongdoings or alarming situations in their communities so these may be verified and acted upon

ABS-CBN News App allows audio streaming of DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 and offers news streaming from the country's largest news organization.

by appropriate authorities.

Before the launch of the app, ABSCBN News has made headway in its digital transformation, finding new ways to reach and engage its audiences and harnessing technology to fight fake news. Presently, ABS-CBN News has the biggest reach online among local news organizations with over 17 million followers on Facebook, 6.2 million followers on Twitter, and 6.6 million subscribers on YouTube. The ABSCBN News website (news.abs-cbn.com) is also one of the top websites in the country. ABS-CBN News also recently launched NXT, which are informative videos that explain complex issues and phenomenon through concise, engaging, and well-researched videos for the digital audience.

The ABS-CBN News app is one of the digital initiatives of ABSCBN, the Philippines’ leading media and entertainment company, which is rapidly transitioning into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies and a growing list of digital properties.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2019

‘Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi’ streams on Netflix NETFLIX, known for huge hits like Stranger Things, Black Mirror, House of Cards, and The Crown, has acquired the international rights to stream the Filipino film Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi, a sweet, romantic comedy produced by Cignal Entertainment, October Train Films, and The IdeaFirst Company.

Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi (translated as “The Girl Allergic To WiFi”) will be available on the popular streaming platform starting Aug. 21 and will be available globally except in China, Taiwan, Japan, and India.

With more than 10.2 million Filipinos residing overseas (an estimated 5.5 million in Northern America and Europe combined), the acquisition of the film is expected to bolster support for Netflix from the big community of Philippine nationals working and living abroad.

It is also the first title from media giant Cignal Entertainment (owned by Cignal TV, Inc. the Philippines’ premier direct to home satellite provider with more than two million subscribers nationwide) to be shown on Netflix, the world’s leading entertainment service.

Directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana (Bwakaw, Die Beautiful), Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi follows the story of Norma, a popular girl in high school who ends up being diagnosed with Electromagnetic

'Ang Babaeng Allergic sa WiFi' is a coming of age movie featuring Sue Ramirez with Jameson Blake and Markus Paterson.

Hypersensitivity Disorder (EHS). signal to help her recuperate from the rare condition.

Unable to use or be around any gadget, Norma Unfortunately, the long-distance, as well as the lack is sent to a remote location without any mobile of communication with her boyfriend, puts a strain

on their relationship.

“I am excited that our film will reach the diverse audience of Netflix,” said director Jun Robles Lana.

“The younger viewers will see themselves in the characters and perhaps wonder what it’s like to be suddenly disconnected from the digital world. Older viewers, meanwhile, will see the nostalgia and see how life, and love, survived without technology,” Lana added.

Jane Jimenez Basas, President & CEO of Cignal TV Inc. adds, “The opportunity to tell relevant and heartwarming stories is an art. We chose to coproduce Ang Babaeng Allergic Sa WiFi with October Train Films and The IdeaFirst Company because of the popularity of using gadgets and being on social media amongst teenagers, around which the plot of the story revolves.”

“The film speaks to young people as well as the young at heart. We are very proud that our quaint and beautiful film will finally be shown to a much wider audience by Netflix. Indeed, the film’s acquisition provides an opportunity for us to share our creative vision with the rest of the world,” Basas carried on.

The film stars Sue Ramirez, Jameson Blake, and Markus Paterson. It had its first theatrical run during the 2018 Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino, a film festival organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

A passion to give people

NEW SMILE

Megasoft ambassadors pose for a group photo after their successful mall show at Star Mall in Alabang.

Sisters Day with

Myrtle Sarrosa SISTERS Sanitary Napkins and Pantyliners celebrity endorser Myrtle Sarrosa led the successful festivities in celebration of National Sisters Day in Starmall Alabang two Sundays ago.

Joining her with their upbeat performances were fellow Star Magic artists and Megasoft ambassadors Ryle Santiago and Young JV Kapunan.

Also serenading the sisterhood was World Championship of the Performing Arts (WCOPA) gold medalist Aljun Cayawan.

Fans were delighted on stage not only by the prizes they received but also because of the time they got to spend closely with the celebrities during the fun games.

Sisters is the flagship product of Megasoft Hygienic Products Inc. and continuously being patronized by the public for 19 years. It has received numerous recognitions including Best in Feminine Care Category, Most Outstanding Sanitary Napkin Brand and Best Brand Performance, given by various prestigious consumer organizations, marketing groups and retail companies nationwide.

As a give back to the community, “Megasoft’s School Is Cool” advocacy has toured almost 70 schools around the country since 2016, providing entertainment and assistance to the students and the schools and more

NICKIE WANG Dr. Maureen Nacu Castillo with Dr. Peter E. Dawson, one of the most influential clinicians and teacher in the history of Dentistry and founder of the prestigious Dawson Academy in Florida.

D

R. MAUREEN Nacu-Castillo never set out to be a dentist but a misunderstanding and a car accident led her to becoming one and now, almost 20 years into her practice she made it her advocacy to only give her patients the best and most complete care she can.

“I didn’t want to be a dentist, it never even crossed my mind at first. I wanted to be a teacher then a physical therapist but I got into a car accident one Christmas Eve which led me to miss taking college admission tests,” Dr. Mau shared.

That twist of fate led the young probinsyana from San Ildefonso, Bulacan walk the path of becoming a dentist.

“During my younger days, all I wanted was to finish my studies and work to take care of my parents,” Dr. Mau said.

She admitted that there were times when she wanted to give up but she didn’t because her parents always taught her to never give up once she started doing something.

“My mother taught me perseverance while my father taught me persistence,” she said.

Dr. Mau might not have wanted to be a dentist but it slowly became a passion and now she has been a clinician for 18 years and operates her own clinic in Antonia Mansion in Banawe, Quezon City.

Dr. Maureen graduated with a degree in Dentistry at the University of the East

in Manila and throughout her career she has done several courses. She took Comprehensive Implant Dentistry course locally and pursued further education and training in Implant Dentistry and Implant Prosthetic in Hongkong, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan. She took Esthetic Continuum Program in UCLA. She is scheduled to present her clinical case in March next year in New York University where she’s taking up an Advanced International Education Program on Cosmetic Dentistry and Oral Rehabilitation. And this year she completed a year-long course at the prestigious Dawson Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida USA, where she studied under Dr. Peter E. Dawson, considered as one of the most influential clinicians and teacher in the history of Dentistry.

As a Dawson dentist, she was taught how to never take shortcuts when it comes to dealing with her patients especially when it comes to addressing their dental problems and this is something that earned her the respect of her clients which includes beauty queens like Miss International Bea Rose Santiago, sports

importantly inspiring the youth to achieve their dreams.

It has also rendered support to movie premieres, album launches, concerts and fan meets including the recent blockbuster movie Hello, Love, Goodbye and the upcoming film Block Z. Megasoft VP for sales and marketing Aileen Choi-Go shared her appreciation to Sisters’ loyal followers.

“Sisters Day is a treat to our sisters whose support has propelled the brand to greater heights. And we promise to reach our sisters in other distant parts of the country to make them feel that we are one, we are sisters. I am very grateful with their love for the brand. I love my sisters.”

“The success of Sisters Sanitary Napkins and Pantyliners and our Megasoft brands namely Twins Lampein Comfort Baby Diapers, Super Twins Easy Wear Baby Pants, Super Twins Fashionable Denim Diapers, Cherub Baby Care Products, Fasclean Extra Power Detergent Powder in Sampaguita Scent and Lavender Scent with Fabric Conditioner, Megasoft Tissue and Grand Adult Diapers inspires us to come up with more innovative and high quality products.”

For more info, please like Sistersph on Facebook, Megasoft on Facebook, follow Megasoft_ph on Twitter and Instagram and log on towww.megasoft.com.ph.

Dr. Maureen Nacu Castillo is a 'complete dentistry' advocate

executive and basketball coach Alfrancis Chua, singers Julie Anne San Jose, andJugs Jugueta (Itchyworms), among others.

“The Dawson course was about ‘complete dentistry.’ He taught us to do the right thing: get the patient’s complete examination before coming up with an objective treatment plan,” Dr. Maureen said.

She related that she had to take 48-hour trips just to get the academy, a postgraduate educational and clinical research facility dedicated to the advancement of dentistry, and complete a course only four other Filipinos managed to complete before her.

“I want to be an advocate of ‘complete dentistry’ because I’ve seen a lot of patients, even those referred to me by my fellow colleagues and their ultimate concerns are varied and a lot of them want to have veneers.” she said. Continued on C3

Myrtle Sarrosa (center) joined by Megasoft's Aileen Choi Go (2nd from right) and brand ambassadors Ryle Santiago, Young JV and Aljun Cayawan.