Manila Standard - 2019 August 19 - Monday

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‘POGOs pose security threat’ Defense chief: Keep them away from AFP camps

Lessons bared on how to stop Sino intrusions

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte should visit Vietnam and Malaysia first before going to China so he can learn strategy lessons on how to stop Chinese vessels from invading country’s waters, a Forbes columnist said.

Panos Mourdoukoutas wrote in his Saturday column that appeasing Beijing will not work for the benefit of Filipinos as shown in repeated incidents of Chinese ships sailing unannounced without notifying the government.

President Duterte should look for strategies elsewhere, he said.

“Vietnam and Malaysia are the right places for that. The leaders of both countries have dared to do what Duterte didn’t: Stand up to China, and have achieved better results than Duterte,” Mourdoukoutas wrote.

He noted that Vietnam, one of the claimants in South China Sea, outlawed many of China’s ongoing activities in the disputed territories, including building of artificial islands, blockades, and the deployment of offensive weaponry.

It also mobilized its forces to stop Chinese vessels from entering into its waters.

As for Malaysia, he said the country seized more than 1 billion ringgit ($243.5 million) from a bank account of state-owned China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering over failed pipeline projects.

The Royal Malaysian Navy also conducted a rare show of its missile power near the disputed maritime region last month, Mourdoukoutas said. Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 186 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

By Francisco Tuyay and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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EFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Sunday that for security reasons, online gaming operations with Chinese workers should be relocated to areas far from military camps.

“Knowing that Chinese companies are mandated by the Chinese government to assist in intel collection for their government, it is not far fetched that individuals, likewise, could be compelled to do so,” Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana’s statement came after Chinese Ambassador to Manila Zhao Jianhua said Filipinos working in China could also be accused of spying—a suggestion the Defense chief dismissed as “preposterous.”

Filipino workers go to China for specific work with valid Chinese visas, he said, widely dispersed and working in homes and schools that are far away from military camps.

On the other hand, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations centers are situated in Araneta Center in Cubao Quezon City and Eastwood, “striking distance” from the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo and Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame.

Next page

Palace rejects Cardema’s plea

Gender-free CR? SOGIE bill pushed

By MJ Blancaflor

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is open to having gender-free comfort rooms in the Senate as his colleagues prepare to consider the sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) equality bill.

“Why not? We can start in the Senate,” Zubiri said when asked about “gender-free” comfort rooms as part of the SOGIE bill.

“Let’s keep an open mind. We are now entering 2020 and in this generation, lots of changes happened in the last years. So, let’s keep an open mind, come up with solution that is acceptable to all parties and lets take it from there, Zubiri said.

He also said the senators should debate on the SOGIE bill, which was refiled by Senator Risa Hontiveros after if failed to pass in the previous Congress.

But Zubiri said he is also backing Senator Juan Edgardo Angara’s antidiscrimination bill, which he believes would also include SOGIE. Next page

BREASTFEEDING WEEK.

Hakab Na!, an annual event founded by Breastfeeding Pinays, aims to promote and support breastfeeding to celebrate the World Breastfeeding Week held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. A simultaneous breastfeeding throughout the country and overseas gathers support for the cause.

Diana B. Noche

Dengue search-destroy bid launched PhilHealth fund’s

By Macon Ramos-Araneta special audit eyed HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque led the kick-off ceremonies for the Region-wide Synchronized Dengue Clean-up Drive for Metro Manila.

He exhorted the public to practice daily the 4S Strategy: Search and destroy, Protect the self, Seek early consultation when symptomatic, and Support spacespraying in identified areas with clustering of cases.

Similar activities were held simultaneously across Metro Manila through the collaboration with 17 Local Government Units and the Departments of Education, Interior and Local Government, Science and Technology and the Commission on Higher Education.

Senate Health committee chairman Christopher Go asked hospitals nationwide to put up Dengue Express Lanes amid the dengue outbreak.

Go said he had already talked to hospital officials and

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Next page

Mussels fight water pollution PARIS—Seafood lovers who prize the mussel for its earthy taste and succulent flesh may be unaware of its growing potential in the fight against water pollution.

The mussel is the hoover of the sea, taking in phytoplankton for nourishment Next page

SENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday urged the Commission on Audit to conduct a special audit on PhilHealth after he doubted its ability to cover the medical expenses of Filipinos in the next 10 years.

He doubted PhilHealth’s ability to do its job following the allegations of corruption in the agency.

It had also been reported that PhilHealth had resorted to overpayment or non-payment of hospital claims in connivance with the so-called ‘‘PhilHealth Mafia.

In Sunday’s interview with dzBB, Drilon said an annual audit was not enough given that many issues had been raised against PhilHealth, including overpayment, underpayment and nonpayment of claims.

“We must conduct a special audit, review the system and strengthen the agency’s auditing department, Drilon said.

But Senator Panfilo Lacson doubted if COA was capable of conducting an audit due to the extent of the corruption Next page within the agency.

THE Palace on Sunday refused to express support for former National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Cardema, who had asked President Rodrigo Duterte to look into his allegations of extortion against a poll commissioner that disqualified him as the representative for the Duterte Youth party-list group.

Cardema, 34, disqualified because he was older than the maximum allowable age for youth sector representatives, alleged that Commissioner Rowena Guanzon hired an emissary to ask him for favors in exchange for the approval of the accreditation of the Duterte Youth Party-list for the May 2019 polls.

“We ask the President for help. At this point that we’re really defeated, maybe we can ask help from the President,” Cardema said in a press conference Saturday.

But Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Malacañang will not interfere in the issue and advised Cardema to file charges instead of complaining Next page to the media.

HK protesters in show of support WORLD B3

UMBRELLAS OF PROTEST. Protesters gather for a rally in Victoria Park in Hong Kong on Aug. 18, 2019, in the latest opposition to a planned extradition law that has since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights in the semi-autonomous city.

Democracy activists stage another major rally to show the city’s leaders their protest movement still attracts wide public support despite mounting violence and increasingly stark warnings from Beijing. AFP

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Prolonged wiretapping backed

By Rey E. Requejo

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USTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday backed the proposal by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for a longer period to wiretap individuals considered a threat to national security.

“Terrorism is a serious threat to national security and public safety, so if our security experts recommend that a longer period for permissible wiretapping is necessary, I will support it,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

Guevarra was commenting on Lorenzana’s proposal to extend the period for

wiretapping from 30 to 90 days, with a one-time extension of 30 days In particular, Lorenzana seeks an amendment to Republic Act 9372, or the Human Security Act, that will allow wiretapping for as long as 90 days.

The anti-terror law allows wiretapping, with the consent of the Court of Appeals, only for terror suspects and ex-

pressly prohibits it in the case of lawyerclient communication between doctor and patient, and between journalists and their sources.

Guevarra also rejected a proposal by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año for the creation of special courts to handle terrorism-related cases, adding regular trial courts can handle it.

“As to the creation of a special court to handle terrorism cases, I believe that our regular trial courts, some of which have been designated to specially handle heinous crimes, are capable of trying terrorism cases wherever they may be filed,” Guevarra said.

Earlier, Guevarra also contradicted

Año’s call for the restoration of the AntiSubversion Law, saying that mere membership in the communist party or even other Leftist groups is not a crime.

“Being leftist is far from being a terrorist. As long as activism remains in the realm of ideology, there is nothing to be alarmed about. But once it flows into overt acts that threaten the national security or at least cause widespread fear among the people, the government has to step in and step in really hard,” he said.

Guevarra said instead of restoring the Anti-Subversion Law or RA 1700, the focus should be more on amending and giving more teeth to RA 9372.

As a response to China’s conduct, Panelo said the government “can always file a diplomatic protest and let them respond to it.”

Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua said earlier that China will not change its stance or its extensive claims over the South China Sea. Following the June 9 ramming of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel in the Recto Bank, Duterte said he had a verbal agreement with Xi allowing Chinese fishermen within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

There were also plans to develop Philippine islands under joint agreement between government and Chinese firms.

The first agreement, confirmed by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, is with Xiamen-based Fong Zhi Enterprise Corporation to develop a $2-billion Smart City in Fuga Island in Cagayan.

The second is with GFTG Property Holdings and Sanya CEDF Sino-Philippine Investment Corp., which forged a $298-million project to develop the Grande and Chiquita islands in Zambales under the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Opposition Senator Leila de Lima has filed a resolution urging Duterte to cancel these development plans, noting that the islands were strategic and their development by Chinese firms could compromise national security. a comprehensive set of health care services and medical coverage for Filipinos.

He warned that Filipinos would not be able to effectively be covered if the government would fail to address the root cause of the irregularities in PhilHealth and provide a system that could prevent corruption and enhance the agency’s performance.

While there was overpayment, he said, there was also corruption. He said this was the reason for the failure to pay hospital claims.

For the past five years, the agency registered P26 billion in net operating loss and had outstanding P48 billion in unpaid claims, to date, Drilon said.

PhilHealth president and chief executive Ricardo Morales said the agency was considering tapping an international consultancy firm to conduct a thorough audit of its funds.

But Drilon said the Constitution had mandated the COA as the government’s auditing body. He said the agency might be able to outsource a private firm to audit their funds but COA must have the final say.

‘POGOs...

Lessons...

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The other POGO hubs are located in Resorts World in Pasay City, a stone’s throw away from the Philippine Air Force in Pasay City, and the Philippine Army headquarters in Taguig City and another in Macapagal Avenue near the Philippine Navy headquarters in Roxas Boulevard.

A POGO hub is also being eyed at a 36-hectare former resort in Kawit, Cavite that can house some 20,000 Chinese workers, just a few kilometers from the Philippine Air Force’s 15th Strike Wing and Philippine Naval Base Heracleo Alano in Sangley Point, a former US base in Cavite province.

“The POGO centers here… are very near military camps and naval bases.

It could be just coincidental because these were the only facilities offered for POGO operations and I believe that the POGO workers are here just for work only,” he said.

“What I am alarmed [about] is the potential that they could be tapped for info gathering purposes,” he added. “That is why I support the relocation of the POGO centers to eco zones that are not proximate to military camps.”

Earlier, Lorenzana voiced concerns over the increasing number of Chinese in the country, saying “it’s very easy for these people to shift their activities to spying.”

Records from the Philippine National Police showed that Chinese arrivals in the Philippines reached 250,000.

Earlier, Lorenzana reacted strongly to Zhao’s statement that Filipino workers could be suspected of spying as well.

“That’s the most preposterous statement I heard in a long while. POGO workers here are not comparable to OFWs in China. POGO workers came over for a different purpose, e.g., likely just tourism, but eventually got visas to work in an activity at the POGO centers operating gambling operations which [are] prohibited in China,” Lorenzana said in a message to reporters.

Also, he pointed out that Chinese companies are mandated by their government to assist in intelligence collection and it is not far-fetched to think that individuals could be compelled to do so.

Also on Sunday, Senator Leila de Lima has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to call off the Philippine government agreements with Chinese firms to develop three strategic islands in the country to avoid security risks posed by China’s aggressive military activities in the Asia Pacific region.

She filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 93 calling for the cancellation of the planned development of Fuga, Grande and Chiquita Islands, as well as any other location of significant strategic maritime security importance, backed

by China.

“No amount of guarantee of good behavior nor promise of economic gain from China would justify placing our country at risk by allowing foreign presence in strategic locations, especially by a government that has repeatedly expressed their claim over our territorial waters, as well as those of our neighboring states,” she said.

Duterte has been widely criticized for his soft stance toward China before he announced his fifth trip to Beijing—which he said is the right time to assert the 2016 arbitral victory of Manila since his term is about to end.

He has repeatedly said he is “friends” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

But the Palace on Sunday said the repeated incidents of Chinese ships sailing unannounced in the country’s waters have become “an irritant.”

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Beijing has been violating the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea through their “unfriendly act” of sailing in the Philippine waters without government permission.

“It’s becoming an irritant if you keep on repeating certain acts that may be viewed to be in violation of an UNCLOS and not as an act of friendship between two countries,” Panelo said in a radio interview.

At least five Chinese warships have intruded into Philippine waters through the Sibutu Strait near Tawi-Tawi, the Western Mindanao Command previously reported.

So far, 13 Chinese People’s Liberation Army vessels have recently entered the country, according to authorities.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who described the recent movements as “irritants,” also said that Chinese warships passed through Sibutu Strait with their automatic identification systems switched off.

On Thursday, Malacañang expressed its concern over the military’s report of Chinese warships sailing in Sibutu passage that connects Sulu Sea and Sulawesi Sea, saying it was not “an act of friendship.”

Chinese-owned survey ships have also been conducting marine scientific research recently in the country’s exclusive economic zone without approval from government, according to Ryan Martinson, a professor at the China Maritime Studies Institute of the US Naval War College.

These survey ships were Zhanjian, which has been operating off the waters of Bicol and Eastern Visayas, and Dong Fang Hong 3, which was spotted near Ilocos.

UNCLOS allows innocent passage of ships through the territorial sea of a coastal state as long as it will be “continuous and expeditious.”

As for ships conducting a scientific surveys, they must request permission from the country that has jurisdiction over the area where the survey will take place, as stated by UNCLOS. China and the Philippines were both signatories to UNCLOS.

Gender-free...

PhilHealth...

From A1

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“It could be a happy compromise, because there are some sectors which don’t want [SOGIE],” said Zubiri who maintained that there should be equality for all.

This was the same view aired by Senator Christopher Go, who said all Filipinos should be treated equally and justly.

“I support this,” the neophyte senator said of the Hontiveros bill.

“It is only right to protect the welfare of our country’s gender minorities who have contributed to our development and nation-building and have served and continue to serve the Filipino people well,” Go said.

“As a country that prides itself for its diversity, it is our moral obligation to safeguard a culture of acceptance and inclusivity to ensure that our children and generations of Filipinos to come will live in a nation where they feel loved, cared for and accepted,” he added.

Senator Leila de Lima sought an end to “bathroom discrimination” following the humiliation suffered by transgender Gretchen Diez, who was barred from using the women’s public restroom inside a shopping center in Quezon City on Aug. 13.

De Lima said the incident is a clear case of discrimination and therefore violates the human rights of the members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community.

She reiterated her support for the immediate passage of the SOGIE bill to help stop gender-based discrimination and abuses.

Hontiveros’ proposed measure seeks to prohibit all forms of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

Other senators who have expressed misgivings about the SOGIE bill are Senators Joel Villanueva and Ronald dela Rosa.

“I have been saying that the 1900 health service institutions and providers cannot be covered so they can just do a random, Lacson said.

Drilon again raised serious concerns on the anomalies in PhilHealth and its poor collection efficiency.

“It involves billions of pesos of public money. The government provides subsidy to PhilHealth to cover the medical expenses of the poor and the informal sector, which amounts to P257 billion next year and P319 billion by 2024 due to the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, Drilon said.

“We should not stop until we get to the bottom of this issue, so we can come up with solutions and legislation to prevent corruption, increase the agency’s collection efficiency and improve claims processing and benefit development.”

Drilon said the government had made massive strides in expanding access to

Palace...

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“We don’t care in anything he does.

We will never intrude into anything that does not concern the Palace. So that’s between him and Commissioner Guanzon,” Panelo said in a radio interview.

“If he has a corruption charge, he should file a case. He doesn’t have to go [to the] media about it. File a case. Why does he have to drag the Palace [into this]?” the spokesman added.

The Duterte Youth earned a single seat in the 18th Congress after it gained enough votes in May polls.

But the Comelec disqualified Cardema from representing a youth sector in the House of Representatives because he

was already 34 years old.

The Party-List System Act requires a youth sector representative to be 25 to 30 years old on election day.

Guanzon was one of the commissioners who voted to disqualify Cardema.

She also pushed for a probe to determine if Cardema committed “material misrepresentation” when he filed for candidacy, which would amount to an election offense with criminal liability.

She also said members of her family received death threats.

Guanzon also denied Cardema’s extortion claims.

Panelo said that even though Cardema is a known supporter of President Duterte, the Palace willnot back him.

“If he did something wrong, he’s on his own,” Panelo said.

Dengue...

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management people to put up the dengue express lanes to give immediate medical attention to dengue patients following the declaration of a national dengue epidemic.

He said patients afflicted with the mosquito-borne disease should be quickly provided medical treatment to ensure their safety.

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

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

Mussels...

From A1

along with microplastics, pesticides and other pollutants—which makes it an excellent gauge.

One day, it may also be pressed into service to cleanse water.

“It’s a super-filter in the marine world, filtering up to 25 liters of water a day,” says marine biologist Leila Meistertzheim.

“It’s a real model of bioaccumulation of pollutants generally speaking.”

As they pump and filter the water through their gills in order to feed and breathe, mussels store almost everything else that passes through—which is why strict health rules apply for those destined for human consumption.

DOLE blackballs 21 employers, labor agencies

reach its peak in October.

Sought for his comment on lifting the ban on the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, Go said the anti-dengue vaccine must be administered first to FDA officials and experts.

“You have to show the public that this is safe... to remove fears of Filipinos to the vaccine,” Go said during the inauguration of the 40th Malasakit Center at the newly opened Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital.

In response to the National Dengue Epidemic, the LGUs conducted regular community and school clean-up drives and implemented vector control measures such as the installation of ovitraps and insecticide treated screens in public elementary schools, space spraying and Targeted Outdoor Residual Spraying in dengue hot spots.

TWENTY-ONE foreign recruitment agencies and direct employers were blacklisted in a continuing government bid to rid the overseas placement industry of misfits, the Labor department reported over the weekend.

The department said 19 erring local recruitment firms were either suspended or had their licenses canceled.

Administrator Bernard Olalia of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said cleansing the industry was part of the intensified regulatory exercise to protect Filipino workers and promote the welfare of those seeking employment abroad.

The POEA also said those meted with suspension, fines or cancellation of licenses were found to have violated recruitment rules from January to July.

Olalia said of the suspended and canceled PRAs, there were those whose licenses were restored after their cancellation was reversed on appeal.

Olalia said the POEA had to disclose the list to make the public aware, especially those seeking employment overseas, of the erring agencies.

The disqualified foreign recruitment agencies or direct employers are AV Global Harvest PTE Ltd., Isa KhouriMetal Industries Ltd. and Amir Khoury, Raffles International Christian School, Al Tauqueet Trading and Services, Est/Al Tauqet Trading & Services Co., NooraSalem Saad Occie for Recruitment of Domestic Helpers Office, All Pro Recruitment Agency, Marwan Slim; Food Equipment Supplying Company Limited (Fesco) & Thaer H. Abdou, Wanasah Manpower Supply & Mohammed Naser Al Naser, Bader Contracting & Trading Company/Bard Cont and Trad, Speedy Tech Electronics Co. Ltd., Staff Buro Staffing, Candice Cruz and Allan John Wilton, Jalal Al Jalal Construction Est./ Al Nassr AhssaTrading Contracting Company/ Jalal Al Jalal/Saad Saleh Al Jalal, Marhaba Shopping Center, Hadi Al HamroorContracting Est. and Fawzi Al Najrani Est./Fouzi Saleh Najrani Contracting, Yacht Tours Maldives Pvt. Ltd.; Al Falax Electronics Equipment and Supplies Company/Al Falak Equipment, Agensi Pekerjaan YSL SDN BHD Lim Pooling and Saw Boon Foong, West Labour Supply and Abdalla Ali Adalla Alsari, Tsaheel Al Janoob Office for Recruitment, Al Bahli Manpower Recruiting Office & Omar Saad Al Hamad, and Special Manpower Supply.

The agencies suspended or fined from January to July 31 were Double M Marine Services, Danasan Manpower & Management Services, Summit Placement and Resources, Masters International Placement, FarlandPersonnel Management Corp., Corinthians Placement Services, Ankor Management & Services & Consultant; HBO International Manpower Services, Century High HR Inc., First Champion & International Entertainment Inc., Jamal Human Resource, Farland Personnel Management Corp., Boom International Recruitment Agency, Workgroup International Manpower Services, OsimsOriental Skills International, Health Carousel Philippines Inc., Mitch International Recruitment Agency, and Falcon Maritime & Allied Services.

The list of agencies with canceled licenses included Rufean International Resources, Ace Globe Management Consultancy Services Corp, Federal Overseas Manpower Inc., American Prime Manpower Services Inc., FilhighGNS, Inc., Danasan Manpower & Management Service, Pacific Ace Human Resources Corporation, Highway Manpower Services & Promotion, Inc., and M&P Employment Inc.

Like canaries in a coal mine, mussels have long been used as “bio-indicators” of the health of the seas, lakes and rivers they inhabit.

Little-known pollutants can turn up to join the usual suspects, with increasing attention paid to microplastics containing bisphenol A and phthalates, both thought to be endocrine disruptors.

Meistertzheim heads a study for France’s Tara Ocean Foundation using mussels to gauge the health of the estuaries of the Thames, Elba and Seine rivers.

The mussels, placed in fish traps, are submerged in the waters for a month before researchers dissect them to determine what chemical substances lurk in their tissues.

The idea of deploying mussels across the oceans to absorb ubiquitous micro-

plastics is just a dream for now, but for other pollutants, the bivalves are already at work.

“In some places, mussels are used, as well as oysters, to cleanse the sea of pesticides, for example,” Meistertzheim notes.

E. coli busters Richard Luthy, an environmental engineer from California’s Stanford University, says that, in most cases, mussels harvested from contaminated waters should not be eaten.

But if the contaminant is E. coli, mussels can be thanked for the “removal and inactivation” of the faecal material, he says, calling the service a “public health benefit.”

The mussels are edible because they “excrete the bacteria as faeces or mucus,” he says. AFP

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Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

‘HK crisis will benefit PH’ WE ARE not one to rejoice over other people’s misfortune. But the ongoing political protests in Hong Kong is going to benefit the Philippine economy—so said Alicia Garcia Herrera, a HK-based global economist.

Herrera pointed out that the Philippines, a labor-intensive economy with a cheap salary scale, can morph into one of the region’s manufacturing centers. Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore could also benefit from Hong Kong’s downfall, said Herrera. Her words, not mine.

Ours is a laborintensive economy with a cheap salary scale.

The downfall of Hong Kong, however, could affect the more than 150,000 Filipino overseas workers deployed as domestics and hotel employees.

Realizing the extent of the widespread protest, China announced a $2-billion package to prop up the sagging Hong Kong economy. In a media conference in London, the Chinese ambassador said China would take the protests sitting down.

That the ambassador made the statement in London is obviously a warning to the British not to intervene in the crisis. Britain used

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

to be Hong Kong’s ruler for decades until it turned over the crown colony to Mainland China. As one of the few Filipinos invited to the historic event, I was there during the turnover in 1997. I stood beside Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka Shing.

Aside from the Chinese ambassador’s response to the demonstrators, the protesters and international observers are also wary about whether China would unleash the 100,000-strong People’s Liberation Army, quartered at barracks along the Chinese-Hong Kong border.

Observers believe that China has not foisted the PLA yet on the defiant protesters, whose action reached its peak at the Hong Kong international airport disrupting flights and inconveniencing thousands of departing and arriving passengers.

The Hong Kong protests by a million people certainly is not in the same scale of the student protest in Tiananmen Square quelled by China in a most violent manner in 1989.

That was just a hundred students in the small but famous square that drew the world’s attention. This time, the Hong Kong protest was sparked by a proposed controversial extradition law that would send Hong Kong’s accused to mainland China.

Filipinos working in Hong Kong, if displaced by the recent disturbance, can always come home to work in new manufacturing factories that will be opened.

Filipino tourists, on the other hand, need not take the one-and-a-halfhour flight just to shop and eat at the best Hong Kong Chinese restaurants.

Metro Manila shopping malls now sell high-end fashion goods at cheaper prices and serve good Chinese food

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Down the rabbit hole URIOUSER and curiouser!

These were the words uttered by Alice, when Wonderland became stranger at every turn. The same words might well apply to the strange case of Ronald Cardema, 34, who insists against all evidence that he is qualified to be a congressman representing the youth, when the law clearly states that youth sector nominees must be no older than 30 years old.

Over the weekend, things took an even more bizarre turn, when the nominee for the Duterte Youth Party-list group accused a poll commissioner of extortion, saying she demanded favors from him in exchange for approving the party's accreditation in January.

Like the realm created by Lewis Carroll, there is little internal logic in Cardema's world.

At a press conference, Cardema alleged that Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, through an emissary, had demanded P2 million

from his party-list and asked him for the appointment of a lawyer as a regional trial court judge in Iloilo and another person as the public works regional director of Negros.

But Cardema, who overstayed his welcome as head of the National Youth Commission, had neither the power nor influence to grant such demands, a fact that Guanzon well knows.

“Why on earth, of all people, will I ask him for the appointment [of these individuals]?” she asked pointedly in reaction to Cardema's latest claim. “Why, is he the President? Can he appoint a judge?”

Cardema's allegations, she said, were made simply to elicit publicity and sympathy and to maneuver her into recusing herself in his disqualification case, something she said she would not do.

Last Tuesday, Cardema filed a motion for reconsideration, asking the Commission on Elections en banc to reconsider its decision to cancel his nomination because of the age issue. If that fails, he added, he would go to the Supreme Court

to settle the dispute.

At his press conference, Cardema broke into tears when he talked about his wife, whom he substituted as Duterte Youth nominee at the last minute. She was four months pregnant, he said, and was in hospital because of stress and could lose her baby.

This plea for sympathy, however, did not fool the poll watchdog group, Kontra Daya, which said his allegations merely proved that he was willing to circumvent the law to become a congressman.

Cardema was only digging a hole for himself, to which “jail time is becoming more and more possible,” a spokesman for the group said.

Surely, it cannot be lost on the Palace that Cardema and his Duterte Youth are increasingly becoming an embarrassment to the President, whose name they borrowed. Perhaps somebody from the administration should quietly explain to him that he has struck out and that he should stop swinging. At this Cardema should consider himself fortunate. A less benevolent ruler might simply say: “Off with their heads!”

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Gratitude

QUITE a hornet’s nest was stirred by off-the-cuff remarks from the President about the acceptance of “gifts” by policemen as a sign of gratitude.

Our civil service laws and even a Marcos presidential decree forbids “any” kind of gift or solicitation by and for government employees.

Quickly, neophyte senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa seconded the President, admitting to accepting lechon, among others such as Lacoste polos from recipients of police service.

His fellow senator and former PNP director-general as well, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson reminded him and everyone else that “big” graft starts from “small” graft, such as the acceptance of gifts, even if these are not bribes.

I recall to mind an incident at a domestic airport where a Coryappointed department secretary berated a regional director for the effrontery of sending him pasalubong of delicacies native to the region on his return trip to Manila.

It was not so much the refusal of simple gifts, as the manner in which he publicly scolded the midlevel manager who thought giving pasalubong was not an act of “sipsip” but a manifestation of plain, old Filipino cultural tradition.

Deeply humiliated, the regional director never forgot, nor forgave, the Cabinet member for his “arrogance.”

Two years later, the Cabinet secretary was sacked for failing to solve the many problems of his department. And the regional director, who retired as such until after Erap, kept mumbling “beh…buti nga”whenever the topic of the over-bearing and arrogant secretary was mentioned.

A wealthy southern lady once told me a narrative about Ping Lacson when he was yet a police officer in Cebu, as head of the then Metropolitan Cebu District. This was the height of the kidnapping scare that bedeviled a lot of wealthy families and their children.

Her grade-school son was kidnapped, and eventually rescued by the intrepid Lacson and his intelligence operator,

Michael Rey Aquino. The rescue was made in dramatic fashion, and no ransom was paid.

In gratitude, the husband went to the police director’s office with a bag of cash.

Lacson politely refused. But her husband insisted, saying that it was part of Chinese culture to repay kindness done, or good deeds upon a family, with some kind of recompense.

Gratitude, or utang na loob.

But Lacson told him that if he accepted the “gift,” his men would know about it, and he was worried that soon they would only rescue scions of the rich families who would give gifts of gratitude and neglect their duties to ordinary folks who could say nothing but thank you, if at all.

It always boils down to propriety versus greed.

Still, the father persisted, telling Lacson he could give the cash to his men, or buy office equipment with the money.

To cut the argument short, Lacson told him to leave a onepeso coin in his table. A token is gift enough.

When we volunteered to help the then city mayor of Davao to become president of the land, “payment” was an ubiquitous carton of pomelos sent to our hotel room by the very solicitous Bong Go. It was not payment, and could never be treated as such; it was a simple and nice gesture of appreciation.

And it reminded me that the brand of the pomelos was one I personally chose for the produce of our own farm in Tugbok during the martial law years. I marketed this in Metro Manila.

Later, when the family decided to give the land away to the agrarian reform program, retaining some 30 hectares of land planted to “Golden” pomelos, our “mamamakyaw” or produce buyer used the same label, and eventually grew to becoming Davao’s largest purveyor and planter of pomelos.

Years after the demise of our old man, we sold the 30 hectares to a huge agricultural firm along with the Turn to A5

Stirring up the hornet’s nest Gender is not just a state of mind.

IT WAS just okay before. There were just lesbians, gays and bisexuals. They demanded acceptance which was every inch right as they are humans like everybody else.

It was not easy, but society had to finally relent. There was peaceful coexistence. But it was not still perfect as in the case of colored people and even women. Respect and acceptance still had to reach an ideal level.

But even after society had given them its hand, they started demanding more.

They demanded the arm and more.

Some started identifying themselves as transvestites demanding that society accept them for their cross-dressing.

Of course, there was nothing else to do but accept them. Cross-dressing did not pose harm to anyone.

Still, they wanted more. Claiming they were women trapped in a man’s body and vice versa, they coined the term transgender. And that’s where the problem started. They now demand acceptance as real men and women, delegating gender to a mere state of mind.

With society slowly giving in, they broadened the scope to include those who qualify themselves as queer, intersexual, asexual and even those in between, +.

Gender has now become a tool for one’s convenience.

However, the incident involving Mr. Diez (I refuse to call him Gretchen as I am sure that is not his real and even legal name), has served as an eye-opener for those who have been ignoring their issue for the longest time.

Mr. Diez, physically male as he is, tried to use a toilet designed for women and was stopped by a janitress from doing so. Mr. Diez’s case was picked up by the media and he attained popularity overnight. Now, he is suing the mall management for discrimination.

Unfortunately for him and his likes, society is not about to tolerate their acts now. They have just stirred up the hornets’ nest.

Lately, the social media has been abuzz with memes criticizing transgenders’ attempt to impose their will on everyone, demanding respect and acceptance but deliberately ignoring the rights of other people.

Turn to A5

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

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Opinion

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

EvEryman

Chinese warships, POGOs and the trip to Beijing

An anti-freedom subversion law

By Val Abelgas LAST week, two former police generals suggested that the administration should do something to stop leftist organizations from recruiting and indoctrinating children and young students to overthrow the government.

Senator Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, former director general of the Philippine National Police and lead executor of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war, is now focusing his sights on student activists and militant organizations and is suggesting that the military and the police be allowed entry into state universities and colleges to compete with leftist groups in “recruiting” students.

During a hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, which he heads as chairman, De la Rosa cited intelligence reports that some 500 to 1,000 students are regularly indoctrinated by the Communist Party of the Philippines to become either members of the New People’s Army or to lead militant organizations in schools. He presented some mothers who claimed their children were kidnapped by communists for indoctrination, a claim just as soon denied by at least two supposedly kidnapped students who said they voluntary left home for family reasons.

De La Rosa also suggested that teachers who cancel their classes and encourage their students to join protest rallies should be fired, adding that these mentors actually tell their students attendance would be checked during these demonstrations. He singled out the University of the Philippines and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, both state-owned schools.

Having studied at the UP during the First Quarter Storm in the early 1970s, I witnessed student leaders coming into classrooms to encourage students to join protests and to explain why they were protesting, but while many teachers allowed them to speak, the teachers never told their students to join the rally and that their attendance would be checked there.

The teachers understood and respected the activists’ right to express their dissent just as they respected the

Stirring...

From A4

A lawmaker was supposedly quoted saying that if women can’t bear a transgender or transwoman using the toilet with them, then they should just bear it. How insensitive (and arrogant)!

First of all, a transwoman (as how they preferred to be called), still has a man’s sex organ, a penis to be specific.

And just like normal people, they still experience sexual urges. And since they have a penis and not a vagina, their arousal manifests through erection, just like any ordinary male. And just like any ordinary male, they reach orgasm by ejaculating through their penis by performing the same acts as done by any ordinary male.

In fact, in websites wherein transgender offer sexual services, they state categorically they have fully functional tools.

So, doesn’t that pose any threat or danger to any woman sharing the same toilet with a transgender?

In February this year, a 10-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a women’s bathroom by someone who passed himself as a woman. Who can prevent this from happening here in the Philippines?

Remember, these transgenders who insist on using the women’s toilets are still equipped with fully functional tools.

And this may be the reason why no lesbian insists on using the men’s

Gratitude From A4

promise that he would take care of employing the farmer-beneficiaries of the 110 hectares divided among our former workers in a well-managed plantation.

But I digress too much with reminiscences.

When is accepting a gift a “bribe” and when is it a mere “utang kabubut-on” ingrained in our Oriental culture?

Why, even the Spanish friars accepted gifts from the natives, donations for “indulgencias” and “forgiveness” of sins!

I guess there will always be a very thin line which would separate

students’ decision to join rallies or not. Of course, students who joined missed the lessons and, sometimes, even exams for the day, but these brilliant students knew that they had to get involved to help bring back the country’s state of affairs that had been mishandled by the nation’s leaders and that no amount of education would correct the inequities of society unless the educated did something about them.

The other former PNP chief, Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, went even further by proposing that the purged AntiSubversion Law of 1957 be restored to prevent the CPP from actively recruiting prospective NPA fighters to overthrow the government.

“We wish to emphasize that our proposal to revive the Anti-Subversion Law is only for members of the CPPNPA-NDF and all groups directly supporting it. It only covers the communists who are actively working to overthrow the government through armed struggle and does not, in any way, cover legitimate dissent, political opposition, or similar groups,” he said.

But we all know, as Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon warned, that the law was prone to abuse by the authorities and was used mostly to harass the opposition and activists and to suppress legitimate dissent. We should remember that the same law was used by the late President Marcos to harass, threaten and jail opposition politicians and student leaders prior to the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and eventual declaration of martial law.

Are De la Rosa and Año, two known Duterte die-hards, paving the way for an eventual declaration of martial law as feared by many and threatened to be imposed several times by Duterte to intimidate the opposition?

In 1992, the Anti-Subversion Law was repealed as part of the peace negotiations between the communist rebels and former President Fidel V. Ramos. If I remember right, the six years of the Ramos administration did not experience massive protests nor did the NPA increased its numbers despite the scrapping of the law.

Restoring the law would only open

the doors to witch-hunt and labelling of opposition politicians, legitimate dissenters and rights activists as “subversives.” Now, instead of labelling oppositionists as narcopoliticians or drug lord coddlers, as they wrongfully and unfairly did to Sen. Leila de Lima and other politicians, the administration can just call them “subversives” to either imprison or silence them.

Instead of moving to restore the Anti-Subversion Law, Congress should enact an Anti-Freedom Subversion Law” that would ensure the protection of the people’s constitutionally-mandated freedoms of speech and the press, to express legitimate grievances, to peaceably assemble, and to join legitimate associations. Under such a law, those who would aggressively stifle dissent and subvert freedom should be jailed, instead of the other way around.

Instead of suppressing rights and subverting democracy, the administration should instead address the legitimate grievances of protesters, as suggested by the Commission on Human Rights.

The Chinese government tried to suppress the rights of the Hong Kong population by enacting a law that would allow extradition of people accused of certain crimes to China, where they faced possible torture by the military or unfair trial by authoritarian courts. While the proposed law aimed to suppress dissent, it only united the Hong Kong people to fight for their rights and to protect the democratic space that they enjoyed under an agreement between China and Great Britain until 2047.

De la Rosa and Año should not forget that when people are pressured into a corner with no democratic space, they eventually fight back with an even greater force as what happened on EDSA in 1987 and what is now happening in Hong Kong.

Cracking down on dissent and shutting down democratic space would only build the pressure that could lead to their worst fears—a repeat of EDSA. Mr. Abelgas is a former editor of the Manila Standard. He now lives in the United States.

toilet. They are likely aware of the dangers posed by someone with a fully functional tool.

Fortunately for us, their luck might have started running out. Society is now slowly realizing that it may have created monster when it accepted their principle that gender was a state of mind.

Not only memes lambasting them have gone viral on social media. Actions are being undertaken to finally take a stand against them. In Brazil, the newly elected president has vowed to eliminate transgender and pro-gay ideology from schools.

Also in the United Kingdom, parents have pulled out their children from schools which have allowed transgenders to use women’s bathrooms.

In Iowa, female students even staged a walkout in protest over transgenders’ use of their bathroom.

They have bitten more than they can chew. Having stirred up the hornets’ nest, they can expect a rough sailing for their SOGIE Bill. *** NutriAsia’s Bring Your Own Bottle campaign was a success as hundreds of people gathered at the launch of the food giant’s BYOB pop-up store at The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, last August 1.

The BYOB store is part of NutriAsia’s campaign to reduce plastic consumption and promote environmental sustainability.

NutriAsia encourages visitors to bring their own clean plastic or glass

bottles to the pop-up store to get a refill of condiments, sauces and cooking oils at discounted prices. Products offered at the refilling station include Datu Puti soy sauce, Datu Puti vinegar, UFC banana catsup, Golden Fiesta palm oil, Golden Fiesta soya oil, Golden Fiesta canola oil and Golden Fiesta corn oil.

These items are sold 5-15 percent cheaper than their suggested retail prices. The store also gives 40 percent discount to buyers of locally blended juice drinks.

Since its opening, the BYOB booth has been frequented by working moms, young professionals and residents of the area. They can get a minimum of 200 grams of their desired products and a maximum of 2 liters.

According to NutriAsia’s staff, customers bring at least two empty bottles for refill; others just drop by their store to donate plastic containers.

Jerome Manangkil, one of the visitors, expressed his appreciation and support for NutriAsia’s initiative.

For returning customer John Allan Adriatico, the BYOB campaign is good news to practical consumers like him.

Carinderia owner Vanjie Esperanza also finds the campaign beneficial to small business owners.

The pop-up store is open until Sept.

12. Since last year, NutriAsia has partnered with the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for a series of refilling activities across Central Luzon.

gifts from bribes, depending on the situation, the circumstances, the value, and the ethics of the recipient, as much as the giver.

At the end of the day, it would always boil down to propriety versus greed. What is “enough” and what is “excessive.”

Just a postscript: A friend called me about my previous article last week, on water resources, entitled “Harvesting rain.”

He championed the plight of the Dumagats, whose ancestral lands, dearly sacred to them and their preserved way of life, would be inundated by the proposed Kaliwa Dam near the forests of Infanta leading to Rizal which is beside the metropolitan capital.

In response, I told him about the

observation intimated to me by the highly respected former Finance Secretary, also Prime Minister of Ferdinand Marcos, the erudite Cesar E.A. Virata, about the Chico River Dam which was resisted until the very end of Marcos, by the Bugkalots and other indigenous tribes in Kalinga and the rest of the Montanosa. Their leader was the celebrated Macli-ing Dulag.

I distinctly recall what PM Virata told me in a dinner conversation during Cory Aquino’s time: “Why should a group of a thousand Filipinos’ “rights” prevail over the needs of millions of Filipinos who need water for irrigation and other basic needs?”

The debate will always rage, but the ticking time bomb of water scarcity will inexorably move on.

A5

about telling us, ‘Hey, we’re passing by.’ That’s all there is to it for us. Why the secrecy?”

Equally as disturbing as the swarm of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters and its West Philippine Sea aggression PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte says that and militarization is the influx of when he meets with Chinese President Philippine offshore gaming operators Xi Jinping in Beijing end-August, he staffed by workers from China. Some would finally raise the 2016 arbitral 200,000 have sought special working court ruling, which nullified China’s permits in 2018, numbers from the nine-dash line encroaching on the Bureau of Immigration show. The Philippines exclusive economic zone. Department of Tourism meanwhile If the event indeed transpires, then that counts 1.26 million coming into the country for the same year. puts him on the right track.

Lorenzana has already expressed What’s clear for now is that such an announcement marks a departure fears POGOs may shift their operations from the President’s typical narrative to spying, following concerns raised when discussing the West Philippine by lawmakers that these are sprouting Sea, the narrative that says the arbitral near military headquarters, and even ruling must be set aside to improve the Senate. Earlier, National Security relations with China that was strained Adviser Hermogenes Esperon called the influx of during the previous Chinese workers a administration, and security threat. hence be “friends” F u r t h e r instead of risking I hope it’s not complicating war.

Duterte’s upcoming Time and again, too late.

Beijing visit— such foreign which as things turn policy—which the could be his biggest government calls foreign policy “independent” but which elsewhere is called defeatist and challenge yet, one that would test both subservient—has been proven faulty, his so-called “independent” policy and and the rapid escalation of events in his statesmanship skills—are rumblings recent months have only shown how in the armed forces brought about by his appeasement stance against the blatant much.

In June, on Philippine Independence bullying of China, and the palpable Day, a Filipino fishing boat and pressure of public sentiment.

It bears repeating a huge majority of a Chinese trawler figured in a controversial altercation at the Reed Filipinos oppose Chinese aggression in Bank. Mass indignation followed when Philippine waters, as confirmed by a The details of the event became known: recent Social Weather Stations survey: The 22 Filipino crew were resting when More than nine in 10 say they believe the collision happened, and were left to it is important to regain control of the West Philippine Sea, while almost the drown on high seas.

The President’s subsequent revelation same number say it feels wrong to do that he and President Xi had a verbal nothing.

Meanwhile, more than eight in 10 are agreement to allow Chinese fisherfolk to fish in the Reed Bank appears only to critical of government inaction on the West Philippine Sea, saying the matter have made the matter worse.

On the one hand, such an agreement should be brought to the United Nations when ratified “will substantially or any other international organizations, diminish the arbitral award as a self- or saying the country should build inflicted blow again to our sovereign alliances to help defend its waters.

Chinese acts of aggression in the rights in the West Philippine Sea,” noted Supreme Court Senior Associate South China Sea have disrespected the Justice Antonio Carpio. On the other ASEAN members and sparked strong hand, it did not at all lead to friendlier rejections from its members such as relations with China, with Filipino Vietnam and Malaysia, threatening fisherfolk still having to face Chinese escalation to military confrontation. presence and intimidation on a regular Beijing’s deliberate delaying tactics have delayed the finalization of the Code basis.

More recent developments have only of Conduct despite the strong clamor of further undermined the idea that the ASEAN states while militarization of Philippines and China are “friends,” Chinese occupied islands continue.

Recent reports of a Chinese ship or could at all be friendly; some of the President’s men are themselves now conducting an oil and gas survey in the Vanguard Bank, waters inside the raising their own doubts.

In July, two Chinese warships were Vietnamese continental shelf, sparked spotted at the Sibutu Strait in Tawi- a tense stand-off involving up to 20 Tawi, while three more were seen in armed vessels from both sides. This is August, according to a military report. yet another calculated move to seize “Not an act of friendship” was how control of valuable resources in China’s Palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo nine-dash claim.

Perhaps the confluence of these described the presence of such warships in Philippine waters without any factors might have shaped President coordination with Manila. “We express Duterte’s recent pronouncement that he concern with that kind of incident. would finally take up the matter of the Because if they keep on saying that arbitral ruling when he visits Beijing we’re friends, I don’t think this is an at the end of the month. The President act of friendship,” Panelo was quoted might have painted himself into a corner this time. It’s interesting how a head of saying in a news report.

Chinese warships had passed state can just decide to fly to the head of through the same strait four times since another state just like that—diplomatic February, noted Defense Secretary protocols alone takes months, let alone logistical preparations on both sides.

Delfin Lorenzana.

I hope it’s not too late. Whatever “I think this is not innocent anymore because this has been happening happens in the talks with President Xi, repeatedly,” the defense chief was a repivoting toward our other allies to quoted saying in another news report. enforce a rules-based order may prove “They can pass through but why don’t more practical and effective in the they inform us? What’s too difficult evolving scenario of the South China Sea.

‘HK...

From A4

comparable to Hong Kong—thanks to our large Chinese community here.

Hong Kong earns its foreign revenues from manufacturing, tourism and high-end office and apartment rentals for the multinationals assigned there. With the Philippines’ abundance of office and residential condominiums in Metro Manila, for instance in the Makati central business district, we could offer cheaper rent to expats who might move here.

Are we seeing what augurs as the transformation of Makati as the Asian center for business and finance replacing Hong Kong? Why not?

We have the technical people with a good command of the English language. That is why many Filipinos work in Hong Kong’s finest hotels.

China cannot send its own people to Hong Kong because of their limited English proficiency. Can you

imagine a foreign hotel guest telling the chambermaid to clean up later and she misunderstands that he wants her go to bed with him? That would be a complicated situation because of the language barrier!

Our banking system owned and managed by the country’s top tycoons can also provide banking services comparable to Hong Kong which gained reputation for handling international investment and financing.

We have industry captains who are global players like Manny Pangilinan, the Ayalas, the Sys, Tys, Gokongweis, Ricky Razon, Manny Villar, Lucio Tan, Andrew Tan, and Ramon Ang who is building a new airport in Bulacan.

While we don’t have Hong Kong’s world-class airport in Mainland China, we can have three NAIA airport terminals in Pasay plus Clark in Pampanga and now Bulacan for more international gateways.

Manila/Makati as the new Hong Kong? That’s not a remote possibility.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

News

Standard

A6

TODAY AUGUST 19, 2019 MONDAY,

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Lawmaker eyes beep card system to ease traffic

ANTI-ILLEGAL DRUG RUN. Retired Police Col. Rodrigo Bonifacio, Chairman of People’s Volunteer Against Illegal Drugs briefs some 3,000 anti-illegal drugs advocates in line of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign at the start of a 10-kilometer run dubbed as Filipino Against Narcotic ‘Sagip Kabataan Kontra Droga.’ Government officials (from left) led by lawyer Rolando Delfin Jr., representing Mayor Isko Moreno, MMDA Chairman, represented by Col. Bong Nebrija and Councilor Joel Villanueva of the City Council of Manila, also participated in the event, under the auspices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Interior Department, City of Manila, MMDA, National Park Development Committee and Lighthouse Baptist Bible Church.

Inset photos showed runners answering the starting gun during the fun run.

By Rio N. Araja TO HELP fix the traffic woes on the stretch of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue, Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento is pushing for the use of an electronic or beep card system to replace the manual fare system.

Sarmiento, House transportation committee chairman, said apart from the implementation of an organized dispatch system to ensure smooth transition of buses in loading and unloading zones, the fare system of EDSA buses must also be modernized so there would be lesser time spent in the collection of fares.

Government may turn the national identification system into machinereadable electronic cards to implement the proposed beep card system.

“Currently, they are just thinking at a plain ID. It’s a waste of resources.

Why not make it multi-purpose? Make it as a tap card. Make it function like a credit card or an automated teller machine card and you can load money on it so you can use it as a tap card. You can use it as Social Security System, Pag-IBIG, and Philippine Health Corp. cards,” he said.

The shift to a beep card system is necessary if the government decides to organize bus companies into a consortium and adopt a synchronized bus dispatch system, he added.

“Because of current multiple operators, its cost-inefficient to have that tap card system in place. If we have consolidated operations, then we will have enough volume to have that system,” he said.

Earlier, the Samar lawmaker said the House committee on transportation is now conducting a series of consultation with concerned stakeholders to come up with a solid and viable oneyear roadmap to resolve the gridlock on EDSA .

He called on the Department of Labor and Employment to fully implement its Department Order 11-82 mandating bus companies to provide “fixed and performance-based” compensation for their drivers and conductors in order to stop bus drivers from competing against one another for passengers.

Once the proposed roadmap is completed, it would be simulated through a computer-generated dry run to determine its efficiency, he said.

“Once everything has been set in theory and generated through computer, it will be presented to the public.

Dry run will be implemented on a day with the least number of vehicles in the road and most probably on a long holiday to avoid chaos and disruption, similar to what happened last Tuesday, Aug. 6. The President can even declare a holiday in Metro Manila for us to have a dry run effectively,” he said.

Backlog petitions set for review by DOJ

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Department of Justice has created teams of undersecretaries and prosecutors to resolve 10,000 backlog petitions for review that piled up during the Aquino administration.

Justice Undersecretary Adrian Ferdinand Sugay said that there were more than 14,000 petitions pending for review, 10,000 of them were accumulated during the previous administration and about 4,000 cases during the past three years of the Duterte administration.

The teams aim to resolve substantial numbers of the backlog by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term in 2022.

“We just want to make sure that at the very least we would just want to bring it down to a very manageable level so when it is our time to go, to turn it over

[to the next administration] the volume of the pending petitions for review would not be that big,” Sugay said in an interview.

To meet their target, Sugay said that the DOJ has formed four teams, with each team comprised of a DOJ undersecretary and five prosecutors. Each team would be given a week to review 100 petitions.

In order to prevent their prosecutors from suffering a burnout in reviewing the petitions, the undersecretaries were given different prosecutors during the writeshops.

Higher pay for overtime, employers told

PRIVATE employers are reminded of higher pay for employees who work during the holidays in the month of August.

With Proclamation No. 555, s. 2018 and No.789, s.2019, that declared Aug. 12 and 26 as regular holidays in observance of Eid’l Adha and National Heroes Day, respectively, and Aug. 21 as special non-working holiday in commemoration of the death of Ninoy Aquino, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III issued a labor advisory prescribing the proper payment of wages for said Republic of the Philippines holidays.

COMMISSION ON AUDIT Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines Bello advised the employers to observe the following formula in the computation of CIRCULAR No. : 2019-005 Date : AUG. 07, 2019 wages for workers for Aug. 12 and 26—regular holidays: TO : All Heads of Departments, Bureaus, Offices, Agencies and Instrumentalities of the National Government, Heads of Local Employees who did not Government Units, Managing Heads of Government-Owned and/ work on said holidays shall be or Controlled Corporations, COA Assistant Commissioners, COA Directors, COA Auditors and All Others Concerned paid 100 percent of their salary ([Basic wage + COLA] x SUBJECT : Submission of Contracts Involving Government Buildings and/or Lands Leased to Private Entities/Individuals, for review by the Technical 100 percent)], while those who Services Office, Systems and Technical Services Sector

Pursuant to Section 7, Executive Order No. 301, series of 1987, the head of any agency intending to lease out government-owned buildings or spaces for private use, shall have authority to determine the reasonableness of the terms of the lease and the rental rates thereof, and to enter into such lease contracts without need of prior approval by higher authorities, subject to compliance with the uniform standards or guidelines established by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and to the audit jurisdiction of the Commission on Audit (COA) or its duly authorized representative, in accordance with existing rules and regulations.

By virtue of COA Circular No. 88-282A issued on March 3, 1988, this Commission adopted the Uniform Standards/Guidelines to Determine the Reasonableness of the Terms and Rental Rates of Lease Contracts for Private or Government Buildings/ Spaces promulgated by the DPWH (Annex “A”) for the guidance of all officials concerned.

However, results of the audit disclosed that some agencies did not adhere to the guidelines, as there are contracts which were found to be disadvantageous to the interest of the government. Thus, to check the reasonableness of the terms and rental rates of government properties leased to private entities/individuals, it is imperative to review such contracts.

Considering that the reasonableness of rental rates is technical in nature, the review shall be done by the Technical Services Office (TSO), Systems and Technical Services Sector (STSS), this Commission. .Accordingly, all government agencies which have an existing contract involving lease of government building and/or lands with private entities/individuals are required to submit to the TSO, STSS, a certified true copy of contracts, within 15 days from publication/posting of this Circular or upon the execution of the contract. The contracts shall be submitted through the respective Audit Team Leader, for agencies in the National Capital Region (NCR), or to the respective Regional TSO for agencies outside NCR. This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

MICHAEL G. AGUINALDO Chairperson

JOSE A. FABIA

Commissioner (MS-AUG. 19, 2019)

“We are addressing the really old petitions and we have been conducting writeshops. What we have been trying to do is house our prosecutors in certain places so we could resolve these petitions. Initially, the project will run for five months and we would asking our prosecutors to dedicate a week to resolve these petitions,” the DOJ official said.

The petitions are mixed with no specific team assigned for drugs, terrorism, murder and others.

According to Sugay, his team pilottested the writeshop last week and they were able to resolve 70 petitions that were forwarded to DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra. The resolutions of the petitions, that were reviewed by his team, are expected to be released within the month.

He added that they are also considering on holding a writeshop for the petitions for review of cases came in during the Duterte administration.

ROLAND C. PONDOC Commissioner

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 216, Quezon City NESTIE BRYAL COSIPAG VILLAVIRAY a.k.a. NESTIE BRYAL COSIPAG, Petitioner,

-versus-

SP. PROC. NO. R-QZN-19-08476-SP

THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, THE ADMINISTRATOR AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS OFFICE (PSA) Formerly NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE (NSO), LIZA L. COSIPAG AND NELSON A. VILLAVIRAY, AND ALL OTHER PERSONS WHO HAVE INTEREST OR CLAIM TO THIS INSTANT PETITION, Respondents. x-----------------------------------------------x

ORDER

The petitioner, Nestie Bryal Cosipag Villaviray a.k.a. Nestie Bryal Cosipag, filed a verified petition praying 1) to correct the petitioner’s surname in Entry No. 1 of her Certificte of Live Birth from “Cosipag” to “Villaviray”; 2) to correct the petitioner’s middle name in Entry No. 1 and to allow to use the maternal name “Cosipag” as her middle name; 3) to order the Local Civil Registrar of Manila and the Philippine Statistics Authority to annotate the Order allowing the use of the name “Nestie Bryal Cosipag Villaviray” in her Certificate of Live Birth; and 4) to allow the petitioner to legally use the name “Nestie Bryal Cosipag Villaviray” instead of Nestie Bryal Cosipag.

The petitioner alleges that she was born in Manila on November 6, 1994 to common law spouses Liza L. Cosipag and Nelson A. Villaviray.

Her birth was registered in the Local Civil Registry of Manila. Her father, Nelson A. Villaviray, has recognized her as his own child. He executed an Affidavit of Acknowledgment/Admission of Paternity at the back of petitioner’s Certificate of Live Birth. Even without the benefit of marriage, spouses Liza L. Cosipag and Nelson A. Villaviray lived together as husband and wife.

On February 7, 2019, Nelson A.

worked shall be paid 200 percent of their regular salary for the first eight hours ([Basic wage + COLA] x 200 percent).

Also, if the employees worked overtime (work done in excess of eight hours), they shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate (hourly rate of the basic wage x 200 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked).

Moreover, those who worked on a regular holiday that also fell on their rest day shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their basic wage of 200 percent [(Basic wage + COLA) x 200 percent] + [30 percent (Basic wage x 200 percent)].

Workers who rendered overtime work on a regular holiday that also fell on their rest day shall be paid an additional 30 percent of their hourly rate on said day (hourly rate of the basic wage x 200 percent x 130 percent x 130 percent x number of hours worked).

On the other hand, the following pay rules should be observed for Aug. 21—special non-working holiday: If the employee did not work, the “no work, no pay” policy shall apply unless there is another company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agree;ment granting payment on special days.

Villaviray died.

She has been using the name Nestie Bryal Cosipag Villaviray in all her transactions and important documents.

Thus, the instant petition.

The Court hereby sets the Petition for hearing on September 4, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court sitting at the Second Floor, Rm. 237, Hall of Justice Bldg., Quezon City at which date, time and place, all interested are hereby cited to appear and show cause, if any, why said petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, to be selected by raffle pursuant to P.D. 1079. The Office of the Clerk of Court is directed to report to the Court the result of the raffle, with notice to petitioner within ten (10) days from receipt hereof.

The Philippine Statistics Authority, the Office of the Solicitor General, the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Manila and any person who has any opposition hereto ay file the same, within fifteen (15) days from notice of the petition, or from the last date of publication of such notice.

Furnish a copy of this Order and petition to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Office of the Local Civil Registrar, Manila and the Office of the Solicitor General.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, June 28, 2019.

(Sgd.) ALFONSO C. RUIZ II Presiding Judge

Copy furnished: Office of the Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village Makati City Atty. Jason R. Migriño Atty. Ramon Antonio C. Sabinorio Atty. Romael Meng G. Binarao Public Attorney’s Office Counsel for Petitioner Cecilia Muñoz Palma Hall Quezon City Hall Compound, Quezon City RTC-OCC, Quezon City Quezon City Nestie Bryal Cosipag Villaviray Petitioner 199 Calamba Ext., Talayan, Quezon City (MStandard-Aug. 19, 26 & Sep. 2, 2019)

Lapu-Lapu is a hero, not a fish—solon LAPU-LAPU City Rep. Paz Radaza wants “dishonorable” reference of hero Lapu-Lapu’s name to fish species be stopped.

While Filipinos value Lapu-Lapu’s heroism, he said that it is ironic that his name is also used to call a fish with the scientific name of Plectropomus leopardus.

Radaza filed House Bill 2223 or “An Act Rectifying the Dishonorable Use of a Great Filipino Name Lapu-Lapu to a Fish Species ‘Plectropomus leopardus.”

“The bill aims to rectify, correct and give justice to the honorable name of Lapu-Lapu as a hero,” she said.

The Filipinos must be encouraged to call it “Pugapo,” instead of lapu-lapu, she said.

“It is inappropriate, a defilement and a violation, even if the fish could be the most soughtafter, not only in the Philippines but also in Southeast Asia,” she added.

In yesteryears, fish Plectropomus leopardus was known in the regions of the Visayas and Mindanao as “Pugapo.”

“But nowadays, it is alarming that more and more Filipinos prefer to call it lapu-lapu, a disrespect to a patriotic Filipino forebear,” she said. Rio N. Araja

Retired PH teachers go missing after US-China flight

By Rio N. Araja THREE retired teachers have been reported missing since last week after their connecting flight to China from United States of America was affected

by Typhoon “Hanna.”

This prompted their relatives to appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte and the media to help them find their loved ones.

According to Djoanna Varela, her aunts Linda Varela Guce, Josefina Varela-Baysic and Pacita Varela-de Guzman, all senior citizens, left John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York last Aug. 9 aboard China Eastern Airlines flight no. MU 298 with an arrival time of 4:40 a.m. of Aug. 10 at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China.

Varela said her aunts boarded a connecting flight at China Eastern flight no. MU 211 from Pudong International Airport with departure time of 7:05 p.m. of Aug. 10 and slated to arrive at 11:10 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on the same day.

“Until now, we are in quandary what happened to them. They should have arrived in the Philippines last Aug. 10 or during the early hours of Aug. 12.

My aunts visited our relatives in New Jersey and they were there for six months. We appeal to the good heart of our President and to the media to please help us find our missing loved ones,” Varela said.

PR, Ad expert George M. Balagtas, 77 PUBLIC relations and advertising expert George M. Balagtas passed away on Friday. He was 77.

GMB as he was fondly called by his friends, was past president of several advertising agencies, such as Bozell Worldwide Inc and PACT/ Public Affairs Communicators Inc. and was vice chairman of McCann Erickson (Philippines) Inc. George was also managing director of BBDO Colombo in Sri Lanka, Grafik McCann Advertising Ltd. in Indonesia, Reklamen-Hus McCann in Norway and Grant Advertising Worldwide (Philippines) Inc. He also worked as Advertising & Promotions Director of Philippine Airlines Inc. and Account Supervisor, J. Walter Thompson (Philippines) Inc. After ending his long career in advertising, George ventured into public relations, establishing his own company GMB Public Relations. He also served as consultant to several big names in politics, including former President Joseph Estrada and chairman Danding Cojuangco, among others.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Earthquake victims get P100,000 from NCAA THE NCAA Management Committee (Mancom) recently turned over a cash donation of P100,000 to the province of Batanes for the victims of a devastating 5.9 magnitude earthquake late last month.

Batanas provincial officials led by its governor Marilou Cayco personally received the financial assistance during halftime of the San Beda UniversityLetran College game at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

“We’re very thankful to the NCAA for their support to our province and our kababayans in Batanes. This is a big Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco (third from right) receives the P100,000 cash donation from the NCAA for the earthquake victims last month. Also in photo are, from left, Fr. Glynn Ortega of help for us as we try to recover from this San Sebastian Collage-Recoletos, Frank Gusi of University of Perpetual Help, Fr. Clarence Victor Marquez of Letran, Paul Supan of Jose Rizal University, Dax Castellano of College of St. Benilde, disaster,” said Cayco.

Rose Inguito and Alfonso Loreto of University of Perpetual Help and Harol Zabala of JRU. NCAA Photo “We have families still in the evacuation centers, roads that need to be fixed, and also buildings that have to be repaired. So this is a big help and we’re truly grateful to the NCAA,” she added.

NCAA Management Committee (MANCOM) chairman Peter Cayco of season host Arellano University said it is in line with the league’s advocacy, particularly earlier in the season for an unprecedented hands of the Hotshots, San Miguel Beer Beermen eventually won a best-of-seven

By Jeric Lopez to those affected by natural calamities. fifth straight year. coach Leo Austria disclosed making the finals in six games against TNT KaT“What we did is part of the league’s Now, it’s obvious that the Beermen are very crucial decision to part ways with ropa.

HERE is no other way to advocacy, and as the oldest collegiate looking to duplicate their 1989 Grand import Charles Rhodes and get the ser“Chris McCullough saved us and go for San Miguel but aim Slam triumph and add more to their dy- vices of another one. tournament in the country, as an instihelped us a lot in this campaign,” said tution, we’ve extended our help to our for a coveted Grand Slam. nasty.

The decision was a difficult one to Austria. fellow Filipinos in need,” said Cayco.

“Sana makuha rin namin yung Grand make. After all, Rhodes is not just a regMcCullough was a first round pick “The other member schools of the Slam.

Matagal na rin namin yan hinaular import for the Beerman.

He was at of the Brooklyn Nets in the 2015 NBA After winning the 2019 Philippine NCAA have done their part in helping Basketball Association Commissioner’s hangad,” said San Miguel superstar June the helm when San Miguel won this very draft. He came on board with the Beerour countrymen, but this time as one same conference two years ago, where he men holding a dismal 2-5 record.

Cup crown, the Beermen are now eye- Mar Fajardo. family, the NCAA has extended assisSan Miguel was in a similar situation was also adjudged as Best Import.

He turned things around for San ing to take the Governors’ Cup as well to tance to help Batanes,” said Cayco. back in the 2017 season wherein it also Rhodes was also well-loved by the Miguel helping them win three consecucomplete a Grand Slam feat.

Letran’s MANCOM representative tive wins before a crucial 95-91 loss to “Two-thirds na kami sa Grand Slam, won the first two championships of the Beermen.

Fr. Vic Calvo made the proposal during Austria said the import already had Meralco at the end of the eliminations. isa na lang,” said San Miguel Beer gover- season. its meeting recently hosted by Paul SuIt went for a Grand Slam in the third good rapport and chemistry with his othThe setback relegated the Beermen as nor Robert Non. “’Yan ang gusto namin pan during the NCAA ‘on tour’ match conference but eventual champion Baer teammates. the seventh-seeded team heading to the makuha lahat.” held at the Jose Rizal University.

But with the losses piling up and the playoffs and need to win back-to-back “Having a chance at a Grand Slam is rangay Ginebra derailed its bid by elimiBatanes suffered damage on houses campaign slowly winding down Austria against the second seeded NorthPort our motivation going to the third confer- nating it in the quarterfinals. and historical structures, including the old As of posting time, San Miguel has had no choice but to but push the panic Batang Pier to advance in the semis. ence,” said San Miguel coach Leo AusSanta Maria de Mayan Church in Itbayat.

But the team prevailed and eventually tria. “We’re almost there again and we yet to name an import for the Governors’ button saying the team needed somebody The earthquake also resulted to nine Cup. to help the squad win games. advanced to the finals. have to keep our focus to get it.” fatalities, while 911 families, or 2,963 The choice of an import proved crucial Charles Rhodes was out and in came “Isang talo lang out na kami. But we’re The Beermen took home the Commisindividuals were affected by the disable to make it kahit na twice-to-beat sioner’s Cup plum last Friday after they to San Miguel Beer. The decision came Chris McCullough. aster and had an estimated damage “That’s the turning point of the con- yung kalaban namin. But the players refinished off TNT, 4-2, in the best-of- midway in the elimination round when amounting to P292 million by the Deseven finals with Terrence Romeo taking the Beermen lost badly to Magnolia Hot- ference. When I recruited Chris Mc- ally worked hard kasi alam nila what is partment of Public Works and Highshots.

Cullough,” said Austria looking back at stake this conference,” said the San home Finals Most Valuable Player. ways (DPWH).

After the humiliating 118-82 loss at the as the Beermen at the conference. The Miguel Beer coach.

San Miguel took the Philippine Cup

Beermen want PBA Grand Slam

T

Gen San Warriors trounce Muntinlupa Cagers BALIWAG‚General Santos City is looking every bit a championship contender and on Saturday night, the Warriors claimed another victim in the Muntinlupa Cagers, whom they gave a sound beating, 84-61, in the MPBL Lakan Season at the Baliwag Star Arena here.

The win, their sixth straight, put the Gen San Warriors into a tie for second to third places of the southern division of this tournament put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.

Gen San improved its win-loss record to 8-2.

Defense played a big factor in Gen San’s bashing of Muntinlupa as the Warriors clamped down on the Cagers’ big guns.

JG Ylagan was scoreless in limited minutes of playing while Ryusei Koga was held to just four points, making only one of six attempts as the Cagers slipped deeper in the team standings, absorbing their eighth loss in 11 games.

Bicol and Bulacan got back on the winning track after they hurdled their respective rivals in contrasting fashions.

Coming off a three-game losing slump, the Volcanoes spewed fire and torched the Navotas Cltuch, 88-73.

Ronjay Buenafe led all Bicol scorers with 15 points, but Hafer Mondragon came away with another doubledouble performance of 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Bulacan paraded a new head coach in Kerwin McCoy, who replaced Britt Reroma. The Kuyas rewarded their new mentor with a 74-69 triumph over a stubborn Mindoro Tamaraws.

It was the sixth win in 11 games for the Kuyas, who moved up to seventh spot of the northern division of the fastest growing regional amateur basketball league in the country.

By Peter Atencio

General Santos cager Rob Celiz (center with ball) takes it strong against a phalanx of defenders

Thomas fires incredible 61 to grab BMW championship lead

Justin Thomas of the United States lines up a putt on the 18th green during the third round of the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club No. 3 in Medinah, Illinois. AFP

PH female booters rout Timor-Leste in Thailand

\WASHINGTON, United States—Justin Thomas humbled rain-softened Medinah with dazzling shotmaking Saturday, firing a course-record 11-under par 61 to seize a sixstroke lead after the third round of the US PGA BMW Championship.

An incredible day for the 2017 PGA Championship winner left the 26-year-old American on 21-under 195 after 54 holes at the suburban Chicago layout.

“It was just one of those freaky days when you get in a zone,” Thomas said. “It was just one of those days when you hit it unbelievable.

“I was able to put it close to the holes and make the putts. One of those days.”

The day-old course record of 63 set by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was shattered by Thomas, whose first-round 65 Thursday had shared the course record.

“I just hope the trend doesn’t continue and someone else breaks it tomorrow,” Thomas said.

Americans Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay were a distant second on 201 after each shot 68 with Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini another stroke adrift and Spain’s Jon Rahm fifth on 205.

Thomas birdied the first five holes, answered a bogey at six with a birdie at the par-5 eighth, hit an amazing approach at the par-5 10th to set up a tap-in eagle and sank a 22-foot birdie chip from the rough at the par-5 14th.

And he wasn’t done. Not even close.

Thomas found water off the tee at the par4 15th, then dropped a 63-yard shot two feet from the cup to rescue a tap-in par.

At the par-4 16th, Thomas holed out for eagle with an 8-iron from 181 yards, his uphill blast perfect without a view of the flagstick.

“It looked good in the air,” Thomas said. “It was nice. That’s something that was just a little bit of a bonus.”

At the par-3 17th, Thomas landed the ball six feet from the cup and sank the birdie putt.AFP

THE Philippine women’s national team marched to their second win in the ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship 2019 last weekend in Chonburi, Thailand.

The Filipinas pulled off a 7-0 rout over Timor-Leste at the Institute of Physical Education in Chonburi, Thailand.

They got two goals from midfielder Camille Rodriguez and defender Hali Long.

Rodriguez struck in the 23 and in the third minute of injury time in the first half while Long scored on a penalty kick and in the 76th minutes.

Quinley Quezada drew first blood after hitting the net in the 5th while Sara Castañeda added another in the 13th.

Charisa Lemoran struck in the seconds minute of added time to help send the Philippines on top of Group A with six points.

“Timor-Leste showed that they can play good football and they made it hard for us.We created a lot of chances, but we still need to improve,” said coach Marielle Dimzon in an online statement.

The Philippines will next meet host Thailand on Wednesday.

The Filipinas got off to a rousing start with a a 3-0 win again Malaysia last Thursday.

Goals from Rodriguez and Long gave the Philippines team their first win in Group A. It was a slow start, for the Philippines before they broke the deadlock in the 40th minute.

Rodriguez unleashed an easy tap-in after the ball ricocheted off the cross bar.

Long then headed in the second goal six minutes in to the second half.

After that, Claire Lim’s free kick found the defender inside the box, who sent a looping header sailed over and past the goalkeeper.

The Philippines currently lead Group A with 3 points. They will next face Timor-Leste on Saturday.

Alkhaldi resets swim mark TWO TIME Olympian Jasmine Alkhaldi reset the Philippine women’s 50m freestyle national record again.

This time, Alkhaldi did it in the evening finals of the 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup in Singapore on Thursday evening, according to the event’s official website.

Alkhaldi clocked a new best time of 25.64 and placed seventh overall among 60 swimmers.

Last week, she submitted a record time of 25.66 seconds at the Hong Kong Open last week.

This put Alkhaldi closer to the Tokyo Olympics B cut time of 25.51 seconds.

This is the seventh time that Alkhaldi has surpassed this record in this event.

It was six years ago when Alkaldi first broke this record at the Speedo Western Sectionals in USA in 2013.

After that, Alkhaldi reset it at the 2013, 2015 and 2017 SEA Games.

Akiko Thomson and Christel Simms used to hold the marks in this event. Peter Atencio

Sports

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

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

San Miguel, TNT renew PBA rivalry in Macao NOW that San Miguel Beer has taken home the PBA Commissioner’s Cup trophy by beating TNT, the two Finals protagonists will rekindle their rivalry in a foreign tournament in Macao come September. They will be joined by Blackwater Elite in a 12-team competition that will also include ball clubs from China, Japan and South Korea.

Dubbed The Terrific 12, the FIBArecognized basketball tournament features three clubs from the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), four from the B.LEAGUE (Japan), two from the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and three from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). It will be held at the Tap Seac Multisports Pavilion in Macao from September 17-22, 2019.

The participating teams in East Asia Super League, Asia’s premier basketball tournament include the Liaoning Flying Leopards, the Shenzhen Aviators and the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions from China; the Chiba Jets, the Niigata Albirex, the Ryukyu Golden Kings and the Utsunomiya Brex from Japan; the Jeonju KCC Egis and the Seoul SK Knights from Korea and the three PBA teams.

Sixteen games total will be played in three stages: the Group Stage, Semifinals and Finals to crown this year’s champion. In the Group Stage, clubs will be divided into four groups of three, with each team playing two games. The top team from each group will advance to compete in the Semifinals following a rest day on September 20. The champion will be awarded USD$150,000, the runner- up will be awarded USD$100,000 and third place will be awarded USD $50,000.

The “Super League” started in Macao in 2017 with eight teams participating in Summer Super 8. Last year the number of teams grew to 12 and began to be known as the Terrific 12 where the Philippines was represented by a PBA DLeague selection called the iECO Green Warriors. This year, the PBA’s top two teams and Blackwater will add more punch to the Philippine representation.

For more information on Terrific 12, please visit eastasiasuperleague. com and follow EAST ASIA SUPER LEAGUE on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media accounts. Tickets are available at eastasiasuperleague.com

Stipe Miocic (right) connects with an overhand right at the face of Daniel Cormier in the second round during their UFC Heavyweight Title Bout at UFC 241 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. AFP

Miocic regains UFC heavyweight crown

By Reuel Vidal

I

T’S not over until it’s over in Mixed Martial Arts bouts.

A battered, bruised and bleeding Stipe Miocic demonstrated that truth once again as he dug deep into every ounce of strength and resolve within himself to knock out Daniel Cormier in the fourth round of UFC 241 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, Saturday night (Sunday afternoon Philippine time) to regain the UFC World Heavyweight crown.

Trailing in every round but the last, Miocic – who last year lost the heavy weight crown to the same Cormier – continually hit his foe with left hooks to the torso aiming for the liver.

Late in the fourth round, a right hand

by Cormier stopped Miocic on his tracks.

Miocic wasn’t daunted and continued to stalk Cormier as he countered with right straights, but mostly left hooks to Corm-

ier’s body.

A stoic Cormier didn’t change his expression, then planted his feet and shot out another right which had Miocic on his heels again.

Miocic countered with another pair of left hooks to the right side of Cormier’s body. The second caught Cormier right in the liver and as he lowered his hands and staggered backward Miocic moved in for the kill.

Miocic unloaded on Cormier’s face and head finishing off his opponent as Cormier simply crumpled backward into the cage and to the floor completely beaten.

Miocic turned and walked away from Cormier with his hands raised in victory.

Miocic had regained his championship belt and with the crowd screaming in his ears he walked to the center of the cage, put his hands on his hips and danced a jig.

In an earlier fight Nate Diaz, who hadn’t fought in three years, won by decision over Anthony Pettis.

Miocic (19-3) thus regained his crown

from Cormier (22-2) who added the heavyweight belt to his light heavyweight title by knocking out Miocic in the first round in July 2018.

Miocic, a firefighter from Cleveland, kept moving forward despite being beaten to the punch repeatedly by the faster hands of Cormier. Miocic’s body blows eventually took their toll on Cormier forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight with 51 seconds left in the fourth round.

Both fighters have extensive wrestling backgrounds but stayed mostly on their feet trading shots at the center of the ring.

The biggest takedown was in the first round when Cormier lifted Miocic over his head and slammed the latter into the mat.

Miocic also secured a performanceof-the-night bonus from his electrifying come-from-behind victory.

He said he knew he was hurting Cormier with his body blows. And when Cormier finally dropped his hands late in the fourth Miocic came over the top to knock out his foe.

UST Tigresses, Lady Chiefs, Lady Altas beat PVL rivals

UST’s Janna Torres (18) soars for a tip against Lyceum’s Zonki Dahab (16) during their match yesterday.

EJ LAURE provided the inspiration coming off a long hiatus as UST disposed of Lyceum of the Philippines University, 25-18, 25-13, 25-21, to join Arellano and St. Benilde in Pool B lead in the Premier Volleyball League Season 3 Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan yesterday.

Laure, the UAAP Season 77 top rookie, made two points and had five excellent digs and a pair of excellent receptions but more importantly motivated the rest, particularly rookie Imee Hernandez, who fired nine points, with freshmen Janna Torres and Kecelyn Galdones combining for 13 markers.

But Ysa Jimenez suffered an ankle injury even before the match had started as the wing spiker made a bad landing during warm-up. Based on the team’s initial assessment, Jimenez incurred a negative fracture on her left ankle and will be out for at least six weeks.

Mary Joy Onofre scored nine points while Ciemelle Wanta and Donki Dahab turned in six markers apiece for the Lady Pirates, who joined the FEU Lady Tams, the TIP Lady Engineers in the 0-1 group.

The reigning NCAA champions Lady Chiefs also

dominated Technological Institute of the Phl Lady Engineers, 25-12, 25-7, 25-13, with Regine Arocha and Necole Ebuen leading their attack with 10 points each.

Playmaker Princess Verutiao produced 11 excellent sets and put in six points, including four aces while Charmina Dino added five markers and Joy Batindaan, Mika Juanich and Carla Donato chipped in four points apiece to underscore the Lady Chiefs’ balanced scoring.

Khem Constantino had five points, six excellent digs and 11 receptions but failed to draw support from the rest, particularly in the second set that saw the Lady Chiefs hold them to a measly seven-hit output.

Perpetual Help, on the other hand, needed an extra set to foil San Sebastian, 25-14, 25-22, 22-25, 25-17, to gain a share of the Pool A lead with Adamson and Ateneo.

Charina Scott fired 13 points while Jhona Rosal added 11 markers for the Lady Altas while Bianca Ordona and Reyann Canete combined for 25 hits for the Lady Stags.

Mapua takes flight in NC hoop action MAPUA has finally taken flight in the NCAA 95 Men’s Basketball Tournament - and providing the wind beneath the Cardinals’ wings is a youthful core that has been energized

by Paolo Hernandez.

The prized rookie has been at the vanguard of Mapua’s impressive week which saw it follow up a breakthrough win against Arellano with back-toback victories over EAC and JRU. “Siyempre, sabi nga ni coach, saan pa ba kami pupunta? 0-5 na kami e,” said Hernandez, talking about their luckless start to the season. “Wala na kaming ibang pupuntahan kundi panalo.”

Heeding the call of head coach Randy Alcantara, the 6-foot-3 versatile forward did the most damage in their recent back-to-back wins wherein he averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.0 steals.

That effort was more than enough for Hernandez to be recognized as the Chooks-to-Go Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week.

After dropping 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the Cardinals’ 76-66 victory versus the Generals, he turned in a career game with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals in their loudest statement yet in the tournament, an 83-63 rout of the Heavy Bombers.

Without a doubt, the 20-year old has only proven worthy of the trust he has been given in his rookie year.

“Paolo Hernandez, kahit na isang taon lang sa Jrs., nakita ko agad yung leadership,” said Alcantara, his mentor from the Red Robins and now, the Cardinals. “Nakikita ko after [Laurenz] Victoria, magiging mukha ng Cardinals si Paolo Hernandez.”

So far, so good for them as Hernandez follows Victoria in being hailed by scribes from print and online covering the beat as the week’s best player - keeping the award in Intramuros.

Saguiguit named new Altas coach

By Peter Atencio MYK SAGUIGUIT took over as coach of the University of Perpetual Help Altas yesterday.

Saguiguit, who coaches the junior squad and the Olivarez College Sea Lions for around 12 years, replaced Frankie Lim, who took a leave of absence in the ongoing 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

For now, the new Altas mentor was asked to come aboard temporarily, according to UPHSD athletic director Sammy Acaylar.

Lim, who steered San Beda to four NCAA titles, went on leave from the squad following the team’s slump in the start of the season.

“Coach Frankie Lim is on leave, as per the decision of the ex-com of University of Perpetual Help System DALTA,” said Acaylar.

The Altas has been struggling since opening and now have 2-5 win-loss slate.

And they took their worst loss last Friday when the Altas went down by 46 points to the defending champion San Beda Red Lions, 102-56.

Perpetual Help had an 11-7 slate last year before bowing to eventual champion San Beda in the Final Four.

Saguiguit also coaches the Olivarez College Sea Lions to numerous titles in the National Capital Region Athletic Association.

The Altas are set to meet the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals and are hoping to get back on their feet.

They missed the Final Four last season, with big man Bright Akhuetie no longer around.

Akhuetie has since transferred to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

Thai seeks second LPGT crown at Summit Point THAI Nemittra Juntanaket heads to Summit Point Golf and Country Club exuding confidence following a breakthrough victory at Mount Malarayat last week but bracing for a tougher challenge when the Women’s Championship at Summit Point is fired off Wednesday, August 21 in Lipa City, Batangas.

The 22-year-old rising star from Pha-Yao turned what was expected to be a wild final round battle at Mount Malarayat into a cruise when she bested the field and won by six over compatriot Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro with a closing 71.

“This (win) will surely boost my confidence going to Summit Point,” said Juntanaket, after claiming her first diadem in a twoyear stint on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

Though she expects the local bets to

bounce back and defend their turf, Juntanaket said she’s ready to face the challenge and defy the odds with the compact field firmed up by the entry of other Thais, including Saraporn Chamchoi and former LPGT leg winner Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang.

Pimpadsorn and Mt. Malarayat leg joint third placer Ajira Nualraksa are also in the fold, both raring for another crack at a maiden crown in the country’s premier circuit put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. With recent John Hay stop winner Princess Superal resuming her campaign in the Japan LPGA Step Up Tour, multi-titled Chihiro Ikeda and former three-time Order of Merit winner Cyna Rodriguez will be leading the local challenge with the duo

also out to atone for their so-so finishes last week.

Gretchen Villacencio, who calls the challenging Summit Point layout home, also hopes to put up three superb rounds to contend along with Marvi Monsalve, Pamela Mariano, Alex Etter, Apple Fudolin and former leg winner Sarah Ababa.

Other Thais in the hunt are Nimmita Juntanaket, Tip Seeumpornroj, Sarinee Thitiratanakorn and Pasinee Thongthaengyai.

Ten amateurs, led by last week’s best Eagle Ace Superal, will also try to spring a surprise with Annyka Cayabyab and Mafy Singson joining the likes of Nicole Abelar, Samantha Bruce, Samantha Dizon, Samantha Martirez, Laurea Duque, Arnie Taguines and Korean Kwon Taeyon in the roster of the 54-hole championship.

Thai Nemittra Juntanaket watches the flight of her ball after teeing off.

She sets out for a rare back-to-back LPGT title run at Summit Point.

IN BRIEF Wilcon plans 100 stores before 2025 WILCON Depot Inc., the country’s largest construction supplies and home improvement retail chain, may spend about P7.3 billion to complete a 100-store network before 2025.

Wilcon chief executive officer Lorraine Belo-Cincochan said the company would try to finish the construction of four more branches within 2019 and another seven by 2020. Construction cost per store is about P210 million.

“We’re actually one year ahead of our plan to have 65 stores by 2021. But the expansion went on smoothly so we’re now going for 100 stores before or by 2025,” she said over the weekend.

The company now have 54 stores nationwide. It expects to end the year with 58. Another seven stores will be built in 2020 to hit the company’s target of 65 outlets.

Cincochan said all stores were company-owned, being the preferred business model of the owners. The company so far has no plans to go into the franchising business. Othel V. Campos

Dominguez eyes swift approval of CITIRA bill FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III is seeking the swift final approval by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act to help bring the Philippines closer to its goal of attaining the coveted “A” investment grade credit rating in two years’ time.

Dominguez in a statement over the weekend lauded the House ways and means committee chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda for its prompt action on the proposed corporate income tax and incentives reform package, which President Duterte himself has said would benefit small and medium-scale enterprises.

Passing the CITIRA bill would make the Philippines more attractive to investors by gradually lowering the corporate income tax rate from 30 to 20 percent, and rationalizing the system of granting fiscal incentives to companies, Dominguez said.

The CITIRA, as proposed by the Department of Finance, is also expected to create up to 1.5 million better-paying and of high-value jobs. Julito G. Rada

Business Small foreign retailers rampant in PH, says PRA A

By Othel V. Campos

LOCAL business group asked the national government and local government units to check the entry and operation of small foreign retailers in the Philippines to make sure these establishments comply with the law.

Philippine Retailers Association chairman Paul Santos said foreign or migrant retailers were unaccounted for and were unfairly competing with local retailers and other legitimate establishments.

“The government should ensure they comply and meet the requirements of the law because these businesses are stifling Filipino entrepreneurs who cannot compete against their wellestablished supply chain where they can

source cheaper supplies,” Santos said at the sidelines of the 26th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2019.

“We want DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] and the LGUs to impose the law because the small and medium retailing is reserved for Filipinos,” he said.

The current scenario and the industry’s huge base only allows slight growth for domestic retailing that has been performing with an annual growth of only 2 percent to 4 percent.

Santos said that while some foreign retailers might have secured the required permits from the LGUs, their operations were different from what they declared on paper.

He said the LGUs might be turning a blind eye because these businesses were contributing to the earnings of the LGUs. Santos said only establishments that conspicuously violated the rules on sanitation, signages, among others were shut down by the LGUs, although most small foreign retailers were violating the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000.

He said there was an influx of foreign

SME retailers even if the government had not yet liberalized domestic retailing by amending the Retail Trade Liberalization Act. A proposed bill seeks to reduce the minimum paid-up capital requirement of foreign firms engaging in retail trade to $200,000 from $2.5 million at present.

Santos said he was anticipating the re-filing of the proposed measure which was passed by the House of Representatives but was thumbed down by the Senate in the previous Congress.

The bill aims to attract more foreign direct investments into the country.

Santos said that while the further liberalization of the industry would not hurt the big retailers, it would adversely impact on the small and medium ones.

He said while small retailers were entering the Philippines, only a few big foreign retailers were investing in the country.

Santos said these big foreign retailers opposed the required investment per store of $800,000, the 30-percent local content and the IPO requirement after 7 to 8 years of operation in the country.

Megawide bags P51.7b worth of project deals MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. bagged P9.8 billion worth of construction projects in the first half of the year to boost its order book to P51.7 billion as of end June.

Megawide said the order book from 30 projects is equivalent to two to three years’ worth of revenues.

Among the new projects that the company secured during the first half of the year are Megaworld’s One Fintech Tower, The Corner House, and Suntrust Finance Center and Double Dragon’s Meridian Tower.

“We remain optimistic about the prospects for our construction business for the remainder of the year. With a record order book and strong demand coming from new segments, especially in the precast space, our outlook for the business remains upbeat and positive in 2019 and beyond,” said Megawide chairman and chief executive Edgar Saavedra.

Residential projects comprised 65 percent of total order book followed by office. Commercial and industrial projects accounted for 28 percent, while infrastructure contributed seven percent.

Jenniffer B. Austria

ROBINSONS BANK’S BONDS. Robinsons Bank Corp., the financial services arm of JG Summit Group of companies, launches its maiden issue of fixed-rate corporate bonds due 2021 in a listing ceremony at Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. Attending the bell-ringing ceremony are (from left) BDO Capital & Investment Corp. president Eduardo Francisco, Robinsons Bank president and CEO Elfren Antonio Sarte, Robinsons Bank chairman Lance Gokongwei, BDO Unibank Inc. chairman Teresita Sy-Coson, PDS Group president Ma. Theresa B. Ravalo and PDEx president and COO Antonio Nakpil.

Groups slam substitute bill hiking tax on e-cigarettes as ‘irresponsible’ THE Philippine E-Cigarette Industry Association and The Vapers PH condemned a hastily passed House bill significantly raising excise taxes on e-vapor products and making the tax rates virtually the same for combustible cigarettes.

Both groups slammed the chamber for lack of consultation and ignoring the overwhelming scientific evidence that these products pose significantly less risks to health than traditional cigarettes.

“Smokers will simply continue to use cigarettes. There is no incentive for them from the government to switch to a better alternative,” they said.

The House of Representatives approved on second reading on August 14 a substituted version of House Bill No.

CEBU LANDMASTERS’ BRIEFING.

Property developer Cebu Landmasters Inc. reports a consolidated net profit of P1.109 billion in the first half of 2019, up 34 percent from P826 million in the same period last year during an investors briefing at Shangri-La at the Fort in Taguig City. Leading the briefing are Cebu Landmasters chairman and chief executive Jose Soberano III (right) and executive vice president and chief operating officer Jose Franco Soberano.

Ey Acasio

1026, which was originally an alcohol excise tax measure but suddenly included a tax on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

PECIA and Vapers PH said no public hearing was conducted and that they were not consulted.

“This unfortunate development is absolutely shameful and tragic. Approximately 10 Filipinos die every hour due to smoking-related diseases. While an increasing number of countries are adopting harm reduction in their national tobacco control policy, our Congress wants to increase taxes on reduced-risk products that can help prevent smoking-related sickness and deaths in the country,” PECIA president Joey Dulay said in a statement.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

B1

Ayala seeking foreign partner for newly bought petroleum unit

By Alena Mae S. Flores PHINMA Petroleum and Geothermal Inc., now controlled by Ayala Group through AC Energy Inc., plans to take in a strategic partner as it pursues opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

“First, we would like upstream to be developed. Having studied the upstream oil and gas exploration potential in the Philippines, we think that sector is under-invested,” AC Energy chief executive Eric Francia said.

Francia said the Philippine oil and gas sector remained largely unexplored.

“If you look at the last decade or so, there was hardly any significant or meaningful exploration activities. We have plans of making sure that we are able to address the development potential of the asset,” Francia said.

“We may be bringing in partners in the future… I think the idea is over time, we will bring in at least one strategic partner. Most likely foreign. In all likelihood, it’s gonna be foreign with experience, big balance sheet and expertise in oil and gas exploration,” Francia said.

He also said Phinma Petroleum would be renamed ACE Enexor Inc. and would focus on two exploration blocks, including Service Contract 55 and Service Contract 6.

Francia said Phinma Petroleum planned to go into the appraisal period and committed to drill one appraisal well in SC 55 “to really assess the commerciality of the resource.”

Palawan 55 Exploration & Production Corp., a subsidiary of Phinma Petroleum, along with joint venture partners earlier notified the Energy Department of its commitment to drill a deepwater well in SC 55 in southwest Palawan within the next two years.

Palawan 55 holds a 37.5-percent participating interest in and is the operator of SC 55, a deep-water block located in the southwest Palawan Basin, covering an area of 9,880 square kilometers.

It is in the middle of a proven regional oil and gas fairway that extends from the productive Borneo offshore region in the southwest to the offshore Philippine production assets northwest of Palawan.

Regulator readies fines for chronic flight delays

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Civil Aeronautics Board said it will soon issue rules and regulations penalizing chronic flight delays of domestic airline carriers.

“We see improvements in the ontime performance, but we are coming up with the regulation maybe in a couple of months. We are going to penalize the chronic delays, not the delay per se, not the cancellation per se because it’s a reality in the aviation industry that everywhere you go there are cancellations and delays,” CAB executive director Carmelo Arcilla said.

“But what we are looking at is drawing the line between normal delays these are unavoidable of a certain level

and chronic delays,” he said.

The on-time performance or OTP is a standard aviation measurement to track the day-to-day performance of an airline and reflects the level of success in adhering to the published schedule.

“If you are more than 50-percent delayed for [a specific] route alone, to our mind there’s a problem in the way you plan your services so we have to deal with that,” Arcilla said.

He said that the agency would impose monetary penalties for chronic flight delays.

The CAB reported that in July, Philippine Airlines’ monthly average OTP improved from below 60 percent in April 2019 to nearly 80 percent in June. The running average OTP for

PAL in July stood at 82 percent.

It said that for Cebu Pacific, the OTP was 60 percent in June before improving to 77 percent in July, with peak days reaching 80 percent.

Local airlines submit their average daily flights per airport of origin every 8th day of the following month.

Local airlines and the government on June 26 signed a pledge of commitment to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The airlines committed to help decongest Naia through improved ontime flight performance, support the development of other gateways including Sangley Airport in Cavite and improve the travel experience of air passengers.

Meralco gets 23 offers for 2,900-MW supply POWER retailer Manila Electric Company said it received 23 offers during the competitive selection process on the supply of 2,900 megawatts.

Meralco is bidding out three supply contracts including a 500-MW midmerit capacity for five years, 1,200MW greenfield or newly-built capacity for 20 years and 1,200-MW brownfield or existing capacity over a 10-year period.

“Eleven submitted expressions of interest for the CSP for the 1,200-MW baseload requirement, effective Dec. 26, 2019 with an aggregated offered capacity of 2,830 MW,” Meralco utility economics head Lawrence Fernandez said.

Meralco published the invitation to bid for the 10-year supply of 1,200 MW capacity. Bidders were asked to supply Meralco with the said capacity starting

Dec. 26, 2019 to Dec. 25, 2029.

Under the bidding rules, the supply should come from a baseload (firm and dispatchable) power plant or single or portfolio of plants.

The power retailer said the minimum capacity offer per bidder should be 200 MW. It set the bid submission deadline on or before 9 a.m. of Sept. 9 The eleven bidders are Phinma Energy, Energy Development Corp., Quezon Power, Solar Philippines, Southwest Luzon Power. Therma Luzon, AP Renewables, Masinloc Power, San Miguel Energy, South Premiere Power and SMC Consolidated.

“Meanwhile, eight submitted EOI for the CSP for the 500-MW mid-merit requirement, also effective Dec. 26, 2019, with an aggregate offered capacity of 1,200 MW,” said Fernandez.

Alena Mae S. Flores

B2

Business

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Mart weighs US recession signals

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

HARE prices are expected to continue to move sideways this shortened trading week as investors continue to digest the recession signals in the US economy.

Papa Securities trader Gabriel Jose Perez said investors would look for guidance overseas on lack of clear and major catalysts locally after the end of the earnings season.

“Initial support for the meantime would be around the area of its previous intraday lows around 7,620, and the major one would be at May’s low of 7,475,” Perez said.

Aside from the fears of a recession in the US, tensions stemming from the escalation in the trade war between the US and China is also dampening investor sentiment.

BDO Unibank Inc. chief investment strategist Jonathan Ravelas said the market would consolidate within the

7,700/8,000-point levels in the nearterm.

“However, downside risk remains towards the 7,500 levels. If said levels are broken, could see a retest of the 7,000/7,300 levels,” Ravelas said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index last week dropped 0.7 percent to close at 7,795.98, while the broader All Shares Inc. declined 0.9 percent to 4,74,14.

Only the holding firms and industrial among the sectoral indices rose, with gains of 1.2 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.

The financials dropped 3.9 percent, while the property, services and mining and oil sectors dropped 1.5 percent, 1.4

percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.

Foreign investors were net sellers for the week by P4.5 billion, while the average daily value traded stood at P8.9 billion from the previous week’s average of P7 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were Jollibee Foods Corp., which rose 5.3 percent to P237; SM Investments Corp., which advanced 4.1 percent to P1,027; and San Miguel Corp., which climbed 3.7 percent to P183.70.

Weekly top price losers were Andrew Tan-led stocks Alliance Global Group Inc., which declined 8.1 percent to P13.02; and Megaworld Corp., which dropped 7.1 percent to P5.29.

Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., a unit of Alliance Global, said last week its board approved the delisting of the company’s shares with the PSE. Global stock markets, meanwhile, rose on Friday as investors put economic growth fears and trade jitters to one side, deciding that they had had enough

drama and losses for one week.

“We’re ending a turbulent week on a more positive note as exhausted traders the world over head into the weekend in a more buoyant mood,” said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at the Oanda trading group.

Equities have had a volatile five days, during which US-China trade talk hopes came and went and economic data and bond yields pointed to a possible worldwide downturn.

On Wall Street, the Dow on Wednesday suffered its worst day of the year, before recovering slightly on Thursday, and bouncing back strongly on Friday.

The index gained 1.2 percent, as investors found relief in hope for progress in the US-China trade war, and housing data offered enough good news not to ruin the party, despite a disappointing report on consumer sentiment, but was still down for the week. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS Weekly StockS revieW STOCKS

AUGUST 13-16, 2019 Close Volume

Value

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

MEDCO Holdings Metrobank Natl. Reinsurance Corp.

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

58 142.00 89.00 2.09 1.18 26.2 18.58 11.7 4.9 0.52 1.26 710.00 0.430 69.7 0.99 13.1 46.30 58 111.3 189.8 28 182.4 1800.00 59.80 1.17

10,550 7,471,410 9,639,100 188,000 15,000 615,000 4,300 2,455,000 1,780,000 147,000 1,000 560 3,070,000 13,012,570 2,836,000 686,400 2,523,500 18,990 20 108,180 279,000 1,934,700 705 217,420 43,000

FINANCIAL 603,355.00 1,074,011,617.00 872,892,943.50 383,850.00 17,700.00 16,163,130.00 79,298.00 28,334,934.00 8,709,040.00 77,070.00 1,260.00 417,060.00 1,341,400.00 914,596,537.00 2,757,460.00 31,937,130.00 118,799,420.00 1,098,869.50 2,226.00 20,552,883.00 7,860,530.00 362,399,144.00 1,251,965.00 12,837,094.00 47,990.00

Aboitiz Power Corp.

Agrinurture Inc. Alliance Tuna Intl Inc. Alsons Cons.

Basic Energy Corp.

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

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

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

Pepsi-Cola Products Phil.

Petroenergy Res. Corp.

Petron Corporation Phinma Corporation Phinma Energy Phoenix Petroleum Phils.

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

Swift Foods, Inc. TKC Steel Corp.

Universal Robina Victorias Milling Vitarich Corp.

Vivant Corp.

Vulcan Ind’l.

35.5 14.2 0.69 1.32 0.245 100 16.40 3.2 14.3 110 12 79.05 97.2 36 2.02 5.6 6.05 9.140 14.8 9.18 7.39 1.74 24.95 82.3 54.30 1.9400 14.00 8.22 1.470 237.00 4.16 3.3 8.35 23 14 18.48 0.183 353.00 5.49 1.92 4.70 5.14 9.10 2.86 10.70 36.05 5 5.10 1.78 2.29 1.1 12.54 99 6.99 0.125 1.03 162 2.45 1.16 16.10 1.13

5,286,500 3,086,200 3,899,000 1,407,000 3,770,000 610 10,500 57,684,000 3,262,900 7,530 1,274,400 195,090 236,000 59,600 480,000 63,500 187,700 11,947,900 2,346,700 2,705,900 5,569,600 13,000 9,575,100 953,170 1,128,820 26,801,000 6,334,100 2,117,400 1,400,000 4,871,070 28,000 22,000 19,200 2,185,300 1,748,100 3,275,600 350,000 727,620 28,600 84,554,000 310,000 5,768,400 2,511,600 179,018,000 200,700 1,005,400 248,000 16,100 6,480,000 8,000 2,273,000 2,778,000 329,850 294,600 310,000 2,538,000 5,914,450 176,000 35,608,000 3,900 7,830,000

INDUSTRIAL 183,378,830.00 43,453,614.00 2,717,500.00 1,834,910.00 910,610.00 60,063.00 167,076.00 179,970,580.00 46,000,946.00 828,159.00 15,454,816.00 16,712,690.50 25,252,791.50 2,149,205.00 977,140.00 344,143.00 1,137,894.00 107,364,905.00 34,694,526.00 25,007,830.00 41,292,321.00 22,620.00 243,121,000.00 77,797,322.50 62,536,029.00 52,083,860.00 88,472,366.00 16,945,312.00 2,153,370.00 1,106,942,494.00 116,860.00 74,200.00 162,139.00 49,375,510.00 23,793,860.00 59,839,180.00 64,390.00 261,161,964.00 153,718.00 154,160,940.00 1,400,620.00 29,523,191.00 22,729,545.00 508,610,990.00 2,162,594.00 36,689,405.00 1,244,177.00 81,133.00 11,354,230.00 17,940.00 2,511,320.00 34,877,698.00 32,861,116.50 2,039,897.00 38,990.00 2,697,770.00 978,733,679.00 431,770.00 41,748,050.00 62,810.00 8,630,740.00

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

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

Lopez Holdings Corp.

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

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

0.860 49.50 13.02 0.70 7.00 14.34 1.190 1.230 935 3.730 6.89 9.25 4.67 13.80 0.239 870 6.28 63.50 5.5 4.85 0.49 4.65 13.5 0.630 4.8 0.0380 1.260 2.87 183.70 1027.00 1.39 0.83 256.400 415.00 0.2370 0.250

107,224,000 7,213,600 49,641,000 863,000 101,700 308,000 15,123,000 476,000 1,625,620 13,393,000 4,162,200 27,068,100 2,000 2,167,100 510,000 611,210 377,100 7,245,130 42,600 1,000 718,000 4,797,000 5,964,000 3,909,000 94,490,000 13,000,000 2,014,000 14,000 1,414,400 2,672,365 171,000 1,826,000 3,580 30 3,220,000 14,110,000

HOLDING FIRMS 95,099,010.00 355,216,675.00 650,034,514.00 597,500.00 711,900.00 4,513,302.00 17,612,330.00 569,310.00 1,516,670,130.00 48,526,720.00 28,102,348.00 246,323,414.00 9,460.00 29,789,458.00 120,070.00 526,148,605.00 2,368,438.00 464,489,104.50 241,061.00 4,850.00 359,865.00 21,999,950.00 83,387,312.00 2,425,380.00 438,452,080.00 495,200.00 2,577,110.00 40,020.00 252,073,056.00 2,710,696,295.00 233,020.00 1,483,980.00 915,560.00 12,454.00 736,730.00 3,667,550.00

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

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

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

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

Robinson’s Land `B’ Rockwell Shang Properties Inc.

15.500 0.81 10.00 1.970 0.960 49.250 2.19 4.68 6 0.560 0.79 0.830 0.227 0.405 10.000 23.3 0.460 0.125 1.71 1.29 4.72 5.29 0.310 1.4000 0.4500 0.385 49.40 2.02 24.90 2.24 3.25

3,278,500 3,902,000 140,100 723,000 41,049,000 79,093,900 4,143,000 6,288,000 357,200 71,863,000 493,000 632,000 11,320,000 6,670,000 4,725,000 2,315,700 1,760,000 50,000 290,969,000 5,810,000 2,000 275,046,700 25,290,000 15,356,000 1,750,000 1,270,000 100 2,985,000 12,323,000 1,166,000 4,385,000

PROPERTY 51,231,824.00 3,126,880.00 1,415,648.00 1,435,170.00 39,975,040.00 3,798,546,100.00 8,945,720.00 29,329,650.00 2,119,367.00 39,579,530.00 369,480.00 534,560.00 2,625,340.00 2,781,050.00 47,396,044.00 52,823,370.00 805,500.00 6,250.00 494,564,330.00 7,577,930.00 9,440.00 1,461,982,254.00 7,802,650.00 22,088,380.00 786,950.00 487,600.00 4,940.00 6,047,440.00 301,505,820.00 2,524,890.00 14,047,760.00

AUGUST 5-9, 2019 Close Volume

Value

58 146.50 94.25 2.27 1.18 26.65 18.3 11.92 4.7

15,040 10,067,890 20,189,910 345,000 166,000 864,400 193,800 4,927,500 351,000

874,806.00 1,471,981,939.00 1,862,516,072.00 746,590.00 191,330.00 23,047,485.00 3,564,320.00 59,648,642.00 1,582,020.00

1.3 750.00 0.455 71.75 1.02 13.1 49.50 58.5 111.3 190.8 29.5 193.5 1751.00 59.55 1.12

7,000 1,520 1,180,000 16,900,160 2,933,000 66,200 1,737,500 27,830 360 18,060 502,800 5,861,560 370 221,840 275,000

9,100.00 1,140,900.00 545,250.00 1,213,585,682.00 2,930,640.00 867,522.00 85,023,745.00 1,623,036.00 40,108.00 3,403,763.00 14,958,670.00 1,097,485,264.00 648,020.00 13,383,440.50 320,980.00

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

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

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

1.12

13,805,000

16,057,740.00

0.950 49.85 14.18 0.71 7.00 15.18 1.210 1.250 938 3.740 6.77 9.67 4.12 13.80 0.244 882 6.30 63.05 6.05

224,606,000 7,839,700 23,828,100 1,007,000 180,100 489,800 11,282,000 1,556,000 1,322,830 24,554,000 4,300,900 24,609,800 16,000 414,100 2,630,000 621,680 78,800 9,242,670 20,500

204,054,130.00 395,501,311.00 352,669,036.00 706,180.00 1,261,380.00 7,847,770.00 13,713,370.00 1,950,080.00 1,228,402,765.00 93,555,880.00 29,008,731.00 242,688,014.00 68,410.00 5,687,880.00 618,290.00 555,056,505.00 493,001.00 609,969,407.50 129,545.00

0.51 4.47 14.2 0.670 4.61 0.0380 1.350 2.75 177.10 986.00 1.41 0.86 257.000 415.00 0.2300 0.275

1,089,000 9,199,000 6,598,000 17,730,000 104,689,000 10,400,000 3,210,000 30,000 737,010 1,831,370 1,498,000 15,226,000 2,480 610 2,420,000 32,980,000

543,700.00 40,518,640.00 94,632,372.00 11,641,930.00 484,228,260.00 402,300.00 4,424,680.00 85,210.00 129,871,411.00 1,781,433,135.00 2,041,230.00 14,442,990.00 637,212.00 255,516.00 558,650.00 3,616,100.00

15.740 0.83 10.40 2.020 1.030 48.650 2.2 4.8 6.02 0.550 0.79 0.870 0.240 0.430 10.400 23 0.465 0.134 1.81 1.35 4.74 5.7 0.310 1.5300 0.4350 0.390 38.05 2.03 25.00 2.3 3.22

3,484,300 3,059,000 26,500 1,400,000 45,400,000 61,354,710 2,298,000 4,518,000 172,800 143,568,000 329,000 290,000 4,940,000 7,890,000 6,276,900 3,586,700 6,200,000 880,000 161,365,000 5,167,000 18,000 196,799,300 73,470,000 21,893,000 520,000 1,990,000 2,100 1,480,000 14,306,900 3,016,000 925,000

54,926,294.00 2,481,870.00 275,668.00 2,799,400.00 44,927,060.00 2,981,170,192.00 5,088,640.00 17,260,650.00 1,042,467.00 81,462,480.00 256,070.00 254,090.00 1,162,850.00 3,502,100.00 67,186,432.00 84,045,415.00 2,866,750.00 116,530.00 297,742,890.00 6,955,950.00 79,910.00 1,158,317,806.00 23,140,550.00 34,360,820.00 229,300.00 787,600.00 97,305.00 2,995,750.00 367,022,870.00 7,018,860.00 2,977,680.00

STOCKS

AUGUST 13-16, 2019 Close Volume

AUGUST 5-9, 2019 Close Volume

Value

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

34.10 2.49 5.87 0.800 7.710

83,921,900 12,132,000 413,300 484,000 28,768,800

2,919,977,190.00 28,640,160.00 2,364,775.00 387,550.00 213,422,356.00

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

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

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

Pacific Online Sys. Corp.

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

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

SSI Group STI Holdings Transpacific Broadcast Travellers Waterfront Phils.

Wilcon Depot

10.3 18.34 1.6 0.520 0.048 18.5 2.27 10.30 0.0590 93.5 6.99 6.79 6.00 2.06 9.28 890 1915 5.35 425.00 9.78 1.61 128.5 1.86 9.22 5.25 0.113 5.1300 2.95 14.6 3.25 0.89 18.94 14.00 0.450 3.2 2.51 1.20 1.28 2.170 2.66 8.15 3.04 4.68 8.2 144.50 3.42 1131.00 0.560 0.690 44.45 76.80 9.38 2.87 0.710 0.315 5.46 0.700 15.840

78,800 684,100 351,000 7,007,000 26,400,000 258,200 586,000 23,969,000 52,050,000 1,426,830 1,527,100 2,911,800 280,700 5,000 97,200 300 226,840 334,700 8,160 16,800 8,563,000 7,461,800 89,000 148,100 19,500 6,310,000 8,259,400 4,000 100 1,429,000 337,000 1,592,900 400 990,000 155,000 3,264,000 112,000 17,000 5,391,000 513,000 41,400 11,000 143,600 8,500 53,430 9,293,000 811,975 259,783,000 5,599,000 4,878,300 2,228,950 1,407,700 24,324,000 9,688,000 26,300,000 10,808,000 14,365,000 4,943,600

SERVICES 782,750.00 12,756,630.00 539,180.00 3,558,050.00 1,252,100.00 5,018,182.00 1,325,130.00 259,717,958.00 3,020,850.00 130,955,038.00 10,592,781.00 19,496,831.00 1,772,826.00 10,300.00 900,879.00 267,060.00 441,344,700.00 1,784,756.00 3,431,726.00 164,304.00 14,221,880.00 676,701,987.00 172,720.00 1,392,834.00 103,965.00 696,040.00 42,763,871.00 11,800.00 1,460.00 4,670,230.00 298,750.00 30,483,796.00 5,600.00 431,450.00 479,440.00 8,183,040.00 123,610.00 21,640.00 11,760,870.00 1,360,150.00 343,925.00 32,140.00 684,100.00 69,880.00 7,487,169.00 31,734,090.00 945,366,290.00 135,742,545.00 3,841,200.00 215,963,715.00 173,389,759.50 12,710,967.00 73,377,300.00 6,941,820.00 8,325,850.00 58,910,045.00 9,905,450.00 77,578,444.00

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

United Paragon

0.0018 1.35 2.57 12.86 1.1500 1.1100 2.73 0.275 7.84 1.450 0.207 0.114 0.118 0.0091 0.0110 1.06 2.5 1 0.4900 0.8300 0.0110 0.0120 3.70 12.70 0.0110 5.3600 22.30 0.0063

535,000,000 59,724,000 4,602,000 93,700 30,000 337,000 3,229,000 770,000 41,800 4,805,000 830,000 5,050,000 200,000 143,000,000 81,100,000 737,000 13,953,000 230,000 300,000 868,000 35,300,000 766,700,000 13,297,000 21,336,700 89,600,000 3,402,300 4,177,900 2,000,000

MINING & OIL 903,800.00 80,025,170.00 11,968,670.00 1,183,736.00 34,200.00 381,940.00 8,731,900.00 208,300.00 328,182.00 6,887,190.00 167,690.00 582,720.00 22,920.00 1,334,900.00 858,800.00 768,710.00 34,535,300.00 227,840.00 141,000.00 711,390.00 408,300.00 9,200,400.00 52,389,080.00 266,978,064.00 976,600.00 18,989,888.00 93,436,760.00 12,500.00

ABS-CBN Holdings Corp.

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

17.5 104.9 495 505 101.6 104.8 498 505 5.33 967 950 100 1 102 1010 1019 1035 1021 102 108 995 76 78.5 75.6 76 77 76.5 73.1 76

388,400 770 14,740 15,210 48,070 66,050 50 18,380 231,600 1,610 6,420 530,500 2,990,000 50,740 20 400 8,920 1,600 10,900 4,620 1,350 62,840 56,580 10,670 37,400 167,490 10,000 37,000 23,970

LR Warrant

1.690

502,000

PREFERRED 6,708,236.00 7,066,818.00 7,266,864.00 7,591,008.00 4,861,776.00 6,975,057.00 24,900.00 9,217,314.00 1,207,841.00 1,529,670.00 6,163,170.00 866,300.00 2,959,920.00 5,133,407.00 20,050.00 407,600.00 9,227,950.00 1,654,200.00 1,110,114.00 497,510.00 1,348,640.00 4,775,723.00 4,416,737.50 804,542.00 2,843,874.00 12,790,678.00 764,700.00 2,778,762.00 1,821,737.50

WARRANTS & BONDS 806,730.00 SME 20,800,850.00 30,712,369.00 10,885,170.00

Value

35.50 2.23 5.81 0.800 7.570

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

1,953,990,740.00 17,567,430.00 3,407,776.00 410,080.00 207,601,782.00

10 19.16 1.55 0.520 0.049 19.84 2.34 11.58 0.0590 92.5 7 7.09 5.85

103,100 881,700 742,000 3,741,000 35,900,000 4,900 1,661,000 20,922,200 117,710,000 1,336,280 4,300 8,657,100 588,600

1,057,062.00 16,624,424.00 1,198,000.00 1,932,070.00 1,716,100.00 92,452.00 3,919,490.00 239,252,258.00 6,982,290.00 120,934,554.50 30,100.00 60,885,478.00 3,553,047.00

9.74 890 1950 5.39 420.00

138,500 1,600 276,605 455,600 4,940

1,364,827.00 1,431,060.00 550,156,870.00 2,449,972.00 2,059,386.00

1.84 125.5 1.97 9.43 5.20 0.115 5.3500 2.95 14.52 3.39 0.93 19.16 14.02 0.480 3.17 2.60 1.39

12,310,000 14,634,530 111,000 126,500 28,200 1,540,000 12,225,500 4,000 2,300 3,922,000 749,000 628,800 200 830,000 172,000 18,590,000 102,000

22,620,960.00 1,854,954,938.00 216,010.00 1,198,987.00 157,145.00 174,510.00 63,344,700.00 11,770.00 32,546.00 13,834,450.00 673,110.00 12,148,652.00 2,804.00 398,750.00 547,310.00 47,635,360.00 143,750.00

2.350 2.74 8.75

9,658,000 1,330,000 165,100

22,491,090.00 3,552,170.00 1,400,938.00

5.04 8.22 135.00 3.54 1184.00 0.560 0.700 44.75 78.50 9.35 3.16 0.730 0.345 5.45 0.740 15.720

80,100 4,000 3,460 22,777,000 914,110 262,610,000 11,224,000 2,665,200 2,639,860 56,600 14,463,000 3,299,000 27,170,000 7,436,400 14,940,000 15,982,100

430,874.00 32,900.00 475,641.00 86,063,290.00 1,040,329,865.00 68,522,930.00 7,794,550.00 117,690,200.00 207,266,581.50 525,778.00 45,102,040.00 2,417,150.00 9,531,000.00 40,812,149.00 10,856,500.00 251,092,268.00

0.0017 1.30 2.74 12.86 1.1000

1,760,000,000 60,388,000 278,000 68,700 10,000

2,972,500.00 78,194,650.00 739,380.00 875,484.00 11,050.00

2.72 0.270 7.79 1.460 0.205 0.111 0.119 0.010 0.0110 1.04 2.57 1 0.4600 0.8600 0.0110 0.0110 4.00 11.52 0.0110 6.0000 22.90 0.0063

1,875,000 1,110,000 42,600 4,392,000 3,800,000 26,910,000 2,940,000 411,830,000 200,500,000 451,000 26,423,000 471,000 207,000 1,744,000 57,200,000 832,300,000 15,271,000 29,171,800 155,900,000 6,538,100 5,691,200 8,000,000

5,078,750.00 299,300.00 329,117.00 6,404,010.00 770,350.00 3,018,860.00 341,770.00 4,210,440.00 2,198,600.00 471,990.00 68,392,050.00 473,310.00 98,720.00 1,480,070.00 665,100.00 9,305,700.00 61,794,120.00 330,442,690.00 1,735,800.00 40,174,013.00 127,832,910.00 50,500.00

17.38 102 493 499 101 104.7

453,600 1,510 72,620 2,930 154,200 178,510

7,918,882.00 154,001.00 35,605,670.00 1,461,948.00 15,538,298.00 48,657,691.00

500 5.36 950 970 100 0.99 102.3 995 1010 1030 1022 101.8 108 1010 76 77.95 75.5 76 76.5 76.95 76.2 76

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

3,392,840.00 765,661.00 2,906,060.00 6,063,150.00 5,012,825.50 755,340.00 5,253,077.00 3,132,575.00 1,972,050.00 30,674,965.00 28,137,005.00 273,723.00 194,499.00 7,244,175.00 1,260,809.00 10,498,019.00 4,509,194.00 3,259,364.00 17,505,724.00 1,944,930.50 13,659,834.00 10,153,456.00

1.630

1,240,000

2,101,860.00

6.7 1

11,819,200 13,195,000

75,315,503.00 13,225,690.00

Makati Fin. Corp.

Italpinas Xurpas

2.38 6.8 0.98

8,735,000 4,583,000 11,117,000

First Metro ETF

117.5

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 86,340 10,074,870.00

118.1

74,720

8,868,632.00

10.3 10.5 1

DOLLAR DENONIMATED SEC. 32,100 330,630.00 2,840 29,820.00 30,000 30,000.00

10.3 10.4 1

39,760 10,000 1,124,520

408,909.60 104,000.00 1,125,646.40

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2 USD TECH B2

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

Philodrill Corp. `A’

VOLUME 766,700,000 535,000,000 290,969,000 275,046,700 259,783,000 179,018,000 143,000,000 107,224,000 94,490,000 89,600,000

STOCKS Ayala Land `B’ SM Prime Holdings SM Investments Inc. Ayala Corp `A’ Megaworld Jollibee Foods Corp.

Banco de Oro Unibank Inc. Universal Robina PLDT Common Metrobank

VALUE 3,798,546,100.00 2,919,977,190.00 2,710,696,295.00 1,516,670,130.00 1,461,982,254.00 1,106,942,494.00 1,074,011,617.00 978,733,679.00 945,366,290.00 914,596,537.00

DMCI Homes on track to hit sales target of P38b this year DMCI Homes, the real estate arm of conglomerate DMCI Holdings Inc., said it is on track to hit its P38-billion reservation sales target for the whole of 2019 as it plans to launch more projects in the second half of the year.

DMCI Homes president Alfredo Austria said the company booked P20 billion in reservation sales in the first half of the year, boosted by the newlylaunched residential condominiums in Quezon City.

“We exceeded our first half target and expect further boost from our second half launches,” said Austria.

The property firm has lined up five more launches in the second half of the year. The projects are in Pasig City, Las Piñas City, Mandaluyong City, Davao City and Cebu City.

Austria said newly-launched residential projects in Quezon City—Cameron Residences and The Crestmont—with total sales value of P10 billion would continue to boost sales.

Cameron Residences is in Roosevelt Avenue while The Crestmont is along Panay Avenue in Barangay South Triangle.

The two projects were launched following the strong take-up of other DMCI Homes developments in Quezon City, namely Infina Towers, The Orabella and The Celandine.

“Quezon City is a strong market because of the ongoing infrastructure projects in the area. Once Skyway Stage 3 and MRT-7 become operational, residents will enjoy unprecedented connectivity and mobility,” Austria said.

Meanwhile, DMCI president Isidro Consunji said the company had been controlling the sale of condominium units to foreigners.

“Our mission is to sell housing units with best value for money for the Filipino families. While we cannot stop foreigners from buying, that is not our objective,” Consunji said.

DMCI Homes saw its first semester net income decline 34 percent from P1.88 billion to P1.23 billion due to the absence of a non-recurring gain.

Excluding the one-time income of P715 million from the sale of land, DMCI Homes increased core net income by 6 percent from P1.16 billion to P1.23 billion.

The company at the start of the year had planned to launch 10 projects worth P104 billion, including its initial venture into the Cebu property market.

Jenniffer B. Austria

LBC Express says profit fell 54% to P549m in 1st half LOGISTICS service provider LBC Express Holdings Inc. registered a net income of P549 million in the first six months of 2019, down 54 percent from P1.195 billion year-on-year.

LBC Express in a disclosure to the stock exchange over the weekend attributed the lower first-half earnings to a net loss from one of the acquired entities in 2018, reduced foreign exchange gain and higher depreciation and interest expenses due to the first-time adoption of a new accounting standard.

Service revenues, however, rose 36 percent to P7.84 billion in the first six months of the year from P5.78 billion a year ago, due to higher increase sales both from the logistics and remittance segments by 27 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

LBC Express attributed the higher sales to the opening of 75 new retail branches, introduction of new products and contribution from newly-acquired businesses.

The logistics company in 2018 purchased several overseas affiliates as part of a plan to expand its international business and consolidate all foreign outlets under the company.

Meanwhile, cost of services increased 39 percent to P3.8 billion as the higher growth in volume in logistics and remittance business resulted in more delivery costs. Gross profit jumped 30 percent to P2.5 billion.

Net income in the second quarter reached P541 million, down 13.4 percent from P625 million on year.

Second-quarter service climbed 35 percent to P4 billion primarily due to an increase in revenues from the logistics business, both in retail and corporate segments.

Shareholders of LBC Express during the recent stockholders’ meeting approved the re-filing of a registration statement related to the company’s planned share sale of up to 69.1 million in common shares.

The company plans to use the net proceeds from the fund raising activity to finance expansion plans.

LBC Express this year plans to open between 70 and 100 branches across the country. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business/World

B3

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Protesters rally to show they’re still supported H ONG KONG―Tens of thousands of Hong Kong democracy activists gathered Sunday for a major rally to show the city’s leaders their protest movement still attracts wide public support despite mounting violence and increasingly stark warnings from Beijing.

THE PROTEST CONTINUES. Protesters gather for a rally in Victoria Park in Hong Kong on August 18, 2019, in the latest opposition to a planned extradition law that has since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights in the semi-autonomous city. Hong Kong’s democracy activists gathered for another rally to show the city's leaders their protest movement still attracts wide public support. AFP

Carnage as bomber kills 63 at wedding in Kabul KABUL―Joy and celebration turned into horror and carnage when a suicide bomber targeted a packed Afghan wedding hall, killing at least 63 people in the deadliest attack to rock Kabul in months, officials and witnesses said Sunday.

The blast, which took place late Saturday in west Kabul, came as Washington and the Taliban finalize a deal to reduce the US military presence in Afghanistan and hopefully build a road map to a ceasefire.

The groom, who only gave his name as Mirwais, recalled greeting smiling guests in the afternoon, before seeing their bodies being carried out hours later.

The attack “changed my happiness to sorrow”, Mirwais told local TV station Tolo News.

“My family, my bride are in shock, they cannot even speak. My bride keeps fainting,” he said.

“I lost my brother, I lost my friends, I

lost my relatives. I will never see happiness in my life again.”

Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said at least 63 people had been killed and 182 injured. “Among the wounded are women and children,” Rahimi said. Earlier he stated that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber.

Afghan weddings are epic and vibrant affairs, with hundreds or often thousands of guests celebrating for hours inside industrial-scale wedding halls where the men are usually segregated from the women and children.

“The wedding guests were dancing and celebrating the party when the blast happened,” recounted Munir Ahmad, 23, who was seriously injured and whose cousin was among the dead.

“Following the explosion, there was total chaos. Everyone was screaming and crying for their loved ones,” he told AFP from his bed in a local hospital, where he is

being treated for shrapnel wounds.

In the aftermath, images from inside the hall showed blood-stained bodies on the ground along with pieces of flesh and torn clothes, hats, sandals and bottles of mineral water.

The wedding was believed to be a Shia gathering. Shia Muslims are frequently targeted in Sunni-majority Afghanistan, particularly by the so-called Islamic State group, which is also active in Kabul but did not immediately issue any claim of responsibility.

Wedding guest Mohammad Farhag told AFP he was in the women’s section when he heard a huge blast in the men’s area.

“Everyone ran outside shouting and crying,” he said.

“For about 20 minutes the hall was full of smoke. Almost everyone in the men’s section is either dead or wounded.”

One guest who spoke to Tolo said some 1,200 people had been invited. AFP

Ten weeks of demonstrations have plunged the financial hub into crisis with images of masked black-clad protesters engulfed by tear gas during street battles with riot police stunning a city once renowned for its stability.

Communist-ruled mainland China has taken an increasingly hard-line tone towards the protesters, decrying the “terrorist-like” actions of a violent hardcore minority among the demonstrators.

Despite the near-nightly clashes with police, the movement has won few concessions from Beijing or the city’s unelected leadership.

On Tuesday, protesters blocked passengers from boarding flights at the city’s airport and later assaulted two men they accused of being Chinese spies.

The images damaged a campaign that until then had largely targeted the police or government institutions, and prompted an apology from some of the protest groups.

Sunday’s rally at the city’s Victoria Park is an attempt to wrestle the narrative of the protest back.

It is a “rational, non-violent” demonstration, according to organizers the Civil Human Rights Front, the driving

A bad year for Xi clouds China’s celebration of its 70th birthday BEIJING―It was meant to be an unabashed celebration of the triumph of Communism in China, and of President Xi Jinping’s authority as the country’s undisputed leader for years to come.

But as the People’s Republic of China approaches its 70th anniversary on October 1st, Xi finds himself battling threats on multiple fronts.

From a biting US trade war to relentless protests in Hong Kong challenging his rule and international condemnation over Beijing’s treatment of Uighur minorities in Xinjiang, Xi is having a very bad year, analysts say.

Furthermore, the crises have left him with limited room to act and simultaneously shore up support at home.

“Xi Jinping has had the toughest year since he came to power”, said Eleanor Olcott, China policy analyst at research firm TS Lombard.

“Not only is he facing unrest on China’s peripheries in Hong Kong and Xinjiang but the trade war is weighing on an already slowing domestic economy.”

IN BRIEF 10,000 homeless after fire razes slum

Few expected things to turn out this way.

In Davos in 2017, just weeks after the inauguration of protectionist Donald Trump as US president, Xi was at pains to portray himself as a champion of globalization, outlining a role for China as a world leader.

Some even hoped he would open the door to further reform. But those expectations have now sunk.

“The Xi Jinping of Davos 2017, who emerged on the world stage as defender of the liberal global economic order, is unrecognizable today,” said Olcott.

By the time he secured his second term as the Communist Party’s general secretary in October 2017, Xi was at the center of a cult of personality built by the state.

Last year, he enshrined “Xi Jinping Thought” in China’s constitution and, in a shock move, removed term limits on individuals—overturning an orderly system of succession put in place to prevent the return of another all-powerful strongman like Mao Zedong. AFP

GRAND OPENING.

Claudia Carpentier (C), Natsuki Tanaka (R) and a guest attend the BEAUTYBEEZ Grand Opening at BEAUTYBEEZ on August 17, 2019, in North Hollywood, California. AFP

‘Breathtaking’ Coron RAYMUND B. HABARADAS

Green LiGht I AM on my fourth day here in Coron, Palawan. Most of my travel companions have left for their flights back to Manila, ready to carry on their normal lives. I decided to book an additional night here at the Coron Soleil Express so that I can spend a lazy day by the pool and, perhaps, sample more of the local cuisine in town. Right now, I am looking through my window enjoying the midmorning view of the lush landscape from my second-floor room amidst the rural setting’s characteristic silence, punctuated only by the chirping of the birds and the occasional rumbling of scooters and tricycles that traverse the periphery of the hotel premises. Even the hotel’s pool area is now silent since most of the tourists, including the lively Chinese kids who their parents allowed to run and jump around the pool just the other day, have left.

It seems that the Chinese—and other foreigners too—are so at home in the Philippines, and who can blame them? Our country has so much to offer, something that many of us Filipinos have yet to discover ourselves.

It is my first time in Coron, unlike most of my companions who have been here at least once before. So the past three days had literally been a journey of new discoveries for me. One thing that one cannot deny is how wonderfully photogenic Coron is. [Note: Among the different places that I have visited across the country, only Bohol and Camiguin come close, when it comes to physical beauty]. Much has been written, for example, about the Twin Lagoon particularly its spectacular limestone formations and crystal clear waters; or about Kayangan Lake, especially when seen from the viewing deck that one can reach after about a 10-minute hike uphill. One would think that the ‘superlative’ adjectives used to describe these places are simply the work of PR men or of overly excited b/vloggers. But I think that this is one of the few cases when reality lives up to raised expectations. Forgive me, therefore, if I choose to describe Coron’s famous destinations as truly “breathtaking.”

Another thing that struck me about Coron is how largely unspoilt it is. It reminds me of Puerto Princesa (Palawan’s capital) when my friend Mike—who’s one of my travel companions now—and I visited it more than two decades ago. We were barely out of college then, could only afford a budget hotel, and did not have the benefit of get-

force behind record-breaking rallies in June and July that saw hundreds of thousands of people hit the streets.

Police have given permission for the rally to go ahead but banned a proposed march.

Previous bans on marches have been ignored by protesters, leading to clashes with riot police.

“We expect a huge number of participants... we hope to show to the world Hong Kong people can be totally peaceful,” Bonnie Leung, a spokeswoman for the Civil Human Rights Front told reporters.

“If Beijing and Hong Kong’s tactic is to wait for our movement to die, they are wrong... we will soldier on.”

China’s propaganda apparatus has seized on the weeks of violence, with state media churning out a deluge of damning articles, pictures and videos.

State media also ran images of military personnel and armoured personnel carriers across the border in Shenzhen, prompting the United States to warn Beijing against sending in troops.

Analysts say any intervention by Chinese security forces would be a reputational and economic disaster for China. AFP

ting recommendations for accommodations that fit our budget and preferences, which we could now routinely get from Agoda or Booking.com. For travelers like us, especially those living in congested urban areas like Manila, having a vacation surrounded by nature’s expanse—largely unspoiled by commerce—is our way of “detoxifying” and rejuvenating ourselves. It also allows us to reflect, and to take stock of our lives.

It’s now raining outside. I’m ready to have lunch downstairs and then take my afternoon siesta. So let me end my ruminations by sharing how my colleague Cynthia (another one of my travel companions), Mike, and I, during one of our conversations over breakfast, talked about how to grow certain vegetables for household consumption. Mike now owns and manages a farm in San Pablo, Laguna, where he grows several fruit trees and vegetables. He promised to give me some seedlings of ampalaya (bitter gourd), talong (eggplant), and siling labuyo (chili), which I can grow in our backyard in Parañaque. I told them that over the past two years, two large trees have curiously grown right outside our front yard, even if we did not plant any; and how several plants that resemble taro leaves just recently grew in our backyard. A possible explanation is that birds, attracted by the growing bamboo I planted in our backyard

a few years ago, have brought the seeds of these plants from elsewhere to our home.

I was reminded of what our tour guide Anthony said yesterday when we were traversing the crystal clear waters of Twin Lagoon. He said that it was the birds that were responsible for the trees that grew out of the limestone formations that jutted out of the sea. Through nature, God continuously provides not only for our physical, but also our spiritual needs. For our own sake, it is our responsibility to preserve His “breathtaking” creation.

Raymund B. Habaradas is a Full Professor at the Management and Organization Department of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business of De La Salle University (DLSU), where he teaches Management of Organizations, and Management Action Research. He is also the holder of the Ramon V. del Rosario Professorial Chair in Entrepreneurship, the Director of the DLSU Center for Business Research and Development (CBRD), and Governor of the Philippine Academy of Management (PAoM). He welcomes comments at rbhabaradas@yahoo.com. The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

DHAKA―At least 10,000 people are homeless after a massive fire swept through a crowded slum in the Bangladesh capital and destroyed thousands of shanties, officials said Sunday.

The fire broke out at in Dhaka’s Mirpur neighborhood late on Friday and razed around 2,000 mostly tin shacks, fire services official Ershad Hossain told AFP. “I could not salvage a single thing. I don’t know what will I do,” 58-year-old Abdul Hamid, who ran a tea stall inside the slum, told AFP as he broke down in tears.

Authorities eventually got the blaze under control and no-one was killed, although several people had minor injuries, firefighters said.

Many residents―largely low-income garment factory workers―were not in the slum as they had left their homes to celebrate the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday with their families.

“Otherwise, the damage would have been bigger,” local police chief Golam Rabbani said.

Around 10,000 people have taken refuge in crammed camps at nearby schools closed for the week-long holiday, according to Hossain.

“We are providing them with food, water, mobile toilets, and electricity supply,” municipal official Shafiul Azam told AFP, adding that authorities were trying to find permanent accommodation. AFP

Ottawa mayor comes out as gay MONTREAL-The mayor of Ottawa revealed Saturday that he is gay, an announcement that comes on the eve of gay pride week in the Canadian capital city.

“I’m gay. There―I said it; or rather, wrote it. Those two words took me almost four decades to utter, but as they say, ‘Better late than never,’” Jim Watson wrote in a letter published in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper.

The 58-year-old, who has served as mayor since 2010, recalled being a shy teen who moved and changed schools frequently, preventing him from making friends.

It was the 1970s, a time when “there were virtually no resources to seek for guidance or help, or just to talk.”

After graduating from university, Watson said he threw himself into his work. A provincial MP from 2003 to 2010, he also served as city councilor and provincial cabinet minister.

“As I look back over my life, and in hindsight, not coming out sooner was a big mistake on my part,” he wrote.

“My reluctance has not allowed me to live my life as full of love and adventure as my gay friends who were bolder and braver than I ever was.”

He urged gay people who are in the closet not to feel rushed to come out—“but don’t wait 40 years either.” AFP

LGUs

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

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

ARTA commends Parañaque for biz-friendly work THE Anti-Red Tape Authority has commended the city government of Parañaque for complying with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to reduce red tape and expedite the processing of permits and licenses at the local level.

Lawyer Jeremiah Belgica, ARTA director general, also lauded the administration of Mayor Edwin Olivarez for bringing together several innovative IT solutions into their pioneering concierge system and for their “exemplary service and support in the implementation of the Ease of Doing Business Law.” Belgica together with Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, and Interior and Local Government Jonathan Malaya witnessed the recent formal launching of Project: Express Lane Operation 2.0 to serve as the benchmark in business regulatory simplification across the country.

Parañaque has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Information and Communications Technology for interconnectivity for faster and more efficient government transactions in the city.

Parañaque also has a Zero Contact Policy, where application, payment, and issuance of permits are made available at the Project ELO Concierge using Smart Kiosks located at the newly renovated Taxpayers Lounge of the BPLO of city hall.

Earlier, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año also lauded the local government unit and city business permit and licensing office chief Melanie Malaya for introducing the country’s first-ever computerized Occupational Permit system which is part of its ongoing automation program.

Malaya said ELO 2.0 also consolidates the workers’ work permit, sanitary or health permit, and police clearance.

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

Año added that faster application process means more investments and more business, more government services for the people and the local will also achieve prosperity.

Officers and members of National Association of Business Permit and Licensing Office headed by lawyer Melanie Soriano-Malaya (front left), chief of Paranaque’s BPLO, made a courtesy call to Anti-Red Tape Authority director general Jeremiah Belgica to discuss strategies to further improve the establishment of the Business One Stop Shop or BOSS. The group also tackled possible areas of collaboration on streamlining and reengineering the processes in their respective local government units.

Makati sustains anti-rabies drive W

ith the thrust of Makati Mayor Abby Binay to keep the city rabies-free, the city Veterinary Services Office had given free vaccinations to nearly 24,000 household pets from 21 barangays and rescued over 1,000 stray animals in the first six months of the year.

In its mid-year report to the mayor, the VSO also reported 913 pets microchipped for free, bringing up the total number of micro-chipped pets to 5,909 since the landmark project was launched in October 2017.

The mayor called on residents to be responsible pet owners and have their pets immunized and micro-chipped for free

by VSO teams who visit their barangays on scheduled dates.

“We ask Makatizens to cooperate with our VSO teams conducting house-tohouse visits to give free anti-rabies shots and microchip household pets. Rabies is deadly, and it is up to you to protect your families and communities against it,” Mayor Abby said.

Makati was the first local government unit in Southeast Asia to implement citywide pet

microchipping in October 2017, a little over a year after Mayor Abby took office.

The microchip has a 15-digit code readable with a microchip scanner. When the code is entered into the database, it reveals the owner’s name as well as the pet’s vaccination records. Aside from facilitating the identification of pets and their owners, the program helps owners and bite victims avoid spending for redundant or unnecessary rabies vaccination.

VSO chief Dr. Ma. Katherina Mangahas said her office will conduct a Rabies Awareness Campaign in all public schools in the city this month. Before year-end, it will also hold a livelihood training on pet grooming to provide an affordable pet grooming option for pet owners, and a source of additional income for residents.

The VSO will also hold a community

assembly in various barangays to promote Responsible Pet Ownership among residents, she added.

Mangahas reported that from Jan. 1 to June 30, the VSO had vaccinated 23,720 pets from 21 barangays in the city and provided free spay and castration services to 147 pets under its Animal Health Program.

In the same period, 1,103 stray animals were rescued from city streets. Under the Stray Animal Management Program, rescued animals were temporarily sheltered at the city pound at Malugay St., Brgy.

San Antonio.

Citizens who are interested to adopt rescued animals must submit a Good Moral Certificate, original and photocopy of the Income Tax Return of the applicant, picture of the cage or shelter of the desired pet, picture of the applicant’s residence, photocopy of two valid government IDs, a recent passport-size ID picture, and a notarized adoption form to the city pound.

After validating the submitted requirements, the city pound will conduct an inspection at the residence of the applicant.

Once approved, the applicant can take home the chosen pet.

Castelo: BRT has no reason not to push through

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City’s District 2 Councilor Winston Castelo is asking the Department of Transportation for shelving the proposed Metro Manila bus rapid transit projects despite fund allocation.

He said the 17th Congress had already allocated funds for the construction of two bus rapid transit projects: Line 1 to and from Manila City Hall to PhilCoA on Elliptical Road, Diliman via Quezon Avenue, and Line 2 linking Epifanio delos Santos Avenue to Taguig City’s Bonifacio Global City, Pasig City’s Ortigas Center, Makati City’s Ayala Avenue and Pasay City’s Senator Gil Puyat Avenue.

Despite the approval of the House of Representatives, DoTR did not proceed with the implementation of the projects for no apparent reason, the former three-term congressman said.

“The reasons behind the deferment and delays remain mysterious,” Castelo said in a statement.

Even the Department of Finance and National Economic Development Authority board had already approved the proposed bus rapid transit projects, he said.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Police District Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr. has ordered the immediate creation and activation of a Special Investigation Task Group dubbed “SITG Lacson” to probe the shooting incident that killed a police officer assigned at the Anonas Police Station in Project 2.

“SITG Lacson” is headed by Deputy District Director for Operations Enrico Vargas with nine members to facilitate the investigation and speedy resolution of the death of M/Sgt. Anthony Lacson, 40, the desk officer at the Anonas Police Station 9.

The incident took place on Saturday (Aug. 17) at 6 p.m. along Anonas Road corner Pajo Street Barangay. Quirino 2A, Project 2.

Castelo, a three-term lawmaker who chaired the House committee on Metro Manila development, said he sees no more reasons why the projects should not push through.

He said the bus rapid transit projects are “cheaper and faster to construct and will entail minimal traffic during the construction.”

“We regret this has happened because the last Congress fought hard for the budget of bus rapid transit, but unfortunately despite the effort, it will only be disregarded. DoTr should explain why they deferred the implementation of these project(s),” the councilor said.

He raised concern over the findings of the Japan International Cooperation Agency that the Philippines was losing P3.5 billion a day due to traffic congestion in the National Capital Region.

Lal-lo airport gets 1st commercial flights

By Brenda Jocson

Cynthia Carrion

Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Sy

Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda

Jaime Bautista

Sec. Roy A. Cimatu

2019 SKAL Tourism Personality Awards winners announced SKAL International Makati Chairman Robert Lim Joseph has announced the 2019 SKAL Tourism Personality Awardees in connection with their 38th Founding Anniversary celebration and 29th SKAL Tourism Personality Awards on Thursday at the New World Hotel Makati.

The event is held in partnership with Philippine Airlines, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. New World Hotel Makati, and Ralph Wines and Spirits.

Awardees for this year are Corregidor Foundation Inc. chairman and CEO and former Tourism Usec. Madame Cynthia Carrion, for Historical Tourism Development; Jaime Bautista for SKAL Leadership In Tourism and Transportation; and

Emmanuel Gonzalez of Plantation Bay Resort and Spa for Food Tourism.

Others are Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año, and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat for Eco-Tourism; Miguel Belmonte for Star Legacy Award; Suzie Moya Benitez for Bayanihan-Heritage and Cultural Tourism; Pampanga Vice Gov. Lilia G. Pineda for Domestic Tourism Development; and Patrick Lawrence Tan, CEO of Globallink MP Events International Inc. for Exhibition Tourism.

Elizabeth “Betty” Sy, president and chairman of SM Hotels and Convention, leads the Hotel Awards category; Arnel “AA” Patawaran for Print Media; Dina

May Flores (Philippine Airlines) for Airlines; Michelle Tiotangco of Kamia Bay for Resorts; Rafael Dionisio of MAD Travel for Cultural and Ecological Adventure Tourism; and Eat Bulaga’s Ms. Millennial Philippines for TV Program Tourism Segment Award.

“The annual prestigious awards are given to persons who gave their utmost services to promote and develop the tourism industry here and abroad,” Joseph said.

“We selected awardees from the government and private sectors including the entertainment industry,” he added.

According to Joseph, SKAL is a professional organization of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship.

LAL-LO, Cagayan—The Lal-lo Airport in this municipality has received its first international and domestic flights to and from Macau and Clark in an inaugural direct flight by Royal Air on Sunday.

Mayor Oliver Pascual and Undersecretary Raymundo Roquero, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority senior deputy administrator, led other local officials in welcoming Royal Air with a Ceremonial Water Canon salute on the aircraft.

Royal Air said it is expanding is operation in Northern Cagayan particularly Ceza and its surrounding municipalities because of the growing popularity of the ecozone’s business and leisure climate.

Ceza and the Lal-lo local government unit usherettes presented flowery leis to the arriving guests and visitors after they stepped off the plane.

Roquero said the inaugural included commercial international flights from Lal-lo to Macau and vice versa, and domestic flights from Clark to Lal-lo and vice versa.

Also, the carrier also flies from Cebu to Davao and Puerto Princesa cities four times weekly and to Cagayan de Oro City and Caticlan thrice a week.

“This development will surely make Lal-lo Airport as another gateway to Northern Cagayan and CEZA for tourism and leisure, business, investments and promotions,” he added.

With an estimated cost of P1.66 billion, the 15-hectare airport hub is the result of a 50-year joint venture agreement between Ceza and Cagayan Land Property Development Corp. with the private consortium contributing 58.3 percent in equity while CEZA’S share was 41.7 percent.

Roquero said the airport’s major facilities are the control tower, passengers’ lounge with a runway measuring 2,100 meters long by 45 meters wide. Following the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

He said this allows the airport to accommodate narrow-body commercial airlines such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

More Navoteños with unregistered births get assistance

By Jun David MORE unregistered Navoteños have received their birth certificates through the free late birth registration program of the City Government of Navotas.

An additional 145 Navoteños benefitted from the waived fees, penalties and charges on late birth registration amounting to P1,500.

Mayor Toby Tiangco called on Navotas-born residents to take advantage of the program.

“Having a birth certificate is important

as it is one of the main requirements for enrollment, job application, or availing some government services,” he noted.

The late birth registration program was implemented through City Ordinance 2018-19 penned by Coun. Ethel Joy Arriola-Mejia and signed by Vice Mayor Clint Geronimo.

Arriola-Mejia, a lawyer, also offers notarial services for free.

Since January, 1,200 late registrants have already received their birth certificates. Navoteños who are interested to apply for the program may call 281-8531

local 300 or 310. They may also visit the offices of Geronimo and Arriola-Mejia at the 3rd floor of Navotas City Hall.

Aside from the late birth registration, Navotas also has a free birth registration program for Navoteño children born at the Navotas City Hospital or the city’s lying-in center.

Newborns also receive a Navocare baby kit containing a cotton roll, a bottle of alcohol, a baby bath soap, cotton buds, disposable diapers, four onesies, a baby bag, and a baby box that can serve as crib.

AID TO OFWS. Through the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance where she sits as director, Senator Cynthia A. Villar (center) gives assistance to five distressed overseas Filipino workers who have been repatriated after suffering from various forms of maltreatment while working abroad. The OFWs thanked the senator for the sari-sari store startup package and financial assistance to start a new life. Also in photo is Susan Ople of the Blas Ople Center. Lino Santos

Life

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

FOOD

“T

HE little duck was looking at me,” said Keiichi Hirukawa, the new head sushi chef of Nobu Restaurant, as he recalled his first time to eat balut when he arrived in the Philippines late last month.

@MStandardLIFE MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

Pan Seared Chilean Seabass with Papaya Noodles

“It scared me,” added the poker-faced, soft-spoken Hirukawa, who started his career as a sushi chef in Kiyoshi’s Japanese Restaurant in Florida in 1998 before joining Nobu Malibu two years ago.

Hirukawa may still be gathering his courage on how to interpret balut as sushi, but he has boldly taken on iconic Filipino dishes such as adobo and kare-kare.

For Nobu Manila’s Omakase menu this month, he introduced his two sushi creations—thinly-sliced fresh salmon sashimi with coconut milk, bits of pineapple, ginger, chili, onion leeks, and a drizzle of amazu vinegar; and yellowtail sashimi salad with peanut sauce, karashisumiso bagoong, celery, and mixed greens.

“I would never have thought of using peanut butter. It was a surprise for me as well. I loved it,” said Hirukawa.

The eight-course Omakase menu includes truffle buttercrusted beef with goma demi-glace served with roasted kobocha; an appetizer composed of scallop chimichurri with mixed herbs, ponzu, and caviar; onion dashi soup with spinach, daikon, carrots, and pea shoots; and Granny Smith apple cheesecake for dessert.

During the media preview, Hirukawa also prepared a playful trio of sushi dishes served on sake cups: tuna sisig, emperor adobo, and belt fish chimichurri.

Nobu Manila’s new head sushi chef Keiichi Hirukawa

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Brave, bold sushi flavors He said he plans to introduce more sushi creations that feature local ingredients to form part of the seasonal Omakase menu as well as during Nobu’s brunch buffet on Sundays.

His philosophy is in keeping with the culinary genius of Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese-Peruvian fusion artistry that has produced globallyacclaimed Nobu sushi staples such as black cod miso, toro tartar with caviar, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, and rock shrimp tempura, among others.

“My vision is to create Nobu dishes that you can only eat in Manila...It is fusion with a local touch.”

I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.

BITES Kokoro warm grain bowl

Asian-inspired grain salad Salmon and quinoa are combined, with a dash of Japanese flavors, to create a filling Asian-themed salad.

SaladStop!’s new limited edition Kokoro (which means “heart” in Japanese) warm grain bowl consists of nourishing grains, such as quinoa and brown rice; a boost of protein from a generous serving of baked salmon; and carrots, romaine lettuce, and cabbage for added nutritional value.

It also gets its crunch from sunflower seeds and sweet corn. A furikake seasoning and sesame lime dressing lend some Japanese flavors to the dish.

According to SaladStop!, grains are essential to a healthy diet, as they provide dietary fiber, and help reduce blood cholesterol levels, as well as lower the risk of heart disease in the long run. Whole grains also aid in digestion and provide the feeling of fullness but with fewer calories.

The new Kokoro warm grain bowl is available at all SaladStop! locations, except Ayala Tower 1, until August 31.

Clam Onion Dashi Soup

Asian Sausage

Cheese Burger Classic

Vegan burger and sausage sandwich

Truffle Butter-Crusted Beef with Goma Demi-Glace served with Roasted Kabocha

Tuna Sisig, Emperor Adobo, and Belt Fish with Chimichurri

Indigo Restaurant in Boracay serves up classic cheese burger and sausage sandwich sans the meat guilt.

Now available in the restaurant’s Beyond the Meat food options are the Cheese Burger Classic made of plant-based burger patty that melts and tenderizes like beef—retaining the juicy, meaty deliciousness of a traditional burger.

The juicy patty is topped with vegan cheese and fresh lettuce, sandwiched between tasty vegan brioche slices and served with a side of frites.

Also available is the Asian Sausage which uses plant-based sausage that provides the mouthwatering and juicy satisfaction of pork, but with all the benefits of plant protein. The plant-based sausage is served on a baguette topped with vegan cheese, kimchi relish, pickled onions, and gochugang-ginger ketchup with a side of frites.

Indigo Restaurant is located at Discovery Shores Boracay.

Chocolate bar with coffee It’s a double treat for chocolate and coffee lovers as Cadbury Dairy Milk launches a limited edition coffee-flavored chocolate bar.

The new Cadbury Dairy Milk Coffee is made of the brand’s well-loved dairy milk chocolate infused with coffee flavor. The product, Mondelez officials said, is made for those with sweettooth looking for the taste they can get from a cup of joe.

It’s available at leading supermarkets nationwide at 100g.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Coffee Assorted Sushi Nigiri

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MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Life RECIPE FILES

Heartwarming treats for rainy days A BOWL of warm soup and a hot sandwich with flavorful spread are like tight hugs during the cold, rainy season. Chef Margarita Marty, chairperson of the Culinary Arts Program of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde shares her personal recipes of treats she prepares for her family during damp days.

Bonus: The bread goes well with the soup.

Tomato-Carrot Soup

FOOD TRIP. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Resorts World Manila has put together the Grand Food Trip package that brings diners to buffet stations throughout its hotels and signature restaurants.

H

Buffet-hopping

OW does a food crawl at 10 buffet stations sound like? Seems impossible, but an integrated resort makes it possible, showing the way to an (almost) endless buffet.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Resorts World Manila has put together a selection of 10 buffet and unlimited serving vouchers that can satisfy even the largest appetites.

The RWM Grand Food Trip takes guests on a journey across an array of buffet stations and hearty feasts throughout its hotels and signature restaurants.

Enjoy bountiful lunch or dinner buffets at Kusina by Hilton Manila, S Kitchen at Sheraton Hotel Manila, Marriott Café at Marriott Hotel Manila, Savoy Café at Savoy Hotel Manila, Café Belmont at Belmont Hotel Manila, The Terrace at Maxims Hotel, and Silogue at the RWM Garden Wing Enjoy unlimited serving of seafood.

Gaming Area.

Contact Jillian Valenzuela at 0917Diners can also savor unlimited serv- RWM Grand Wing Gaming Area.

This Grand Food Trip package is 8788576 or Jake Rodica at 0917-8728766 ings of the top 10 bestsellers of Victoria for inquiries or more information.

Harbour Café and Silk Road, both at the priced at P10,000.

Ingredients: 400g 200g 300g 500-600ml 50g 20g 5g 2 tbsp.

125g 1 tbsp. ½ tsp.

Serves: 4-6

canned stewed tomatoes fresh ripe tomatoes freshly peeled carrots water chopped onions pepper garlic olive oil cooking cream (optional) butter brown sugar (optional) ground sea salt

Procedure: 1. Blanch fresh tomatoes, then remove peel and seeds. Slice carrots.

2. Mix water, sliced carrots, and fresh tomatoes in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and allow carrots to soften.

3. In a separate sauce pan, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil. Once the onions are translucent, add canned tomatoes and cook over medium to low heat.

4. Once the carrots are soft, add the tomato mixture and cook over medium to low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Put mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.

6. Strain back into the pan and return to the heat to bring to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat and slowly add the cream and butter while constantly stirring it.

7. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper as needed.

8. Serve on a bowl with a teaspoon of pesto cream.

Ingredients: 225g 60g 60g 20g 2-3 cloves

Pesto Cheese Spread cream cheese pesto all-purpose cream olive oil garlic fine sea salt and pepper to taste

Procedure: 1. Put all ingredients in the food processor. Whip together until well combined.

2. Add salt and pepper to adjust taste as needed.

3. Place in ceramic or glass container and refrigerate. You can keep it for 10 to 14 days if refrigerated.

4. Serve with crackers or chips.

Eat-all-you-can at Kusina at Hilton Manila

S Kitchen at Sheraton Manila serves an array of local and foreign cuisines.

Take home a box of 8 Classic Pan Chicken THIS is not a drill: Pancake House’s bestselling Classic Pan Chicken is now available for a box of eight.

The Box of 8 Classic Pan Chicken is priced at P545, and comes with a free 1.5-liter of Coca-Cola. It’s valid for takeout only, from today until October 15 in participating Pancake House stores nationwide.

This limited offer is part of Pancake House’s 45th anniversary celebration.

“Over the next coming months, we want to continue delivering goodness to our customers, starting right at their doorsteps with the well-loved Classic Pan Chicken,” said senior marketing manager Cherry Hernandez.

Pancake House’s Box of 8 Classic Pan Chicken with free 1.5-liter Coca-Cola.

Grilled Cheese with Pesto Cheese

Ingredients: 8 pcs.

120-150g 2-4 tbsp.

2-4 tbsp.

thick slices of loaf bread aged cheddar cheese butter olive oil Pesto cheese spread dill pickles mango jam

Procedure: 1. Slice cheddar cheese into thin slices.

2. Spread about 1 tsp. of pesto cheese on the slices of bread.

3. Put cheese slices on the bread and make into four sandwiches.

4. Heat a small non-stick pan and add ½ tbsp. butter and olive oil.

5. Grill one sandwich at a time on medium to low heat, allowing cheddar cheese to melt evenly.

6. Flip over and cook for a few minutes until both sides are evenly toasted.

7. Remove from heat and serve with a side of pickles and mango jam.

Entertainment

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Love teams KathNiel, MayWard, and LizQuen at last year’s ABS-CBN Ball

ABS-CBN Ball 2019

to grant scholarships to underprivileged children F OR ABS-CBN, celebrating 65 years of being in the service of the Filipino means remaining committed to help those in need. That is why when it brings back the ABS-CBN Ball on Sept.14 at ShangriLa The Fort, it will continue what it started last year – to bring hope to underprivileged children, this time through the Bantay Bata 163 Bantay Edukasyon program.

The coming ball will give the stars and other attendees the chance to provide children in need the tool to reach their dreams, through scholarships.

With the program, all of the children’s

basic needs to help them have a normal education, from complete tuition assistance, to meal and transportation allowances, school supplies, and other fees, will be covered.

Under the program, the children and their families receive counseling and are provided self-development sessions, as well as training on basic life skills through social work intervention. This includes values formation and parenting sessions, the Resiliency Program, which helps scholars determine their strengths and weaknesses; music, arts, and sports programs to teach them the value of discipline in their lives; and more recently, even a digital workshop to help expand the children’s choices of possible careers.

Bantay Bata 163 implemented the Bantay Edukasyon program in 1998 to serve as an aftercare service for rescued children. It has since provided 6,400

scholarships all over the country since it started.

This year’s affair essentially continues what it started last year, which helped successfully re-open the Bantay Bata Children’s Village, and gave a group of underprivileged children a new home.

The Ball will also honor ABSCBN Foundation and Bantay Bata 163 founder Gina Lopez. Under Lopez, Bantay Bata 163 rescued thousands of children from physical and sexual abuse and eventually provided what she considers her greatest achievement for it, the Children’s Village in Norzagaray, Bulacan. The Village is now more than a shelter and rehabilitation area for

children as it has become a benchmark for childcare excellence.

The 2018 ABS-CBN Ball gathered a total of P5 million, which was used for the construction and rehabilitation of the structures of the village, CCTV training for social workers, the installation of a call and paging system, a Library, and a multimedia room.

Since the Bantay Bata Children’s Village opened its doors last December 2018, it has already served 46 children.

Five of them have already reunited with their families while 41 are still in the village.

For more updates and to catch the ABS-CBN Ball’s red carpet airing, visit www.abscbnball.com.

An avoidable tempest IN A snap, the national obsession that involves Bea Alonzo, Gerald Anderson, and Julia Barretto has been dislodged on its number one gossip stop and we have Gretchen to congratulate for that.

No! We are not talking of the Barretto kind of Gretchen nor the Fullido one. The new Gretchen who is the latest tempest creator is Gretchen Custodio Diez.

She is a transgender woman barred by a janitress to use the female comfort room in a mall located in Quezon City. What happened is chronicled and documented in a video that can be viewed on a social media site for the public’s voyeuristic pleasure.

Celebrities such as Heart Evangelista, Ice Seguerra, Jervi Li also known as KaladKaren Davila, Frankie Pangilinan, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Congresswoman Geraldine Roman, Senator Risa Hontiveres, and majority of the pink community are up in arms shouting “discrimination” and maybe “off with her head” for the

sanitation crew who realized quite late the mistake she committed. She issued an apology and promised to study the rights of the people belonging to the LGBTQ community.

As a gay person who leaves the safety of my home donned in a woman’s dress, and often times, gets to be treated like a woman with some chivalrous men offering their seats and spaces in various modes of public transport, I can understand the hate and rage majority of us feel with regard to the harrowing experience of Gretchen.

I love women clothings because I’m comfortable when I wear them. It makes me feel confident and yes, feeling pretty is not a crime, right? I get a kick when an individual addresses me as “mam,” “madam,” or “miss.” I get to feel beautiful points with the initial shock written all over the faces of men when they see me going out of a men’s restroom, or when they see me powdering my nose and putting on my vanilla scented cologne inside the confines of the gentlemen’s

pissing room, with them wondering if they are entering the wrong comfort room.

May I add, that I wear female clothes because I want people to learn that they must and should look beyond the superficial and that passing judgement on what a person wears or how he or she looks, is only for the immature, juvenile and unlearned. I want them to respect who I am especially since I don’t treat them with contempt or disrespect. As for those who are annoyed with my appearance, I can do nothing if that is their nature. I am not here on earth to please them and get their nod of approval.

Most of times, since I don’t want men to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown because of my feminine energies over pouring in a men’s restroom, I ask the restroom keepers, if I can use the senior’s comfort room and often than not, they acquiesce to my request with a ready smile. In the few instances that they insist that the CR is just for senior citizens use, I refuse to argue with them and enter the

men’s restroom and into my cubicle to deal with the call of nature.

In my life as a gay man who wears female clothes on a daily basis, I never attempted to use the rest rooms delegated for biological females. They do not need to state the obvious. It is just for them. The privacy and comfort that their restrooms provide is not only important, it is almost a sacred place to them.

It’s just unfortunate that with all leaps and bounds success that members of the pink community has already achieved and continue to reap, there are still people who treat gay men with disgust, disdain, still considered as immoral who are plagues and scums of the universe.

Thus, I cannot help but wonder, most especially to those who are high flying and adorned, what is their take on this tempest?

When do we get to read the reactions of Vice Ganda, Boy Abunda. Paolo Ballesteros, Ricky Reyes, and the other gay men who are now powerful, rich and

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Monday, August 19, 2019

ACROSS 1 Secures a parka 5 “People” person 10 Used a hatchet 14 Delightful place 15 Kitchen emanation 16 Tear to pieces 17 Wild plum 18 Cabs 19 Huff 20 Leaseholders 22 Go over again 24 Moolah 25 Egg producer 26 Rip off 29 Style of cooking 33 Verbose 34 Heating pipe 35 Fountain toss-in 37 — — flash 38 Marquis’s inferiors 39 Mountain overlooking Troy 40 — — move on!

42 Sax-playing Simpson 43 Gave medication 45 Loathe 47 Tourist staple 48 Small barrel 49 Pulled apart 50 Deli sandwich

53 Newspaper piece 57 Grass 58 Air rifle (2 wds.)

60 Modem-speed unit 61 Actor — Baldwin 62 Jeweler’s lens 63 Wrist-to-elbow bone 64 Sit for an artist 65 Go inside 66 Shut with a big bang DOWN 1 Gusto 2 On strike 3 Lowly laborer 4 Skulked about 5 Ranch animals 6 Backspace on a PC 7 Smoked salmon 8 Arab chief 9 Singles (2 wds.)

10 Whodunit poison 11 Lucy Lawless role 12 Wife of Geraint 13 Insect killer 21 Military force 23 Thing, in law 26 Branch 27 Made sharp

28 Fit to be tied 29 Swear at 30 Home of the Bruins 31 Rock music, to some 32 Northern duck 34 Podium 36 Nothing, to Pedro 38 Like a bachelor 41 With suspicion 43 Scurry 44 Anthology 46 Tent holder

47 Where walls meet 49 Pantyhose hue 50 Angel’s topper 51 Charges it 52 Poet’s black 54 Phone 55 Large moth 56 Red-waxed cheese 57 — of luxury 59 Destroy completely

A fan art created by Jerald Encenares inspired by Gretchen Diez

successful?

As I conclude my Arias, I will continue to fight my way, it is in my nature be a good and kind person, and my enemies and those who do not understand, killing them with my kindness and grace, is what I do best, wearing my designer women outfits, of course.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019

Another stamp of approval from Heart Evangelista ACTRESS Heart Evangelista has added another credible endorsement on her plate when she recently joined the team of IAM Worldwide as brand ambassador.

IAM Worldwide is an up and coming networking company whose purpose is to bring real change in the people’s total wellbeing including health, prosperity, and balance. It’s objective is to enrich the lives of their customers, distributors, employees, and the community by providing the best-inmarket business opportunities, and to be at the forefront of bringing world-class quality products.

Heart, who has always been meticulous about the products and companies she endorses, has agreed to give her stamp of approval to IAM WorldWide, convinced that the newlyestablished company is destined to make a difference in the lives of people.

Heart was signed as the company’s brand ambassador on Aug. 6 during an elaborate event held at the Manila House Private Membership Club elegantly styled by Robert Blancaflor.

Heart Evangelista with GMA's Simoun Ferrer (leftmost) and executives from IAM Worldwide.

The Kapuso star was accompanied by GMA Artist Center team led by Simoun Ferrer.

IAM Worldwide executives led by VP Aika Lorraine Uy and President Allen Marvin Eder were there to welcome Heart to the team. They said that the actress and known brand endorser was handpicked to be the brand ambassador “because she exemplifies the vision of IAM WorldWide to inspire people.”

The occasion also served as a celebration for the awards and citations received recently by the IAM Worldwide team from the Asian Networkers Convention and Expo (ANCE).

Aika Lorraine Uy was named Business Leader of the Year 2019 while Allen Marvin Eder received the Vision Excellence Award 2019. Joanna Mañego (General Manager) received the Best New Company Award 2019 on behalf of IAM Worldwide Corporation, while Precious Grace Capili (Diamond Elite Executive), and Hermelino Razon (Ruby Elite Executive) bagged the Best Leaders of the Year Award.

TALE of THREE SISTERS Prima Donnas Sofia Pablo, Jillian Ward, and Althea Ablan

Gerard Butler in a scene from the third installment of the 'Fallen' film series, 'Angel has Fallen.'

‘Angel Has Fallen’ flies to PH cinemas VERY WANG

T Gerard Butler with Morgan Freeman

HE HAD been down a few times, but nothing could ever take him out.

That’s Gerard Butler as Secret Service Agent Mike Banning in the global box office hits Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and London Has Fallen (2016).

This year, this agent who is referred to as “the President’s top guardian angel” is going to get beat up yet again, the question is, how will Butler’s Banning rise from this fall?

Angel Has Fallen is the third entry to the Fallen franchise. Mike Banning is selected by U.S. President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) to be the director of the Secret Service.

But before he could assume his new appointment, Banning finds himself in a crucial position to protect the president as they are attacked by explosive drones.

The next thing he knows, he is already in the hospital, handcuffed and being charged with the attempted murder of President Trumbull. FBI Agent Thompson (Jada PinkettSmith) is convinced of Banning’s culpability because he is the only one in his team who survives the tragedy.

Hellbent on proving his innocence and bringing the real culprit to justice, Banning escapes capture. As the FBI and his own agency are hot on his trail, Banning tracks down his father (Nick Nolte) to get his help.

Just like in all his previous battles, he must keep his family from harm, keep the president alive, and save the country from imminent danger. The big difference is, he is also fighting for his life.

Directed by Ric Roman Waugh (Snitch, Shot Caller), Angel Has Fallen offers non-stop action while taking the audience to what Butler describes as a “much deeper, darker journey” of Mike Banning.

Reports have it that two other scripts had been scrapped in favor of this story, which is said to have been inspired

by The Fugitive, The Bourne Identity, and Taken.

Butler said in an interview back in 2017, “I couldn’t even see a way to make a third (Fallen film), you know we’d joke about it ‘What, Tokyo? Hong Kong? What is it going to be!?’ …Until this idea came along and until Ric came along – now I’ve gone from not knowing what to do with it, to thinking this is going to be the best one.”

In the same interview, Butler shared that Waugh told him that he wanted to make a movie with him “that’ll be remembered for three generations”. In response to that, Butler said, “Well what about Has Fallen 3?”, and Waugh said, “That’s not what I was thinking!” Butler said to the reluctant director, ‘Read this script, it’s kind of like The Fugitive, take it and let’s put your spin on it.’

Fast forward to May 2019, Waugh posted the trailer of Angel Has Fallen on Twitter and wrote, “For years Gerard Butler and I have been wanting to collaborate. Damn glad it was this one. It was definitely worth the wait!”

Angel Has Fallen opens in Philippine cinemas nationwide on Aug. 21. From Viva International Pictures and MVP Entertainment.

NICKIE WANG

HERE are new kids on the afternoon block.

JILLIAN Ward, Sofia Pablo, and Althea Ablan are the faces of GMA’s latest afternoon soap, Prima Donnas, which telecast begins today.

The three teen stars play the role of siblings Donna Marie, Donna Lyn, and Donna Belle, respectively.

“We are playing entirely different characters here compared to the usual characters people used to see us portraying. The difference now is that we’re more mature physically and mentally,” said former child star Jillian.

“As for myself, before I treat the set as a playground but now I have to be serious all the time,” she added.

The new drama is described as a heartwarming tale about family and love among siblings headlined by fresh faces, excellent character actress, and by one of the country’s bestcontravidas.

The drama casts Katrina Halili, Wendell Ramos, Chanda Romero, Benjie, Elijah Alejo and Aiko Melendez who returns to GMA after nine years. Actress Glaiza de Castro plays a special role in the series.

During Prima Donnas’ grand media

The principal cast of 'Prima Donnas,' which premieres today on GMA Network's afternoon block

launch held last week, the series director Gina Alajar talked about the premise of the drama and what makes it different from the previous shows she directed.

“This time I will be honing the talents of the three tween stars who play the title roles. The biggest challenge is motivating them to be in character and for the audience to distinguish each character based on their traits,” Alajar said.

The story starts with married couple Jaime (Wendell), the sole inheritor to the affluent Claveria Group of Companies, and Maita (Glaiza) find it difficult to bear a child. The couple then hired Lilian (Katrina), the daughter of their most trusted house helper, to be the surrogate mother of their unborn offspring. Lilian accepts the proposal and later on gives birth to three beautiful girls named Donna Marie (Jillian), kindhearted and driven; Donna Belle (Althea), ambitious and strong-willed; and Donna Lyn (Sofia), soft-spoken and the mediator between the two.

Life takes an unexpected turn for the three Donnas when Kendra (Aiko), managing director of Claveria Group of Companies, who has been eyeing Jaime and the Claveria fortune, will stop at nothing to get a hold of all of Claveria’s

wealth and Jaime’s affection at the expense of the three young heiresses.

Family secrets, grudging relatives, and an endless pursuit of their real identity—will the bond of the three Donnas remain strong amidst the many challenges’ life throws at them?

The show’s creative team is composed of creative director Aloy Adlawan, creative unit head Dode Cruz, Concept Consultant Kit Langit, concept creator Maria Zita Garganera, headwriter Luningning Interino-Ribay, and writers Borgy Danao, Mike Ladera, and Kuts Enriquez.

This original series is headed by the SVP for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable, VP for Drama Redgie A. Magno, AVP for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy, Senior Program Manager Redgynn S. Alba and Executive Producer Marissa Hilario.

Prima Donnas premieres today after Hanggang Sa Dulo ng Buhay Ko, on GMA Afternoon Prime.

Kapuso viewers from across the globe can also catch their favorite Kapuso shows via GMA’s international channels GMAPinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International.

For the program guide, visit www. gmapinoytv.com.